All Articles

All Articles

4 Ways HR Can Enable Stronger Manager-Employee Relationships
4 Ways HR Can Enable Stronger Manager-Employee Relationships

Managers are the conduit through which employees receive important communications, understand company values, and experience belonging, growth, a sense of purpose, and so much more. Their influence is impactful — and the manager-employee relationship is perhaps the most important one in an organization. Many of us are probably familiar with one of the most profound Gallup finding that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. What can HR leaders do to assist and positively influence  manager-employee relationships? Manager-employee relationships: Managers are struggling and want help from HR A report from UKG earlier this year found that 46% of managers said they were likely to quit because of job-related stress. Like everyone else, they are affected by accelerating change at work and economic uncertainty. But unlike individual contributors and even leaders, managers are caught in the middle — expected to deliver on the demands of the business and to guide, coach, and relate to their reports in very humanistic ways. Hybrid work environments, along with employees’ changing expectations of their employers, have altered the manager’s role. At the same time, organizational support of key drivers of managerial effectiveness is declining. A 2023 study from Red Thread Research showed that organizational clarity on what employees need to do to succeed in the future fell 10 percentage points to 38% from 2021 to 2022. Data-based insights about team engagement declined by 7 points to 33%. According to Red Thread, this lower level of support drives employees’ view that their managers are less effective, even though employees view their manager’s behaviors as mostly unchanged year over year. Betterworks’ State of Performance Enablement research shows that managers want more help from HR, but only a quarter always get the support they need. Just under half receive some support, and about a third receive support either rarely or not at all. The bottom line is that organizations — specifically, the people in charge — have the responsibility and ability to adopt practices that will strengthen manager effectiveness and, ultimately, the manager-employee relationship. The outcomes are well worth the effort. In fact, Red Thread’s research reveals that companies with effective managers realize a higher NPS and greater engagement. Employees trust managers the most Without transparency and accountability, there is no trust. And without trust, everything becomes a steep hill to climb for the employee, the manager, and the employer. Betterworks’ State of Performance Enablement report shows that while employees trust their team members the most (68%), managers are a close second at 63%. It makes sense to continue to build on this trust by strengthening the manager-employee connection. Great conversations are a cornerstone of healthy manager-employee relationships. And research shows satisfaction with performance and career development conversations correlated to higher engagement, productivity, and intent to stay. To distill all this research to its essence, if HR leaders can, with the support of leadership, provide the support, resources, and tools to foster healthy manager-employee relationships, their organizations stand to reap positive outcomes — in engagement, productivity, and retention — far above the effort they put in. The key is communication, and here are 4 ways you can help your managers improve communication with their teams. Have managers set a clear vision for the team to sustain manager-employee relationships Managing challenging behaviors – such as steamrolling or overanalyzing – takes planning and communication on your part. It’s important to play to your people’s strengths and direct their energy toward common goals. The tone of your workplace has a lot to do with setting expectations – and that’s your job. When beginning a project, gather the right team members together to talk about objectives and goals. How does the project support the company’s values and vision? How does each person’s role support the goals? Everyone should be on the same page, working toward the same outcome. How the team arrives at the final goal may look different to each person because of their individual work style or energizer. So, it’s up to you to focus or redirect their strengths, make sure they understand their roles, give feedback along the way, and give them the support or independence they need to do great things. Remind team managers to assume nothing. You know what they say about assuming things! So as hard as this may be, come into the conversation with a clear head and an open mind. Giving the conversation’s participants the benefit of the doubt will help prevent them from getting defensive, which of course, will make conversation even more difficult and work to strain manager-employee relationships. This is an opportunity to practice compassion. Ask questions about people’s experiences and listen to what they say. Important things will be said and the better you listen, the better the people having the conversation will listen to each other. We all want to be heard and recognized, and this approach will put you in the right mindset to more effectively listen to your colleagues, even when it’s things that are hard to hear. You'll start to see stronger manager-employee relationships blossom. Use GRIT to approach conversations No, not grit…but GRIT: Generosity, Respect, Integrity and Truth. According to Laurie Sudbrink of Unlimited Coaching Solutions, “No one likes to be confronted. Most appreciate being helped. When engaging in a conversation to help, our intent will come from a better place. We won’t feel like we’re confronting the person, and our disposition aligns more naturally. I find it helpful to have an opening statement that portrays my intent. And then commit to being fully present and helpful throughout the dialogue.” Make work more human through technology Role play, or at minimum, putting yourself in the other’s shoes is an effective way to prepare for and practice tough or potentially uncomfortable conversations. Write down what you want to say and be clear on the goal of the conversation — what do you want someone to leave with? as an “a-ha” or action item? Rehearsing what and how you want to say something will help you keep the conversation direct and on track — avoiding distraction and saying hurtful things that may cause further issues or conflict. Further, this is where technology can come in to help. The basis for many interpersonal conflicts at work is poor communication; and poor communication often results from misunderstanding or a lack of truly understanding your conversation counterpart. If you had personality insights for the person with whom you’re communicating, you’d be able to take a more custom approach to the conversation. Whether it be in video meetings, on the phone, via email, or chat, you could have the kind of information needed to better communicate and collaborate with one another right at your fingertips – taking all of the guesswork out of it. Here’s how it works. Every team member takes a scientifically validated, 12-minute personality assessment. The plug-in then delivers those insights through the tools you use everyday: think tools like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Gmail, calendars, Zoom, Slack, Webex, and more. When drafting an email, chatting with a colleague, or joining a meeting, this plug-in automatically surfaces useful, customized tips for more effective communication with peers. Imagine being able to click on meeting participants and see real-time tips and recommendations for communicating, motivating, and influencing. Imagine seeing this same information in aggregate for your meeting group. Imagine knowing who best to tap for helping leading certain initiatives while identifying those better suited to support, and who might benefit from a heads up on particular messages — all of which take into account your team members’ behaviors, motivators, and work energizers in an easy-to-understand way. As a team leader, you’re able to lay a strong foundation for more inclusive and efficient communication and for team members, along with:Creating more balanced, diverse & agile teams Optimizing team members’ impact by tapping into the unique behaviors, motivators & work energizers of each person. Experiencing the increased productivity that comes from improved team effectiveness.As a team member, you’re able to:Gain deeper understanding of one another, allowing better connection and ability to work through conflict Create deeper, more meaningful connection that translates into more effective collaborations and higher quality relationships at work Feel more engaged in your daily workProvide your team managers with tools that allow them to better understand others’ behaviors, motivators, and work energizers, along with preferences and tendencies related to communication, learning, and influencing, you can better craft your delivery — taking their style into consideration before you engage – customizing communication in ways that increase your chances of a positive outcome. That’s going to be your key to more engaged employees, strong manager-employee relationships, and better team performance.

Read more
Mastering Collaboration: Your Guide for Working Effectively with Gen Z
Mastering Collaboration: Your Guide for Working Effectively with Gen Z

In today's workforce, collaboration -- specifically collaborating with Gen Z -- is key to achieving success. And as organizations become more diverse, it is essential to understand and effectively work with team members from different generations. In particular, Generation Z (Gen Z), which refers to individuals born between 1997 and 2012, has unique characteristics and work styles that require HR professionals and team leaders to adapt their strategies. From embracing AI tools to providing training tailored to Gen Z, this article will help you navigate the challenges of working with Gen Z team members and foster intergenerational dynamics for a more collaborative and productive workplace. Understanding the Gen Z mindset Understanding the Gen Z mindset in the workplace is crucial when it comes to collaborating with Gen Z. As digital natives, Gen Z individuals have grown up surrounded by technology, which has had a profound impact on their thoughts and behaviors. This generation values instant gratification, diversity, and individuality. They are known for their entrepreneurial spirit and desire for meaningful work. Understanding these characteristics will enable HR professionals and team leaders to tailor their approach and create a collaborative environment that resonates with Gen Z team members. One way to understand the Gen Z mindset is by recognizing their desire for continuous learning and growth. This generation thrives on new challenges and opportunities to acquire new skills. By providing ongoing training and development programs, organizations can harness the full potential of Gen Z team members. Moreover, acknowledging their preference for a diverse workplace will foster an inclusive and collaborative environment. In the next section, we will delve deeper into strategies for effectively communicating with Gen Z team members and how to leverage their digital skills to drive collaboration. Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of the Gen Z mindset and practical tips for working collaboratively with this generation. How to create a collaborative work environment Creating a collaborative work environment is essential for effectively working with Gen Z team members. This generation thrives in environments that promote teamwork, communication, and collaboration. Here are some strategies to foster collaboration: 1. Encourage open communication: Gen Z team members appreciate transparency and value open communication. Create an environment where they feel comfortable sharing their ideas, opinions, and concerns. Regularly schedule team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and one-on-one check-ins to facilitate open dialogue. 2. Embrace flexible work arrangements: Gen Z individuals value work-life balance and appreciate flexibility. Consider implementing flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options or flexible working hours. This will help them feel empowered and motivated to contribute their best work. 3. Utilize technology tools: Gen Z team members are tech-savvy and comfortable with various digital tools. Leverage technology platforms and collaborative software to streamline communication, project management, and document sharing. This will enhance productivity and efficiency. 4. Foster a supportive culture: Create a culture of support and empowerment, in which team members feel valued and encouraged to contribute their unique perspectives. Recognize and reward their achievements, and provide constructive feedback to help them grow professionally. By leading with these strategies, you can create a collaborative work environment that engages and motivates Gen Z team members, leading to increased productivity and better outcomes for your organization. Leveraging technology for collaborating with Gen Z Leveraging technology is paramount for effective collaboration with Gen Z team members. This generation is highly skilled in utilizing digital tools and expects to have access to the latest technology in the workplace. By incorporating technology into your collaboration efforts, you can enhance communication, streamline project management, and foster a sense of connectedness among team members. For example, it is wise to invest in a psychometric-based tool that helps teams better understand each other so they can collaborate and connect more meaningfully in meetings, on Slack, or via email. Utilizing technology doesn’t only bridge the generation gap but also makes the younger generation feel valued and needed in the workplace.  Investing in collaboration platforms and applications will also enable real-time communication and document sharing, eliminating the need for back-and-forth emails and increasing efficiency. Gen Zers are accustomed to instant messaging and video conferencing, so consider implementing tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for seamless communication.  Fortunately, it’s also easy to leverage AI tools to kick your training and internal communication up a notch. Say you have a new Gen Z hire that needs to email the head of sales, John, every week with reported leads. The problem is, they hardly know John, and have no idea how John likes to consume information. With an AI tool that utilizes your company's previously recorded psychometric data, the new hire can use pre-supplemented suggestions to ensure their emails are comprehensive and useful for John, despite having never interacted with him before. This AI-fueled approach to “on-the-fly” training can extend beyond emails to all communications, ultimately helping Gen Z employees learn new skills and making their contributions to the business more impactful. Additionally, project management tools such as Trello or Asana can help keep everyone on track, assign tasks, and monitor progress. By utilizing technology in these ways, you can create a collaborative work environment that aligns with the preferences and expectations of Gen Z, ultimately leading to improved teamwork and successful outcomes. Communication strategies with Gen Z team members Effective communication is essential for successful collaboration with Gen Z team members. This generation has grown up with instant messaging and social media, and they prefer quick and concise communication methods. Here are some strategies to enhance collaboration through communication: First, establish clear expectations regarding communication channels. Discuss with your Gen Z team members which platforms they prefer for specific types of communication, such as formal emails for official updates and instant messaging for quick questions or updates. Second, encourage open and transparent communication. Gen Z team members value authenticity and appreciate when their opinions and ideas are heard. Create a safe and inclusive space where they can freely express themselves. Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of visuals and multimedia in your communication. This is, after all, the video generation! Gen Z team members respond well to visual content, so consider incorporating infographics, videos, and images to convey information in a more engaging way. By implementing these communication strategies, you can foster a collaborative environment where Gen Z team members feel valued and can contribute their best work. Nurturing a culture of inclusivity and diversity Nurturing a culture of inclusivity and diversity is crucial when working effectively with Gen Z team members. This generation values equality and appreciates a diverse and inclusive work environment. Here are some ways to promote inclusivity and diversity within your team: First, educate yourself and your team on the importance of inclusivity and diversity. Understand the different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences that each team member brings to the table. Encourage open dialogue and discussions about diversity-related topics. Second, establish inclusive policies and practices. Consider implementing initiatives such as unconscious bias training, diverse recruitment strategies, and equal representation in decision-making processes. Celebrate and recognize the contributions of every team member. Encourage a culture of appreciation and respect for diversity by giving credit where it is due and acknowledging the unique skills and perspectives that Gen Z team members bring. By creating an inclusive and diverse work environment, you can foster collaboration with and innovation among Gen Z team members, leading to better overall team performance. Recognizing and appreciating Gen Z contributions Gen Z team members are incredibly talented and innovative individuals who bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table. Recognizing and appreciating their contributions is essential for fostering collaboration and maintaining a positive work environment. Here are some ways to ensure that Gen Z team members feel valued and appreciated: Firstly, provide regular feedback and recognition. Gen Z employees thrive on feedback and appreciation for their work. Take the time to acknowledge their achievements and skills, whether it's through a simple thank you note or a public commendation in team meetings. By doing so, you are not only boosting their morale but also motivating them to continue delivering exceptional results. Next, provide opportunities for growth and development. Gen Z employees are keen on continuous learning and professional development. Offer them opportunities to attend workshops, conferences, or training programs. This investment in their growth will show that you value their career advancement and are committed to their long-term success. Lastly, involve Gen Z team members in decision-making processes. Their fresh perspectives can offer valuable insights and innovative solutions. Encourage them to participate in brainstorming sessions or include them in projects that require creative thinking and problem-solving. By doing so, you are empowering them to contribute to the team's success and instilling a sense of ownership in their work. Acknowledging Gen Z team members for their contributions is crucial for creating a collaborative and productive work environment. By offering feedback, providing growth opportunities, and involving them in decision-making, you are not only fostering their professional development but also maximizing their potential to drive innovation within the team. Overcoming challenges working with Gen Z While Gen Z team members bring immense talent and a fresh perspective to the table, it's important to acknowledge that there may be some challenges in working with them – just like any generation that’s entered the workforce. Understanding and addressing these challenges can significantly enhance collaboration and teamwork. One common challenge is the need for constant feedback and validation. In fact, new studies show that at least a couple of times a week, more than half of Gen Z, 54%, want praise from bosses for their efforts at work, according to data by Australian research firm McCrindle. Almost three in five Gen Zers seek constructive feedback about how they can improve in their role at least a couple of times per week. Gen Z is also accustomed to receiving instant gratification and may expect constant praise for their work. As a leader, it's crucial to set clear expectations and provide constructive feedback regularly while balancing praise to maintain motivation. Another challenge lies in effectively managing their technological reliance. Gen Z employees are highly tech-savvy and prefer digital communication channels. It's important to establish clear boundaries and guidelines for communication to ensure effective collaboration while also providing opportunities for face-to-face interactions to foster stronger relationships within the team. Additionally, Gen Z employees value work-life balance and prioritize flexibility. To ensure their productivity and satisfaction, consider offering flexible work hours or remote work options whenever possible. By addressing these areas, leaders can create a collaborative environment that maximizes the potential of Gen Z team members while maintaining productivity and teamwork. The benefits of effectively collaborating with Gen Z In the end, collaborating effectively with Gen Z team members can bring numerous benefits to an organization. Harnessing their unique skills and perspectives can lead to innovative solutions and fresh ideas. Gen Z employees are often tech-savvy and can offer valuable insights into utilizing digital tools and platforms to streamline processes and enhance productivity. By encouraging collaboration, leaders can tap into the creativity and resourcefulness of Gen Z team members, leading to increased efficiency and problem-solving capabilities. Furthermore, effective collaboration with Gen Z team members fosters a positive and inclusive work culture. By embracing their need for constant feedback and validation, leaders can build a supportive environment where individuals feel heard and valued. This, in turn, boosts morale, motivation, and engagement among Gen Z employees, resulting in higher job satisfaction and decreased turnover rates. Embracing collaborating with Gen Z for organizational success Collaboration is an essential component for organizational success in today's fast-paced and evolving business landscape. This is especially true when it comes to working effectively with Gen Z team members. In this article, we have explored the numerous benefits that come from collaborating with Gen Zers in the workplace, along with different tactics that can empower you to build successful partnerships with this talented generation. From their tech-savviness and ability to offer valuable insights into digital tools and platforms, to their creativity and resourcefulness, Gen Z team members bring a fresh perspective that can enhance productivity and problem-solving capabilities. By embracing their need for constant feedback and validation, leaders can create a positive and inclusive work culture that fosters high morale, motivation, and engagement. We have also discussed the challenges that may arise when collaborating with Gen Z employees. However, armed with the actionable strategies and techniques, you will be well-equipped to overcome these challenges and unlock the full potential of collaboration with Gen Z team members. If you’re looking for ways to tailor your onboarding, training, and collaboration strategies for Gen Z, we can help.

Read more
Toxic Workplaces: What, Who and How to Fix it
Toxic Workplaces: What, Who and How to Fix it

At many companies, workplace culture is becoming increasingly toxic, and recent layoffs in the tech industry are only worsening the problem. In fact, 45% of employees agree that recent layoffs have intensified a climate of toxicity across companies, according to a new research report on toxic workplaces by TalentLMS and Culture Amp. But what exactly leads to the development of a toxic workplace culture – and what can be done to address the toxicity? In this article, we’ll explore what constitutes toxic workplaces, how to address it, and the main drivers that lead to toxic workplaces.  What Do Toxic Workplaces Look Like? Many of us feel frustrated or stressed at work from time to time, but there’s a difference between a frustrating work environment and a toxic one. “Toxic” is a powerful word, but it’s also ambiguous, so we’ll start by defining what we mean by toxic workplaces. A report, which surveyed 1,000 employees across U.S. tech companies who self-identified as working in toxic workplaces, leverages MIT Sloan’s The Toxic Five framework. This framework examines a toxic work environment through the eyes of employees working at a toxic company. While each company has its own set of unique challenges, MIT found that these five culture attributes have by far the largest negative impact on how employees rate their company culture: disrespectful, non inclusive, unethical, cutthroat, and abusive. Employees who believe they work in a toxic environment also agree that their organization is:Disrespectful: Employees want – and need – respect from their managers and peers. 42% of respondents experiencing toxic culture at work agree that managers are often disrespectful to employees. Non inclusive: Even in 2023, inclusivity is still a challenge. 40% of respondents who work in toxic workplaces state that there are still barriers to overcome due to discrimination. Whether it’s on the basis of age, race, gender, or something else, discrimination is commonplace in toxic work environments. Unethical: Ethics and trust go hand in hand, and in an unethical workplace, a lack of trust surfaces. 43% of those surveyed agree they’re expected to work outside of what they’re recognized – or contracted – for. When consistently treated unethically, employees are far more likely to criticize the culture and eventually leave the company. Cutthroat: Throwing a colleague under the bus, stealing credit, and refusing to collaborate are all indicators of a cutthroat, competitive environment. 44% of respondents working in toxic workplaces agree that it is common for employees at their company to be left out of key projects, calls, and decisions. Abusive: More than 60% of survey respondents claim that abuse at work happens regularly or sometimes.What’s even more confronting is that 49% of those surveyed in the TalentLMS & Culture Amp survey say they don’t really say or do anything when falling victim to toxic behaviors – and 29% say it’s because they don’t believe it will make any real difference. How to Address a Toxic Workplace Culture Your corporate culture is the heart of your organization. A toxic culture will only yield dire outcomes, so it’s important to take proactive steps to identify, address, and mitigate any signs of toxicity at work. It is important to recognize that the toxic behaviors described in this research can have serious negative impacts on both employees and organizations. In their most extreme form, they can put the mental health of employees seriously at risk. But even moderate levels of these toxic behaviors can severely impact organizational performance by undermining employee motivation, diminishing the strength of the employer brand, and increasing regrettable attrition. The best way to address a toxic work culture is to start at the top – with leadership. The Role of Leadership Leadership plays a critical role in shaping culture at work. Leaders have a considerable influence over employees, as they are responsible for cascading desired behaviors or decisions across the company. When leaders are honest, accountable, kind, and considerate, employees will strive to embody those characteristics. But unfortunately, the survey found that:43% of survey respondents feel that leaders are turning a blind eye to toxic behaviors 45% believe executive-level leaders promote unhealthy competition among their workforce 47% agree that there’s a lack of leadership and accountability within their companyWhen leaders lack accountability, aren’t considerate to employees, or exhibit distasteful behaviors, employees will amplify these actions across the organization. Senior leaders are role models, whether they like it or not. The way they behave at work creates powerful social norms that can impact how the rest of the organization behaves. Additionally, their decisions can lead to the creation of structures and incentives that result in, often unintended, harmful consequences to employees. What is a Toxic Leader A toxic leader is a person who has responsibility for a group of people or an organization, and who abuses the leader–follower relationship by leaving the group or organization in a worse condition than when they first found them. Toxic leaders must not be confused with leaders who make mistakes. We all make mistakes and get things wrong from time to time. The difference is whether we treat it as a learning opportunity or keep doing the same thing over and over again. According to Leadership Forces, toxic Leaders are self-serving. They do not care about the organization or the people within it. They treat them as a vehicle to help them get where they want. They are motivated by personal ambition and usually lack self-awareness. Leadership Forces categorize the following six key characteristics of toxic leadership: Autocratic The leader makes the most out of their position and authority to make things happen. They impose their will without stopping to consider the ideas and opinions that come from their team. They are focused on maintaining tight control and are intolerant of mistakes. Communication tends to be directive and top-down rather than ‘two-way’. You can spot people who have a tendency towards these characteristics through their language. They might say things like:‘We don’t have time to discuss this…’ ‘This is the situation and this is what you are going to do’ ‘I’ve got so much on my plate…’They complain about not having enough time because they are poor at delegation. The only jobs they delegate are the ones they don’t want to do. They view delegation as a way of ‘making life easier for me’ rather than developing their team members. Narcissistic Narcissistic leaders have an exaggerated sense of their own importance. They believe that they are special in some way. They have an excessive need for admiration from other people and lack empathy when dealing with others. They might say things like:‘I did/achieved this…’ They rarely point to the work of the team that contributed to the success. “Your personal problems should be left at home, you’re here to work.’ Like all toxic leaders, these traits can deliver success in the short-term.Manipulative The manipulative leader is similar to the narcissist as their focus is still on themselves. These individuals will abuse their position, relationships, and organizational systems for their own gain. They’re harder to spot than the narcissistic leaders as they are often sneaky and hide their activities. They know deep down that what they are doing is wrong but they will justify their behavior by saying things like ‘it’s not personal, it’s business.’ Intimidating The intimidating leader will bully their subordinates and those around them to achieve their aim. They are manipulative and have a tendency towards ‘ruling with an iron fist’. Their subordinates will not offer ideas or challenge them for fear of disapproval or ridicule. Overly Competitive The overly competitive leader has a ‘win at all costs’ attitude often leaving a trail of damaged and broken individuals who have failed to keep up with their pace. They have a win at all costs attitude that means that they are quick to make decisions and rarely have time for input. They think that they have high standards and are inspiring. In reality, they create more losers than winners. Discriminatory The last toxic characteristic is that of the discriminatory leader. They do not value diversity and surround themselves with people of the same ilk. These leaders do not want to be challenged by people with different points of view so they surround themselves with ’yes’ men. Damian Hughes describes these people well. In his work with professional sports teams, he’s found managers who surround themselves with ‘truth tellers’ or ‘time tellers.’ When down 1-0 in a 60-minute game, a coach might turn to his coaching staff and say, ‘what do you guys think?’ The time tellers will purse their lips and say ‘there is 30 minutes to go.’ The truth tellers will tell them what they think they should do – even if it is the message they don’t want to hear. For example, ‘take your son off, he’s having a bad game…’ There is a significant difference. One of these people has courage and provides value. These six characteristics rarely live in isolation. Toxic leaders tend to lean towards being a combination of a few of these behaviors. Either way, they are focused on the short-term game and what they can get out of a situation as opposed to the long-term game and what is best for the organization and the team. If left unchecked, toxic leadership is what leads to a toxic culture. Fixing Toxic Workplaces Fixing a toxic work environment requires leadership to intentionally reverse toxicity. In other words, to develop a healthy workplace culture, they need to model healthy behaviors. However, toxic behaviors and norms can be hard to unlearn, especially if they’ve become ingrained in the wider culture. That’s where training can help. Employees upskill and develop as part of their roles, and many expect leaders to do the same. Training specific to managers and leaders would effectively combat toxicity, which could potentially inspire other employees to change behaviors, too – leading to a company-wide transformation. For example, Humantelligence is a tool for daily coaching that uses behavioral science to drive real change by helping managers better understand their own and their team’s behaviors, motivators, and ideal work energizers. Managers often have busy schedules, so HT embeds these insights into existing workflows (like Slack or email) to make learning a daily practice. The Keys to Culprits of a Toxic Workplace We’ve explored what a toxic workplace looks like and how leaders can step up to address toxicity at work – but what causes this toxicity? With 46% of software industry employees suffering burnout due to a toxic work environment, it’s critical to understand how toxicity surfaces. Understanding what leads to a toxic work culture is crucial to preserving your bottom line, keeping employees engaged, and retaining your best talent. Although toxicity emerges in different ways and from different places depending on the organization, research has found that the most common drivers are:Off-the-clock work: Work-life balance is crucial to employee wellbeing, and when employees are expected to be available at all hours, their trust and motivation diminish. They feel like their humanity isn’t being recognized, and stress begins to mount. Without the ability to truly disconnect from work, employees’ behavior and mindset will likely become more negative. This negativity slowly grows and spreads, creating a toxic environment. Poor leadership communication: A highly toxic environment is created when leaders withhold information. Without transparency around the business, employees may become anxious and lose direction and trust in the company. They feel like important decisions are being made without considering their viewpoint, which can leave a big divide between employees and leaders. A lack of consideration for colleagues: When employees feel that colleagues aren’t considering their feelings, the work environment can quickly turn toxic. A lack of empathy in interactions can translate into dismissive or rude behaviors, leading to animosity among employees.All this said, the best way to take action and identify the drivers of toxicity in your organization is to survey your employees. The only people who can tell you how your employees feel are the employees themselves. When provided a channel for feedback, employees are more likely to share candid thoughts about their experience at your organization. If toxicity is brewing in certain areas, a survey with open-ended questions and free response fields can be a safe space for employees to let you know what’s going on – beyond the simple ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ that most surveys offer. If you’re looking to create a more positive employee experience, we can help.

Read more
How to Lose an Employee
How to Lose an Employee

While certainly longer than the 10 days from the movie, did you know that your employees will decide in just a short 45 days if your organization—your team—is right for them? And sadly, more than 20 percent usually decide it’s not. In this article, we're sharing how to to lose an employee in the hopes that you don't! Spoiler alert: Don’t worry, this isn't a how to lose an employee article...we also give you 3 ways to save an employee in 45 days if you keep reading. In most cases, the number one reason a team member leaves is because of the manager-employee relationship. In fact, a GoodHire survey found that 82 percent of workers would quit a job because of a bad manager or friction with their boss. When you factor in the loss of productivity your team experiences when they leave, the gut punch to morale, and the time you invested in finding your new hire—which is often double the amount of time they actually spent on the job…we’re talking upwards of a 90 to 120-day hiring process—it’s really expensive and painful to lose new employees, or any employee, to issues like this. So here's how to lose an employee fast. Here’s How to Lose an Employee Quickly Play hard to get… As a people leader, your job is hard. You’re both a strategic leader and have to balance the day-to-day tasks and goals for yourself and your team members. Most of your day is consumed with 1:1s, team meetings, project-specific meetings, and reporting up to executive management. Your time is stretched thin, so while you’re not eluding your new hires intentionally, it could come off that way to them.  The first 45 days of managing a team member is like the honeymoon phase. You’ll have to set aside time each day to check in with them, while scheduling formal meetings. Add in a series of exploratory conversations and key questions so you can gain insights into your new employee. Find out what they like (or don’t) about their new position, learn about their expectations, and solve budding problems quickly. Serve up cookie-cutter training & onboarding… Of course, the administrative, IT, and general company overview are entirely necessary components of any onboarding process. But, when you stop to consider that every new hire is a unique individual with different ways of learning, communicating, and retaining information, it only makes sense that training and onboarding is personalized to each individual. Does it take more time, effort, and planning? Sure, but it also ensures your new hire feels valued—like they belong and are worth investing in—which results in increased employee satisfaction and motivation and a higher likelihood of retention.  Undervalue diversity of thought… Many of us are creatures of habit and doing something ‘because we’ve always done it that way’ just feels comfortable. But being closed off to different ways of doing things, new ideas, or other ways of working is a surefire way to create conflict between yourself and team members. Plus, managing people in ways that are comfortable to you, in ways that expect people to adapt to your working and communication styles, usually doesn’t lead to innovation, breakthrough ideas, or creative problem solving. When you create a team dynamic that allows people to bring in diversity of thought, the unique experiences of their background—and they know you’ll be open to it without fear of penalty—you’ll create a strong foundation of belonging and begin to achieve team goals in ways you might not have considered before.   Why the Manager-Employee Relationship Matters So Much You are the conduit through which employees receive important communications, understand company values, and experience belonging, growth, a sense of purpose in their work, and so much more. Your influence is impactful and often underestimated — and, in fact, the manager-employee relationship is perhaps the most important one in an organization.  According to this Gallup finding, managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. When there’s a focus on improving the employee-manager relationship, the outcomes are shown to be well worth the effort. For example, RedThread’s research revealed that companies with effective managers realize a higher NPS score and greater engagement. Positive manager-employee relationships management can increase productivity, creativity, innovation, and collaboration, while reducing employee absenteeism and turnover. Similarly, a report from UKG earlier this year found that 46% of managers said they were likely to quit because of job-related stress. Unlike individual contributors, managers are caught in the middle — expected to deliver on the demands of the business and to guide, coach, and relate to their reports in very humanistic ways. Hybrid work environments, along with employees’ changing expectations of their employers, have shifted the manager’s role and level of support needed. In fact, Betterworks’ State of Performance Enablement research shows that only a quarter of managers get the support they need to manage distributed  teams. Under half receive some support, and about a third receive support either rarely or not at all.  The bottom line is that organizations — specifically, those leaders with the most authority — have the responsibility and ability to adopt practices that will strengthen manager effectiveness and, ultimately, the manager-employee relationship. Besides that, why run the risk of losing good employees to something so solvable? 3 Ways to Save an Employee in Less Than 45 Days When you don’t make the time, provide templated training, and undervalue diversity of thought, you’re sure to create friction—and it can show itself in a variety of ways. If you find yourself saying things like:‘We don’t have time to discuss this…’ ‘This is the situation and here’s what we’re going to do…’ ‘I’ve got so much on my plate…’ ‘That’ll never work…’You are probably building friction with your employees, damaging the manager-employee relationship, and don’t even know it—that is, until they quit. When employees pick up vibes that you don’t like them or their ideas, that they’re not being treated fairly or feeling valued, or the differences in communication styles are causing misunderstandings, they’ll start to think of an exit plan. And who can blame them? It’s simply self-preservation. So before all that happens, consider that these three things can help you build positive manager-employee relationships that will encourage better productivity and collaboration among teams. When there’s mutual respect between a manager and a worker, there’s more willingness on both ends to offer support and perform well. Understand what makes your employees tick It’s no great secret that everyone works in different ways and that diverse working styles or work energizers can often clash and lead to conflict. Nothing hurts productivity and growth like a manager and employee who don’t know how to work together. All employees have different styles of working that draw on their strengths and weaknesses. And these different styles or work energizers make up a team dynamic. For teams to work together effectively, they should be aware of each other’s ways of working, and leaders need to be able to manage different work styles to their advantage. As a team leader, you have to understand and manage a variety of work styles every day to be effective. So let’s start with a quick little assessment. This test might sound a bit like you are at the eye doctor, but we promise it will be painless. Simply pick option 1 or 2 for each of the following questions:When it comes to solving problems, do you tend to be more  (1) Deliberate or (2) Decisive? When it comes to relating to people, do you tend to be more  (1) Reflective or (2) Outgoing? When it comes to your work pace or level of urgency, do you tend to be more  (1) Steady or (2) Spontaneous? When it comes to processes and procedures, do you tend to be more (1) Cautious or (2) Freeform?Now count up your ONEs and TWOs. If you end up with 3 or 4 ONEs, your overall work style is oriented toward stability. If you end up with 3 or 4 TWOs, your overall work style is oriented toward change. If you end up with 2 ONEs and 2 TWOs, you bring a balance between stability and change orientation. On any given team and depending on size, you may want at least two different types of work styles present. At minimum, you’ll want to understand a person’s work style and then figure out how to use it best.  There’s a popular decision-making practice where employees assume different thinking hats. For example, one employee may be tasked with coming up with new ideas. They’re encouraged to bring unpredictable or possibly outlandish ideas to a meeting. Another employee is then tasked with being more discerning. They ask questions and assess the risks of different ideas. By assigning team members a specific hat, at different times, for different projects, it opens up space for more inclusive discussions where a variety of ideas and perspectives can have a seat at the table. It’s a great way to bust dreaded group-think that often stifles innovation. This approach shows that every work style is a strength when expressed in the right situations. Tailor training to your employee’s personality When it comes to training, the old “one-size-fits-all” tactic just doesn’t cut it anymore. Just as in other facets of their lives, they expect a personalized experience. With a more tech-savvy workforce than ever before, online learning platforms are a big hit. Some organizations are even rethinking training content altogether and how they can better cater to diverse learning appetites, ensuring greater effectiveness in the long run. Fortunately, training and creating an environment that values continuous learning doesn’t have to take a ton of time and is easy when you leverage AI.  For example, say you have a new Gen Z hire that needs to email the head of sales, John, every week with reported leads. The problem is, they hardly know John and have no idea how John likes to consume information. With an AI tool that uses your company's previously recorded psychometric data, your new hire can use pre-supplemented suggestions to ensure their emails are comprehensive and useful for John, despite never meeting or hardly interacting with John. This AI-fueled approach to “on-the-fly” training can extend beyond emails to all communications, ultimately helping your employees learn new skills and making their contributions to the business more impactful. When you support your new hires like this, you’re setting them up for success and building a strong relationship out of the gate. Foster a sense of belonging When a team can see and understand how each person brings unique work-style strengths to the team, their capacity for better collaboration increases. Use a psychometric-based assessment to measure your team’s unique culture and determine the shared strengths of the team, as well as each individual team member. Then use your team meetings to talk about how those differences have benefited the team. Ensure you actively bring in your more reflective team members, as they may not readily volunteer what they are thinking. Tap into people who are wired for a specific topic. For instance, ask your freeform team members to come prepared with some new ideas. Leading team meetings with intention makes the meeting outcome more productive, and it allows you to draw on different team members’ strengths.  Here’s an example of how you can better manage a real go-getter on your team. You’ll want to be very direct with this employee. Tell him where he stands, what needs to be done, then get out of his way and let him do it. He’s all about getting it done. This team member will appreciate knowing where he stands with you. Meeting each employee where they are when you interact with them in meetings will go a long way toward fostering the trust you need to execute on the vision you have set for the team. How to Lose an Employee: “It’s like a Manager's Cheat Sheet for Working with Others” But we know what you’re thinking…how can you possibly expect me to keep track of everyone’s learning styles, communication preferences, and work styles? The good news is that you don’t have to. With every interaction, with any employee—new hire or not—you can see the personality traits of your colleague to understand what motivates them and how to best communicate with them.  We told you earlier that we know how to find out these things about your coworkers. We asked employee Ray to take a 10-minute assessment, and we learned that Ray is inquisitive and likes to gather as much information as possible. Now, when you reach out to Ray, you won’t feel defensive or bombarded by all of Ray’s questions because you know he thinks like a “Scholar” and that’s what scholars do. What’s even better, you don’t have to track, monitor, or remember any of this. With every email and interaction, you can simply write your message and then have generative AI re-write in the way that best suits Ray’s personality. No more friction. Just productive conversations and meaningful connections.

Read more
How to Use Employee Listening to Guide Your Return To Office Strategy
How to Use Employee Listening to Guide Your Return To Office Strategy

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced a mass adoption of remote work, little attention was paid to the long-term implications of a new model for work, and what a return to office strategy might look like. Many celebrated the rise in remote work for the increased flexibility it promised. Increased remote work offered a bigger talent pool, more work-life balance — particularly for caregivers — and the end of onerous commutes. And early numbers showed that remote work increased productivity. As the immediate threat of COVID-19 recedes, will more companies start to question the wisdom of long-term remote work and institute return to office? Making the case for return-to-office Power Home Remodeling, No. 13 on the 2023 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® List, is currently on a hybrid work schedule with a majority of its corporate employees in the office three days a week. The company, headquartered in Chester, Pennsylvania, has been slowly adding days of in-person work to its schedule, one day at a time, ever since the immediate risks of COVID-19 subsided — a transition that has been necessary for their employees' well-being. Power Home Remodeling hopes to one day make the transition back to full-time in office when the time is right for their people. “I think that people are happier and healthier and thrive when they are in-person and when they are sharing the same space with one another,” says Asher Raphael, co-CEO of the full-service exterior home remodeler. A big part of the philosophy for Power Home Remodeling is in response to the impact of remote work on younger employees. Researchers told The New York Times that remote work enhanced productivity for senior employees, but reduced feedback and oversight for more junior employees. Young employees are not getting the mentorship and training in remote roles that can be found from in-person work. When asking its 3,700 employees to return to the office, Raphael focuses on the responsibilities that co-workers have for one another. “We spoke to employees about what their role in our community is, and that what the data clearly showed from virtual work: people that were the most hurt were newer people,” Raphael says. “For those people, their overall happiness wasn’t as high … their retention wasn't as good, and it’s because they weren’t receiving the type of mentorship, they weren’t creating the types of relationships, they weren’t being led the same way.” Power Home Remodeling has strong values around service and working for something that is bigger than oneself, which the company has invoked when asking employees to return to the office. Even if it was more convenient to work remotely, employees were open to a message about the importance of coming into the office to support their colleagues. “The overwhelming majority of people felt either an initial want to come back, or they felt a level of responsibility for the other people around them,” Raphael says. Listening and responding Even though the company is adamant about its desire to bring employees back to the office, leaders are making a concerted effort to listen to employees. Raphael boils it down to one essential question: “What were the things that employees didn't enjoy about being in-person every single day that are in our control and are not mission-critical?” Power took time to investigate company norms that no longer served its needs, even down to the dress code. “Our dress code was corporate attire — I wore a suit and a tie to work literally every single day for 18 years,” Raphael says. “That was something that people really didn’t want to go back to, and that’s an example of something that you can change to make people more comfortable.” Power also saw an opportunity to support working parents by helping to subsidize $416 a month of childcare costs. “It doesn’t go far enough,” Raphael says, “but it was a really big help in supporting people that had no childcare costs while working remotely … so that they don't feel like they’re having to make a decision between putting their kid in daycare or making a living.” Letting the lease expire Creative Alignments, a small recruiting firm based in Boulder, Colorado, was no stranger to remote work before the pandemic. A portion of the company’s total headcount had already been remote prior to the pandemic, and flexible schedules were the norm, said Shenna Fitzgerald, marketing director for Creative Alignments. “During the pandemic, obviously we pivoted to working remotely and staying safe,” she said. “And we really found that it worked well, and there were a lot of benefits to it as well.” Work-life balance is one of the strongest reasons for the change, Fitzgerald continued, with an all-remote setup enabling employees to better manage their schedules, focus on work and take care of their personal lives without needing to commute. “I think people really do cherish that flexibility,” she said. The company also has benefited from a recruitment standpoint, as remote work has allowed it to expand its reach beyond the Boulder area. That, in turn, has allowed Creative Alignments to attract a more diverse talent pool, Fitzgerald said. She noted that, given the company’s experience with recruiting candidates for other firms, its staff were aware of the importance that candidates place on flexibility in the current market. For the duration of 2020, the company kept its office space open to those who wished to attend while instructing employees to communicate with each other so as to ensure sufficient space for social distancing. Few took advantage of the opportunity. “Our lease was up in January and we decided not to renew,” Fitzgerald said, “because remote work was working well, and that’s what people wanted.” But Creative Alignments still recognizes that in-person gatherings have a place; the company meets every other week at a local club for an all-hands meeting, followed by lunch and additional team meetings. And in the future, Fitzgerald said the company has not entirely ruled out opening a physical space that employees can use if they so choose but there are no plan for a return to office policy. Going slow for return-to-office The most important thing when deciding on your workforce arrangement is going slow. Leaders should continue to listen and work with employees as companies attempt to add more in-person workdays to the weekly schedule, or decide if a full return to office is what employees want. As a workforce, we had to upend people’s routines when we were forced to go remote. We now have the freedom to not do that and give people time to build up a new routine and to embrace change, however that looks for them. Whether you end up introducing hybrid or permanently remote work environments, be sure the technology and resources you provide employees is designed to foster human connection, effective communication, productive collaboration,  and meeting effectiveness -- that could spell the difference between a satisfied and engaged team or one heading for the door.

Read more
Improving Employee Retention: A Must-Do List
Improving Employee Retention: A Must-Do List

A fast employee churn rate can lead to higher training costs, low employee morale, and operational inefficiencies. Eventually, it can reduce your profits and negatively impact your bottom line. That’s why it’s important for businesses to learn how to prepare for it and, better yet, work to improve employee retention. While there may be signs that the Great Resignation is easing slightly, the ongoing exodus of workers is a challenge leaders will have to contend with for the foreseeable future. A Workhuman® iQ survey of more than 3,500 workers in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and Canada offers some revealing insights into the root causes of why employees are leaving their jobs – and a road map on how companies of all sizes can retain more of their talented humans. Employee Turnover By the Numbers Overall, nearly 38% of those surveyed by Workhuman are planning to look for a new job in the next 12 months. This projected voluntary turnover has the potential to cost businesses billions.  In fact, according to Gallup, the cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one half to two times the employee’s annual salary -- and that's a conservative estimate. So, a 100-person organization that provides an average salary of $50,000 could have turnover and replacement costs of approximately $660,000 to $2.6 million per year. In addition, nearly 19 million people either change occupations or exit the labor force each year, creating an average turnover rate of 20%. Top Reasons for Plummeting Employee Retention Employee Burnout & Dissatisfaction with Opportunities Salary isn’t the only reason workers are leaving their jobs. It should be no surprise many workers are reevaluating their jobs considering the stress and isolation they’ve endured these past few years.  A March 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center found that while low pay was the primary reason people left their jobs last year, it was closely followed by respondents saying they lacked opportunities for advancement in their role. And 35% of people said that feeling disrespected at work was a major reason they left. One study from the University of Chicago found that employees worked more hours during the pandemic, but their productivity dropped. For many people, working for the past two years may feel like running on a treadmill that never turns off.  Research by Mental Health America and FlexJobs shows that 76% of respondents agreed that workplace stress affects their mental health and have experienced burnout. Burnout is an extreme form of workplace stress whereby the stress you are experiencing makes way for mental and emotional exhaustion. The World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes burnout by three main dimensions:Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion Increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job Reduced professional efficacyFlexibility & The Remote vs. Return Debate The pandemic forced a dramatic shift in the employer-employee relationship. It’s also helped workers realize what really matters when it comes to their careers. In Workhuman’s survey, nearly one-third (30%) of those workers planning to look for a new job cited, “I want more flexibility” as their primary reason for doing so. That number jumped to 39% for Black workers. So that’s when work gets done. Let’s talk about where works gets done. Reverting to a fully in-person workplace: Just 3% of white-collar workers want to return to the office full-time (according to survey results published by Fortune), and more than half of respondents in multiple surveys have shown workers will consider leaving their company if forced into full-time in-person workplaces, and many speculate this is a foundational, long-term shift in worker expectations. Switching to a fully remote workplace: Globally, about 16% of companies are fully remote, and those who have embraced a fully remote workforce are both setting expectations among workers about what the workplace experience should and shouldn’t entail (flexibility, autonomy; savings of cost and time associated with the elimination of the daily commute; lifestyle flexibility to keep their job if they want to relocate to a different city, state or even country). Supporting a hybrid workforce: This is the model most workers say they want — not to be fully remote full-time, but a position that gives them the flexibility to work remotely when and how they need. The statistics are compelling — in a global survey conducted by Slack, 78% of respondents said they wanted workplace location flexibility, and 95% said they wanted schedule flexibility. Finally, a study highlighted by Harvard Business Review found that 59% of workers find flexibility more important than salary. It suggests that workers seek autonomy to decide when and where they work rather than a set hybrid schedule of in-person and remote work days. If employers aren’t willing to extend flexible scheduling to their workers, people are ready to take their skills elsewhere. Poor Manager-Employee Connection The shift in where work gets done, with increased flexibility, is good for employees. But for organizations and people leaders, it makes the need for clear, consistent communication even more important. Leaders can no longer rely on word-of-mouth or quick lunchroom conversations for important information about company initiatives to circulate throughout the organization.  Data from the Workhuman’s survey report shows that frequent check-ins are critical in the manager-employee relationship. Employees were asked to rate their manager on a scale of 1-10 based on how well their manager keeps them motivated and engaged. When managers check in at least weekly, their rating is nearly 2x higher than managers who never check in. Likewise, workers who received feedback within the last month – as opposed to never – are much more likely to feel a sense of connection to their company as a whole. For strategies on how to lead with empathy and establish meaningful connection with team members, check out this article.  Psychological Safety to Boost Employee Retention Today, there’s a more nuanced lens on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging – and it’s called psychological safety – that companies should address to stay competitive in this job market.  Workers resoundingly express dissatisfaction with a workplace culture where their voices aren’t heard, blame-placing is rampant, or any one of many toxic elements in an organization’s culture may exist.  What they are really talking about is a lack of psychological safety. First coined by Amy Edmondson in a 1999 journal exploring its relationship to team learning and performance, psychological safety is the ability to speak one’s mind without fear of punishment or embarrassment.  At the heart of a psychologically safe environment is a sense of belonging with or being accepted by others.  Feeling accepted reduces anxiety associated with interpersonal risk, allowing learning to occur. Learning improves the quality and frequency of contributions, and ultimately leads workers to identify and own productivity and efficiency improvements. Looking again at the issue of working remotely, surveys also show that worker apprehension and anxiety about their working location and conditions are improved dramatically when their organizational leaders and managers are clear and transparent about the decision-making process, especially when employees are given a voice in the process.  Being inclusive creates a sense of belonging and makes employees less likely to go find it elsewhere. The Best Ways to Increase Employee Retention While we may be a ways away from a Great Retention, research from Robert Half suggests that many workers remain confident about their prospects in the current hiring market, which means employers must still be vigilant about the risk of top performers walking out the door. Robert Half’s Job Optimism Survey of more than 2,400 professionals, which tracks worker sentiment on current and future career prospects, finds that 41% of respondents planned to look for a new role in the second half of 2022. So, now is the time to confirm that your business is doing the right things to help drive employee job satisfaction and, ultimately, the retention of highly valued talent. Here are the top areas to focus on. ✔Mentorship programs & learning development opportunities ✔Professional advancement or internal mobility in the company ✔Wellbeing offerings and recognition  ✔Embracing flexibility in how and where work gets done ✔Continuous feedback on performance  ✔Open communication  ✔Emphasis on collaborative teamwork At the end of the day, decreasing employee turnover and increasing employee retention doesn’t just help your company; it helps your people. An employee who feels connection to others is an employee who is most likely to engage. And an employee who can fully engage is an employee who feels compelled to stay.

Read more
Creating Positive Connections from Asynchronous Communication Tools: Slack & Microsoft Teams
Creating Positive Connections from Asynchronous Communication Tools: Slack & Microsoft Teams

There’s just no denying it. Positive connections in the workplace are paramount. They breed collaboration, spark innovation, and foster employee satisfaction. So how do smart organizations create positive connections in a workplace where colleagues are working from different locations and even different time zones? The secret lies in asynchronous communication. In answer, companies are increasingly adopting asynchronous tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams. They provide a unique avenue for cultivating connections that transcend geographical boundaries and time zones. Asynchronous tools facilitate communication that doesn’t require an immediate response. In turn, this allows flexibility and convenience which, of course, is extremely important in our fast-paced work environments. While these tools are often associated with work-related interactions, their potential to foster positive interpersonal connections is immense. However, leveraging asynchronous communication tools to create positive connections can be challenging. How can we ensure meaningful interaction while dealing with delayed responses? How can we maintain camaraderie among team members who may never meet in person? This article aims to address these questions and more while offering actionable strategies for fostering positive connections using Slack and Microsoft Teams. Understanding Asynchronous Communication Asynchronous communication is a form of communication that doesn’t require all parties to interact concurrently. It’s like the digital equivalent of leaving a note on someone’s desk. This style of communication has become crucial in today’s most common work environments. Team members may be in a meeting or “heads down” working and the interruption of a phone call or a desk drop-by is not preferred.  Asynchronous communication tools offer numerous benefits, including increased productivity, flexibility, and inclusivity. Team members can:Manage their time efficiently Respond to messages when they prefer, when they are available, and when they're most productive Communicate with colleagues without worrying about disrupting others' schedulesHowever, asynchronous communication also poses some challenges. Ensuring everyone is on the same page when they’re not online simultaneously can be tough. It can also lead to feelings of isolation or disconnection among team members. Therefore, it's essential to be proactive in fostering positive connections using these tools. Asynchronous Communication Tools: Slack and Microsoft Teams Slack and Microsoft Teams are leading platforms in the realm of digital communication. Offering a range of features from direct messaging to file sharing, these tools facilitate seamless and efficient communication. But more than that, they provide opportunities to create and foster positive connections among team members. Slack operates with a focus on channels and direct messaging. This allows for streamlined conversations on a variety of topics. Microsoft Teams integrates with the broader Microsoft Suite. Which supports project collaboration in addition to communication. These features encourage:Work-related discussions Casual conversations Team bondingIt's important to note that both of these platforms offer features that allow for real-time communication as well. This flexibility caters to different communication styles and needs, making them powerful tools for creating positive workplace connections. Strategies for Creating Positive Connections through Asynchronous Tools Recognizing that these tools are playing an increasingly important role in digital-first workspaces, it is crucial for organizations to leverage them in a way that creates positive connections and more effective collaboration. The following suggestions can help your organization get the most out of asynchronous communication tools like Slack and Teams. Develop a Clear and Consistent Communication Protocol A well-defined communication protocol is the foundation for creating positive connections. Especially when it comes to asynchronous tools and remote workers. This protocol should cover all aspects of your team's communication, including:Which tools, channels, and threads to use for what purposes Expectations for response times What type of information should be shared in such a tool compared to email or a meeting Guidelines for respectful and productive communicationSimilarly, establishing 'quiet hours' during which direct messages are discouraged is a good best practice. This can help team members respect each other's time.  Clear communication guidelines help avoid confusion, create a sense of order and reliability, and demonstrate respect for each other's time and effort. This, in turn, fosters trust and positivity among team members. Encourage Regular Updates and Check-ins Yes, asynchronous communication allows team members to interact at their own convenience. However, it's essential to ensure that everyone stays in the loop. Send regular updates about ongoing projects, changes in policies, or team achievements. This practice can maintain a sense of unity and inclusivity. Additionally, periodic check-ins can help maintain connections. Whether individually or as a team. These check-ins don't have to be lengthy meetings either. They can simply be a daily or weekly message thread where challenges and current projects are shared. Not only does this practice keep everyone informed, but it also provides opportunities to offer assistance, advice, or encouragement. Balance Professional and Personal Asynchronous Communication The primary purpose of tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams is work-related communication. However, they can also be a platform for personal interaction. Casual conversation channels where team members can share personal news or interesting content can encourage camaraderie and make the virtual workspace feel more personal. These channels also provide an avenue for team members to express their personalities and engage on a more human level. This can strengthen relationships and create a more positive, enjoyable work environment. However, it's important to maintain a balance and ensure that these interactions remain respectful and inclusive. Promote and Facilitate Learning Learning is a powerful bonding tool. Encourage team members to share relevant articles, resources, or learning opportunities in dedicated channels. This not only promotes continuous professional development but also fosters a culture of sharing and collaboration. Furthermore, consider organizing regular learning sessions where team members can share their expertise or explore a new tool. These sessions can be a great way to facilitate knowledge sharing and build stronger connections between team members. Celebrate Wins and Acknowledge Efforts Acknowledging hard work and celebrating wins—no matter how big or small—can boost team morale and cultivate a positive feedback culture. It can be as simple as sending a congratulatory message to a team member who's done well or sharing team milestones in a common channel. These practices show team members that their efforts are seen and appreciated, fostering a sense of belonging and positivity. Embrace Bolt-on Technologies to Optimize Asynchronous Communication Whether in-office, hybrid, or remote, keeping your teams connected through technology is a must. Beyond using Slack, Teams, or other collaboration software, consider squeezing more from your investment in those tools by integrating a quick bolt-on that gives each team member the insights needed to establish stronger relationships with another. When drafting an email, chatting with a colleague, or joining a meeting, this add-on automatically surfaces useful, customized tips for more effective communication that ends up helping you improve your relationships at work. Consider the case of the one-on-one check-ins. We already know that one of the most powerful and simple steps a manager can take to help an employee feel more connected and productive is to check in with them regularly. Learning how to check-in effectively means inviting the conversations that really matter with the employee and providing the support and encouragement they need. Now, add in a layer of knowing how best to approach that employee based on their communication, collaboration, learning, and work styles, and your one-on-ones will be more productive than ever – and your employee will feel more seen and connected than ever.

Read more
Changing Company Culture at Any Size
Changing Company Culture at Any Size

Ping pong tables, kegerators, and catered lunches, oh my! Is this what we think of when we think of start-up companies? Sadly, the answer is probably yes, but these employee perks don’t define or even contribute to the culture for which start-ups should be most known.  Rather, the open, often casual communication, transparency, and people-first focus is what sets start-up culture apart from its corporate counterpart. It’s true...the foosball tables and bring-your-dog-to-work days might help you attract more applicants for your roles. But what’s more important is a uniquely defined culture aligned to the company’s strategy -- and flip flops, ping pong, and the notion of having fun on tap all the time is not what keeps employees engaged and ultimately helps you grow. FYI...culture is also not employee engagement surveys. They only measure happiness/satisfaction and cannot tell you if you have a culture aligned to your strategy -- one that drives performances and fosters results.  In the newly released guide, Creating a Start-up Culture at Any Size,  those who’ve launched new businesses, lead start-ups, or have recruited for them share their unique insights on the importance of and how to build a start-up-like culture for a business of any size. When you download this best practice guide, you’ll find strategies and recommendations for building, re-building, or strengthening culture, what to address and pay attention to early on, how to address culture as you grow, and how technology fits into the equation. This guide focuses on:Defining your Culture before it Defines You Laying a Strong Foundation Evolving into a Unique Culture Optimizing Culture with Technology Sustaining Culture for the Long HaulAccording to Deloitte, culture drives strategy. When aligned with business strategy, organizational culture can drive results, without having to rely on command and control -- it’s how things get done in your organization. Similarly, for Juan Betancourt, Chief Executive Officer of Humantelligence -- a culture intelligence software start-up with 18 employees -- culture is your company’s B-M-W: the sustained patterns of (1) Behaviors over time that are supported by the shared experiences, (2) the values or Motivators, and beliefs of the organization, and (3) the way work happens or Work energizers of its people. Together, culture is what transforms individual employees into a collective, cohesive whole. It’s important to define your culture because by defining it, you -- and your employees -- can commit to better supporting the work itself, improving operations, and making valuable as well as impactful contributions to the market you serve. All too often, business leaders fail to realize that not defining their cultures will have a negative impact on the operational side of their businesses, while being able to define it from the start ensures less culture-related stress down the road. Before defining it, it's also important to note what culture is not. As Don Sull tells us in When It Comes to Culture, Does Your Company Walk the Talk?, it’s not the values you post on your website or the laminated one-pager you give to employees. He goes on to explain that company practices often conflict with corporate values -- with data demonstrating little to no correlation between official company values and actual culture as perceived and lived by employees. Closing that gap starts with communication and a plan to address culture at its core. In fact, Senior Human Resources Director Tiffany Davis-Ransom, who led recruiting for a SaaS start-up serving higher education, notes that when potential new hires are considering coming aboard, what they’ll really be looking at when it comes to culture is:The team’s work habits What and how the team is motivated How the team interacts or socializes Diversity or lack thereof Mentorship opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and abilities How the team collaborates and communicates Where and how new ideas are fostered How feedback is solicited, acknowledged, and implemented Company and team planning processes Recognition for work well done“That is...they’ll be looking at how work gets done, who makes the decisions and why, how people are rewarded, and opportunities to grow through leadership and mentorship -- all of the expectations, values, and norms associated with working at your company -- that is your culture defined.” In some aspects and unlike corporate cultures, a start-up culture -- because teams begin small -- typically and inevitably reflects the personalities of early team members and becomes an output of the people who work there. A company with a large sales team might have a more customer-centric and extroverted-style culture. If you have a team that hates conflict, the culture will probably be indecisive and passive aggressive. A company with more experienced people will draw on established best practices, where a company full of greener hires may tackle problems based on intuition and require more oversight. Matthew Bartel, who founded Digital Measures -- a faculty activity reporting software start-up -- in 1999 -- tells us that this should be a deliberate activity. “While it’s difficult to know where to start when it comes to creating a company's culture, a key exercise we did early on was to identify our rockstar teammates and then think about each of their positive attributes. It was a helpful exercise to define a short but specific list of traits we value in our teammates. Once a company has a set of values, you almost can't talk about them enough. We ensured our values were reinforced when hiring, conducting performance reviews, in monthly all-hands meetings, during team recognition ceremonies, and even in front of clients. It's important to consistently recognize and call out when team members exemplify your company's values because it reinforces and better defines these behaviors and encourages your full team to follow suit.”  All that to say, the composition of your team is important in how your culture plays out day to day. But ultimately, culture is set first by its leaders, starting with the founders or CEO. Alexander Nicolaus, Chief People Officer at Paysend and author of Startup Culture: Your Superpower for Sustainable Growth, recommends getting specific from the start: define your organization’s why, who you are, and who you want to be.  “You design the operating structure, organizational chart, and put together the team. You decide who, when, and how to reward and promote. You either welcome feedback and challenges or are threatened by such. Your behavior sets the example for the rest of the team, and the rest of the team ends up modeling it, which then builds culture from the bottom up.” He also reminds us that if you’ve missed the opportunity to align your culture to your business strategy, there’s still hope! When you download the eBook, you'll read what our contributors suggest starting, stopping, and changing today in order to get back on track. Once back on track, it’s time to figure out how to sustain your positive changes. While your core values and the why for which you exist shouldn’t change much, if at all, the way you do it, the way you achieve it, might have to change. Continue to communicate, engage, embed, and actively evaluate -- and keep these elements top of mind to preserve your strong company culture as your organization grows. A few tips from the experts on changing company culture: Monitor & Re-evaluate Often: Start-up cultures often value adaptability and are highly flexible, so change is not something to shy away from. The most important part is to clearly explain the why behind these changes to your team. Nicolaus recommends soliciting feedback at least quarterly or monthly -- annually is insufficient -- and to save time automate it and leverage technology -- because frequent and ongoing employee inputs are key. Reinforce Positive Behavior: Reinforce positive behaviors by recognizing and rewarding your culture champions. These are the individuals who continually live out your core values and go above and beyond both within and outside of their roles. Create and centralize team member spotlights about standout contributors (like a Slack channel) for peer-to-peer culture champ shout-outs. Walk the Talk: Culture is not something to set and forget, and start-up culture is particularly susceptible to change as the team grows. Reinforce value-based actions and a mission-driven culture by continually embodying the core values you set forth. Doing so encourages the same behavior from team members and builds trust between employees and leadership. Recruit and Replace Intentionally: Culture fit does not only mean hiring who you like but rather being open to hiring people unlike you or any others in your organization. For each role, region/geo, and industry, the needs will be different and there is no out-of-the-box formula. Avoid recruiting cookie-cutter replicas of your current employees and rather hire for culture adds and gap fillers -- those are candidates who will enhance your culture, as well as bring unique and valuable experiences and diversity of thought to the team. As your company grows and changes, as new faces join, and as roles and teams shift focus, remember so too does your culture. Use this guide as a reminder to regularly assess your culture and consider the changes you can make in communication and organizational structure, as well as how Culture-as-a-Service technology can help you foster improved collaboration and performance in order to sustain -- and more importantly -- scale your company for success. Culture building is an area of expertise in its own, not unlike being a solutions architect for an IT company. And like any other expertise comes with its own required set of know-hows and past experience. So if you are a founder, CEO, or business leader and not very good at this culture building thing yet, you just need practice.

Read more
Productivity Abundance: Using HR Tech to Unlock its Power
Productivity Abundance: Using HR Tech to Unlock its Power

In a 2024 trends and outlook piece, Josh Bersin said that that C-suite leaders are being pressured to “hoard talent, invest in productivity, and redevelop people for growth.” Bersin called it The Productivity Advantage. This productivity abundance strategy entails improving pay equity, continuing hybrid work models, investing in human-centered leadership, and giving people opportunities for new careers inside the company. This is why talent marketplaces, skills-based development, and learning in the flow of work are so important. “If you can help your company move faster, you can reinvent faster than your competition.” Like many leaders in the business world, Bersin also predicts that leveraging AI for processes will be key to achieving productivity. Productivity Abundance for Teams In an era dominated by rapid technological advancements, adaptability and forward-thinking strategies are in demand. According to McKinsey, companies that are agile in this aspect are redefining operational excellence, maximizing returns from both talent and software investments while fostering innovation to drive growth. McKinsey researchers also point out that digital and AI transformations can more closely unite business operations while also enhancing workforce skills and empowering teams to innovate. This indicates that output doesn’t have to come at the cost of personal creativity or the human aspects of our work. Technology can facilitate positive results for both the business bottom line and the wellbeing of the workforce, say the report’s authors, leading to collective prosperity for the totality of the organization. From Productivity to Human Performance According to Deloitte, the once-straightforward correlation between individual tasks and tangible outcomes has become blurred in today’s complex, collaborative environment. Traditional metrics—like hours worked or widgets produced—are no longer sufficient in measuring success, especially with the rise of technology and AI automating routine tasks. Those forward-thinking businesses won’t only calculate success by conventional measures like revenues and profits, according to Deloitte’s findings, but also consider the job satisfaction of individuals and teams. Deloitte identifies this shift as embracing a new paradigm centered around human performance, one that emphasizes the value of factors like employee happiness, psychological safety, and growth and development. “New approaches can and should consider the worker as a human being, with a more nuanced perspective on how they contribute to the organization,” according to Deloitte. Even in fields like logistics and manufacturing, where productivity indicators seem most relevant, automation can free up the workforce for other objectives, such as developing “creativity, critical thinking and collaboration” skills, say the researchers. Analysts point to the following indicators that reframing productivity with a focus on human performance is right for your organization if:There’s a narrow focus on output rather than broader organizational outcomes. Leaders feel inundated by data and seek to measure what truly drives success. Despite technological investments, traditional productivity remains stagnant. Workers engage in “productivity theater” to appear busy, but they feel burnt out.If this sounds like your team or workplace, you aren’t alone. When Deloitte surveyed 14,000 business and HR leaders across many sectors in dozens of countries, only 8 percent said their organization is leading in the use of human performance metrics. As tools for capturing workforce data expand beyond traditional metrics like hours clocked, HR teams are discovering solutions that measure collaboration, satisfaction, engagement and more. Deloitte suggests that leveraging new data sources empowers leaders to transition from merely assessing employee productivity to evaluating overall human performance. Thanks to a rush of innovation driven by AI, a new class of HR tech tools offers exponential capacity for businesses to collect, measure and analyze data. Supported by machine learning and human judgment, Deloitte’s researchers say HR teams are in a unique position to convert the data into actionable suggestions. Productivity Abundance through Smarter Collaboration We’re at a stage where hybrid and remote working have moved from being an employee request, to an employee expectation. Business leaders need to embrace this change, making a concerted effort to create a working environment for talent that makes it easy for employees to work together–the key to team productivity and productivity abundance. Failure to do so will see businesses struggle to attract and retain their best talent and they will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage. A recent American study of 1,100 companies carried out by the Institute for Corporate Productivity and Babson College found those that promoted collaborative working were five times more likely to be high performing and producing. Just how much does collaboration increase productivity? The benefits of using AI-powered collaboration tools are real. Collaboration increases productivity abundance by 25% or more. A comprehensive workplace study by McKinsey looked specifically at the effect of improving collaboration through improved internal social tools, so it’s likely that the total effect of collaboration increases productivity by even more than 25%. Employees Value Workplace Collaboration & Productivity Abundance More Than You Think More than 50% of workers in the United States say their jobs are reliant on collaboration. 86% of employees in leadership positions blame lack of collaboration as the top reason for workplace failures. About 75% of employees rate teamwork and collaboration as being very important.   Employees are 17% more satisfied with their job when they engage in collaboration at work.Over the last 20 years, workplace collaboration has increased by at least 50%.Top-performing workers spend 45% of their time working collaboratively. Only 9% of surveyed employees in a Deloitte study reported that their place of employment had very effective sharing and collaboration tools.Collaborating on tasks and sharing ideas is valued at $1,660 per employee each year and that quality improvements made as a result of workplace collaboration are valued at $2,517 per employee each year. (Deloitte) And companies that promote collaboration at work have 5x better performance rates. At the end of the day, focusing on workplace collaboration in the context of the employee experience and a more human-centered collaboration strategy doesn’t just help your people; it also helps the company. An employee who feels connection to others is an employee who is most likely to engage. And an employee who can fully engage is an employee who feels compelled to stay. That means you stave off the risk of the lost productivity that can arise when turnover is rampant or a worker shortage hits. To learn how you can use leverage tools to increase team productivity, let's connect.

Read more
What Smarter Collaboration Means in Microsoft Teams
What Smarter Collaboration Means in Microsoft Teams

In today’s global work environment, organizations and their employees must effectively communicate across different locations, time zones, and languages to drive their businesses forward. Microsoft Teams puts everything organizations need—chats, meetings, calling, and Office 365 apps—to make faster, more informed decisions in a single, intelligent hub. With Teams, every type of worker—from the frontline worker to the C-suite—is empowered to contribute their voice and take shared accountability for business outcomes. To quantify the benefits of Teams for organizations and employees, Forrester Consulting conducted a Total Economic Impact™ study of Microsoft Teams, commissioned by Microsoft. Forrester interviewed and surveyed over 260 customers using Teams in a wide range of industries, spanning financial services to education. All customers cited the following business objectives for implementing Teams:Increase employee productivity Improve collaboration across the organization Enable innovationKey Benefits: Implementing Microsoft Teams The study uncovered 11 benefits for companies to consider as they evaluate Teams as a primary communication and collaboration tool. The top four benefits are:Teams reduces the total number of meetings and their duration. Online meetings conducted over Teams are reliable and of very high audio-video quality. As a result, employees spend less time addressing setup and call quality issues, and more time interacting. The total time savings equal $6.9 million. Information workers save four hours per week from improved collaboration and information sharing. With Teams features like coauthoring, integrated file storage, and internal directory, information workers can effectively and efficiently collaborate in real-time. The potential savings equal more than $14.3 million. Information workers save more than one hour per week by not having to switch between applications. Access to third-party and line-of-business apps inside Teams from any device benefits all workers, especially remote workers. This creates better employee cohesion and a common corporate culture across locations. The total savings are nearly $4.8 million. Having resources available online in Teams reduces downtime by 14.6 percent. When resources are available in one cloud-based location, downtime is reduced and complexity is lowered, making security and compliance easier.Maximizing Value from Microsoft Teams In just the last few months, Microsft released Collaborative Notes. The new Teams’ meetings feature enables meeting attendees to work together taking notes, forming agendas, and creating action items. Meeting notes are not new to Teams, but this updated version automatically synchronizes edits to the notes across all attendee devices, offering a more efficient and seamless collaborative experience. Attendees are not restricted to a single app. Collaborative Notes will be instantly updated whether they are shared in Teams, Outlook, Loop, Word for web, or Whiteboard. How Smarter Collaborative Notes Work Attendees can add recurring agendas to all meetings while scheduling in Teams. To join a Teams meeting and collaborate on meeting notes, click the  click the “Meeting notes” pane, you can create agendas in real-time or review the agenda already provided. If you are assigned a task during a meeting, you will also be sent an email notification and the task will be automatically synchronized with your Planner and To Do. But real-time in-meeting communication means we don’t take into account the different personalities and work styles of our colleagues when we communicate. As a result, communication can often be misinterpreted, unclear, and not as meaningful and effective as it could be – which stunts productivity and connection. It also prevents the uninterrupted time that is necessary for team members to bring their full range of talents to their work, which is what makes them feel satisfied at the end of their work days.  Consider implementing a collaboration and coaching add-on to support more productive meetings and to maximize the value you get out of Collaborative Notes. A Smarter Way to Collaborate in Microsoft Teams This can begin as easily as putting personality insights at the fingertips of every employee, where they communicate most often --  think video meetings and chat. With this simple plug-in in Teams, you can give your staff the kind of information needed to better communicate and collaborate with one another, taking all of the guesswork out of it and allowing them to spend time on the work that matters. The plug-in automatically surfaces useful, customized tips for more effective communication with peers during meetings. Imagine being able to click on meeting participants and see real-time tips and recommendations for communicating, motivating, and influencing. Imagine seeing this same information in aggregate for your meeting group. Imagine knowing who best to tap on for pre- or post-meeting action items, for helping leading certain initiatives while identifying those better suited to document or support, and who might benefit from a heads up on particular messages — all of which take into account your team members’ behaviors, motivators, and work energizers in an easy-to-understand way.  As a team leader, you’re able to lay a strong foundation for more inclusive communication and belonging for team members, along with:Creating more balanced, diverse & agile teams Ensuring employees onboard or transition teams smoothly Optimizing team members’ impact by tapping into the unique behaviors, motivators & work energizers of each person. Experiencing the increased productivity that comes from improved team effectiveness. Squeezing every ounce of value out of your use of Microsoft TeamsAs a team member, you’re able to:Gain deeper understanding of one another, allowing better connection and ability to work through conflict Create deeper, more meaningful connection that translates into more effective collaborations and higher quality relationships at work Feel more engaged in your daily workIt’s important to give your employees the opportunity to thrive and do the job they were hired to do -- instead of requiring them to spend their valuable time figuring out how to work better with one another. The truth is, most people won’t take their time to figure out how to collaborate better, and as a result, connection wanes, relationships are reduced to transactions, and performance suffers. Don’t let team members go down this road when there are easier tech-enabled ways to do it. Doing so drives trust in your processes and leadership ability, and keeps employees engaged and performing at their highest levels.

Read more
Categories
Tags