Piece it Together
There’s always something to talk about, so pull up a chair and let’s Piece It Together. Through articles written by our consultants, we share with you our take on the latest news, trends, and changes in HR, leadership and the workplace.
Read our latest posts or peruse our past articles. Please let us know if you have any comments or want more information on how we can help your organization.
Give Your Employees a Break!
It is well known that when employees take time off away from work, they become energized, productive and happier in the long run.
Paid time off (PTO) is one of the most valued benefits offered to employees. According to the Harvard Business Review, vacation time ranks in the top three benefits most important to job seekers. But there are many factors employers need to consider for a PTO plan to be successful and work for everyone in your organization.
PTO bank versus separate sick and vacation time
Traditionally, employers have offered a set number of PTO days which were specifically allocated to vacation, sick, or personal leave. With this structure in […]
New Year, New Focus on HR Priorities
Happy New Year! Now that all the balloons, noisemakers, confetti and other remnants of the holiday have been cleaned up and put away, it’s time to focus on your HR priorities for 2019. Some priorities may be new for 2019. Others may have carried over from 2018 and need to be completed or updated.
Here are some of the priorities we see on the lists of HR professionals and senior management for 2019:
- Develop current and future leaders – Whether it’s leadership development, coaching, career paths and/or training, help your employees become the current and future leaders that move your organization forward in 2019 and beyond. How well they are […]
Be Mindful of the Future but Appreciate the Present!
Soon it will be Thanksgiving and then a blur until the end of the year. This is the time of year that life always becomes crazy… even crazier than the rest of the year.
From an HR perspective, it’s time for Open Enrollments, Annual Salary Adjustments, Bonus Distribution and planning for the next year. From a business perspective, you’re looking at your budgets, your revenue and/or profit, and planning for the next year if you haven’t done so already.
Add to that your personal lives, keeping up with all the events and celebrations this holiday season, and ensuring that you take the time to thank the people in your lives, both professional […]
Everyone Wins When Employers Focus on Serving Their Community
It is well known that offering employees work-life incentives leads to better retention, serves as a key selling point for recruitment, and contributes to a positive workplace environment. Now more than ever, employees value not only these types of benefits, but also the way an employer helps the community.
According to a volunteerism survey by Deloitte, creating a culture of volunteerism in the workplace may boost morale, workplace atmosphere and brand perception. An organization’s connection to the community has become an integral facet to its culture and a significant factor in its recruitment and retention success.
Why Community Service?
By strengthening outreach in philanthropic efforts and environmental programs, and/or establishing […]
Go Where Your Candidates Are – Use Social Media for Recruiting
We all know that it’s a candidate’s job market. The economy is booming and competition for quality candidates is growing. If your tried and true job posting sites are no longer drawing the same quality candidates, it may be time to reassess your social media presence.
According to Betterteam, 94% of professional recruiters network and post jobs on social media, and 59% of employees say that an organization’s social media presence was part of the reason they chose their workplace. More than just a passing trend, social media should be incorporated into your overall recruiting strategy.
Why use social media for recruiting? Lot of reasons.
- According to a recent […]
Test Drive Summer Interns as Potential Employees
Summer is here! For many organizations, summer is the perfect time for completing all the tasks that get put on the back burner during the rest of the year. Having a summer internship program can assist with many of your organization’s summertime ambitions and you can reap benefits in ways that go far beyond just having an extra set of hands. How? Here are six ways that summer interns can be a valuable resource for your organization.
- Create a Future Talent Pipeline
A summer internship at your organization is not just a short-term summer job, but could be a summer-long training program for an entry level position. Summer interns […]
Down the Yellow Brick Road – Provide a Clear Path to Career Success
During the last several years, we have seen an increase in clients wanting our help to develop career paths. There are several reasons: the loss of knowledge as baby boomers retire and the need to transfer this knowledge to the up and coming leaders and workforce of today… the increase in technology and how it impacts so many jobs… and the millennial generation asking for roadmaps to how they can progress and grow in your organization.
So, are career paths helpful? Do they hit the mark in trying to recruit and retain talent within organizations? Our experience shows that there is a connection.
Employees today want more transparency from their […]
Peer Learning: Building Skills, Sharing Experiences to Meet Organizational Goals
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a day-long Learning Summit designed to introduce and explore peer learning, a practice being adopted more and more by businesses. The Summit introduced participants to two peer coaching group models/methods used by organizations such as American Express, GAP Foundation, Goodwill Industries International, Microsoft and others.
Peer learning – also called peer-to-peer learning or peer coaching groups – consists of structured small group settings of 5-7 individuals with similar/shared values, priorities, challenges, generational concerns, etc. The experience, knowledge and wisdom of each group member is valued and used to support and promote learning. The sessions begin with some training about group processes, […]