Hiring a freelancer requires almost the same amount of consideration as finding in-house talent. Doing so provides business owners and team managers to fully assess whether an independent worker is the right fit for their team.
Pierre Raymond
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In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of visionary leadership has become increasingly crucial. Visionary leaders possess a unique ability to inspire and guide their organizations toward a desired future state. History has shown that a visionary leader initiated every significant technological invention. They are catalysts for change, capable of transforming companies and shaping industries.
As the founder of LEAD + VISION, a vision-based leadership coaching and consulting firm, I coach C-suite executives on building and elevating their visionary thinking skills. Today, we embark on a journey to explore the transformational effect of visionary leadership and uncover invaluable insights on how you can develop and elevate your visionary leadership skills.
Visionary leaders profoundly impact their organizations by providing a clear sense of purpose, direction and motivation. They possess a compelling vision, which acts as a guiding star for their teams. This vision serves as a roadmap, helping companies navigate through challenges, seize opportunities and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape.
Transformational leaders have the ability to communicate their vision effectively, creating a shared understanding and sense of ownership among team members. Visionary leaders foster collaboration, inspire innovation and drive engagement by aligning the organization around a common goal. This synergy and excitement of a shared vision empower employees to go above and beyond their usual responsibilities, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
Related: 3 Perspectives of Visionary Leaders
While some individuals naturally possess visionary leadership abilities, it is a skill that can be trained and built with practice. Here are some strategies to cultivate and enhance visionary leadership skills:
In this era of constant disruption, visionary leadership is the catalyst for transformative change. By integrating these strategies into your leadership approach, you will unlock the full potential of your team and navigate the evolving business landscape with confidence.
Embrace the visionary within you and let your leadership shine as you shape industries, inspire change and leave a lasting impact on your organization’s success. Your visionary journey starts now.
Tugba Yanaz
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As the business world continues to move on from Covid-19, a range of trends and assumptions widespread during the height of the pandemic are being reassessed. Among them is the notion that “job-hopping” by younger workers is natural or even laudable.
Of course, job-hopping, especially by younger workers, isn’t new. Gallup called millennials the “job-hopping generation” back in 2016, and data suggest that job-hopping overall has been in decline since 2001. But the ultra-tight labor market of the past few years and other factors have put the phenomenon in the headlines again, especially with quiet quitting and demands from workers for remote work options.
That has made it top-of-mind for those responsible for staffing up businesses large and small. And those involved in filling roles tend to be much less forgiving of the habit than younger job hunters might think or hope.
Related: Should Employers Discount Candidates Due to Job Hopping?
Whenever the issue of job-hopping comes up, it is important to first acknowledge that employees are often not responsible for a CV that reflects a lot of movement. There are layoffs and bosses or colleagues who turn out to be overbearing or sexist — and even whole workplaces that are toxic. And there are a lot of other things that happen in life that are outside of one’s control and which can force someone to change jobs with a greater frequency than planned.
No one should ever be shamed for leaving a job that is unhealthy or for a job that disappears for reasons having nothing to do with one’s performance. And of course, people sometimes leave jobs for personal reasons that are even more important and rewarding than work, like starting or growing a family or caring for a loved one.
By contrast, job-hopping is more about short-term gain and short-sighted behavior. It’s people leaving not because they are being mistreated or hitting a glass ceiling, but for a few thousand more in annual salary or a commute that’s a few minutes less. It’s sometimes about people becoming bored with the job they currently have. And when people start switching jobs because of the lure of a “shiny new object” or just because they feel like leaving, it can quickly become a pattern.
One of the most corrosive aspects of job-hopping is that the damage it causes to careers usually isn’t obvious to the workers themselves. Candidates who are otherwise well-qualified for a position will be moved to the bottom of the pile by hiring managers who have been burnt in the past and don’t want to take a chance of it happening again. And in some cases, they won’t even get into the pile, screened out by software designed to pinpoint CVs with excess movement between jobs. But as a job-seeker, you won’t even be aware of opportunities you may be missing, because people just don’t contact you — all you get is silence.
Related: How to Stop Job Hopping and Start Designing Your Dream Job
There is no official line beyond which the normal cycling of positions turns into job-hopping, and for the youngest of workers, it’s hard even for seasoned HR professionals to get a read. Two jobs in someone’s first two years out of college might not mean anything. But if someone has been in a career for several years, the signs can be all too obvious. Five jobs in eight years? You could have trouble getting the sixth. Fifteen jobs in 20 years? You may be unemployable.
For younger workers, a good rule of thumb is that anything less than a two-year commitment to a particular job can be troubling. And more than two or three jobs cut short is likely to have a meaningful negative impact on your prospects.
One interesting aspect of the current narrative around job-hopping is the notion that employers have no loyalty to their workers and that this lack of loyalty is something employees, especially younger workers, should repay. But job-hopping most conspicuously demonstrates a lack of regard for colleagues. This might not matter greatly if one is content to be a contractor or to be treated as one. But it doesn’t work if someone is hoping to be valued as a full member of a team and treated loyally by their employer.
There are other good reasons to resist the lure of job-hopping. Many positions become more rewarding over time, especially as they become more challenging. It is natural to assume that advancement in pay and title should come before an increase in responsibilities. But it is even more natural for successful organizations to give promising employees more responsibilities before they are officially promoted. In business life, it is often easy to forget that the best opportunities can be found by looking up, rather than out.
Related: More Often Than Not Your Best Career Move Is to Stay Put
Dmitry Nulman
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In 2013, I made a life-changing decision. I decided to “take a break” from my dream job, which while amazing, was also fast-paced and demanding. I gained invaluable experience, opportunities, connections and more as a law firm partner, but my personal life suffered.
I was fortunate to have had financial success that enabled a break, and this difficult decision catapulted me into becoming a full-time entrepreneur. While I miss some things about being a part of a law firm, I love setting the pace of my own life and that I still help others daily, just in a different way.
Becoming a business owner has revolutionized my understanding of the realities of running a company. I now believe you cannot tell someone else how to run their business if you have never successfully run one yourself. In celebration of 10 years as a fully self-funded female business owner, here are ten things I’ve learned.
Related: Are You a Business Owner or an Entrepreneur?
I never intended to become an entrepreneur. However, after deciding to pause, I was asked to consult with lawyer friends who had previously been competitors. Unlike work, it sounded fun, and I could do it while “on a break” from law firm life. Ten years later, I manage a team of marketers and work with law firms across the country, helping my team members and my clients succeed.
Related: 10 Tips for the First-Time Business Owner
You might expect that after over two decades as a lawyer and achieving both legal industry accolades and marketing industry awards, those I talk to and work with would always treat me with respect. You’d be wrong. No matter how many years of schooling, degrees, years of experience and awards you have, some people will always try to make you feel small, treat you as if you do not matter and belittle your skills.
Don’t work with those people. Don’t employ those people. Don’t allow those people to impact your energy and success.
Most marketing agencies do not refund client money after being paid. I used to feel the same way — I did the work, you paid me, and I deserved to be paid. Fear of having done a bad job, fear of not being able to afford to refund that money and fear of that client keep owners myopic. Success has allowed me the privilege to evolve.
I had a client who was negative and abrasive and refused to collaborate. Even though we delivered everything they paid for, the firm was still unhappy. So, I fired them and refunded every cent of their money. While this made my business lose money, the financial price was worth it.
I spent my legal career working in business attire in a professional setting in office buildings. Once the pandemic hit, the beautiful corner office on the top floor of a building in my neighborhood I had painstakingly searched for and decorated became a source of stress. Our team became remote, not really by choice, and we stayed that way. Now I pay no rent and reallocate those funds. I miss working collaboratively in person, but my team is thriving. We have been able to take on more clients than ever before, all without a physical office.
A successful business owner told me that I would know within two days of working with a new hire if they would work out. I scoffed at what sounded like a lack of care and a lack of willingness to try harder when onboarding.
After ten years, two days still seems pretty quick, but it does not take long to know if a new hire is the wrong one. The longer you wait to deal with it, the worse things get for the new hire and the existing team. Cut your losses early, allowing that person to move on and you to start looking for the right fit.
Related: How to Find, Hire (and Fire!) Rockstar Employees
As a 21-year lawyer, legal marketing is my consulting focus. Because there are a lot of lawyers, and most law firms engage in marketing efforts, I have a decently sized national marketplace from which to obtain clients. One of my strongest selling points is that I have a niche business focused on one industry and am a licensed expert. Expanding into other industries I know less about and have no footprint in would dilute my biggest point of differentiation. Stay focused and grow within your niche.
It is scary to say no to paid opportunities early in the life of your business but remember, each engagement is a partnership, and you should only partner when it can be mutually successful. Prevent doomed collaborations on the front end.
Gauge compatibility by paying attention to how they speak to and email you, the “story” of how they came to be in their current position, and more. Every client you choose to work with can come at the expense of being able to take on another, better opportunity you might not know about yet.
Over time, being my own boss has become a commodity worth significant value to me. I greatly enjoy not having to ask permission to spend a full weekend day uninterrupted with my children. The scary part of being the boss is being responsible for yourself, your team, your clients, and many others, but the benefits of determining how to handle those responsibilities are worth it.
Related: 5 Essentials for Succeeding When You Become Your Own Boss
Boundaries are important in both our personal and professional lives. The legal industry cultivates a culture of constant availability and immediate response, which is stressful. Now, running my own business, I make conscious choices to shape our company culture differently.
No one on my team is required to work outside of normal business hours. No one on my team has their work email on their mobile device. I no longer provide clients with my personal (and only) cell phone number. Establishing boundaries like these makes work healthier and more productive.
A surprising number of business owners I consider successful cannot and do not pay themselves at all. Their businesses do not generate sufficient revenue to allow the owner to make an income. If you cannot pay yourself (after a reasonable startup time, of course), you are not succeeding. You should reevaluate your financial position, overall business plan, and whether or not owning a business is the right choice for you.
Stacey Burke
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The Covid-19 pandemic has handed us a Rubik’s cube, transforming how and where we work. With the gift of hindsight, we can start to solve this complex puzzle, understanding what works best for productivity working from home, per a new white paper on this topic by researchers from Stanford University, University of Chicago, and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.
This compelling research provides a new and definitive level of insights that I will be sharing with clients who I help guide in figuring out the future of work.
When considering work from home, it’s crucial to differentiate between two distinct styles: fully remote and hybrid work.
Studies by Emmanuel and Harrington (2023) and Gibbs et al. (2022) highlight the discordant notes of fully remote work. To illustrate, imagine workers as runners on a track. When the gun fires, and workers go fully remote, our sprinters stumble, tripping over an 8% to 19% reduction in productivity.
Challenges in communication and innovation — likened to a game of telephone where messages get distorted — can stifle productivity. Like playing Jenga in the dark, building new connections becomes more challenging in a remote setting (Yang et al., 2021).
Now, imagine trying to cook up a Michelin-star meal in a cluttered kitchen. The ingredients of creativity are there, but the chaos makes it harder to focus. Brucks and Levav (2022) found that fully remote teams struggled in this cluttered kitchen, producing lower-rated product ideas.
An orchestra without a conductor might start playing out of tune. Similarly, in a remote setting, it’s easier for employees to deviate from tasks, leading to the “shirking from home” phenomenon. It’s the proverbial battle between the allure of your Netflix queue and that daunting spreadsheet.
Thus, fully remote work is best for individual contributors who are self-motivated. Those employees who work in more collaboration-focused roles, or individual contributors with poor motivation, would best work in a hybrid setting.
Related: Remote Work Skeptics Are Forgetting Their Most Valuable Asset: Their Customers. Here’s Why.
The researchers find the rhythm of hybrid working more harmonious. As though conducting an orchestra with precision, hybrid work schedules allow employees to strike a balance between remote and in-office work. The recent research sings in its favor.
An early study by Bloom et al. (2015) serves as our overture. Picture employees as instruments in an orchestra. In a hybrid setting, our instruments were 13% more melodious. They hit more notes (9% more working time) and hit them with more finesse (4% greater efficiency per hour).
Additionally, studies by Choudhury (2020) and Choudhury et al. (2022) demonstrate that the sweet melody of hybrid work can increase productivity and job satisfaction. Employees not only produced more (a 5% to 13% increase in productivity) but also felt happier doing it.
Furthermore, Bloom, Han, and Liang’s (2022) randomized control trial lends more support to this tune. It revealed that productivity either stayed the same or increased by around 4%. A perfect harmony, you might say.
Our encore is the positive self-assessments of hybrid workers. As if applauding their own performance, hybrid workers reported 3% to 5% increases in productivity (Barrero et al., 2023). The international echo was similar, with positive reports from around the world (Aksoy et al., 2022).
Blanket return to office mandates, especially for full-time in-office work, harm productivity by decreasing employee engagement. That’s why I see so many clients adopting a flexible hybrid work model as the most harmonious tune for productivity. Like a symphony that hits all the right notes, it’s poised to become the standard performance for advanced economies.
So why, you might ask, would an organization choose the discordant notes of fully remote work? The researchers find that it boils down to cost savings, like tuning your business guitar to play more economically. Remote employees require less office space and can be hired at lower wages.
So overall, depending on the organization and business model, you might get a higher return on investment from remote workers even for collaborative roles. In other words, the reduction in productivity per employee might be overcome by the reduced cost of each employee.
Moreover, the researchers only evaluated remote work productivity where managers used traditional, office-based collaboration and leadership methodology. I’ve seen fully remote teams and even companies succeed when they apply new techniques and effective technology stacks to work remotely; it does take more discipline and effort to do so, and requires training managers to manage remote teams.
The researchers themselves suggest that as technology improves, the number of people working remotely will increase. Still, at this stage, for most clients, I recommend a hybrid-first, flexible model, where teams make the decisions on when they need to come in together based on the activities best done in the office: synchronous collaboration, mentoring and training, socializing, and nuanced conversations. That approach results in the highest engagement and productivity while boosting retention and wellbeing.
Related: Employers: Hybrid Work is Not The Problem — Your Guidelines Are. Here’s Why and How to Fix Them.
Let’s take our final bow and appreciate this: Remote work is here to stay. But let’s be discerning conductors, choosing the most harmonious tune – the hybrid work model. Not only does it strike the right balance for productivity, but it also sets the stage for a more dynamic, adaptable, and resilient business environment.
Gleb Tsipursky
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Serving as the leader of a company is not just about holding a high position in the corporate hierarchy; it’s about leading and inspiring people to achieve greatness. Starting a business is difficult enough, but to be the leader that people want to follow, one must possess a unique set of qualities that go beyond technical expertise. There are key attributes and practices that can transform an ordinary leader into an exceptional one, capable of inspiring and motivating their team to success.
In the ever-evolving landscape of leadership theories and styles, one characteristic that has consistently attracted employees is the presence of quiet and hardworking leaders. While charismatic and assertive leaders may grab attention, via grand gestures and bold statements, it is the humble leaders who often leave a lasting impact on their teams. Below are just a few reasons why employees gravitate toward such leaders, which highlight the benefits they bring to their respective companies.
Related: 12 Character Traits Exceptional Entrepreneurial Leaders Have In Common
Authenticity and trust: Quiet and humble leaders tend to foster an environment of authenticity and trust within their teams. They eschew self-promotion and focus on building genuine connections with their employees instead. By demonstrating vulnerability, admitting mistakes and actively listening, these leaders create an atmosphere where employees feel valued and appreciated. The resulting trust allows employees to feel safe to express their ideas, take risks and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
Empathy (emotional intelligence): These business leaders often possess a high degree of emotional intelligence. They are adept at understanding and relating to the emotions, needs and challenges of their team members. Through active listening and open communication, they create an environment that encourages open dialogue and collaboration. Employees appreciate leaders who genuinely care about their well-being. This fosters a sense of belonging and promotes a positive work culture.
Recognition and development: Contrary to their spotlight-seeking counterparts, quiet and humble leaders focus on recognizing and developing the strengths of their employees. They understand that success is a collective effort and go out of their way to acknowledge the contributions of their team members. These leaders empower their employees, provide them with opportunities for growth and development and actively support their career advancement. By prioritizing the growth of their employees, they inspire loyalty and dedication, resulting in higher job satisfaction and retention rates.
Effective communication and collaboration: Top executives excel in their ability to communicate effectively and foster collaboration within their teams. They prioritize active listening, allowing them to gather insights and perspectives from different team members. By encouraging open and honest communication, they create an environment where ideas are freely exchanged and diverse viewpoints are valued. This approach not only encourages creativity and innovation but also leads to better decision-making, as multiple perspectives are considered.
Reduced ego (team-centric mentality): When leaders let the work do the talking for them, they learn to prioritize the success of the team above their personal recognition. They are not driven by ego or a need for personal glory. Instead, they embrace a team-centric approach, focusing on collective achievements rather than individual accomplishments. They don’t need their names on a marquee but opt to share successes with their company and its contributing teams instead. This selfless attitude resonates with employees who value a sense of unity, collaboration and shared purpose. It creates a supportive environment that encourages cooperation, mutual respect and teamwork.
While charismatic and assertive executives may initially captivate attention, it is the quiet and humble leaders who inspire deep respect and loyalty from their employees. Through authenticity, empathy, effective communication and a team-centric mentality, these leaders create an environment where individuals thrive, while contributing to the overall success of the organization.
By gravitating toward such leaders, employees find themselves in workplaces that value them, recognize their efforts and provide opportunities for growth and development. As organizations (and startups) continue to evolve, the demand for these types of leaders will likely increase, reinforcing their importance in fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Related: The 5 Worst Traits a Business Leader Can Have (Infographic)
But how can business leaders essentially light a fire in their employees? Below are just six simple ways to lead by example and traits that quiet and humble leaders exude to continue leading their companies effectively, efficiently and with empathy.
Visionary leadership: A leader who people want to follow is one who possesses a clear and compelling vision for the organization’s future. They have the ability to articulate this vision in a way that resonates with the employees, instilling a sense of purpose and direction. By painting a vivid picture of what success looks like, they inspire others to share in their passion and actively work towards achieving the company’s goals.
Transparency: Authenticity is a crucial trait for any leader. A leader who is genuine and transparent creates an atmosphere of trust and openness. By fostering a culture of transparency, they encourage open communication, honest feedback and constructive criticism. People feel valued when their ideas and opinions are considered, leading to increased engagement and a sense of ownership in the organization’s success.
Strong communication skills: Effective communication is vital for a leader to inspire and motivate their teams. They must be adept at conveying their vision, goals and expectations clearly and concisely. A great leader is an excellent listener, encouraging open dialogue and creating space for collaboration and innovation. By fostering effective communication channels, they ensure that every member of the organization feels heard and understood, thus creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Adaptability: Regardless of one’s place in the business world, effective leaders are always learning. In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, a leader who people want to follow is one who demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth. They stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies and best practices. They encourage their team members to develop skills and provide them with opportunities for growth. Establishing a learning culture shows that they are invested in the success of their employees, enhancing loyalty and dedication.
Leading by example: Leadership is not about giving orders from the top; it’s about leading by example. A leader who wants to inspire others must embody the values and behaviors they expect from their team. By demonstrating integrity, resilience and a strong work ethic, they set the standard for excellence within the organization. Leading by example establishes a culture of accountability and inspires employees to strive for greatness.
Rewarding success: An emphasis on the importance of acknowledging and appreciating their team’s achievements makes employees want to follow leaders. They recognize the efforts of individuals and teams, and they celebrate success openly. By providing meaningful recognition and rewards, leaders reinforce a culture of excellence and motivate employees to consistently perform at their best.
Related: 9 Reasons Humility Is the Key Ingredient to Exceptional Leadership
Becoming the leader that people want to follow requires a combination of leadership qualities, emotional intelligence and a genuine commitment to the well-being, both professionally and personally, of their employees.
In embracing visionary leadership, authenticity, empathy and continuous learning, leaders can inspire their teams to reach new heights. By cultivating a workplace culture of open communication, leading by example and recognizing success, they create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated and empowered.
Michael Stagno
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In this article, I would like to focus on one significant trait that some investors possess — an entrepreneurial background that enables them to establish strong connections with startups and better understand the ‘pains’ and challenges new founders face.
Based on my personal experience as an entrepreneur I would like to highlight key aspects of communication with startups and why your entrepreneurial past makes you a little bit different from others.
Related: 6 Steps to Finding the Right Investors for Your Business
When communicating with founders, having an entrepreneurial background is extremely helpful. Founders can sense it, even from how questions are formulated, and they often highlight they have never been asked such questions before — questions are tailored with a deep understanding of the subject.
And it’s not just about technology-related topics, but specifically business management, such as sales funnels, marketing strategies, product market fit and customer development. Besides managing businesses, having personal experience in creating acceleration programs and all the leading methodologies of Silicon Valley, which we have integrated into accelerators for many years to make them more effective, can enhance communication between investors and founders.
With my experience of establishing 42 accelerators and collaborating with 1500 alumni startups, I have encountered familiar patterns, challenges and intricate situations when working with founders. We have found solutions together with startups in the past, and now I bring that experience to my current communication with founders.
Investors with entrepreneurial backgrounds bring valuable insights and expertise to the table. They have firsthand experience navigating the challenges and uncertainties of building a business, which allows them better to understand the struggles and aspirations of startup founders. Here are some great examples from the venture world.
Mark Suster is a well-known voice in the investing world, having written extensively about investing in startups and building them on his website, Both Sides of the Table. He possesses the unique ability to discuss both sides of the table due to his experience as a two-time entrepreneur, having sold a company to a French firm and another to Salesforce. Currently, he serves as a partner at Upfront Ventures in Southern California (SoCal).
Marc Andreesen, viewed as a pioneer in the tech space, founded Netscape, Opsware, Ning, and now his investment firm, Andreessen Horowitz. He’s an expert in tech trends and a frequent speaker in the angel investing space.
Reid Hoffman is one of the most sought-after opinion makers in Silicon Valley. He is widely recognized for founding the largest business social network in the world, LinkedIn. Moreover, he has successfully translated his entrepreneurial acumen into profitable investments, with key stakes in companies like Facebook, Airbnb, and PayPal.
Related: 5 Questions to Prepare for Ahead of Your Meeting With Investors
An investor with entrepreneurial skills can provide valuable support and guidance to a startup in several ways. Here are some ways in which such an investor can help:
I love seeing founders passionate about their startups, and our fund sometimes goes the extra mile to advise startups, even if they didn’t receive investments from us. It’s important to remember that when rejecting a startup, there is always the possibility that it may return in the future after making significant improvements in key metrics. Therefore, it is in our best interest to provide additional advice on what steps they need to take to attract funding.
I receive requests from founders for personal consultations quite often. We were thinking about how to turn this demand into something beneficial for startups and society and came up with a very good solution. We decided to combine venture and charity by launching a project with the Podari.Life charity fund called “30 min/lunch with VC to save lives.”
Investors with an entrepreneurial past can leverage their extensive network and connections to open doors, make introductions and facilitate strategic partnerships for the startups they work with. This network can be instrumental in helping startups access resources, industry expertise and potential customers.
For example, the CEO of one of our portfolio companies, PicUp, recently embarked on his first visit to the USA. He took the initiative to go on an extensive tour, visiting key states and connecting with potential partners and investors. I understand firsthand how challenging it can be to establish new connections in a foreign country, especially in the USA and particularly in Silicon Valley, which has no analogs in the world. With this in mind, we decided to assist by connecting the company with investors and key players in the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem in advance.
Related: The Things Successful Leaders Do and Don’t Do to Build Relationships
In summary, it is not solely the investors’ entrepreneurial experience that founders find appealing. Rather, their experience in different roles inside a business allows investors to have a wider view and help early founders avoid common mistakes while building the next big thing. After all, venture investment is a long-term relationship, and you want to build partner-like relationships with people you will most likely work with for the next 8-10 years until your exit.
Zamir Shukho
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Providing good feedback to colleagues is important for professional and personal growth. Yet for many people, giving feedback can be uncomfortable and even anxiety-inducing. You worry about offending others, saying the “wrong” thing, or coming across as too critical. But avoiding difficult feedback conversations prevents opportunities for improvement and stagnates workplace performance. The key is learning how to structure and deliver feedback in a sensitive yet impactful manner.
With practice, uncomfortable feedback discussions get easier, and you’ll see that thoughtfully pointing out both strengths and growth areas helps people develop, strengthens relationships and ultimately makes you a better colleague and leader.
Related: How Entrepreneurs Can Use Effective Feedback to Stay Resilient and Agile
When providing feedback, focus on specific behaviors and actions that someone can change, rather the person’s innate qualities. For example, say “The last report had many typos and formatting errors” rather than “Your work is usually sloppy.” This keeps the feedback professional, constructive and actionable.
Related: Employee Feedback Is Only Effective If It’s Done Right. Here’s How to Make Sure It Lands.
Even necessary criticism should maintain the other person’s dignity and self-esteem. Start by acknowledging strengths and good intentions. Explain the purpose behind your comments. As I mentioned earlier, focus on the work, not the person.
Four key principles underlie high-quality feedback:
1. Specificity — Call out concrete examples of what the person did well or poorly. Saying “You did a great job” lacks meaning. But saying, “You handled that difficult client conversation very skillfully by focusing on shared interests,” will leave a more lasting impression.
2. Timeliness — The sooner you give feedback, the more accurately the other person will remember the situation and the more useful your comments will be. Delays can lead to misunderstandings. Aim to provide feedback within a day or two of an event or interaction.
If you frequently work with someone, aim to provide feedback on an ongoing or routine basis rather than just at major milestones. Regular feedback is also seen as more credible and encourages better habits early.
3. Relevance — Your feedback should relate directly to the person’s work responsibilities and goals. Avoid getting personal or venturing into areas beyond your purview. Stick to professional issues that can be improved through feedback.
4. Empathy — Showing genuine care and concern for the other person puts them at ease and makes them more receptive to your message. Start by acknowledging their good intentions, then explain how their approach could be refined.
Provide honest yet tactful feedback that considers the other person’s feelings. Avoid shaming, harsh language or hyperbole — even if the feedback is critical. A more empathetic tone is kinder and keeps the discussion constructive. Phrases like “I know you put a lot of work into this but …” can soften critical feedback.
Back up your feedback with concrete examples and specifics wherever possible. Saying, “Your presentation lacked structure” is vague, but “The introduction didn’t set up the topics in a logical order” points to a clearer action the person can take. Examples make the feedback feel real and highlight areas for improvement.
Don’t just point out what someone did wrong – also propose positive alternatives they could try next time. Saying, “You reacted aggressively during that exchange,” is less useful than “Taking a moment to calm down before responding likely would have produced a better outcome.” This gives the person practical options to implement your feedback.
Related: 9 Ways That will Help Promote Actionable Feedback in Your Organization
Avoid dwelling on past mistakes and instead focus your feedback on finding constructive solutions. Phrases like “Next time, try ..” or “In the future, it would be better to … ” help make the feedback about moving forward productively. This keeps the discussion positive and solution-oriented.
Frame your feedback using “I” statements that are less accusatory and more impartial. For example, “I felt the introduction lost people” instead of “You lost people with that introduction.” This makes the feedback about your perspective rather than an attack on the person. It also increases the chances they will be receptive.
After giving your feedback, actively listen to the other person’s response and perspective. Ask open-ended questions, paraphrase what they say, and resist the urge to interrupt. This shows that you value their thoughts and are more interested in a genuine exchange than being “right.”
Related: 10 Telltale Phrases That Indicate Somebody Isn’t Telling the Truth
After providing feedback, check in periodically to see if the person found it useful and how they plan to implement it. Offer additional suggestions or clarification if needed. This shows you’re invested in truly helping them improve, demonstrating your value as a colleague and mentor.
With these principles in mind, your feedback will help others improve and reflect well on you as a thoughtful leader. If you’re looking for a more streamlined way to manage feedback and performance reviews for your team, consider using Hana Retail as your point-of-sale system.
Murali Nethi
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I recently discussed how lack of inclusivity can create a toxic culture. However, research suggests that only 36% of companies are actively working to build an inclusive culture.
Considering this prioritization lag, I’d like to discuss why the fundamental characteristics of an inclusive organization are important and must be implemented at both leadership and managerial levels.
From the individual perspective, it isn’t difficult to envision an inclusive culture. If I were to ask, “Would you like to work at an organization where you’re recognized not just for accomplishing the work you were hired to do, but for the way you carry it out and the value you bring?” what would you say? I have yet to encounter someone who, when asked that question, says, “I prefer an environment that’s indifferent to the unique things I bring to the organization.” For individuals, an inclusive workplace involves feeling recognized beyond our tasks. We all want that kind of workplace.
It’s also not difficult to envision a non-inclusive culture. I often ask staff and leaders, what would be the effect for you, personally, if the things you like to be recognized and appreciated for were not valued or recognized by your leader? In working with thousands of individuals, the typical response I hear is that they would feel deflated, demotivated, frustrated, disheartened, disillusioned and disengaged.
And it’s no wonder. Individuals who work for managers/leaders who are not committed to inclusion report being far less likely to feel a sense of belonging — research shows they are twice as likely to feel excluded at work and three times more likely to want to quit. Teams plagued with inclusion-rooted challenges often suffer from siloed communication and lack of trust. This bridges into a lack of openness, which may devolve into its extreme form: information hoarding, unhealthy competition and negative work environments.
Related: How to Create a More Inclusive Workplace
Leaders are central to an inclusive culture. Research shows that the relationship between leaders and employees can impact employee sentiment and well-being. Additionally, strong relationships between leaders and employees can promote a sense of inclusion where different perspectives, experiences and personality types can thrive.
In my consulting, I’ve found that leaders generally want to create inclusive environments and grow in their ability to lead inclusively. When I walk them through the business benefits of inclusion — how it moves the needle on things every leader wants — they’re even more convinced. But even when they fully appreciate its value, they encounter so many barriers that there’s often a chasm between their desire and their ability to operationalize inclusion within their organizations. At that point, they’re saying, “Help me make this happen.”
If the C-suite is committed to inclusion, it may be tempting to say “OK, we’re good.” However, there’s an organizational perspective on inclusion, which is typically addressed by the C-suite, and then there’s the operational piece that lives or dies at the managerial level.
Most employees’ ability to feel included doesn’t come from a mission statement or the C-suite’s verbalized commitment to inclusivity. It comes from the relationship with their direct manager, who, according to MIT Sloan, plays a key role in either reinforcing or undermining the culture promoted by leadership.
Indeed, the people managers to whom most employees report are key to operationalizing any C-Suite initiative to create an inclusive culture. The challenge is that while frontline people managers influence 80% of a company’s workforce, they often receive just 20-30% of the organization’s training. This imbalance in leader development means we often see notable investments in C-Suite and top leadership, but a disproportionately lower investment in those frontline leaders, who, according to research, can make or break the organization’s commitments.
Ample research shows that we want our direct manager to recognize our unique strengths and motivators. Even when the C-suite commits to inclusion, if it doesn’t make its way down to the everyday employee experience, via management, an inclusive culture can’t emerge. How can both leaders and managers take concrete steps to develop a culture of inclusion that permeates the entire organization?
Related: We Need Inclusive Leaders Right Now More Than Ever
One critical step leaders and managers can take is developing a culture of psychological safety, where everyone feels they can offer ideas that deviate from the status quo or majority opinion. They can do it without fearing it’ll turn into a strike against them and with confidence their idea will be heard and considered with fairness, even if it ultimately does not prevail.
It’s not enough for only some to feel psychologically safe. To truly harness a team’s diversity of thought, all members must have a sense of this safety and confidence that their colleagues and manager will invite their voices into the conversation whenever possible. When this sense is absent for anyone on the team, I see other effects, including siloed meetings, people being left out of important meetings, decisions being made in smaller huddles versus in team meetings, etc. When these effects prevail, the team is not realizing the benefits of its diversity.
Conversely, teams that harness the diversity of the thoughts and backgrounds of their members can wrestle more effectively with big challenges. I find these teams often create such compelling cultures and work environments that they retain their employees longer and see greater levels of both employee satisfaction and employee engagement.
These teams welcome the healthy conflict that comes from divergent points of view because they’re founded on a sense of trust and respect. Consequently, they reap the benefits of enhanced collaboration and smarter decisions.
As company culture has hit an all-time high in terms of emphasis from employees, we’ve seen tremendous movement in the workforce. People are weighing culture more heavily in job searches than even salary. Considering that inclusive company culture drives countless critical factors in a successful business, such as employee engagement, innovation and employee retention, companies must ask, “Can we afford to not focus on inclusion?”
By implementing a strategy that promotes inclusion at both the leadership and managerial levels, companies can build a compelling work culture in which employees feel heard and recognized not only for the tasks they complete but also for their contributions, talents, abilities and approaches to work.
Related: How Does Inclusive Culture Boost Company Performance?
Rachel Cubas-Wilkinson
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We live in an era in which the role of human resources is often challenged: media reports routinely fawn over the ability of artificial intelligence to replicate many “traditional” HR tasks, the move to remote work (and the switch back) has many HR teams struggling to find their place to support shifting workplace cultures, limited people budgets have required increasingly difficult choices and the weakened economy have left many HR teams with skeleton crews, many of which report they are stressed out – and burned out.
Against this backdrop, now is an excellent time to take stock of the future of human resources. In this age of turbulence and transformation, how and where can HR teams focus on making the most significant impact on their organization?
HR is traditionally the first point of contact for newly hired employees, but the experience can often be underwhelming. The tasks associated with onboarding are often mundane and standardized.
In the last few years, many companies have focused on maximizing engagement and excitement by sending or providing employees with company merchandise, notes from their CEOs, or even decorations for their home office. These steps help make an employee feel welcome but don’t drive real commitment.
Outside of the C suite, HR is the department best positioned to help new employees understand why their company exists and how it contributes to society while building commitment around the kind of corporate culture and initiatives the organization is driving. It takes more than words on a screen to communicate whether employees have bought into a company’s broader purpose.
Focus on ways to help every employee understand their role in bringing the company’s purpose to life, showing employees why the work they do will matter every day in the lives of others, ask them to think about how they can help further the mission of your organization and to find ways to improve in that goal constantly. You will jump-start commitment and maximize effort from day one.
Related: Watch Out for These 5 Artificial Intelligence Problems in HR
In a constantly shifting world, priorities seem to change quickly. Most employees report they are overwhelmed and don’t have the basic time to think — or work — on their given tasks. HR is in a prime position to help organizations drive focus.
Generative AI will absolutely transform how work gets done. Embrace it for the benefit of your team, their workload and all employees who will appreciate the responsiveness. Imagine an AI script that walks an employee through a series of choices to pick the most appropriate medical, dental and vision plans during Open Enrollment. Not only does this save time, but it could also be customized based on their specific situation, life events for them or their family, and more. Consider standardized assessments, training tasks and even videos as potential areas to explore with AI.
Related: The Benefits and Drawbacks of AI Integration in HR Departments
Work-from-home and remote jobs are likely here to stay, despite the current shift and ask from many leaders coming back into the office regularly. That only underscores the need for corporate leaders, HR included, to go the extra mile to make human connections with remote employees ― and to understand the cost-benefit analysis of remote work.
HR teams can help coordinate strategies to add more rigor to the remote work decision process: Which jobs need to be done in the office? Which are better outsourced to lower-cost locations? What locations best fit the work your company needs?
HR can help identify lower-cost talent hubs as potential sources for remote work, effectively maximizing an organization’s productivity while minimizing expenses. HR should assess if there are clusters of talent that are cheaper and easier to recruit from, but also whether the savings from employing a remote strategy is worth the trade-offs such as in-person oversight, team camaraderie and cohesive workplace culture.
Related: Top 5 HR Challenges You Must Overcome When Expanding Globally
A more diverse team is also a more innovative team. In times of financial stress, pressure can build to push diversity, equity and inclusion practices to the back burner. But an important function of HR teams will always be their ability to apply data to safeguard against implicit bias when hiring and recruiting employees. In the long run, this can be a competitive business advantage.
As organizations start to employ talent more globally, it’s increasingly important to consider ethnic diversity, understand different cultures and learn how best to work with people from unfamiliar backgrounds.
Jesse Meschuk
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Philanthropy and government programs have been trying to close the racial wealth gap for a long time, but they’ve been focused on band-aids when we need ladders. While the wealth gap is fueled by several contributing factors, including disparity in home ownership, accumulation of financial assets and strong growing wages, as small business investors, we can draw our attention to a core piece of the problem: the wage gap.
Let’s take a moment to clarify what we mean when we talk about the wage gap as it relates to the racial wealth gap. We are not just talking about good-paying jobs for people of color. We really need good-paying jobs that provide a clear pathway for Black and Brown employees to build a stronger, sustaining financial future.
The typical white U.S. household has nearly eight times the wealth of the typical Black household. To address the systemic issue of racial wealth inequity, the private sector must do what it does best – invest in great companies and entrepreneurs that create quality jobs –and ensure all workers, especially Black and Brown workers, have an equal opportunity to build a lasting, positive economic reality for themselves and their families.
Related: Compounding Inequality to Compounding Success: Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap
Media reported widely that recent pandemic aid cut U.S. poverty to a new low, but that was a short-term solution to a global crisis — it wasn’t aimed at driving wages higher in perpetuity. As that funding source dries up, those in a lower economic bracket return to the same or even worse circumstances than they were at the start. To truly attack the racial wealth gap, we need the private sector to make the change that the government and non-profits simply cannot do independently.
Private sector employers and investors often can’t see how they can drive the change needed to give Black and Brown Americans access to wealth-creation opportunities while growing businesses and pleasing investment partners. But it is not as hard as they may think, and the benefits to their business and community deliver a long-lasting ROI for companies, workers and families.
For decades, wages for Black and Brown workers have lagged behind those of white workers with the same experience and education, even in the same geography Even when people of color climb the corporate ladder, they make less — 97 cents on the dollar.
These communities need more than just a living wage; they also need opportunities for long-term career development, pay parity and wage progression. A rising wage promotes economic stability, helps workers provide for their families and facilitates wealth accumulation for future generations.
Wage progression — whether linked to individual performance, company performance, tenure, skills development, or promotion — is also good for business. It helps attract the best employees, improves retention, and sustains and incentivizes business growth.
Related: How to Support Black Employees During (and After) Juneteenth
Meaningful benefits are a major piece of increasing sustainable employee wealth. Most employee wealth is derived from workplace benefits packages: health insurance, 401ks, stock options, etc. Low-wage workers typically don’t have those options, which are key to building generational wealth.
Business leaders and investors can change this situation by learning from employees what benefits and opportunities would make the greatest difference in their lives and free up income for saving and investing– be that affordable healthcare, child/eldercare support, or direct wealth creation through incentivized savings opportunities like 401k plans, IRAs, and employer matching savings programs.
Offering these types of household-stabilizing benefits could largely pay for themselves in terms of lower absenteeism, greater productivity, increased retention and worker-driven competitive advantage.
Too often, the leadership potential and training of Black and Brown Americans is overlooked. According to McKinsey, Black workers are disproportionately concentrated in entry-level jobs with low pay and underrepresented in leadership and executive positions.
Correcting this divide means providing entry-level workers with access to training and development opportunities from the moment they are hired. Programs that teach employees valuable skills for remaining relevant in their careers to prepare them for higher responsibilities while reducing turnover, improving engagement and accelerating business growth.
Investors typically provide small businesses with growth capital, but they can also provide operational capital that is invested directly in employees. Business leaders, their investors and advisors can collaborate to devise a feasible and ambitious plan that establishes measurable goals for the company and the impact company leaders aim to achieve by driving an innovative wage strategy.
Several local or national advocacy groups for diverse workplaces, such as the Business Consortium Fund, the National Institute of Minority Economic Development and the Minority Business Development Agency, can assist with this kind of wage-targeted approach to eliminating the racial wealth gap.
Furthermore, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate outcomes using meaningful metrics. Failing to measure outcomes from these changes means businesses will not know what they’ve really achieved, which keeps them from continuous improvement.
Related: How to Overcome Workplace Inequality and Reach Gender Parity
I believe that every employer and their investors have a moral imperative to make closing the racial wealth gap a focal point of their business model, even if it means taking a little less for themselves and other executives off the bottom line. There is a tremendous opportunity to hire workers from disadvantaged communities and grow and sustain a strong workforce that helps grow all businesses. In return, employees would benefit from quality jobs and greater economic vitality now and in the future, setting up the next generation for even greater progress.
It’s about doing something incredible and making work “work” for businesses and employees alike. This type of investment is the catalyst for the change we need in our business world and our society —but it can’t happen without the private sector and its leaders driving the charge.
Sandra M. Moore
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Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
The search for top talent has transitioned to the digital world, and it’s easier than ever for employers to find resumes online and hire the best candidates for open positions. As an employer, accessing these online resources can help you streamline your recruitment process, save time, and discover quality hires for your organization.
Here are a few tips to help you find resumes online and hire the best candidates:
Job boards are online platforms that allow employers to post open positions and find resumes. ZipRecruiter is a leading online job marketplace that connects employers with qualified candidates.
With its user-friendly interface and robust features, ZipRecruiter simplifies the hiring process by offering a range of tools designed to attract, manage, and hire the best talent.
Many job seekers now use social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to connect with potential employers. By following companies and industry leaders on these platforms, you can access a large pool of resumes and find top talent. Engaging with relevant groups and communities can help you find resumes and discover potential candidates actively seeking new opportunities.
Industry-specific forums and professional associations often have dedicated websites where members can network and share information. These platforms can be full of resumes and potential candidates.
Participate in discussions, seek referrals, and actively engage with members who demonstrate expertise in their field.
There are numerous niche job boards that cater to specific industries, professions, or demographics. These platforms focus on particular skill sets, such as programming, healthcare or marketing, allowing you to target candidates who have specialized knowledge and experience.
Consider expanding your search to include candidates who are willing to work remotely. This benefit can help you stay competitive, allowing you to tap into a global talent pool and increasing your chances of finding highly skilled candidates who may not be available locally.
As an employer who is on the hunt to find resumes online and to hire top-notch talent, taking a strategic approach is best. From scouring the best online job boards and social media, to engaging with professional organizations and more, finding great job candidates can be just a few clicks away.
Entrepreneur Deals
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In the world of business, success is often measured by concrete metrics such as revenue, profit margins and market share. While these indicators certainly hold importance, there exists another dimension that can greatly influence the trajectory of an enterprise. It is the realm of intangibles, those elusive qualities that can make or break a company. Consider five such intangibles — enthusiasm, inspiration, creativity, connectivity and value — and how they hold the key to unlocking unparalleled business success.
Enthusiasm is the driving force that propels entrepreneurs and their teams forward. It is the spark that ignites passion, fuels perseverance and cultivates an unwavering belief in one’s vision. When leaders exude enthusiasm, it becomes contagious, permeating throughout the organization. An enthusiastic workforce is one that goes above and beyond, consistently delivering exceptional results and surpassing expectations. It creates a positive work culture, attracts top talent and fosters customer loyalty.
The energy and excitement that stem from genuine enthusiasm are invaluable assets that can steer a business toward unprecedented heights. Moreover, people who are enthusiastic about what they do and who they work with and for are likely to stay with their job, decreasing turnover and greatly helping the continuity and bottom line of a company.
Related: The Basics of Business Success
Inspiration lies at the heart of every successful venture. It is the driving force behind groundbreaking innovations, transformative ideas and visionary leadership. Inspired individuals possess a deep-rooted sense of purpose, which guides their decision-making and propels them to overcome obstacles. By fostering an environment that nurtures inspiration, businesses can tap into the boundless potential of their teams.
Inspirational leaders cultivate a shared vision, instill confidence and encourage creativity, empowering their employees to think outside the box and embrace bold ideas. A workforce inspired by a compelling purpose becomes a formidable force, capable of achieving greatness. Great businesses can and should encourage their employees to reach beyond their daily responsibilities and share ideas and suggestions. If you limit the roles and contributions of employees, you are stifling one of your greatest assets.
Creativity is the wellspring from which innovation flows. It is the ability to think differently, to break free from established norms and to pioneer new paths. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, creativity is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. Organizations that encourage and celebrate creativity create a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability. By harnessing the power of diverse perspectives and fostering an atmosphere that encourages risk-taking, businesses can unlock the untapped potential within their teams.
Creative problem-solving, product innovation and disruptive thinking become the norm, setting a company apart from its competitors and opening doors to uncharted possibilities. Business can and should encourage creative thinking at every level. They should create opportunities and pathways for anyone to share ideas and become more vested in the success of a company.
Related: 5 Ways to Inspire Creativity and Innovation in Your Employees
In an increasingly interconnected world, connectivity is a strategic advantage that cannot be underestimated. Building strong relationships and fostering meaningful connections is the cornerstone of business success. Networking with industry peers, engaging with customers and collaborating with partners creates a web of support and opportunity. By cultivating a robust network, businesses gain access to invaluable resources, knowledge and expertise. In the digital age, connectivity extends beyond traditional boundaries, with social media and online platforms providing avenues to connect with a global audience.
The power of connectivity lies in its ability to amplify reach, accelerate growth and forge strategic alliances that fuel progress. Connectivity can and should start with the interworking of your business. Every employee should know and appreciate the roles and responsibilities of the people with whom they work. They should have the opportunity to engage with one another. This type of connectivity fosters appreciation, trust and support — all critical intangibles.
Value creation lies at the core of every successful business endeavor. It certainly includes the ability to provide products, services or solutions that meet the needs and desires of customers. Beyond mere transactions, value is about building long-term relationships, delivering exceptional experiences and exceeding expectations. When businesses consistently deliver value, they cultivate customer loyalty, generate positive word-of-mouth and foster a sustainable competitive advantage.
Value can manifest in various forms, whether it be quality, convenience, affordability or exceptional service. By focusing on creating value, businesses build a solid foundation for enduring success. However, value begins internally. When employees feel valued, they work harder and are more productive. When employees feel like what they do contributes value to the company and others, they feel more vested, a sense of pride and a sense of purpose. Though value is a bit intangible, it is quantifiable.
The intangibles of enthusiasm, inspiration, creativity, connectivity and value will not show up on a balance sheet. They will not be reported on at a shareholders’ meeting. And they are, at best, glossed over in business school. But nearly every area of a company’s business success (or failures) can be traced back to one or more of these vital components.
Related: 4 Ways to Make Value Creation Core to Your Business
John Peitzman
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In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of building an exceptional work team cannot be overstated. A high-performing team can drive innovation, increase productivity and ultimately improve business outcomes.
As someone who’s both built great teams and failed at doing so, I understand teamwork’s critical role in achieving success. In this article, we’ll explore solid factors that contribute to building an exceptional work team and provide actionable steps to help you create a winning formula for your organization.
The foundation of any successful team is a clear and compelling vision. This vision should define the team’s purpose and inspire and motivate its members. To create a strong vision, consider the following:
An exceptional team consists of diverse individuals who bring unique skills, experiences and perspectives to the table. When recruiting team members, focus on the following:
Related: Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits and Why You Need It
Trust and mutual respect are essential elements of a high-performing team. To foster these qualities, consider the following:
Clear and open communication is vital for any team to function at its best. To promote effective communication, consider the following:
Exceptional teams excel at working together to achieve their goals. To encourage collaboration and teamwork, consider the following:
Related: Six Tactics To Improve Collaboration For Remote Teams
To maintain a high-performing team, investing in your team members’ professional growth and development is essential. Consider the following:
A high-performing team requires clear expectations and accountability. You can do this by clearly defining each team member’s roles and responsibilities and establishing measurable goals and objectives for the team to work towards.
Related: Set Yourself Up for Success By Setting Expectations
8. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement
Exceptional teams are always looking for ways to improve and innovate. To foster this mindset, consider the following:
Adaptability and resilience are crucial for any team in today’s fast-paced business environment. To develop these qualities, consider the following:
As a leader, your actions and behaviors set the tone for your team. To create an exceptional work team, lead by example and embody the values and attributes you want to see in your team members.
Building an exceptional work team takes care, emotional intelligence, and time. By focusing on these key factors and implementing the actionable steps outlined in this article, you can create a high-performing team that drives innovation, increases productivity and ultimately leads to better business outcomes — and better still, you’ll have amassed a group of genuine allies and collaborators.
Christopher Massimine
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Are you still looking for the ideal candidate to join your organization? The one who checks all the boxes and starts making a difference on day one at your company? If you’re having trouble finding a candidate that checks all the boxes, you’re probably using the wrong boxes.
Managers often get locked into the idea that the best hire will have the right credentials, meaning they are looking for candidates with specific work experience and a college degree in the right field. But they may be missing the opportunity to hire a loyal and highly productive team member who they would have never considered otherwise, extending the time needed to fill open positions.
Employers who are turning to unusual hiring and retention tactics, such as micro-internships, are having success. A micro-internship is a short-term, professional project-based job experience designed to offer candidates exposure to a specific field or role.
Micro-internships provide benefits to both parties: Companies can engage talent on a short-term, flexible basis, and candidates can gain valuable experience, build their resumes and establish connections in their chosen fields.
Let’s take a look at how to use and benefit from a micro-internship program.
Related: 5 Steps to Effectively Assess a Candidate’s Skills Before Hiring Them
The problem with the traditional hiring model is that it assumes a steady and logical path from college to a professional job. Most college students must declare a major field of study sometime during their sophomore year. That system works for the colleges and universities that staff their departments to meet demand. However, typical 19- or 20-year-olds have no clue what they want to do when they enter the professional world.
They finish their degrees and then realize how challenging it can be to find a job. Many employers will receive applications from candidates who studied art history in college and now lack the qualifications for entry-level work in the customer service department. Those applications are likely screened out by whatever automation tool the hiring company is using.
Similarly, hiring managers frequently receive applications from candidates seeking a mid-career change. They may scan a resume from a construction worker who wants to get into sales, but lacks job experience and training, and decide to move on.
That attitude is unfortunate. Instead of passing by a candidate who lacks the stated credentials for a position, you should consider offering them a micro-internship. These internships include a short, sometimes intense, training session. In addition, they require the candidate to work on a specific project with stated measurable deliverables. And companies pay the candidate for the work.
Does a micro-internship sound like a paid consultant gig? Yes. It’s always a good idea to ask a potential consultant to deliver a small project before you hand them a large contract. The short-term arrangement allows you to verify the quality of their work. And you get a sense of how well you interact.
When you’re considering a micro-internship arrangement for a candidate, you can ask them to take a psychometric assessment. In reviewing the assessment results, you can determine how well-suited they are for a position.
If their assessments show a natural tendency to be willing to serve others, your candidate may be a great fit for a customer service position, even without official credentials. Similarly, a person with great listening skills could become your next sales rainmaker once they receive official training.
Your candidates may resist the idea of committing themselves to your organization for a two-to-three-week period. After all, they could continue to look for another position during that time. That’s why paying the people who participate in your micro-internship program is important. They’ll be more likely to do their best work.
Related: Internships 101: Tips on Hiring Interns and Running a Successful Program
Bringing a new person into your organization allows you to assess a person’s talents, work styles and fit, an aspect we measure on our TeamTrait platform. The micro-internship format also provides a conduit to new thinking and creativity, which can be especially critical if you’re trying to expand your scope of work. The best part is you don’t have to stop the work and mentoring at the two-to-three-week point. You have the option of extending projects if the process is going well.
For the candidate whose work experience and/or educational background don’t relate directly to the role, a micro-internship is a way for them to say, “Let me prove to you I can do this.”
And if you decide to extend a formal offer of employment, you’ll be in a credible position with your new team member because they’ll realize you value them for their potential. In addition, paying your interns will ensure that you avoid labor law problems.
Managers need to make it clear to their direct reports they can explore an internal micro-internship without risking their current position. Growing within the company is a positive.
I’ve had great success in my company by using micro-internships as a promotional tool.
In one case, we hired an excellent researcher who came to us with a college degree in communications. After a couple of years, this team member expressed an interest in IT work. They had already demonstrated some skill in this area by developing complex worksheets. We offered a short training period, followed by an assignment that lasted several weeks. The results were stellar, and that employee is now a key member of our IT team. This strategy is similar to the “quiet hiring” approach used by employers who want to retain and promote their top performers.
Related: Hiring an Intern: 6 Things to Know Before Saying ‘You’re Hired!’
In your hiring journey, you can find many reasons to avoid hiring a candidate who falls outside your comfort zone. At the same time, the C-suite is filled with tales of low performers who were hired because they had the advantage of knowing the right person or went to a big-name school.
If you want to hire a person with a history that strays from the norms, consider setting up a micro-internship for them, and give them a try! You might be pleasantly surprised by how motivated they are to learn new things and do their best for your organization.
C. Lee Smith
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We’re now finding out the damaging consequences of the mandated return to office. And it’s not a pretty picture.
A trio of compelling reports — the Greenhouse Candidate Experience Report, the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), and Unispace’s “Returning for Good” report — collectively paint a stark picture of this brewing storm.
Unispace finds that nearly half (42%) of companies that mandated office returns witnessed a higher level of employee attrition than they had anticipated. And almost a third (29%) of companies enforcing office returns are struggling with recruitment. Imagine that — nearly half! In other words, they knew it would cause some attrition, but they weren’t ready for the serious problems that would result.
Perhaps they should have. According to the same Greenhouse report, a staggering 76% of employees stand ready to jump ship if their companies decide to pull the plug on flexible work schedules. Moreover, employees from historically underrepresented groups are 22% more likely to consider other options if flexibility goes out the window.
In the SHED survey, the gravity of this situation becomes more evident. The survey equates the displeasure of shifting from a flexible work model to a traditional one to that of experiencing a 2 to 3% pay cut.
In the game of talent acquisition and retention, flexible work policies have swiftly emerged as the queen on the chessboard — commanding, decisive and game-changing. The Greenhouse, SHED, and Unispace reports — when viewed together — provide compelling evidence to back this assertion.
Greenhouse finds that 42% of candidates would outright reject roles that lack flexibility. In turn, the SHED survey affirms that employees who work from home a few days a week greatly treasure the arrangement. It’s like enjoying a day at the beach while still being connected to the digital world.
Curious about what’s luring employees away? The Greenhouse report has cracked the code:
In other words, excluding career-centric factors such as pay, security and promotion, flexible work policies shine brighter than the Vegas Strip in employee desires.
Interestingly, Unispace throws another factor into the mix — choice. According to their report, overall, the top feelings employees revealed they felt towards the office were happy (31%), motivated (30%) and excited (27%). However, all three of these feelings decrease for those with mandated office returns (27%, 26% and 22% respectively). This highlights that staff are more open to returning to the office if it is out of choice, rather than forced.
Take, for example, a regional insurance company with a workforce of around 2000 employees. The company enforced a return to the office policy, causing waves of unrest. It soon became evident that their attrition rates were climbing steadily. It echoed the Greenhouse report’s findings: a majority of employees, 76%, would actively seek a new job if flexible work policies were retracted. The underrepresented groups were even more prone to leave, making the situation more daunting.
At that point, they called me to help as a hybrid work expert that The New York Times called the “Office Whisperer.” We worked on adapting their return-to-office plan, switching it from a top-down mandate to a team-driven approach, focusing on welcoming staff to the office for the sake of collaboration and mentoring. As a result, their attrition rates dropped and the feelings of employees toward the office improved, in line with what the Unispace report suggests.
In another case study, a large financial services company began noticing employee turnover despite offering competitive salaries and growth opportunities. Upon running an internal survey, they realized that, aside from better compensation and career advancement opportunities, employees were seeking better flexible work policies. This aligned with the Greenhouse and SHED findings, which ranked flexible work policies as a crucial factor influencing job changes. After consulting with me, they adjusted their policies to be more competitive in offering flexibility.
A late-stage SaaS startup decided to embrace this wave of change. They worked with me to introduce flexible work policies, and the result was almost immediate – they noticed a sharp decrease in employee turnover and an uptick in job applications. Their story echoes the collective message from all three reports: companies must adapt to flexible work policies or risk being swept away.
As we navigate these shifting landscapes of work, we cannot ignore the human elements at play. Like unseen puppeteers, cognitive biases subtly shape our decisions and perceptions. In the context of flexibility and retention, two cognitive biases come into sharp focus: the status quo bias and anchoring bias.
Imagine a thriving tech startup, successfully operating in a hybrid model during the pandemic. As the world normalized, leadership decided to return to pre-pandemic, in-person work arrangements. However, they faced resistance and an unexpected swell of turnover.
This situation illustrates the potent influence of the status quo bias. This bias, deeply entrenched in our human psyche, inclines us towards maintaining current states or resisting change. Employees, having tasted the fruits of flexible work, felt averse to relinquishing these newfound freedoms. The Greenhouse report bears testament to this, with 76% of employees open to job hunting if their company rolled back flexible work policies.
Consider a large financial institution that enforced a full return to office after the pandemic. Many employees, initially attracted by the brand and pay scale, felt disgruntled. The crux of the problem lies in the anchoring bias, which leads us to heavily rely on the first piece of information offered (the ‘anchor’) when making decisions.
When initially joining the company, the employees were primarily concerned with compensation and job security, the “anchors” in their decision-making process. However, once within the fold, the pandemic caused them to shift their focus to work-life balance and flexibility, as confirmed by both the Greenhouse and SHED reports. Unfortunately, the rigid return-to-office policy made these new anchors seem less attainable, resulting in dissatisfaction and an increased propensity to leave.
So, as we steer our ships through these tumultuous waters, understanding these cognitive biases can help illuminate our path. Recognizing and accounting for the status quo and anchoring biases can enable us to create a workplace that not only attracts but also retains its employees in this age of flexibility. After all, success in the world of business is as much about understanding people as it is about numbers and strategy.
If there’s one overarching theme resonating from the Greenhouse, SHED, and Unispace reports, it’s this: Companies need to embrace the wave of flexible work policies or risk being left adrift. As we set sail into the future of work, flexibility isn’t just a passing trend; it’s a necessity, the new standard. After all, the key to not just attracting talent, but retaining it, lies in one simple word: flexibility. To ignore it is like trying to run a marathon with one shoe. Possible, perhaps, but far from comfortable or efficient.
Gleb Tsipursky
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The world is getting louder. There is enough noise to make silence uncomfortable, and it affects our interactions. In conversation, loudness is perceived as powerful. In meetings, opinions are broadcast at high volumes. But there is a strong case for staying quiet, especially at work, and especially for business leaders looking to motivate teams or negotiate difficult deals.
Entrepreneurs often assume their silence will be taken for indecisiveness. To understand the benefits of being quiet, it’s helpful to unpack the minds of quiet people, including misperceptions.
Related: Making The Case For ‘Silent Leadership’
Introverts are having a moment, with advocates like Susan Cain calling introversion a superpower, making the case that observers can better assess problems and digest information. Introversion and extroversion are personality types that remain fairly consistent throughout our lives. Though introverts focus more on silent contemplation, anyone can be quiet. Most of us manage to stay silent when circumstances call for observation more than outward reactions — in presentations or movie theatres, for instance.
Unlike introversion, quietness is context-dependent, which means it can be used as a tactic.
During meetings that call for brainstorming, it’s easy to assume that quiet people are just taking up space. The myth that links silence to ineptness is shifting as awareness grows around power dynamics, diversity and inclusion, and psychological safety. When barriers prevent people from speaking, they must be addressed. Additionally, quiet people might need more time. Observers might be internal processors.
We absorb information in accordance with our communication and learning styles. External processors speak through ideas as they come to mind. Thinking out loud helps them take in details and make decisions. Internal processors need to sit with all the data before saying anything.
Processing styles can also be context-dependent, so consider which style works best for you in any given scenario. You might take more time to digest complicated problems brought to you by direct reports, for instance, but prefer to be vocal and collaborative during strategy sessions with peers.
Related: 25 Ways to Lead, Inspire and Motivate Your Team to Greatness
The quiet tactic is most helpful when your thoughts are emotionally nuanced. If you disagree with a colleague’s strategic direction, taking more time to percolate before briefing your team is a good idea. Compose yourself so you can appear outwardly positive when you discuss the changes.
Stay quiet at times when negotiations will only happen once, like key hiring decisions. Verbal offers are tempting if you get along with the interviewee; it’s often wise to wait until they’ve left to review qualifications from all the top candidates. Being quiet is also helpful when something upsets you, like a pitch that didn’t land as you expected or rejected requests for budget increases. Remember the old idiom, “It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” Silence allows you to regroup before agreeing to anything prematurely.
Finally, stay quiet with your team. As a psychologist, I can vouch for this tactic, used often in classic psychoanalytic therapy. Most people fill uncomfortable silence, and whatever follows a pause is often vital. When leaders wait to speak or react, direct reports tend to blurt out what they are really thinking, add context to an earlier point or clarify something they have been replaying in their minds.
Uncomfortable silence is also part of the sales process. When you leave space after pitching, you get the customer’s perspective, reaction, and oftentimes, more details about their needs. This becomes data leveraged to close the sale.
Stay quiet as a tactic in your own work habits. Which scenarios call for listening more than talking?
Sherry Walling, PhD
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Entering the healthcare field and launching your nursing career can be exhilarating. One critical stage in this process is the nursing job interview.
The nurse interview is your opportunity to showcase your skills, express your passion for patient care and convince hiring managers that you would make a valuable addition to their healthcare team.
Related: These 5 Careers Could Be the Future of Healthcare | Entrepreneur
The nurse interview questions may range from general inquiries about your background and experience to specific questions assessing your competencies in various scenarios.
These interviews can be challenging because, in addition to evaluating your technical knowledge, hiring managers are also interested in your interpersonal skills, critical thinking abilities, adaptability and capacity to handle stressful situations.
However, it’s important to remember that this isn’t a one-way street. Interviews are also a chance to evaluate whether the organization and the role align with your career goals and values.
The key to succeeding in a nursing job interview lies in preparation. It’s not enough to have an impressive resume — you also need to articulate your skills and experiences effectively during the interview.
By preparing in advance, you can confidently walk into the interview room, ready to provide thoughtful and articulate answers to any questions.
To prepare effectively for a nursing job interview, one of the first steps is to understand the job description thoroughly.
A job description is more than a list of tasks; it serves as a blueprint of what the organization looks for in an ideal candidate.
Related: How to Develop the Perfect Job Description | Entrepreneur
The components of a nursing job description can be broadly classified into four categories:
By understanding the job description, you can anticipate some of the nurse interview questions that might come up.
For instance, if the job description emphasizes teamwork, be prepared to answer questions about your experience working in a team, how you handle conflicts and how you have collaborated with coworkers in the past to improve patient care.
Studying the job description is not just a part of the job search process — it’s also a vital part of interview preparation.
Knowing the job description inside and out can help you tailor your responses during the interview, allowing you to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the position.
When it comes to nursing job interviews, several questions tend to come up, whether you’re a fresh-faced graduate from nursing school or a seasoned nurse practitioner looking for new opportunities.
By understanding and preparing for these most common nursing interview questions, you’ll be well-positioned to make a strong impression on recruiters and hiring managers.
Related: 50 Most Common Interview Questions | Entrepreneur
While not technically a question, you’re almost certain to face the ubiquitous “tell me about yourself” request. It may seem simple, but this is not the time for a rambling account of your life story.
Instead, view this question as a golden opportunity to offer a strategic overview of your professional trajectory, carefully focusing on experiences that underscore your commitment to excellence in nursing and patient care.
For instance, you could begin by speaking about where you received your education, perhaps noting any specific areas of study that ignited your passion for nursing. You might then touch on your clinical experiences during nursing school, discussing where you completed your rotations and detailing some of the key learnings or moments that stand out in your memory.
If you’ve already begun your nursing career, make it a point to highlight the roles you’ve held and accomplishments you’re proud of. Don’t be shy about sharing any recognition or awards you’ve received — these can be powerful testaments to your skills and dedication.
“Tell me about yourself” is an open-ended question that invites you to frame your narrative in a way that positions you as a strong candidate for the role. Tailoring your answers to fit what you know about the job can be as impactful as having a well-crafted cover letter.
The question, “Why should we hire you?” is another staple of the nursing interview. When confronted with this question, it’s vital to deliver a clear, concise and persuasive argument that aligns your unique skill set and experiences with the needs outlined in the job description.
Take the time to dissect the job description and identify its essential requirements. Then, consider how your skills, experiences and attributes meet these requirements. Be specific with your examples.
For instance, if the job description emphasizes the importance of teamwork and adaptability, be prepared with an example answer demonstrating how you’ve previously excelled in these areas, perhaps by describing a situation where you successfully navigated a conflict within your team or adapted to a sudden change in a patient’s condition.
In addition to general questions, you can expect to encounter behavioral interview questions during your nursing job interview. These questions are designed to gauge your critical thinking skills, adaptability and how you handle difficult situations, all crucial components of nursing work.
One widely-accepted approach to answering these questions is the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action and Result.
This method helps you structure your answer by providing a specific example (Situation and Task), explaining what you did (Action) and then sharing the outcome (Result).
Related: 6 Tips on How Job Seekers Can Prepare for All Types of Interview Questions | Entrepreneur
For instance, you may be asked, “Can you describe a time when you had to handle a difficult patient?”
Using the STAR method, you might respond with the following:
Preparing for these questions is essential by reflecting on your past experiences in patient care, teamwork and critical thinking. Remember, it’s not just about what happened but how you handled it, what you learned and how it influenced your approach to nursing.
Working effectively as part of a healthcare team is a crucial attribute of nursing.
Consequently, you should expect questions regarding your teamwork skills and experience collaborating with coworkers during your nursing job interview. The idea is to find out if you’re a “team player” or not.
For instance, you might be asked, “Can you describe a time when you had to work with a difficult coworker?”
An example response, using the STAR method, might be as follows:
Remember that when answering these questions, the focus should be on your ability to maintain a professional and positive attitude, resolve conflicts and contribute to a collaborative and supportive work environment.
During your nursing job interview, you can also anticipate questions that pertain specifically to the role you’re applying for.
Whether you’re interviewing for a position as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, ICU nurse or pediatric nurse, it’s essential to tailor your responses to highlight your relevant skills and experiences.
For example, if you’re interviewing for an ICU nurse position, you might be asked, “How do you handle high-stress situations?”
You could respond by explaining your stress-management techniques and providing an example of a high-pressure scenario you successfully navigated in a past ICU role.
If you’re interviewing for a pediatric nurse role, you might be asked about your experiences working with children and families. You could discuss any family-centered care approaches and how you communicate effectively with young patients and their family members.
In preparing for these role-specific questions, revisiting your nursing school or NCLEX knowledge is essential, particularly regarding the role in question. Also, carefully review the job description to understand the primary responsibilities and requirements of the position.
Remember, the goal is to demonstrate that you have the requisite technical skills and the situational aptitude to excel in the specific nursing role you’re pursuing.
The more you can align your responses with the unique needs of the role, the more convincing your suitability for the job will be to the hiring managers.
Scenario-based interview questions, situational or “what would you do” questions, are often used in nursing interviews to evaluate your problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities and understanding of patient care.
These questions often involve hypothetical situations related to stressful situations, charting errors or issues with patient safety.
One such question could be, “What would you do if you noticed a mistake in a patient’s charting?”
In this case, an effective response might be: “First, I would double-check to ensure that I’m not mistaken. If confirmed, I would immediately inform my nurse manager or the appropriate authority about the discrepancy. I understand that accurate charting is crucial to patient safety and it’s essential to correct any errors as soon as possible.”
When addressing these questions, it’s critical to stay calm, methodically walk through your thought process and emphasize your commitment to patient care and safety. If possible, relate your response to a real-life experience where you applied similar decision-making skills.
Entering the nursing field as a new grad can be daunting, particularly when facing your first nursing job interview.
Here are a few tips for new grads starting their nursing career path.
For example, if asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” you could say: “In five years, I see myself having grown significantly in my nursing skills and knowledge, perhaps even specializing in a particular area of care. However, my primary focus right now is to learn as much as I can, provide the best patient care and positively impact my team and the patients I serve.”
Remember, preparation is critical to a successful interview. By anticipating the types of questions that might be asked and considering your responses in advance, you’ll be better equipped to answer with confidence and poise.
Your nursing school education and NCLEX study prep have prepared you for this moment — now it’s time to take that final step toward your nursing career.
An important, often overlooked aspect of any job interview, including a nursing job interview, is asking questions to the hiring managers.
Asking well-thought-out questions demonstrates your genuine interest in the role and the healthcare team you may be joining. It also helps determine if the job and the organization align with your career goals and values.
Related: Essential Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview | Entrepreneur
Here are some insightful questions you might consider:
Remember, the job interview is as much a chance for you to learn about your potential employer as it is for them to know about you. Take this opportunity to ensure the role and organization fit your career aspirations well.
Preparing for nurse interview questions can seem daunting, but you can confidently navigate your nursing job interview with careful preparation.
From understanding the job description and common nursing interview questions to handling behavioral and scenario-based questions, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to ace the interview.
Related: How to Nail a Job Interview (Whether You’re Applying or Hiring) | Entrepreneur
Remember that each interview is an opportunity for new grads to learn and grow. Regardless of the outcome, take the time to reflect on the experience, consider the feedback received and improve your interview skills.
The journey in your nursing career is rewarding and filled with opportunities to make a difference in patients’ lives every day. Whether you’re a registered nurse, a nurse practitioner, an LPN or LVN or aiming for a specialized nursing role, the interview process is a crucial step on this path.
Best of luck with your nursing job interview and here’s to the many successes that lie ahead in your nursing career.
If you’re interested in learning more about healthcare opportunities in the world of business, then check out some of the other articles at Entrepreneur for more information.
Entrepreneur Staff
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Today’s businesses need to focus on more than just getting the all-mighty dollar. With the rise of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability, companies are expected to do more for their communities and to give back. A tricky feat, but necessary for companies that want to stay relevant and successful. Why should businesses care about doing their part? Let’s talk about it.
Incorporating CSR and sustainability into business strategies is essential for success no matter the size of your business. I have used the methods we will discuss to enhance my company’s business reputation, engagement of employees and foster customer loyalty. These initiatives attract individuals who share your values which will improve work culture and build stronger customer relationships.
Related: 5 Tips to Instill Corporate Social Responsibility Into Every Aspect of Your Brand
My main company, Strategic Advisor Board, recognizes the importance of environmental sustainability and has established the “Environmental Stewardship Initiative” as part of its corporate responsibility program. This initiative aims to reduce the company’s environmental footprint and contribute to the preservation and protection of the environment.
We’ve incorporated the following components that you might consider, too:
Related: 10 Ways to Make Your Business More Socially Conscious
While social responsibility and sustainability may seem easy, companies may face a few issues when they begin adopting new practices. The first is that many business owners don’t understand what these policies can look like. Company owners will often say they care about the environment and their staff, but they won’t have well-defined initiatives to show how they’re following through.
Reluctance to change is one of the biggest obstacles to promoting sustainability. Company leaders might believe the task is too daunting and think business is already going well so they don’t see a reason to change it. They also might wonder what the metrics would look like to measure the changes. Since there’s no one step or framework to CSR, many businesses don’t know where to start.
My recommendation is to start with smaller initiatives that get everyone in the organization on board, including the customers. A local highway cleanup would be a great place to start as it’s easy to organize and will make a community-wide impact.
Integrating CSR and sustainability into your business practices may appear challenging, but I have some strategies to help you put your plans into action. You’ll need leadership commitment and support. In order to do this, get down to what customers want. Create a customer survey and find out what social causes your current customers support and care about.
According to the 2023 Business of Sustainability Index, 74% of consumers care about the environmental impact of the products they buy. Consumers are specifically searching for companies that are socially responsible to buy products from but need help recognizing which companies are environmentally friendly.
Make it easy for your consumers to see you have CSR initiatives established in your organization. This can be done by incorporating it into your mission statement, using clear labels on your products and getting third-party tested. Make it known on your social media pages and website you can be counted on as a company that participates in CSR.
There’s been a shift over the years to consumers willing to pay more for products that are environmentally friendly. The same report goes on to say in 2023, 68% of consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products vs. 64% in 2021. So take that into consideration when making changes to include CSR in your business and benefit from a more positive reputation and loyal clients.
Jason Miller
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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Despite the vast amount of tech layoffs and the threat of recession, it’s still a job seeker’s market, and employers only hold so much power. A recent job trends report dug into this power struggle and found that 52% of job seekers in the U.S. believe they have the upper hand compared to employers. Companies shouldn’t tip the scales even more by adding reactionary rules and technologies — or they risk losing their top talent and hurting recruiting.
The rise in surveillance technology, as employers try to crack down on how employees spend their workdays to increase productivity, is a controversial tactic that damages culture. And yet, 79% percent of companies that do not currently use these tools plan to deploy them in the next three years. Although a study found that 95% of IT managers say they’d be okay with employee productivity surveillance technology (EPST) if leaders were transparent about it, leaders must ask themselves: What are the real recruiting and retention ramifications given the current job market?
We’ve seen a spike (80%) in productivity monitoring implementation since the onset of the pandemic.
We’ve specifically seen these tools take a toll on business leaders and IT managers. EPST forces them to make questionable decisions and spy on their coworkers. And yes, I deliberately use the word “spy” because that’s what we’re really talking about.
Typically, EPST logs and produces data on keystrokes, clicks, time online and website visits. However, when it’s deployed, IT managers would likely defy company policy to inform colleagues about EPST, and 72% would help their coworkers find workarounds. How can this data be valuable with so many employees looking for workarounds?
A third of IT managers also view EPST as an invasion of privacy, so the pushback will continue. The only way for leaders to stop putting their mid-level leaders in sticky situations is to forgo these tools.
Surveillance technology is also known to decrease company morale. Thirty percent of IT managers indicate a decrease in company culture, a negative impact on employee mental health and even increased burnout on some occasions because of EPST. These factors could push employees to look for new jobs.
Related: Your Boss is Watching You. Here’s Why Monitoring Workers is a Two-Edged Sword
Four generations make up today’s workforce — baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z — and they all have opinions on workplace etiquette and comfort with surveillance technology. Millennials and Gen Z (Zoomers) are the most critical generations to pay attention to as concerns EPST. Some of these employees entered the workforce shortly before or during the pandemic. They will also be the first to jump ship when an organization implements harsh requirements or suspicious monitoring technology.
It’s more important than ever for businesses to understand how different generations will react to deploying tools like EPST. For example, half of IT workers (52%) acknowledged they would turn down an otherwise desirable position if they knew the company used EPST. Similarly, 30% of employees noted they’d begin applying for a new job if they found out EPST was implemented. Three percent would even quit immediately.
EPST is backfiring on employers, and the generational divide only worsens this. It’s typically not millennials or Zoomers making these crucial technology decisions and affecting turnover.
Baby boomers and Gen X see less of an issue with “harsh” workplace rules and regulations as they’re typically more loyal to their companies and managers. So, while one part of the labor market is comfortable with EPST, the other side sees huge ethical issues with the practice. With the average millennial staying at their job for only 2.75 years, companies shouldn’t give them another reason to leave.
Leaders should consider who is entering the workforce before making rash decisions about invasive technologies. While the conversations around EPST are complex, the decision to deploy it isn’t.
Related: You’ve Been Tracking Employee Productivity All Wrong
With so many generational differences — and considering how much the pandemic changed work preferences and put the power into the hands of the employee — these tools are better left unused. As an alternative, employers that look for employee experience-enhancing tools have a better chance of driving productivity. Seventy-seven percent of companies that have put a focus on employee experience have seen an increase in retention. The number of job openings and voluntary worker resignations is reaching pre-pandemic levels.
If organizations ignore reason and deploy surveillance technology, they risk damaging not only the employees’ experience but also their reputation and retention rates in exchange for sketchy, unreliable data.
Mark Banfield
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