Posts

Want to Engage Future Leaders? Empower Them

/, , , /by

Leaders, do workforce engagement issues keep you up at night? If not, here’s a powerful wake-up call from Gallup. Last year, the global employee engagement rate was only 23%. Although that’s the highest level since Gallup started tracking global data in 2009, it means 77% of the workforce still misses the mark. Plus, it falls far short of the 72% benchmark seen in best-practice organizations. So, how can your company move in the right direction? Empower people — especially younger team members.

Empower employees - Gallup global employee engagement trends as of 2023

 

Engage? Or Empower?

Employers recognize just how vital engagement is for workforce well-being and satisfaction, as well as overall business productivity and profitability. As a result, the desire to improve engagement has spawned an endless number of programs, initiatives, and tools to help keep employees interested and engaged in their work. Yet still, strong engagement remains elusive.

Why? Sometimes, the best solution is not about adding more layers to an already complex leadership strategy. Instead, it’s about understanding and adapting to changing workplace trends. This is precisely what’s needed now.

Today’s work dynamics require leaders to understand, appreciate, and adapt to the interests and motivations of an increasingly younger workforce. Those who master this subtle art of purposeful empowerment are more successful at inspiring their staff with a new sense of focus, connection, and commitment.

What Do Next-Generation Engaged Workers Look Like?

As the president of a leadership development consulting firm, I often speak with managers about the most difficult challenges they face. Recently, their answers involve a common complaint. “Kids today!” But what exactly do comments like this mean? When we dig deeper, a more specific profile emerges:

  • Employees from younger generations seem uncertain, yet confident.
  • They continuously demand more, even when myriad choices are available.
  • They introduce new ways to communicate, and are fluent with digital technologies that are typically beyond the grasp of senior team members.

These generational differences may cause frustration and friction. But in truth, every generation can point to differences in others that create difficulties. Instead, we need to challenge our own mindset and operate on positive assumptions rather than negative ones.

This means that no matter what younger employees bring to the workplace and how they shape the work culture, leaders play a vital role in helping them evolve into more engaged, committed individuals and teams. You can’t change the characteristics of people who are entering the workforce, but you can adapt to their reality and meet their development needs. And in the process, you can make your workplace more inclusive and resilient.

To Empower Employees, Where Should You Start?

When adapting to Gen Z and Millennial needs, it’s wise to emphasize working styles. For example, to feel comfortable and focused at work, younger people expect employers to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to their wellbeing. This may include flexible schedules, remote or hybrid work options, shorter workweeks, the ability to take extended mental health breaks, and other creative benefits and work choices.

Support for mental, emotional, and financial health is the new bread and butter of Millennial and Gen Z work experience. And if you resist these needs, you risk losing the best and brightest young talent.

Younger members of the workforce know many possible career paths are available to them. They don’t need to commit to any particular company for the long haul. Now, these individuals are more open to participating in the gig economy and going solo as professional practitioners and entrepreneurs.

Their work/life expectations are also more than a wish list or a passing phase. Here’s why: After years of pandemic disruption, intense remote work environments, and economic challenges, 46% of Gen Zers and 45% of Millennials are feeling burned out. As they see it, their demands are not whims — they’re about physical and mental survival.

How Can Leaders Empower Employees in a Meaningful Way?

Millennials and Gen Z are predicted to comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025. So, if you don’t learn how to empower and engage them now, you’ll soon be outnumbered. To start creating a work environment where younger team members can thrive, try these three strategies:

1. Consider What’s Driving Various Demands

First and foremost, seek to understand the logic behind requests from younger employees. For example, a Gen Zer may prefer remote work because they live in a smaller, cheaper town so they can make ends meet and avoid an expensive commute. Or a Millennial could seek schedule flexibility so they can pursue a side job to improve their financial stability.

There are often serious, valid reasons behind younger workers’ expectations. Recognizing these underlying drivers can help you respond effectively and build a work environment where every employee can thrive.

2. Give Younger Employees a Seat at the Table

One of the most damaging assumptions you can make as a leader is to assume you’re always the most intelligent person in the room. If you let go of this notion, evolution and innovation will immediately become easier, more people will feel included and involved, and ultimately, your business will become more successful.

Invite other voices to join the conversation. Acknowledge the importance of their input, and accept the value of their perspectives. As a result, you can expect a more loyal, committed workforce. In fact, Deloitte research indicates that when younger employees feel empowered to share their ideas and influence in decision-making, 66% stay with their employer for at least 5 years, compared to only 24% who do not feel empowered.

3. Don’t Just Delegate — Empower

Many leaders stop short of empowering employees merely by taking tasks off their own plates and delegating them along with explicit instructions. But if you move from delegating tasks to actually elevating employees and giving them power, they will take ownership and accountability for projects. And ultimately, they’ll be more engaged.

The key is trust and a willingness to let go of control.

As leaders, we’ve been conditioned to jump in with ideas, answers, and solutions — but when we do, we take that opportunity away from others. Whether your team comes to you with an idea, a problem, or a recommendation, take the time to really listen to what they say and why it’s important. And when you ask questions, ask with an intent to understand, not to solve.

It’s Time to Empower the Future

As leaders, we all must recognize and embrace the fact that the world is changing, and organizations are changing, too. This is an opportunity to grow in new, interesting, productive, and profitable ways.

Younger generations are here. They are looking to us to help them transform the way we work. So, don’t dig in your heels or bury your head in the sand. Instead, consider the possibilities and leverage this new source of talent that, with our support, can build a brighter future.

Think Like a Workplace Futurist

/ /by

In the first quarter of 2015, Millennials finally overtook Generation X as the largest cohort in the workplace — there are more than 53.5 million of them working today. Their massive size and economic power has had marketers and business leaders tracking the “Millennial mindset” for years.

And yet, nipping at their heels, here comes Generation Z, the oldest of who are just starting to come of age. The U.S. Census estimates that Generation Z will include close to 80 million members — a number that eclipses the conversation-dominating Millennials.

It’s time to stop thinking in terms of generations; such thinking makes it too easy to buy into assumptions. For example, Millennials aren’t necessarily tech geniuses any more than anyone over the age of 40 is categorically a Luddite.

Instead, a leader needs to learn to think like a futurist. From innovation and technology to diversity and cultural norms, the pace of change is too rapid to focus solely on generational differences.

The Role of Technology, Analytics & Big Data

Younger generations are adjusting to the new world of work as much as their older colleagues; it’s the technology, not any one generation, that’s pushing workplace boundaries.

For example:

Thinking like a futurist means being in a constant state of learning, absorbing emerging trends and concepts, then considering the impact they might have globally as well as longer term. It means being open and receptive to change, both within your organization and outside. It means considering future possibilities, not just what’s happening right now.

For example, futurists are interested to learn how analytics can drive a company’s success.

AMC experienced this when looking into what personality traits lead to the best concession workers. Their data revealed that technology and training weren’t predictors of job performance; what mattered was emotional intelligence, a worker’s ability to work with and engage customers through social interaction.

AMC used these insights to develop a hiring process that screened for these traits in applications. The result? They cut turnover in half, and increased the bottom line margin by 1.5 percent. They didn’t just hire workers who were the best prepared for success, they also found people who stayed with the company for a longer period of time.

While data-informed hiring processes should be embraced, I am compelled to include a note of caution: It’s important to avoid the mistaken belief that algorithms or statistics are free of bias. It isn’t always clear how bias can creep into analytics, but it’s important to see data as the tool it is. Recruiters (read: humans) still need to make decisions, not just interpreting analytics but ensuring that HR best practices are met and that hires are diverse and a great personality fit.

Futurists Consistently Connect Technology and Culture

A futurist will seek to understand not only how technology changes the hiring process, but also its impact on corporate culture.

Technology allows workers to untether themselves from a cubicle; they no longer need to be in an office to attend a meeting or interact with their team. Job seekers have access to a global workplace, where they can prioritize work and employers who reflect their values.

However, freedom of place also has its drawbacks: Feelings of isolation among remote staff, limitations of corporate culture, varying expectations, different work-life boundaries, and a whole new model for communication.

This makes transparency paramount for attracting top talent. An open-book recruitment process allows job seekers to match their work needs to the right organizational culture, which leads to better-qualified applicants who are invested in the outcome.

Artisans Are the Future

A futurist isn’t just a strategist, they’re an artisan: They take trends, interpret them, and craft a vision for their organization. Taking a futuristic approach to work means more than scrutinizing work theories. It means gathering evidence to ultimately take action — one that may require risk, but which can also create competitive advantages.

It’s easy to get caught up in the generational differences that are shaping our evolving workforce; but we need to move beyond labels and focus on the factors that directly influence the way we live and work today and in the future. By actively looking forward, organizations will make better decisions for the culture of the company and its workers. The tools are already here, we just need to approach them with more curiosity and less fear.

Image credit : Bigstock 

A version on this post was first posted on Huffington Post on 11/19/15.

Does Your Corporate Culture Need A Tune-Up?

/ /by

What makes a great leader? Maybe it depends. Sure, the capacity to inspire loyalty, the ability to articulate a vision, emotional intelligence and persuasiveness is valuable. But does a company need a leader whose values are culture-based, or one whose values are aligned with the needs of shareholders and the marketplace?

As a result, job seekers and future employees need to do a bit of digging to ensure the companies they’re interviewing with hold values compatible with their own. Often this boils down to trust. Plain and simple. And yet oh so complex.

For leaders, it means taking a critical look at your company culture, as it’s more important than ever for recruiting and retaining talent.

In my discussions with clients and candidates, I hear often that we are in the middle of a sea change – a generational shift in values. As Millennials make deeper inroads into the workplace, they’re bringing a new set of values, a need for a collaborative culture and a lack of interest in existing workplace structures that is creating tension among workers of other generations. People dance around this a lot, but it needs to be said: things are changing, and fast. Business leaders must be ready to accept that workers’ value systems are in flux, and be prepared to manage through complexity and change.

This topic came up when I was talking with a client about a talent retention challenge he was facing. His office is populated by workers of three generations: Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. Friction in the office was disrupting productivity, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on the real issue. He runs an analyst firm with a fairly flat management structure. Leaders in this workplace with 20+ years of business experience do most of the strategy and management. These people tend to be Boomers in this culture. They’re used to hierarchical management – in other words, they’re accustomed to giving and taking direction, acting independently but consulting with top management, mentoring a lot (we hope), and collaborating in a formal way. They value independence, loyalty and the free exchange of ideas (we hope). A middle layer of GenXers does most of the day-to-day client management – the tactical work – while learning the ropes of strategic counseling. This group is, not surprisingly, a skeptical but hard-working bunch very focused on upward mobility. They, like the Boomers, are comfortable with limited hierarchy. Skilled client relationship managers, they expect everyone to pitch in and pull their weight. They value self-reliance, don’t always follow the rules, are loyal to themselves, and demand work-life flexibility.

The youngest group, the Millennials, supports the client managers. They prefer to work collaboratively but with people of their peer group. They have no problem questioning authority, love to brainstorm, and don’t always understand why their ideas aren’t implemented. They expect to progress quickly in their careers but aren’t always in agreement with senior management on the path. They value innovation, are loyal within their peer group, value social interaction and see work as a means to an end.

When we mapped out the different value systems of employees, my client began to see the problem: his values, which the company was built around, were accepted by the senior team, questioned by middle management and viewed as out of date by the junior team. The generational misalignment in values had created a culture of distrust. Client work was suffering. What could he do? We came up with an exercise along with HR: employees were asked via a blind survey to list the top five things they liked about working in the company, the five least desirable factors, and encouraged to share their ideas for improving the work culture. After analyzing the responses here’s what my client and I realized was needed:

A shared purpose: Mission, vision, and values – everyone had to understand the value system, the purpose, the mission. Even if everyone viewed with their own unique lens. My client assumed everyone was on the same page: his page. This was not the case. He was surprised by this result but immediately put a blended team together to tackle presenting a single, coherent story together. This was the first step to a more clear employer brand.

Training to ensure skill levels and competency: Necessary to ensure all employees trusted the skill levels of their colleagues.

More, and better, communication: The client thought communication cross-teams was working, and he thought he communicated well, but the different values of the age groups made it obvious this area needed work.

Clear reward system and growth path: The path to upper management had to be articulated, expectations set, and reward systems demystified. And be social. Yes, I mean social media.Yes, I mean HR technology if it fits.

Acknowledging and celebrating differences: To rebuild trust, the client needed to be clear that he was aware of different styles and willing to honor the diversity of the group.

It wasn’t an overnight fix, of course. A values and culture misalignment happens over time, and requires an investment of time, trust, open communication and shared sense of commitment to repair. As the workplace continues to change, as Boomers retire and Gen X and Gen Y moves up, this scenario may be more common. Leaders need to be prepared to take alternative routes of thinking into account to build and motivate winning teams and values. You will not keep your top talent by sitting on the sidelines and hoping. Taking action matters.

Oh and btw … I am hoping soon we can move way from generational stereotyping but it’s still alive and well in my conversations. Only when I was able to point out to him generational “facts” was he able to really give me a buy-in for these ideas to implement. See the irony here? The truth is we are more similar than we give ourselves credit for. Sometimes it’s as simple as communication. Often this is the missing link. Here’s to hoping.

This post was adapted from “Dear Leaders: Please Revisit Your Corporate Culture,” which originally appeared on Forbes.com.

About the Author: Meghan M. Biro is a globally-recognized talent management leader and social business and community catalyst. As founder and CEO of TalentCulture Consulting Group, she has worked with hundreds of companies, from early-stage ventures to global brands like Microsoft and Google, helping them recruit and empower stellar talent.

photo credit: Wrenched DOF via photopin (license)

5 Tips For Effective Multigenerational Employee Recognition

/ /by

Here’s a surprise about managing multigenerational workforces: when it comes to being recognized for their hard work, the “generations” are remarkably similar.

A 2013 O.C. Tanner Institute global research study found that all employees, regardless of age, are far more engaged, driven and connected to the company when they’re recognized for their contributions. They have better work relationships too.

The following statistics from the study show just a couple examples of the consistent value of recognition across generations.

Drive and determination

  • Strong Recognition Programs: 88% of employees ages 25-44 and 89% of those ages 45+ report feeling a high sense of drive and determination.
  • Weak Recognition Programs: A mere 41% of ages 25-44 and 47% of those ages 45+ experience a high level of drive and determination.

Company connection

  • Strong Recognition Programs: 79% of employees age 25-44 and 84% of those feel a strong connection to their organization.
  • Weak Recognition Programs: Only 32% of employees ages 25-44 and 39% of those 45+ feel a strong company connection.

Despite the clear value of recognition regardless of employees’ ages, to ensure your recognition is effective, there are some important generational nuances managers should account for, as shown in the following five best practices:

1. Deepen engagement by holding younger employees accountable and building trust for older workers.

Towers Watson research shows that regardless of age, the top driver of employee engagement is a “sense of opportunity for development in the organization and that the company cares about me.”

However, the number two driver of engagement for younger workers (ages 25-44) is a sense that employees are held accountable for their work. Younger workers want to know their work will get noticed and see how it makes a difference for the company and their careers. For older workers (ages 45-64), a feeling of trust for leaders and respect by leaders is the number two engagement driver. They need to feel that their company trusts them to perform, and trust that their managers support their actions.

2. Motivate younger employees with promotions and formal recognition for their work. Motivate older employees with variety and autonomy.

Across the board, employees are motivated by exciting, challenging work. But once that need is met, generational nuances matter. Younger employees (ages 25-44) want their work to be noticed by their peers, leaders and the organization. Recognition and promotions help younger employees feel a sense of opportunity and well-being. Older employees (ages 45-64) want to feel secure in the organization they work for; variety and autonomy not only give them this feeling, but also allow them to feel empowered to make a difference.

3. Make sure recognition is meaningful for less experienced employees and based on performance for more experienced employees.

Less experienced employees (those under age 25) want recognition to come across as genuine and personal. More experienced employees (ages 26 and up) need their recognition to be specific, based on performance, and given for very clear reasons.

4. Highlight unique ways less experienced employees contribute, and make sure recognition is given fairly for more experienced employees. 

All employees want to be recognized and appreciated in a variety of ways. Less experienced employees want to be uniquely valued, preferring more spontaneous recognition. Recognition that appears to be given to younger workers to “check a box” or “because it’s their turn” is not meaningful. More experienced workers are less concerned with uniqueness and more concerned with recognition that is fair, based on performance, and earned. Because they typically have more senior positions/greater tenure, their award expectations are also higher.

5. When planning career celebrations, keep in mind what would be most meaningful for each individual employee.

According to the O.C. Tanner Institute study, younger employees (ages 25-44) report wanting a more casual, party-like environment with more opportunities to socialize, to get away from the work location, and have greater management participation (but they’re sensitive to presentations that are generic and not personalized). Older employees (ages 45-64) are more comfortable with more corporate/formal presentations, family involvement, and greater management participation.

By recognizing and appreciating your multigenerational employees appropriately, you can engage, motivate and inspire great work from all of them.

About the Author: The New York Times bestselling author of Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love, David Sturt began his career in market research, where he studied and analyzed the impact of recognition on people and their work. In the two decades since, he has researched and developed products and services that engage employees, inspire contributions, and reward outstanding results in organizations around the world.

photo credit: Pigsaw via photopin cc

Old Dogs + New Tricks: Will HR Learn? #TChat Preview

/ /by

(Editor’s Note: Are you looking for complete highlights and resource links from this week’s events? Read the #TChat Recap: “Age Discrimination At Work: Bad Business”.)

This week, the TalentCulture community action is truly nonstop, with a trifecta of #TChat events! Let me help connect the dots between these three elements — old dogs, new tricks and HR lessons to live by:

1) HR Celebrates New Tools: Today Oct 6, TalentCulture’s intrepid founders Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman hit the ground running at this week’s HR Tech Conference — which promises to be the biggest and most mind-blowing ever. Meghan explains what all the buzz is about at Forbes.com: “7 Hottest Trends In HR Technology.”

2) HR Learns New Tricks: Tomorrow Oct 7, LIVE from the conference, Meghan and Kevin host an Expert Roundtable Discussion on Employee Engagement. If you’re not at the conference, you can follow the action from a distance on the #TChat Twitter stream from 2:30-3:15pmPT (5:30-6:15pmET).

3) But Are “Old Dogs” Willing? Perhaps too often in today’s digitally driven workplace, it’s suggested that innovation is a young person’s game. But is that perception realistic? Is it fair? And is it even legal? Those questions inspired us to focus on age discrimination at our weekly #TChat Twitter chat, this Wednesday Oct 9.

Youth Code: Age In Today’s Workplace

If you’re familiar with TalentCulture, you know our community has no fear about taking on deeply human workplace issues. In the past year alone, we’ve explored the relationship between “thought diversity” and business innovation, we’ve considered the value of reverse mentoring, and we’ve discussed the need to remove age-related stereotypes as Millennials enter the workforce.

Now we invite you to fasten your seat belts as we take a realistic look at age discrimination, and its implications for an aging workforce. We’ll be guided by two respected HR community leaders:

• Steve Levy, a prominent workforce sourcing expert and popular recruiting blogger.

• Heather Bussing, an employment law attorney who is also a founding editorial advisory board member and contributor at HR Examiner.

I sat down briefly with Steve in a joint G+ Hangout to frame this topic. Watch now, and I’m sure you’ll won’t want to miss what should be a lively and helpful social learning opportunity this Wednesday on Twitter!

#TChat: Age Discrimination at Work: Perception and Reality

#TChat Twitter — Wednesday, Oct 9 — 7pmET / 4pmPT

This week, we’ll skip the #TChat Radio interview and jump right into the #TChat Twitter stream, with event moderator, Cyndy Trivella. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to join us as we discuss these 5 questions:

Q1: Do you see age discrimination at work? Describe it.
Q2: If a company hires or fires with age in mind, what does that say about its culture?
Q3: Which is more prevalent / problematic: discrimination of young or old?
Q4: How can we improve the perception and reality of age at work? Laws? And…?
Q5: What role can technology play in empowering older workers?

Throughout the week, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed and on our LinkedIn Discussion Group. So feel free to contribute your thoughts. Please join us and share your ideas, opinions, questions, and concerns!

We’ll see you on the stream!