HR Spotlight

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

We continue our dialog on why organizations cannot afford to ignore the DEI shift. In this part, we bring to you the insights provided by 10 more leaders who reiterate their stance in support of this shift.

In case you missed it, here’s the previous part that has even more insights from leaders addressing the importance of organizations waking up to the DEI shift – 20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 1.

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

An organizational shift to include DEI initiatives at the workplace had for long been nothing more than an undercurrent — it existed, it did make an impact, but it was seldom prominent enough to warrant the attention it deserved.

Over the last few years, however, this shift has been more pronounced than ever before, and more importantly, it is no longer playing out in the background. It has taken center stage and reached workplaces where the concept never made an impact beyond a passing reference on paper.

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

As the first introduction to all that a candidate can offer an employer, a resume is more than just the point of contact. A great resume not only offers essential details related to skill, expertise, and experience but also goes the extra mile to create an impression that enables an HR team to move a candidate up the recruitment ladder.

But what does it take to make a resume stand out? Is the formatting the all-important component or is it the mention of professional wins that catches the eye of the HR representative surfing through dozens of resumes every hour?

Well, we figured we’d ask the decision-makers about what catches their eye in a resume and what’s that one factor that can help a candidate create a winning resume. And here’s the lowdown!

From including LinkedIn to following-up in person, here are 11 answers to the question, “What is that one creative tip you can always count on to help a resume stand out in the crowd?”

Include a LinkedIn Profile
Add Infographics or Visual Elements
Make Your Accomplishments Scannable
Display Your Passion
Include that Cover Letter
Show Your Personality
Follow Up
Put Your Best, Important Info First
Use Specific Numbers and Action Words
Focus on Clean, Easy-to-Read Templates
Show Up in Person

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.

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Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

December 8, 2022 by HRSAdmin

Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

December 8, 2022

Companies everywhere are looking for innovative ways to improve workplace health and wellness. An epidemic of burnout and quiet quitting have companies searching for solutions that support employee well-being and, ultimately, the organization’s health.

Here are 3 practical and efficient solutions to help you tackle burnout and promote employee and organizational well-being.

1. Create a psychologically safe environment to talk about stress and burnout

Fear is the primary reason employees do not talk to their manager about the stress and burnout they’re experiencing. Fear of losing their job. Fear of losing respect. Fear of losing the next big promotion.

Fear is a powerful motivator. Even though employees are stressed, worn out, and burnt out, they’re afraid to talk about it. Rather than ﬁnding long-term solutions to their health and productivity challenges, they give as little as possible as they work on fumes.

The ﬁrst step toward building a sustainable workplace health and wellness plan is to develop a psychologically safe environment to discuss stress, challenges, and burnout.

So how do we do this? By modeling from the top. Leaders must demonstrate that it’s not only safe to talk about stress but encouraged. Here are a few ways leaders can model appropriately.

Update your out-of-oﬃce reply and email signature to clearly state your working hours. Perhaps include a statement, such as, “I will respond to your email within my working hours. There is no expectation to reply until you are at work.”
Send an email to employees at the end of the day, saying, “I’m heading home from work now to be with my family. I hope you enjoy your evening as well.”
Post as much on your social media channels about your rest life as your work life. Make work-life balance something to celebrate.

2. Train managers to have emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports

Most managers care for those they supervise and want to see them succeed. Part of doing so is having conversations about productivity, eﬀectiveness, and stress management.

During a recent workshop I presented to leaders of a national, multi-site corporation, a leader mentioned having gone to counseling to help with her stress levels. I asked what made her feel safe to not only access her beneﬁts package counseling resources but share having done so with colleagues. She said her manager shared a story of a time of great personal stress and the impact a counselor had on her well-being. When her manager admitted reaching out to a counselor, she felt it would be ok to do so herself, which was a life-changing decision.

Here are a few recommendations for how managers can authentically open the wellness conversation while prioritizing eﬀective work practices and employee well-being.

Help employees understand expectations, discuss which tasks are high, medium, and low priority, and train employees to manage their day and week based on importance. While workloads may be high, acknowledging them and helping employees prioritize their work can create a huge advantage.
Ask those you manage how they are doing, and genuinely listen. Respond with empathy to show you truly care. Ask what you can do to help.
Authentically share how you deal with stress, including the resources that have helped you most.
You will build trust by seeking to understand your direct reports’ struggles and responding with empathy. When employees trust your intentions, they are more likely to engage with resources provided by the company.

3. Implement quarterly burnout assessment checks to improve employee wellness and productivity.

A challenge of workplace wellness programs is collecting data on the plan’s eﬃcacy. For example, how do you know what is causing employees the most signiﬁcant workplace stress and which initiatives are making a diﬀerence?

Research shows six factors create burnout in an organization:

Overwhelming workload
Lack of control
Lack of reward
Lack of community
Lack of fairness
Conﬂicting values

These factors speak to company culture and cannot be ﬁxed with a simple day oﬀ. Organizations often do not see a signiﬁcant return on investment with their workplace wellness plans because initiatives do not address the root causes of employee stress.

By identifying and understanding the six factors aﬀecting employees, organizations can manage workplace stress with short-term resource solutions and long-term culture design.

I have created the most comprehensive Burnout Assessment available and oﬀer it free to companies worldwide. The assessment provides both a Professional Proﬁle based on the six factors noted above and a Personal Proﬁle, evaluating the eﬀects of burnout on a person’s health.

Companies across sectors use the Burnout Assessment, including corporate, non-proﬁt, healthcare, and educational institutions. It provides a free, people-focused, data-driven assessment to evaluate critical cultural factors causing workplace stress.

Start with leadership

Download the free Burnout Assessment.

Engage the leadership team, which, depending on your organization, may mean the C-Suite, Directors, or senior management team. Explain that the company is looking to strengthen its workplace health and wellness plan and will use the Burnout Assessment to evaluate employee stressors and risks. The leadership team will be the ﬁrst to complete the assessment to create an authentic and psychologically safe process for all.
Ask leaders to complete the assessment, and be prepared to share their results during the next leadership team meeting.
During a leadership meeting, ask questions about what it felt like to complete the assessment, what the outcomes represent, and how to have psychologically safe and emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports once the Burnout Assessment is implemented company-wide.

Implement the Burnout Assessment company-wide

Have managers send the Burnout Assessment to those they oversee, explaining the company’s vision to strengthen workplace health and wellness.
Invite direct reports to complete the assessment and prepare to discuss the results in a one-on-one meeting. I recommend asking employees to disclose their Professional Proﬁle only, which will give you the data you’re looking for, as the Personal Proﬁle may feel too personal and private.
Ask employees thoughtful questions, such as, “What did you notice?”, Do you have any concerns?” and “What changes would help you?”
Oﬀer support and resources to address the challenges exposed by the assessment. Point to company workﬂows and automation, beneﬁts packages, and employee assistance programs.
Re-evaluate quarterly and compare results to see where improvements have been made and what cultural shifts need to happen.

Over time, you will notice themes and patterns emerging as you implement the Burnout Assessment across your organization. You may ﬁnd that certain factors arise in speciﬁc departments within the company, allowing you to address issues speciﬁcally and accurately. Because ultimately, happy, healthy employees create healthy organizations that thrive.

About Bonita Eby

Bonita Eby is a Burnout Prevention Strategist and CEO of Breakthrough Personal & Professional Development Inc., specializing in burnout prevention and wellness for organizations and individuals at the intersection of health and leadership development.

Download your free Burnout Assessment today.

Like Bonita, do you have a resource, insight, or story to share with our readers?

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

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Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

December 8, 2022 by HRSAdmin

Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

December 8, 2022

We asked HR and business leaders around the world the all-important question of how their workplace wellness initiatives are impacting their workforce. Among our responses, we received this wonderful piece of insight from Craig Dempsey, and we just had to share all that Craig had to say about their simple and efficient wellness initiatives at Biz Latin Hub!

At Biz Latin Hub, we make every effort in order to ensure our employees feel comfortable whilst working in the office. For the past few years, we have constantly been implementing and improving these processes for the benefit of all our staff.

Clean, tidy and well-decorated offices

Firstly, we believe it is essential to maintain a high level of cleanliness at all times. We have someone in charge of that mission throughout the working day.

We also keep the office bright and colorful, which has an important impact on morale. There are paintings spread around the office and plants for additional color. As well as being decorative, plants improve air quality, are a source of well-being, and also improve the productivity of employees.

In addition to our efforts to boost morale, we provide our employees with high-quality technology and working materials so they can provide a top-class service to our clients.

Balanced and healthy diets

Regarding nutrition, I believe a healthy and balanced diet is essential in order to be proactive and energetic.

The majority of employees start working by 9 am, so they should have time to get up a little early and have a good breakfast (the most important meal of the day?)

At the workplace, we then provide fruit baskets daily to keep everybody in good spirits and full of energy (citrus fruits, bananas, apples).

We also provide several types of tea and coffee (as any good office should) to stay alert throughout the day and a water cooler, so everyone stays hydrated. In addition to the pleasure that hot drinks provide, they can also boost intellectual and physical capacity.

Like most companies, we have a small lunch room with cutlery, plates, cups, microwave and many other things that could be useful for our employees and their well-being.

Everyone is free to have snacks or eat outside in the sunshine. Our employees have the freedom to take their breaks when they so desire and are therefore not forced to have a heavy lunch to keep them going through the day.

A united team goes the extra mile

In relation to corporate culture, our devoted HR team is constantly adding more and more events to the staff calendar.

We organize team-building events to strengthen bonds and improve team cohesion so all employees can get to know their co-workers more deeply.

In addition to this, we celebrate milestones with enthusiasm and with the whole team. For example, we recently celebrated the company’s 8th anniversary, and the atmosphere was amazing. These events allow the team to spend lots of pleasant time together whilst at work.

Sometimes, after certain events or by the request of an employee, we will organize team meals that everyone is invited to after a day at the office.

We also provide access to workshops such as language classes, photography classes, and sports events.

Our employees have access to training throughout the year and the possibility to progress to more important positions within the company, especially management positions.

Thanks to all of this, everybody’s sense of belonging becomes stronger and our offices at Biz Latin Hub offer a great social climate.

Hybrid work to satisfy everyone

This highlights a very topical subject that, since the Covid-19 pandemic, has affected many workplaces.

I think it is important for everyone to be able to balance their family and professional life. Remote working or hybrid work allows for more flexibility and suits many people.

According to a recent study, about 80% of employees worldwide have found a better balance between these two important parts of their lives since starting hybrid/remote work agreements.

This can also generate better productivity in some cases and even reduce levels of stress.

As it often is in big cities, a significant part of our team lives a fair distance from the office. Travel time is greatly reduced by working remotely, and it allows them to save money on top of that. This time and money can then be used for other parts of their lives, further improving their work/life balance. This is an excellent compromise and many of the team have expressed positive opinions on our recently developed hybrid work strategy.

This being said, some people prefer to work from the office, which is fully understandable, whether it is for social reasons, communication, or something else. In our case, most of the employees come in 3 days a week to the office and then work from home for the rest of the week. Obviously, there are some exceptions depending on the needs of the employee. On Fridays, we usually ask everybody to come into the office as we often hold important meetings and/or celebrations at the end of the working week.

I personally prefer to be working in the field with my collaborators. It saves me from being on my computer all day. At the office, our computers are programmed to change color after 5:30 pm, so our employees don’t work overtime and it prevents eye strain.

To Sum It Up

In conclusion, we understand that there is a strong correlation between productivity, motivation, and well-being at work. Therefore, we do our best to repeatedly improve our health and well-being initiatives and enact them to form a workforce that consistently improves their state of mind and their ability to thrive at work.

About Craig Dempsey

Craig Dempsey is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Biz Latin Hub Group, an organization dedicated to assisting investors in Latin America and the Caribbean via the likes of company formation and tax advisory, as well as through recruitment and payroll outsourcing.

Craig holds a degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in project management, and other certifications covering logistics, personal management, and government administration. Craig is an Australian military veteran and has been deployed overseas on numerous occasions. He is also a former mining executive with experience in Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Peru.

Craig is based at the BLH head office in Bogota, Colombia.

Do you have some valuable insights or stories you wish to share with our readers? It could be a few lines or even a full-fledged guest post!

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

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6 Tools and Platforms to Make an HR Team’s Life Easier

December 7, 2022 by HRSAdmin

6 Tools and Platforms to Make an HR Team’s Life Easier

December 7, 2022

An HR team has a lot to do even on a day that does not have them lining up and conducting interviews, meeting with hiring managers to understand their requirements, or putting to work retention strategies that keep their workforce engaged. And without the right list of tools and platforms backing them up, it would indeed be difficult for any HR team to get any work done, let alone create impact.

6 Tools and Platforms Recommended by Leaders

Here are six tools and platforms these leaders set up to make things easier for their HR teams

Reveal
A Good Communication Tool
Workday
Human Resources Management System
Google Drive
BambooHR

Reveal

In order to improve hiring, HR teams should be making use of reliable pre-hire assessment tools that can give their companies a definitive edge when it comes to employment recruiting. So, in my opinion, an HR team that isn’t taking advantage of the best pre-employment testing software, like Reveal, is truly missing out.

Reveal is a dependable, accurate assessment platform that puts companies in the best position to identify high-potential employees and fill open positions with them.

Linda Scorzo, CEO, Hiring Indicators

Reveal is a dependable, accurate assessment platform that puts companies in the best position to identify high-potential employees and fill open positions with them. What’s more, pre-employment testing can help HR teams improve employee retention rates. The benefits of pre-hire assessment tools speak for themselves!

Linda Scorzo, CEO, Hiring Indicators

A Good Communication Tool

The right mix of tools and platforms can make a big difference for an HR team. Having the right tool or platform the team can always depend on can be extremely helpful. One tool or platform that an HR team can always depend on is a good communication tool. Communication is essential for HR teams, as they need to be able to communicate with employees and managers.

Communication tools can help the team stay organized and efficient and make better decisions about HR-related matters.

Hilary Kozak, VP of Marketing, LivSmooth

A good communication tool will allow the team to stay organized and efficient. The communication tool is one essential tool that the team can always depend on. These tools can help the team stay organized and efficient and make better decisions about HR-related matters.

Hilary Kozak, VP of Marketing, LivSmooth

Workday

It is a cloud-based platform that can help organize, simplify and ease the tasks of HR personnel. It is a provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance, HR, and planning. It has many features and functionalities. With the right tools, it can help save unnecessary costs, time, and effort.

Workday can help change the HR staff’s daily experience. It will help them focus on tasks that need more urgent attention. It simplifies work processes and policies.

Laura Martinez, Consultant and Content Writer, PersonalityMax

Workday can help change the HR staff’s daily experience. It will help them focus on tasks that need more urgent attention. It simplifies work processes and policies. It can enhance performance and help the organization in achieving its set goals.

Laura Martinez, Consultant and Content Writer, PersonalityMax

Human Resources Management System

The HRMS is a one-stop shop for human resource management to store, retrieve and manage human resource data and processes while still remaining compliant to changing tax laws and labor regulations. Rather than having to organize data in physical files, HRMS allows the human resource department to access employee profiles, schedules and attendance lists.

The HRMS is a one-stop shop for human resource management to store, retrieve and manage human resource data and processes while still remaining compliant to changing tax laws and labor regulations.

Yongming Song, CEO, Live Poll for Slides

The HR team can always depend on a HRMS to save time when accessing employee data, generating payrolls and planning workforce. HRMS is the HR team’s best friend because it makes it easier to manage employee benefits, efficiently manage overtime and arrange employee training and development.

Yongming Song, CEO, Live Poll for Slides

Google Drive

For me, it’s Google Drive. I’ve used it for everything from creating a new document to uploading files to sharing them with my team members. The best part about Google Drive is that you can access it from anywhere – and it’s totally free!

Amer Hasovic, Content Writer, Love & Lavender

Google Drive is great for sharing files because it’s so easy to use. You can access your files from any device and they’ll be there when you need them. You can also share those files with anyone you like. It’s perfect for distributing documents or newsletters, as well as collaborating on projects with colleagues and clients. Another thing I like about Google Drive is how much space you get for free 15 GB! That’s more than enough room to store all of your documents and photos (or even videos) in one place.

Amer Hasovic, Content Writer, Love & Lavender

BambooHR

Having worked at a few different startups, the technology stacks always change from company to company, but one platform that I find tremendous value in everywhere I go is BambooHR.

It may not be a perfect system for larger, more complex companies, but at the smaller startups I’ve worked in, BambooHR provides a lot of user-friendly functionality at a great price point and backs it up with great support.

Brett Ungashick, CEO & CHRO, OutSail

The right tools and platforms can make all the difference to an HR team’s performance

While this lineup is a favorite with these leaders, there are plenty of other tools and platforms out there that help an HR team increase efficiency, save time, enhance resource mileage, and provide more value to their functions.

Does your HR team have a favorite tool or platform that makes their work easier? Let us know if you have one that you think should absolutely make this list!

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