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Gig Workers and the Evolving Workforce: Leaders’ Perspectives

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Gig Workers and the Evolving Workforce: Leaders' Perspectives

Divyank Jain
Fractional CMO, Mitt Arv

I like gig workers’ flexibility and particular abilities as a CMO.

While I want to use freelance talent for some projects and demands during certain seasons, my long-term strategy is centered on assembling a core group of committed employees. It guarantees conformity to the long-term goals and corporate culture.

I will, however, keep integrating gig workers strategically in order to improve our capabilities, spur innovation, and react fast to changes in the market.

By striking a balance between the two strategies, the business may maintain its agility and develop a dedicated staff that upholds our core values.

Matej (Matt) Trajkovski 
Owner, EScooterNerds

Our last hire is a person whose sole responsibility is to create short-form videos for TikTok, Instagram reels, and Youtube shorts, and they can use any of our other video content and images. We’ve found this to be a very easy yet effective way to repurpose content cheaply and still get a lot of reach and bang for buck.

Since the practices are well-described by our standard operating procedures, we can quickly train even complete beginners on how to do this job. The nature of the work itself also aligns with a gig-based type of hire over a traditional job – we simply pay the person for every completed short-form video.

This is probably the best type of work we’ve found that can be performed by gig workers, and so far it seems to work well for both us and the workers.

Albert Brenner
Owner, Altraco

As a co-owner of a manufacturing company, I have always relied on a mix of full-time employees and gig workers.

For key strategic and management roles, full-time staff are essential. They provide the institutional knowledge and stability to guide long-term growth. However, to handle specialized or short-term needs, independent contractors offer flexibility, niche expertise and scalability.

At my company, we frequently tap into a network of freelance industrial designers, software engineers and marketing specialists for projects that require extra bandwidth or a fresh perspective. Their involvement allows us to take on more work without compromising quality or service.

For example, when we landed a contract to design and manufacture fitness equipment for a major sporting goods retailer, freelance industrial designers helped us scale up to meet tight deadlines.

The future of work depends on effectively integrating gig workers and full-time staff. For core functions like leadership, customer service and product development, permanent employees are ideal.

But for specialized or temporary needs, independent contractors provide the agility and innovation to drive business growth.

At my company, this balanced approach has been key to scaling the business while still maintaining high standards of operational excellence.

Ashley Gawley
Founder, Ashley Gawley

As the head of growth for a major real estate firm, I rely heavily on gig workers to scale strategic initiatives. For core leadership roles, full-time staff provide stability. But for specialized short-term needs, independent contractors offer flexibility and expertise.

Last year, we launched a rebranding campaign targeting high-net-worth clients in key markets. Freelance marketing specialists helped optimize our digital advertising and PR outreach, driving a 37% increase in web traffic from target customers. Their niche skills allowed us to scale the campaign quickly while maintaining quality.

We also use gig workers for software engineering projects with tight deadlines.

Recently, we hired freelance developers to build a custom CRM integration in just 3 months. Their involvement let us take on an ambitious project that would have otherwise been unfeasible given our existing bandwidth.

The future of work depends on blending gig workers and permanent staff. For core functions like leadership, full-time employees are ideal. But for specialized or temporary needs, independent contractors provide the agility to accelerate growth. At my firm, this balanced approach has been key to scaling strategically while upholding high standards.

Forrest Webber
Owner, The Trade Table

As the owner of The Trade Table, I foresee the evolving role of gig workers as a strategic supplement to our core team in the long run.

We definitely plan on leveraging gig workers to bolster our abilities in areas like content creation, digital marketing, and customer service. By doing so, we break away from traditional employment models, primarily due to our need for flexibility.

With an e-commerce business, market trends can shift rapidly, and having the ability to scale our workforce up or down quickly is key to staying competitive.

Additionally, gig workers offer a diversity of ideas and fresh perspectives, which can lead to innovative solutions and improvements in our business operations.

Jason Woo
Owner, Able Hardware

As the CEO of Able Hardware, I continuously explore diverse talent acquisition strategies that complement our goal of marrying innovation with mechanical mastery.

We do incorporate gig workers regularly, chiefly in niche technical domains and creative project-based roles.

Our industry often necessitates contemporary skills like 3D modeling or advanced analytics, something gig workers often excel in, providing an enriching mix of fresh perspectives and specialized skills.

One departure from traditional hiring is our intent on hiring gig workers for digital marketing and social media roles.

The primary reason is flexibility.

The rapid evolution in digital marketing trends warrants individuals who are abreast with emerging platforms and strategies and can flexibly adapt. By engaging these gig specialists, we’ve witnessed impressive business-to-business outreach and brand visibility, reaffirming our trust in the gig economy.

Let’s just say that the combination of consistent in-house expertise and dynamic gig talent has been a recipe for success at Able Hardware.

Eva Miller
VP of Marketing, Pretty Moment

Viewing from my role at Pretty Moment, a leading ecommerce platform in women’s designer dresses, I see the gig economy as a game-changing move.

Yes, we plan—and in fact, are already using—gig workers to enhance our business capabilities, particularly in digital marketing.

The scope of digital marketing is vast and requires specialized skills—SEO, SEM, content creation, social media management, and more. This is where gig workers shine, they bring in not just specialized knowledge but also a fresh perspective and agility.

Our departure from the traditional employment model is strategically driven to keep pace with the dynamic digital marketing landscape.

Relying on gig workers allows us to tap into diverse talent pools and bring more flexibility and innovation into our marketing operations. I believe this will greatly aid in sustaining our competitive edge in ecommerce.

Daniel Brown
Professional Cleaning Expert & CEO, Handy Cleaners

At Handy Cleaners, we see gig workers becoming a vital part of our operational model.

One of the lesser-known reasons for this shift is the ability to tap into specialized skills that aren’t always needed full-time, such as eco-friendly cleaning experts or those trained in sensitive environments like hospitals.

By using gig workers, we can maintain a flexible, on-demand workforce without overcommitting to roles that may not have constant demand.

The primary reason for leaning into gig workers is adaptability.

The cleaning industry sees fluctuating demand, and having a workforce that can scale up or down rapidly allows us to respond quickly to client needs.

This flexibility gives us an edge without the limitations of traditional employment.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing their insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea 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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The Secret Sauce of Remote Innovation: Leaders Reveal Their Strategies

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The Secret Sauce of Remote Innovation: Leaders Reveal Their Strategies

Clarke Duncan
Founder, OutsourcingStaff

One effective strategy to foster a culture of innovation in a remote work environment is to implement regular “Innovation Hours.”

This initiative involves setting aside dedicated time each week where team members can focus exclusively on creative projects or brainstorming sessions that are not related to their daily tasks.

During these hours, encourage employees to collaborate across departments via video calls or chat rooms, and provide them with access to digital whiteboards and other collaborative tools.

This dedicated time allows team members to explore new ideas without the pressure of immediate deadlines, fostering a creative and innovative atmosphere. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding contributions from these sessions can further motivate staff to think outside the box.

Jennifer Mihajlov
Executive Vice President, Qualee

At Qualee, one key strategy we’ve implemented to foster innovation in a remote setting is structured, cross-functional collaboration.

Through our platform, we create virtual spaces where employees from different departments can connect and brainstorm ideas, encouraging diverse perspectives.

By scheduling regular “innovation sprints” and using tools for real-time feedback, we ensure that employees have a voice in the creative process and can contribute to shaping the company’s direction, even remotely.

This approach has led to more collaborative problem-solving and breakthrough ideas across teams.

John Simmons
Head of Partnerships, InboxAlly

Fostering innovation in a distributed environment requires intention and adaptability.

The most effective strategy I’ve found is to establish regular touchpoints for brainstorming and collaboration. Whether it’s a weekly ideation session, a Slack channel for sharing ideas, or impromptu video chats to build camaraderie, making space for people to connect and create is key.

It’s also vital to stay flexible and meet team members where they are. Not everyone thrives in the same remote work setting. Honoring diverse needs around focus time, meeting formats, tools, and communication rhythms helps people do their best creative thinking. Innovation emerges when people feel empowered to share ideas freely and fail fast without judgment.

The virtual water cooler is real – it just looks different. Nurturing relationships and a spirit of experimentation can unleash innovation, even from afar.

Hansjan Kamerling
Co-Founder, Adaptify AI

As a product manager, I encourage regular video calls with my remote team to brainstorm new ideas.

During these calls, I ask open-ended questions to stimulate innovative thinking. When someone proposes an interesting concept, I send a personal note of thanks and a small gift card. This positive reinforcement cultivates a culture where creativity is rewarded.

For day-to-day work, we use project management software to keep everyone aligned across locations and time zones. But quarterly, I fly key leaders to our office for in-person meetings. Face-to-face interaction ignites relationships that fuel innovation.

Although technology enables remote work, human connections remain vital for breakthroughs.

For example, last year we launched an innovation program where team members shared new methods or tools. The winning ideas won new business and public recognition. This incentivized “what if” thinking and led to solutions we never anticipated.

While technology streamlines our operations, in-person collaboration sparks the innovative spirit that produces our biggest wins.

Chase Mckee
CEO, Rocket Alumni Solutions

Innovation is key to our success as a fast-growing startup. To foster creativity in our remote team, we implement regular brainstorming sessions over video where everyone’s ideas are heard and built upon, regardless of role or experience.

These open discussions spark new concepts that we can quickly prototype and test with real users.

We also rely on an always-on team messaging channel where people share what they’re working on and ask quick questions. Recognizing that breakthroughs often happen spontaneously, this constant exchange leads to unexpected collaborations and new solutions.

When we implement an idea proposed by someone on the team, I send a personal note of recognition. Positive reinforcement of risk-taking is essential to building an innovative culture.

Finally, we encourage interests outside of work by offering learning stipends for online courses and events.

Gaining new perspectives and skills in areas outside our expertise spurs more innovative thinking overall. The broader and more diverse the knowledge within our organization, the more likely we are to make unexpected connections that lead to new ideas.

Creativity is a habit, and by rewarding and fueling it in various ways, we aim to make innovation second nature.

Rachel Voss
Owner, Voss Salon

As the owner of multiple salons, I’ve found that incentivizing stylists to share innovative techniques and ideas remotely has been key.

We offer bonuses for stylists who post educational video tutorials on our company intranet. Stylists can comment, ask questions and provide feedback, sparking discussions that often lead to new approaches.

To facilitate daily creative exchanges, we have an open channel on our salon communication app exclusively for styling ideas and tips. I frequently pose challenges there like “what’s a new way to create volume on fine hair?” The solutions that emerge from these casual brainstorms are where true innovation happens.

We also highlight innovative work in our monthly company newsletter. When a stylist develops a new technique or product recommendation that clients love, we spotlight their achievement.

This positive reinforcement of creativity shapes a culture where stylists are motivated to push the envelope, knowing their contributions will be recognized and rewarded. Our revenue and retention rates have climbed as a result.

Albert Brenner
CEO, Altraco

As CEO of a manufacturing firm, I am an advocate of remote collaboration and regularly host video calls with key suppliers around the globe. Last year, we launched an innovation program where suppliers shared new materials or production methods. The winning ideas were awarded business and recognized publicly.

To keep ideas flowing, I incentivize ‘what if’ thinking by asking open-ended questions in our Slack channels and messaging app. When someone proposes an innovative solution, I send a personal ‘thank you’ and small gift. Positive reinforcement, even in small ways, nurtures a culture where new ideas are encouraged.

For daily work, we use project management tools to keep teams on the same page across time zones and locations. But once a quarter, I fly key leaders to our HQ for in-person meetings. Face to face time builds connections that fuel creativity, and the cross-pollination of different departments often leads to our most innovative solutions.

While technology enables remote work, human relationships remain the engine of innovation.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing their insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea 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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Remote Innovation: Overcoming the Challenges of Distance and Disconnection

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Remote Innovation: Overcoming the Challenges of Distance and Disconnection

Colleen Lerro Gallagher
President & CEO, OnWrd & UpWrd

At OnWrd & UpWrd, fostering a culture of innovation, especially in a remote environment, revolves around continuous learning and open communication. One specific strategy we’ve implemented is our weekly “AI Conversation” during team calls.

Each team member is encouraged to share their experiences with AI tools—what they’ve tried, what’s worked, and importantly, what hasn’t. These discussions not only demystify AI but also normalize the learning curve associated with adopting new technologies.

Additionally, we maintain a dedicated AI-focused Slack channel where the team posts articles, discusses different uses of AI, and shares updates on the latest developments in the field. This ongoing dialogue keeps everyone engaged and encourages a proactive approach to experimentation and learning.

The objective is clear: inspire every team member to embrace and explore new technologies, ensuring that experimentation and innovation become routine aspects of our work culture even when we’re spread across the country. We believe that understanding both successes and setbacks in AI applications is invaluable, as it drives improvement and sparks further innovation.

Burak Özdemir
Founder, Character Calculator

One effective strategy for encouraging innovation in a remote work environment is promoting collaboration between different departments.

By allowing team members from various areas to work together on projects or brainstorming sessions, you can bring different ideas and skills to the table, which leads to more creative solutions.

For example, pairing a developer with a marketing specialist on a project can lead to new ideas that neither would have thought of alone.

This teamwork not only sparks creativity but also helps break down barriers that can happen in remote work.

In our company, this approach has resulted in a 25% increase in new project initiatives over the past year.

Regularly switching team members into cross-department projects helps keep new ideas coming, which boosts innovation and improves overall productivity.

Gauri Manglik
CEO and Co-Founder, Instrumentl

In my experience, fostering innovation in a distributed team requires intention and effort. The spontaneous water cooler conversations that spark new ideas don’t happen when people aren’t together physically.
That’s why I make it a priority to create spaces for people to connect and collaborate across locations.

We have random virtual coffee chats, ideation sessions, and informal gatherings that are social but also spark that creative magic. I encourage remote brainstorming in small groups, using tools like Miro or Mural to capture ideas in real time.

It’s also key to promote a culture where speaking up and sharing ideas is welcomed, not just from the extroverts but from the quieter voices too. I consciously draw people out and make sure remote folks don’t get drowned out by the louder in-office crowd.

At the end of the day, innovation is unleashed when people feel empowered to think boldly and work creatively, no matter where they are. That’s the culture I aim to build.

Gary Collins
Managing Director, B2B News

To foster a culture of innovation in a remote setting, I recommend implementing a “Virtual Innovation Lab” program.

This initiative creates a dedicated space and time for employees to explore creative ideas outside their regular responsibilities. The program schedules monthly “Innovation Days” where team members step away from usual tasks to focus on innovative projects.

A digital platform, such as a dedicated Slack channel or Miro board, serves as a hub for idea sharing, collaboration, and voting on promising concepts. Cross-functional teams are formed to work on selected ideas, ensuring diverse perspectives and skill sets. Senior leaders provide resources and mentorship to help develop these ideas.

At the end of each Innovation Day, teams present their concepts to the entire company in virtual showcases. A reward system recognizes the most innovative ideas through acknowledgment, bonuses, or the opportunity to lead project implementation.

This approach fosters innovation by dedicating time for creative thinking, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration, providing a structured process for idea development, creating a safe space for risk-taking and experimentation, and recognizing innovative efforts.

This can be implemented by:

  • Utilizing collaborative tools and platforms like Slack, Miro, or custom virtual brainstorming spaces to facilitate easy sharing of ideas.
  • Scheduling regular virtual brainstorming sessions or “innovation days” where team members can step outside their regular duties to explore new concepts.
  • Creating a psychologically safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing unconventional ideas without fear of criticism.
  • Implementing an “open door” policy for digital communication, where team members can easily reach out to leadership with new ideas.
  • Recognizing and rewarding innovative contributions through virtual “shout-outs” or other forms of public acknowledgment.

By making innovation a regular, structured part of the remote work environment, this strategy helps maintain creativity and forward-thinking, even when teams are physically apart, ultimately driving the company’s growth and adaptability in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Hayley Gillman
CEO of BOTI

A practical way to encourage innovation in a remote team is by setting up regular virtual brainstorming sessions using tools like Miro or Microsoft Teams. These sessions help break down barriers between departments and promote teamwork across different areas, often leading to new and creative ideas.

Using structured methods like mind mapping or SCAMPER keeps these sessions focused and engaging, giving everyone a chance to share their thoughts without feeling restricted by traditional office hierarchies.

Equally important is creating a space where employees feel safe to express their ideas without fear of judgment. Promoting open conversations and viewing mistakes as learning opportunities can help team members feel more comfortable taking risks and trying new things.

This supportive environment allows teams to explore new ideas and make continuous improvements, even when working remotely.

Nick Valentino
VP of Market Operations, Bellhop Atlanta Movers

If we want our remote teams to innovate, we need to give them time and resources to do it.

We keep a to-do list of innovation tasks: pain points in our business model, open-ended questions, and software platforms to try out. Our employees can spend up to 10% of their working hours each week tackling anything on this to-do list, and we offer performance bonuses for any problems solved or new platforms adopted.

This provides just enough structure to keep things on track, and lets employees display their creativity and versatility.

Warner Quiroga
President & Owner, Prestige Home Buyers

I would say first and foremost, be a great listener, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

Listen to your team members’ concerns, listen to what their needs are, listen to how they act, how they do their work, how they come into work.

If it’s virtual, how you see them on zoom, how they interact with other people on the team.

Listen and see because that tells you a lot about it.

Take it into consideration and who knows, you’d be surprised and in some cases their advice or the collective advice of a big group of team members talking and just debating ideas could result in a better idea than the one you might have initially had.

That’s why it’s also important to know and make sure you hire people that are willing to be coachable and to grow with you.

As the company grows this way, nobody gets left behind and everybody can stay ahead and continue growing because as the years go on, there’s gonna be more and more obstacles and competition that will arise.

So we need to stay ahead of the curve to be able to continue succeeding and having a prosperous future.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing their insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea 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 HR Best Practices to Cater to the Global Workforce

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Matthew Ramirez HR Spotlight
Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, PhotoAiD
Piotrek Sosnowski - Terkel HR Spotlight
Grace He - HR Spotlight

6 HR Best Practices to Cater to the Global Workforce

Global Workforce Challenges HR Spotlight

Translate Your Brand Effectively

When you are trying to cater to a global audience, you need to translate your brand effectively. This means knowing the cultural nuances of your target markets and communicating your brand identity in a way that resonates with them.

Matthew Ramirez HR Spotlight

When you are trying to cater to a global audience, you need to translate your brand effectively. This means knowing the cultural nuances of your target markets and communicating your brand identity in a way that resonates with them.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

It also means knowing how to adapt your brand identity to different mediums. For example, your website may need to look different in China than it does in the United States, and your social media posts will need to look different in both countries as well. Getting the details right will help you reach a wider audience and grow your brand in new markets.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

Be Flexible With Policy

When you’re catering to a global workforce that’s multinational and culturally diverse, you need to come to terms with the simple truth that people can differ greatly from one another. Rules that work within one culture might not work at all in another, and vice versa. You need to be flexible with your policies and adapt well to the working realities of different cultures and the rules that define them.

Natalia Brzezinska, Marketing & Outreach Manager, UK Passport Photo

Prioritize Diversity and Inclusion

This is important for catering to a global workforce because it helps create a work environment that is welcoming and respectful of all employees, regardless of their background or identity.

We need to consider that global teams are often made up of employees from a variety of different cultures and countries, each with their own unique experiences, perspectives, and needs. We have to cater to such a diverse group to increase employee satisfaction and productivity.

Piotrek Sosnowski - Terkel HR Spotlight

When you are trying to cater to a global audience, you need to translate your brand effectively. This means knowing the cultural nuances of your target markets and communicating your brand identity in a way that resonates with them.

Piotrek Sosnowski, Chief People & Culture Officer, HiJunior

In addition, prioritizing diversity and inclusion can also help companies better serve their customers and clients by being better equipped to understand and meet the needs of a diverse customer base. It can also help companies build a positive reputation in the community and attract top talent.

Overall, prioritizing diversity and inclusion can lead to a range of positive outcomes for the company and its employees, and is overall a highly ethical stance.

Piotrek Sosnowski, Chief People & Culture Officer, HiJunior

Avoid Culture-Specific Language

As a leader in a global workforce and a transplant worker myself, I understand the importance of avoiding colloquialisms in company communications.

Grace He - HR Spotlight

In a remote setting, it can be difficult for multicultural coworkers to feel connected and included. By avoiding colloquialisms, I strive to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and respected.

Grace He, People & Culture Director, Teambuilding.Com

In a remote setting, it can be difficult for multicultural coworkers to feel connected and included. By avoiding colloquialisms, I strive to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and respected. I want to ensure that our company’s communications are clear and accessible to all, regardless of background or culture.

I believe that by taking this extra step, we can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our coworkers.

Grace He, People & Culture Director, Teambuilding.Com

Keep Recognition in Mind

Peer-to-peer recognition makes a vast difference in engaging employees. Recognition helps people find purpose and motivation. This can be delivered through a formal recognition platform, but we can also do recognition by highlighting what a person did in an email or team meeting.

Tony Deblauwe, VP, Human Resources, Celigo

Invest in Staff Cultural Education

Investing in staff integration programs is one of the greatest challenges for a globalized workforce. Keeping staff from feeling isolated is essential, even in a remote workforce, as people can risk feeling as if their specific local needs are not being considered in company growth.

Kristina Ramos - Terkel HR Spotlight

Investing in the opportunity for staff to experience how a co-worker lives in his/her city or country can help to breed team solidarity and communication, which furthers innovation and productivity.

Kristina Ramos, Reverse Recruiter, Find My Profession

Investing in the opportunity for staff to experience how a co-worker lives in his/her city or country can help to breed team solidarity and communication, which furthers innovation and productivity.

Kristina Ramos, Reverse Recruiter, Find My Profession

Undoubtedly, each of these best practices play a crucial role in welcoming a global workforce and helping your organization dip into the unique set of advantages they bring with them.

More importantly, it also helps these employees feel at home in an organizational setup they’re probably experiencing for the first time in their career.

Do you have a best practice or tip you think will provide added direction to an HR team handling a global workforce? 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.

Connecting Workforce Development to Leverage Empowerment in 2023

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Connecting Workforce Development to Leverage Empowerment in 2023

HR Spotlight - Polina Kovaleva

Empowerment Beyond Marketing

Empowerment has been recently seen and used as a tagline or marketing ploy, especially in a recruiting manor for more employees or customers.

It is important to be sure you and your organization foundationally understand that there need to be 3 things involved for empowerment to be present in a moment and that is Authority, Power, and People.

A corporation or organization is not part of that equation based on the definition of empowerment which is the authority and power connected to people.

Authority is centered around how people feel empowered and the confidence that they have but also all the way that they care for themselves. Authority-driven items usually produce that boss-like mentality you get from being empowered. It can be very emotionally driven, and it is usually hard to track an honest answer.

See your nearest supervisor feedback review scores that paint a different opinion than the turnover rate is telling you. How does it make you feel to provide the rideshare car driver with a 5-star rating?

That process is all tied to the authority portion of empowerment. All things in this world either raise or lower someone’s authority of empowerment. The emotional side of empowerment can often have different answers to the same exact question because it is based on people’s perceptions.

On the other side of these parts of empowerment is the power side, and that portion is where all the data and numbers live.

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 contribute@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

Power in Empowerment

Power in empowerment is where people usually get caught up in trying to acquire these intrinsic items. The tangible measured items like money and all its derivatives, functional power like energy, and the most powerful of all the power items, which is time, are some examples.

Most of the power items can be captured, grown, and invested, except time which is only exactly what you get but also how much time you devote to something and collectively as an organization how many resources you use to impact change or produce a profit margin.

Tracking the impact of these power items in your leadership and workforce development programs should be inherently easy because they all involve some sort of measurable number tied to each of them.

Often organizations are the only ones attempting to track these items and the successes of the DEI program. They are looking to provide an impactful number of promotions or pay equity of the organization among other metrics.

Where we can create more change for 2023 through our people is by helping them better understand how to measure and track their own empowerment this year. And that is why people are the final part of empowerment and they must be involved to connect your program to empowerment.

People in Empowerment

People will always play a critical role even with machine learning and artificial intelligence. They are all a part of your workforce, and all can be collectively working together to track the impact that they each make this year.

To track authority accurately in 2023 you are going to have to teach your employees more about empowerment by connecting it to your leadership and workforce development programming. By measuring the authority each person has within themselves will help your employees develop by understanding how they feel about their own commitment to your organization.

Then remember the power items can be easily tracked since they all contain a measurable component to them, but the key element is teaching your people to also track their power items as well which they contribute to the organization.

If your people are truly empowered in 2023, then they should be able to provide their empowerment report at the end of the year. This report can showcase all of their successes personally but also how they connected to other people through authority, as well as the power numbers of their business results.

DEI programs are only successful when they ultimately tie back to business and if your people are empowered then they should be able to communicate exactly why they are instead of it just being a blanket statement.

Development that Aligns with the Empowerment Shift

Having served for 6 years as the VP of DEI for 60,000 people at PNC Bank I saw how empowerment moved and was received through DEI and community driven programming. This is what led me to finish my research on empowerment and create a world class leadership development organization.

I get the pleasure of helping great organizations become better by connecting my research on empowerment of people as well as measuring how empowered your people are across the differences that we have as humans.

Remember that empowerment is felt differently across all our top differences so our groundbreaking empowering differences assessment helps to provide data surrounding which differences need the most empowerment in your organization as well as providing recommendations on which leadership actions people can do to drive more empowerment faster.

For 2023 you can create a leadership development for your entire workforce based on each person’s intersectionality and that can help truly empower all differences.

 

Ashley T. Brundage HR Spotlight

All About Our Guest

More about Ashley

She transformed from homelessness and being an out woman of transgender experience to gain a job as a part time bank teller in 2010, then became the national vice president of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at PNC Bank in 4.5 years. After being featured in several media outlets she left her job running DEI and publishing an award winning empowerment and leadership book/program. Now she runs her own transformational leadership development organization traveling the world sharing her insights while also serving for several nonprofit organizations and sharing her research on how to drive empowerment faster though all of our differences we have as humans.

About Empowering Differences

International award winning leadership and empowerment expert Ashley T Brundage shares her insight into numerous especially tracking DEI efforts through what she calls Empowering Actions with the APP of Empowerment. Her leadership development program teaches people how to track the DEIB work they do for organizations by measuring the authority driven items through human capital surveys as well as tracking the power driven items through their natural measurement and tracked nature since they are all easily accountable. The power items are like actual power, monetary instruments, and time as 3 common examples. The authority driven items are more people centric placed surrounding feelings like confidence, learned skills, and wellness. Her program focuses this tracking effort as the APP of empowerment deeply rooted in the foundational definition of empowerment which is authority and power connected to people. She also professionally advises several other corporation and meeting organizations on inclusive practices for meetings to address LGBTQ+, Disabled, and other marginalized communities to make access to programs more equitable for all.

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13 Factors Impacting Your Team Productivity

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13 Factors Impacting Your Team Productivity

HR teams around the world fight the productivity fight each day, within their own teams and out on the work floor of the businesses they serve.

What is team productivity, and why is your team productivity nosediving?

The HR Spotlight team set out to find answers to these questions, and here we are to provide you with a list that helps you identify shortcomings and shows you where you might be going wrong.

What is Team Productivity?

To shed more light on what team productivity is all about, let’s consider workers A and B contributing to the productivity charts of the company they work for with their own set of tasks and responsibilities.

Employee A is doing wonderfully well at the workplace and has all the traits from self-motivation to work ethics that keep delivery and performance 100%.

On the other hand, Employee B suffers from low morale and a general dislike for every task placed at their desk each day, which means that the delivery and performance B brings to the table is only 50%. Put the two together, draw out an average, and you know your team productivity stands at 75%.

But is this team productivity number of 75% only because of the high performance that A delivers and the low performance of B? Or are there other factors at play behind the scenes? Is this even the right method to derive team productivity? Or does this method take the spotlight away from other prevalent factors at the workplace and beyond?

Of course, employee contribution does drive productivity, but will the resolution of the problem on an individual level provide all the answers?

Factors Impacting Your Team Productivity

Well, as it turns out, team productivity has to do with a lot more than employee productivity, and here’s the list that tells you why your team productivity is nosediving.

#1: Recruitment

Your recruitment process is where it all begins, so yes, the recruitment strategies you have in place do have an impact. After all, it is your recruitment process that determines the percentage of As and Bs in your organization. It also determines the overall commitment you’re able to derive from your employees through all that you offer them right from the recruitment stages. If your recruitment isn’t being done right, it has a direct adverse impact on team productivity.

#2: Onboarding

Your onboarding process determines the commitment you derive from your employees. When an employee meets a highly driven HR team and is introduced to managers who are heartily sharing stories of how they lead a workplace that is all about performance and productivity, this approach rubs off on employees.

On the other hand, when new employees are met with a lethargic onboarding process and interact with a team that is not very willing to inspire or lead from the front, chances are they witness this same attitude playing out on the work floor too. Under these circumstances, even the most productive employees will find it challenging to keep up their drive to perform well.

#3: Managers and leaders

Are the managers and leaders at your workplace an inspirational lot? Or do they suffer from performance and productivity issues too? When the ones who lead are lost, how can they lead their teams toward optimal performance?

In the absence of managers and leaders who believe in leading from the front, no team can even create a team productivity roadmap, to begin with. If your managers are uninspiring, do little to trace the negatives in your team, do even less to inspire, and are just not committed to their roles, your team productivity is bound to nosedive.

#4: Productivity roadmap

No matter how self-driven, self-motivated, and well-trained, every employee requires a productivity roadmap that clearly references their tasks and responsibilities and shows them exactly how they can contribute to the team’s productivity. When this roadmap is unclear, when it is vague enough to confuse employees, or when it doesn’t even exist, team productivity will undoubtedly take a hit. After all, even the best workers need direction and know at least the basics of their production schedule to deliver their best. Without this roadmap, even the best efforts of an outstanding workforce are wasted.

#5: Learning and development

Every workplace requires a set of learning and development practices that help employees do better. When your workplace does not commit to learning and development and has a workforce that isn’t learning anything new or even forgetting what they’ve learned until now, you will soon have a team that just isn’t as capable as their peers who are exposed to regular learning opportunities.

In addition to affecting team productivity, the lack of learning also leaves employees less capable. They learn nothing new, have nothing to show for all the months or years they’ve spent at your company, and soon enough, will realize that all they’ve done is work without learning anything worthwhile. And one look at the productivity numbers will show that they haven’t contributed a lot on that front either.

#6: Remuneration, perks, and benefits

Different factors drive every employee in your team, and it is up to you as a leader to provide the right balance. When you fail to do so, employee performance will face a negative impact too. The remuneration your employees receive on a regular basis and the perks and benefits that add up to this fixed amount are major influential factors on this list.

Suppose you do not offer suitable remuneration, and the perks and benefits in line do little to drive employees to give their best. In that case, there is a strong chance that your productivity numbers will reflect this lack of motivation.

#7: Growth opportunities

Promotions to the next seat in the hierarchy, better positions within the team, or even a full-fledged bump to the post of a manager are all key influencers that inspire employee productivity. Employees are driven hard by the motivation to grow within the team and even more by opportunities that lead them to managerial positions. In the absence of these opportunities, employees have little to work towards, and this means that your productivity will nosedive too.

#8: Ownership issues

When employees know they are being held responsible for certain productivity factors, they also plan their input accordingly. In the absence of ownership, employees find it difficult to peg responsibilities on themselves. This means that the onus of performing well at the workplace seldom finds its way to them. If your team hierarchy lacks this critical element of ownership and creates a rather vague ownership structure, it can affect productivity negatively too. After all, when employees don’t even know what they’re responsible for, how can they measure the effort required to accomplish them?

#9: Work distribution

Every employee has unique strengths and weaknesses, and when the work they do matches this unique list, the output is of the same caliber too. For example, if your employees are being allotted tasks that they’re not really good at, it would be a joke to expect high team productivity. On the other hand, when you’re able to identify each employee’s strengths and prepare a work list that makes the most of these strengths, productivity is bound to spike. Not paying enough attention to the work distribution process is, therefore, one factor affecting team productivity.

#10: Project management

A solid project management system helps managers define every work process and distribute responsibilities to the right members of their team and enables real-time tracking of every function. It shows managers as well as employees where they stand at any given point of the project in terms of schedule and output.

When your team does not have a robust project management system in place, there is no way to measure output against the requirements of the project, and even the timeline goes haywire. So if the project management system your team relies on isn’t the right one, you can be sure that this factor is draining your team’s productivity too.

#11: Employee freedom

Employee freedom is a rather delicate subject, and every manager who heads a team knows how tough it is to create the right balance when it comes to allowing certain employees freedoms and disallowing others. When the balance is right, team productivity is hardly an issue; when it’s wrong, the direct adverse impact on productivity is quite evident. So what is employee freedom in this context?

Suppose your managers are micro-managing the entire workflow and not giving employees the freedom to make even the most minor decisions. In that case, your employees do not have enough space to give their best and work freely. On the other hand, if your managers are not paying enough attention to their employees’ work patterns and it’s all haywire from a team’s point of view, this approach contributes to a productivity nosedive too.

#12: Teamwork

You can have 10 of the world’s best players on your team and still lose the easiest of games if there is a lack of teamwork and camaraderie among the players. This is how it is at the workplace too. If the employees on your team do not get along with each other, if there is a dearth of collaboration and communication, and even worse, if there are employees who make deliberate attempts to sabotage the performance of others, there’s no way your team productivity can stay away from the damage caused by such an environment.

The lack of teamwork contributes to a drop in productivity in more ways than you think, and even the ease of projects and simplicity of work schedules will cease to matter under these circumstances.

#13: Health and wellness

The health and wellness of your individual employees add up to the health and wellness of your team. And while encouraging your workforce to pay attention to their physical and mental health is always a good thing, ensuring that this is a thing at the workplace is crucial too. After all, your employees easily spend the most waking hours of their day at the workplace, and what they do here regarding their health is also influential to their well-being. In the absence of company commitment to employees’ health and wellness, team productivity is sure to bear the brunt.

Pulling Your Team Up from a Productivity Nosedive

Now that you know the possible reasons behind the nosediving productivity of your team, you can lay out the plans to tackle each problem too. At HR Spotlight, we have all the answers you need to latch on to high-productivity models at your workplace and enable the HR team to do more than they ever thought they would.

Do you have any more factors you think we can add to this list? Or is there something else you’d like to share with us?

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