HRSpotlightTeam

13 Tips to Create a Happy Work Environment

February 21, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

13 Tips to Create a Happy Work Environment

February 21, 2023

Employee Recognition

Acknowledging and appreciating employees for their achievements and contribution goes a long way. Recognizing the effort of the employees shows that you have noticed their work, which may inspire them to work even harder on the following project and increase their commitment to the company’s future success.

When workers feel seen and appreciated, they voluntarily want to do more and more for the company. They adopt the organization’s mission and goals as their own, which subsequently helps the company succeed. They might even discover the abilities they never knew they had! That’s the power of recognition!

Make Employees Feel Valued

It is crucial for employees to feel trusted and respected because they are the foundation of any firm. Employees who do not believe their contributions are valued in their workplace have reported lower happiness levels. Those with higher job satisfaction have a greater desire to excel at their jobs.

It is essential to make your employees feel valued because their thinking affects their performance. The relationship is reciprocal; employees who believe their organization values them will also appreciate their organization.

Employee Appreciation

Appreciating the employee for their worth to the organization is very important, much like we did when we talked about the significance of employee recognition, which is recognizing them for their work. It extends beyond the specific job they have completed and includes things like their morals, punctuality, and technical expertise.

Everything helps, even just saying “thank you,” giving birthday presents, awarding employees of the month, best team awards, writing thank-you notes, and other such gestures can help your staff members feel loved and recognized by you.

Provide the Employees with Growth Opportunities

Unexpectedly, the areas that receive the least attention are closely related to employee satisfaction, such as a sense of purpose, fulfilment, and contentment. Employees feel satisfied with their work when it aligns with their mission or what they are intrinsically inspired to perform.

The lack of opportunity for advancement at work leads many employees to quit, and they aren’t happy with their jobs and need to understand why they do what they do. Employees who believe their work matters and receive proper training and development opportunities sense improvement in themselves and are, therefore, more devoted to their organization.

Balancing Personal and Professional Development

If people desire to advance in their careers, professional growth is critical. Providing proper training and growth opportunities for employees will raise the caliber of their output. Great employees will be developed by encouraging them to finish a course that would benefit them or providing them with career development advice.

Personal development is as vital to professional progress. It is inevitable that if a person lives up to their potential and is the finest version of themselves, it will show in their work. A good work environment can teach the employees how to be more organized, on time, better handle their stress, etc.

You can encourage personal growth by starting your day by encouraging each employee to create a gratitude list. Such routines would help them feel rested and energized at the start of the day and enhance their awareness of themselves as individuals.

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is equally crucial to getting the most work done by the employees. Set boundaries that divide an employee’s personal and work lives. Their emotional and physical health would also improve, enabling them to be more present at work.

Gender is not a factor in the requirement for work-life balance; both men and women need it. Numerous studies have found that people who don’t have a healthy work-life balance are the least productive and experience significant levels of stress.

Refrain from forcing staff to work or attend meetings when they are on vacation or at home. It’s crucial that employers acknowledge that their staff members lead lives outside of work.

Give Importance to Employee Wellness

Most employment includes sedentary work that keeps workers still for long periods, which is bad for both their physical and mental health. Physically and psychologically fit employees are much more enthusiastic and joyful than those who always feel ill and exhausted. Employee health has an impact on both their productivity at work and the effectiveness of the company.

For the firm as a whole, making an effort to encourage employees to adopt healthy lifestyles is an investment. Setting customized goals for each employee based on their current state of health and working toward them could help each person become a better version of themselves.

Focus on employee well-being in ways such as offering exercise memberships, access to one-on-one counseling sessions, giving healthy snacks in the office, etc.

An Effective Remuneration System

Any employee’s most significant source of motivation is the compensation they receive for their efforts. A reasonable remuneration system is a fundamental and crucial element that a good organization must possess for its people to be happy and content.

Remuneration includes base pay and additional benefits like commissions, bonuses, and overtime pay. It strengthens the relationship between employees and their employer and the level of dedicated employees have to their jobs. A fundamental benefit that an organization requires is that employees who are more satisfied with their jobs are more motivated to work harder.

Employee Involvement in Decision Making

Employees or teams involved in the decision-making or planning process have higher self-esteem and believe their thoughts and contributions are valued by their superiors and the organization. They will feel empowered and compelled to work more and make more significant contributions to the organization if they believe they can make a difference.

A significant advantage of integrating the staff in decision-making is that they will no longer perceive a hierarchy in the planning process and a need to do what they are told. The sense of belonging and feeling valued is a complete game changer!

Have More Face to Face Meetings

It is always better to have more in-person meetings and gather the staff in one location because doing so automatically contributes to the development of trust and improves the employer-employee relationship. Since most meetings took place remotely during the covid era, there needed to be more employee involvement.

Face-to-face communication makes it easier for coworkers to understand each other’s thoughts and opinions. It helps prevent misunderstandings, which are more likely to occur when information or orders are relayed to employees from higher-ups without having first-hand contact.

Besides, it feels nice to have everyone together in one space, and it is quicker and more effective to hold meetings where everyone feels heard.

Encourage Two-Way Feedback

Two-way feedback is one of the best healthy and effective communication approaches. Since employers and employees can express their opinions, employees are less likely to feel intimidated.

Feedback meetings are held to reflect on the work and determine what areas need improvement and what work has been appreciated and should be continued. Therefore, it is much preferable to involve the employee directly and get their opinion on it, whether it be regarding their work, rather than just the employer pointing out everything they have to say.

Employees can also be asked to fill out surveys about their employers so that they can make improvements in any areas where they feel the workplace is lacking.

Two-way feedback will assist the parties involved in developing trust, and since everyone has a chance to express their opinions, they feel satisfied and heard. This results in contented workers, who, in turn, have higher job satisfaction.

Together, Set Goals for the Next One Year

When an organization thinks of their employees not only from the perspective of what they can gain from them but also towards their individual growth, it boosts their motivation to stay loyal to their jobs.

Have meetings where you discuss what goals you are planning to achieve as a team for the organization and what everyone’s individual goals are. For example, one employee might say he wants to get fit; the other person might want to earn double what he had been making the current year, and so on.

This helps everyone know what are everyone’s individual goals and can support and motivate each other to achieve that. You can also conduct weekly meetings to reflect on the week and whether you’ve taken steps that bring you closer to your goals. This way, employees feel happy that their needs are being taken care of!

Avoid Micromanagement

Employees are discouraged from doing their best when their employers constantly monitor and regulate everything they do. Because let’s admit it, no one likes to be told what to do continually, and it’s uncomfortable to work under a supervisor who is always watching you.

Employees may question their skills and become highly pessimistic about their jobs. If every minor error is called out, they could become less motivated to complete their work. Employees would constantly feel anxious, lowering productivity and drastically reducing the likelihood of thinking creatively.

Therefore, one strategy that an organization should avoid using is micromanagement.

These are just a few of the many ways that, with regular practice, you could create a happy workplace.

Employees are more likely to stay aware, engaged, and satisfied with their work in a favorable and happy environment.

Remember, a happy work atmosphere results in content employees, creating a wonderful organization!

Do you have a unique solution to create a happy work environment you think should be a part of this list Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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6 Warning Signs to Weed Out Wrong Candidates

January 23, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

6 Warning Signs to Weed Out Wrong Candidates

January 23, 2023

Vague Answers to Interview Questions

From my experience as an interviewer, the biggest candidate red flag is responding vaguely to questions I ask.

I’ve noticed competent candidates are eager to continue the conversation and provide elaborate answers to interview questions. Their specific, in-depth responses are often enough to prove their credibility. Underqualified candidates or those who have exaggerated their resumes often cannot answer many basic queries, exposing themselves as bad choices for the role.

Underqualified candidates or those who have exaggerated their resumes often cannot answer many basic queries, exposing themselves as bad choices for the role.

Anjela Mangrum, President, Mangrum Career Solutions

For instance, if there’s a certain software critical to their field of work, a suitable candidate will tell me about their experience using it, where they learned how to use it, and what they think about the distinct features. The wrong applicant might name a few features and know their functions, but they usually won’t be able to say anything that proves they have hands-on experience with it.

Anjela Mangrum, President, Mangrum Career Solutions

Lack of Preparation

One warning sign to help weed out wrong candidates is a lack of preparation. If a candidate comes to the interview unprepared, it could be a sign that they are not genuinely interested in the position or that they are not taking the interview process seriously.

Trey Ferro, CEO, Spot Pet Insurance

Poor Representation on Social Media

In college, they always told us to be careful what we posted on social media, and that still holds true. Now that I am in the position of weeding out candidates for open positions at our business, once I see someone apply who has the ideal skill set, the first thing I do is search their social media profiles.

The first thing I do is search their social media profiles. Sometimes I find some pretty interesting stuff, like them bashing their former employers or bosses. Other times, I find profile pictures of them flipping the camera off or smoking drugs. Those are just red flags right away that they wouldn’t be a good fit for our company.

Seth Newman, Director, SportingSmiles

Sometimes I find some pretty interesting stuff, like them bashing their former employers or bosses. Other times, I find profile pictures of them flipping the camera off or smoking drugs. Those are just red flags right away that they wouldn’t be a good fit for our company.

Social media gives you the easiest way to present your best self. Make sure you’re presenting yourself in a presentable fashion; otherwise, companies will look elsewhere.

Seth Newman, Director, SportingSmiles

Punctuality Problems

Punctuality problems persist. If a candidate is late for an important interview, this reveals a lack of planning. This will not only reflect on the time they arrive at the office each day, but also on how promptly they complete their tasks, and their ability to plan and organize work-related tasks.

If a person can’t plan their morning well, I don’t see how you can expect them to plan a work event, serve customers on time, or even come up with a working strategy at work.

Lydia Mwangi, Content Writer, Barbell Jobs

Negativity

It’s human nature to complain about work from time to time, but there is a time and place to do so. A job interview definitely isn’t the place to air grievances from past jobs.

I want to see candidates focusing on their strengths and value, not using their interview time to complain about other people, and this can also be a red flag of a potentially toxic employee who would be detrimental to your team’s morale and culture.

It’s human nature to complain about work from time to time, but there is a time and place to do so. A job interview definitely isn’t the place to air grievances from past jobs.

Matt Erhard, Managing Partner, Summit Search Group

Similarly, I am wary of candidates who bring work drama into their social media feeds. Again, there’s nothing wrong with a post or two complaining about a hard day. What flags me is when they regularly post workplace gossip, get into arguments with coworkers, or have similarly immature online interactions with colleagues.

This kind of behavior can both affect team morale and reflect poorly on your company and is a definite red flag for me when I’m considering candidates.

Matt Erhard, Managing Partner, Summit Search Group

Punctuation and Grammar Errors

One of the major warning signs we look for to help weed out wrong candidates is punctuation and grammar errors in their cover letters and resumes. Poor punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors are a sign that the applicant is not detail-oriented and may not be the right fit for our department.

Lindsey Hight, HR Professional, Renue Commercial

It’s All About Keeping Your Eyes Open

There are multiple criteria that help decide if a candidate is right for the job or not, but when it comes to warning signs, all you need is one to weed out a wrong candidate. All you have to do is keep your eyes open.

Of course, even more important is to ensure that the rest of your team is quickly made aware of the problem. Once you have a manager’s approval, you can update the candidate’s details in your red flag section, so that the next time the candidate approaches your organization, everyone on the HR team receives an alert.

Do you rely on warning signs to help you weed out wrong candidates? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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7 Leaders on Why Working from the Office is Better than Remote

January 23, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

7 Leaders on Why Working from the Office is Better than Remote

January 23, 2023

Why an In-Office Work Environment is Better Than Remote

From having camaraderie and friendships to reducing your meeting count, here are seven answers to the question, “Remote work may make all the waves, but there are plenty of reasons office work environments work better than remote. What are your reasons?”

Camaraderie and Friendships
Leveraging Team Energy
Group Brainstorming Sessions
Establish Culture and Community
Instant Feedback
Mentorship for Young Professionals
Not Everything Needs to Be a Meeting

Camaraderie and Friendships

Many people are opting for office work environments over remote work, which is understandable, but there are so many reasons office work environments work better than remote.

One of my favorite reasons is the camaraderie and friendships that are formed in an office. There is nothing better than walking into your office on a Monday morning and catching up with your coworkers. You learn about their weekends, their kids, and their significant others. This is something that is just not possible in a remote work environment.

There is nothing better than walking into your office on a Monday morning and catching up with your coworkers. You learn about their weekends, their kids, and their significant others.

Matthew Ramirez,
CEO, Rephrasely

Also, you have access to all of your coworkers at all times in an office. If you need help with a project, you can just walk over to their desk and ask for help. This is not possible in a remote work environment. In remote work environments, you can feel you are all alone and don’t have anyone to turn to if you run into a problem.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

Leveraging Team Energy

There’s something about the energy created when you’re sitting near and with your team. Brainstorming sessions go better, people collaborate more effectively, not to mention the fun and inside jokes that get created. You can’t replace those in a remote situation. Leveraging that energy absolutely has a positive business impact.

Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, Motivosity

Group Brainstorming Sessions

For many employers, the office provides a unique space for employees to come together and work collaboratively. Office environments offer group brainstorming sessions, collaborative problem-solving, and an opportunity to have meaningful conversations in person that may not be as easy to communicate via text or video call.

This can help spur creativity and innovation within teams. In addition, office work environments can create a sense of camaraderie and team spirit, which makes employees feel connected.

Aviad Faruz, CEO, Faruzo

Establish Culture and Community

An office work environment promotes a sense of culture and community among employees. Working together in an office space allows employees to build relationships, collaborate on projects more effectively, and foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

Working together in an office space allows employees to build relationships, collaborate on projects more effectively, and foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

Shaun Connell,
Founder, Writing Tips Institute

The office can be a great place to socialize and develop relationships with colleagues, which can help to increase job satisfaction and productivity. It also encourages open communication and creative problem-solving, which can be difficult to achieve when working remotely.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Instant Feedback

There’s nothing like getting that instant feedback on a project or an idea. Our owner and I are constantly in each other’s offices bouncing ideas or thoughts off each other.

When you work remotely, it’s nearly impossible to get that camaraderie between us. There’s something about an in-person flow that develops into potential ideas, and this sometimes disappears over online communication. The instant feedback between ideas and thoughts helps push projects to the forefront or sweep them under the rug.

Seth Newman, Director, Sporting Smiles

Mentorship for Young Professionals

While hybrid and remote work has a lot of efficiencies for managers and seasoned professionals, it’s not always an empowering experience for young professionals.

For younger professionals, working hand-in-hand, or in a real “team” setting, is invaluable for knowledge and career growth, and mentorship.

Jonathan Duarte,
Founder & CEO, GoHire

Early in my career, I was lucky to work on some consulting projects where I worked hand-in-hand with very experienced team members who I could lean on, ask quick questions of, and ‌absorb and learn from. A couple of months later, I realized I still needed that team support, and I still need it today, but now I know where to get it.

For younger professionals, working hand-in-hand, or in a real “team” setting, is invaluable for knowledge and career growth, and mentorship. I’ve never seen mentorship like this work in a remote/hybrid work environment.

Jonathan Duarte, Founder & CEO, GoHire

Not Everything Needs to Be a Meeting

We have found that achieving a good balance between remote and in-person work, such as three days in-person and two days remote, is best for productivity and morale.

Communication is key, and there is no substitute for being in the same room. On the morale side, we find that in-person work is better for avoiding miscommunications during chats and virtual meetings.

Tali Ditye, Ph.D,
Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder, Mommyhood101.Com

On the productivity side, we find that in-person work is better for quickly resolving minor issues that arise during the workday without scheduling and attending lengthy virtual meetings. Not everything needs to be a meeting, and we can resolve many questions that arise during the day with a quick in-person chat.

Not everyone is a great communicator over chat or email, and it can be very difficult to perceive subtle non-verbal cues that can help you correctly interpret someone’s intent. Did Jane really intend to use that tone in her chat message? Probably not, and likely avoidable through in-person communication.

Tali Ditye, Ph.D, Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder, Mommyhood101.Com

The Reasons Seem To Add Up, Alright!

While the debate is set to continue, each of these reasons put forth by leaders at the workplace are indeed valid enough to warrant the call to return to the office. Of course, employees have their own reasons to battle it out and stay put on their decision to choose the remote work environment instead.

What every company and its workforce need is an honest review of specific work requirements and a decision that helps both parties reach an agreement.

Do you have a take on why an in-office work environment works better than remote? Or do you have an opinion that goes against this line of thought? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 2

January 17, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 2

January 17, 2023

Workforce Demands

Customer demands and various external factors – such as the pandemic, racial and social injustice, political divisiveness, economic pressures and the like – have resulted in increased mobilization around DE&I in the last few years, and CEOs and C-Suites are starting to recognize the importance – and competitive advantage — of a diverse and inclusive workplace. They are no longer debating the business case but are now focused on how to operationalize DE&I to drive tangible outcomes.

Inclusion is a solid predictor of employee engagement, and we’ve seen an increase in employees expressing concerns about such things as a lack of inclusion and psychological safety at work.

Anuradha Hebbar,
Partner & Global Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

But what’s different now — and what we think is the biggest reason that the shift is here to stay — has to do with employees themselves.

Our global employee engagement research shows that inclusion is a solid predictor of employee engagement, and we’ve seen an increase in employees expressing concerns about such things as a lack of inclusion and psychological safety at work. As a result, and unlike never before, employees are placing pressure on companies to take meaningful actions around DE&I and are using their voices to demand change, making it impossible to not take this shift seriously.

Anuradha Hebbar, Partner & Global Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

Need for Lasting Change

We have been doing what is now called DEI consulting for approximately 40 years. This work started to ramp up around conversations of Affirmative Action – when the “diversity hiring” was being encouraged, and very often without the thought of how to retain and support the “diverse hires” to feel included and like they belong. Our world is a diverse one, and as we continue thinking about social cohesion – whether in our workplace, communities, families, and as a society, we need to think about how we can best have effective cross-cultural (all differences) dialogue.

There is still much work to be done – we are noticing a shift in the past couple of years to a realization that this is not a quick fix, 1-hour workshop that clients often think they want. The shift we notice is in the clients own realizations that it is (and needs to be) deep work – which is why the model our founders developed (based in clinical psychology – transactional analysis) has been so effective. It takes into consideration the three dimensions of change needed to make a lasting impact (affective, behavioral, and cognitive).

Elika Dadsetan, CEO & Executive Director, VISIONS Inc.

Current Realities

We know that women and people of color do not feel the workplace is fair and indeed, it has not been designed for them. And they are leaving in great numbers–making many workplaces less and less diverse. Ignoring the need to retain and recruit diverse talent, will result in companies OUT OF TOUCH with current realities–and their clients and customers which will mean losing money and market share. What’s more consumers and clients are starting to ask these questions on DEI of their brands and vendors.

Ignoring the need to retain and recruit diverse talent, will result in companies OUT OF TOUCH with current realities–and their clients and customers which will mean losing money and market share.

Amy-Willard Cross,
Founder, Gender Fair

Gender Fair has unpublished proprietary data that says the people care the most about protections from harassment and equal pay. Workplaces are falling short when it comes to the above, and many other things. Since 2016, Gender Fair measures public facing consumer companies on how they serve women across 5 categories (leadership, employee policies, advertising, diversity reporting philanthropy). About 85% of companies fall short–with little women’s leadership, lacking policies or parental leave not doing pay studies etc.

Amy-Willard Cross, Founder, Gender Fair

Work Environment Diversity

Diversifying the hiring process has become an essential piece of modern work culture, but perhaps more importantly, a diversified team shows increasingly greater positive results than their homogenous counterparts – and the numbers are there to prove it. Three in four job seekers and workers prefer diverse companies, and diverse management has been shown to increase revenue by 19%, according to statistics.

That’s why, since I joined the LinkSquares team in 2019, I have spearheaded initiatives to create a more diverse environment at LinkSquares, including improved hiring practices that better include underrepresented groups in our candidate pools and interview panels. In addition to this, we provide employees with unconscious bias training, have created an employee-run DEI committee, set up ERGs, and launched inclusive employee benefits like our universal parental leave.

Working alongside a diverse team at LinkSquares as both a woman and Asian American myself, I’ve seen firsthand from a business perspective how initiatives like these help produce better results. Our focus on DEI has helped us achieve 1582% revenue growth over the past 3 years. I’m proud that we’ve built a diverse culture at LinkSquares that welcomes and encourages employees to bring their whole selves to the company.

Juliette Kopecky, Chief Marketing Officer, LinkSquares

Competitive Hiring Advantages

A strong, consistent focus on DEI has historically been the first thing to go at many companies when the market experiences turbulence – consider the fact that the number of Black software engineers in the U.S. has stayed at 5 percent of the overall total for years – but it is more critical than ever to not step away from these efforts. These are the times when hiring inclusively matters the most to underrepresented talent. What is good for DEI is also good for overall hiring efficiency – the tradeoff here is a false one.

Right now, the organizations that are able to invest in building a more intentional AND inclusive hiring process are going to have a huge competitive advantage as we emerge – as we always do! – from the current market disruption.

Jeffrey Spector,
Co-Founder & President, Karat

When hiring slows, you can focus more on building relationships with organizations and communities that you might not have otherwise, so that you can get a more diverse pool of candidates for all your jobs. Right now, the organizations that are able to invest in building a more intentional AND inclusive hiring process are going to have a huge competitive advantage as we emerge – as we always do! – from the current market disruption.

Jeffrey Spector, Co-Founder & President, Karat

Organizational Progress

In order to keep up in today’s world, organizations must attract forward-thinking clients, employees, and other stakeholders who are focused on diversity, equality, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). While many companies today recognize and prioritize hiring diverse candidates, it is much more challenging to address and implement changes related to equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Employers may not know where to start and the concern of doing the wrong thing may prevent some companies from making impactful decisions surrounding DEIB. This makes sense given that initiatives in these areas are much more difficult to grasp and effectively implement. But, thanks to coaching organizations and their impact, companies no longer have to work alone when creating change related to DEIB.

In a recent thought piece by Activate 180, the company offers tips to help an organization kick-start its DEIB initiatives and explains how employee-focused programs can further an organization’s progress in these efforts.

Here are the ways that working with coaches can help support organizations in moving toward EIB initiatives:

Equity: By offering coaching to employees at all levels, coaching programs support organizations in providing equitable opportunities for the development, growth, and advancement of their entire employee base.
Inclusion: Through one-on-one coaching, experts teach tools that give employees confidence and empower them to share their opinions at work.
Belonging: Team or company-wide coaching sessions and team-building exercises facilitate companies in creating safe spaces where all employees can express themselves honestly.

Rod McDermott, CEO & Co-Founder, Activate 180

Need for Continual Commitment

Company leaders must take diversity and inclusivity as seriously as digital transformation. Unfortunately, many companies have failed to deliver on their DEI commitments. They must recognize it as a multi-year process that involves funding, resourcing, company metrics, change management, systems rebuild and the setting of employee-related goals.

If we use the digital transformation analogy, many companies are merely pausing at the Blackberry stage and saying, “Yep, we’re good.” That shortsighted approach can impact employee commitment, brand equity and customer loyalty.

Kim Clark, Owner, Kim Clark Communications

Employee Trust

Losing employee trust is the one thing that’s convinced me that we cannot afford to ignore the shift in prioritizing diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. 2020 was a year of awakening and reckoning resulting in a paradigm shift with employees demanding that their employers take a public stand against racism, and all forms of discrimination, and initiate change.

Simultaneously, many organizations took action by re-evaluating systems in comparison to how they impact the workforce, prioritized amplifying voices of the marginalized and racialized, and hired Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leaders to implement and manage a path forward.

2020 was a year of awakening and reckoning resulting in a paradigm shift with employees demanding that their employers take a public stand against racism, and all forms of discrimination, and initiate change.

Shalaura Soliai,
Vice President, DEI, Discovery Behavioral Health

Unfortunately, some corporate DEI initiatives lost momentum similar to the black square movement on social media. Because of this, employees are keenly watching with discernment to determine if their employer’s diversity and inclusivity strategy is rooted in performative or genuine allyship. Our teammates have entrusted leadership with fulfilling their commitment to engineer and sustain a more equitable workplace; if we lose their trust we are at risk of losing them.

Developing timely and intentional communications about DEI initiatives, employee demographics, updates, and outcomes (including the good, the bad, and the ugly) is a great way to ensure inclusivity remains a priority and foster employee trust.

Shalaura Soliai, Vice President, DEI, Discovery Behavioral Health

Company Culture

In the past several years, HR professionals have been at the forefront of leading DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives in their workplaces to create a more equal playing field for all people.

As part of the mission, creating an inclusive culture and enabling alternative accessibility methods is becoming increasingly important. For this reason, HR teams have begun to emphasize DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) to truly embrace diversity in all its forms and address any challenges concerning accessibility considerations.

This broader focus allows comprehensive solutions to be created and encourages everyone in the organization to be conscious of not only cultural differences, but also physical limitations that could diminish someone’s ability to contribute effectively on the job.

HR professionals have been at the forefront of leading DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives in their workplaces to create a more equal playing field for all people.

Jennifer Morehead,
CEO, FlexHR

As HR professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure that organizations are actively striving to develop cultures and environments that are inclusive, equitable, and diverse. Flex HR’s DEI expert and HR consultant, Zarena C. Marcus, encourages companies to take a deeper look into the ways they have been operating their businesses in the past, prompting organizations to consider how they can implement DEI strategies effectively in order to facilitate the necessary changes.

One of the most important components of this process is including sensitivity training that has been tailored to the organization’s needs. A crucial part of making sure DEI efforts are successful is getting to know your employees on a more personal level, which allows you to understand their backgrounds and ensure that any environment you cultivate is one where every employee feels accepted, included, and heard.

Jennifer Morehead, CEO, FlexHR

Positive Branding

Performative attempts can have a strong negative impact on your brand. Employees are the loudest voices when it comes to company sentiment. It might be what they share with their friends, family, colleagues, and their network connections. Employees are the first to call out the company’s BS when attempting performative DEI. We saw many examples of that after George Floyd’s murder, like Anthropology, Starbucks, and many, many more. However, for those doing DEI work to meet their promises and commitments to DEI, you see improvement in employee retention and acquisition by attracting new talent. It’s not about doing DEI perfectly (as there is no such thing) but rather doing it as best to the company’s ability with an actual change in mind can shine a light on the company’s brand in a positive light.

Kim Flanery-Rye, Founder and Principal Consultant, MyKimisms

A Mix of Advantages No Organization can Ignore

While this list is indeed quite a comprehensive one, thanks to the varying reasons put forth by leaders from organizations not just understanding the shift but also committing to it, we also know that when an organization commits to DEI efforts in the long term, the list of advantages extends far beyond the elements mentioned here.

After all, it’s not just the employees and the organization that benefit; the impact of embracing diversity, equality, and inclusivity leaves an impression on social circles too.

Do you have a take on why an HR team is important, even if it’s a one-person team? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 1

January 17, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 1

January 17, 2023

The DEI Shift: 20 Leaders Speak Their Mind

The evolution of the global workforce may be a strong reason behind the increased adoption of DEI programs but what’s even more significant is that this is no longer just the prerogative of the workforce — it is the need of the organization too. Organizations can no longer afford to ignore the DEI shift, and these 20 leaders tell you why.

Need for Empowerment

The one reason you can’t ignore the shift in DEI is that all people want more Empowerment. In all my travels around the world to DEI events and non-DEI events this is the common thread that binds us as the 8 billion different people on the planet.

Every organization will reach a point in the future where the talent will all leave due to them not feeling empowered, therefore you need to make sure you have a DEI program and it has a strong connection to empowerment of all people.

Ashley T. Brundage,
Empowering Differences

People want to seize control of more authority to feel safer and in charge of their life but also at the same time we are bound by our need to also gain more power which are monetary items and usually time bound deliverables. Even people not typically seen as diverse are longing to be a part of a system that includes them where they can acquire more empowered resources.

Ashley T. Brundage, Empowering Differences

High Cost of Ignorance

Despite many companies and organizations attempts to improve their support of LGBTQ employees and clients, there is still has a long way to go to foster a truly inclusive workplace, especially for trans folks.

First and foremost, this cannot be ignored because it is unacceptable for anyone to be discriminated against at work and studies show 47% of trans participants experienced at least some discriminatory behavior on a daily basis at work, such as being the target of transphobic remarks, being ignored, or being pressured to act in “traditionally gendered” ways (Thoroughgood et al, 2020). Participants reported increased hyper-vigilance and rumination at work which is not only dangerous for people’s mental health but also can cost a business.

The costs that are overlooked are decreased productivity, increased workplace dissatisfaction, higher turnover, and potential litigation. Meanwhile, organizations with trans-supportive policies saw positive increases in participants’ openness about their identities and their decreased experiences of discrimination at work (Ruggs et al, 2015) .

As people are increasingly out in the workplace, business cannot ignore the importance of DEI training. One in four LGBTQ+ members of Gen Z are nonbinary and they are the future of the workforce.

Rebecca Minor, DEI consultant, Gender Specialist

An Influential Factor

Companies can no longer avoid the shift to DEI as it is a major factor in recruiting and retaining talent. Secondly, it has been proven that diverse and inclusive companies perform better. However, the problem lies in the fact that most DEI initiatives are not addressing the real problems in the workplace and are not creating meaningful change.

The C.U.R.E starts with understanding (U) our differences so that collectively the company can be more empathetic (E) in connecting (C ) with employees and demonstrating that they feel represented (R).

Ruth Rathblott,
Founder, Ruth Rathblott

As the author of Singlehandedly: Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection, I have developed a unique approach, the C.U.R.E (connection, understanding, representation and empathy) framework, that is more authentic. It starts with understanding (U) our differences so that collectively the company can be more empathetic (E) in connecting (C ) with employees and demonstrating that they feel represented (R).

Ruth Rathblott, Founder, Ruth Rathblott

Business Benefits

One reason that I can’t afford to ignore the shift in diversity, inclusivity, and everything that goes with it is because of the immense benefits it has for businesses. The more diverse your team is, the more inclusive you are, and the more you’re able to understand other cultures and viewpoints, the better your business will be. All of this builds trust with customers, which means they’ll be more likely to buy from you.

I have seen this firsthand in my own company where the diversity of our employees has led to a much higher level of innovation. We have people from different backgrounds working together on projects who bring different perspectives and ideas to each task. This leads us to be able to innovate faster than if we were all working alone within our own bubbles.

Brian Greenberg, CEO, Insurist

Impact on Funding

VCs and boards will demand progress toward pay parity among their portfolio companies. While we’re seeing states like California mandate that companies report their pay data by sex, race and ethnicity to encourage more equitable pay, VCs and board members will outright require that portfolio companies set time-based targets and report progress on pay parity.

Investors know that equitable companies perform better: they are more likely to beat competitors, win new markets and retain employees.

Thanh Nguyen,
CEO and Co-Founder, OpenComp

Investors know that equitable companies perform better: they are more likely to beat competitors, win new markets and retain employees. With VCs needing to be choosier about who they fund in the midst of economic uncertainty, startups will need to not only report their pay data to VCs/board members, but also rectify any gaps in order to land funding.

Thanh Nguyen, CEO and Co-Founder, OpenComp

A Foundational Necessity

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is the glue that connects people and creates community. Now more than ever, prospective employees are asking about DEI during the interview process. Companies and leaders who want to succeed in the war for dynamic talent embrace DEI as foundational.

Data shows that organizations with an intentional and sustained commitment to DEI:

Deliver stronger performance and shareholder value
Have higher employee retention and lower turnover
Achieve greater employee satisfaction scores and higher engagement

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is key to creating a psychologically safe environment where all people feel safe, seen valued and heard.

Robert H. Johnson Jr., Founder, Principal Consultant, RHJ Consulting Group

Behavioral Impact

Nearly all business problems (e.g., retention, poor representation of minorized employees in leadership positions) can be traced to organizational culture problems (beliefs, values, and behavioral norms). And organizational culture problems almost always come down to unconscious (and observable) biases that impact behaviors.

For example, I recently guided an organization that was losing talented female employees due to underlying bias (and behaviors) that females “be seen but not heard.” Females in the organization were discouraged from sharing opinions, speaking in meetings.

Amy Bonomi, Ph.D., MPH, Founder, Social Justice Associates

The Talent War

One reason why I’m convinced we can’t afford to ignore Diversity and Inclusion? I could quickly make a pretty long list, but to me, the most compelling reason is that a commitment to D&I has become table stakes for successfully competing in the war for talent.

Unlocking the power and performance of an increasingly diverse workforce is critical for any organization to drive innovation and better decision making, as well as to mitigate business risk.

Audrey Taylor,
Managing Director & America’s Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

Multiple recent studies show a majority of the US workforce believes a company’s commitment to D&I is important when choosing an employer but also feel that their company’s commitment is not genuine and that the organization should do more to drive diversity and inclusion.

Unlocking the power and performance of an increasingly diverse workforce is critical for any organization to drive innovation and better decision making, as well as to mitigate business risk. The business case is clear – now is the time for companies to live up to the commitment and actually embed D&I to drive employee engagement and company performance.

Audrey Taylor, Managing Director & America’s Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

New Perspectives

You cannot ignore the diversity and inclusion shift because having a diverse team makes people feel included and welcomed. You want your team to feel a sense of belonging. Also, by having a diverse team, there are more ideas brought to the table and new perspectives that can offer a lot of value from a business perspective. Diversity brings more creativity that takes into consideration many different angles to reach a broader audience.

Kristen Fowler, VP & Practice Lead, Clarke Caniff Strategic Search

Right to Respect

We live in a world where the importance of diversity, inclusivity, and related values are being more and more realized. While this shift has been long overdue, we must continue to build upon it if we are to adequately ensure that everyone can walk through life with a sense of belonging.

One powerful reason why this shift cannot be ignored is that everyone has the right to feel safe, respected, and appreciated within their communities. As such, it is incumbent on all of us to do our part in making sure no one feels excluded or disadvantaged because of identity-based characteristics such as race, gender identity, religion, or ethnicity just to name a few.

One powerful reason why this shift cannot be ignored is that everyone has the right to feel safe, respected, and appreciated within their communities.

Benjamin Okyere,
Founder, Stress Reliever

We must continually strive towards providing a level playing field so that others may realize their true potential regardless of whom they are and what they look like.

Benjamin Okyere, Founder, Stress Reliever

Hang On, There’s More!

The response to this question we posed to leaders was so overwhelming that we just couldn’t fit all of them in a single article!

So head out to 20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 2 for 10 more valuable insights!

Do you have a take on why an HR team is important, even if it’s a one-person team? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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11 Leaders Show You How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

January 16, 2023 by HRSpotlightTeam

11 Leaders Show You How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

January 16, 2023

Show Up in Person

As a business owner, I have this fantasy that a job seeker out there is more enthusiastic about working with my company than I am. And the primary way that job seekers can prove that is by walking into my office or, at a minimum, picking up the phone and calling me directly. Yet in 30 years, this almost never happens.

Hard truth: We business owners don’t care about your resume, we care about your passion for our business and your hunger to be part of our team. Stop hiding behind a resume, get in front of it.

Ben Lawrence,
Founder, Wolf Heart Sales

Wanna make your resume stand out? Visit the office of your dream employer! Ask to meet the president. Offer to volunteer to work there for a day, even if it’s just sweeping the floors. Hard truth: We business owners don’t care about your resume, we care about your passion for our business and your hunger to be part of our team. Stop hiding behind a resume, get in front of it.

Ben Lawrence, Founder, Wolf Heart Sales

Include a LinkedIn Profile

By including a link to your LinkedIn profile or your resume, you show your online credibility. After all, hiring managers can learn a lot about potential employees by checking out their LinkedIn profiles, so it’s always a good idea to include one in your resume. It shows that you’re willing to take extra steps to get hired, which is always an outstanding quality to have.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

Add Infographics or Visual Elements

This can be a timeline of your career growth, a visual representation of your skills and experience, or any other creative way to present your information. Adding color themes, icons, and other visuals can help your resume stand out among the competition, as long as it’s not vividly bright or garnished with busy patterns that clash with the content itself.

Adding color themes, icons, and other visuals can help your resume stand out among the competition, as long as it’s not vividly bright or garnished with busy patterns that clash with the content itself.

Shaun Connell,
Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Align its colors and designs with the content, and help the recruiter screen through the entire resume in one go to get a general idea of your skills and experience. So, adding a visual element and the right color theme is a great way to differentiate your resume from the rest of the pack.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

Make Your Accomplishments Scannable

The best way to help your resume stand out is to list your accomplishments with metrics in bold. A recruiter has tons of resumes to review; make it easy for them as they quickly scan your resume with the list of all of your significant accomplishments. When you bold your metrics, it captures the attention of the recruiter quickly. Try it out and watch your recruiter response increase.

TK Morgan, Founder & Visionary, Tuesday At 1030

Display Your Passion

My tip is not related to certain fonts or color schemes; it’s simply to focus on displaying your passion for the business and taking the time to, even via a summary, show that you not only (a) understand the business in-depth but also (b) genuinely want to work for them.

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Show Your Personality

Showing personality in your resume can help you stand out from the crowd by giving the reader a sense of who you are as a person. A resume is not just a list of your qualifications and experience; it’s also an opportunity to show the employer what makes you unique and sets you apart from other candidates.

Including a bit of personality in your resume can help the reader get to know you better and make a more personal connection with you.

Piotrek Sosnowski,
Chief People & Culture Officer, HiJunior

Including a bit of personality in your resume can help the reader get to know you better and make a more personal connection with you. For example, you might include a summary of your personal interests or hobbies, or highlight a specific personal or professional accomplishment that shows your character and values.

However, it’s important to strike the right balance with showing personality. While it’s okay to inject a bit of your own style and personality, it’s still important to maintain a professional tone and focus on your qualifications and achievements.

Piotrek Sosnowski, Chief People & Culture Officer, HiJunior

Include that Cover Letter

When looking at candidates, I always give extra attention to those who attach or send a cover letter with their resumes. This shows me they truly want the position and gives me a glimpse into why they would be a good fit or are interested. It’s a great way to get your resume to the top. It also adds a human element to it, as your personality may show more in the cover letter. Always send one; it may be the deciding factor in your hiring. I interview more candidates who send cover letters.

Seth Newman, Director, SportingSmiles

Follow Up

In any job application, you’re going up against many other candidates. No matter how you set up your resume, nothing is going to represent you better than yourself.

If you have the opportunity, it’s worth finding out who the hiring manager is and having a conversation with them about the role. It shows enthusiasm, but it also gives you the opportunity to find out more about the role. That way, you’ll know if it’s right for you, but you’ll also have a head start when you’re interviewed.

Ashlea Harwood, HR & Office Manager, Darwen Electrical Services

Put Your Best, Important Information First

Who doesn’t want a standout resume? It is the first step to getting a dream job. If a recruiter doesn’t like your resume, you can’t express what you know and your skills. Maybe you are better than your resume sounds, but getting through the resume screening can give you a chance to prove yourself.

Most of the time, a recruiter doesn’t read a complete resume to find your skills and achievements. So, it’s better to make it easy for them by presenting them in summary at the top of the resume.

Saikat Ghosh,
Associate Director, HR & Business, Technource

Use the summary section in the resume to put the most important things about you. Present the essence of your best skills and achievements in the summary. It is because most of the time, a recruiter doesn’t read a complete resume to find your skills and achievements. So, it’s better to make it easy for them by presenting them in summary at the top of the resume.

For this, choose the format of the resume that has a summary section, or you can add it to the page if it is not there. This type of summary can stand out on your resume, and you can get an interview call. So, save the best for the most important information.

Saikat Ghosh, Associate Director, HR & Business, Technource

Use Specific Numbers and Action Words

Be specific with numbers and results by using powerful and action words. It doesn’t matter what role you are in; you have created an impact. “I increased revenue by X% by doing XYZ.”

Action words can include: saved, acquired, retained, expanded, boosted, etc.

Stephanie Mantofel, Founder, Bright Link Talent

Focus on Clean, Easy-to-Read Templates

Consider using a clean, modern layout with plenty of white space to make the resume easy to read. The key is to find a balance between a visually appealing design and a professional, easy-to-read layout.

Don’t fall for commercialized CVs. A simple resume with a clean layout and plenty of white space is easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read and understand.

Dominic Hutchings,
Business Development Manager, Wellpack

Don’t fall for commercialized CVs. A simple resume with a clean layout and plenty of white space is easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read and understand. This is important when they are reviewing many resumes. The content of what you write and how you sell your skills and expertise matters.

Dominic Hutchings, Business Development Manager, Wellpack

Every Effort Adds Up!

Every pointer presented by these leaders makes sense, and leaving any of them out of your resume would surely mean giving up on advantage. So the trick is to use every effort in the book to create a resume that not just stands out but also goes all the way even when it’s against some of the best candidates out there.

So add every component that’s mentioned here, and customize your resume not just in line with the position you’re looking to bag but also the employer’s needs and business plans. It’s all about creating a winning mix that stands out!

Do you have a tip that can help in creating a winning resume? Or is there another insight you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.