Meghan M. Biro, Author at TalentCulture

Let’s Redefine Employee Engagement in 2016

Disclosure: This post contains a quote and link to one of my clients, TinyPulse. If you feel like you’re in a rut at work, you aren’t alone. A recent Gallup poll found that 67 percent of workers aren’t engaged—or worse, they’re actively disengaged—a number that’s been pretty stagnant for the past 16 years. Somehow, despite the best of intentions, corporate culture has taken a misstep. That’s why it’s time to ditch those well-used annual engagement surveys and redefine how you view and measure employee engagement. Where The Traditional Approach to Employee Engagement Goes Wrong When a company gets employee engagement right,

The Devil At The Desk: Destructive Bosses

The onus is on leadership to improve employee engagement. It’s part of that magical workforce trifecta: a terrific candidate experience, a high level of workplace engagement, all resulting in retention. But what about when the leadership is toxic; when it’s more problem than solution? That’s a whole different ballgame. We’ve all dealt with a boss or manager that just somehow turns everything into a losing proposition: Never satisfied, or mysteriously withholding the recognition we know that we — or our colleagues — deserve. Or do we? A certain click of engagement involves a clarifying moment when we ditch that, “maybe it

The Secret Formula for Exemplary Leadership

As the landscape of business continues to evolve, we not only see changes outside the organization, we see changes inside the organization as well. That means different communication styles, different individual work style preferences, different motivators and incentives, different corporate cultures—and as a result, leadership styles must also evolve. In today’s corporate world, leaders who take a more relational approach to management find success. Why? Because the traditional world of work that existed in the past—largely dictatorial and autocratic, is no longer an option if your goal is on not only creating a great corporate culture, but also inspiring optimal productivity

Let’s Be Honest About Diversity: Age Matters Too

The conversation about diversity is finally opening up. We have a long way to go, but gender and ethnic equality are firmly on the agenda. From the law to the notoriously homogeneous tech industry, leaders are taking notice and working to create change. But there’s a gaping oversight in the conversation that’s too often ignored: In the push to improve diversity, we have to recognize that age matters, too. Nearly ten years ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg—then 23 years old—told a startup event: “Young people are just smarter… Young people lead simpler lives. We may not own a car. We may

Managing By Influence: How To Lead In The New Workforce

Influence is everywhere: we’re in the midst of an election displaying the best and worst. Have at it, talented people, enjoy the show. Meanwhile, from where I’m sitting, it’s a game-changing year in talent management, too. What we’ve been speculating about isn’t in future tense anymore. It’s now. So let’s talk about telling people what to do. If you winced at that phrase, I agree with you. Effective management, particularly in the realm of talent, is no longer about the ability to directly convey an order and have it spread and waterfall from Point A to Departments B through Z. And

Did Millennials Kill the 9-to-5 Workday, or Just Point Out That It’s Dead?

Millennials have taken the workplace by storm. They’re now the largest generation in the workforce and are tossing the 9-to-5 day, with dedicated cubicles and shared offices, out the window. They have fresh ideas for how, when and where we work, and as the younger Generation Z starts clocking in, organizations that haven’t prioritized flexibility and mobility risk losing out on top tier talent. But before you ditch workplace traditions for trendy options, stop to consider what this generation actually wants from work. What millennials want most. Numerous studies have been conducted over the past few years to determine exactly what

#WorkTrends Preview: The Keys to Exemplary Leadership

The changing landscape of business requires a more relational leadership style. Why? Because the traditional world of work that existed in the past – dictatorial, autocratic, etc. – is no longer an option for optimal productivity from followers. But how do we know the keys to this leadership style? What about a relational leadership style sets it apart and makes it better than leadership styles of the past? You don’t want to miss the #WorkTrends show next week as our guest, author and former New England Patriots linebacker, Dr. Jason Carthen, will join us to discuss exemplary leadership and its positive

#WorkTrends Recap: Corporate Culture & Understanding Your Workplace Genome

Understanding your corporate culture is critical to the success of any organization. Culture is not one size fits all. It differs based on who the employees are, what they value, what inspires them, what motivates them, what it is about the company that attracted them, what makes them proud to be part of the team and, of course, why they stay. All of these pieces make up your workplace genome. On today’s WorkTrends show, guest Charlie Judy explored what it means to honestly understand and embrace your workplace culture. He talked about why it’s important to stop trying to become the

Big Data: Now an Integral Part of Talent Recruiting

Big data is a driving force behind business strategy today—and human resources is no exception. It’s given recruiters the tools they need to make better hires and is changing the way organizations measure performance, boost employee engagement, prioritize training, and analyze talent needs. HR today has access to a gold mine of data, an unprecedented amount of information: insights, intelligence, trends, future-casting. There’s a reason the job of data scientist just ranked as the top career opportunity for 2016: There are currently more than 1,700 job openings for a job “…where demand outpaces supply,” said Scott Dobroski, Glassdoor’s career trends analyst.

5 Steps to Empowering The Brand You

Is there a more overworked word in the business lexicon than “personal brand”? Brand this, brand that, brand yourself, blah-blah-blah. The whole concept has officially entered the Social and Career Cliché Hall of Fame, right? Not so fast. Like all clichés, branding became one because there’s truth in it. So let’s all get a little Zen here and assume Shoshin or beginner’s mind. This is a powerful practice — a brilliant business thinker and local social friend of mine by the name of (1997 anyone? This is not a new concept ) Tom Peters – mentioned this means clearing our minds

#WorkTrends Preview: Corporate Culture and Understanding Your Workplace Genome

When undertaking any transformation within the workplace, leaders should focus on a deep understanding of the corporate culture. That means knowing who their employees are, what they value, what inspires them, what motivates them, what it is about the company that attracted them, what makes them proud to be part of your team and, of course, why they stay. These things? They are your “workplace genome.” You’ll want to join us for the next #WorkTrends show as our guest Charlie Judy will help us explore that workplace genome. We will talk about why it’s important to stop trying to become the

Why Talent Acquisition Should Own Recruitment Marketing

Recruiters and marketers used to sit in different areas of the office, playing distinctly different roles. But as we all know, that’s shifted quite a bit with the focus on recruitment marketing. A marketing hat is now an essential part of a talent acquisition leader’s wardrobe. The most successful recruiters and talent acquisition leaders have embraced the entire world of marketing, from tactics to metrics. According to The MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study, a biannual survey conducted among nearly 2,000 U.S.-based executive search recruiters of MRINetwork, 90 percent of recruiters say the market was candidate-driven in 2015, up from 54 percent in

#WorkTrends Recap: Simple Ways to Measure Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is something that HR pros and their colleagues in the C-suite are laser-focused on, and measuring engagement is often at the top of the list. Why the interest? When employees are engaged, they likely adopt the vision, values, and purpose of the organization where they work—and it shows. Engaged employees are passionate contributors, innovative problem solvers, and the very best colleagues. Equally as important, high-performing, engaged employees want to work in places that foster and cultivate engagement as an integral part of the corporate culture. Smart HR pros and senior leaders want to cultivate that kind of environment. On

The New World of Work: Flexible Careers and Freelancing

Is freelancing the new black? It certainly seems that way—in fact, you might call this trend the new world of work. A new study by Freelancers Union and Upwork backs this up, finding that more people are freelancing by choice. Today, a little more than one in three workers in the United States are setting their own hours and being their own bosses. The findings of the study were interesting—here are some of the highlights: “The majority (60 percent) of freelancers who left traditional employment now earn more.” Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they specifically left an employer in

Big Data and Privacy: The Human Consequence of Security Breaches

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), there were 781 U.S. data breaches last year, and the risk is predicted to grow exponentially. Data privacy is one of the biggest threats facing businesses this year and, in years to come. Breaches over the past few years at companies like Sony, Target, Home Depot, and Anthem have grabbed headlines and exposed the personal details of millions of people—not to mention personal correspondence and backroom gossip. Incidents like these don’t just trigger a PR nightmare that can sink sales and injure a brand’s reputation; there are human consequences faced by the people

Dear Leaders: Humanize Your Brand

Back in ancient times (let’s go with 1970s or 1980s) when mainframes ruled the world and “friends” were people you actually knew, the rules of engagement were very different. Companies and customers met when a transaction was taking place. Otherwise, everyone went their separate ways and did their own thing. Well, that kind of cut-and-dried, disconnected relationship truly is a thing of the past – at least for brands that want to succeed in the future. Things (and leaders we hope) are much more personal now. The computer, one of the most significant developments in human history, has changed everything. It’s

4 Reasons Leaders Hire In 3D

It’s time leaders got smart about hiring. We have to make sure they do. I know for certain that—as you read this—a lot of creative people are trolling for jobs. People who would completely shake up a company culture in awesome, unthought-of ways, if simply given the chance. But, as my friends all know, unless they have four degrees, years of experience and invented the iPad—it feels like they may well just be talented voices crying in the wilderness. Our social business culture talks a lot about Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and Meg Whitman. Don’t get me

Free Agent Nation Romance: The Good, The Bad, And The Unknown

You know the story. Once upon a time, companies courted new talent with the promise of a lifelong relationship. “Work” meant employment, training, benefits, and job security for years, if not decades. But for many, if not most companies and employees, the romance has died. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 40% of all U.S. workers now operate on a part-time or contract basis. Josh Bersin adds: “Bottom Line: the workforce of today is specialized and highly virtual: working part-time, mobile, from home, and often on a contract basis. Our research shows that among large employers upwards of

WorkTrends Preview: Simple Ways to Measure Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is all the buzz, and rightfully so. When employees are engaged, they adopt the vision, values and purpose of the organization where they work. Engaged employees are passionate contributors, innovative problem solvers, and stunning colleagues. Plus, high-performing employees want to work in places like that and smart employers want to cultivate that kind of environment. Join us for #WorkTrends as our guest Leila Zayed from Best Companies Group addresses the importance of employee engagement and some practical ways to measure it in an organization. This conversation will help employers discover ways to proactively engage employees and retain talent—and of

#WorkTrends Recap: How to Face the Scariest Employment Challenges of 2016

There are a number of hot issues, new developments, and emerging challenges will no doubt catch employers by storm in 2016. Supreme Court decisions, federal and state laws, and actions by federal regulatory agencies have called into question the very nature of the employer-employee relationship, as well as what rights and benefits employees should be entitled to in the workplace. There are, without question, a myriad of scary employment challenges for HR pros and businesses to navigate. During today’s #WorkTrends show, our guest Beth Zoller from XpertHR discussed these regulatory issues and a variety of topics you need to know to

In Digital We Trust: 4 Questions to Keep Your Reputation In Check

Hold on —I’m just checking my account . . . No, I’m not looking to see if I’ve got the funds in my bank account for my car payment. Instead I mean (and so do you or will soon enough) how many people have recommended or endorsed me on LinkedIn, the number of “likes” I’ve posted on Facebook, the comments I’ve gotten on Airbnb — and whether I vote regularly. Like it or not (and do we?), the world of work is recalibrating your future career currency as you read this. Very soon, your online reputation will be far more significant

HR Needs to Transform and Refocus, Now, with a Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP)

Human resources emerged during the last century in response to new government requirements, employment laws, and employer expectations. However, the last century was a long time ago, and business needs have changed. Most HR departments haven’t managed to keep pace. It’s time for HR to transform and refocus and make use of the human resource business partner (HRBP)—a pivotal role in the transformation process. HRBP: Internal HR Consulting On one side, you have traditional human resources—a profession focused on recruiting, retention, employee relations, benefits, compensation, and compliance. On the other is the rest of the company, faced with a catalog of

5 ‘S’ecrets Of Engaged Social Leadership

A software technology company I consult with is in the middle of a sea change, a shift from one workplace culture to another. This change began when the company brought in a high-level technical executive from another company – not exactly a competitor, but a company in an adjoining market space. Only in tech, market spaces aren’t really independent with no overlap. There’s always the potential for a clash of personalities rather than a happy union. Unfortunately, it has not been graceful for my client. In fact, it’s been one giant stressful process and a wake-up call for the all of

Top 4 Reasons Talent Pipelines are A No-Brainer

Let’s take a look at the U.S. labor market, shall we? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in February 2016, the U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged at a low 4.9 percent; in addition, 1.8 million people were “marginally attached” to the labor force, down by 356,000 from a year earlier. By definition, these individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. Among the marginally attached, there were 599,000 “discouraged workers” in February, down by 133,000 from a year earlier. “Discouraged workers are

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Meghan M. Biro

Meghan M. Biro

Let’s Redefine Employee Engagement in 2016

The Devil At The Desk: Destructive Bosses

The Secret Formula for Exemplary Leadership

Let’s Be Honest About Diversity: Age Matters Too

Did Millennials Kill the 9-to-5 Workday, or Just Point Out That It’s Dead?

#WorkTrends Preview: The Keys to Exemplary Leadership

#WorkTrends Recap: Corporate Culture & Understanding Your Workplace Genome

Big Data: Now an Integral Part of Talent Recruiting

5 Steps to Empowering The Brand You

#WorkTrends Preview: Corporate Culture and Understanding Your Workplace Genome

Why Talent Acquisition Should Own Recruitment Marketing

#WorkTrends Recap: Simple Ways to Measure Employee Engagement

The New World of Work: Flexible Careers and Freelancing

Big Data and Privacy: The Human Consequence of Security Breaches

Dear Leaders: Humanize Your Brand

4 Reasons Leaders Hire In 3D

WorkTrends Preview: Simple Ways to Measure Employee Engagement

#WorkTrends Recap: How to Face the Scariest Employment Challenges of 2016

In Digital We Trust: 4 Questions to Keep Your Reputation In Check

HR Needs to Transform and Refocus, Now, with a Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP)

Top 4 Reasons Talent Pipelines are A No-Brainer

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Meghan M. Biro

Meghan M. Biro

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