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Hiring for Soft Skills: Benefits and Tips

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Today, hiring for soft skills is critical for your organization’s success. By looking beyond a job’s requisite hard skills, such as those needed for cloud computing or customer service, you can attract and retain top talent by focusing on soft skill recruitment.

According to a recent LinkedIn Global Talent Trends survey, 92 percent of hiring and talent professionals stated that it’s “increasingly important” to hire candidates with well-developed soft skills, especially in today’s changing workplace. In the same survey, 89 percent stated that bad hires “typically have poor soft skills.”

Unlike hard skills, however, soft skills are often trickier to assess during the hiring process. It’s hard to tell from a resume what soft skills someone possesses. And traditional interview questions don’t typically focus on these competencies.

In this article, we’ll explore some benefits of hiring for soft skills for organizations. And we will offer tips for switching to a soft skills-focused hiring process.

Benefits of Hiring for Soft Skills

Broaden and diversify your hiring pipeline

Increased workplace productivity, employee retention, and improved customer service experiences aren’t the only benefits of hiring for soft skills. Additionally, hiring for soft skills allows you to broaden and diversify your hiring pipeline since you’re shifting your focus away from credentials.

According to Harvard Business Review, companies with robust talent pipelines focus on “potential, not credentials.” For example, instead of focusing on technical skills, which have a shelf life of a couple of years, soft skills can last a lifetime. Notably, those employers all valued soft skills as much as they did hard ones.

Increase workplace productivity and retention

In a frequently cited study by Harvard University, University of Michigan, and Boston University, researchers found that soft skills training increases productivity and retention by 12 percent, overall netting a 256 percent return on investment. That would make any CFO happy.

Further, as the workplace quickly evolves, upskilling and reskilling are at the top of everyone’s to-do list. Training for soft skills is no different. In a 2019 Consumer Technology Association study, 66 percent of tech industry leaders stated that “professional development programs to hone soft skills” are important or very important to retaining qualified employees over the next five years.

Improve customer satisfaction and experience

Soft skills are also essential when delivering superior customer experiences. After all, most customer service skills are soft skills, such as active listening, communication, and empathy.

And, of course, when customers have better experiences, this leads to increased sales. Forrester recently reported that companies focused on customer experience increased revenue 1.4 times faster while increasing customer lifetime value 1.6 times more than companies without a customer experience focus.

Ease upskilling

Additionally, soft skills are more challenging to teach than hard skills. Why are soft skills harder to learn? For one, they are rooted in personality, unlike hard skills. For example, empathy may be rooted in one’s life experience.

Because soft skills are tied to an employee’s personality, improvement of these skills requires continual learning and self-reflection. It’s just not the same for hard skills like accounting. When you hire for soft skills first, you’ll find it easier to upskill employees. This is because you’ll be focused on easier-to-train hard skills.

Tips for Switching to a Soft Skills Focused Recruiting Process

Focus on your job descriptions

Review your current job descriptions. Do they focus on soft skills such as communication or teamwork? If not, it’s time to step back. Review the competencies needed for the job opening and refine your job ad accordingly. Refocusing your job requirements with soft skills in mind not only helps you find the best candidate but also strengthens your talent pipeline by broadening your pool of qualified applicants.

Structure your interviews

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “hard skills can be trained; soft skills can’t.” Because of this, it’s critical to structure your job interviews in a way to solicit insight into soft skills competencies. However, when refining your interviewing process, be sure to standardize your questions, helping to keep potential bias in check.

Screen for soft skills efficacy

Pre-hire assessment tools allow you to pinpoint soft skills at the top of the funnel. By incorporating these tools into your hiring process, you can hire up to 10 times more accurately. This saves money, time, and, yes, frustration, while creating a better recruitment experience for candidates.

With AI-driven tools such as Cangrade’s pre-hire assessments and job description decoder, you can start narrowing your talent pool quickly, making the right hire the first time. You can learn more about how these tools help you identify the specific soft skills required for success in your organization with this demo.

How Job Management Software Helps Create a Culture of Workplace Efficiency and Productivity

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There’s no question that using a job management software creates benefits, but what specific benefits does it bring when it comes to workplace efficiency and productivity? How does it create a positive culture that benefit a business?

  1. Sticking to Deadlines

What’s great about using job management or scheduling software is it creates a sense of urgency for everyone to start and finish tasks as they are scheduled. Since these schedules are in the software, nobody gets to think that they can haggle for an extension. It’s perceptively better as compared to verbal orders or agreements on deadlines. Everybody is expected to work according to what has been set in the software as deadlines are clearly stated and there are notifications/alerts that can be set to remind everyone that the deadline is nearing. Forgetting or getting confused with the deadlines simply wouldn’t cut for an excuse. Of course it does not always happen that all schedules or deadlines are followed but this expectation of sticking to deadlines is good for creating a culture of workplace efficiency and productivity. Everyone in the company is made to understand that if they mess up with their tasks and deadlines, they will mess up the schedules of other departments or the rest of a project being completed.

  1. Facilitating Prioritization

Setting priorities when managing a business may sound easy but it certainly isn’t. What’s easy? Getting lost and confused when confronted with a multitude of tasks and plans. By using a job management and scheduling software, the task of identifying and setting priorities can be carefully decided upon. Being able to properly set priorities is indubitably a boon to achieving better efficiency and productivity in the workplace. It’s important to emphasize, though, that prioritization is not just about the sequencing of tasks or activities. It’s less of of which should be done first and which should be last, and more of being dynamic to complete tasks given the resources available at the moment and to satisfying requirements with greater urgency. All activities deemed necessary in a business operation are of course necessary. It’s a matter of doing something first because it’s what is needed and what can be completed first with the resources available.

  1. Getting Rid of Geographic Barriers

Another very important advantage of using job management software is the ability to monitor jobs remotely. Many of the job management software tools at present support remote access. This means managers and others involved in a project get to open information and do monitoring from anywhere. In other words, they can perform many of their functions without having to be in the office or in the same location. The use of a job management software is a good way to handle teams with telecommuting workers as job assignment and progress monitoring can be done remotely. This definitely can enable efficient and productive operations although it’s not applicable in all types of jobs and situations.

Some employees prefer working at their own place, and that can mean better efficiency and productivity for them. There’s no reason not to let them telecommute if that can make them more productive. Telecommuting can even mean savings for the company. It’s just important for the management, though, to ascertain that telecommuting will create advantages in the long run and not become an issue.

  1. Collaboration

Using a project and task management software can improve collaboration as it simplifies and clarifies the process of doing it. Of course, collaboration is advantageous when it comes to improving workplace productivity and efficiency. Even if the software you choose does not inherently include a collaboration feature or support for integrating a collaboration software tool, you can expect to improve conduciveness for collaboration with the help of a task or job management software. This is because everything is laid out clearly. Information about tasks, functions, jobs, and processes can be quickly and comprehensively accessed so it becomes easier to identify personnel or teams that can be made to work together, especially when their functions are interrelated and they are sharing resources to perform their functions.

  1. Facilitating Tweaks on Schedules

Lastly, when using task or job management software, it becomes easier to identify problem areas and introduce tweaks. Since almost all of the details of jobs or tasks in a project (or the company in general) can be seen through the software, it would be faster to identify accountability and determine problems. The real-time progress monitoring and generation of reports afforded by most job management software also make it easier to evaluate whether or not the current workflow is optimized or is being inefficient. The quick determination of problem areas and prompt introduction of tweaks or solutions certainly contribute to the establishment of an efficient and productive workplace.

The advantages that can be enjoyed in deciding to use a task or job management software are not imaginary or purely theoretical. They are definitely worth considering. The advantages don’t even stop with the creation of a culture of productiveness and efficiency. The points raised here are just some of the most compelling reasons why you should think of investing in a good job management software if your main goals are efficient and productive operations.

Image credit: Stuart Miles via Freedigitalphotos.net

Why You Should Care About Emotional Culture

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The importance of a strong corporate culture is one of the rock-solid tenets of the business world. Organizational leaders often get everyone on the same page by emphasizing corporate culture, and by defining their company’s values, beliefs, philosophy, ethics, standards of behavior, and personality. But what about “emotional culture?”

Emotional culture, a less well-known component of work culture, is getting more attention these days. Two business management professors, Sigal Barsade and Olivia O’Neill, have written insightfully about emotional culture, and they define it as the culture centered around the affective values of an organization—i.e., feelings, moods, and attitudes—in contrast to the cognitive values that typically make up the traditional corporate culture.

But are you wondering why you need to care about your employees’ emotions? It’s simple. Your employees’ emotional connections to their jobs have a substantial impact on bottom-line issues like productivity, workplace engagement, and how they present themselves to your customers.

And, as Barsade and O’Neill point out, your employees will not necessarily express their moods or attitudes verbally. Emotions typically come out through facial expressions and body language. For that reason, it’s important that organization leaders pay attention and respond to their workers’ emotional cues.

Assessing Employee Emotions

The costs of ignoring emotional culture can be quite high. Dissatisfaction or disengagement from the workplace depresses productivity—and can also generate a higher rate of employee turnover, which can be extremely detrimental to a business’ bottom line. Conversely, employees who work in a culture that values their emotional well-being report higher levels of satisfaction, which leads to higher retention, better quality of work, and a stronger commitment to their employer.

Barsade and O’Neill cite examples of companies that actively monitor employee emotions, using technological tools or hiring consultants to track the moods of their workers, and correlating that information with what is happening in the workplace.

While the use of technological tools can be expensive, there are ways to assess employees’ emotions without making substantial expenditures. For example, you can conduct employee surveys to gauge their opinions and emotional satisfaction. Sometimes the very fact that managers have cared enough to ask can prove to provide a boost to employee attitudes. Try implementing the following tips:

  • Sit down with your staff on a regular basis and ask their opinions.
  • Talk about the various organizational matters that may affect their feelings and attitudes about doing their jobs.
  • Take the time to seek their feedback on a new corporate policy or procedure. Pose such questions as: Do you like the new policy? If not, why are you unhappy about it? How would you improve it?

Again, the fact that you, or your management team, are asking these questions shows you value employee input, which is an important first step in boosting your organization’s emotional culture.

Improving Emotional Culture

Once you can gauge the emotional culture in your organization, you may find yourself wondering what you can do to improve it. Here are some suggestions:

Open the lines of communication from the top down. Promoting an emotional culture starts at the top with an empathetic CEO who sets the tone and models the behavior for other executives and departmental managers. The leadership team can then also show empathy and employee concern. For example, a boss who greets employees with a smile and a sincere inquiry of, “How is your day?” is a lot more likely to engender a positive reaction than the supervisor who often has a sour expression and usually only speaks to workers to level complaints.

Acknowledge significant life events. Celebrate birthdays, weddings, and the birth of new babies with cakes or office parties. Also, acknowledge in a personal way when an employee may be experiencing personal difficulties, such as the death of a parent or the end of a marriage. Employees who are facing personal challenges appreciate understanding from their boss and others in the organization. Knowing that an organization supports them emotionally in times of trouble will provide a stronger connection between the employer and the employee.

Show your team you value their hard work. People are more likely to expend the effort to do a good job if they know their efforts are appreciated. Let your staff know when they’ve met or exceeded expectations by providing verbal compliments, a congratulatory email, company-wide acknowledgment in a meeting, or a mention in a corporate newsletter. Also use the newsletter to acknowledge corporate anniversaries. On the major milestone anniversaries (10 years, 25 years, etc.), recognize the employee with a celebratory cake, gift, or plaque.

Build relationships outside of the office. Perhaps host an annual corporate picnic or holiday party, that allows employees become acquainted with each other’s spouses, significant others, and children. Getting to know your team as people helps you understand their motivations for working and build a better work environment for them. Once they know you care about them personally, they are more likely to work harder, have greater satisfaction in their jobs, and become more engaged in helping the organization succeed.

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How Noise and Distractions are Killing Office Productivity – And What You Can Do To Fix It.

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Is your office feeling a little too “open” lately? You’re not alone. Open floor plan layouts have become increasingly common in a wide range of industries. These environments can enable better collaboration and innovation which can help businesses stay competitive. But an open office also usually means greater distractions in the workplace.

Distractions come in all forms. Loud coworkers, impromptu brainstorms or meetings, phone calls, or even digital distractions such as mobile devices and social networking sites can all lead to lower productivity and less focus on actual work. Recently, Oxford Economics, in collaboration with Plantronics, surveyed more than 1,200 senior executives and non-executive employees from around the world on this subject. Understanding the challenges of these distractions, and how to address them, are critical to developing a collaborative environment. Some of the study’s top findings include:

  • Noise and distractions are a big source of conflict between management and employees

Employees ranked the ability to focus on work without interruptions as their top work priority, (even more important than office perks like free food or onsite day care). These employees report that noise reduces their satisfaction at work, with some seeking to block out distractions by holing up in break rooms, taking walks outside or throwing on headphones and using music to escape. Interestingly, bosses often don’t see the problem. Nearly two-thirds of executives surveyed said employees are equipped with the tools they need to deal with distractions at work; but less than half of employees agreed.

  • Millennials are more likely to say noise distracts them

While the research shows that millennial workers are not as different from their older colleagues as stereotypes suggest, younger workers did set themselves apart in one aspect: they hate noise. Millennials reported being more annoyed by ambient noise in the office and are more likely to drown out the noise in their own way, including listening to music or leaving their desks. These workers were more likely to say that blocking out distractions increases their productivity and improves their mood. Millennials are also more open to the use of technology and look to technology and personal connectivity as a means of career development.

  • Noise is an afterthought in office design

As more and more companies are shifting to an open culture environment that promotes more immediate interaction with others, increased noise and distractions is often a trade-off. When asked which factors were considered when designing their organization’s office space, executives ranked minimizing distractions far below other choices: encouraging employee interactions, improving productivity and the ever popular minimizing costs.

It’s clear that the main priority for employees at all levels is the desire to do their work, and to do it well. Good employees strive for an environment and access to the tools that will ensure they can do their job to their best ability.

Companies that are proactive about gathering and receptive to their employees’ feedback are most likely to see a more positive and fruitful work environment. To begin the process:

  • Start a dialogue between executives and employees about what is working—and what needs to change
  • Consider encouraging more flexible schedules as some people may benefit from working on certain projects from home or during times that the office is less busy
  • Make sure employees have the tools and devices they need to do their jobs anywhere – whether it’s from the office, or somewhere remote.
  • Give employees the opportunity to collaborate, but also ensure they get quiet time, spaces, and devices they need for focused work to allow them to be more productive during the work day.
  • Provide employees with the technology that will positively impact their performance – According to the Oxford Economics study, up to 90% of employees see new and emerging technologies as having a positive impact on their productivity, career, and quality of life. Employees have a variety of different needs for technology across an organization, depending on their role, duties and preferences. A recent Plantronics study on “personas” found that there are five unique personas that comprise 82% of any typical enterprise environment, meaning there are at least five different work styles that must be considered.
  • Encourage everyone—executives and employees alike—to disconnect after hours. This will ultimately lead to a more relaxed, engaged workforce and better business results for the company as a whole.

The Oxford Economics Study, “When the walls come down: How smart companies are rewriting the rules of the open workplace,” is available on OxfordEconomics.com. For more workplace productivity solutions, please visit Plantronics.com. This post has been sponsored by Plantronics.

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Workplace Stress—What’s Your Level?

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Can a 100-year-old experiment in stress teach us about today’s workplace productivity? In 1908, psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson described an experiment in which they were able to motivate rats through a maze using mild electrical shocks. They found that if the shocks were too strong, the rats would lose their motivation to complete the maze and instead move about randomly trying to escape. Yerkes and Dodson concluded that increasing stress and arousal levels could help to focus motivation and attention onto a particular task, but only up to a certain point—then it became ineffective. In modern psychology, this is known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law.

Research from the 1950s to 1980s has largely confirmed that the correlation between heightened stress levels and improved motivation/focus exists, though an exact cause for the correlation has not been established. More recently in 2007, researchers have suggested that the correlation is related to the brain’s production of stress hormones, glucocorticoids (GCs), which, when measured during tests of memory performance, demonstrated a similar curve to the Yerkes-Dodson experiment. Also, it showed a positive correlation with good memory performance, suggesting that such hormones also may be responsible for the Yerkes-Dodson effect.

More recently, companies have noticed a relationship between stress and productivity in the workplace. Science Times’ recent study links constant email notification to stress, while several sites have released several studies regarding stress in the workplace. “Constant stress” at Amazon centers are making workers sick, according to the U.K. Union, while Amazon’s “brutal workplace” is an indicator of an “inhumane economy,” according to the L.A. Times. The Nation reports that it’s not just Amazon, stress is a factor of the modern workplace. On the other hand, Google’s perks have been shown to alleviate stress and boost employees’ morale, and FastCompany.com reports that happy employees are 12 percent more productive.

Stress has been known to sneak up on us, so how do we know if we’re stressed? The International Stress Management Association says that psychological signs can include worrying; depression and anxiety; memory lapses; or being easily distracted. Emotionally we can be tearful, irritable, have mood swings or feel generally out of control. Stress can even affect us physically, with weight loss or gain; aches, pains and muscle tension; frequent colds or infections; and even dizziness and palpitations. These signs can start to affect our behavior, with no time for relaxation or pleasurable activities, becoming a workaholic, being prone to accidents/forgetfulness, insomnia, or increased reliance on alcohol, smoking, caffeine, and/or recreational/illegal drugs.

Obviously, some signs are more severe than others, with 75 percent of Americans report experiencing at least one of the following symptoms of stress in the past month:

  • irritable/angry: 37 percent
  • nervous/anxious: 35 percent
  • lack of interest/motivation: 34 percent
  • fatigued: 32 percent
  • overwhelmed: 32 percent
  • depressed/sad: 32 percent

The Mayo Clinic has identified two types of stress triggers: acute and chronic. Acute is the basic human “fight or flight” response, the immediate reaction to a perceived threat, challenge, or scare. It typically is immediate and intense, and in certain instances (skydiving, roller coasters, etc.) it can be a positive and even thrilling thing. Chronic stress is a more long-term variety of stress that, while it can be beneficial as a motivator, can pile up and become negative if left unchecked. Persistent stress can lead to health problems, and while it generally is more subtle than acute stress responses, its effects can be longer lasting and more problematic.

Signs of workplace stress can include a change in the employee’s normal behavior, such as irritability, withdrawal, unpredictability or generally uncharacteristic behaviors, a sudden change in appearance, a sudden lack of concentration/commitment, lateness or even absenteeism. Healthy amounts of stress are difficult to aim for, as stress is an individual issue, but there are some management methods that could lead to too much stress in the workplace. Helpguide.com says that unequal delegation of work; giving out unrealistic deadlines; listening to employee concerns, but not taking action; inconsistency/indecisiveness in approach to employees; panicking and not forward planning, and not being aware of pressures on the team can all lead to a high amount of stress in the workplace. Additionally, job insecurity can lead to a 50 percent increase in the odds that someone reports poor health; high work-related demands increase the odds of having an illness diagnosed by a doctor by 35 percent; and long work hours have been shown to increase mortality by 20 percent, all according to FastCompany.com.

Companies, however, are trying to find ways to combat workplace stress. Appster regularly funds employee outings and even has a workplace dog to help relieve stress, but the company realizes that perks alone often don’t do enough to effectively relieve stress. The company has instituted a “weekly vent report,” an online board where employees can anonymously, but publicly, post complaints and concerns. These are followed up by monthly town hall style meetings where issues raised on the vent boards are addressed openly. There also are monthly one-on-one check-in meetings for all employees so that they have a chance to talk about themselves on an individual basis.

Google also recognizes that perks are not the be-all-end-all of stress management. To further combat stress, the company offers classes to employees such as Meditation 101, Search Inside Yourself and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Google also has created a combination virtual and in-person community called gPause to help support and encourage the practice of mediation through methods such as daily in-person meditation sits at more than 35 offices, “mindful eating meals,” and occasional day meditation retreats.

FastCompany.com reports that stress relief is about more than offering employees an increasing number of perks; there must be active efforts specifically targeting stress, rather than avoiding the issue and hoping employees remain happy. In fact, people who reported having emotional support during times of stress, according to APA.org, reported an average stress level of 4.8/10, and only one-third reported being depressed or sad due to stress in the past month, compared to those who report not having emotional support. They report an average level of 6.2, with one-half reporting that they have felt sad or depressed in the last month.

If your employee has eustress, then he or she could potentially be showing signs of being at their most productive state. Eustress means “good stress,” as opposed to distress, which is negative stress. Signs to look out for in the eustress state include focusing on the task at hand, using time most efficiently, self-managing his or her work and increased motivation. Positive personal stressors could include receiving a promotion or raise at work, marriage, moving, taking a vacation or learning a new skill. However, sometimes it can be difficult to differ between eustress and distress. Here are some key characteristics to distinguish between the two:

  • short-term vs. long-term
  • perceived to be within our own coping vs. perceived to be outside our own coping
  • motivates and focuses energy vs. demotivates and focuses energy
  • feels exciting vs. feels unpleasant
  • improves performance vs. decreases performance

Distress doesn’t necessarily have to stem from the workplace; it also could be the result of multiple life factors. Ask if there is anything you can do to help alleviate the stressors, such as simple modifications to the employees’ workflow for a short period of time. Perhaps Appster Co-Founder Mark McDonald said it best: “The cheapest, most effective way to help stress is simply listening to staff.”

A version of this post was first published on bryan.edu.

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#TChat Recap: Finding Email Productivity At Work

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Finding Email Productivity At Work

Being productive is an admirable feat. Finding email productivity while at work is just as admirable nowadays. While there’s always plenty of office activity taking place during the course of a day, we often find ourselves limiting our productivity with unnecessary processes that cluster our time and effectiveness. When emailing first made its appearance we were all excited by this communication tool. We saw endless possibilities of how we could improve our communication and workplace efficiency. Now, email has been around for over 30 years and the excitement it once brought seems to be fading softly away. But as always, there’s still hope for eliminating or reducing the clutter that constant email bombardment has created for us. This week, our community was joined by: Marsha Egan, CEO of The Egan Group, and a leading authority on email productivity, who taught us that email toxicity doesn’t have to blacken our workdays.

As #TChat’s discussion progressed we began to understand that emails trigger a very important and common effect within us all. We are reliant on technology because we rely on information. Understanding why emails cluster our workdays is simple.

Information is everything. Whether it’s reading a quick text message from a friend or interrupting data, we place a high-level of importance and urgency on information. Information is what makes the world tick and it’s what makes us tick. But because there is so much information flying around, we have to think carefully and process it all to monitor how we communicate, especially with how we write and send emails. It is recommended that we:

Sometimes, less is better and easier to grasp. Being specific and transparent is everything in the world of social media. Well, this same concept applies when writing emails now. Treat an email as if it were a tweet. Obviously your message will require a little more content than 140 characters, but it’s important you communicate the importance of your message and its urgency. Remember, that’s why we still have office phones. But when it comes to improving our email communication then let’s start with a couple of simple steps.

Managing email productivity is also about managing the time we spend sorting through emails. Time management begins with creating a schedule. Same idea applies when managing your email inbox, except you should think about other variables involved. Find the time to:

At the end of the day, email productivity is about communication and managing the entire process. It’s not about trying to create more work or complicate office processes. Emailing has to transcend to a much simpler form of communication. Email is a communication tool and not a collaboration tool. We mustn’t mistake the two and treat emails as a be-all and end-all tool. Email was created to enhance communication and make it easier for us to work. It can still accomplish this when we manage the kind of information we’re sending out and its level of output. Remember, less cluster in our emails means getting our productivity back.

Checkout Our Insights On Email Productivity From #TChat!

What’s Up Next? #TChat Events Kicks Off On Wednesday, Nov. 12th!

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We’ll be discussing How Global Megatrends Are Impacting Engagement Strategies during our Social Hour on #TChat with our guest host: Mark Royal, Senior Principal at Hay Group who organizations design and implementation of employee engagement strategies.

#TChat Radio Kicks Off at 7pm ET / 4pm PT — Our weekly live broadcast runs 30 minutes. Usually, #TChat-ters listen in and engage with our community on Twitter during this time. Checkout this week’s BlogTalkRadio show preview here: How Global Megatrends Are Impacting Engagement Strategies.

#TChat Twitter Kicks Off at 7:30pm ET/ 4pm PT — Our Social Hour midpoint begins and ends with our highly engaging 30 minute Twitter discussion. During this time, we’ll take a deep social dive about our weekly topic by asking 3 thought adrenalizing questions. So join in on the fun during #TChat and share some of your brain power with us (or tweet us @TalentCulture).

Become A Part Of Our Social Community & Checkout Our Updates! 

The TalentCulture conversation continues daily on Twitter, in our LinkedIn group, and on our Google+ community. Engage with us anytime on our social networks or stay current with trending World of Work topics through our weekly email newsletter. Signing up is just a click away!

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What Can Swarms Teach Us About Teams?

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You may not work in an emergency room — but your organization may want to function like one. As critical issues arise, the ability to quickly shift resources and refocus energy can have a keen impact on continued business success.

This kind of workforce agility helps organizations meet challenges swiftly and succinctly. Which begs the question: Is your organization ready for a work swarm?

Swarming: A Closer Look

Borrowed from the rhythms of nature, the notion of “swarming” to assemble a cross-functional or cross-departmental team, could be considered a key factor in an organization’s ability to develop and thrive. Gartner described a work swarm as a “flurry of collective activity” to deal with non-routine workplace problems or opportunities. (See that discussion here.) Without this option, organizations can fall short in their quest to respond to stressors (or opportunities) in quickly changing internal and external environments.

Developing an ability to swarm is just as much an orientation toward the work itself, as it is a problem solving technique. Swarming needs talent and skills to flow quickly toward projects, as it capitalizes upon an agile culture and a fluid talent stream. This requires a modern view of organizational boundaries and talent utilization. There are challenges to swarming — and the process may not prove appropriate for all organizations. However, it may be an interesting option to consider.

Putting Swarm Theory To Work

Here are some ideas to keep in mind:

1) Apply open-system theory. Work swarming requires talent to flow into the organization, as well as within its borders. Early structure theorists (See Katz & Kahn) discuss open-system theory. However, applications of that view seem more possible with the advent of relevant social networks.

2) Let internal structure flex. To enable swarming, the structure of an organization would need to become increasingly fluid. Talent within the organization would be allowed to cross functional lines more easily and routinely.

3) Seek diversity. Including a considerably wider range of knowledge bases when forming a team to problem solve is desired – as solutions can come unexpectedly, from a loosely “related” discipline or function. These sources can include suppliers and others in close proximity to core problems and customers.

4) Remember roles rule. Becoming crystal clear concerning the roles of team players is key. Role clarity can help focus more energy toward the actual content of the problem or issue – and help team members attack their portion of the task at hand more readily.

5) Utilize social platforms. Crowdsourcing platforms (both internally and externally focused) can be utilized to facilitate the problem solving process – where stubborn organizational challenges can be posted and exposed to greater numbers of potential contributors. (Learn more about Innocentive here.)

6) Curate talent communities. Building a pipeline of talent is imperative with swarming – but this should be developed in a manner that is meaningful. Mapping the skills and strengths of potential team players within relevant industries, becomes a critical goal. Furthermore, teaming applications can also help document the evolving skill sets of potential contributors.

Have you utilized swarming techniques to speed problem solving at your organization? If so, how well did it work?

(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared as a LinkedIn Influencer post. It is republished with permission.)

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Disasters And Digital News: 5 Ways To Cope At Work

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(Editor’s Note: All of us in the TalentCulture community mourn the loss of our dear friend, brilliant colleague and mindful mentor, Judy Martin, who passed away unexpectedly on January 31, 2014. Her message and her life are a lesson for us all. We will forever fondly remember her humor, warmth and wisdom.)

(Origianl Editor’s Note: With the D.C. Navy shipyard shootings, and the recent anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we’re reminded of the stressful effects that 24×7 news cycles can have on employee wellbeing. Here’s timeless advice from a stress management expert.)

This past spring brought a trifecta of tragic news to our nation — arguably throwing a painful monkey wrench of digital disruption into everyone’s work-life merge. Whether it was the Boston Marathon bombings, the devastating Midwest floods, or the fertilizer plant explosion that flattened the town of West, Texas, many of us were alerted to these events within minutes, and had to cope with the news while at work.

Chances are, no matter what headline appeared on your digital device or computer monitor, it had an impact on your emotional well-being — perhaps even eliciting a visceral response. This real-time digital disruption has now reared its head as the latest workplace stressor that both employees and employers must contend with. It’s one example of what I call “The Technology Paradox.”

What do I mean by paradox? It’s simple. The same technology that helps us keep in touch with family members, communicate with business colleagues, and stay on top of work projects also can deliver an instant punch to the gut in the form of disturbing news. It acts as an assault to the nervous system, creating tension that can diminish work performance.

Bad News And The Mind/Body Connection

Think back for a moment. How did you feel when you heard last spring’s harrowing headlines? Did you experience a mix of sadness, fear and concern? Perhaps your heart raced, your blood pressure spiked or you became short of breath. After-the-fact, putting a lot of energy into thinking about those events can also cause stress and anxiety that linger as ongoing tension.

Even a quick jolt of disturbing news can elicit an intense “fight-or-flight” response that releases adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream. An unexpected breaking news event can rapidly trigger a stress response in the minds and emotions of people throughout an organization. Although humans are fairly resilient, and the stress response typically subsides within an hour, long-term consequences can develop. For example, studies show that elevated and chronic levels of cortisol can interfere with learning, memory, concentration, the immune system, digestion and metabolism.

So, what does this mean for a workforce that is “always on” in an era of 24×7 global news access? In a today’s competitive, social workplace, where computers and personal devices are ubiquitous, responding to breaking news requires awareness and guidelines that are beneficial to the rank and file. Even as recently as a decade ago, things were different. News traveled fast, but not in the “real time” marketplace that now exists. It’s wise for business managers to take this new workplace stressor into consideration. What to do?

5 Ways To Reduce Stress In The Face Of Breaking News

1) Acknowledge the event: Ignoring traumatic news only keeps feelings bottled up — or forces discussion to go underground. Quick, open acknowledgement provides a foundation for others to express an appropriate level of human concern.

2) Talking about it is OK: Continuous online and offline “water-cooler” discussions will naturally occur in the wake of catastrophic events. That’s human nature. Sharing opinions or feelings can be helpful. However, it’s important not to allow yourself, your team or your colleagues to become consumed by conversations that relive the events.

3) Be sensitive to coworkers: You may not know if a coworker is personally affected by the tragedy. Be thoughtful about how you speak about the event, and with whom.

4) Limit information intake: You may be tempted to follow a story closely after the initial news breaks. However, constantly checking on the latest developments wastes time, and can keep you locked in a vicious cycle of needless stress. If your work decisions or immediate personal life aren’t affected by having access to continuous coverage, then limit your intake — and encourage others to do so, as well.

5) Take time to digest, rest and build resilience: When disaster first strikes, attention spans immediately plummet. Be easy on yourself and co-workers as you regain firm footing. For some, a few moments of breathing, contemplation or a brief walk can go a long way toward processing the event. After the initial shock subsides, engaging in ongoing resilience-building activities can help reduce external sensory stress. Regular meditation, exercise or just listening to calming music can flip your energy and mind to a more grounded view, and away from ongoing drama.

How do you and your organization respond to tragic news in today’s “always on” environment? What ideas do you suggest for others who want to stay aware of news support victims, while remaining focused and productive?

(Editor’s Note: To discuss World of Work topics like this with others in the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat events every Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome. Learn more...)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Your Workspace: How's It Working for You?

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Cultural Clues, Hidden in Plain Sight

What does your workspace say about you? About your organization?

This may have never crossed your mind – but it really should. Workspaces can spur on any number of positive behaviors and organizational outcomes. Your surrounding environment has the potential to enhance opportunities for communication, encourage creativity, and possibly provide the needed spark for innovative thought. I find that workspaces are the most underrated of workplace variables. The power is there – but we often fail to acknowledge that power.

Workspaces are quite telling, as they often seem to reflect what is operating on a deeper level. I’ve seen all sorts of spaces – cluttered environments, dark conference rooms and walls without color. These environments always seem to say something about its residents. It saddens me, when I walk into an organization and I feel no energy – workspaces reflect this. We internalize the essence of what is around us, and workspaces are no different.

Imagining the Possibilities

Ultimately what is right for you, or your organization, workspace-wise is a personal choice. However, there are so many unique options available to express your work life or the culture of your organization. (Steelcase offers some inspiring ideas. See several design directions here and here). There is really no wrong answer to the workspace question – the question just needs to be asked.

So, what is your workspace contributing to your work life? Your organization?

Benefits in Every Corner

As much as we’d like to think that skills are the only factor contributing to excellence, the fact remains that where we work contributes to how we work. Here are just a few reasons to pay attention to the physical space where you work:

  • Form follows function:  If you don’t have a workspace that flows with your work, it is likely that you will be less productive. Workspaces should support your intended activities.
  • Surroundings can help you create:  Working in a well-designed space can help spark ideas. Qualities such as color, lighting, sound, office configuration and furniture — all come into play. The right workspace design can enhance the creative process.
  • Project a positive image:  Your physical space is a reflection of how you see yourself and your business. The style, form and function of your space, all contribute to this. If you work in the creative realm (advertising, design, etc.) your workspace is even more critical – as it reflects what you can do for your clients.

Beneath the Surface

Becoming more effective can possibly start on the surface and trickle down to the other aspects of your work life. When you really think about it – sometimes “rearranging the furniture” is much more than it seems. Some ideas to consider:

  • A little peace:  Wherever you are — on the road, or at home base — incorporate some calming elements. Work life can be mired in drama, so utilize your work space as a key to regain balance.
  • An inspiration:  Your workspace can be an energizing force in your work life. Fill your work environment with people, conversation and visual cues that help you feel positive and successful.
  • A reflection:  At the very core, your space should convey the respect you hold for your work, and what you have set out to accomplish. Your surroundings should celebrate not only your past, but where you intend to go.

How does your work space reflect you and your work? We’ll be discussing this topic at #TChat forums this week (May 14/15) — so join the conversation — or weigh-in with your comments below!)

Image Credit: “Mad Men” AMC Networks

Your Workspace: How’s It Working for You?

/9 Comments/ /by

Cultural Clues, Hidden in Plain Sight

What does your workspace say about you? About your organization?

This may have never crossed your mind – but it really should. Workspaces can spur on any number of positive behaviors and organizational outcomes. Your surrounding environment has the potential to enhance opportunities for communication, encourage creativity, and possibly provide the needed spark for innovative thought. I find that workspaces are the most underrated of workplace variables. The power is there – but we often fail to acknowledge that power.

Workspaces are quite telling, as they often seem to reflect what is operating on a deeper level. I’ve seen all sorts of spaces – cluttered environments, dark conference rooms and walls without color. These environments always seem to say something about its residents. It saddens me, when I walk into an organization and I feel no energy – workspaces reflect this. We internalize the essence of what is around us, and workspaces are no different.

Imagining the Possibilities

Ultimately what is right for you, or your organization, workspace-wise is a personal choice. However, there are so many unique options available to express your work life or the culture of your organization. (Steelcase offers some inspiring ideas. See several design directions here and here). There is really no wrong answer to the workspace question – the question just needs to be asked.

So, what is your workspace contributing to your work life? Your organization?

Benefits in Every Corner

As much as we’d like to think that skills are the only factor contributing to excellence, the fact remains that where we work contributes to how we work. Here are just a few reasons to pay attention to the physical space where you work:

  • Form follows function:  If you don’t have a workspace that flows with your work, it is likely that you will be less productive. Workspaces should support your intended activities.
  • Surroundings can help you create:  Working in a well-designed space can help spark ideas. Qualities such as color, lighting, sound, office configuration and furniture — all come into play. The right workspace design can enhance the creative process.
  • Project a positive image:  Your physical space is a reflection of how you see yourself and your business. The style, form and function of your space, all contribute to this. If you work in the creative realm (advertising, design, etc.) your workspace is even more critical – as it reflects what you can do for your clients.

Beneath the Surface

Becoming more effective can possibly start on the surface and trickle down to the other aspects of your work life. When you really think about it – sometimes “rearranging the furniture” is much more than it seems. Some ideas to consider:

  • A little peace:  Wherever you are — on the road, or at home base — incorporate some calming elements. Work life can be mired in drama, so utilize your work space as a key to regain balance.
  • An inspiration:  Your workspace can be an energizing force in your work life. Fill your work environment with people, conversation and visual cues that help you feel positive and successful.
  • A reflection:  At the very core, your space should convey the respect you hold for your work, and what you have set out to accomplish. Your surroundings should celebrate not only your past, but where you intend to go.

How does your work space reflect you and your work? We’ll be discussing this topic at #TChat forums this week (May 14/15) — so join the conversation — or weigh-in with your comments below!)

Image Credit: “Mad Men” AMC Networks

Superstar Leadership: Workplace Damage Control

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I’ve written lately about various aspects of workplace culture…People are always the number one consideration in my opinion. This topic always directly relates to recruitment and employee retention. It’s inescapable. It’s part of your workplace DNA. Performing a workplace culture audit of a prospective employer and how to nurture company culture, both as a manager and as an employee are so key.  Let’s keep tackling the dark side – repairing a damaged corporate culture.

Every workplace culture/organization (and employee) has good and bad days. Culture takes little hits on the bad days, but a string of bad days or months can turn into permanent damage. Unfortunately as those days and months grind on it can become easy to miss the signs of damage. A stressed management team may be focused on keeping the company afloat; a stressed manager with personal issues or job challenges may turn a deaf ear to rumblings of dissatisfaction.

In the first example, if management fails to communicate its trials, distrust will flower and thrive. In the latter example, also, a failure to communicate, compounded by a lack of responsibility on the part of the manager, creates a breach between employer and employee. Into that breach will creep distrust and its close cousin, unwillingness to believe anything management says. This is not good and should be stopped in it’s tracks.

Communication and trust are the underpinnings of healthy workplace culture. Other culture markers – a shared sense of mission, shared goals, respect – are rooted in trust and communication.

When trust goes, so also goes culture, that valuable mix of the personality of the workplace and its brand and the collective experience of what it means to work in the organization.

A simple measure of damage to a company’s culture is employee turnover. One local small company I know has had 95 percent turnover in the past three years. Yep, almost 100 percent. This happens.

The managers’ reaction? A tone-deaf range of comments, from ‘It was time for those people to move on’ to ‘We’re glad they didn’t go to competitors’; even the suggestion that the massive turnover is a ‘sign of growth on the part of employees fostered by the unique culture at X Company.’

Once you’ve pulled your jaw off the floor, let me assure you this example is real. Not surprisingly, this particular workplace culture is in dire need of repair. The company’s survivors are hardened and sour and new recruits into the organization are often bewildered and leaderless.

Here’s the basic prescription I would suggest to the executives if asked and from there I would refer them to my list of colleagues who specialize in this specific arena of employee retention and engagement (although this culture is so damaged they haven’t sought advice):

First, assess what’s really happened:

  • Make a list of those who left and when. Review notes from their exit interviews and look for repetition of words and themes. These repetitions are the top-level clues to what is wrong with the organization.
  • Correlate reasons given for leaving. I predict there will be very few ‘uniques’ in this group.
  • Cross-reference the above data with time of year as well as acquisition (or loss) of business.
  • Review every email sent to the company announcing a defection and look for patterns describing the person’s reason for leaving.

Now you have a lexicon of words, a vocabulary of loss of culture and cohesion. The next step is to assess what remains. This step is best taken with the help of a third party, a neutral coach or consultant.

Survey the remaining employees and any new employees on basic measures of job satisfaction:

  • Is compensation competitive? Benefits?
  • Is training adequate?
  • Is the work challenging and rewarding?
  • Do employees have a reasonable level of autonomy and responsibility?
  • How are initiative and excellence rewarded?
  • Is the physical work environment adequate? Are tools and systems in place that improve productivity and reduce drudge work?
  • Do employees feel comfortable talking to managers? If not, why?
  • Do employees feel that management tells the truth?
  • How frequent and relevant are communications?
  • Is feedback used to improve the work environment? Is it ignored?
  • Would you recruit a friend?

Now it’s time to step back and look at what employees and line managers said.

At this point, it’s imperative to commit to, and communicate, intent to change.

  • Communicate results of the survey.
  • Take ownership for the issues, and do not try to deflect responsibility.
  • If something can’t be changed or fixed say why.
  • Create a change action plan with dates, asking employees to help prioritize change items.
  • Implement the change action plan, honoring dates and milestones.
  • Communicate at every step.
  • Re-survey in three months and again in six months, and communicate the results.

Then tackle the hardest part:

  • Assign team leaders and give them responsibility and power to enact change. Support them (or they may fail.)
  • Meet with team leaders regularly and listen to them. Don’t talk over them or challenge what you hear, listen.

Without thoughtful intervention, a broken workplace culture with disheartened people can’t really be repaired. This is often the sad truth. Retention and recruiting will fail too. Employees will continue to head for the exits, and customers may even follow.

Take a look here to read about three companies using workplace culture for retention. This is a very useful case study for all to absorb.

What steps would you take to rescue a damaged corporate culture?

IMAGE via Flickr

Falling Asleep at Work Increases Productivity

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(Editor’s Note: This guest post is by our talented colleague, and friend Cathy Taylor. Cathy is a social media expert who helps businesses develop comprehensive communications strategies to achieve business goals and objectives. More of Cathy’s insightful articles can be found on her blog.)

Imagine going to work and finding the boss has roped off a section in the back of the office for the new sleep pods set to arrive next week.

Sleep pods? Are you serious?

A few minutes later you wander past the HR director’s office and she confirms an order was placed for ten new sleep pods. She adds that a new policy will go into effect next quarter. All employees who need a nap during the day will be encouraged to use the sleep pods for twenty minutes after lunch. As you walk back to your cubicle scratching your head you are reminded of that day last month when you locked yourself in the bathroom stall to catch some Z’s. It couldn’t be helped. It was either take a nap or startle your coworkers with a thud sound as your head hit the desk.

This sounds like a far-fetched idea but more companies are beginning to embrace the idea of sanctioned naps during day. Companies like British Airways, Google, Nike, Pizza Hut and Procter & Gamble have implemented policies that allow employees some downtime in the office.

The concept of workplace napping is attributed to former Harvard researcher Sara C. Mednick. She advanced the idea in her book, “Take a Nap! Change Your Life!” Feedback from employees who are afforded the opportunity to snooze at work say it’s so much better than a cup of coffee in the afternoon or a snickers bar.

However, there is no denying workplace napping is counterintuitive in the United States. It begs the question: How long before company leadership begins to view napping as a competitive advantage?

Here are some compelling arguments for workplace naps from Dr. Mednick’s research:

1) It results in increased memory and productivity among workforce.
2) Dr. Mednick cites epidemiological studies that show decreases in heart disease and stress.
Workplace naps restore proficiency in a variety of critical skills… and can produce improvements previously observed only after a full night of sleep.
3) 51% of the workforce report that sleepiness on the job interferes with the volume of work they can do.

At the moment, workplace napping is still a long way from becoming prevalent in the U.S. According to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, only five percent of employers allow their workers to take a nap during the day.

Scheduling nap time at work requires a huge shift in the way we think about work. And as more employers look for ways to fill job vacancies, enhance employee engagement and retain the best workers taking a nap might not be such a bad idea. Nap time at work may no longer be just for slackers!

Image Credit: Stock.xchng