by admin | Feb 22, 2022 | Human Resources, Workplace
Since the start of the pandemic, the gig economy has become more ubiquitous. Human Resources leaders need to understand the new kind of worker attracted to the world of gigs, and learn how to make that kind of non-traditional worker fit into their teams.
Some mistakenly believe that the gig economy, also known as the shared economy, only refers to on-demand jobs like driving for Uber or Lyft or making Amazon deliveries. However, it is also applicable to white-collar jobs. It’s becoming a solution for employees, who need more flexibility, and employers, who need talent during a historic labor shortage. The HR Exchange Network’s State of HR Report revealed that HR leaders hold flexible work culture as a top priority, second only to employee engagement and experience. Buying into gig work might be a way to address both those priorities.
What Is the Gig Economy?
“The gig economy is a free market system in which temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies bring on independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees, and in many cases, for short-term engagements,” according to Embroker.
A look at the numbers demonstrates how important it is for HR leaders to pay attention and get up to speed on how this new kind of work arrangement could influence their business. By 2023, the global gig economy is expected to be a $455 billion industry, according to Harvard Business Review. Two million new workers joined the U.S. freelance workforce in 2020. In fact, one in three working Americans rely on freelancing for all or part of their income. Gallup estimates roughly 57 million Americans are gig workers, according to Forbes.
“The rapidly accelerating growth of the gig economy represents one of the most significant and all-encompassing challenges faced by Human Resources professionals,” according to SHRM. “The fundamental question is whether Human Resources can demonstrate the agility to lead the change in culture, programs, processes, and policies originally designed for work completed by full-time employees to a new era when more of the work is being completed by a talent portfolio increasingly represented by contingent workers (also referred to as gigsters, free agents, temporary help, agency workers, on-call workers, contract workers, independent contractors, or freelancers).”
Pros of the Gig Economy
Affordable Labor
A full-time employee requires a salary and benefits. You have to make hefty investments in training and career progression. Hiring an on-demand worker eliminates the need for all that. You pay them per project or on an hourly basis for as long as you need them. They usually can work remotely or only need to come into an office or place of business on a limited basis.
Specific Skills or Talents
Sometimes, you need an expert in an area for one or two projects and not on a regular basis. Being able to hire contract workers as you need them means you can look for exactly what you need at that moment. You don’t necessarily have to worry about well-rounded skills like you might with a full-time hire.
Flexibility
Freelancers and on-demand hires offer flexibility. Even if you’re renewing a contract with one of them on a regular basis, you only have to pay them for the work they actually do. You can turn to them when the work demands more help or when their particular service will enhance outcomes.
Cons of the Gig Economy
Carousel of Workers
Team dynamics can be hard to pin down when you are always working with different people. Even if you consistently work with the same freelancers, they are not bound by the same participation expectations as full-time workers. This can make it even more challenging to define a culture or help teams better collaborate.
Different Kind of Relationships
There’s more of a hierarchy when you are working with full-time employees. Managers and supervisors oversee their work and usually provide some sort of performance measurements to track their progress. With freelancers, you are their client. They are still working for you, but it changes the dynamic of the relationship.
This becomes most complicated with contingent workers, who work consistently for a company but without job security or traditional benefits. They do this for a number of reasons, including having more freedom over their schedules, being able to work for others, and being their own boss. As a result, the contract dictates their work more than the manager does. However, the manager or company could end up being a dissatisfied customer, and contingent workers can be let go at any time and you don’t have to prove they deserved to be fired.
Lack of Routine
If you’re working with a blended team – full-time employees and freelancers or contingent workers – you might have a hard time creating a solid schedule or routine for the group. Potentially you could still get the job done, but full-time employees might feel inconvenienced or maybe even a bit resentful. They have to be in one place for a certain amount of time, whereas their freelance counterparts are free to work on their own clock.
Obviously, there are pros and cons to the gig economy. But HR leaders can’t afford to ignore the fact that there is a societal shift toward this kind of workplace, where people have more freedom over their schedules, the kind of work they do, and even the relationship they have with employers. There’s still so much we have to figure out when it comes to the gig economy.
“Online gig work has grown increasingly common in recent years – and yet there’s still limited understanding of how to effectively support these non-traditional workers,” according to Harvard Business Review. “While gig workers can benefit from greater flexibility and autonomy than traditional employees, they also face unique challenges: less job security, fewer resources for career development, and often, a strong sense of alienation and difficulty finding meaning in their work.”
In fact, many reports have suggested that HR leaders in the future will provide access to resources regarding benefits like medical insurance instead of paying for it as they would for a full-time employee. Companies may begin to support co-working spaces to prevent isolation of their contingent or freelance workers. The point is that change is afoot, and HR leaders are paving the way for this new work paradigm.
By Francesca Di Meglio
Originally posted on HR Exchange Network
by admin | Sep 2, 2021 | Human Resources, Workplace
The employment market has taken the American worker on a roller coaster ride over the last year and a half. Unemployment rates hit record highs in 2020 with the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nearly a year later, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey reports new jobs have increased to “a record 9.3 million, as the economy rapidly recovered from its pandemic depths.” To add another piece to the employment puzzle, nearly 4 million workers quit their jobs in the same month, coining the term “the great resignation.” What caused this dramatic exit? Many employees were spurred to reflect on their priorities during the pandemic and identified more free time as a key factor in their employment future.
As the pandemic spread last year, workers were forced to make arrangements of all types. Those on a temporary hiatus from the office scrambled to adjust to a work-from-home setup. Others who were laid off were pushed to conduct job searches in a market where jobs were few and far between. Additionally, families were pressed to juggle childcare and remote school arrangements with little to no warning. The changes were big and hard, but between all the hustle and bustle workers adjusted to this “new normal.” During that transition, many evaluated their prior work-life balance – more specifically, what was working and what was not. COVID-culture put priorities into perspective for many.
Americans experienced burnout at record levels during this stressful time and many came out of this period with a newfound respect for putting their mental health first. As “return to office” notifications landed in inboxes, many decided they were not willing to return to the office full time. A study conducted by Prudential, a global insurance and financial services firm, concluded that approximately 33% of Americans are disinclined to work for employers that aren’t offering remote work for a portion of their week. This introspection helped many workers see that their priorities needed to be rebalanced. Many wanted to spend less time commuting and working in the office, and more time on personal interests and with loved ones. This “aha” moment, coupled with a resurgence of new jobs in the market, led many to feel a newfound sense of confidence in finding a new opportunity. And that resulted in a dramatic shift in the number of employees choosing to leave their jobs, feeling they would find roles with more flexible work hours and supportive work environments.
There is no doubt we will continue to see fluctuations as our economy responds to this newly resurgent employee market. Employers can be proactive in retaining employees who may be evaluating their current work-life balance. Managers and Human Resource staff can engage with employees early and often. Don’t wait for your employees to raise a concern about workplace flexibility – lead the charge by looking into what your company can do to support this interest.
©2021 United Benefit Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved.
by admin | Apr 22, 2021 | Human Resources, Workplace
Think for a minute about all you have done today. Now, from that list of tasks, how many would you say you have done well? Again, from the list of tasks you feel you’ve done a good job on, how many were you praised for by your manager or even a co-worker? We all crave approval and praise from others in our life. The workplace is no exception. Praise motivates us to do well and to improve. Praise is necessary and praise is powerful. Follow these easy steps to build an effective habit of praise in your organization.
The WHY of Praise
Before we can get into the HOW of praise, let’s touch on the WHY. According to Gallup.com, “Recognition for good work releases dopamine in the brain, which creates feelings of pride and pleasure.” People want to feel like others see them and appreciate them. The praise-giver also receives benefits from this exchange. By giving praise, you get the same sense of satisfaction as you get when making a charitable gift or helping others. An environment of praise-giving is one where individuals work, not just to complete a task and be done, but they work to do a good job and to please their manager with hard work that is done well. Also, in terms of employee engagement, a manager who regularly praises their team, is one who is
The HOW of Praise
Giving praise is easy and, if you follow these simple tips, it is also an effective tool to motivate and encourage those in your workplace.
Make it QUICK
When you notice something that should be recognized with praise, do it immediately. The more time that passes between the event and the recognition, the less powerful the praise becomes. Make it a habit that when you see good work or good behavior, you stop what you are doing and give praise.
Make it SPECIFIC
Now that you have recognized the behavior or project that deserves praise, you’ll want to make the praise specific. Offering a vague compliment like, “You did good” doesn’t truly speak to the specific action that is praise-worthy. Instead, make your words of affirmation ones that point to a specific instance like, “The logo you created for the Milestone marketing project was clean and really inventive.”
Make it GENUINE
You may be tempted to adopt this new praise policy and start doling out compliments left and right like a praise shotgun, but, don’t. Disingenuous praise is almost as bad, if not worse, than no praise at all. You can tell if someone is making a forced comment or one that has no thought behind it. Instead, make sure the praise is given with a genuine heart and tone.
Create a CULTURE of praise
As you fine tune the act of giving praise in your workplace, your final task is to create a culture of praise-giving. When you build this culture, and everyone is actively involved in recognizing their peers, you will find the morale and engagement in your office is lifted higher. Increased morale and engagement also increase productivity, lowers absenteeism, and lowers turnover.
Praise is incredibly powerful. Praise has the power to motivate, encourage, and build. By following the simple tips outlined here, you can unleash the power of praise in your organization and in your life and reap the benefits to both the giver and receiver.
by ckistler | Mar 23, 2021 | Human Resources, Workplace
There has been so much written on leadership in the last year, it’s hard to keep track of it all. Leaders should be storytellers, communicators, holistic, strategic, encouraging, creative, conservative, risk taking, ethical, competitive, inspiring and a whole host of other attributes.
There are countless books currently available on the subject, and it would not surprise me if there were close to over half a million articles on the subject. It is the bread and butter of every consulting firm throughout the world. With so much content offering thought and insight, you have to wonder why leadership still an issue?
The answer lies with culture. The entire purpose of leadership is to create a culture. In a large and well-established organization, it can be difficult for an outsider to implement a new culture. So, does leadership create a culture or does culture create leadership? The answer to both questions is yes.
Culture Affecting Leadership
“I have been here 25 years,” said the director of a large municipality. “I have outlasted three city managers so far, and I will outlast this one.” This is the attitude many leaders face, especially when they are brought in from outside organizations to run or manage large, well-established ones.
The negative cultures can especially undermine positive leadership as initiatives are actively undermined by managers who have a stake in the old culture or struggle to accept the changes inherent in the modern workplace. Whether it’s through manipulation or complacency, negative cultures can create significant challenges for change. At the same time, positive leadership can overcome negative culture and turn the tide over time. A few encouraging results and positive experiences can go a long way.
Negative leadership, however, can have a fast, dramatic effect on a positive culture. WorldCom was a telecom leader and had a very innovative culture until Bernie Ebbers took over. While squeezing every cent he could from the environment and putting pressure on employees to work harder with less, he was pillaging the company. Turnover soared and, within a few years, WorldCom was bankrupt.
Culture as a Function of Leadership
Companies reflect the ethics of the leaders who run them. We’ve seen in recent times the reaction employees and the public have to companies who fail to address their stance on social issues, harassment, pay gaps and whose political leanings go against what employees view to be the common good.
As a result, leaders find themselves having to publicly make statements condemning systemic racism, political violence and other topics that aren’t easy to talk about without offending someone or putting oneself at risk. But ultimately, the ethical stands a leader takes becomes a part of the organization’s culture.
Bob Page felt like an outsider and had to hide his sexuality. When he built Replacements, Ltd., he ensured everyone it would be a place that accepted diversity—not just of lifestyle but of thought—and would invest in building their community. Anita Roddick founded The Body Shop to build an environmentally-friendly corporation, which reflected her commitment to environmental activism. Jim Goodnight’s commitment to work-life balance is part of the culture at SAS, the largest privately-held company in the world. Jack Welch’s commitment to being the best created an environment of excellence at General Electric. In each of these cases, the ethics of the leader became a central part of the culture.
The Obstacles to Culture Change
The real obstacles to culture change are internal obstacles. False ego, fear, complacency and preconceived ideas create a negative environment. When change is introduced there is resistance, even when the change is positive. People learn different coping mechanisms to avoid the change, such as hiding behind procedures, “water cooler” talk or actively undermining the initiative.
The remote work landscape changes some of this as employee communications can be more easily monitored and there are fewer “water cooler” moments on offer to begin with. But negativity can me a bit like trying to contain water in an enclosed space. If there’s a place for it to leak through, it likely will. The question then becomes how leadership can have a positive impact on the culture of an organization?
Ways Leadership Can Positively Affect Culture
People are inspired by vision. They want to follow a leader who shows concerns and values that are important to them. A positive leader will inspire 100% effort from everybody. Here are some signs of a good leader and how the leader affects the culture:
- Visionaries and strategic thinkers: A boss tells you what to do, while a leader inspires you to want to do it. Leaders who lay out a vision that people buy into and a strategy that they understand will create a culture of engagement. People know where the organization is headed, how it will get there and their role in helping achieve the vision.
- Ethics that support values: People look at what you do and not what you say. Values are words, ethics are actions. When leaders demonstrate values through their actions, they lead by example and create an ethical culture.
- Empowerment: There are three requirements for: responsibility, accountability and authority. Leaders who empower people to make decisions that affect their lives, give them the authority to act and make them take responsibility for consequences create leadership on all levels of the organization. Micromanaging means people are not entrusted to be leaders and very little gets done because all decisions need to be made by one person.
By David Whiting
Originally posted on hrexchangenetwork.com.
by ckistler | Dec 8, 2020 | Human Resources, Workplace
Building camaraderie between your employees is essential for employee engagement and retention. In fact, employees with close work friendships report 50% higher satisfaction with their work, according to Gallup. Hosting parties for your office this season may not be possible, yet they are still important. We’ve gathered some fun alternative ways to celebrate together while apart this holiday season.
IT’S PARTY TIME!
Gingerbread House Building Contest
- Mail a box of the components to your team ahead of the party date.
- Host a video call with background music while everyone constructs their house so they can see the progress of their co-workers’ build.
- Post pictures of the finished houses on your company Facebook page and take votes for different categories. Your team can share the page with friends and family to try to drum up votes and, in turn, your page will get some new visits! Win-Win!
- Send gift cards to winners to online merchants.
Virtual Holiday Bingo
- Mail bingo cards and dobbers or stickers ahead of the party date.
- Host a video call and ask your most outgoing and beloved team member to be the bingo caller.
- Email e-card prizes to winners.
Winter Cocktail Party
- Mail a “mix-kit” of cocktail components to your team ahead of the party date.
- Hire a mixologist to teach via video call how to make a couple of cocktails with the ingredients you have sent out ahead of time.
- *Optional: take votes on a short menu of cocktails to see which ones the team is most interested in learning how to make.
Virtual White Elephant Party
- Some people consider a “white elephant” gift to be something chosen from their home that is still in good/new condition, a cheap purchased gift, or a joke gift. Make sure you determine what type you want people to give so that everyone prepares the same.
- Have your team prepare their gift at their home ahead of time and take a picture of their item. Each person should email the pre-designated “Santa” the picture so he/she can prepare the game.
- Prepare a PowerPoint presentation with images of gifts and follow the instructions on this site to host the party.
General Tips
- Mail “party supplies” two weeks early.
- Make a party playlist and share it before the party to get people in the holiday party mood.
- Consider mailing party food such as flavored popcorn, chips, candy, and even a meal-delivery gift card for eating during the virtual event.
Even though we are apart this holiday season, there is no need for us to be disconnected. You can still be the “host/ess with the most/est” by preparing the best party for your team. Show them you care by spending the extra time and care to keep your team engaged during the holidays.
by admin | Aug 5, 2020 | Human Resources, Workplace
Right now, organizations across the country are asking themselves what they can do to make their workplaces more inclusive, diverse, and equitable, particularly for Black employees. They’re hosting conversations, acknowledging areas where they’ve fallen short, and identifying opportunities for improvement.
For these efforts to be successful, employees need to be able to speak freely, offering critical and candid feedback about individual behaviors, workplace practices, and organizational policies. None of this can happen, however, if people believe it isn’t safe for them to speak up.
It often isn’t.
Employees who report harassment and discrimination, speak candidly to their supervisors, or challenge the status quo often find themselves excluded from projects, denied a promotion, or out of a job. According to a study by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 75% of employees who spoke out against workplace mistreatment faced some form of retaliation. Given this reality, it falls on employers to show their employees that they can report incidents of discrimination, identify institutional failures, and recommend solutions all without fear of retaliation. Preventing retaliation is part of that. Here are a few other ways to establish a firm foundation of trust, openness, and respect:
Admit mistakes and make amends
Employees will be reluctant to hold their leaders accountable if their leaders never admit fault or acknowledge areas for growth. If, however, leaders show a willingness to be vulnerable and a desire to learn and be better, they can help put their employees’ minds at ease and more effectively solicit their feedback. For example, an employer might acknowledge that they hadn’t previously made diversity a priority for the company, but that going forward, they will strategically place job ads where underrepresented job applicants are more likely to see them, and they’ll identify ways to make the workplace welcoming and inclusive. Statements like this, when followed by action, open the door to honest communication between employees and their employer. They build trust.
Reward instead of retaliate
Creating a real sense of safety takes more than preventing retaliation. Employees need to see that providing candid and critical feedback is met with appreciation, gratitude, and action from leadership. In other words, it has to be rewarded. Employees who identify problems in the workplace or propose solutions shouldn’t fear being ostracized or having their career derailed by a vengeful peer or supervisor. On the contrary, they should be recognized as leaders in the organization (informal or otherwise), given opportunities to make a further impact, and empowered to help make decisions that elevate the workplace, its culture, and its practices. Consider shout-outs from the CEO, company awards, strategic bonuses, promotions, and career development opportunities. These show sincerity.
Tolerate no retaliation
For some employers, the hardest part of building trust will be appropriately disciplining anyone who violates it, especially if the one being disciplined is a star performer or high up in the chain of command. One instance of retaliation, if not immediately addressed, can undermine months or years of work and ruin even a stellar reputation for diversity, inclusion, and equity. Any retaliation, for any reason, no matter who does it, must not be tolerated. Fortunately, swift action to discipline the offender and prevent future instances can help repair the damage and restore trust. It shows you’re serious.
Psychological safety takes time to establish, even in companies without a history of overt retaliation. Implementing the three strategies above, however, will lay the groundwork for a culture in which employees feel safe speaking up for diversity, inclusion, and equity.
By Kyle Cupp
Originally posted on thinkhr.com
