by admin | Jan 5, 2023 | Human Resources
Empathy in Human Resources Management is something that comes up often. The idea of a stern leader, who rules with an iron fist, is outdated. Today’s leaders are expected to build relationships and trust to ensure they get the most out of employees. HR has the double burden of demonstrating empathy and teaching executives to model this kind of behavior. Rarely, however, does anyone dissect what it means to be an empathetic leader.
Define Empathy
Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share feelings of another. When it comes to leadership, it means to care for employees and consider their feelings. Lots of research points to the fact that empathetic leaders help lead teams to better business results, according to Forbes.
For example, Catalyst found that those with empathetic leaders are more productive and innovative. They burn out less often. They foster inclusion. Most importantly, they are less likely to leave their employers. All this is proven to give an edge to companies. After all, these factors lead to better business outcomes.
How to Be Empathetic
To be an empathetic leader is about finding one’s humanity and acting upon it. Some of it may seem obvious. Trying to understand what others are going through and facing is a great place to start. In this time of divisiveness, when leaders’ earnings are further apart from workers than ever before, this idea of relating to one another becomes paramount. Communication is a big part of this style of leadership. Here are some other best practices when striving to have empathy:
Ask people how they are doing and actively listen.
In other words, pay attention to what they say, and repeat it to ensure you understand them. Learn to stay quiet and let people share their thoughts and feelings. Then, follow up with appropriate questions. When necessary, offer ideas for problem solving or simply comfort the person. The time when people could not cry at the office are over.
Respond to the employees’ unique needs.
Part of the new leader’s goal is to develop relationships with employees. Once managers do so and understand how each person feels and what motivates them, they can take action. This could mean providing flexibility to a working mom, who is trying to do it all or providing personalized employee benefits. Perhaps, it means providing the right bonus or gift to encourage retention.
Get comfortable with feelings.
Even before the pandemic, eight in 10 people had said they cried at work, according to Monster.com and reported by various news outlets, including CNN. More than 44% of C-suite executives said crying at work is okay from time to time, and another 30% said it has no negative effect on how one is perceived at work, according to Robert Half Talent Solutions and as reported by Harvard Business Review. Emotions are running high in this post-COVID era, so people need to be comfortable with the various ways people may be feeling.
Some employees – not to mention managers – could be sad, angry, frustrated, stressed, and so on. Being more open and transparent about human feelings will make others more comfortable. It will help shed stigma, too. Obviously, if people are overly emotional, then colleagues and managers should provide them with resources and access to help with mental health and wellness. But no one should expect managers or HR professionals to serve as psychologists or even counselors. It is simply a matter of being comfortable in one’s skin.
Check in regularly. At the start of each meeting, find out what’s happening in the life of employees. The response might be about the anxiety of completing a big project, for example. Or it can simply be about what everyone has done over the weekend. By making it a habit to start meetings with this personal catch up time, empathetic leaders are building a forum for people to come to them with problems or concerns. When managers and HR professionals see signs of burnout or mental illness, then they should direct people to the appropriate help.
By Francesca Di Meglio
Originally posted on HR Exchange Network
by admin | Dec 26, 2022 | Human Resources
- The pandemic and job market have made it difficult for employers to attract and retain talent, negatively impacting operations and profitability.
- Mineral’s Healthy HR framework shows you what companies with high productivity, morale, and engagement have in common.
- The Healthy HR framework is built on performing well on all four of the following pillars: thoughtful compensation and benefits, good work-life balance, the potential for career growth, and appropriate workload.
- On average, 70% of organizations are researching competitors and looking to improve their compensation packages to attract and keep talent.
These past few years have been anything but “business as usual.” From lockdowns to resignations, new variants and economic uncertainty, companies have been forced to navigate these challenges with no roadmap. While companies had to take their own path, some have faded, others survived, and a few – interestingly – even thrived.
But could account for these differences in outcome? We wanted to do a deep dive to find out.
In February 2022, Mineral surveyed 2,644 senior HR professionals in the United States. We sought to uncover what businesses with high performance during the pandemic had in common with respect to what their HR departments chose to prioritize. Our study indicates that revenue and productivity gains are tied to employee morale. How well a company treats its employees corresponds to its ability to attain business growth. We translated our data into a framework to help businesses like yours unlock the connection between strong employee morale and increased revenue and productivity. We call this framework Healthy HR.
The Healthy HR Framework
Companies that grew in both revenue and productivity had four things in common. These four indicators, which are all tied to employee morale, make up what we call Healthy HR. These indicators are:
- Thoughtful compensation
- Good work-life balance
- Potential for career growth
- Appropriate workload
Based on how well organizations perform in these areas, they are rated as either Weak, Average, or Strong. Weak organizations do not perform well in any category, while Strong businesses do well in all four. Our results found, unsurprisingly, that Strong organizations are most likely to succeed in increasing productivity and revenue even when faced with macro-environment challenges.
But the amount of business value Strong organizations received did may surprise you! Strong organizations saw real, impactful improvements to their bottom line – and in more places than just the bottom line. Our study found that 68% of Strong performers saw an increase in employee morale, despite the challenges of the pandemic. Weak organizations, on the other hand, identified a 13% decrease in employee morale.
Healthy HR doesn’t just happen, however. It requires a culture of investment in HR and proactive efforts.
Here is what our State of HR survey found on how Strong companies perform in the Thoughtful Compensation and Benefits category and how you can imitate their success.
How Strong Healthy HR Companies Package Thoughtful Compensation & Benefits
Pay has always been one of the most important factors for employees. However, salary isn’t the only component of compensation. Health benefits, paid time off, and bonuses also make up the total compensation package. But how are strong Healthy HR companies adjusting their compensation and benefits packages?
We found that roughly 60% of small organizations offer flexible remote and hybrid work options and proactively review market wages to update their compensation. This small business movement is mirrored by over 75% of large organizations doing the same.
Strong companies are broadly putting efforts toward meeting their employees’ compensation and benefits expectations. Our survey found that:
- 76% proactively review market wages and update internal targets
- 75% consider employee quality of life during compensation decisions
- 73% offer very flexible working hours with all employees
- 70% offer flexible remote and hybrid work options
- 64% tailor benefits packages to specific employee situations
Strong Healthy HR organizations are more than 10 times more likely to tailor benefits to specific employee situations than weak organizations. This can include offering adjusted working hours to accommodate family needs or providing additional time off to employees that need it. Employers in this job-seekers market are adjusting to their compensation practices. Is yours keeping pace?
What Your Organization Should Do
Not every organization is able to increase employee compensation or provide new benefits. Sometimes there are budget limitations. At other times, recruiting and staffing could be pain points that limit growth. Further, not every company can take advantage of every benefit (some organizations, like services and restaurants, always require in-house staff). However, proactive steps toward Healthy HR can begin even with small steps.
Whether you’re a growing organization with little to no funds available to alter your compensation or benefits, or need outside the box thinking, here are some ways to enhance your compensation practices:
- Be aware of trending benefits for both your employees, location, and industry
- Consider polling employees on the type of benefits that interest them
- Offer one unique benefit that ties in with your culture and values
- Examples include stipends to support small businesses, allow bereavement periods for the loss of a pet, charge accounts for snacks or coffee at employees’ favorite gas stations, recess time, blue light lens glasses, game tickets, or vouchers for spas and massages
- Establish guidelines around how and when the company discusses pay and benefits with job candidates and employees
- Track utilization rates of your current offered benefits
Another key aspect for helping organizations improve in Healthy HR: focusing on mental health. We found in our research that every Strong organization placed a heightened focus on employees’ mental health. Strong posture companies were 11x more likely to prioritize this and tried to support it through the pillars of Healthy HR – including thoughtful compensation and benefits. From fostering a culture around wellness (71%) to revising procedures to empower managers and supervisors to check in (68%), promoting mental wellness through the compensation pillar could hold the key to elevating your organization’s Healthy HR standing.
The job market and pandemic have forced many companies into a reactive posture. But organizations with Healthy HR showcased their resilience, agility, and endurance. As it’s always a matter of when – not if – the next crisis will impact your organization, our research has revealed that a surefire way to withstand it is by proactively investing in Healthy HR.
By Alexander Lahargoue
Originally posted on Mineral
by admin | Dec 23, 2022 | Johnson & Dugan News
It is with great pride that I write to inform you that one of our founders, Kathy Dugan, will be retiring at the end of this year. Kathy and I started J&D in 1983 and I have been blessed to have had her as a partner all these years. The time comes for us all to move on to life’s other opportunities and Kathy is looking forward to pursing those in her retirement. All of us at J&D are better for working with her and benefiting from her experience and dedication to our clients over the years. Her experience in HR from her days at Intel helped us put a focus on this aspect of our services to our clients at a time when firms like ours did not. We are proud that we helped in some small way pioneer that approach.
Please join us in congratulating Kathy on her next chapter, Sincerely, Michael Johnson
by admin | Dec 21, 2022 | Health & Wellness
The holidays are often the busiest time of the year for a lot of people which can make it hard to stay mentally and physically healthy. With a little intentionality and understanding, you can fully enjoy the holidays while keeping your health in mind.
6 Tips to Make Your Holidays Brighter:
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is often the first thing to go during a busy holiday season. Poor sleep, especially over a period of a few weeks, leads to poor functioning: it impacts your immune system, ability to concentrate and your mood – all things that make you even more stressed out. It’s a vicious circle.
Prioritize “Me Time”
Taking some much needed “me time” isn’t selfish; taking care of yourself is one of the best mental wellness gifts you can receive. Do some yoga, take a walk, relax in the bathtub, or simply take some time to catch up on some reading. Your mental health will thank you for it.
Practice Self-Control When It Comes to Food
Cookies, muffins, cakes and countless other temptations are prevalent during the season! The holidays are a time when a lot of people pull out their stretchy pants from the back of their closets so they can eat sweets and delicious foods to their hearts’ content. It’s okay to enjoy holiday treats but it’s important to be mindful of your choices and then balance your treats with healthy foods.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Last Minute Stress
Staying on top of your errands and to-do list by thinking ahead. Getting your holiday shopping done early helps you avoid the stress of last-minute shopping when you might not be able to find the things on your list.
Get Some Exercise
Exercise is an excellent way to destress. But don’t worry if you miss some time at the gym – the holidays are always busy and making your regular 7 a.m. spin class after a holiday party probably isn’t going to happen, and that’s okay. Focus on simply moving your body. Take the stairs or park your car further away from your destination to get some more steps in!
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Pinterest floods your feed with extravagant party decorations. Not to mention seeing beautifully decorated homes in TV commercials or social media posts of lavish gifts can make you feel overwhelmed. You might even start to think your holiday celebrations aren’t up to par. Just remember: your holiday traditions are your own and they don’t have to be like anyone else’s.
While the holidays can feel exhausting, it’s also a time to be enjoyed and savored. Make time for the activities you enjoy this season, such as Christmas baking, holiday movies, ice skating, and favorite family traditions. But most importantly, be present. That’s the best tip of them all.
by admin | Dec 15, 2022 | Human Resources
Learning and development is a necessary part of life, and it is required for mobility and succession planning at work. Yet, many HR departments fail to implement a complete L&D strategy or they do not even know where to begin.
The good news is that most leaders have great intentions. Of the respondents to the 2021 State of HR survey, 35% said they wanted to improve culture by transforming training and development efforts. At the Corporate Learning EMEA online event, which is free to join, viewers can gain insight into how to develop an adaptive and skilled workforce.
Find out about the five lessons to learn about learning and development:
An Honest Education
Erika Ullmann, Director, Learning & Development at Virgin Media – Ireland, recognizes the power of transparency in today’s workforce. She plans to take that message to the audience when she kicks off the Corporate Learning EMEA event in a fireside chat. Still, the highlight of the session will likely be a conversation about applying virtual reality to leadership training.
Getting Personal
Digital Adoption Expert at Whatfix, Pretyush Shama, plans to speak about how to personalize education and measure performance, which is frankly vital to prioritizing L&D and getting leadership buy in. In this session, Shama will explain how software can help employers offer customized learning and an ability to measure the effectiveness of the training.
Get Organized
One of the biggest challenges facing learning and development leaders is offering a streamlined curriculum that is easy to access and features all the necessary content to catapult learners into the future. In a session with Toby Harris, Chief Marketing Officer at filtered, the audience will learn about how to assess solutions and prioritize skillsets and knowledge areas.
Understand the Ecosystem
Discover how to build a learning ecosystem, which is essentially everything related to a company’s training and development efforts. This lesson, courtesy of Francesco Mantovani, Director, Global Learning Technologies and Innovation at Procter & Gamble, promises to share insight on the ecosystem by sharing the lessons he learned from making mistakes along the way.
Use Data
A mistake that many HR leaders make is to plan learning and development coursework and then, perhaps, look at data. Instead, Jonathan Kettleborough, Senior Lecturer, Information Systems Strategy at Manchester Metropolitan University, plans to divulge the ways to use data to determine what employees should study and demonstrate value to leaders.
Although these leaders are based in Europe, the lessons they have to share are relevant to all HR and learning and development leaders. Their experiences can help leaders determine learning content, delivery, and culture.
By Francesca Di Meglio
Originally posted on HR Exchange Network
