Solution: Talent Advisory

Digital Recruitment Marketing: It’s All About the Online Candidate Experience

Posted on by skatz

In the world of talent acquisition, a brand’s presence online can lead candidates to discover new opportunities. And, employers and brands are taking the hint – maximising the online candidate experience through personalisation and optimisation.

This brings us to the importance of digital recruitment marketing. Digital recruitment marketing is a way for employers to source and attract potential candidates; it can include social media, email marketing, display advertising and more.

Through this article, we’ll share some important aspects of digital recruitment marketing, including building personas, trending digital marketing strategies and channels, and website optimisation.

Understanding & Creating Candidate Personas

Understanding the key characteristics of the candidates your organisation wants to hire provides context to who they are, which is why organisations create candidate personas. Personas are profiles that represent different types of candidates, focusing on individual characteristics. They create alignment across your recruitment and sourcing strategies.

Personas are organised, analysed and assembled by gathering internal data that reflects candidates’ behaviours, interests, goals and challenges. Let’s dive into how to build your personas.

How to Build Your Personas:

1.Gather Your Data: Focus your data on successful hires and placements within your organisation. Interview professionals who currently work in the type of role you’re seeking to fill to understand what qualities make them successful. Prioritise data points such as:

  • demographic information
  • background
  • personal attributes
  • qualifications
  • goals
  • objections
  • web activity

Also, try to gather anecdotal evidence or commentary by consulting other recruiters and hiring managers who have hired for that role in the past.

Quick Tip: Aim to gather as much information as possible regarding each position or job opening. The more data you have to work with, the more detailed your personas will be.

2. Identify Trends: Once you’ve gathered your data, it’s time to analyse the information and identify shared trends and traits. This is where your personas will really start to take shape. How do you do this? Start by asking some important questions:

  • Which characteristics or traits do ideal candidates share?
  • What motivates the ideal candidate?
  • Where does the ideal candidate search for jobs?
  • What are the ideal candidate’s goals and aspirations?

These questions – and those similar – will lead you to draw conclusions about the candidate who will best meet your needs for any given role or job opening.

3. Assemble Your Personas: After collecting and analysing your data, the next step is to assemble your candidate persona profiles. At this stage, you will use the insights you’ve discovered to create a profile of your hypothetical candidate. Some organisations create personas and associate them to profiles with names and pictures to seem more realistic and multi-dimensional; however, be aware of unconscious bias. A good way to avoid bias is to create personas that are based on research and surveys done within your organisation, and to focus only on the specific needs and challenges of potential candidates.

What’s Your Digital Strategy?

Content Marketing 

Before you post on your digital marketing channels, focus on the importance of strategically crafting your content. The content you post should be more about your audience, or potential candidate, than it is about your brand. It’s a conversation that says, “We would be lucky to have you as an employee,” versus, “You would be lucky to work for us.”

To have this conversation, your content needs to adhere to your candidate persona’s desires and interests. Your content also has to create a narrative and capture your audience’s attention, while driving home your selling points in a concise way. For example, social media is one trending digital marketing platform. It is a very distracting environment, and you have very limited time to connect with candidates. So, it’s vital to know what you need to say to them via posts, tweets and images, and truly connect the right candidate, or persona, with your open jobs.

Social Media Marketing

I recently hosted a Talking Talent Webinar, “Digital Recruitment Marketing: A Guide for Employers.” During the webinar, I asked attendees to answer the question, “Which recruitment marketing strategies would you like to implement at your organisation?” What was one of the top answers? Social media marketing, of course, with 36.4%.

  • Conversion rate optimisation – 45.5%
  • Social media marketing – 36.4%
  • Email marketing/marketing automation – 36.4%
  • Pay-per-click advertising – 9.1%
  • Display advertising – 9.1%
  • Search engine optimisation (SEO) – 18.2%
  • Viral digital marketing – 36.4%
  • None of the above – 0%
  • Don’t know – 27.3%

Although proven to be effective, not all social media channels are created the same. Each platform has its own particular set of users with their own quirks as to how they interact with content. Candidate personas can help you identify your target candidates and shape your social strategy to fit each candidate’s specific preferences. You can utilise them to prioritise the platforms you use, to personalise your messaging, and to share content that engages your ideal candidates.

A helpful tip when approaching social media marketing is to start by researching all of your top competitors. Check each of their social media pages and see:

  • what content they are posting
  • how often they are doing so
  • how many users are engaging with that content
  • what platforms they’re using

Once you conclude which social media platform is yielding the greatest results – whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc. – focus your personalised content on that particular site.

Quick Facts:

  • 80% of employers say social recruiting helps them find passive candidates
  • 70% of hiring managers say they have successfully hired through social media
  • 91% of employers are using social media to hire talent today

Career Sites Matter – A Lot

If your targeted candidates engage with you on digital recruitment marketing channels, often they then arrive at your website. Your website is the backbone to your digital footprint and communications. Not only should an immense amount of effort go into creating a site that has engaging content and is aesthetically pleasing, but it must also be user-friendly for potential candidates.

It’s vital that your website or career site is optimised for job-seekers. Optimising key words in job descriptions, and ensuring your links are working properly and that your site is mobile friendly can help candidates find your organisation and apply to your jobs.

When building a career site, the process, structure and flow of the site must be deliberate. Site flow is a major contributing factor to increasing the number of candidates that move through the funnel and make it through the application process; It’s all about user experience.

What’s Important in the End

Ultimately, an effective digital marketing campaign takes time, patience, planning and teamwork. It’s important to build customised campaigns that cater to candidate personas, be clear on your branding efforts, really push your employer brand’s unique selling points, and optimise your careers site for search engines and conversions. Put together, each aspect creates a strategy that is focused on personas and will be beneficial as you move forward in searching for candidates in the digital recruitment space.

Feeling Part of the Team: The Importance of Building an Inclusive Culture in the Workplace

Posted on by skatz

The letter of resignation came as a shock. The departing employee had just started six months earlier and brought the ideal skill set for the position. They received a substantial salary increase from their previous job, and no one had noticed any signs of discontent. When asked their reason for leaving during the exit interview, after some hesitation, the explanation came out: “I don’t feel like I belong here, and I don’t think anyone really understands who I am.” 

When pressed for details, none were forthcoming. One question came up among the leadership team again and again, “How many other employees feel the same way and what changes do we need to make?” This prompted a review of the company’s diversity and inclusion programme, which showed some progress in the diversity of its workforce, but no clear way to measure improvement in inclusion.

An Inclusive Culture Enables a Diverse Workplace to Thrive

The term “Diversity and Inclusion” has become so common that it can be easy to miss the different meaning of each word. A recent article in Gallup’s Workplace magazine defines the distinction between diversity and inclusion:

“Inclusion has to be understood as very different from diversity because simply having a wide roster of demographic characteristics won’t make a difference to an organisation’s bottom line unless the people who fall into any one demographic feel welcomed. Inclusion refers to a cultural and environmental feeling of belonging.”

Organisations that have successfully established a diverse workforce can reap the proven benefits that it provides, including a wide array of perspectives and experiences.  However, seemingly innocuous practices that are embedded in a company’s culture have the potential to make a segment of its workforce feel unwelcome and alien. But, when the possible problems with these practices are identified, a commitment to creating an inclusive culture can lead to changes that can vastly improve a work environment.

Consider the example of a tech start-up company that was founded by a group of friends from college, all coming from very similar backgrounds. Every year, a company picnic was held on a Saturday or Sunday with two key competitions taking place among the work teams: a relay swim race and a barbecue cook-off, followed by an employee recognition awards ceremony. This tradition continued as the company grew rapidly and employed a diverse range of talent.

While many employees looked forward to the company picnic, others began to quietly dread it. A few of the reasons these employees felt uncomfortable were: 

  • The religious practices and restrictions on Saturdays or Sundays followed by some employees made them feel like they had to choose between “being part of the team” and their faith.
  • Those who were differently abled or unable to swim well felt excluded from the relay race in the pool.
  • Vegetarians would have to excuse themselves from the “taste-test” part of the barbecue competition.

The goal of the company picnic was to build teamwork and show appreciation, but it had the opposite effect on some employees. For some, the timing and activities held at the picnic sent the message that “you and those who are like you do not really belong here.”

When leadership became aware of the distress that the picnic was causing some employees, they took the time to reach out to every employee to get their feedback on the timing and the events held at the picnic. Great care was taken to implement all of the ideas they received that were feasible and each employee was specifically thanked for their input. This effort was an important step in creating an environment in which every employee felt included and valued – in other words, a culture of inclusion. 

Removing the “Identity Cover”

At some point in many job interviews, the job seeker is asked, “Tell me about yourself.”  They will try to respond with details about themselves that they think the interviewer will like. But, as the candidate mentally calculates what to emphasise, they may also be thinking about what information to withhold because of how the interviewer may perceive them. Once a candidate is hired, this stressful mental exercise can continue.  This can be especially true for those who are in some way different from the majority of their coworkers.

An article in the Harvard Business Review notes that, “Employees who differ from most of their colleagues in religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background and generation often hide important parts of themselves at work for fear of negative consequences. We in the diversity and inclusion community call this ‘identity cover,’ and it makes it difficult to know how they feel and what they want, which makes them vulnerable to leaving their organisations. The key to inclusion is understanding who your employees really are … In an ideal world, all leaders would be adept at understanding their employees and making sure they didn’t lose any through neglect or ignorance.” 

Employees who feel they need to cover parts of their identities can lead to behaviour in the workplace that is driven by fear. Examples provided in the article include a mother who hesitates to put up pictures of her children because she is afraid coworkers will question her commitment to her job; a Muslim who prays in his car because he does not want to experience Islamophobia; and a gay executive who hesitates to bring his same-sex partner to a company event. By masking part of who they are, these employees implicitly feel that they do not fully belong where they work.

The leaders at the tech start-up had no idea that they were alienating part of their workforce at their company picnic. It can be challenging to perceive what aspects of the work environment need to be changed to promote inclusion, especially for those employees whose backgrounds and identities may be unfamiliar to the majority at a workplace. It is for this reason that the proactive approach of implementing an inclusion programme is an important first step in creating an inclusive environment.

Inclusivity Checklist

Every organisation is different, so the content and structure of a new inclusion programme needs to meet the conditions of your organisation. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers an inclusivity checklist for HR that provides a good place to start:

  • Make sure company leaders understand that inclusion is about ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard, opinions are considered and value to the team is evident.
  • Train managers – and hold them accountable – to show that inclusivity is a core competency.
  • Form an inclusion council with genuine influence and power.
  • Value differences, and create an environment where people can feel comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.
  • Identify the needs of underrepresented groups, and give them necessary support and resources.
  • Provide workers with a safe space to voice their concerns.
  • Benchmark key aspects of your organisation’s culture, and understand the employee experience before making changes to promote inclusivity.
  • Remember that daily interactions are the most telling sign of whether your company has an inclusive culture.

Empowering the Workforce by Example

When Eric de los Santos arrived at Brown University as a scholarship student from Hawaii, he was struck by how different he felt from the other students. As a child of immigrants and a gay Filipino-American, he grew up valuing the diversity of cultures that characterise Hawaii. When he came to the mainland, he noticed that many people he encountered were guarded about their cultures and identities.

His commitment to confronting and challenging bias led him to become co-founder of the Filipino Students Alliance. After receiving a law degree from the University of Washington, de los Santos worked as a trial lawyer before joining TrueBlue as a corporate counsel. Shortly after joining the company, he was invited to a corporate outing that included spouses and significant others. It was the early 2000s, when same-sex relationships were far less accepted than today, and same-sex marriage was still several years in the future. After he introduced the man who is now his husband as his boyfriend, he was congratulated by many of his colleagues, who thanked him for being open about his relationship.  

When TrueBlue started a Diversity and Inclusion Council, de los Santos was the natural choice to lead it. Today, in addition to being the President of National Filipino American Lawyers Association, de los Santos is Associate General Counsel, Senior Director of Employment Law at TrueBlue.

At PeopleScout’s 2019 NEXT Talent Summit, de los Santos led a Big Idea Talk and breakout session in which he reflected on his own experience, the success of building a diverse and inclusive work environment at TrueBlue, and the vital role of leadership:

“It is important to be your authentic self, not to feel that you cannot be who you truly are because of another person’s preconceived judgement,” de los Santos said. “If employees feel they cannot be who they truly are and express themselves in a way that is natural for them, they will not be able to display their full potential. If an employee is struggling with something in their lives that they don’t feel they can share, that employee will feel isolated. They may not be able to concentrate on their work and could develop a feeling that no one cares about them and start to think about an exit strategy.

“But, when employees experience genuine respect and feel safe to express themselves, productivity, retention rates and morale all increase. Leaders have a duty to create an environment where people can be their authentic selves and set the example with their own behaviour that displays respect and a willingness to listen, and clearly communicates the value of every employee.”

Inclusion Pays Off

While the arguments to build an inclusive culture at work may sound compelling, how important is inclusion to an organisation’s success? A study from Deloitte cited research that found that organisations with inclusive cultures have a clear advantage over those that do not.

Organisations with inclusive cultures are:

  • Two times more likely to exceed financial targets
  • Three times more likely to be high-performing
  • Six times more likely to be innovative and agile
  • Eight times more likely to achieve business outcomes

Successfully building a culture of inclusion requires a serious commitment from the leaders of an organisation and participation at every level. While there may be challenges along the way, the efforts made to create a culture of inclusion can result in   increased retention, greater commitment and input from the workforce, which can lead to markedly improved business outcomes.

Leading in the New Reality: Keeping Employees Engaged Across Flexible Work Arrangements

Posted on by jpatel

Improved employee satisfaction and overall productivity have proven that the new models of flexible work organisations implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be going anywhere any time soon. In fact, 83% of U.S. companies surveyed by Mercer are considering implementing flexible working at a greater scale than they were prior to the pandemic. In order to improve employee engagement, just as leaders had to adapt to managing remote teams at the onset of the pandemic, they will again need to readjust their approach as they lead teams across a variety of locations, schedules and unique work arrangements.

At PeopleScout, implementing flexible work to support our people is something we know well. One example of this is Emily Gordon, a single mother to a pediatric cancer survivor and PeopleScout’s vice president of global implementation.

In late 2016, when Emily had her final interview before joining PeopleScout, she was sitting in a hospital hallway while her daughter was finishing her fight with pediatric cancer – or so she thought. Emily’s daughter was nine years old when she battled cancer the first time and almost 11 when it returned. As a result, Emily’s goal was to find a company in which she could both work remotely and continue to support her daughter and family. But, prior to COVID-19, there were limited options for people who needed to be adaptable and still work full-time to support loved ones. Thankfully, PeopleScout’s work flexibility options gave Emily that opportunity.

Emily’s team was willing to work with her on video, which enabled her to be in the hospital with her daughter for more than 100 days in a year, while also exceeding work goals and supporting one of PeopleScout’s largest RPO clients. In turn, Emily has been comfortable hiring people who also need flexibility, such as in part-time or split-shift roles. As Emily’s story illustrates, the need for flexible work options exists outside of COVID-19. These unique situations existed before the pandemic and will continue when it eventually passes; it’s up to organisations to have flexible strategies in place to support their workers.

Even with the variety of benefits of workplace flexibility, the management of it is not without its challenges. Chief among them is how to improve employee engagement, especially during COVID-19. When employees cannot safely interact in close quarters, making sure they remain motivated and attentive is not always easy. In this article, we outline tips for how to effectively manage teams and improve employee engagement through the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.

“My team was already leveraging technology and reporting to support communication, and when COVID-19 hit, we amplified that across the whole portfolio. We meet twice a week for up to an hour to just talk, listen, give updates and support one another. All it takes is a willingness to over-communicate. Flexibility does not mean less work or performance. In my experience, it means people work harder to achieve goals because they are grateful for the support and understanding that work is not one-size-fits-all.”

Emily Gordon, VP of Global Implementation

Focus on Communication

Communication was important before and throughout the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that a strong communication strategy is at the top of the list for best practices in the new work reality. Regardless of whether you’re leading in-person teams remotely, leading a remote team while you remain in the office, or a combination of both, frequent communication is paramount.

Specifically, managers should schedule regular check-ins with the team as a whole to quickly solve challenges, share knowledge, and communicate openly about what’s working and what might need improvement. Likewise, one-on-one meetings are also important so managers and employees can share feedback and stay on the same page even if they’re working in different locations. Keep in mind that, because many of these flexible work arrangements are still new, it might take some time to find the right meeting cadence that works for both parties. For instance, while it might start out as a weekly check-in, you may find that one employee prefers ad-hoc calls while another prefers a set schedule to keep them on track. Try to remain as flexible as possible when it comes to these check-ins; they’re crucial for helping employees feel connected and cared for.

Quick Tip: Remember to trust your people and approach communications with a sense of empathy and a people-first focus.

Improve Employee Engagement Through Collaboration

Because employees may be scattered across different locations, working different hours or job-sharing, it can be easy to feel a little disconnected from each other – especially for workers who are not regularly going into the office. Fortunately, leaders can help solve this challenge by leveraging the following tools and strategies that foster collaboration and connectedness across teams.

Create a Team Brief

Your flexible work model may see some people working special hours to care for kids or loved ones, while others are using a hybrid model to work both in the office and remotely on alternating days. To ensure everyone is on the same page, it can be helpful to create a short team brief that outlines key expectations, covers how and when you’ll communicate, and transparently shares each employee’s schedule.

Quick Tip: Utilise tools like Teams and Slack (or your preferred communication platform) to set messages for when you’re away and when you’ll be back online.

Encourage Video Meetings to Improve Employee Engagement

While some employees are working in-person because their job duties require them to or they don’t have the means to work effectively at home every day, others may be fully remote for safety and family obligations. However, if you’re not careful, these employees can easily feel left out because they’re missing out on the face-to-face interactions and impromptu conversations that naturally occur when people work together in the same office.

Quick Tip: Ensure employees have the tools necessary for high-quality video calls, including proper audio and video equipment.

Fortunately, according to OwlLabs, 93% of people agree that video conferencing is effective at improving the connectedness of remote employees. Therefore, encourage calls to be taken on video so virtual workers have the opportunity to view and share non-verbal reactions, as well as their verbal insight. At the same time, pre-determine which meetings will be on video so employees have a chance to prepare. And, to combat video fatigue, be flexible in allowing people to remain off video if it is not conducive for them on a given day.

Quick Tip: Create a digital space where meeting attendees can post thoughts and notes once they’ve reflected on the call. This can give remote employees the chance to contribute to the “meeting after the meeting” that often occurs in person.

To enhance participation in video calls, show people how to ask questions in the chat, virtually raise their hand, and/or use breakout rooms so everyone has a chance to work and connect with one another.

Utilise Shared Dashboards

With people working various hours and in different places, staying aligned on goals and the work that is being done can be a challenge. However, by leveraging available technology, you can create team dashboards that share which projects are currently in progress and who is working on what. This can then give the whole team insight into the work that everyone is contributing, as well as the progress being made toward goals –regardless of when and where they’re working. Digital project management dashboards are also a great way to assign tasks, track targets and share ideas.

Quick Tip: To boost connectedness, create sub-channels within your communication platforms to group individuals with similar professional skills and personal interests.

Build Community to Improve Employee Engagement

It’s important that neither the in-person nor the remote teams become isolated from the other. As a manager, it’s your job to ensure you’re not mistakenly focusing more on one team over the other. To that end, a great way to build team culture and community is to spend some time each month on a virtual happy hour, coffee break or other team-building activity perfect for hybrid teams. Then, when the pandemic is no longer looming over us, it will also be important to make time to see people in-person when possible. For example, if you are traveling to the same location as an office or remote employee, set aside some time to meet them for a cup of coffee or lunch. Or, if you normally have a virtual check-in at the time you’re visiting, conduct your meeting face-to-face.

Quick Tip: To create equity between your remote and in-person teams, try to find unique ways to extend perks to virtual team members, as well. For example, when providing lunch for a meeting at the office, offer your remote workers a gift card for their lunch at home.

Create opportunities for hybrid teams to connect with each other on a personal level. For example, if it’s “bring your kid to work day” in the office, allow remote employees to bring their child to video sessions. This is an easy way to stimulate real connections between colleagues.

Flexible work models are quickly becoming the norm and are already proving to be an integral part of the way we work during the pandemic. The modes of work established in these instrumental months will pave the way for a future of flexible work beyond the current global health crisis. In that future, leaders will need to prioritise communication, collaboration and connectedness to create sustainable team engagement, productivity and culture.

Race in the Workplace: How to Support BIPOC Colleagues Through Meaningful Conversations

Posted on by jpatel

As more people across the U.S. began to recognise the systemic racism that many Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) were already facing, the injustices became a catalyst that sparked conversations around the world. Meanwhile, many organisations have heard the call to action and want to do their part in showing support to their BIPOC employees. So, how can organisations help drive effective change around race in the workplace? Simple: Encourage employees to partake in open, honest and respectful dialogue with their colleagues.

Well, maybe not so simple. While now is not the time to be silent, it’s also not the time to have unchecked and uninformed discourse on such a sensitive topic. So, to ensure everyone involved feels respected, heard and understood, organisations should create safe spaces where employees can listen, learn and have important dialogues with their coworkers, leaders and team members.

Engaging employees in conversations regarding race in the workplace can be challenging; while some people might feel hesitant to speak on a topic they may not know much about, others might be reluctant to share the injustices they’ve experienced firsthand. That’s why we put together these tips for how to effectively reflect on racism through open dialogue; we encourage you to share them with employees across your organisation.

Before You Talk

Take Ownership

The first step in fixing the problem is acknowledging that there is one – and that you might be contributing to it. Recognise the implicit biases that contribute to racism and consider how you can unlearn them. As you learn, grow and begin your work toward becoming a better ally, leverage resources that can help guide you along the way.

Educate Yourself

Understand that educating yourself is no one’s responsibility but your own. Likewise, before opening the dialogue with your BIPOC colleagues, it’s important to have some background knowledge on the issue. For instance, avoid putting your BIPOC colleagues in a position in which they feel as though they are the “teachers” on racial disparities; instead, be proactive in your own learning about diversity, inclusion and social injustices. Coming to the conversation with a basic understanding of the detrimental effect of the racial inequalities that BIPOC face will benefit you, your BIPOC peers and the effectiveness of the discussion as a whole.

Here are some resources to help get you started:

Helpful resources to consult before discussing race in the workplace.

During the Open Dialogue

If discussing race in the workplace is new for your organisation, it may be helpful to host conversations in a moderated environment. Bringing in speakers with a background in racial justice work or designating a moderator to lead the discussion will alleviate any pressure your employees may feel about jumping straight to a one-on-one conversation. During a moderated dialogue, encourage your employees to:

Acknowledge Vulnerability

Conversations around race in the workplace are difficult. To acknowledge the difficulty and vulnerability required for a discussion on such a sensitive topic, it can be helpful to validate what one another is feeling – whether it’s grief, anger, confusion, discomfort or otherwise. At the same time, each person should acknowledge that while they are experts on their own individual experiences, no one has all the answers, and that’s okay. The purpose of these conversations is to continuously learn and grow.

Step Up by Stepping Back

With Black professionals holding just 3.3% of all executive or senior leadership roles in 2018, it’s not surprising that non-BIPOC professionals have dominated conversations in the workplace. Therefore, it’s important to take care not to overpower the discussion. Instead, be purposeful in allowing the voices of your BIPOC colleagues to shine. Then, you can learn about their experiences and build a better understanding of their perspectives.

Engage Thoughtfully

As you work to understand one another’s viewpoints, don’t be afraid to ask genuine questions. By asking questions respectfully and with an open mind, you’ll allow your BIPOC peers to answer without fear of being judged. In particular, word your curiosities with compassion so that the other party doesn’t feel defensive or uncomfortable when sharing their experiences. Creating a safe space like this will form a strong sense of trust and respect that will go both ways.

Beyond the Conversation

Continue to Check in

Make a habit of checking in with your colleagues regularly to continue the important conversations around race. As a manager, remember to ask about the professional goals of your employees and how you can help them work toward accomplishing them. Similarly, as a peer, help amplify your colleagues’ successes – as well as the injustices they’ve faced – and always keep in mind how you can provide BIPOC peers with opportunities, resources and support.

In addition, check in with yourself. Know that there’s always more to learn and more that can be done. While this guide serves as a starting point for the important conversations that need to be had across organisations, it is by no means exhaustive. Therefore, continue to look for ways to educate yourself, learn from others and be part of the change toward equality for all.

Organisational Support in Practice

How can organisations facilitate intentional dialogue? Here are some of the ways we at PeopleScout and the broader TrueBlue organisation are encouraging thoughtful discourse on race in the workplace:

How PeopleScout is encouraging thoughtful discourse on race in the workplace.

Respectful Conversation Starters

Starting the conversation around race in the workplace can be challenging and it’s important to practice cultural sensitivity as you begin discussions. It’s also essential to remember that, even in designated group or one-on-one conversations about race, not everyone will feel comfortable answering certain questions. So, make sure you give your peers a chance to come to you willing to talk – and don’t be offended if they’re hesitant. Here are some open-ended questions that respectfully inquire about cultural differences to help get you started:

  1. What’s your favorite part about your racial or ethnic identity?
  2. Would you mind explaining a little more about why you feel that way? I’ve never thought about it that way before.
  3. How often do you think about your racial or ethnic identity?
  4. Have you ever felt you were treated unfairly because of your racial or ethnic identity? How so?
  5. How has your racial or ethnic identity affected your personal life? What about your professional life?
  6. Can you recall a positive experience around your racial or ethnic identity? A negative one?
  7. Do you find value in forming relationships with people of different racial or ethnic identities? What can you learn from one another?
  8. Have you ever felt left out of groups with people of different racial or ethnic identities than your own? How did this affect you? What could someone have done to make you feel included?
  9. What aspect of your racial or ethnic identity makes you most proud?
  10. What are some ways I can better support you?

Improve Your Employer Brand Using Employer Review Sites

Posted on by jpatel

An organisation’s employer brand is often in the hands of its candidates and employees. And, when it comes to employer review sites, the fate of your employer brand is – quite literally – at their fingertips. In fact, according to data from Workplace Trends, 72% of job-seekers share their experience on online employer review sites like Glassdoor. What’s more, recent research from Deloitte found that 80% of candidates who experience an unsatisfactory recruitment process will openly tell people about their experience, and one-third of those candidates will do so proactively.

But, what does this mean for your organisation? Unfortunately, negative reviews from both candidates and employees can have a huge influence on your bottom line. For example, per CareerArc, 62% of consumers have stopped buying from an organisation that treats its employees poorly. Plus, an Indeed survey found that 95% of workers said that if they were considering a new job opportunity, insight into the company’s employer reputation would be somewhat (33%) or extremely (62%) important. As a result, a poor employer brand reputation could cost your organisation millions as productivity decreases due to a reduced candidate pool and consumers stop supporting your business.

So, how can organisations take control of their employer brand and overall online reputation? Well, recent studies from HRO Today and PeopleScout show that organisations globally are planning to invest more heavily in social networking, consistent monitoring of employer review sites, and a greater use of employees as brand advocates.

However, while these steps are important to improve your employer brand, many organisations are unsure of where to start; they may also lack knowledge of best practices for these strategies.

Therefore, in this article, we’ll help you improve your employer brand by outlining how to establish ownership of your organisation’s presence on employer review sites like Glassdoor and Indeed; offer best practices for responding to reviews; share tips on how to effectively leverage employee brand advocates; and highlight some popular employer review sites that organisations should be familiar with.

Establish Ownership & Claim Your Employer Review Site Profiles

The first step in establishing an employer brand plan for review sites is to establish who in your organisation will own the initiative. Specifically, it may make sense to have your HR team manage the employer review site accounts because they are likely familiar with sites like Indeed and Glassdoor that offer job-posting functionality, in addition to candidate and employee reviews.

However, it can also be beneficial to form partnerships across departments to holistically manage your organisation’s employer brand. For example, your communications team can assist HR in crafting responses to reviews that align with your brand standards for tone and voice, as well as provide up-to-date information on awards and accolades. In addition, HR can lean on the marketing team to maintain an active social media presence for your company, as well as work to optimise search results by managing SEO and creating content to combat potentially negative reviews and keywords.

After establishing who will take ownership of the management of employer review sites, claim your profiles. This can be done at no cost by verifying the profile as an employer and creating an employer account to edit and manage the profile.

Plus, with an employer account, you can add valuable information to your profile for candidates to view, such as:

  • Salary and compensation details
  • Explanation of benefits offerings
  • Company mission, vision and values
  • Overview of company culture
  • Logistical information (location, total number of employees, revenue, competitors, etc.)
  • Unique initiatives
  • Remote and flexible work policies
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion programmes
  • Photos of employees, events and offices
  • Industry awards and accolades

It’s worth noting that, according to Glassdoor, 75% of active job-seekers are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand. You can do this by responding to reviews, updating your business profile, and sharing updates on the culture and work environment. Furthermore, building a robust profile on the employer review site will allow candidates to gain a better understanding of who your company is, what you stand for and what it would be like to work for you.

Respond to Reviews – Both Positive & Negative

Responding to reviews is perhaps the most important method in creating a strong brand presence on employer review sites. And, while both types of reviews can be easy to view and dismiss, leaving thoughtful replies is a guaranteed way to show candidates and employees that you care – regardless of whether the feedback is positive or negative. In fact, 80% of job-seekers who read reviews on Glassdoor say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.

Some best practices to keep in mind when responding to reviews:

  • Address the reviewer by name (for non-anonymous reviews) to establish a personal connection
  • Thank the reviewer for their feedback
  • Acknowledge positive feedback
  • Address any concerns mentioned
  • Offer advice on any relevant next steps

Here are some examples of how to reply to common types of reviews:

Leverage Employee Brand Advocates

While organisations have little control over who will leave reviews – especially reviews with primarily negative feedback – they can proactively build up a strong body of positive reviews by leveraging employee brand advocates. These are employees who advocate for an organisation and generate a positive image of the brand via online and offline channels. It’s important to note here that, when encouraging employees to leave reviews, you should emphasise the value of honest, candid reviews; employees should not feel pressured to paint a certain image of your organisation.

Consider the following ideas to encourage employees to leave truthful, positive reviews that will help improve your employer brand:

New Hires

New hires are a great place to start when gathering positive reviews. That’s because the application, interviewing, and onboarding process is still fresh in their minds and they recently chose your organisation as their new employer. So, ask new hires to leave a review on their hiring experience when they first start, and encourage them to update it after their first 90 days.

HR, PR & Marketing

Another good place to start is by requesting that members of your HR and marketing teams write reviews. Members of these departments already have a good understanding of the importance of employer review sites and are likely willing to leave honest reviews that highlight your organisation’s strong points.

Promoted & Awarded Employees

If your organisation recognises employees for outstanding work with awards or honors, these workers can also be an excellent source of positive reviews. The same can be said for employees who have recently been promoted. A good practice is to establish a system that reaches out to these employees with a congratulatory message alongside a call to action to post online about their experience working at your company.

Employee Resource Groups

Employees who voluntarily join employee resource groups in addition to their daily responsibilities are already likely to be highly engaged within your organisation. So, tap into these groups of employees and request that they leave reviews based on your organisation’s culture and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion – something Glassdoor provides ratings on and many candidates are interested in.

Regular Requests

Finally, managers should be empowered to regularly encourage their team members to leave reviews. This can become a regular practice during performance meetings, as well as after the completion of a big project or when hiring season is afoot. Likewise, if your organisation offers flexible work arrangements or other unique perks, employees should be encouraged to share emotive experiences of how these benefits have affected their lives.

Employer Review Sites to Consider

Because there are a variety of employer review sites out there, it can be hard to keep track of them all. So, we compiled this list of the top 10 you should monitor to improve your employer brand for long-term success.

  • Glassdoor: Current and former employees can anonymously review companies; submit and view salaries; as well as search and apply for jobs.
  • Indeed: Candidates can upload a résumé and browse reviews and salaries, while employers can post jobs, search résumés and more.
  • Comparably: Includes information on employers, brands, salaries and company culture.
  • FairyGodBoss: Women’s career community for career advice, job openings and company reviews.
  • Kununu: Employer reviews, salary data and culture reviews from those who know best: employees and applicants.
  • Google Reviews: Business reviews appear next to your company’s listing in Maps and Search. These can help your business stand out on Google, which is the leading search engine.
  • InHerSight: Here, candidates can find company reviews and ratings; get matched to jobs; and connect with a community of women navigating the workplace.
  • Vault: Known for its influential rankings, ratings, and reviews on thousands of top employers and hundreds of internship programmes.
  • CareerBliss: Candidates can find jobs, research salaries and read reviews with a focus on company culture.
  • TheJobCrowd: This UK-based employer review site is focused on helping recent graduates in their early careers.

As recruitment processes and the world of work continue to take digital shifts, employer review sites will become increasingly important in making or breaking a candidate’s decision to join your organisation. And, while you certainly can’t control every review, you can be proactive in taking charge of your employer review site presence by regularly responding to reviews, leveraging employee advocates, and monitoring what candidates and employees are saying about your organisation online. In doing so, you’ll improve your employer brand by creating a strong employer brand and a positive presence where it counts – and where it makes a difference.

PeopleReady: Increasing Reach, Candidate Engagement, Conversion and Automation

Posted on by jpatel

PeopleReady, one of the top industrial staffing agencies in North America, required a digital recruitment solution powered by PeopleScout’s proprietary talent technology, AffinixTM, to attract and engage candidates.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS 

  • Direct sourcing solutions with increased reach via SEO 
  • 100% automated application, selection and onboarding process 
  • Mobile-first, easy application complying with all North American state and province laws 

SCOPE & SCALE 

PeopleReady attracts more than one million candidates annually to staffing and short-term labour positions. The client required a digital recruitment solution that increased reach by creating virtual talent communities of prospective candidates, while also providing a seamless online application experience that could be completed on a mobile device in under 20 minutes. 

SITUATION 

PeopleReady has invested heavily in innovative, mobile-first work scheduling and dispatching technologies but lacked a digital online sourcing solution to attract and engage candidates. PeopleReady selected PeopleScout’s Affinix recruitment technology platform to replace its existing solution. Affinix enhances the online candidate experience and increases conversion rates by solving the following challenges:  

  • Simplify the previously complicated job posting process by distributing job openings to multiple sourcing channels immediately by creating just one post in Affinix  
  • Implement direct sourcing to channels such as Indeed, Google for Jobs and niche platforms 
  • Improve email integration with assessment vendors that previously had high drop off rates 

SOLUTION 

  • An engaging, mobile-optimised apply experience that guides candidates through application, online selection, employment form completion, WOTC, W4 and I9 processes via a safe, remote process 
  • Direct integration with four external vendors to ensure the entire application process can be completed within the browser, with no interruptions from external emails or links 
  • Highly localised job recommendations 

RESULTS

TARGET LAUNCH ACHIEVED

Solution launched within 15 weeks, on time and under budget

RECEIVED MAJORITY OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS

80% of candidates apply via a mobile device

INCREASED CONVERSION RATES

15% increase in conversion rates within the first two weeks of go-live

CLIENT FEEDBACK 

“The PeopleScout team allowed us to design a candidate flow that met the needs of our business. The team was quick to pivot and solution as areas of opportunity were identified for improving the candidate experience. Launching a solution with operational reporting allowed us to immediately monitor candidate flow to allow for quick adjustments of sourcing strategy. Very positive partnership with the entire implementation and technology teams.” 

Tina Radosti, VP Talent Acquisition, PeopleReady 
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Managing Candidate Volumes During the Great Rehire

Posted on by nfuqua

As employers continue their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, many face the same two challenges: Applications are up and talent acquisition teams are lean, which leaves a smaller team to sift through mountains of job applications.

At the same time, the pressure to find and hire the best candidate is high. After all, top talent can help speed a recovery. And, while the hiring process needs to be fast, it can’t leave out top candidates. So, let’s examine strategies for managing high candidate volumes that can help employers stand out during the Great Rehire.

HR Outsourcing

Challenge: Our organisation needs to scale quickly to make a large number of hires, but our team doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle the volume.

One key pillar of value for HR outsourcing solutions – like RPO; on-demand or project based RPO; or Total Workforce Solutions – is the ability to scale seamlessly as hiring demands shift. Conversely, in an internal talent acquisition team, it can be difficult – if not impossible – to scale up quickly to handle a higher number of hires and then scale back down when hiring volumes shrink. Consequently, many organisations find themselves initially making a large volume of hires to staff up new locations or during a peak season, but then hiring volumes return to normal.

What’s more, businesses in industries hard hit by COVID-19 will see especially high numbers as the economy continues to recover. For these organisations, RPO providers – specifically, on-demand or project RPO solutions – can help fill the gaps by providing focused support based on the needs of individual organisations.

For instance, at PeopleScout, we bring expertise and insights from across our client base, as well as the people needed to handle hiring spikes. Our industry-specialised flex team of recruiters can be activated on short notice, and our global delivery centres provide 24/7 support and recruiting capabilities that enable a faster recruitment process.

An RPO provider can also provide broader solutions – like bringing technology expertise to add automation or virtual interviewing solutions; or providing talent advisory services to improve employer branding, assessments or job posting strategies.

Technology Solutions

Challenge: Our team is too bogged down in repetitive work; the process of screening candidates and scheduling interviews takes too much of our recruiters’ time.

COVID-19 has exposed technology gaps for many employers. In the early days, many scrambled to implement virtual hiring solutions so that they could keep their talent acquisition functions moving. Now, as the pandemic passes the one-year mark, employers face a different challenge: Is their technology built for scale?

When facing high candidate volumes, recruiters can easily get bogged down in repetitive administrative tasks. For example, they might get caught in a game of phone tag trying to schedule interviews; answering simple questions from candidates; sending emails to keep their talent communities warm; and sourcing candidates for hard-to-find skillsets. As a result, that leaves little time for higher-value activities, like communicating with top candidates.

However, robotic process automation (RPA) can lift some of the load. This technology utilises bots to replicate human actions for time-consuming, but straightforward administrative tasks. And, while it can be used to screen résumés, it can also go far beyond that.

For example, RPA can be used to deploy chatbots to answer simple questions from candidates 24 hours a day. A chatbot can also be used in automated candidate screenings to ask questions about a candidate’s skills, education and experience – either online or via text. Best of all, in addition to saving time for the recruiter, this technology also improves the candidate experience by allowing them to get answers more quickly and feel as though they’re driving the recruitment process forward.

RPA can also be used to automate emails, social media posts and other employer branding campaigns. Right now, many organisations are building candidate pipelines and keeping talent communities warm as they prepare to make hires. In this way, RPA can be used to send messages to these communities – keeping candidates engaged and keeping your company top of mind.

Interview scheduling tools can also prove to be a significant time-saver for recruiters. As an example, with Affinix – PeopleScout’s proprietary talent technology – recruiters can avoid the back-and-forth of scheduling interviews with candidates by automating the process instead. Specifically, a recruiter can sync their calendar with the tool and provide candidates with a link to schedule the interview at a time that works best for them.

These tools can then be combined into a virtual solution that spans from recruitment marketing tools all the way through onboarding. And, as the recovery continues, many employers are finding lasting benefits from adopting these strategies.

Candidate Generation & Assessment Strategies

Challenge: We’re seeing high applicant volumes, but we want to make sure the people we hire are interested in the role for the long-term; we’re worried about high turnover as the economy improves.

As employers hire in 2021, they face a mountain of applications. This includes both candidates who are excited about the role and see it as a long-term step in their careers, as well as candidates who are looking for the role now, but don’t necessarily want to stay in the role or at the organisation for the long haul. But, how do you differentiate between the two?

One option is to adjust your candidate generation and assessment strategies to attract and hire the employees with the passion, purpose, and mindset that best match for the organisation and the role. For instance, to showcase an honest and authentic employer brand, write honest and authentic job postings. By tailoring your employer brand and job postings to attract only candidates who are truly qualified and interested in the role, you’ll save recruiter time by eliminating the résumés of candidates who aren’t qualified or aren’t excited about the role.

As an example, one PeopleScout client previously wrote job descriptions with an overly positive view of their open positions – without mentioning the more challenging elements. And, although they received a high number of applicants, as those applicants moved through the process, many realised that they didn’t want the job. Meanwhile, others accepted the job, but the turnover rate was high, which was expensive and wasted time for both the recruiter and the hiring manager.

In response, PeopleScout worked with the client to make the job postings more realistic about the challenges, in addition to providing a real preview of what the job would look like. In the end, the client received fewer applicants, but turnover in the role dropped significantly. The client also saved hundreds of hours in hiring manager and recruiter time.

Employers can also adjust their assessment process to identify candidates who can succeed and grow in the role by evaluating their passion, purpose and mindset. This means assessing candidates to find out if the candidate has the enthusiasm for the work; finds purpose in the role and at the organisation; and has the right mindset to grow and learn.

Bringing It Together

Combining these strategies in the right way for your organisation can help manage the high candidate volumes we expect to continue during the economic recovery from COVID-19. Furthermore, many of these tools and strategies will continue to show their value when unemployment is low. RPO providers and on-demand or project-based RPO can help manage yearly hiring spikes; technology tools will continue to free up recruiter time; and job posting and assessment strategies that guarantee the right cultural fit will continue to result in better talent and higher-performing teams. And, for talent leaders in 2021, solutions that deliver immediate results and lasting benefits will drive success.

Addressing Mental Health in the Workplace

Posted on by jpatel

While mental health in the workplace has become a hot topic in recent years, there’s no doubt some stigma still exists around discussing mental health in a professional setting. That said, with the ongoing effects of the pandemic, increased remote and flexible work arrangements, and a global blurring of lines between what constitutes home and work life, addressing mental health in the workplace has shifted from a question of “if” to “how.” 

The pandemic has heightened a slew of negative emotions in employees’ lives, such as stress, anxiety, uncertainty, fatigue and, in many cases, grief. During a time of year that is already dark for many due to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the addition of a lost loved one due to COVID-19 or the general stress that comes from not knowing what the future holds can hit especially hard for some. 

Statistics on mental health in the workplace

According to a report by Oracle, 76% of workers believe their company should be doing more to support the mental health of their workforce. However, while many organisations want to help employees constructively address mental health in the workplace, they often don’t know where to start. 

In this article, we share tips for creating a healthy work culture, highlight warning signs to look for in employees who may be dealing with underlying mental health conditions and outline some helpful coping mechanisms. In addition, we provide resources that can be shared with employees to aid them as they continue to deal with the myriad mental stressors caused by the ongoing pandemic.

Set Guidelines to Enable Healthy Work Culture 

With the rapid increase in flexible work arrangements, home and work life have seemingly blended into one, and it can be easy to forget the line where the workday ends and personal life begins. With so many employees working from home, organisations have seen an increase in worker burnout, leading to lower productivity and reduced overall satisfaction with work. So, how can leaders prevent burnout and keep employee morale high?  

  • Practice self-care: By taking much-needed time to manage stress, leaders will be setting a strong example for employees, leading to improved working conditions overall. Encourage your team to take plenty of breaks, eat regularly, meditate or pursue other activities they enjoy. 
  • Consider tone: A kind tone in an email or message can go a long way during a time of uncertainty and doubt. Without it, employees may feel discouraged to reach out when they need help.  
  • Communicate often: Meet with your employees regularly to check-in not only on work, but on how they are doing in general. Simply asking an employee if there’s anything they need can be extremely impactful in showing you care, especially for employees who are more hesitant to ask for help. 
  • Remain flexible: Remember that employees are dealing with a variety of stressors outside the bounds of work. If certain deadlines are flexible, that can be a huge relief on an employee who may be working through external factors that are taking a toll on their mental health. 
  • Prioritise work-life balance: Set up a designated work area away from the place you spend your downtime, set boundaries and a time you log off work for the day. Being a model for healthy work-life balance and encouraging employees to do the same is an important way to combat burnout.  

Encourage Team Support 

An important part of a healthy work culture is a team that supports one another. In a time where many employees are feeling overwhelmed about the same daily stressors, working together as a team to destress can prove helpful. As a leader, you can encourage teams to participate in group exercises to reduce stress. Forbes offers some suggested activities for remote teams, including group wellness programmes, goal setting sessions and “Mindful Mondays.” 

In addition to the overall stress of work and daily life in a pandemic, government restrictions and working remotely can be isolating and anxiety-inducing for many. To help people feel connected while they are physically distanced, leaders can organise team-building activities and opportunities for virtual socialisation, such as: 

  • Interest clubs 
  • Informal message boards 
  • Trivia/game night 
  • Virtual happy hour 
  • Sharing a prompt of the day 
  • Video show and tell 
  • Book clubs 
  • And more! 

Know the Signs of Mental Health Struggles 

Even with a sound work culture in place, some employees will still struggle with underlying mental health conditions—with or without the added stress of the pandemic. So, how can employees, coworkers and leaders recognise the warning signs? When should employees ask for help? When should leaders offer support? Consider these assessments to take an account of current mental health states—for yourself and your colleagues. 

Mental Health Assessment 

If you notice some of the following warning signs in an employee or coworker, you may want to reach out and start a conversation on their mental health.  

  • Work Habits: Have you noticed a sudden change in an employee’s work habits? Poor productivity, minimal motivation and trouble concentrating can often be the result of a mental health concern.  
  • Overall Demeanor: If you notice a dramatic change in an employee’s personality, such as sudden irritability, nervousness, restlessness or other unusual behaviour, this could be a sign they are struggling with their mental health. 
  • Increased Absenteeism: Is an employee frequently missing meetings, calling in sick or starting work late when they typically always start on time? Excessive fatigue, physical aches and overall lethargy could be associated with depression and anxiety.  
  • Sudden Outbursts: Employees who seem unable to control their emotions, leading to mood swings, outbursts and disruptive behaviour, may be experiencing mental health concerns.  
  • Social Withdrawal: If an employee seems unwilling to communicate with others, avoids social interaction with other team members and purposely imposes self-isolation, this could indicate an underlying mental health concern. 

Employee Self-Assessment 

If an employee is experiencing several mental illness warning signs at one time, they may want to reach out to a manager or mental health professional for help. Here is a list of common signs and symptoms from the American Psychiatric Association that you can share with your employees: 

  • Sleep or appetite changes: Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care 
  • Mood changes: Rapid or dramatic shifts in emotions or depressed feelings 
  • Withdrawal: Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed 
  • Drop in functioning: An unusual drop in functioning, at school, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty performing familiar tasks 
  • Problems thinking: Problems with concentration, memory or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain 
  • Increased sensitivity: Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations 
  • Apathy: Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity 
  • Feeling disconnected: A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality 
  • Illogical thinking: Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult 
  • Nervousness: Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling 
  • Unusual behaviour: Odd, uncharacteristic, peculiar behaviour 

Practice Healthy Coping Techniques 

After noticing an employee may be experiencing some warning signs of a mental health issue, or after an employee approaches you for help regarding their mental health, you’ll want to approach the subject with care. Most importantly, show empathy when having conversations around mental health in the workplace. Your employee is likely feeling overwhelmed and maybe a little anxious talking in a professional setting about such a personal topic. It’s important that your employee feels comfortable sharing what they’re feeling and that you reassure them you are willing to listen and help with no fear of judgement or risk of a negative impact on their professional reputation. 

Depending on the severity of the situation, you may recommend your employee see a mental health professional to talk further about their condition. However, as a starting point, you can suggest healthy coping techniques for some common mental health concerns: 

Stress

Stress is a normal biological reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. When you encounter sudden stress, your brain floods your body with chemicals and hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Typically, after the response occurs, your body should relax. However, too much constant stress can have negative effects on your long-term health. (Healthline) 

Coping with Stress: 

  • Emphasise work-life balance 
  • Exercise regularly 
  • Eat well  
  • Make time for hobbies 
  • Connect with a support system 
  • Meditate or practice yoga 
  • Get enough sleep 
  • Spend time with a pet/loved one 

Anxiety

Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is associated with muscle tension and avoidance behaviour. Anxiety disorders can cause people to try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance and personal relationships can be affected. (American Psychiatric Association)

Coping with Anxiety: 

  • Practice focused deep breathing 
  • Aromatherapy 
  • Take a walk 
  • Meditate or practice yoga 
  • Write down thoughts 
  • Identify triggers 

Depression

Depression negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. (American Psychiatric Association)

Coping with Depression: 

  • Stay connected with others 
  • Prioritise face-time (even virtually) 
  • Care for a pet 
  • Do things you enjoy (or used to) 
  • Try to get enough sleep 
  • Exercise 
  • Don’t skip meals 
  • Take a walk in the sunlight 
  • Challenge negative thoughts 
  • Read a good book/watch a funny movie 

Grief

Grief is the natural reaction to loss. Grief is both a universal and a personal experience. Individual experiences of grief vary and are influenced by the nature of the loss. Some examples of loss include the death of a loved one, the ending of an important relationship, job loss, loss through theft or the loss of independence through disability. (Mayo Clinic)

Coping with Grief: 

  • Lean on friends and family  
  • Accept and face your feelings 
  • Express feelings creatively (writing, drawing, etc.) 
  • Try to maintain hobbies/interests 
  • Preserve memories (photo album, memorial, etc.) 
  • Join a support group 

Additional Mental Health Resources 

The tips and techniques outlined in this article are not comprehensive, but they offer a starting point for organisations who may not know how to approach the topic of mental health in the workplace—especially during such a challenging time. In addition to the strategies, assessments and coping techniques outlined above, we encourage you to share additional mental health resources with your employees, such as:  

Learning and Development Programmes for Long-Term Retention & Employee Satisfaction

Posted on by jpatel

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a bright spotlight on company values and culture, separating employers who truly live up to their promises from those who rarely take action where it matters. And, employees are paying attention – as well as growing more critical of organisations that they’re considering working for.

Meanwhile, according to the latest Engagement and Retention Report from Achievers Workforce Institute, 52% of currently employed respondents said they would hunt for a job in 2021 – up from 35% in 2020. But, why are more than half of employees looking for a new job this year? The short answer: They’re disengaged. Whether from lack of recognition; poor diversity and inclusion practices; remote work burnout; or a feeling of disconnectedness, 71% more employees are disengaged in 2021 than 2020.

In fact, lack of career growth is the number one factor holding employees back from feeling engaged at work – making it a key area of opportunity for employers looking to remain competitive. Plus, as organisations are in the midst of the Great Rehire, talent acquisition teams face the challenge of filling a number of unexpected open roles – and high turnover exacerbates the issue. As such, maintaining a strong retention strategy is essential to avoid overloading these already lean teams.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the benefits of learning and development programmes; explain how to create an effective strategy to promote career growth; and share examples of ways that organisations are investing in their people.

Benefits of a Learning & Development Programme

Launching an effective learning and development programme typically requires investing in resources. However, when done right, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Specifically, not only does a strong learning and development programme help employees in their career growth, but it can also improve the performance of an organisation as a whole. More precisely, some of the key benefits of implementing a learning and development programme are:

Closing Skills Gaps
A training and development programme is a great way to address skills gaps within an organisation – especially if your company had to scale down during the pandemic. But, by performing a skills audit, you’ll have a better idea of which gaps exist in your organisation – which can then help you determine the areas that make the most sense for reskilling your workforce. Then, as a result of improved efficiency and more highly skilled employees, you’ll also increase your ability to fill open roles from within.

Increasing Retention & Employee Satisfaction
Not only will employee performance improve, but retention and satisfaction will increase, as well. That’s because employees feel genuinely cared for and valued when an employer shows a willingness to invest in employee growth and development. And, with an improved set of skills and knowledge, employees will be more likely to stick around at a company that believes in them and wants to see them succeed. This employer loyalty will then increase retention and decrease turnover rates.

Staying Competitive & Innovative
Consistent investment in your employees’ growth and development will also help keep their thinking fresh and future-focused, thereby resulting in an overall culture of innovation at your organisation. Plus, top talent will also be more inclined to join an organisation with the perk of a strong learning and development programme, as well as the opportunity to grow in a new role.

Improving Employer Brand
Organisations with effective development programmes can also leverage them as a selling point to attract prospective candidates. Additionally, current employees will be more likely to leave positive reviews on employer review sites and spread the word within their networks that your organisation truly cares about employee career growth.

Saving Money
As skills gaps close and retention is improved, your organisation will also save money on sourcing and recruiting external candidates. Plus, a culture of innovation and employee satisfaction will keep your employer brand strong, as well, which has a significant effect on candidate attraction spend.

How to Create an Effective Learning & Development Programme

Before you jump in to implementing a robust learning and development programme, it’s important to start by planning. Below is an overview of the key items to consider:

Establish Goals
The first step in planning for a learning and development programme is to establish the goals of the programme. This step is crucial because you’ll refer back to these goals as you make decisions along the way. In particular, ask yourself:

  • What are the overall business goals that our organisation is trying to achieve?
  • How will the learning and development programme align with our overall organisational goals?
  • What are the necessary steps needed to achieve these goals?

Identify Competencies
Competencies are a particular set of abilities, skills, and knowledge that affect an organisation’s success and set it apart from competitors. Some examples of business competencies include:

  • Business acumen
  • Strategic agility
  • Market knowledge
  • Communication
  • Decision-making
  • Change leadership
  • Driving results
  • Collaboration and influence

After determining the key competencies your organisation wants to foster in alignment with your goals, you’ll be able to better curate learning tracks to help instill these competencies into your employees.

Determine Strategy
There are a variety of types of learning and development programmmes, so choose the one that makes the most sense for your organisation. Your selection will depend on whether you want to teach the same skills to a large group of people at once, help employees improve on-the-job performance, or open training to everyone on their own schedule. Common types include:

  • Classroom/workshop style
  • Instructor-led training (ILT)
  • In-house/outsourced learning sessions
  • Interactive
  • On-the-job
  • Skills-based
  • Online

Incorporate Mentorship

A formal mentoring and coaching component can also complement your learning and development programme. Specifically, pairing compatible employees with one another encourages teams to build relationships and learn from each other. To that end, it’s important to match mentees with mentors whose areas of expertise match the former’s desired area of growth to ensure that the relationship is mutually beneficial. As a result, less-experienced employees can be challenged and learn, while more seasoned employees can grow from the experience as a leader and mentor.

Encourage Engagement
In order to ensure the longevity of your learning and development programme, it’s essential to foster strong engagement. In particular, encourage managers to suggest training for employees and create a recognition system for employees who participate in trainings. Employees can also share completion certificates and comments about different trainings internally on platforms like Slack and Yammer. This strong sense of engagement will then encourage others to participate and, ultimately, lead to long-term success with your programme.

Measure Results
Finally, despite the fact that it’s often overlooked, it’s extremely important to establish a way to measure the effectiveness of the learning and development programme once it has gained some traction. First, determine whether those initial goals are being worked toward and met. If they’re not, identify gaps where you may need to adjust strategy by considering the following questions:

  • Is employee productivity improving?
  • Are managers noticing improved employee engagement and satisfaction?
  • Are there any reductions in turnover time?
  • Are employees feeling more successful?
  • Has your employer brand presence improved externally?
  • Are you able to quantify results based on your overall goals?

Real Examples of How to Invest in Your People

The thought of creating a learning and development programme from scratch may seem daunting, but it can be helpful to know that many organisations have found success through unique approaches to investing in their people. Here are some of the organisations leading the way in this important commitment to developing people:

Yelp
Yelp’s transparent, supportive culture pushes its people to excel. The user-review company invests in: career development opportunities for its employees; constant constructive feedback; goal-focused, one-on-one sit-downs; team meetings; and thank you shout-outs for a job well done. All of these strategies reinforce each employee’s achievements, ambitions and unique strengths.

Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet – a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics – supports top-down learning, in which team members are welcome to jump on their managers’ calls. This enables them to learn about taking on more responsibility and also encourages them to pursue their own learning – whether by attending conferences or taking courses online.

WEX Inc.
At WEX, every day is an opportunity for employees to ask if there is a better way – and to act on promising ideas. Through mentorship, conferences and tuition reimbursement, there’s always room to keep climbing the ladder at this financial technology company.

Amazon
Amazon committed $700 million to retrain 100,000 workers by 2025, thereby allowing employees of the online retailer and technology giant to move into more highly skilled jobs within the company or find new careers outside of Amazon. In addition, Amazon’s Machine Learning University initiative helps workers who already have a background in technology and coding to gain skills in machine learning.

Verizon Communications Inc.
After closing most of its retail stores during the pandemic, Verizon retrained 20,000 employees to handle new jobs, which ranged from sales to customer service. This year, the American multinational telecommunications conglomerate plans to teach 100,000 employees new skills to prepare them for the demands of 5G, the next-generation wireless standard. Additionally, Verizon is partnering with Generation USA to help train 500,000 workers throughout the next decade for jobs of the future in communities across the country.

Levi Strauss & Co.
This year, Levi’s launched its Machine Learning Bootcamp, an immersive training in coding, machine learning and agile ways of working that are uniquely designed for employees of the American clothing company. Participants will master an in-demand skillset and focus on learning full-time for two months – all paid for and encouraged by leadership.

Walmart
Walmart partners with Guild Education to offer employees a way to earn a high school or college degree for $1 per day. Employees of the American multinational retail corporation also get personalised coaching support from day one all the way through graduation.

PeopleScout
At PeopleScout, we invest in our people through two programmes. First, our Global Mentorship Programme supports and enriches the professional development of PeopleScout employees. Similarly, our engagement with LinkedIn Learning also allows employees to explore professional interests and develop skills both professionally and personally. And, finally, our global ideation platform encourages employees to submit their innovative ideas for improving our business – giving them direct opportunities to work with leadership to develop ideas into tangible solutions.

Developing the Next Generation of Talent

As a talent leader, you understand the importance of a total talent mix, which means leveraging both internal and external recruitment strategies. And, with higher turnover forecasted as we move out of the pandemic, there’s no better time than now to start investing in your existing workforce. Plus, by constantly reskilling and upskilling your current team through a strong learning and development programme, you’ll not only attract top talent externally, but you’ll also have loyal and dedicated employees who believe in your business and are prepared for the future of work – whatever challenges it may bring.

Women in Leadership: What it Means to Lead in 2021

Posted on by jpatel

We all know that the past year has been tough – especially for women in the workforce. In fact, job losses have disproportionally affected women, who also typically handle the lion’s share of the work at home – which is multiplied once you add lockdowns and homeschooling into the mix. But, we also know that female leaders across the globe have a wealth of knowledge – lessons they’ve learned throughout their career and lessons they’re learning now, as well as advice for other women in the workforce.

That’s why we’re sharing the stories, experiences and advice of our diverse group of female leaders at PeopleScout: We reached out to women from all around the world and at all levels of the company – from our rising leaders to our most senior executives – about what it means to be a woman in leadership in 2021, how they got to where they are, and how to create work environments where even more women can succeed. Here are some of their thoughtful insights.

What does leadership mean?

ANDREA BROGGER
chief people officer

TrueBlue, U.S.

“Leadership means flexibility and it means courage. A courageous leader knows when to step ahead and lead when no one else wants to, but they also know when to take a step back and encourage others to step forward and take over the lead. A resilient leader knows their own and their team’s strengths and weaknesses and knows when and where to tap into those as a project or situation changes. They know how to get back up and keep driving forward even when things don’t go as planned.”

CAROLINE SABETTI
senior vice president, global marketing and communications

PeopleReady, PeopleScout, U.S.

“Two key leadership practices that I find helpful are maintaining a long-term perspective and seeing the opportunity in obstacles. We all naturally have self-doubts, particularly at times of change or when taking on a high-profile, challenging project. I have found that when you remain mindful of your past successes and remember the obstacles that you have already overcome, you can own the grit, tenacity and power that you possess. Tapping into that power, believing in it, and remembering that you can face more than you may feel in the moment is empowering. And when you maintain that confident and positive outlook and raise your hand to take on more when faced with change or challenge, the biggest opportunities often come your way.”

Any good leader is a lifelong learner taking in experiences, learning from mistakes and listening to mentors. So, what lessons shape our leaders?

ALLISON BRIGDEN
interim head of business operations

PeopleScout, U.S.

“One of the lessons that has helped me in my career I learned at a very young age. I remember whenever I would mention something about my sister or brother to my parents, they would say, ‘You should focus on yourself in terms of what you need to do and what your goals and objectives are and not worry about what everyone else is doing.’ That advice has served me well in my career and focusing on what meaningful ways I can personally contribute to our mission and objectives. Everyone has a unique offering they bring that can contribute to the mission and objectives we have as an organisation.”

SARAH LUNDGREN
director of MSP

PeopleScout, Australia

“After 15 years, I’ve learned many lessons, but the most important to me is that opportunities don’t just happen; you need to create them. I’ve found that networking and building relationships before I needed them were so invaluable to my future opportunities. I also found that I wasn’t afraid to say when I didn’t know something. I was able to validate a time that would work for everyone to return an answer. This also tied back into an opportunity to leverage my network and relationships that I previously built and tap into their knowledge to help me solve what I was looking for.”

SHANNON BENNETT
digital marketing manager

PeopleScout U.S.

“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned that has contributed to my success is a mindset of learning through obstacles. The hallmark of my career has been figuring out how to accomplish big goals with a very small team. It’s challenging. And, it really has resulted in so much confidence in my ability to grow. If I don’t know something, I learn it. If I don’t have someone to teach me, I find the right resources to teach myself.”

KATE DENNIS
senior director, brand & creative

PeopleReady, PeopleScout & TrueBlue, U.S.

“Don’t be afraid to lean into responsibility and take on tasks or projects that might challenge you, even if they may not fall into your official job description. We, as humans, learn and grow through problem-solving, so we’re able to enrich our skillsets and feel accomplished when we overcome obstacles. By raising your hand often, your colleagues and leaders will learn that they can count on you. And, when you follow through on your promises to them, they learn that they can trust you.”

What advice do you have for the next generation of female leaders?

NUTAN PANDA
senior director, global support

PeopleScout, India

“There is no secret to success. It is sheer hard work and investment of the most valuable resource that you have: Your time. I believe moving out of your comfort zone and overcoming your fears by first accepting and then solving for them helps you stand strong and move forward in your career. Get real and acknowledge that you may not be able to do everything on your own. Build your tribe by staying connected with people across functions and teams.”

YENALI BOBADILLA
scrum master/agile project manager

PeopleScout, Australia

“The best advice I can give – that I’ve also received – is to be vocal and speak up. Constantly communicate which opportunities and projects you would like to be involved with. Remember, your leaders are not mind-readers, so you need to be very vocal about career goals and the support you need from them so they can help and guide you.”

SARAH CANDELARIO
senior director, marketing & communications

PeopleScout, U.S.

“I recommend finding either a mentor or a support structure, whether that’s within your family, with peers or even just friends you have in similar situations. Create a network where you can reach out; ask questions; get feedback and advice; and just talk through some of the issues that you might face being a leader or just being a woman in the workforce on a daily basis. This structure can be a place where you can communicate; talk about ideas and solutions; and get that reinforcement to help you be more confident in your day-to-day job and as a leader.”

Whether it’s family, a manager, a mentor or a friend, we all have at least one person who has contributed to our success. Who provides our female leaders with inspiration?

AISLING HOLLOWOOD
delivery director

PeopleScout, UK

“When I was approached about applying for the maternity cover of my manager, I felt a little anxious and hesitant about stepping into that role and what that would mean. A client partner in the organisation who’d been there for about 20 years gave me a call [and] told it to me straight. She said, ‘If you don’t go for this, you’ll end up training your manager and knowing that you could have done it better. What do you want to do?’ Sometimes, you need those people to give you a nudge in the right direction and really lay it out for you [in] black and white.”

KASIA FUCHS
business support manager

PeopleScout, Poland

“During my career with PeopleScout, I’ve had the pleasure to meet many inspiring women whose passion, work, and impact have encouraged me to follow my career path and become empowered in my everyday work. These are women working on different seniority levels, having different experience, and coming from different cultures and backgrounds. The trust and the support within our current team of women is extremely important and makes me strong and confident.”

We all have a role in making the workplace a better and more equitable place for women and people of all backgrounds. So, how do we do that?

REBBIE HOWELL
vice president, client delivery

PeopleScout, U.S.

“I think we underestimate the empathy and the personal aspect that women bring to work. A lot of times, it’s looking to be a leader that listens and understands what’s going on from a work/life balance perspective. Yes, I want to hear about your successes at work, but I also want to get to know you and what drives you outside of work. I would also say empower. It’s fostering an environment and empowering women within the organisation to feel comfortable, to be authentic and to speak up. It’s giving a safe space to be able to come to work and do that.”

ANNA TURNER
vice president of product

PeopleScout, U.S.

“One of the things we can do is being more thoughtful about the events we have and when they’re occurring. For example, with a team happy hour, one of the challenges is that evenings can be tough for women who have young kids. If you’re a leader thinking about setting up events to help build relationships, consider what might be possible during the workday to accommodate all team members. In addition, start paying attention to who is getting time to talk. The more we level the playing field and give everyone a voice, the better it is going to be for diverse perspectives to emerge.”

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