Joanne Kaldy

The pandemic has changed everything, including employee benefits:

• Employee feedback and lifestyle needs will drive benefits strategies.
• A renewed focus on physical wellness with remote workers will emerge.
• Human connection in mental wellness efforts will return.
• Family-focus flexibility will get more attention.
• Employers will focus on near-term financial issues.

New data bears out one reason behind the work force shortage, particularly in low-wage positions: While men are entering the work force in large numbers, women aren’t: From February 2020 to January 2022:

• Male workers regained all the jobs they lost due to the pandemic.
• Over a million women left the labor force during that time, accounting for 63% of all jobs lost.
• Women gained 188,000 jobs this January, but they are still short by more than 1.8 million jobs lost.
• Millions of women left their jobs to provide child care during the pandemic. However, this is part of a broader trend, as in 2020 1 in 4 women said they were considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their career.
• Many women in low-wage jobs decided the challenge of juggling work and family wasn’t worth the poor pay.
• In January, 3.6% of all women were without jobs. However, these numbers were nearly double for women of color.

In a new survey, workers overwhelmingly say their job is the main source of their stress and other mental health issues. However, less clear is how they feel about work flexibility and how this might help them:

• 87% of survey respondents say they want to be in control of their schedules.
• 36% say they prefer to work whenever and wherever would have the most positive impact on their mental health.
• 41% say a top priority is the ability to choose which hours of the day they work; 25% want to determine the days they work; and just 14% say where they work is their top priority.

Employee surveys can be revealing, but they also can miss some important information. Here are some points that may be missed in your surveys and how you can fill some of these gaps:

• Big picture versus little realities. It is important drill down to day-to-day work and issues such as individual goals, deadlines, deliverables, and departmental relationships.
• The need for “real talk.” Employees often believe that they need to be consistently positive and hide the negative to be successful. Give them an opportunity to speak honestly and sincerely without fear of repercussions.
• People are feeling beings. As a result, your employees aren’t always motivated by logic and practical policies and procedures. You need to understand what motivates people to stay engaged, be loyal to the organization, etc.
• It’s easy to get lost in the weeds. You want solutions to problems or issues identified in an employee survey, but you want to streamline these so … [Read more...] about (2/17) What Surveys Fail to Reveal About the Employee Experience

It’s been a long, trying couple of years. People are exhausted, stressed out, and stretched thin. Even people who are normally reasonable, cheerful, and respectful can have a short fuse under these circumstances. Here are a few steps you can take to defuse the anger and frustration and promote a healthy, happy team:

• Remember that your team’s feelings affect yours and vice versa. Work on stabilizing your mood and not reacting impulsively to others’ anger. When you resist the urge to react or judge, you will be better equipped to handle the situation. At the same time, try to maintain an even temper around your team. Find a safe space where you can vent if you need to.
• Listen with a clear mind and open heart. Don’t suppress, ignore, or dismiss a team member’s anger. Instead, seek additional information, showing that you care and want to help. Even if the anger is directed at you, try not to take it personally. When people are stressed out and upset, they often … [Read more...] about (2/16) Managing Anger, Frustration, and Resentment on Your Team

According to a new study, policy changes and innovative strategies are key to building and stabilizing the direct care workforce. The authors focused on four priorities for workforce development:

• Compensation, with base wages indexed at least to the local cost of living, pay increased tied to longevity/merit/etc., and access to essential employment benefits and wraparound supports.
• Training and advancement, with competency-based training across all Long-Term Support and Services (LTSS) settings, stackable credentials recognized across occupations and settings, and career advancement tied to enhanced training, function, and compensation.
• Supervision and support, with structures and processes that facilitate consistent, supportive supervision and peer mentor programs across settings.
• Empowerment and inclusion, including enhanced integration in care planning and assessment processes and opportunities to take on more responsibility within … [Read more...] about (2/15) Transforming Direct Care Workforce Requires Innovative Strategies, Policy Changes: Study

It’s Valentine’s Day; and while it’s not everyone’s favorite holiday, it can be a time for little gestures that can boost morale and connect with workers. Here’s how:

• Use words of affirmation. Let people know you value them and that they make a difference. Recognize workers in meetings, LinkedIn posts, thoughtful notes, and conversations. Choose your words carefully and be thoughtful.
• Spend quality time with workers. Eat lunch with your team or invite people to share coffee and donuts during the day. Announce a scheduled fun group event for the near future and build excitement for it.
• Commit acts of kindness. Check in with someone who’s been having a tough time. Ask a stressed-out colleague how you can help. Give people an opportunity to vent, share, laugh, or cry in a judgment-free zone.
• Don’t forget tangible gifts. A modest gift card, a small box of chocolates, a gourmet cookie, or even a bag of favorite snacks can make someone’s day … [Read more...] about (2/14) 5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Work

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (H.R. 4445). Some of the key points of the bill include:

• Employers that require workers to sign pre-dispute arbitration agreements would have to exclude sexual harassment claims.
• Any arbitration agreement signed before a claim or dispute involving sexual assault or harassment arises is voidable at the option of the claimant.
• The legislation would also apply to sexual harassment or assault claims brought in a joint, class, or collective action.

Employers aren’t being transparent about pay, according to a new Salary.com survey, and they’re not comfortable asking salary-related questions of their employers. Among the survey results:

• 49% of respondents say they have asked their manager how their pay is determined, but half of these say their manager tried but didn’t answer to their satisfaction; and 16% say their manager couldn’t answer at all.
• 37% of employees say they don’t think they’re paid fairly compared to colleagues across the board.
• 46% say they’re not fairly paid compared to people in the same role at other companies.
• Only 27% say they think they’re paid fairly; and another 27% don’t know if their salary is fair or not.