Move beyond branding to gravity for perpetual popularity with job-seekers. To consistently attract good workers, you don’t just need a solid brand; you need brand gravity. This is when your brand has the “emotional pull” that makes people remember you and your company over time in a positive light. It means that when people are in the job market, they come straight to your organization because they already know it’s a good place to work. So how do you create brand gravity? … [Read more...] about Brand Gravity Draws Quality Candidates Like a Magnet
Retention & Engagement
Are You Following ADA Guidance on Obesity?
HR leaders needs to look at how they address the safety, other needs of overweight employees. Statistics suggest that at least a small percentage of your employees are overweight or obese. Some of these individuals may qualify for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections if their weight and related symptoms/problems “substantially limit a major life activity.” You need to know who qualifies for what protections and be prepared to provide these accordingly. Otherwise, you could leave your organization open to discrimination complaints. If an employee is obese and has associated problems—such as joint pain, mobility difficulties, shortness of breath, and/or diabetes, you need to implement a process to determine what accommodations may be needed or possible. Note that the underlying problems may be considered disabilities in their own right, regardless of weight issues; and the ADA considers those workers “regarded as disabled,” even if they don’t meet other criteria. … [Read more...] about Are You Following ADA Guidance on Obesity?
Survey: Companies Offer Innovative Family-Friendly Benefits to Attract Workers
In a growing trend, employers are thinking beyond parental leave to fertility treatments, child care, college savings accounts, more. According to a new study, employers are increasingly offering family-friendly benefits to attract and retain good employees. These include more traditional efforts such as paid parental leave, as well as more novel benefits such as fertility treatments and medications, genetic testing, and egg harvesting/freezing. According to the numbers, there’s a good chance some of your competitors are offering these perks; so take the time to consider what more you can do. According to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ (IFEBP) annual Employee Benefits Survey, nearly a third (31%) of employers with 500 or more employees offer some sort of fertility benefit. At the same time, 23% cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) … [Read more...] about Survey: Companies Offer Innovative Family-Friendly Benefits to Attract Workers
Leaders with Soft Skills Make for Solid Employee Engagement
Beef up your soft skills to retain employees, attract top candidates. There is a lot of talk about the importance of “soft skills”—such as communication, time management, and creativity—for employees. But leaders also need these abilities so that they can engage workers, encourage retention, and promote a culture where everyone thrives. Take a minute to inventory your soft skills and think about how you use them. … [Read more...] about Leaders with Soft Skills Make for Solid Employee Engagement
Companies Are More Talk Than Action on Employee Rewards
Are workers surprised or disappointed by how you recognize them? There is lots of talk about employee recognition, but a recent survey suggests that employers could do a better job of walking the walk on worker rewards and appreciation efforts. According to research from the staffing firm OfficeTeam, only 43% of employers think their company is very effective at recognizing employees for good performance. Over one-tenth (14%) said they are not at all or not too effective at celebrating workers. This is a particularly relevant topic during this Administrative Professionals Week (April 21-27), with employees wondering what their company will do to recognize them. According to the survey, 43% of respondents said they plan to organize a celebration or lunch at work, 35% said … [Read more...] about Companies Are More Talk Than Action on Employee Rewards
Survey: Lead as a Social Enterprise, Reinvent Human Capital for Future Success
Employees want socially conscious companies. Are you ready? According to findings of the 2019 Global Human Capital Trends survey of nearly 10,000 CEOs and executives, future success means reinventing organizational approaches to human capital with a focus on employees’ continuous learning, accelerated development, and personal and professional growth. More than three-quarters (86%) of survey respondents said they believe they must reinvent their ability to learn, and 84% said they need to rethink their workforce experience to improve productivity. At the same time, 80% said they believe that they need to develop leaders differently. When asked to rate their most important measures of success in 2019, respondents almost unanimously said “impact on society, including income inequality, diversity, and the … [Read more...] about Survey: Lead as a Social Enterprise, Reinvent Human Capital for Future Success
Employee Benefits Can Be Branding Boon or Hiring Bust
Benefits and perks speak volumes about how you view, value employees. What message are you sending? Competition is stiff for the best and brightest workers, and businesses increasingly are looking for creative benefits that will attract and keep good employees. Benefits such as health insurance, paid leave, and retirement plans are clearly important; but organizations need to know their employees, think outside the box, and identify benefits that boost the company’s brand. Why is this so important? According to one survey, nearly two-third of job candidates say that benefits and perks are among their top considerations before accepting a job; and nearly 80% of workers say they would prefer new or added benefits to a pay increase. … [Read more...] about Employee Benefits Can Be Branding Boon or Hiring Bust
Employees Want Mentors…Now
Workers at all levels see mentorships as a valuable perk, but companies aren’t delivering. As your organization deals with constant change and a range of workplace and industry challenges, coaches and mentors are more important than ever for employees at all levels. Nonetheless, while employees in a recent survey said that mentorships are valuable, few actually have a mentor. While over half of 3,000 respondents (56%) said they have had a mentor in the past, only 37% said they still have such a professional relationship. Interestingly, 9% said that they aren’t sure if they have a mentor or not, as the relationship is unclear. … [Read more...] about Employees Want Mentors…Now
House Passes Paycheck Fairness Act: What’s Next?
Pay equity is a hot issue that can impact morale, engagement, and retention. Don’t wait for a law to address it. By a 55-vote margin, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 7) this week. If passed into law, the bill would prohibit employers from asking job candidates about their salary history and require them to demonstrate definitively that pay disparities between men and women are job-related. … [Read more...] about House Passes Paycheck Fairness Act: What’s Next?
Bright Ideas Are Everywhere: Make Innovation Work for You
Are you making the most of creative innovators in your organization? Innovation is essential to getting ahead, especially in a tight employment market. HR can help create a culture of innovation and encourage employees to be visionaries and problem solvers. This process starts with brainstorming, but it doesn’t end with a good idea. Innovation is a process that starts with people asking “what if?” and moves on to involve planning, developing, testing, changing, retesting, and—yes—sometimes failure. In the end, though, innovation results in better systems, products, materials, and tools that make improve work and life. So now that you understand the innovation process, what’s next? … [Read more...] about Bright Ideas Are Everywhere: Make Innovation Work for You
