HR Industry Brief

According to a new survey, “People at Work 2021:  A Global Workforce View,” the pandemic has shaken up staffing worldwide and is driving some challenges and changes:

• 28% of respondents say they’ve taken on a new or different role due to labor market shifts. This number jumps to 36% for Generation Z workers.
• 64% of the global workforce was negatively affected by the pandemic. This includes 28% who lost a job, were furloughed, or got laid off.
• 23% of respondents say they’ve taken a pay cut.
• 75% of workers made changes or plan to change how or where they live.
• Two-thirds (66%) of small and mid-sized U.S. employers have established a hybrid work model.
• 68% of workers report that they’ve received a pay raise or bonus.

Pretty much everyone agrees that change is essential to plan for the post-COVID future. However, change isn’t easy, and a recent study shows that employees aren’t always on board. This is significant, the study authors say, as about a quarter of an employee’s belief that their company needs to change is strongly influenced by whether they understand the rationale behind those changes. At the same time, only 15% of employees say they always understand their leaders’ change strategy and why change is necessary. The study concluded that four additional factors contribute or cause workers to be resistant to change:

• Employees doubt that they can be successful in change efforts.
• Leaders don’t share the challenges facing the organization with workers.
• Employees just don’t like taking risks. In fact, according to the study, only 24% of workers say they like risk taking.
• Top executives are much more likely to enjoy leaving their comfort zone … [Read more...] about (11/26) Resistance To Change Comes from These Five Factors

If you are going to have a Thanksgiving day or post-holiday feast a for workers, you'd better have turkey – at least according to a new survey. In a poll of more than 3,000 Americans, about a third (29.5%) said that the bird is the best part of the Thanksgiving meal. Mashed potatoes came in second at 15.4%. The runners up included:

• Pies (12.7%)
• Casseroles (10.1%)
• Macaroni and cheese (8.7%)

• Cranberries (4.1%)
• Dinner rolls (3.5%)
• Green beans (2.5%)
• Salad (1.0%)

Lack of appreciation is among the top reasons people leave their jobs. So what would be a better time to show some appreciation than Thanksgiving? There are many ways to say ‘thank you’ to your employees. Start with these:

• Give employees time off. If you can’t let them have Thanksgiving day off, consider giving them the option of taking another day or half-day off.
• Deliver personalized ‘thank you’ cards. You can mail them or leave them at workers’ desks or stations, but they need to be personal and heartfelt, not scripted and the same for everyone.
• Start a gratitude Slack thread. Give team members a way to express and share their gratitude for things both big and small.
• Say ‘thanks’ via social media. Spotlight teams and team members and what is great about them. Involve them by asking them to submit photos or comments.
• Create a ‘gratitude wall’ where employees can stick post-it notes with their messages of appreciation for … [Read more...] about (11/24) 11 Ways to Show Employee Appreciation This Thanksgiving

Cutting-edge human capital management (HCM) solutions are essential to helping companies continue to weather the pandemic and to plan for a successful return to the new normal. In a presentation on 2022 HCM Tech Imperatives for HR Leaders, John Kostoulas, vice president and analyst at Gartner, recommends 10 HCM technologies that will help businesses get and stay on track moving forward:

• Voice of employee (ensuring that employees feel seen and heard)
• Continuous management performance
• Onboarding
• Talent analytics and workforce planning
• Continuous learning
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion in HCM
• Next-gen workforce management
• Internal talent marketplace
• Recognition and rewards
• Flexible earned wage access

Although it appears that we are through the worst of the pandemic, the fight isn’t over; and your employees have had another tough year. In challenging times, celebrations are more important than ever. So how do you plan holiday celebrations that are fun, safe, and engage onsite and remote workers alike? Consider some ways to  ensure your teams have a memorable and moral-boosting holiday:

• Hold a virtual trivia contest with prizes. Have department heads compete for time off (a day or even half-day) for their workers.
• Book a virtual appearance of a celebrity. The platform Cameo has all kinds of celebrities – actors, musicians, and athletes – available for as little as $100.
• Have a (virtual or hybrid) vintage ‘Mad Men’ style cocktail party with music, food, and drinks from the ‘60s. Encourage people to wear period clothes like skinny neckties, capri pants, and hats.
• Promote 12 days of holiday fun. Each day offer a special treat – such as … [Read more...] about (11/22) COVID-Safe Holiday Office Parties Don’t Have to Be Boring

Agility is key to bouncing back from a crisis, and here are some keys to increasing your team's flexibility and resilience:

• Don’t obsess over perfection; start prioritizing evolving solutions. Inform employees about upcoming changes, how they’re impacted by them, and why it matters. Don’t leave workers in the dark. Be transparent from day one.
• Involve your team and employees in solutions. Bring different team members together to co-create materials, solutions, and strategies.
• Break down complex goals into manageable pieces. Broad plans and strategies are important to stay on track, but they can be overwhelming and pull time, attention, and energy away from short-term needs. Breaking up strategies into manageable ‘chunks” and smaller, short-term goals can help get you to where you want to be.
• Constantly measure and adapt. It’s essential to monitor progress, celebrate successes, and tweak plans or change directions as necessary. One way to … [Read more...] about (11/19) The Path to More Agile People Practices

Since the pandemic, incivility has run rampant in the workplace. According to a new survey:

• 70% of respondents say that it’s easier for people to get away with rude behavior, such as interrupting others on calls or Zoom meetings and not returning emails.
• 59% say that, compared to before the pandemic, colleagues are generally less civil or polite to each other.
• 78% say they find it difficult to focus on work after someone says or does something rude.
• 83% report that they try to avoid colleagues they think are rude.
• 75% indicate they have considered leaving their job because of an uncivil co-worker or boss.

At a recent workshop where a panel of Certified Nursing Assistants discussed ways to recruit and retain good workers, recognition came up time and time again as an important factor. The CNAs all stressed that this isn’t one and done, so use these areas to ensure recognize is a year-round endeavor:

• Look back, then pay it forward. Think about things managers in your past did that made you feel great. Use these to recognize your employees.
• Think about wages and beyond. While it’s true that money talks and a bonus or raise is always welcome, remember that today’s workers value benefits like flexible work schedules and paid time off.
• Broadcast your appreciation. While one-on-one recognition is nice, make sure everyone knows when someone is doing a great job. Hold meetings where you tell people exactly what they’re doing that makes a difference. Send out congratulatory emails to the entire organization.
• Go back to basics. An old-fashioned … [Read more...] about (11/17) 4 Quick Tips for Prioritizing Employee Recognition All Year Long

Leadership development is challenging in the best of times, and nearly impossible in a pandemic. However, if you break it down into 4 parts, it is more manageable and productive:

• Skills development. Specifically, this involves four core skills: self-awareness, communication, influence, and learning agility.
• Performance development. Productivity is actually a science that is and should be taught to optimize quality output and increase intradepartmental alignment.
• Mental and emotional development. This involves achieving higher levels of self-awareness and not only understanding who you are but who want will and want to be.
• Moral development. It is essential to gain emotional and ethical maturity. This enables people to shift their focus from their own success to the accomplishments of those around them.