Conduct Regular One-on-One Meetings

There are several reasons conducting regular one-on-one meetings is a good practice for encouraging employees to apply for internal positions.

First, one-on-one meetings are an effective way of spotting exceptional talents within your workforce. It also allows you to focus on analyzing and providing feedback on their performance and prevents external blockers from impeding doing that. Hence, if an employee is performing great on a project, you can readily discuss internal mobility opportunities with him or her during these meetings. That way, you’ll make sure that opportunities are given to the right people.

Additionally, one-on-one meetings provide you with an easier way of gauging your employees’ needs. During these meetings, employees are more open to talking about their morale and productivity issues regarding certain tasks or projects. Hence, once an employee becomes unhappy with his or her position, you can discuss internal opportunities with him or her.

Paw Vej
Chief Operating Officer, Financer.com

Recognize Your Workforce

One powerful way to encourage employees to apply for internal positions is to create a culture of recognition and reward. This can be done by recognizing employees who have applied for and been successful in internal positions and rewarding them with bonuses, promotions or other incentives.

Providing your employees with access to resources such as career development programs, mentorship opportunities and job postings can help them feel more confident in their ability to apply for internal positions.

Ultimately, creating a culture of open communication between management and employees ensures that they can feel comfortable asking questions and expressing their interest in internal positions.

Ryan Rottman
Co-Founder and CEO, OSDB Sports

Send a Personal Invite 

We send a personal invite to key individuals we think would be a great fit for the role to build their courage to apply. We detail the email with why we think they should apply, how we would support them in the role and additional role details.

Even if the employee doesn’t get the offer, they know we selected them to apply, and that their team thinks highly of them. If an employee doesn’t get the offer, we share feedback and create a plan to build certain skills and gain experience.

Nicole Serres
President, Star Staffing

Encourage Individuals to Switch Jobs

Show your employees from the beginning that your company has many paths to advancement. Allow your A-listers to take center stage during employee orientation. Has anyone, say, moved from payroll to marketing to management? How did she plan out her career?

Tell tales that show why your staff members shouldn’t limit themselves to a single function. Solicit their interest in other available positions. Maintain this upbeat attitude even after training has ended.

For instance, if a new position opens up, you could notify the entire company via email. Or, you could make an internal board and publish a notice on the company intranet. Employees frequently misjudge the availability of opportunities because they are unaware of what is out there. And keep an open mind if an employee approaches you about leaving to pursue another opportunity. Don’t automatically label someone as a “technical engineer.” They might have unseen strengths in business development.

Samantha Odo
Real Estate Expert and Chief Operating Officer, Precondo

Get the Positions in Front of Them

At an organization with a lot of moving parts and constantly changing hiring needs, your employees may not have the time to go in and check the internal career site regularly.

We use multiple channels to ensure our people know about our current openings, and we pin a link to our career site to our internal communications hub. Our weekly newsletter calls out the opportunities in a section specifically for hiring. We also often spotlight open positions on our social media channels.

The benefit of this strategy goes beyond internal applicants, as it can also promote awareness that can drive additional employee referrals!

Patrick Ward
Manager, Talent Acquisition, Halloran Consulting Group, Inc.

Provide Mentorship Opportunities

I best encourage and support my employees to apply for internal positions by offering mentorship opportunities.

As you know, most times, employees may not apply for internal positions because of a lack of experience or uncertainty about the position’s duties. But for us, mentorship programs have been extremely effective in helping employees feel more confident in applying for internal positions and taking the next step in their careers.

With those programs, we provide a support system that not only helps employees understand what we expect of them in different roles, but also helps them to develop the skills and knowledge required to succeed in those positions.

Plus, our mentorship programs also provide a valuable opportunity for employees to network and build relationships with other professionals within the organization, which opens up extra opportunities for growth and advancement.

So, it’s an exciting chance to take on new roles with confidence.

Maria Harutyunyan
Co-Founder, Loopex Digital

Socialize Internal Positions With Slack

If you want to encourage employees to apply for internal positions, consider socializing the opening via Slack. It’s a simple and easy way to create more awareness of new career opportunities for current employees.

By sharing the opening in one or more Slack channels, you’re spreading the word internally much quicker than asking your team, “Who do you know?” Doing this early in your search will give you a clear sign of whether the right candidate exists internally or if you’ll need to pursue external candidates.

Tim Butler
Manager, Talent Acquisition, Sourcing Team, New Relic

Stretch Initiatives for Your Staff

In the growth of employees, pacing is crucial. Employees can gradually broaden their skill sets by taking on challenging new tasks as part of stretch initiatives. Tell your team members why they were chosen to work on these projects to avoid any confusion.

Employees become much more invested and engaged when allowed to voice their opinions, since they are aware of the potential effects on both their personal lives and the success of the company.

As the year progresses, have follow-up discussions regarding these stretch goals. This allows your staff a chance to communicate with you about what’s working and any difficulties they are experiencing. Your staff should gradually feel more comfortable with their abilities and be prepared to assume even greater responsibility.

Michael Koh
Senior IT Director, PropNex

Link the Opening to their Career Development Plan

Employees like to know what their next role will be. What skills do they need to reach that next promotion or lateral move? With well-organized career development plans and a skills inventory in each employee’s profile, I can easily see which employees are the best qualified for open positions.

Once the position is advertised internally, employees can see right away if they meet the requirements and if the position is on their development plan. I can then work with employees’ current managers and hiring managers (if different) to schedule interviews. It’s important that these impactful conversations occur directly between employees and managers, so that team members feel valued.

Susan Snipes
Chief People and Culture Consultant, GoCo

Streamline Internal Recommendations

One way to encourage employees to apply for internal positions is to emphasize company loyalty by streamlining internal recommendations. This method is a way to show employees they have an advantage over outside candidates. Having an internal recommendation for a job opening within the company will encourage employees to see a long future within the company.

Lionel Mora
CEO, Neoplants

Promote Growth and Development Programs

Employees who know their company cares about their growth and development are more likely to stay. That’s a fact. Create a program that allows your employees to share their desires and simultaneously help your leaders develop their teams. It can be that simple.

Irma Parone, ODCP
President, Parone Group

Be Transparent About Career Paths and Discuss Goals

One way to encourage employees to apply for internal positions is by facilitating open and honest conversations about career paths. By allowing time in the workday to discuss personal goals and ambitions, employees can determine if an internal position is a good fit for their professional development.

Additionally, providing resources that help explain job expectations, qualifications, roles and duties may help make applying for an internal position more transparent and inviting. Offering incentives such as monetary rewards or extra vacation days can further reward employees to pursue opportunities within the company.

The most important factor in retaining talented employees is recognizing their hard work and investing in their growth. Providing mentorship programs, special projects or additional training can show employees that their efforts are valued and appreciated.

Darren Shafae
Founder, ResumeBlaze

Cultivate High Employee Satisfaction

Studies show that companies with high employee satisfaction rates often have the highest internal application rates. This is because a happy employee will want to learn and grow within their current space, whereas an unhappy employee will seek opportunities elsewhere.

So, how do I keep my employees happy? Open communication. Talk to people with whom you work. Find out what their biggest frustrations with their current position are and what they wish the company would do differently. I promise the insights will pleasantly surprise you.

McKay Simmons
Account Executive, Ignite Recruitment

The post How Do You Encourage Employees to Apply for Internal Positions? appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

In November 2022, Amazon announced 10,000 job cuts. In the same month, Meta announced 11,000 layoffs. And then, making major headlines across the U.S., Twitter announced an almost 50% workforce reduction.

But these significant layoff numbers didn’t just start in the fourth quarter of 2022; other companies were cutting employees throughout the year, including:

• Peloton laid off 20% of its employees in February 2022 (with another 12% in October 2022)
• MasterClass laid off 20% of its employees in June 2022
• Snapchat laid off 20% of its employees in September 2022.

However, it’s not all terminations.  Employees are still quitting their jobs in high numbers, giving rise to the thought that the Great Resignation isn’t quite over. According to Business Insider, in September 2022, 4.1 million Americans quit their jobs, just under the 4.2 million that quit in August. At the Great Resignation’s peak, 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in late 2021.

The highest industries with employees quitting? According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, accommodation and food services, retail and professional and business services take home the highest number of quits per industry.

Keep reading to learn more about the continued Great Resignation, the growing Great Layoffs and what to expect as we move ahead.

The Continuing Great Resignation

Today, employers are retaining workers for longer periods of time, no longer offering “crazy” compensation packages to attract workers. Because of this, “the Great Resignation is far from over, but it is clearly winding down,” according to Julia Pollak, the chief economist at ZipRecruiter.

However, there were 10.3 million U.S. jobs available in October 2022, proving that this “wind down” is slow, as industries such as healthcare and social assistance spike a record number of job openings.

Enter the Federal Reserve, which as of late has been attempting to curb inflation and reduce the gap between the number of available jobs and those seeking a job (or a different job). But, according to Mark Hamrick, Bankrate.com’s senior economic analyst, “[t]he high number of openings continues to underscore the huge divide between supply and demand for labor, contrary to what the Federal Reserve wants to see as it battles inflation.”

McKinsey says “[i]t’s the quitting trend that just won’t quit.”  Even today, workers are still switching jobs, industries, and locations – starting their own businesses, changing industries or roles, or just taking time out to care for their families.

But are workers making the right decisions by changing jobs (or even industries) in such unpredictable times?

In a RecruitingDaily.com discussion with Amazon’s Marc Hamel, Principal Sourcer, Hamel noted that the decision to change jobs during these turbulent times wasn’t the “wrong” decision as several competing interests played into these choices – from family responsibilities to wanting higher salary packages or better benefits.

Hamel notes, however, that even if these decisions to find new employment weren’t “wrong,” many workers have felt buyer’s remorse in doing so.  According to a recent Joblist study, 26% of workers surveyed said they regretted leaving their previous jobs, leading to new phrases such as “The Great Regret” or “boomerang employees” (of which Hamel himself is one, moving from Amazon to Meta and back to Amazon).

One of the main reasons for this regret?  Forty-two percent of employees who found a new job after quitting said that the new job hasn’t lived up to their expectations.

The Reasons Behind High 2022 Layoff Numbers 

With so many workers leaving their jobs during The Great Resignation, employers were forced to hire en masse to fill open positions. Or did companies overestimate how many workers were needed to fill these positions?  After all, it was a crazy time.

But, this hiring en masse has led to mass layoffs, primarily in the tech industry, such as Meta, Amazon, Salesforce, Doordash and Twitter, to name a few. Hamel stated that employers saw these layoffs coming, especially with the exceedingly high number of hires in the previous years.

However, even though these layoffs are confined to a specific industry, the problem is that they are “loud.” They are front-page news.  They are public.  They are talked about on numerous social media platforms.

So, even though these layoffs are primarily contained within the tech industry, these layoffs have earned the nickname “loud layoffs” – negatively impacting how workers outside of the tech industry feel about their current jobs.

Moving Ahead

Looking forward, McKinsey predicts that with voluntary quit rates 25% higher than in pre-pandemic times, job openings won’t return to normal for some time as we continue to move through the Great Resignation and the Great Layoffs – or is it the Great Attrition or the Great Renegotiation? (So many “Greats.”)

Hamel agrees.  In our RecruitingDaily.com interview, he says that it’s not all doom and gloom. Instead, this too shall pass – a welcome thought for professional recruiters out there trying to fill roles.

However, Hamel said not to be surprised if we see still more layoffs. For example, within the large tech industry, companies tie compensation to equity and restricted stock units (RSUs). As a result, when companies lose value – and sometimes significant value – employees’ compensation is negatively impacted.  This can easily cause more employee upset, more attrition and more need to backfill and hire. And round and round we go.

Additionally, Hamel suggested that we’ll see more consumer spending over the next year, necessitating more hires for new positions, not just attrition hires.  And this is a positive for employers and employers alike.

Cumulatively, lessons have been and will continue to be learned.  In 2023 and beyond, recruitment professionals will be able to better manage these significant workplace ups and downs – better positioning themselves for whatever the job market throws their way.

The post From the Great Resignation to the Great Layoffs: What to Expect in 2023 appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

At the start of 2022, 64% of the U.S. population was living paycheck to paycheck, even among those earning six figures. These employees often rely on payday loans, advances, credit cards and overdraft extensions to make ends meet as they wait for the rigid two-week or four-week payday. However, bills, subscriptions and necessary expenses don’t wait for payday. 

These challenges are pushing employees to take control of their own financial futures. Employers must act now and think differently when it comes to employee satisfaction.

Employees Seek Companies that Prioritize Financial Wellbeing

In the era of the Great Resignation, employers are seeking ways to retain their employees and hire new talent. 

According to PwC’s 2022 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, financially-stressed employees are more likely to look for a new job. Among employees who say that their financial worries have had a severe or major negative impact on their productivity at work, 67% are struggling to meet their household expenses on time each month, 71% have personal debt and 64% are using credit cards to pay for necessities they couldn’t otherwise afford. 

To keep up and stay competitive in a tight labor market, companies need to take a closer look at the benefits most valuable to employees today. Financial wellness and planning resources are key focus areas to retain and attract talent across industries because employees need to feel empowered. One way to do so is to provide them access to their earnings as they earn it, removing the hurdles of cash flow timing from traditional payment cycles.

The Role of Earned Wage Access for Employee Experience

Earned wage access (EWA) offers employees a way to tackle the challenges associated with the speed of money, freeing them from employers’ payment cycles. By offering access to money right after employees work, employers increase employee satisfaction, motivation and productivity and experience better retention and recruitment.

In fact, an industry study conducted during the pandemic uncovered how early access to wages impacted people, finding that 82% of employees felt the services made them less stressed about their financial situation, 77% noted an improvement in their mental health, and 81% say they had higher self-esteem. The access to on-demand pay allows people to buy groceries, pay bills and cover life’s unexpected expenses with their own money.

This access also brings benefits to the employer, as financially stressed employees are 77%more likely to leave for another employer and spend two to five hours a week dealing with personal finances at work, impacting productivity.

The balance of employees being satisfied with their financial situation and employers offering an option that helps translates into happier, less stressed employees. It also manifests itself in better interactions with colleagues and customers, all of which results in improved customer experience, brand image and sales.

The post What Employers Should Do Differently to Remain Competitive in a Tight Labor Market appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Weirdly, even if they were personally affected by layoffs, 82% say they’re happy at work most of the time; 92% are completely satisfied with their work; 81% say their work has a clear sense of purpose; and 71% feel they aren’t stressed at work most of the time.  On top of that, the largest percentage of respondents – by far, at 27% – came from the information and communication technology sector, which has been impacted the most by layoffs. Somehow, the bulk of them are still reporting job satisfaction and optimism about their career prospects.

Behind the Numbers

We caught up with Charlotte Jones, Global Employer Brand Leader at Indeed, and she gave us some color commentary around the results.

Are employees happier due to actions of their employers, or is the possibility of recession causing employees to check themselves and reconsider if the grass is really all that greener?

“The results of this survey show us that the work employers have done up until this point is paying off with 82% of survey respondents saying they’re happier at their jobs regardless of company wide layoffs. While the looming recession could change how employees view the world around them, nearly half of the respondents said that they’d still consider going to another job in 2023. This likely indicates that employers are doing a great job at maintaining workplace sentiment but will still need to invest in it in 2023 in order to maintain their headcount.”

Considering that some of the programs in place are costly to maintain, if the perceived ROI shifts will employers begin to cut back on some of them?

“Regardless of the economic uncertainty that could come in 2023, it is still very much a job seeker’s market.  The labor market continues to hold steady with 263,000 jobs added in November and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7%. Additionally, job seekers are still finding jobs at elevated rates, and our recent Hiring and Workplace Trends Report 2023 with Glassdoor shows that employee happiness and wellbeing are still top of mind for employees. The trends report also shares that hiring will remain challenging for years to come. This tells us that workers will still have the upper hand and will demand the programs that make their lives happier.”

In a separate interview, she adds: “For HR professionals to note, any deviation from practices, processes or standards that employees have become accustomed to will be a potential threat to retention. As much as a focus was to build and strengthen offerings to attract top talent, it is equally critical to examine what is keeping employees in their current roles.”

The Sun Shone, and Hay Was Made

Some of this, of course, may be tied to wage gains. Job changers have seen meaningful income changes when they have switched employers recently.

From April 2021 to March 2022, a period in which quit rates reached post-pandemic highs, the majority of workers switching jobs – about 60% – saw an increase in their real earnings over the same month the previous year. This happened despite a surge in the rate of inflation that has eroded real earnings for many others. Among workers who remained with the same employer, fewer than half (47%) experienced an increase in real earnings.

But, behind that, employees satisfaction has improved beyond simple happiness around income. Additional Indeed-Forrester research found that 90% of people “believe how we feel at work matters,” and a majority think it’s their employer’s responsibility to create a happy work environment. “Get a bad [boss] and you are almost guaranteed to hate your job,” Gallup CEO Jon Clifton wrote as part of the company’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report.

Good news, but keep in mind it’s more confirmation that the ongoing work is working. Don’t stop.

That said: go on, employee experience team: pop some champagne. Or – in some states, anyways – enjoy a nice edible. You’ve earned it. And then get some rest – 2023 is still one of the 2020s. It ain’t over yet.

You can find the full survey results here.

The post The Kids Are Alright: Indeed Survey Shows Rising Employee Satisfaction appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

The 6th annual State of Employer Branding Survey finds that while in the past, the practice was largely an output of HR/Talent Acquisition, that’s now changing for the better. This year’s response to the question “Who Was Part of Your EVP Initiative?”points to an evenly blended stakeholder team consisting of marketing, internal communications, corporate communications, and talent acquisition.

This is a sign that in a historically tight candidate market, companies have been forced into the realization that strong employer branding does more than simply fill open positions. The data shows that increases conversion, application rates, as well as retention – a trifecta of positive impact.

Among other findings are:

• The top two goals for creating an employer brand were “Recognition as an Employer of Choice” and “Ease in attracting candidates.”
• The top-mentioned materials that have changed or will change based on recent employer branding initiatives are career sites (63%) and social media (50%).

According to Brandermix founder Jody Ordioni: “The internet, including social media, has truly leveled the playing field, allowing a low barrier of entry for small companies to successfully compete for talent against more sizable, well-known firms,” says Ordioni. “That should be great news for non-profits, healthcare and start-ups.”

While it has long been given lip-service, corporate marketing teams have been notoriously dismissive of their peers in talent acquisition. With the recent pressures on labor and hiring, investments of time, dollars, and attention are finally making their way to EB. While this is a hopeful sign that “they finally get it”, the question remains if this recognition will last or if it is simply a paint-point reaction. Time will tell.

The post Employer Branding Increasingly Viewed as Critical appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

First, there’s the proven lineage of social recruiting. Once seen as a passing trend, social media has become deeply entrenched in all aspects of our culture. LinkedIn is coming up on 20 years, with Facebook and Twitter approaching 18 and 16, respectively. The concept has moved from nascent to mature, and TikTok is the latest in a series of networks that’s managed to capture the world’s collective attention. But more than that, it’s what TikTok represents to recruiters, and that’s opportunity. Let’s dive in. 

Community. The TikTok user base is massive, expected to surpass 1.5 billion by the end of the year. You read that right. Billion. According to HootSuite, eight new users join every second, amounting to 650,000 a day, or roughly the entire population of Helsinki. If you’ve never been to Helsinki, know that it is the capital of an entire country.

With an audience of that size, you might think the experience would be overwhelming, but it’s quite the opposite. Given TikTok’s format, it lends itself nicely to the creation of communities centered on shared interests, ranging from BookTok to sustainability to something called cottagecore. So, it is no surprise to find CareerTok in the mix, with nearly 800 million views under the associated hashtag.

Authenticity. As Elon Musk might tell you, should the Twitter acquisition close, numbers only tell part of the story (especially if there are too many bots!). What users do and how they interact is ultimately more important – and when it comes to TikTok, authenticity is one of the keys to its success. Users feel at home because of its perceived authenticity, a quality that is hard to manufacture yet easy to convey in a visual medium.

Maybe it was all the people filming themself dancing during the early days of the app, but globally, an average of 64% of users say they can “be their true selves” on the platform. That last bit is crucial since it corresponds directly with the job seeker’s journey and the information they’re looking for. 

Engagement. In addition, to being one’s authentic self, TikTok also does an excellent job of drawing its users back, with 90 percent accessing the platform daily. Once there, users spend an average of 52 minutes a day, with each session lasting almost 11 minutes, making it the most engaging social network out there.

Come for the content and stay as long as the algorithm keeps you interested. This works to reinforce the community piece, with users becoming active members of the spaces they watch. Like celebrities, popular TikTokers have developed fandoms with punny names and branded merchandise. That sort of notoriety probably isn’t the end goal for most recruiters, but it’s good to know that type of reach and adoration is possible. 

Usage. At the beginning of this piece, I said that TikTok represents opportunity, and it does because beyond what we’ve already discussed, there’s the matter of usage. For years, decades even, Google has held a tight fist around the world’s search behaviors – until now.

That’s right. Research shows that 40% of Gen Z prefer using TikTok for search over Google across the board. Anything they want to search, from local restaurants to recipes, Gen Z turns to TikTok, and this holds enormous implications for recruiting in a few ways. For one, sourcing. Hiring for a luxury brand? Head on over to FashionTok or BeautyTok. Want these candidates to find you? Learn about how they use the app and upload a video or two. The choice is yours. 

While I can’t say you’ll find me on TikTok anytime soon, I firmly believe there’s value in breaking the recruiting mold. Channels like TikTok aren’t just for kids anymore. Remember, social networks grow up and attract candidates of different backgrounds, experience levels and skill sets, all looking for something interesting to catch their eye. Maybe it’s that open req you’re working on. 

The post Silly Rabbit, TikTok Is for Kids! But What About TikTok for Recruiting? appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Career Advancement and Upward Mobility

Many employees these days want to ensure they have a path for career advancement and upward mobility. It excites employees to know what their path looks like and encourages them to work hard if they know there is a next step that they are working toward. Having a conversation and outlining a clear path can help employees stay the course instead of looking elsewhere for employment.

Alison Stine
Founder, Stine Wealth Management

Opportunities for Personal Projects

Over my summer holiday, I read the Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly. It’s not about being a perfect manager, but about how a company can coach their employees to fulfill their dreams. So we set up our own program, and the employees love it. They’re working on their dreams ranging from “see fireflies” to “new printing machine for my sticker side-hustle” – and it’s already more rewarding than getting more money.

Bibi Lauri Raven
Founder, BibiBuzz

Management Using and Rewarding Employees’ Ideas

Management at many companies tells employees they welcome their opinions, ideas, suggestions and questions. Unfortunately, it’s often just lip service. 

One example: When I worked at a company that placed a suggestion box in the employee lounge, an HR staffer confided that management directed her to take the box to her office when it was full, dump all suggestions in the trash and return it to the lounge. Since I’ve encountered high morale and low turnover when I’ve worked for managers who go beyond lip service, I’m grateful I have a supportive manager as an insurance copywriter for our company. 

It’s my nature to suggest improvements when I see inefficiencies. So when I was promoted to team lead over a group of writers who created guest posts, I was thrilled that my proposals were welcomed, implemented, and recognized for everything from a way to create more content for our freelance writers to how to streamline our tracking process to reduce duplication and errors.

Karen Condor,
Insurance Copywriter, ExpertInsuranceReviews.com

Advancement Opportunities

I run my own business. And before that, I ran Intelligent Games. At my previous company, we would do things like buy pizza for employees who were working late. What I learned, really, was that having a culture where people work late, then buying pizza for them, is like putting a patch fix on a deeper issue. Pizza isn’t exciting. Having a work-life balance is. So is good pay, good benefits and opportunities for career progression. People want to demonstrate leadership, develop skills and be creative. They want recognition for their work. In short, I’ve learned that employees get excited when they are given the chance to grow. We call this “human flourishing” or, in Greek, “eudaimonia.” That’s what motivates me as an owner-manager, and it’s what motivates my team.

Matthew Stibbe
CEO, Articulate Marketing

Receiving an Unexpected Thank You Note

The moment of seeing an unexpected thank you note on my desk gets me excited as an employee. Knowing that my work is appreciated by the company I work for makes me feel good. I enjoy working and being able to contribute to the company in a positive way. Getting a thank you note from my boss or from the team shows me that my efforts are recognized and appreciated. It also makes me feel like I am part of a team and that I am valued as an employee. Getting a thank you note is one small thing that can make a big difference in how I feel about my job.

Lorien Strydom
Executive Country Manager, Financer.com

Brainstorming and Ideation Sessions

I have worked in management for over five years and have my own company. The most responsive and excitable employees get are during a brainstorming session with teams that span further than their usual colleagues. Brainstorming and ideation sessions are fun and creative. It allows for employees to take a break from their routine thinking and process flow, and utilize their experience to better future projects or current work process flow. I would encourage this because I have seen how the marketing and finance teams have different ways of breaking things down than the marketing and technology development teams. The excitement in employees is often furthered with snacks and playful presentation of ideas. In our company, we enjoy hosting it as if it is a panel of judges. It encourages healthy competition and an environment for people to laugh at themselves.

Daniel Forstner
Founder, Mailbox Empire

Collaborative Problem Solving

Being a part of a collaborative team can be one of the most exciting — and rewarding — things as an employee. If work offers space for everyone to contribute and refine ideas together, it helps teammates feel more personally connected to the goals and the outcomes for the business. The most exciting part of the process? That collaborative problem solving most often leads to better solutions.

Monica Thysell
Director of Product Marketing, OnPay

Vacation Days and Time-Offs

The one thing that gets me excited as an employee is more vacation days. I love acquiring more vacation and personal days annually and that gets me planning activities for the family. Vacation and time-off are what make me believe my company respects me. I’ve earned it, and more days mean they recognize that. Everyone needs time off from the stress and vacation and time off help me put things in perspective.

Amruth Laxman
Founding Partner, 4Voice

Working Towards the Same Goals and Achieving Results

One of the things that has always motivated me as an employee is setting goals with my team and watching as results take shape. You might not feel like you are making progress when you are in the thick of things on a day-to-day basis, but when you sit back and reflect on the past month’s work, you might just be amazed by what you have achieved. It is important for everyone you are working with to share the same vision so you can work together to reach the targets you set for yourselves.

Johan Hajji
CEO & Founder, UpperKey

Good Relationship With Colleagues

In work life most of us spend half our time in the office with colleagues, so as important as it is to maintain a good relationship and a bond with the family, it is also important to build a good relationship with an employee. Employees who have a good relationship with each other are more likely to be happy on the job than those who don’t get along with their peers. To form an authentic bond with your colleagues, don’t be this arrogant business person all the time. Take some chill time. Having a teammate who motivates you to understand your ups and downs maintains a very positive relationship with each other and is more likely to help you perform exceptionally.

Scott Krager
Owner, WODReview

As an employee, I’m excited to work for companies that are growing quickly and sustainably because they will have more opportunities for career growth. Companies growing slowly — or not at all — won’t provide much opportunity to take the next step. Companies that can’t sustain their growth lack employment stability. It’s exciting to find a company that can grow with you.

Joe Kevens
Founder and Director of Demand Gen, B2B SaaS Reviews (and PartnerStack)

Work Schedule Flexibility

Besides a raise, flexibility in my work schedule gets me excited as an employee. Flexibility creates a better work-life balance, ultimately resulting in happier workers. Things happen – cars break down, kids get sick, events pop up — creating stress to our everyday lives. When an employer allows flexibility it reduces that stress. Allowing employees to either work from home or non-traditional hours helps take the pressure off putting life into the (in my opinion) outdated 8 – 5 work schedule. Flexibility allows people to work when they are most productive. It allows people to not miss out on their niece’s after school play. It adds life back into each day.

Erin Sullivan
Digital & Inbound Marketing Manager, University of Advancing Technology

The post 12 Things That Get Employees Excited (Besides a Raise) appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

While each employee’s experience is unique in its own way, there are some significant similarities. Every journey will include how the employee learned about your company, how they were recruited and onboarded, why they stayed and how their time with your company has changed them.

Employee Lifecycle Model

The employee lifecycle model is a framework that businesses can use to think about their recruitment and retention strategies. The model divides the employee journey into six distinct stages: attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, retention and separation. By understanding each stage of the employee lifecycle, businesses can identify areas where they can improve their policies and practices. For example, they may need to provide more support during the onboarding process or offer more opportunities for career development. By taking a holistic view of the employee lifecycle, businesses can develop programs and initiatives that will improve recruitment, retention and engagement.

Understanding Employee Lifecycle Strategy

Lifecycle surveys reveal how employees feel about your company at various stages of their careers, such as when they are hired, promoted or decide to leave. HR and managers can leverage this data to upgrade employee engagement and pursue a better brand and image. If you use an engagement solution that keeps all responses anonymous and private, your employees will share their true feelings about your firm.

The 6 Stages in the Employee Lifecycle

Attraction

The first and foremost stage in the employee lifecycle model is attraction. It showcases your company’s image as a nice place to work in the minds of prospective employees and critical associates in the market.

Recruitment

Recruitment is more than just choosing candidates – it’s also possible for candidates to learn more about your organization and see if it’s an excellent fit for them. Hiring resources that fit your culture can benefit existing as well as prospective employees at all stages of their careers.

Onboarding

Onboarding is a critical step that includes everything needed to change your candidate into a confident employee. Onboarding requires a significant amount of work, including communicating the nuances of the new position and handling administrative tasks.

Development

Everything helping the team mature in the company is included in the employee lifecycle development stage, from career advancement to upskilling. Professional development is a win-win situation because it enables your team members to accomplish things they never imagined possible while cultivating a workforce that consistently delivers for your customers.

Retention

If your company’s culture is poor, it will inevitably result in high employee turnover. Boosting the retention rate is a good way to reduce this risk. It will also promote longevity and satisfaction in the career paths of your team.

Separation

Your company should do everything possible to keep valued employees on board until retirement. Many, however, will choose to continue their careers elsewhere for various reasons. At this stage, employees should be given every chance to speak their minds and say goodbye on a pleasant note.

Role of Mentorship in Each Stage

Attention

Companies seeking to hire from universities and colleges can benefit from having employees serve as career mentors, assisting undergraduates in learning more about the industry as well as the company. HR departments can also mentor and advise candidates during the application and evaluation.

Recruitment

Employee lifecycle surveys can aid your company’s recruitment efforts. Inquire with new hires about what they liked best and what could improve their hiring experience. You can gauge their feelings about key engagement factors and track how they change over time.

Onboarding

Explain everything related to the employee’s position thoroughly and ensure transparency. Confusion and frustration will result from poorly written job descriptions or failing to communicate expectations and responsibilities. Employees who do not understand their role will not succeed in their professional journey.

Development

Employees should be encouraged to pursue qualified development opportunities, such as seminars or tuition reimbursement for an advanced degree. Recognizing those who meet their development objectives will keep your employees interested in learning. Encourage knowledge sharing within your organization by coaching employees and holding regular meetings.

Retention

You can measure retention by asking employees if they see themselves working for your company in five years or if they would recommend it to a friend looking for work. Employee lifecycle and pulse surveys can provide live and accurate information on the success of your organization.

Separation

Editing your point of view and offboarding will help an employee take the subsequent steps in their career with dignity and confidence. This strategy will pay dividends to your company for many years to come.

The Role of ERG software

Employee Resource Groups act as a support system and a pillar for candidates, assisting them in locating job opportunities that will allow them to prosper in an efficient workplace environment. The groups place a premium on personal and professional development. They also encourage members to participate in a variety of activities and raise awareness within their organization. A social network can assist employees in forming stronger bonds, which encourages all social practices while respecting the employees’ culture and traditions.

Employees are the company’s most valuable asset, and it is critical to create an environment that allows them to set their pace. Employee resource groups help diverse groups of employees bring out the best in themselves. Being part of an ERG provides them with valuable experience that will assist them in navigating the inclusive work environment.

Conclusion

The employee lifecycle model is an intriguing way to visualize and plan each stage of a team member’s interactions with your company. You can captivate and keep a fantastic team by aiming to do your best at each stage. Mentorship programs can help organizations and managers advance their employees during every stage of their team-member lifecycle. Mentors assist new employees in learning about the culture and connecting with others. Mentoring can improve team member morale and engagement and is a great way to attract and retain top talent.

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With changing workforce dynamics, candidates want more than just better pay. Employees are eager for organizations that value well-being, support work flexibility and support their career development. 

Such trends require organizations to restructure their talent strategy to prioritize employee experience. 

Why Employee Experience Matters in 2022

Employee experience (EX) indicates the opinions employees hold about their organizations and is shaped throughout the employee lifecycle from recruitment to retirement. The pandemic caused employees to reevaluate their priorities and work choices, fundamentally changing how they look for jobs. Moving beyond traditional packages, employees are demanding better work-life balance, compensation and benefits, and an inclusive work environment.

Prioritizing employee experience makes employees feel valued and respected, improving engagement and performance in the long run. According to McKinsey’s survey, people with positive employee experience have 16 times the engagement level than those with a negative employee experience. They are also 8 times more likely to stay at the company. 

Enhancing employee experience is a proactive shift towards focusing on employee journeys and identifying opportunities to improve performance, engagement and productivity. These allow you to design an inclusive and collaborative organization maximizing its most important asset: the people. 

How Talent Intelligence Impacts Employee Experience 

Until now, HR managed the burden of dealing with candidates and employees to ensure a meaningful experience. But talent intelligence solutions combine HR expertise and technology to drive innovative employment practices. 

With a data-driven approach, you can optimize employee experience throughout the lifecycle. Talent insights allow you to hire faster, engage with candidates and enhance workforce planning.

Leveraging Talent Insights for Better Employee Experience 

Let’s look at how you can use talent insights at every step to ensure an excellent employee experience. 

• Talent Sourcing and Recruitment 

There’s no doubt that candidate sourcing is the hardest part of a recruiter’s job. Add to that technical and diversity requirements, and the problem becomes more complex. Talent intelligence platforms make this significantly easy by combining various sources to aggregate relevant candidate profiles. 

Talent intelligence tools integrate with your existing ATS and CRM to identify previous candidates or retrieve updated candidate information. Powered by AI and machine learning, these tools match relevant candidates to your job description to only highlight candidates who fulfill the requirements. 

The AI learns from your responses and can clone profiles to source similar candidates. Here, the risk of perpetuating existing unconscious biases remains. You may end up with a homogenous workforce while talented and diverse candidates get systematically removed from the pool. 

But, you can overcome the challenging biases with talent intelligence. With AI, you can remove bias from hiring by introducing blind parsing methods (hiding identifying information), skills-based hiring, targeting niche job boards and writing inclusive job descriptions.

Talent insights also show diversity representation in your organization, other similar companies and your candidate pools to help you improve representation and develop a diversity hiring strategy. 

By targeting candidates based on skills and capabilities, you match the right candidate to the right job, enabling job satisfaction and employee experience. 

• Talent Retention and Development 

Following the pandemic and the Great Resignation, retaining talent is a major concern for organizations. Employees quit due to low pay, lack of opportunities and disrespect in the organization. 

But what makes employees stay? Talent insights can help you answer this question. 

While working on a hiring strategy, organizations often overlook their current employees, who eventually leave, feeling neglected and lacking development opportunities. This also negatively impacts their employee experience. On the other hand, learning and development opportunities boost employee engagement, commitment and positive employee experience.

In a survey, respondents reported that one of the biggest motivators for staying in a position is internal mobility (13%), after pay (46%), and paid time off and work flexibility (21%). 

Talent data can reveal essential skills gaps and patterns you can use to develop customized employee training programs. The data can also help you gauge an overview of your organization and maximize your existing talent base. AI-based talent solutions can be a key ally for TA leaders looking to optimize enterprise talent.

With a talent solution, you can combine skills and experience information from internal and external sources to obtain a complete picture of your existing employee base. Take SeekOut’s Internal Talent Optimization solution for example. You can use  data uncovered with ITO to: 

• • Creatively route employees to open roles, avoid layoffs and preserve talent
  • Identify growth opportunities within your organization
  • Match existing employees to potential roles

• Talent Transition or Turnover 

Your relationship with your employee does not end when they leave the organization. Their experience in their role and while exiting will influence how their opinions. In addition, alumni can be a wonderful resource and maintaining a good relationship with them is key. 

Insights from departing employees about their experience, unaddressed problems, or areas of improvement can be helpful. Exit interviews are a great way to obtain feedback from exiting employees. Incorporating their inputs makes the employees feel heard and valued for their time in the organization. 

In addition, talent intelligence solutions can consolidate information about departing employees from your and other organizations and where they went. You can easily access this network for future hiring, projects and collaborations. You can leverage these insights for strategic workforce planning, identify similar candidates and inform your retention strategies. 

Conclusion 

Organizations struggling in the tight labor market are turning to talent intelligence and centering employee experience for talent acquisition and retention. Following the pandemic and its aftermath, employees have reassessed their priorities and expectations, especially about their work lives. In the wake of a hiring surge, organizations must adopt a people-centric strategy to retain talent. Talent intelligence solutions are crucial in elevating employee experience throughout the employee lifecycle.

The post How Talent Intelligence Can Solve Your Employee Experience Problem appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Yet, there are certainly challenges that go along with these advantages. One of the core hurdles is remote operations can expose companies to greater cybersecurity vulnerabilities. When employees aren’t in a shared office environment, there often aren’t control measures in place to keep everyone safe. Therefore, it’s vital for recruitment firms to devise and establish a remote cybersecurity policy that maintains security no matter where employees happen to be working.

This in itself can be a difficult task. So, let’s explore how firms can establish a remote cybersecurity policy.

Identify the Risks

Before you can develop robust remote policies to avoid being hacked, you need to have a clear idea of what the prevalent risks are. Each business has a different approach to remote working, so it’s important to take a tailored approach to establish to what extent each can be a factor in your company. 

Some of the common issues to consider include:

Mobile Network Use

Remote work can mean employees may feel able to work wherever they like. This might include public spaces such as coffee shops and libraries. Unfortunately, if employees use public networks in these areas, this can present security risks for potential network breaches. It’s important to establish whether their free-roaming behavior is appropriate.

Camera Hacking

Camera hacking is one of the newest threats for those who utilize video conferencing applications both on laptops and phones. As such, hackers could gain valuable data from remote employees discussing sensitive company matters. Criminals can gain access to a camera either from the user downloading a virus from a phishing email or through unsecured networks and devices. It’s important for employees to keep their antivirus up to date, maintain strong password practices, and be clear on what suspicious links look like.

Unsecured Home Wi-Fi

While the network in the office may be secured, the same isn’t always the case for home networks. Employees may not have secure password or encryption practices on their home internet connection. Indeed, they, their partner or children may have shared the family password with visitors and other parties. This could be problematic for company security and it’s important to focus on this as part of your policy.

Consider Appropriate Resources

It’s certainly understandable to focus a portion of your policy building on the behavior of your employees. However, the company’s security shouldn’t be their responsibility alone. Indeed, it’s not unusual for businesses to feel switching to remote practices is a good way to reduce overheads by passing equipment purchase and internet service costs to workers. You need to consider how this is putting your company at greater risk. You have a responsibility to all stakeholders to create a quality remote cybersecurity policy that include providing your workers with the resources they need to protect data. 

This may include issuing company laptops for business use only. You’ll also find this approach supports a more secure policy on limiting the use of personal devices at work. Indeed, it can be a good way to restrict the types of applications and files employees can download onto the work device. This also ensures your information technology department has remote access to monitor all activities of the laptop’s user and to update security patches frequently. 

Alongside equipment, it can be wise to include other provisions in your policy. If you’re happy with workers operating from public spaces, providing access to virtual private networks (VPNs) can reduce vulnerabilities. Indeed, in some instances providing a separate secure internet connection at home for each of your remote workers may be appropriate.

Adapt Training and Offboarding

Cybersecurity policies can’t just be a set of standards and rules for your employees to follow. It’s also about making sure your workforce has the knowledge to behave both to the letter and in the spirit of the protocols. The policies should empower workers to behave safely rather than simply demand they do so. As such, your approach should include providing cybersecurity training and effective offboarding. 

Educate your workers on how to independently spot and handle potential cybersecurity risks. For remote workers, a combination of e-learning modules and video lectures can be effective. Simply dictating what to do isn’t enough, though. They need to understand why their actions matter. You don’t need to go too in-depth, but give them explanations for the actions you want them to take. Your training should also be refreshed and updated every 6 months or so.

Alongside training, your remote cybersecurity policy needs to include practices for when workers are leaving the company. A consistent offboarding process helps your workers transition from your company in a smooth and secure manner. The policy here needs to include processes for reclaiming company assets, like laptops and external hard drives. This is as important for the employee as it is for the company, as good offboarding prevents potential legal issues resulting from breaches occurring when they’re no longer employed by the business. Help them to understand how to act in interim periods and collaborate on effective security procedures.

Conclusion

Remote working can be positive for both businesses and employees. However, it’s important for recruitment firms to establish practical policies that mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities as a result of staff actions. This should be guided by a good understanding of the specific risks your business faces. Incorporating protocols to provide workers with appropriate resources and solid training can also reduce the potential for breaches. No company can be 100% safe, but it’s important to take consistent steps so all stakeholders can benefit from the advantages of remote ops. 

The post How Recruitment Firms Can Establish a Remote Cybersecurity Policy appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

We know this because not only do certain companies publish annual reports, but we also hear it from recruiters all the time. They’re frustrated, and rightfully so. Part of the problem is that without dedicated, knowledgeable resources capable of weaving DEI into the organization’s fabric, DEI falls to whoever is willing to do the work – without actually empowering these endeavors. 

Where it Goes Wrong

Case in point, Jackye Clayton, co-host of the Inclusive AF podcast and VP of Talent Acquisition and DEIB, shared an all-too-common scenario: “DEI IS NOT A MARKETING CAMPAIGN! As I was drinking coffee browsing through LinkedIn, as I do most mornings, I saw a promoted post that said, ‘Come take a seat at our table.’ I went to their career page to see what I get for being brave enough to go to their table. Could I find salaries posted? No. I wanted to see who was at the ‘table’ today that looked like me. No one. There was a video explaining what taking a seat at the table meant to them. It means, feeling confident because I was invited to the table. But how can I feel confident if there is no one that looks like me?” 

In this instance, the company in question saw the popularity of DEI as a way to get more eyes on their post, but to what end? Clearly, advancing DEI wasn’t their primary objective, and that’s not OK. So how do we right the ship?

For starters, we seek to gain a clearer understanding of what DEI means to the organization, both in theory and in practice, in order to build strategies that uphold our overall goal. However, even getting to that point is a journey. 

Begin With What You Know 

In the example that Clayton shared, the company was short-sighted. They saw DEI as a gimmick and one that didn’t directly correspond to their workforce. Without knowing the organization in question, I’d venture a guess that they ran this campaign without thinking about what it meant – and whether or not it would directly affect any existing employees.

That demonstrates a lack of visibility and transparency on their part. What’s more, it skipped the starting point for any DEI initiatives, and that is to begin with what you know. 

While the maturity of an organization certainly factors into determining the state of DEI efforts, every organization has data on hand. Considering hiring data first, analyze your existing workforce and current candidate pipeline. Are you attracting diverse candidates? Are they being hired? How long are they staying with the company?

Knowing the answer to these types of questions will establish a baseline around recruiting practices and enable hiring teams to amend their current strategies accordingly. There’s also the matter of what happens post-hire, which requires a longer, more in-depth appraisal to account for equity and inclusion (can’t forget about belonging either). 

Taking Action 

As Cadient put it, “The first step is to take an honest inventory of your organization and recognize a lack of diversity and inclusion. To change things, you must be aware that the problem exists in the first place and then acknowledge the need for change.”

Awareness and acknowledgment stem from data and likewise, change and progress get tracked by data. Do you see where I’m going with this? If we want to drive meaningful change around DEI, we need to understand what it looks like and how we’re doing. After that, going back to Clayton’s point, we need to ensure our output matches our intent. 

That means making structural changes to reflect your organization’s evolution, from how you talk to candidates and employees and how you compensate to training programs and even everyday meetings. You can’t expect meaningful results from minimal efforts, especially if those efforts are disingenuous.

Cadient reminds us, “Improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace comes down to changing your organizational culture, not just hiring different types of employees.” 

Diversity, equity and inclusion are separate factors that work together to improve the employment experience from inside an organization. To achieve that, organizations need to start somewhere and keep going.

Data supports the mission, informing the organization of what’s happening along the journey, but only if you leverage the right resources to maintain alignment through each and every action.  

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According to SHRM, employee referrals are “a popular strategy because recruiters have long known what research confirms: Employee-referred new hires tend to be better performers than nonemployee-referred new hires and to stay with their organizations long. Employee referral programs are also more cost-effective than other recruiting strategies and often are the fastest way to find external talent.” Most organizations face the challenge of building out and maintaining formal programs that don’t create additional work for an already busy workforce, and that’s where texting can help once again.

What Happens and Why 

Done right, employee referral programs become a win-win sourcing channel. Done wrong, they become a headache for recruiters – or worse, they don’t get used. Going back to SHRM, they shared:

“The No. 1 reason people don’t use a company’s referral program is that employees get frustrated with the lack of communication and engagement from the company.”

To ensure program success, organizations must advocate for employee referrals by making it easier for employees to participate (and recruiting teams to manage!). 

Here’s an example, one of the companies Cadient Talent worked with had a referral program but lacked the technology to support it. That meant employees had to self-report their referrals while marketing, recruiting and HR had to manually collect and upload the information provided.

That resulted in inaccurate and disparate data across systems – not a great experience for anyone involved. In order to address the issue, the company sought to integrate text technology with its ATS, HRIS and CRM. Doing so helped create a seamless process, complete with the ability to send targeted text outreach to current and former employees and, in turn, their wider networks. 

Though this is one example, it looks at what happens inside these programs and spotlights ample opportunity for improvement – with the right strategy in place.  

Ways to Differentiate and Improve 

As SHRM indicated above, most of the problems with employee referral programs go back to communication and engagement. Ideally, programs should be as simple and straightforward as the other text use cases discussed, which might look something like this: 

• • Create the program from scratch, an existing policy or a template 
  • Invite employees to participate (i.e., gain their consent!) 
  • Solicit referrals through text (or email) via different devices 
  • Manage rewards by explaining and delivering “what’s in it for them.”

Of course, in those four steps, there are layers of additional communications and engagements to consider, layers that text technology accounts for, unlike manual processes. For instance, just the idea of creating a program might be overwhelming to some, especially depending on the organization’s size.

Referral interactions add up quickly, with Dell reporting that it receives between 40,000-50,000 referrals each year. As such, the initial strategy and program goals may vary from broadening external reach to growing diverse talent pools to reconnecting with alumni. The intent of the employee referral program should be clearly stated from the beginning to get everyone aligned before any texts get sent. 

Once a strategy is in place, it’s time to draft the first message, which means getting employees to opt in. They need to know what’s expected and gain a basic understanding of the incentives. Given the nature of texting, messages should be kept short at first so as not to dissuade participation. Once consent is granted, longer-form messages can follow, offering more information and directions.

At step three, the solicit and submission stage, a chatbot comes in handy, giving employees a simple way to submit referrals on the go. Automated updates keep employees, candidates and recruiters engaged. No need to mess around with forms, remember logins or chase down coworkers for details. 

And finally, reaping the rewards. This is two-fold, offering benefits to both employees and the organization. For the sake of following the process, text technology helps track and manage referrals on the backend through a unified dashboard, making it easy to figure out who gets what and when. But don’t be stingy with the rewards; savvy employers like Chipotle have figured out that higher incentives result in more referrals amid a tight job market.

For organizations, with research to suggest what referred hires offer the business, texting helps maximize the investment in these programs, supercharging the abilities of recruiting teams and improving hiring outcomes without the heavy lifting.  

The post How, When and Why to Text: Employee Referrals appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Research by Ivanti, an automation platform, found that nearly half of all employees, 49%, are frustrated by the technology and tools their employer provides for them. Meanwhile, 64% believe interaction with technology has a direct impact on morale.

Ivanti also found that 26% of employees are considering quitting their jobs because of a lack of suitable technology. Some 42% have spent their own money to purchase better tech and 65%  believe they’d be more productive if they had better technology to use.

Meanwhile, the C-Suite, IT and the workforce all have different – and often conflicting – views about the future of work and technology’s role in enabling hybrid work. Only 13% of today’s knowledge workers would rather work exclusively from the office, Ivanti said. However, 56% of c-level executives believe that employees must be in the office in order to be productive. At the same time, 74% of C-Suite executives say they’ve become more productive since the start of Covid-19, spotlighting a disconnect between what corporate leaders have experienced and what they believe employees need to do to be productive.

Productivity’s No. 1

Employee productivity, we should point out, is the C-Suite’s number one priority, with workplace culture and employee satisfaction falling further down the list. Some 62% of the C-Suite said they prioritize profitability over employee experience. This has wide-ranging ramifications. For example, as employee experience continues to drop further down the C-Suite agenda, IT leaders will deprioritize it on theirs. Only 21% of IT leaders consider the end user experience to be their main priority when selecting new tools.

That may be short-sighted. “Ensuring positive employee digital experiences is the new cornerstone of modern business IT management,” noted Steve Brasen, research director at Enterprise Management Associates. Improving workforce productivity helps attract and retain talent, accelerates business agility and competitiveness, reduces operational costs and drives organizational success and profitability, he said. “Understanding [digital employee experience] requirements is the key to adapting related technologies and practices that will support each organization’s unique environment.”

Although Innovation is “undeniably” the driving force behind the rise of hybrid work, many organizations still experience major challenges in its adoption. The top roadblocks reported by office workers include too many emails or chat messages (28%), a lack of connection to coworkers (27%) and software not working properly (23%). However, despite these challenges and executive skepticism, all groups believe they’re more productive when taking advantage of hybrid work.

That, Ivanti said, highlights the fact that it’s not so much the place of work that impacts productivity, but the experience people have when interacting with business technology. “How employees interact with technology and their satisfaction with that experience directly relates to the success and value they deliver to the organization,” said Ivanti CEO Jeff Abbott. “The digital employee experience should be a board-level priority.”

More Assets to Manage

The growing variety of devices and networks used by hybrid workers has greatly expanded the inventory of assets that IT teams need to manage, but 32% of IT professionals still use spreadsheets to tackle the job, and only 47% agree completely that their organization has full visibility into every device that attempts to access their network. In fact, one of the biggest challenges facing IT today is the need to enable a seamless end user experience while maintaining system security.

The challenge becomes more complex when the C-Suite pressures IT to bypass security measures. How big an issue is that? About 49% of C-level executives said they have requested to bypass one or more security measures in the last year.

“Maintaining a secure environment and focusing on the digital employee experience are two inseparable elements of any digital transformation,” said Abbott. “In the war for talent a key differentiator for organizations is providing an exceptional and secure digital experience. We believe that organizations not prioritizing how their employees experience technology is a contributing factor for the Great Resignation.”

In truth, Ivanti’s conclusions aren’t earth-shattering. Last year, WorkForce Software revealed dramatically different perspectives between employers and workers on the quality of employee experience during the pandemic. Across the board, WorkForce found significant gaps between what organizations believed they were providing and what employees actually experienced. That suggests employers haven’t been providing employees with the solutions needed to fully connect with the new world of work.

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In the 1960’s, diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives were introduced in the workplace following the implementation of equal employment laws and affirmative action. To complement action taken to address biased hiring and employment practices, new laws also encouraged companies to start diversity training programs. 

Fast forward to the present day, and we find D&I continues to expand and reflect changing socio-cultural priorities. While intentions are good, according to the Guardian’s Workforce 2020 report, 60% of employers agreed that D&I initiatives are a strategic priority, but only 33% have clear policies and initiatives in place. 

Update Your Workplace Policies for LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

Fundamental shifts in workplace culture require buy-in, support and leadership from the top. The first step is to establish and/or improve existing workplace policies and D&I initiatives.

Anti-Discrimination Policies

We shouldn’t have to say it, but we will: discrimination against people based on their gender or sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, is absolutely wrong and illegal.

Ensure the company’s anti-discrimination policies include LGBTQIA+ employees as a protected group or class. Make sure employees are familiar with the policy and ensure it is publicly available to prospective candidates via the company’s website.

Healthcare and Other Benefits

Unfortunately, LGBTQIA+ individuals may face problems with accessing healthcare, family and partner benefits. Couples, regardless of their marital status, should receive equal and fair partner and family benefits. 

The organization should choose a healthcare provider that offers coverage for gender affirmation surgery, transition-related care, hormonal therapies, etc. for transgender and intersex individuals.

Healthcare education is another area to consider. Specifically, information around laws for a healthcare power of attorney. In some instances, members of the LGBTQIA+ community have been prevented from visiting or making medical decisions for spouses, partners or their families of choice.   

Set the LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Baseline Through Training and Communication

One key aspect is to ensure communication makes everyone, including LGBTQIA+ folks, feel welcome. The following two initiatives will set you in the right direction:

Diversity Training 

Training should aim to help employees understand LGBTQIA+ policies. It may be best to bring in an external diversity observer who can address the specifics from an informed and unbiased perspective. Encourage an open and safe space, where employees can ask questions around the topic and understand what they should be aware of when communicating with co-workers.

Avoid burdening employees who are LGBTQIA+ individuals or allies to answer employee queries.

Inclusive Communication

Inclusiveness begins with language. This means introducing gender-neutral language guidelines that can help everyone be more aware of how they communicate. Here are a few examples:

1. 1. Ask people to list their pronouns via voluntary self-identification surveys. Refer to individuals as they/them if they haven’t communicated their preference.
   2. Avoid addressing people as Mr. or Ms. Instead, refer to them by their name, unless specified.
   3. The term opposite sex assumes a binary. Instead, use terms like all sexes and all genders.
   4. Instead of referring to a group as guys or ladies and gentlemen, use inclusive terms like folks or everybody.

Develop an LGBTQIA+ Friendly Hiring Process

The next step in promoting inclusivity is to develop a hiring process that proactively targets LGBTQIA+ individuals, such as: 

Job Descriptions

Make sure the job description reflects the organization’s stance on inclusivity. Avoid using gender-coded words such as sensitive, aggressive, ambitious, fearless and compassionate.

Use online tools, like Textio, to analyze the job description and highlight non-inclusive words and phrases, which can then be removed.

Explicitly state that applications are welcome, regardless of the applicant’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Application Process

The simplest way is to post openings on job portals specifically for LGBTQIA+ candidates.

Include all gender identities in relevant sections but keep them optional. Voluntary self-identification is another tool that can be leveraged during the application process to improve diversity data collection and fine tune hiring efforts.  

Build an LGBTQIA+ Safe Space

A safe space is defined as a place intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations. This means that derogatory remarks or jokes about someone’s identity are strongly discouraged, while employees are encouraged to understand and respect their co-workers’ boundaries.

Making a safe place for individuals with diverse identities allows more authentic communication, encourages acceptance and contributes to a more cohesive workplace.

Here are three key ways to build a safe space:

Networks

Networks or groups encourage LGBTQIA+ employees to come together to share their experiences and stories with each other, offering a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Involving allies in some capacity can bridge the gap between the organization and LGBTQIA+ employees.

These networks are a terrific source of feedback on new diversity initiatives and can also suggest ways to improve existing ones.

Gender Self-Identification 

As a part of the transgender rights movement, gender self-identification enables a person to legally define their gender without medical requirements. As the topic tends to be sensitive, it is necessary to collect responses anonymously. Also, share the purpose and confidentiality guidelines with participants to promote transparency.

And finally, if you are not sure, consult a diversity expert to develop the questionnaire. Lack of nuance in the language and/or questions may be perceived negatively.

Events

Along with Pride Month, events like International Non-Binary People’s Day (15 July) and Transgender Awareness Week (13-19 November) strive to create awareness. As an organization that promotes an inclusive culture, take part in these events in different capacities. For example, ask individuals to share their stories through social media. You can also support related parades and festivals.

Adapt to Changing Times

If it hasn’t happened yet, now is the time to evaluate and update DE&I initiatives. The times, they are a changin’ and it’s important to stay abreast of new norms. With the right policies, culture and support groups in place, employers will be able to integrate new practices and conventions faster.

Here are two simple suggestions to consider:

Dress Codes

Make sure your dress code is written in a gender-neutral format. You can allow employees to wear comfortable clothes while ensuring that they are appropriate for the workplace. For instance, employees may only wear business casuals including slacks, knee-length skirts/dresses, polo shirts, tailored blazer, loafers and dress shoes.

Washrooms

Gender-neutral washrooms provide a more comfortable environment for non-binary people. You can evaluate the option of converting your existing washrooms into gender-neutral ones.

Closing Thoughts

We hope this checklist gives you something to think about. If you realize your organization is a bit behind the times, maybe Pride Month is the right time to take a look and see how to improve! 

Improve your organization’s diversity hiring practice with inclusive sourcing and recruiting solutions.

LGBTQIA+ inclusion—as with any DE&I initiative—is much more than a business issue. While it may be tempting to ask what’s the ROI of these activities? Or how did my business benefit? These would be the wrong questions to ask. Rather, consider how providing an environment that welcomes diversity (backgrounds, cultures, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) encourages people to thrive—this should be the guiding purpose.

The post The 2022 Checklist for Change: Promoting LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Workplace appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

In addition to those changes on the demand side, the way training is delivered to employees is changing as well.

The Traditional Learning Model is Obsolete

For years, of course, forward-thinking companies have had a well-defined structure in place for employee development. They’ve worked to understand their current skill base, then thought strategically about aligning development plans with the organization’s objectives. These development plans have then been executed – in some highly structured cases through a learning management system, but in almost all cases directed and driven by the employer rather than the employee. The training, as good as it has been, has been cookie-cutter. The same content, delivered the same way, to all the employees receiving it.

That model has been the progressive model. It’s swiftly becoming obsolete.

Generational Influences are Largely Responsible

This model is outmoded largely due to the same generational influences that have affected nearly all other aspects of workplace culture.

With the first members of Gen Z having arrived, and projected to make up 30% of the total US workforce by 2030, there are now two generations in the workplace who are true digital natives. This generation, and their immediate Gen Y predecessors, have grown up with information at their fingertips. For them, there’s never been a need to not know the answer to a question.

YouTube has provided them with the largest library of how-to tutorials in the history of the world, with virtually no barrier to entry. They’ve always had an expert close at hand who can teach them to do just about anything (and they’ve also become relatively adept at differentiating experts from non-experts).

For those looking for more rigor than YouTube, online learning platforms like Khan Academy, StudySoup and Coursera have offered skill improvement on demand. All of these influences also intersect with a generation that knows the value of knowledge in the knowledge economy. 

In short, younger generations know that continuous learning is essential for their career success; they embrace it, and they know how to seek it out.

Here’s What to Do Now

First, throw out the cookie cutter. There is no longer one size that fits all (assuming there ever was). 

Reorient your focus and effort away from designing structured learning plans. Instead, invest that focus to design a structure in which employees can be as fully engaged as they want to be in the learning process, including the direction that learning takes, and even the resources that will be used. That structure should be as easy to navigate as possible, with a very minimal – or nonexistent – barrier to entry.

Think on-demand and crowdsourced. No organization can create a YouTube for learning and development, and there’s no need to do so. However, there is inspiration here to be had. Creating a menu of training options that can be accessed on-demand will do more to encourage takers than a structured plan directing the what, where, why and how.

The other lesson to be taken here is the value of crowdsourced information. Every organization has a wealth of expertise carried by its employees. Whether in the form of video tutorials, downloadable papers or cross-generational workshops and mentorships, there’s tremendous value in peer-to-peer learning.

Don’t restrict these ideas to skill-based training, either. Younger generations are not confident that they have the soft skills – communication, teamwork, leadership – they need to succeed, and they want on-the-job training and mentoring opportunities that will help develop them.

Above all else, demonstrate that learning is a priority for your organization. While it’s true that lifelong learning is of particular value to the younger generations in your workforce, employees of all generations need to evolve and grow with the changes happening in every industry. Show that your company is ready to support the learning and development of all employees by investing in it, making sure the opportunities are available and speaking about it often.

One final note, lest you think that these changes are about pandering to just one or two generations. Not so. The same generational influences that have created Gen Y and Gen Z have also molded and shaped every other generation along the way.

Previous generations may not be digital natives, but they are digital migrants who generally have adapted to and embraced the on-demand world. Successful companies will be those who respond by providing development opportunities to all of their employees in a way that reflects these changes.

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