Today’s post comes to us from The Workforce Institute advisory board member Sharlyn Lauby, also known as the HR Bartender. This article is the first in a two-part series about the increased value in organizations “showing the work,” one of The Workforce Institute’s Workplace Predictions for 2023.
I love math. One of the things that’s interesting about math is both the answer and the process are important. For example, when I was in school, not only did I have to provide the correct answer to a math problem, but I had to show how I got the answer.
We can apply this same logic in the business world. When we’re making decisions, we want to make the right one and we need to use a good process to get there. If we don’t pay attention to both processes and outcomes, we run the risk of having less than desirable results.
I always like to keep in mind that good processes lead to good results. The way we can do that is by “showing our work,” like we do with math problems.
Why Managers Should Show Their Work
Let’s start with managers. They have a tough job. The common functions of management include:
Managers might feel that they don’t have time to “show their work” or that by “showing their work,” they are making themselves dispensable. Both of those reasons shouldn’t be true. Part of a manager’s role is developing employees and showing the work allows them to do just that.
Example: A manager is responsible for making the team’s schedule. They decide to show the most senior employee the process they use for making the schedule. They explain the software and how it works. They also explain the rationale for approving shift swaps and time off. The following month, the manager is asked to participate in a super-secret meeting with the CEO about a new company initiative. The manager knows it would be great for their career to be there. They also know it will cut into their time working on the schedule. They can ask that employee who has seen how the schedule is made to assist.
A benefit of showing employees the work isn’t just having them pick up the slack when a manager is invited to an unexpected meeting. Showing the work can help to fill in the gaps when it comes to communications.
Example: An organization has noticed a recent trend in declining sales. They believe the situation is temporary, so managers don’t show anyone the profit and loss (P&L) statement. One manager decided to share the P&L with their team. The employees started brainstorming ideas that would generate revenue and/or reduce expenses. The manager shared those ideas with senior leadership and the company was able to reverse their declining sales trend.
Managers who regularly show their work can improve their careers, develop employees for future opportunities, and contribute to the organization’s bottom line. While we’ve discussed a couple of examples, let’s consider activities that can help managers show their work.
Five Ways for Managers to Show Their Work
In the book “Show Your Work: The Payoffs and How-To’s of Working Out Loud,” author Jane Bozarth offers suggestions and examples of how organizations can show their work on a regular basis. Here are five to consider:
Make Showing Your Work a Regular Habit
Managers who show their work will find their job gets easier. Employees know they’re getting good information to do their jobs. The team will excel, which lifts the entire organization.
The key to showing your work well is almost to move it from “that thing you do” to something you just do all the time. Like a regular habit. Maybe it starts with asking the question, “When did I show my work today?” Then it won’t be too long before managers are showing their work all the time.
Next month at The Workforce Institute, Sharlyn explores how employees can “show their work” and how doing so can benefit their careers, and the overall organization.
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
We have some great news to share here at The Workforce Institute. We are pleased to officially welcome two new advisory board members — Dr. Jessica Kriegel and Enrique Rubio — as well as Dr. Jarik Conrad as our new executive director.
If you’re part of the workplace culture, HR, human capital management (HCM), or workforce management spaces, then you’re likely already familiar with their work in the field or maybe you’ve even met Jessica, Enrique, and Jarik. For those who are less acquainted, here’s a little more about them.
Dr. Jessica Kriegel
Jessica is the chief scientist of workplace culture at Culture Partners. In her role, Jessica leads research and strategy in best practices for driving results through culture. For more than 15 years, she has been guiding global, national, and Fortune 100 companies across the finance, technology, real estate, and healthcare industries on the path to creating intentional cultures that accelerate employee performance.
As a keynote speaker, Jessica leverages her current research and expertise in driving global organizational culture innovation, providing leaders with the map and tools for how to build cultures that deliver results. Her insights on workplace culture have been featured by CNBC, CNN, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, and The Wall Street Journal.
Enrique Rubio
Enrique is an HR, technology, and future-of-work expert, keynote speaker, and founder of Hacking HR, a global learning community at the intersection of the future of work, technology, business, and organizations, with thousands of members all over the world. Prior to launching Hacking HR, Enrique was the founder and CEO of Management Consultants, a firm specializing in HR in Venezuela.
Previously, he worked in the telecommunications sector as a senior project engineer for Telefonica, and as an advisor to the chief human resources officer at the Inter-American Development Bank. In 2020, Engagedly.com named Enrique one of the Top 100 HR Influencers.
Dr. Jarik Conrad
In his day-to-day role, Jarik serves as vice president of human insights at UKG, leading a team of former HR practitioners, business leaders, and consultants who are distinguished experts in the HCM field and uniquely qualified to help leadership teams reach their organizational goals. With an acute pulse on industry trends, best practices, and technological innovations, Jarik and his team serve as liaisons, trusted advisors, and thought leaders who help to shape HR industry conversations and direction.
Prior to UKG, Jarik spent more than 20 years in HR leadership roles in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He is the author of two bestselling books: “The Fragile Mind: How It Has Produced and Unwittingly Perpetrates America’s Tragic Disparities,” and “In Search of Humanity: Why We Fight, How to Stop, and the Role Business Must Play.”
On behalf of our entire advisory board, we’d like to welcome Jessica, Enrique, and Jarik to The Workforce Institute! We’re looking forward to learning from their unique insights, astute analysis, and diverse perspectives about today’s — and tomorrow’s — workforce.
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute at UKG.
We’re excited to deliver another new feature from The Workforce Institute at UKG. Introducing “HR Hot Takes,” a weekly video series available exclusively on our LinkedIn page!
HR Hot Takes are casual anecdotes from our advisory board members and other industry experts. Like our recently debuted “Get to Know” series, which launched at The Workforce Institute last week, these clips are designed to showcase a more personal side of our team.
You’ll hear stories from early in their careers, their current perspectives on company culture, and input on some fun, fantastical topics like which Disney character they think would make the best boss.
The series premiered in January with Alexandra Levit sharing the best workplace perk she’s ever received (without spoiling the story, it involves New Year’s Eve). We’ve since heard from Kate Bischoff, with her positive take on office complaints; Sharlyn Lauby, who shares an HR horror story; and John Frehse and Dan Schawbel talking company culture. Our latest episode features both Joey Price and Laurie Ruettimann sharing their favorite company perks, too.
And when one or two HR Hot Takes just won’t suffice, then it’s time for Rapid Fire! In our first Rapid Fire episode, hear from multiple industry leaders revealing their first jobs. Learn how they entered the workforce and how these humble beginnings helped paved their successful career paths.
There’s only one place to find our HR Hot Takes every week. Follow The Workforce Institute on LinkedIn today to ensure you don’t miss a single episode!
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute, and it features an interview with advisory board member Laurie Ruettimann.
Welcome to The Workforce Institute’s new feature, Get to Know, designed to help our readers get better acquainted with our advisory board of industry experts. To premiere our series, we include a conversation with Laurie Ruettimann. You’ll learn how she went from working in HR surrounded by candy to hosting the popular Punk Rock HR podcast. Plus, find out Laurie’s non-HR dream job. Without further ado, here’s Laurie!
The Workforce Institute: What made you first get into HR?
Laurie Ruettimann: I had a lot of student debt and learned quickly that I couldn’t afford law school. I was lucky enough to find a paid HR internship in my junior year of college at a candy factory in St. Louis, down by the Mississippi River, that overlooked a women’s minimum-security prison. My first job in HR was to be in charge of the fax machine. After that, I learned how to recruit and hire hourly workers to make licorice. Then, I was taught how to handle union grievances and workers’ compensation issues. Instead of running away from the train wreck of the modern hourly workplace, I enjoyed running toward it and fixing problems. In fact, I found HR to be addictive [like candy]!
WFI: Tell us a time when you were starting out and someone mentored you.
Laurie: I worked at a large pharmaceutical company, and I was mentored by someone who considered themselves to be a slacker. They had a great professional reputation and worked hard to deliver right-first-time solutions, but never forgot that the job fueled their life outside of work. In fact, they prioritized family over work, which made them work harder when they were on the job. When they were out on PTO, they were off. Seeing someone set boundaries and have honest conversations about limits was inspiring. When I asked them how they did it, they said it happened by being rigorously honest with themselves and developing personal relationships at work.
WFI: What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in your career? How did you overcome it?
Laurie: I have a background in writing, so I had to learn how to speak the language of the business. No, I didn’t take a class on corporate jargon. But I did take an accounting course for non-financial professionals. Also, I took a SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)-sponsored course on communicating at the executive level. What did I learn? Slow down, use fewer words, and speak less. I was too eager to prove myself, thereby undermining my own credibility. Sometimes silence is power.
WFI: What’s a common misconception about HR?
Laurie: Many people think HR is full of followers and people who are rules-based and focused on details. HR is full of dreamers who want you to be happy, have a doughnut, and take a nap.
WFI: What excites you to stay in HR, or what made you leave?
Laurie: HR excites me because it sits at the intersection of work, power, politics, and money. Everything is an HR issue, which is tremendously thrilling and nerdy at the same time. I left my job as an HR practitioner in 2008 because I was terrible at corporate politics, which is too bad, because I loved the work.
WFI: What excites you about the future of HR?
Laurie: I’m excited about the intersection of institutional HR knowledge and technology. If we can take smart and passionate people and give them the right tools to be more productive and efficient, you’ve got a real opportunity to create organizations that are focused on issues that matter, like employee experience, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
WFI: What skills have you prioritized that have helped you succeed? Do you think these will become more or less important in coming years?
Laurie: It’s very trendy to talk about skills-based learning initiatives and training. What does that mean? Companies are now focused on teaching the workforce how to do something specific, which can be translated immediately. All of that is fine, but the best skill I’ve learned is patience with myself and others. I want things to change, and I want it now. But the first draft of any idea or initiative is usually the worst draft. The first time I try something new is often ridiculous and embarrassing. But if I slow down and give myself permission to ease into a new task or idea, I learn and implement my new skills more effectively.
WFI: In an alternate universe, where you have infinite skills, what is your dream job?
Laurie: I’d be the weather person on a national morning TV show.
WFI: What is your biggest piece of advice for professionals starting out or looking to grow in their careers?
Laurie: My biggest piece of advice is that career satisfaction is a lagging indicator of life satisfaction. Happiness comes from taking a feeling deep inside and turning it into action. And it usually has nothing to do with work. Be someone with significant ideas — or a vibrant personal life with lots of love and activity — and take that awesome energy into your job.
Did you know? Besides being a podcast host, Laurie is also a bestselling author. Check out her latest book, “Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career.”
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
Millions of U.S. workers will be tuning into the Super Bowl this Sunday. But how many will be at work the next day?
After a brief timeout, The Workforce Institute’s long-running Super Bowl survey returns with a look at how the big game impacts employee absenteeism in the U.S. workplace. We’ve covered this topic in depth since 2005, because we want to help organizations avoid being blindsided by the results.
For our latest survey, we teamed with The Harris Poll to ask 1,270 U.S. workers about their day-of plans for Super Bowl Sunday, as well as whether they’ll report to work on Monday, schedule time off, or just not show up at all (i.e., “ghost” their employers).
Will organizations see a spike in employee absenteeism this year, or at least a dip in postgame productivity? Here are some key stats from our 2023 Super Bowl survey:
Come Monday, workplace performance is likely to take a hit, especially among fans cheering on this year’s conference champions: 44% of Kansas City Chiefs fans and 43% of Philadelphia Eagles fans surveyed say they’ll be distracted from work by Super Bowl postgame highlights and conversations with coworkers.
Who’s Going to Disney World?
So, millions of employees are likely to chat with their coworkers at work about the game on Monday — that is, if they make it into work at all.
According to our survey, 3.1 million U.S. employees will land on a metaphorical injured-reserve list after the big game, despite actually not being sick. Not only that, 4.7 million workers admit they plan to ghost their employer and skip work entirely without notice. Meanwhile, 9.4 million people say it’ll be a game-day decision whether they report to work on Monday.
From these survey results, we can see a significant gap in manager-employee trust and transparency forming. Millions of employees are OK with ghosting their employers after the Super Bowl — maybe they’re going to Disney World? — and over a third of U.S. employees (35%) say they wouldn’t feel comfortable asking their managers for time off the day after the Super Bowl. Even more telling, 1 in 10 even believe they’d be reprimanded by management and possibly put on probation at work just for asking for time off.
There should be no penalty for employees requesting or taking time off, especially when it’s planned. If workers are feeling too afraid to chat with their managers about being out, there are likely large cracks in the culture foundation. Managers, too, aren’t having enough pep talks with their people. In our survey, only 14% of managers said their managers have proactively reached out about time off around the Super Bowl.
Perhaps it’s time for a coach’s challenge. If you’re wondering how to build a more transparent culture, here’s how to get the ball moving:
Are You Ready for Some Time Off?
Baseball may be America’s pastime, but a significant slice of the U.S. workforce considers the Super Bowl worthy of its own prestigious observation. As mentioned above, nearly half of the country’s workforce is rooting for an extra bye. This year, the Presidents Day U.S. holiday falls eight days after the Super Bowl, on February 20. It’s getting closer, but it’s still yards away.
Will we see a Super Bowl holiday in the United States one day? The odds don’t favor a change, but that won’t stop millions of workers from betting on the longshot. Regardless of an official ruling, it’s up to organizations to adequately prepare for employees taking time off — on Super Bowl Sunday, the Monday after, or any other day of the year for that matter.
If you’re drafting a playbook for your team, we covered time-off strategies for The Workforce Institute Weigh-In last year. Check out the aptly titled feature, “Tackling the Trials and Tribulations of Time Off,” as well as a follow-up from our advisory board member (not of “Monday Night Football” fame) Dennis Miller, who provided his extended thoughts on managing employees’ time off.
Over on the People Purpose Blog at UKG, our friend Chas Fields, co-host of the People Purpose Podcast, shares a memorable Super Bowl story and three best practices for supporting employees and business continuity around the big game.
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
Here we are at the beginning of another year, and that means it’s time for The Workforce Institute’s annual list of Workplace Predictions.
Each year, our advisory board of experts convenes to discuss the most pressing workplace challenges impacting not just HR, but organizations and their people. Together, they strive to forecast what’s ahead in the coming year — to help companies effectively prepare, navigate change, and better serve their employees and customers.
While traditional work has changed in many ways over the past few years, mainly due to the pandemic, one constant has remained: The most compassionate and caring companies stand to benefit the most through, maybe even despite, times of uncertainty. There are several outside factors currently affecting employees, from mental health to natural disasters to social unrest to the economy, and companies can play an influential role in improving work and life for their people.
As workers and companies start to find their working rhythm in 2023, respect for all people — and valuing the differences and dynamics that come with each individual person — will become key to recruiting and retaining top talent, building customer relationships, and fostering business success.
With that in mind, here are five workplace predictions for 2023:
ROI of DEI&B: Companies that invest in DEI&B programs during tough times will see better business results, while those who cut fall behind. In 2022, The Workforce Institute predicted that corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs would emerge as a make-or-break asset for business stability and growth. As a continuation of that prediction, DEI&B as a business imperative will reach the next level this year. Many leaders have pledged to do more to improve DEI&B at their organization, or to launch a program altogether, and employees and customers increasingly prefer to work for or do business with companies wholly committed to meaningful DEI&B. Equity in its many forms, from recruiting to wages to opportunity, is better for all people. In 2023, we will see more proof that DEI&B is also better for the bottom line. Organizations that double down on DEI&B — even in the hardest of times, such as during a recession — see better returns on their investment, and a greater sense of belonging for people will help boost retention and engagement, as the unending war for talent wages on.
Metrics That Matter: The best leaders will “show their work” to gain greater buy-in from employees, especially with returning to the office and making difficult decisions. Schoolchildren are often asked to “show the work” when solving problems. In the year ahead, businesses and leaders who do the same by showing the data and metrics behind their decisions will foster greater loyalty, trust, and productivity from their people. Even if employees don’t always like or agree with the decisions made, the best leaders will be celebrated for providing greater transparency into the why behind decisions and company strategy. This will be key for tackling 2023’s challenges, including encouraging employees back to the workplace after a rise in, and increased preference for, remote and hybrid work schedules.
A Heroes’ Exit? Workers who hold on to service-oriented, essential roles — such as HR, healthcare workers, retail, and teachers — will be rewarded as many of their peers search for new careers. Organizations have asked a lot of people on the frontlines these past three years. Those workers who’ve continued to show up throughout the most trying of times will consider leaving, creating a second wave of the Great Resignation in their wake. Likewise, HR professionals have carried additional responsibilities as more and more employees have left, and many have burned out and grown weary of the original reason they joined HR in the first place — to help people. Those who decide to stay could be rewarded for their loyalty, in the form of promotions and wage increases. Organizations need to start planning now for what happens when more employees, including HR, leave en masse. This includes cross-training new and existing employees, reskilling talent, diversifying recruiting efforts, and keeping an open mind about the transferability of skills.
People-Leader Paradox: Middle management roles become increasingly valuable to the organization, though the job will be less valued and sought-after by many workers. Being a middle manager is one of the hardest roles in the workplace today — and many workers no longer want to take on the added stress and strain of managing people. Some people leaders will even take demotions and move back to individual contributor roles with a pay cut, if it means better mental health and less overall responsibility. In 2023, capable and passionate managers will be in high demand, as organizations scramble to fill leadership vacancies amid rising disinterest in the role. This will create a “people-leader paradox,” as organizational demand for leaders increases and employees’ desire for the role decreases.
Compliance Correction: The hidden costs and compliance complexities of remote and hybrid work will have major financial ramifications on both organizations and their employees. After mostly flying under the radar since 2020, companies and their people will start to feel the financial impacts of previously unforeseen costs, legalities, tax implications, and compliance requirements around the world that come with a more flexible, remote, and hybrid workforce (e.g., people working in different countries than their employers, working part time in one location for months at a time). Employees, too, will have to pay closer attention to what they owe the governments in the countries, states, and counties where they live and work, lest they end up paying more taxes than originally expected. Organizations and their employees will need to consider the short- and long-term financial implications of their workplace policies and programs.
There’s obviously a lot to unpack here. The Workforce Institute advisory board will continue to explore these workplace predictions in full as we progress into the new year, as well as share insightful perspectives and best practices for addressing these challenges head-on.
On behalf of The Workforce Institute, here’s to a productive, rewarding, and fulfilling 2023!
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
It’s our final post of 2022, if you can believe it! Today, we’re taking a look back at some of our must-read articles, must-listen podcast episodes, and must-watch videos from 2022 at The Workforce Institute.
Looking ahead, we’ve got a lot in store for you, our readers, in 2023 — plenty more of the great, actionable workplace insights you’ve come to expect from The Workforce Institute advisory board, as well as some new content we think you and your organization will benefit from in the years ahead. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe today, so you never miss an article, podcast, or study.
Introducing The Workforce Institute Weigh-In | February 17, 2022
In February, we launched a new monthly featured called The Workforce Institute Weigh-In. As the name suggests, each month, we ask our advisory board members to “weigh-in” on a particular HR topic. These are meant to be much shorter takes and bite-sized insights rather than our usual longer-form articles. That said, sometimes our experts have more to say on a given topic, so you’ll often see full articles in response to a question we posed. We’re excited to continue The Workforce Institute Weigh-In series in 2023.
Three Retention Strategies in a Candidate’s Market | April 27, 2022
Our popular “Leadership in the Labor Shortage” video series — also endearingly known as “No Suits, No Slides!” — rolled on with several new episodes over the course of the year. This was one of our most popular episodes from the series, which co-stars advisory board member John Frehse, senior managing director of labor strategy at Ankura, and Dave Gilbertson, vice president at UKG, offering their ever-casual, yet always informed, takes on what’s really going on in the current labor market. If you’re new to the series, you can catch up with every episode of No Suits, No Slides! today.
Is the Great Resignation Rife with Great Regret? | May 5, 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has had great impacts on the workforce. One of the most prominent was the Great Resignation, where millions of people left the workforce. In 2022, we conducted a study to see whether those who left their jobs during the pandemic ultimately regretted the decision. Our results might surprise you — like how one in five employees who quit during the pandemic have already boomeranged back to their former employer. Learn what other interesting tidbits we unpacked from this study.
Why Stay Interviews Are the Best-Kept Secret to Retention | May 12, 2022
If millions of people say they ultimately regretted leaving during the pandemic, a natural question becomes: How do we keep our top performers from making that regretful decision in the first place? One answer is stay interviews. We actually covered stay interviews from a variety of angles this year, including the best questions to ask in a stay interview (via The Workforce Weigh-In) and, on the other side of the coin, what to do when it’s too late and you’re conducting an exit interview.
Summer Listening List: Top HR Podcasts to Subscribe to Today | July 12, 2022
For those who prefer a playlist over a reading list, here we offer some of our favorite podcasts that should be on your feed today. As it turns out, many of our advisory board members host or co-host their own podcasts (not just our friends Chas Fields and Julie Develin over at the People Purpose Podcast). If you’re looking to discover your next new favorite, our (Summer) Listening List is the place to start. By the way, these podcasts aren’t just great for summer, but also for fall, winter, and spring! Because, after all, HR doesn’t take any days off.
Quiet Quitting…or Career Correction? | September 6, 2022
The term “quiet quitting” took HR by storm in mid-2022. Here at The Workforce Institute, we offered our own take on the trending topic and what might actually be going on with employees who choose to quiet quit. As this article describes, maybe what we’ve actually been witnessing here is a series of “career corrections,” akin to when an otherwise-inflated stock market returns to some sense of normalcy.
Reasons for Returning to the Office: The Workforce Institute Weigh-In | September 15, 2022
The topic of returning to the office (RTO) has been a hot-button issue for organizations across the world this year, so it’s no surprise this was our most popular edition of The Workforce Institute Weigh-In for 2022. We had more than a dozen of our advisory board members provide their perspectives on this topic. If you’re still wondering about how to implement a successful RTO program or tweak your current plan, be sure to read this article.
The People Purpose Podcast: Looking at Leadership: Vital Criteria for Leaders in the Workplace | October 11, 2022
Effective leadership is one of those topics we constantly cover at The Workforce Institute because, well, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that wins the day. However, we can probably all agree it’s important for business success. Check out this episode of the People Purpose Podcast for an in-depth look at leadership.
The Workforce Institute Celebrates 15 Years! | October 13, 2022
October 2022 marked 15 years for The Workforce Institute at UKG, as we officially launched in October 2007! Back then, long before the monumental merger that created UKG, we were known as The Workforce Institute at Kronos and led by Joyce Maroney, who served as our first managing director. This milestone article celebrates our 15-year journey so far and provides a fun look back at our history.
We Need to Fix Work | November 18, 2022
Our latest global research study revealed that, when it comes to thoughts about work, it looks like we have a problem. For example, nearly half of employees worldwide (46%) surveyed said they wouldn’t recommend their company nor their profession to their children or any young person they care about, and 38% of employees globally said, “I wouldn’t wish my job on my worst enemy.” Clearly, we need to fix work. The good news is, we can! We’ll have more to say about this research in the months ahead, but this article provides preliminary thoughts on some of the more fascinating results.
On behalf of our entire advisory board and all of us at The Workforce Institute, we thank you for another great year! Here’s to a productive and successful 2023!
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
Here we are at the end of another year — and what a productive year it’s been for The Workforce Institute at UKG! For one, we celebrated 15 years of actionable insights, informative research, and thought leadership with best practices for managing the global workforce! We’ll have a proper recap of 2022 later this week, but for now, here’s a look at anything you might have missed from us this past month.
Helping Managers Make Good Judgement Calls
David Creelman kicked off December at The Workforce Institute with an informative article on effective leadership. As David writes, “There are several ways HR can help managers make good judgement calls on nuanced issues … However, many of these approaches can easily backfire.” In this article, you’ll learn an approach for supporting sound, consistent managerial judgement.
The People Purpose Podcast: We Can Fix Work: The Workforce Institute’s Latest Research
In case you missed it, last month we premiered our latest global study, analyzing the current and future state of work. It’s clear from the results that we need to fix work — and, thankfully, we can! In this episode of the People Purpose Podcast, co-hosts Chas Fields and Julie Develin discuss some of the most fascinating findings from the research and what organizations can do to address them today.
One-on-One Meetings: An Employee’s Guide
This is part two of a two-part series by Sharlyn Lauby in which she discusses best practices for holding successful 1:1 meetings. Part one covered 1:1 meetings from the manager’s perspective, and, this month, Sharlyn looks at an employee’s role in 1:1s. Hint: It’s just as important as the manager’s responsibility for fostering a productive, impactful environment that serves to not only benefit the employee’s career, but also help drive the business forward.
What to Know About HR Compliance in 2023
If there’s one constant in the world of employment law and HR compliance, it’s change. The past year was no different, and 2023 is sure to be another year full of surprises — but it doesn’t have to be all surprises. For those of us who prefer to plan ahead, our good friend Kate Bischoff, employment attorney, is here with her brand-new white paper: the 2023 Employment Law Review. Check it out today to be ready for what’s ahead in the world of compliance in 2023!
Top HR Tips for 2023: The Workforce Institute Weigh-In
It’s been a successful year for our newest monthly feature, The Workforce Institute Weigh-In, which we launched in February. As we wrap up 2022, we’re looking to 2023 for the December Weigh-In, as members of our advisory board provide their best tips for HR and their organizations in the year ahead. Discover strategies for preparing your organization and your people in the upcoming year.
The People Purpose Podcast: Ethics in the Workplace
A little more than half of employees are willing to speak up against workplace misconduct, but is that enough? In this episode of the People Purpose Podcast, Chas and Julie discuss ethical decision making in HR, and how to separate what’s happening in your personal life from the decisions you’re making at work. Plus, they talk about the differences between morals and ethics. If you’re new to the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or watch your favorite episodes on YouTube.
A Time to Ponder and a Time to Plan: Healthcare in 2022 and 2023
As we come to the close of 2022, it’s been a busy year in healthcare. Nanne Finis, chief nursing executive at UKG, reflects on the top healthcare trends from 2022 and provides her predictions for the year ahead. Nanne offers some great advice for the new year, and even if you aren’t part of the healthcare industry, you won’t want to skip this one.
We’re looking to 2023 for The Workforce Institute Weigh-In this month, as members of our advisory board provide their best tips for HR and their organizations in the year ahead.
The Workforce Institute Weigh-In for December 2022: What is your top tip for HR — and organizations overall — as we head into 2023?
“Don’t let your agenda be set by whatever topics happen to be trending. The media, conference, and consulting industries are motivated to hype trends. You should not take these seriously. Focus on what is going on in your organization and address that.” — David Creelman, CEO, Creelman Research
“My tip for HR and organizations overall as we head into 2023 is to expect the unexpected, and be ready to pivot on a dime. We have seen that agile organizations are the ones that get ahead and stay ahead, and leadership that promotes an employee-first experience with people as their main priority will thrive and survive through turbulent times. I believe the focus will shift farther away from talent acquisition and move even more toward employee retention, development, and experience.” — Julie Develin, co-host, The People Purpose Podcast
“It’s time that HR invests in developing quality leaders. Often when we hear the term ‘leadership’ within an organization, it comes with title or management responsibility. Yet, not everyone can hold a management role. HR has to broaden the vision of what the term ‘leader’ means and create new ways to find these individuals. For example, in team meetings, the individual who is willing to speak up as an individual contributor and the peers around them are nodding in agreement. How do we help those individuals thrive to grow the people and the business? Focus your people strategy around those who are also viewed as leaders by their peers — not just by title or responsibility.” —Chas Fields, co-host, The People Purpose Podcast
“2023 is the year HR leaders have an incredible opportunity to differentiate their organizations in the marketplace. The key will be to focus more on the ‘human’ and less on the ‘resources.’ As many technologies have brought working communities closer together and have improved culture, other trends to drive business performance are thwarting diversity of thought and innovation. The move to increase governance and compliance in the name of performance is being translated by the workforce as a lack of trust and dehumanizing. The move to recognize the performance of individuals instead of groups will create competitive advantages for leaders wanting to hire and retain high performers in an environment where that behavior is becoming even more rare.” — John Frehse, senior managing director, Ankura, and co-host, “No Suits, No Slides!” video series
“Bring evidence-based decision making into organizational processes. I’m not saying that companies don’t have to be empathetic. But, a lot has changed over the past few years and ‘gut reactions’ to business challenges might not yield the same result it did back then. Gather quality data (with an emphasis on the word quality) and use a proven process to reach a decision.” — Sharlyn Lauby, author, HR Bartender blog
“Be thoughtful in how you handle reductions in force. Sometimes these can’t be avoided, and the mere fact of their existence is outside our control. However, as HR leaders, how we manage them is usually within our control. I see many organizations being far too short-sighted about this, seemingly giving little thought to severing employee relationships that might be needed in the future or maintaining a positive employer-brand reputation. Do the right thing by showing as much care to the wellbeing of your departing employees as you do to the wellbeing of your current ones. Whether you’re a large organization or a smaller one, be as transparent and sensitive as you can in communicating the news of a layoff, and also be as generous as possible in your severance and outplacement-services benefits for released employees.”— Alexandra Levit, author, “Humanity Works”
“PACE YOURSELF! As we continue to shape our new normal, let us not forget that many projects were placed on hold during the peak activity of the pandemic (to accommodate the impacts of the pandemic), so there is a natural tendency to want to get caught up on those delayed projects. But, it is far better to experience a single project well executed, from start to finish, especially when compared with the experiences of working through multiple projects but experiencing marginal execution.” — Dennis Miller, assistant vice president of HR and benefits administration, The Claremont Colleges
“My top tip for HR leaders would be to prioritize your mental and physical health in 2023. These past couple of years have forced us to be agile, embrace change, and live in new norms — all things that force us to put others first and resort to survival mode. Don’t forget to practice positive health disciplines this coming year, because it will help you hang in there when the going gets tough!” — Joey V. Price, co-host, While We Were Working podcast
Today’s post comes to us from Brandon Bielich, managing editor of The Workforce Institute.
If there’s one constant in the world of employment law and HR compliance, it’s change.
It seems with each new year comes a confusing slew of new regulations and legislative updates that could mean serious changes (and, sometimes, consequences) for your organization, as well as major impacts on your people.
The past year was no different, and 2023 is sure to be another year full of surprises — but it doesn’t have to be all surprises. For those of us who prefer to plan ahead, our good friend Kate Bischoff, employment attorney and advisory board member at The Workforce Institute, is here with her brand-new white paper: the 2023 Employment Law Review.
This white paper provides insight into possible changes in five areas of HR compliance to look out for in 2023 and information on trends in employment law. Kate tackles hot topics such as discrimination laws, leave laws, and recruiting regulations.
For instance, discrimination remains a top issue for lawmakers as they seek to alter how employers prohibit and prevent bias. Leave is another perennial topic, as the U.S. remains well behind other highly developed countries in leave allowances. And, despite increasing news of layoffs in several industries, recruiting remains hot and the rules regarding this area of HR are quickly changing.
Learn what it all means for HR, and organizations at large, in Kate’s can’t-miss report.
Happening TODAY: Don’t Miss Kate’s Year-End HR Compliance Webinar
Speaking of “can’t miss,” there’s so much to cover, Kate couldn’t just keep it to a white paper. Join her TODAY, December 13, at 1:00 p.m. ET, for a one-hour webinar detailing what’s ahead for HR compliance and employment law in 2023. Kate will discuss the most significant rulings in 2022, forecast what’s to come in 2023, and cover which actions will keep your organization in good standing in the forthcoming year.
From the impacts and compliance concerns stemming from hybrid/remote work to rising mental health problems to the National Labor Relations Board’s rulings on unions — you’ll definitely want to tune in to hear Kate’s takes on all these topics, and many others. Register now for today’s HR compliance webinar. Can’t make it live? Register today to watch the webinar on demand, at your convenience.
To say it’s been a challenging and trying couple of years for HR might be the understatement of 2022. HR professionals have had a lot piled up on their plates — much of which they never saw coming. But, with Kate’s 2023 white paper and today’s webinar, HR can prepare for what’s ahead in 2023 and help their organizations maintain compliance.
Today’s post comes to us from The Workforce Institute advisory board member Sharlyn Lauby, also known as the HR Bartender. This article is the second in a two-part series about 1:1 meetings, and the value they bring to working relationships and performance. Today’s post focuses on the employee’s role. Before proceeding below, read the first article in the series, on the manager’s role in 1:1 meetings.
One-on-one meetings are only as good as the conversation. Meetings where managers just tell employees what to do doesn’t bring the same level of value.
That’s why two-way communication is essential. Employees need to come to the conversation prepared to talk about their performance. In last month’s article about 1:1 meetings, I talked about the manager’s role in preparation and participation. Today, I’ll focus on the employee’s role during 1:1 meetings.
A big reason that employees should want to be an active part of a 1:1 meeting is because they want regular performance feedback — both positive and not-so-positive. This is not a generational thing. Everyone wants to know how they’re doing. Performance plays a huge role in career goals and compensation. Regardless of how often the organization does performance reviews, no one wants their performance review to be a surprise. So, a regular 1:1 meeting brings value.
Employees not only share responsibility for participating in the conversation, but they should share the responsibility for making sure the meetings happen. When it comes to scheduling, employees are sometimes at a disadvantage because typically a manager will initiate scheduling the meeting. But there are a couple of things that employees can do to make sure the meeting remains a priority:
Employees don’t have to wait for a meeting to show up on their calendars to start getting prepared. Here are five things an employee can do in the meantime.
1) Spend some time thinking about performance. First ask: what have you done well? Don’t undervalue your performance. There are plenty of things you’ve done well, and they should be noted. Then ask: what could you have done differently? Please note: I didn’t say wrong. Ask yourself, “Are there things that could have been completed a better way?” Be prepared to have specific responses to both questions. It demonstrates that you’ve spent time thinking about it.
2) Provide an update on goals. Be prepared to discuss which goals are on track and which might need revising. The goal in this conversation isn’t to assign blame. It’s to discuss what actions need to take place to get a goal back on track. Keep in mind, it’s possible that goals could need to be reprioritized and some might need to be canceled. If by chance your recommendation is to eliminate a goal, come to the meeting prepared to present another goal. It’s possible you won’t need it, but come prepared anyway.
3) Give the manager feedback too. This is so important. Tell your manager what support you need from them. Honestly, they might not know and that’s not a reflection on their abilities. You’re in the trenches and the manager might not be. They rely on you to share that perspective. In addition to sharing what you need in terms of support, also consider telling the manager what they do really well. We’re not suggesting false flattery. I’m sure you can think of something that helps the manager understand their strengths.
4) Ask questions during the meeting. This is the time to follow up on any questions that have not yet been answered. Maybe it’s personal, such as a time-off request or authorization to attend a conference. It could also be a good time to ask about company projects or policies. If the manager doesn’t bring it up, ask “Are there any new projects I should know about?” Again, this isn’t necessarily a reflection that the manager is trying to keep information a secret. Sometimes, we simply forget.
5) Recap what you plan to do. Before concluding the meeting, quickly review your to-do list and deadlines. If you need to ask some clarifying question, do it. Also, ask about a follow-up meeting and agenda items that will be brought up. It’s possible that a goal set during the meeting will need to be completed by the next meeting. Discuss transferring any meeting notes in a technology solution so they can be tracked over time.
Employees need to know that they are half of the 1:1 meeting and take responsibility for their portion of the conversation. Managers and HR should discuss the importance of 1:1 meetings during orientation and onboarding. Give employees the tools to be a good meeting participant.
Organizations could consider using these two articles to develop a manager and employee meeting checklist. The checklist can reside online or in hard copy. The important part is that people use it to make their 1:1 meetings valuable.
Nearly half (46%) of today’s workers wouldn’t recommend their job to their children, according to a new global study by The Workforce Institute! In this episode of the People Purpose Podcast, Chas and Julie dive into some of the most intriguing stats from the institute’s latest research on the current state and future of work. How did we get here, and what do we need to change in the years ahead to make work better for all employees, including future generations?
Subscribe to the People Purpose Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or watch on YouTube.
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