Joanne Kaldy

You know that stress takes a toll. You’ve heard about it, you’ve heard about it, and you likely have experienced it – particularly during this past year. While you may feel pressured or obligated to work longer and harder these days, there are many reasons – and some ways – to step back and give yourself a break:

• Dig deep: What will really happen if you don’t stay late tonight? You may think you’ll be in trouble, and maybe that’s true. But is it really worth missing dinner with your family or your kid's basketball game? Will your job be at risk? Will others’ lives or safety be threatened? It’s easy to imagine the worst. Step back and look at why you’re pushing yourself so hard.
• Share your goal to dial it back with someone you respect. Perhaps they can help coach you on ways to do it; or at least they can be a source of encouragement and support.
• Focus on what really matters. Conduct an 80/20 analysis and determine what efforts at work product the … [Read more...] about (10/11) Burning Out? Give Yourself Permission to Dial It Back.

According to new research, many workers still feel underpaid despite efforts by employers to increase wages:

• Nearly half of workers (49%) believe they’re being paid less than they deserve.
• Gen Z-ers (57%) and women (52%) are most likely to feel they’re making less than they are worth.
• About a third (31%) of workers say they’ll consider quitting their job if they don’t get a pay increase by the end of this year. Working parents (36%) and young workers ag 18 to 24 (48%) are most likely to say they’ll walk if they don’t get a raise.
• Starting wages/salaries are expected to increase 3.8% overall next year.
• 48% of employers are offering signing bonuses to entice new hires.
• Over half (6 in 10) of managers say they look locally first for skilled candidates, while 18% report they look outside of their area from the start.

According to new research from Paychex, Inc., your younger workers are more likely to be lured away to other opportunities. A survey conducted in partnership with Future Workplace found that one in three Gen-Z and Millennial workers are actively seeking a new job. This is nearly twice the number of Boomers and Gen Xers looking for greener pastures. According to the survey results, workers of all ages look for the following benefits to keep them loyal to their company:

• Higher pay (61%)
• A stay bonus (39%)
• More paid time off (39%)
• Flexible working hours (35%)

According to some experts speaking at the recent SHRM Annual Conference & Expo, jurors and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alike expect employers to go the extra mile to protect employees from workplace harassment. For example, research suggests that most jurors or prospective jurors think that just because an employee didn’t report harassment doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. They further think that workers often don’t report harassment because they are afraid to do so. About half of jurors surveyed indicated that if an employee complains about harassment on social media, this serves as adequate notice for the employer. They also reported that employers need to be proactive and have strong and clearly communicated anti-harassment policies and training. Elsewhere, EEOC suggests several key elements employers need to have in place if they want to prevent harassment in the workplace:

• Commitment from senior leadership.
• Consistent and … [Read more...] about (10/5) Harassment Today

Employees are resigning in droves across the country. You might think that wages are the number one reason. However, a new survey suggests other factors:

• Of 1,000 full-time U.S. workers who started a new job in 2021, 40% say burnout is the main reason they left their previous position.
• 34% say they left their job because of organizational changes at their company.
• 20% report they sought a new job because they didn’t feel valued at work.
• 19% say that benefits were insufficient at their old job.

A new survey of more than 120 post-acute and long-term care organizations paints a vivid picture of the dire staffing situation industrywide:

• Respondents say they’ve experienced an average 12% decline in employment, all have staff vacancies, and 30% are limiting move-ins because of staffing shortages.
• 94% say they have unfilled openings for certified nursing assistants (1,844 vacancies), 94% have openings for licensed vocational nurses, 22% need registered nurses, and 90% have significant openings for dietary, laundry, and housekeeping staff.
• 76% of respondents say they are using more overtime pay and double shifts to compensate for staffing shortages than they did a year ago.
• Reasons given for vacancies include the inability to compete with other employers (70%), lack of applicants (63%), or having no qualified applicants (54%).

The pandemic has changed much about business, including the role of leaders in the new normal:

• Empathy takes on a new emphasis. People are juggling work, home, and family more than ever. It is important to recognize that your team members are struggling and to do what you can to help them. For instance, make sure that mental health is part of the employee wellness toolkit and that workers know what benefits are available to them.
• Work to create an inclusive culture throughout the organization. Determine what you need to do to ensure that all employees have the tools, resources, and support they need to success and do their best work.
• Speak out on social issues. At least one national survey shows that the majority of employees (54%) say it’s important to speak publicly about political and social issues they care about. Consider how you can best use your power to influence positive change in your community and in the world.

A new report reveals new information about how employees feel about culture and what matters most to them:

• 45% of employees say they regularly interact at work with fewer people than they did a year ago.
• 33% report that they feel disconnected from their leaders.
• Organizations increase the likelihood of improving the employee experience significantly when they meet their needs for autonomy, connection, and mastery.
• Employees identify several areas as key to the success of the hybrid work experience: career development program (68%), work schedule flexibility (65%), clear availability expectations when working remotely (65%), and opportunities for in-person social connections with coworkers (58%).

New data shows that some efforts may actually influence workers to get vaccinated. Among the findings:

• 43% of workers say they would be motivated by a surcharge to get the shot, and 23% say it might possibly influence them. Most said the penalty would have to be $50 a month or more to influence their decision to get vaccinated.
• 53% of survey respondents say that a mask mandate exclusively for unvaccinated employees would or might encourage them to get vaccinated.
• 56% report that losing paid time off for quarantining after a positive test would or might be a motivating factor.

If you’re going to invest time and money in staff training, you want it to have an impact. Consider these three steps to establish and promote learning that lasts:

1. Establish a baseline and devise a plan, but anticipate change. Be open with management and workers alike to uncover pain points, business issues, and key areas of growth. Soft skills such as emotional intelligence will help facilitate these conversations. These skills also will encourage and enable staff to be honest when they need additional or different learning and/or don’t feel like they are getting what they need to do their jobs well and be confident in their performance.
2. Find change management and transformation superstars. Identify team members and leaders with the skill sets and passion to enable successful program adoption and staff buy-in. Empower them to show the benefits of learning programs and advocate for actions that will facilitate change and deliver value.
3. Celebrate … [Read more...] about (9/27) 3 Key Steps to Facilitate Robust, Sustainable Learning Programs