Joanne Kaldy

Value-based leadership starts with a foundation of emotional intelligence, as well as attributes such as self-reflection, a balanced perspective, and real humility. This type of leadership makes people stronger and more productive. To create a culture where value-based leadership thrives, consider these steps:

1. Express this on day one with new hires. Clarify what this means to them and how it will positively impact their job and increase their engagement at work.
2. Introduce your values to your current team. Be open and honest about why you are moving to value-based leadership, what it means, and how it will work. Reset and announce expectations accordingly. At the same time, encourage workers' questions, concerns, etc. People will feel more confidence and comfortable when they know what’s expected of them; but realize that this won’t be one and done. Training and messages must be ongoing.

Through an analysis of available data and social media posts, researchers have offered some insights into vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers:

• “Freedom” was a powerful motivational factor, suggesting that emphasizing “freedom from fear” post-vaccination could potentially help reduce vaccine hesitancy, the study authors suggested.
• Misinformation had an impact, so countering this early and often could be a viable strategy to help reduce vaccine hesitancy.
• Lack or perceived lack of access to vaccination led some workers to remain unvaccinated. The researchers stressed the value of making vaccine clinics accessible and convenient.

In a new survey, 52% of assisted living providers say their workforce circumstances are worse than they were in January; and 48% worry that they may have to close their communities if workforce challenges continue. Among other findings from the survey:

• Providers say their operational costs have increased 40% from this time last year; and more than a third say they’re operating at a loss.
• 35% of providers say they can’t sustain their current operations for more than a year.
• 30% say they are limited new move-ins or closing their communities because of operations and staffing challenges.
• 87% of respondents say they’re having a somewhat or very difficult time hiring new staff members, with about half of providers saying they’re turning to temp agencies to fill shifts.
• The vast majority of participants (98%) say they have asked existing staff to work overtime or extra shifts to make up for staffing shortages.
• 67% of … [Read more...] about (6/9) 48 Percent of Assisted Living Providers May Close Due to Workforce Issues: Survey

June is Pride Month; and celebrating means more than putting out a rainbow flag. It is an opportunity to increase diversity, inclusion, and teamwork. Here are a few productive ways to recognize Pride Month at your organization:

• Hold a diversity and inclusion training session.
• Have an external consultant evaluate diversity in your organization and suggest ways to make your workplace more inclusive.
• Hire/designate a diversity and inclusion officer.
• Ensure access to gender neutral restrooms.
• Invite an LGBTQ+ speaker in for a program.
• Screen a documentary about LGBTQ+ rights or history.
• Offer a list of books on Pride Month or LGBTQ+ to workers.

Moving forward, employee appreciation will need to require a new focus. Here’s what you need to know:

• A positive work experience is more important than ever to employees. This means opportunities for remote or hybrid work, shorter hours, and a better work-life balance.
• Little treats like donuts and cupcakes don’t resonate the way they used to. Employees want appreciation efforts that speak to their values. This means more engagement, more personal recognition, and more opportunities to participate in educational and upskilling efforts.
• Employees want more frequent recognition. A once-a-year gift or raise doesn’t mean much without regular praise and acknowledgement of their accomplishments and contributions.
• Employees want recognition of their personal milestones as well as their professional accomplishments. This shows that managers and other leadership appreciate them as individuals and recognize that they have a life outside of … [Read more...] about (6/7) What Does Employee Appreciation Look Like Post-Pandemic?

Post-pandemic, it’s not enough to be resilient and responsive. It’s important for organizations to be robust and antifragile. This means having systems that don’t break under pressure and are able to return to symmetry and balance quickly when there is a disaster. Here are few things you need to know about how to build an antifragile organization:

• Antifragile systems are actually stronger when they’re introduced to a bit of harm, challenge, or stress instead of being diminished.
• Unlike their fragile counterparts, antifragile organizations are willing to consider competitive forces and respond accordingly, seeing disorder as challenges to overcome and not “bad” or roadblocks. They also choose to keep pace with emerging risks such as cyber-threats.
• Engaging all resources and the collective intelligence of people is key to antifragile organizations, and this is how they approach problem resolution and the pursuit of new opportunities.
… [Read more...] about (6/6) Innovative Leadership: Moving Beyond Resilience To Antifragility

No doubt, the pandemic has shaken up the workforce. In one recent survey, for example, nearly half (42%) of onsite employees say they don’t feel connected to their workplace or their colleagues. Hybrid and fully remote workers feel even more isolated.  One solution that more organizations are embracing involves creating omni-connected experiences to engage all employees, wherever they work. This involves a few key steps:

• Instill modern leadership that leads by listening first and then responding with commitment and action.
• Grow a thriving culture where leaders champion different ideas and experiences and create a culture where whole-worker care is embraced.
• Enable an agile organization where people can be productive wherever they are and however they work.
• Empower people through technology. Building an up-to-date, robust, and user-friendly technology foundation in the cloud. Ensure that people have the training and resources necessary to … [Read more...] about (6/3) 4 Ways to Unlock Productivity, Retention and Revenue Growth

Are your employees not living up to what you expect or want them to accomplish? It’s possible that they are working hard but don’t really know how to exceed your expectations. For instance, at least one recent survey shows that only 24% of organizations have communicated to staff the specific behaviors are necessary to live their corporate values. Take the time to make sure your workers know what you expect of them and how they can go above and beyond:

• Don’t be afraid to be direct. Communicate to staff how they’re doing, what they could do different, and what your vision is for their contributions to the organization. Encourage autonomy and individuality, but make goals and expectations crystal clear.
• Define what success looks like. Set highly detailed expectations and explicit directions or achieving goals. Make sure everyone has the tools and resources they need to succeed. Consider the benefits of directive coaching and other activities to inspire and drive … [Read more...] about (6/2) The Surprising Reasons Employees Are Not Exceeding Expectations

Myth 1: Bringing diverse people into your organization over those from the dominant culture means there are winners and losers. Reality: An intention to hire a more diverse staff empowers those who have long been sidelined or ignored and brings a broader range of insights and experiences into the organization, which benefits everyone. Myth 2: Our mission is to improve opportunities for marginalized groups, so we’re reaching diverse people and communities. Reality: There needs to be a strategy and systemized steps to reach diverse people. Myth 3: Our organization is an a geographic area that is not diverse, so why should we worry about diversity? Reality: This assumption doesn’t acknowledge the value of diverse perspectives or the fact that demographics are constantly changing. Myth 4: Our organizational leaders are well-meaning and not biased. Reality: Unconscious bias exists everywhere. Addressing DEI calls for intentionality and an acknowledgement that biases … [Read more...] about (6/1) Debunking Myths Around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

What do you do when an employee doesn’t show up to their job for a number of days without notice and any stated plans to return? Job abandonment is the new ‘ghosting,’ and it should be investigated and addressed according to the situation and compliance with labor laws. Here are few things you need to know:

• Job abandonment is generally considered voluntary resignation even if the employee doesn’t officially quit or resign. The person’s lack of communication suggests the employee has no intention of coming back to work.
• Reasons for job abandonment include: Fear of quitting due to embarrassment, getting a job with another employer, an unexpected personal or family emergency, job dissatisfaction, fear of returning to work due to health or safety concerns, and a negligent or blasé attitude on the part of the worker.
• It is important for employers to anticipate the problems that can be caused by job abandonment and put clear policies in place.
… [Read more...] about (5/31) Job Abandonment: What It Is, How It Happens & How To Handle It