It all begins with great onboarding. It really does.

The most efficient organizations aren’t necessarily those that have the best procedures. Instead, organizations that do great onboarding in the first 90 days can get people to work together more productively and get each member of a team to do his or her best more often.

Getting employees to give their best is an effort that
starts on Day One. It’s important to build rapport, which in turn, builds
trust.

Trustworthiness is essential to any successful social
network, especially work. Getting people from a variety of backgrounds to
interact and trust each other is crucial to achieving and maintaining increases
in productivity.

Organizations with a track record of success do a better job of making the most of their new hires. That’s due to a better understanding of what people’s skill sets are, which is probably the easy part, as well as how their behavior fits the job.

People don’t change

Managers should avoid trying to change people into
something they have no hope of ever becoming. People don’t change that much.

Managers would be much better off trying to figure out
what their people are really good at and playing to those strengths, instead of
forever trying to correct people’s deficiencies.

Experts in behavioral and workplace psychology have identified six dumb ways in which companies, through their managers, destroy morale and productivity. Most of these negatives occur in the first 90 days.

Here are six mistakes to avoid in those critical first
90 days of onboarding:

Mistake No. 1 is the failure to set clear
expectations. What’s expected in the first 90 days? What’s expected in the
second 90 days, and then, thru the end of the year?

Good people want to do well in a job. As long as they
know clearly what’s expected of them, good hires will try hard to meet those
expectations.

Mistake No. 2 is the failure to focus employees on the
key issues. Managers too often assume employees know what they know. Or
managers may have done an inadequate “selling” job to their employees to make
the company’s priorities and key issues their own priorities as well.

Mistake No. 3 is a failure to find the positive. Many
people in leadership roles have too many things on their plate. Old-school
managers still may be tempted to “fix” everybody, but this always involves
criticism and reinforces negatives. All managers would do better figuring out
what people are good at and play to their strengths.

Mistake No. 4 is the failure to exchange ideas in a
positive, open forum. In an environment of empowerment, command and control
doesn’t work. It can’t just be management telling people what needs to be done.
Managers are wise to learn what’s going on at the grassroots level, because
those are the people who are dealing with the company’s customers. Listening
skills are an essential ingredient of successful management.

Mistake No. 5 is the failure to recognize and reward good performance. When people really do well, managers need to be sure to recognize it. When they don’t, it creates a negative environment, with negative consequences for morale and productivity. This applies not only to the individual employee whose outstanding contribution isn’t acknowledged enough, but to all those around that employee as well, who see that the extraordinary effort is merely taken for granted. It kills their morale as well, and makes them think: “Why bother?”

Mistake No. 6 is the greatest challenge for most managers. It’s the failure to understand the unique behavioral strengths and challenges of each individual. Managers who play to people’s strengths do a better job of making new hires work. The easy part is to identify skill sets. It’s much harder to identify the behavioral nature that fits the job. People do things more because of their own intrinsic nature than because of any lack of expertise or intelligence.

4 key workplace personality traits

There are plenty of examples in everyday life
situations of the four basic behavioral traits that people in the workplace
exhibit. They are:

1. Dominance, the so-called control trait. This is the
person who pushes his or her way into an already full elevator.

2. Extroversion, the so-called social trait. This is the
person who tries to get to know everyone in the same crowded elevator.

3. Patience. This is the person who will wait calmly for
the next elevator.

4. Conformity. These people excel when there is structure
and detail. This person will check the elevator’s inspection certificate to make
sure the load capacity hasn’t been exceeded.

Great managers play to the strengths of their people and fill square holes with square pegs. They understand what any position needs and fill the positions with people who fit those needs, then provide guidance and encouragement to help people meet the position’s specific requirements.

And they recognize the entire process starts on Day One.

The post Why great workplaces begin with great onboarding appeared first on HR Morning.

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Looking to wow your employees with a unique and exciting corporate holiday party that will be the talk of the company into the New Year?

If corporate holiday party planning is in your purview, never fear! Even the most novice event planners can look like seasoned pros by following a few universal rules for hosting an unforgettable company event.

Creativity and planning are the keys to your festive fun, as well as a hearty dose of good cheer! It’s never too early to plan!

Read on for some pro tips to blow your staff away this
holiday season and keep the office buzzing into the New Year.

1. An Oscar Moment – Everyone likes to be recognized and feel appreciated. Consider establishing an informal awards ceremony where the staff are creatively thanked for their specific contributions. Make it light-hearted and humorous. And not too long!

2. Venue Menu – Ask around the office regarding the team’s top choices for party locales. Picture a dynamic venue that is bound to create lively competition, authentic interaction and some well-deserved down time after a busy year. Make sure there’s something for everyone—activities and fun for those seeking to get out and move around and a relaxed space for those looking for chill.  

 3. Think Outside the Christmas Box – Plan your holiday party with imaginative flair. Book a popular cover band that really gets the crowd energized. Or if your budget permits, hire an up-and-coming local band to provide the music. Or how about a whimsical holiday selfie station? Or a trendy slow motion booth? Karaoke is also a proven crowd-pleaser, particularly later on in the evening when people are feeling the most comfortable and festive.

4. Embrace the Unconventional – Pick a setting that’s unique and groundbreaking. Seek out a trailblazing site that ticks all the boxes when it comes to a bold venue that will generate excitement within your office. Get your employees pumped in advance by creating teams, different holiday-themed events, and interactive competitions for the big day.

5. Power Hours – What better way to genuinely say thank you to your team than having a bash during work hours? The holiday season is filled with fun and festivities, but it can be exhausting as well. Close the office for the day and you’ve already created an employee-friendly feel. This also motivates your team to finish the year strong, wrap up projects with enthusiasm and at the same time, have a cool and engaging party where they can look forward to celebrating.

6. Flashback Fever – Consider adding more festivities to the atmosphere with a rockin’ theme. Your choices are vast—from past decades to a zombie apocalypse. Who wouldn’t want to go-kart in 80’s garb?!?!

7. We Are Family – Think of supporting a local charity and ask guests to bring donated canned goods or a holiday gift for a needy family with them to the event. Be sure to have the proper festively decorated storage bin for collecting. Then be sure to have the company match any donations made by the team. And the holiday topper? Ask the chosen venue if they support a local charity. What better way to share the holiday spirit? It’s a proven fact that engaging companies in giving back encourages a team to perform more efficiently.  Everyone goes home feeling happy.

8. Swag Bag – Depending on your budget, consider sending your guests home with some fabulous bling.  Exclusive door prizes or an automatic entry raffle are always a party hit. Explore options that will have your staff feeling extra cheery this holiday season. Gift cards to a luxury spa, popular restaurant, upscale boutique or a gourmet cooking class are sure to please. Or how about tickets to a popular music concert, well-known comedy act or mainstream sports event? Pampering baskets with high-end skincare products are always a crowd pleaser. Premium chocolate? Yes, please! Lastly, your team will absolutely be seeing stars if you offer them extra paid days or half-days off.

9. Food Mood – We all know that the food and drink choices can make or break a party. Depending on the unique venue you choose, make sure you check out their paddock lounge, food and drink menu, food vendor list, etc. to make sure the grub will meet the standards of your epic night.  

10. Don’t Guesstimate the Budget – Create a detailed, itemized budget for your event. Consider extras, hidden costs, tax and make sure to cover all costs. Be organized in your preparation. Your accounting team will thank you. Set up a team for expense planning and give them an incentive—perhaps a fab thank you gift.

11. Team building Nation – Let’s face it. Team building is trending. Recent studies by Google and Apple prove that integration is the future model for a productive working environment. Office members who respect each other and have common goals are more likely to help the company succeed. A relaxed, vibrant corporate holiday party is the perfect opportunity for mingling and networking. A fabulous locale reinforces the effective notion of team building, inclusion and merry entertainment. Your office mates have your back!

Let us be clear in our cheer. Team chemistry and morale is
more important than ever in today’s hyper-competitive business climate.

Topping off a strong year with a holiday party that will be
remembered for years to come is a fantastic reward for the hard work and
perseverance of your exceptional team.

Now get ready to eat, drink and be merry!  

The post 11 pro tips for the best corporate holiday party – ever appeared first on HR Morning.

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The quest to hire entry level employees – and retain them – is one of the toughest recruiting challenges HR professionals are facing.  The current unemployment rate is at an historic low, and with more than 7 million job openings across the U.S., far too many positions are going unfilled.

At the
same time, there is a sizable segment of the population that remains unemployed
or significantly underemployed. Called “opportunity youth,” this group of young
people between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither in school nor gainfully
employed—and they comprise a significant pool of 6.7 million potential workers.

Having
7 million open jobs at the same time there are 6.7 million potential entry
level workers is a tremendous opportunity that, if missed, will have
long-lasting consequences.  Youth who are
unable to launch gainful careers face a lifetime of lower earnings and
financial instability.

This creates
a negative domino effect, impacting not only the individuals who fail to
achieve sustainable employment, but their families and communities.

All
the while, the inability to find employees stifles the growth of companies and
potentially the economy, too.

Hiring
“opportunity youth” represents a potential triple-win: for employers,
employees, and economic health.

But
how can companies best connect with opportunity youth — and how do you train
and retain them to contribute on a long-term basis?

There
is an answer. A growing initiative known as Impact
hiring offers a promising, data-driven approach.

Impact Hiring Connects Opportunity Youth with Employers

The Rockefeller Foundation has embarked on a far-reaching impact hiring initiative to increase opportunities for disadvantaged workers in the U.S. The goal is to address entry-level hiring challenges of employers, while preparing opportunity youth to overcome hurdles and start on the road to sustainable employment.

A key element of impact hiring is to take the guesswork out of hiring — to make decisions based on data rather than relying on intuition.

This
approach uses predictive talent analytics to match youth with job openings
based on their potential and innate talents. On the employer side, hiring
managers can use analytics to identify applicants who might lack experience on
their resumes but are well-suited to succeed in available positions.

This
practice opens up doors for both sides to a huge and mostly untapped talent pool.

3 Ways to Use Impact Hiring Tools and Strategies

• Partner with a nonprofit organization: It’s difficult—and unnecessary—for employers to go it alone when working on hiring initiatives with alternative populations. Nonprofit organizations such as ours, Generation USA, streamline the process by helping employers recruit, train, and place opportunity youth.  With programs in 14 cities, we see across-the-board cost savings when companies partner with Generation, with a successful placement rate of more than 80%. Addressing the all-important question of retention, follow up data shows that 76% of our placements are still in their jobs one year after hire.

• Define and refine your hiring costs and challenges:  We recently partnered with the Rockefeller Foundation to develop a ROI Estimator tool that helps employers evaluate hiring costs, define “pain points,” and take steps to make the process more efficient. You can try this tool free of charge to glean valuable, applicable information regarding where and how you can improve your hiring process.

• Explore the Opportunity Navigator: Another useful tool is the Opportunity Navigator, a collaboration of Talent ReWire and Grads of Life. This tool helps employers and HR managers understand and implement impact hiring best practices, including strategic investments that build diverse entry-level and frontline talent pipelines.

Once you have gathered the data on your hiring and employee retention
challenges, you can use this information to create a tailored series of
“interventions” to avoid your usual detours and start on a fresh course of
expanded hiring practices. It’s also crucial to define ahead of time exactly
how you will measure progress and return on investment for your impact hiring
efforts.

Finally, you need to be ready to adapt. Ask employees and hiring managers for feedback and adapt your selected tools and interventions accordingly as you progress. Ongoing assessment and fluidity are key. These strategies will enable you to bridge the employment gap with a wider and more inclusive pipeline of motivated employees.

The post Tap the talent pool of youth with ‘impact hiring’ appeared first on HR Morning.

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Women looking to make their mark in leadership roles at Ernst & Young (EY) were given jarringly sexist professional advice during a training seminar the Big Four accounting firm sponsored last year in New Jersey.

With the #MeToo movement in full swing, the women who attended the June 2018 event were told the female brain is 6% to 11% smaller than the male brain, according to an exclusive report from the Huffington Post.

“Women’s brains absorb information like pancakes soak up
syrup, so it’s hard for them to focus,” according to the slide show at the accounting
firm’s new office in Hoboken, NJ, according to HuffPost.

The training seminar went on to compare men’s brains to waffles: “They’re better able to focus because the information collects in each little waffle square.”

Hmmmm. This from a multinational consulting firm that presents itself as an award-winning leader in fostering a culture that promotes inclusion and a strong sense of belonging for all.

EY called the presentation Power-Presence-Purpose training. Other highlights sure to draw your ire:

• Women were encouraged to “signal fitness
  and wellness” by getting manicures and wearing flattering clothing — yet were
  told not to “flaunt their body.”
• Attendees had to rate how “masculine”
  or “feminine” they were before the training. Masculine adjectives
  included “ambitious” and “has leadership abilities”;
  feminine adjectives included, you guessed it, “shy” and
  “childlike.”
• Women were told to sit cross-legged and not to
  make face-to-face contact with men at work.

There were even grooming instructions in the 55-page manual
passed out at the conference, advising that women be “polished,” with a “good
haircut, manicured nails, well-cut attire that complements your body type.”

The approximately 30 female executives who attended also
learned that women “speak briefly” and “often ramble and miss the point” in
meetings, whereas a man will “speak at length ― because he really believes in
his idea.”

GROAN! You get the point.

The accounting firm told HuffPost that the June 2018 event
was the last time that version of the seminar was held at EY. But it declined to
say if or how the seminar was changed.

The post Big Four accounting firm called to account for sexist ‘training’ seminar appeared first on HR Morning.

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New technology changes can have a positive impact not just on how people work, but on your office culture as well.

But sometimes technology
changes can intimidate and alienate employees who are comfortable working in
traditional systems and procedures, and have trouble adjusting.

It’s normal for workers to at first be apprehensive to big
changes when they’ve grown used to the way things have been done for years.

That’s why it’s important to see things from their point of view and understand that change is tough, especially when it upheaves years of doing things with traditional processes.

1. Help them see the value

When introducing new tech solutions to your colleagues, it’s important to help them understand why you’re implementing it and what it will do for the business.

Explain not just how it will benefit the business in
general, but how it will benefit their specific roles and what the impact will
be.

If it’s a tool that’s meant to streamline a certain process,
be sure to impress on them that the time saved will allow them to focus on more
and grow their roles.

If it’s a solution that’s meant to free up more resources,
discuss with them how they now direct that saved budget and labor to more
productive things. If they can see the value it will bring to them as an
individual, you can make them excited to learn more about it and look forward
to its implementation.

Document management solutions represent a big shift in how
businesses interact with their documents, especially if you’re transitioning
from a mostly paper-driven structure. However, it’s a technology that vastly
improves business processes by introducing tools like automation and
intelligent organization.

 2. Keep them informed

Most big technology changes requires time for implementation and onboarding. It rarely happens overnight, so having a road map for implementation is essential to make sure it all goes smoothly.

More importantly, staying transparent with your employees on
this roadmap is helpful in easing them into the new system. Letting them know
what they can expect during the implementation period can give them ease and
let them know that they have time to get used to the transition rather than
just diving in.

3. Give them time

New technology always has a learning curve, and this is
especially true for those who aren’t used to working with it as part of their
job.

 While some are quick
learners and early adopters, there is an equal number of those who have more of
a struggle learning how things work. They won’t get it overnight, so it’s
important to be patient and encouraging.

A transitional period where they’re still allowed to get
their job done the old way while learning the new way is encouraged if
possible. As long as they’re willing to learn and not resistant, it’s worth it
to let them grow at their own pace, all while providing the necessary support
such as additional training and mentoring.

4. Incentivize

If some employees are more resistant than others to adopt technology
changes, it doesn’t hurt to throw out some incentives to encourage them to
embrace the change.

Offering perks such as free lunch with training will make those employees a little more enthusiastic about attending those meetings.

Get creative with tying small rewards to the use of the new
tech solution as well as implying bigger forms of recognition for demonstrating
proficiency and enthusiasm for the new system.

Letting them know that the skills learned from training will
reflect across their entire career and showcase their adaptability.

5. Listen

Taking in feedback is an important part of any business
decision, not listening to your employee’s opinions and concerns about adopting
a new tech solution.

Encouraging an environment where your colleagues can discuss freely their experience with the current processes and how introducing a new factor that will impact those processes will help inform how you build out your implementation roadmap and how you go about training.

Being open to their ideas of how to transition and
addressing their concerns will make them feel part of the process and not feel
like it’s being forced upon them.

The post 5 steps to help employees adjust to technology changes appeared first on HR Morning.

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Biometric time clock systems are gaining popularity with
businesses all over the world. This type of time clock system has the potential
to save time and money and make it simpler to track hourly employees. Does that
mean you should switch to using a biometric solution to track employee time?

What are biometric
time clocks?

Biometric time clocks rely on measurements of physical
characteristics such as fingerprints, facial shape, iris, or eye shape, or even
a vocal sample to log an employee into the timekeeping system and record their
attendance. The scan or sample matches an existing record in the database,
ensuring that only your employees have access to the system – if the scan
doesn’t match an existing record, access will be denied.

The most common type of biometric time clock is a fingerprint scanner. The device scans a fingerprint and matches it to a stored image in its database. Some other scanners will process this image differently, creating a string of code based on characteristics of the fingerprint and keeping the code on file instead of the image of the print.

So, what are the benefits of using this kind of system as
opposed to a regular time clock?

Reduce time theft

While it’s likely that your business isn’t using an actual
paper punch card anymore, employees are still able to commit “time theft,” or
less harshly known as “Buddy punching.”

Buddy punching occurs when an employee clocks their friend in for work, even if that friend is running late or isn’t coming in. This person will likely look for reciprocity, so when he is running late, the friend clocks him in. While it may not seem like a big deal at first, over 75% of companies in the United States report losing money to buddy punching. This can add up, especially if you consider that a typical workplace loses 5% of its revenues to fraud – and that fraud often goes undetected for a year-and-a-half. This practice can also reduce employee morale: Think about how you might feel if you knew a coworker was late every day and was never reprimanded because their friend is clocking them in, while you’re on time or early every morning and it’s also going unnoticed. 

But, since every person’s fingerprint is unique, you can
rest assured knowing that you have effectively eliminated time theft from your
list of worries.

Boost security

Knowing that only the employees who are physically at work are clocking in can be a relief. But, what about security? The same type of biometric terminal can be used to secure doors and restricted areas without the need for key fobs or access codes. You also know that no one can give out their passcode to others to access the time clock or restricted areas, ensuring only you have access to the data.

Biometrics are biologically unique. A person can never change their fingerprints, so this type of identifier is difficult, if not impossible, to fake. Nothing is 100% foolproof, but biometrics is a secure credential – especially when paired with a passcode.  

Simplify ‘clocking in’

Clocking in should be easy, and with a biometric time clock, it is. There are no passwords to remember and there are no passwords that HR must reset for the chronically forgetful employee. The person’s data is easily recorded, they are marked as present and, depending on the option you choose, their hours will be reported right to your payroll system.

Additionally, employees can simply scan a finger and move on. They don’t have to worry about keeping a card or a key in order to clock in, and employers don’t have to worry about security issues, such as when employees lose their key cards.

Save time

Manual time tracking takes a long time, but since a person’s
hours are reported right into the payroll system, timekeeping becomes an
automated process. It can take HR and Payroll departments quite a while to
process payroll if they must keep going back to correct errors, automating part
of the process will save time and energy so you can focus on bigger things.

Worried about keeping time for remote workers? If you opt in
for a mobile package, some biometric time clocks can be used on a mobile device
or accessed online from anywhere.

Improve accuracy

Since you have the software automatically compiling the data
from the time clock terminal, there is less room for human error. There is no
need to sort through time cards, or manually enter time into a spreadsheet –
all the places where errors can hide. Additionally, you can easily tell if an
employee must leave early or arrives late without having to make manual
updates.

Legal considerations

Since October marks the 11^th anniversary of the Illinois
Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), it’s probably worth mentioning
something to watch out for if you do implement a biometric time clock, and that
something is data privacy law.

According to the American Bar Association, BIPA states: “The public welfare, security, and safety will be served by regulating the collection, use, safeguarding, handling, storage, retention, and destruction of biometric identifiers and information.”

That means that any business that is using biometrics should keep an eye on the legal statutes in their state. Even though only four states have specific laws about biometric data, some states bar the use of biometric time clocks altogether. Other biometric issues will likely crop up as they grow in popularity and with them more concerns over data and privacy laws surrounding this new type of identifier. For now, it can be helpful to follow the news on the BIPA laws already in place, as they will likely dictate what types of data security laws arise in other states. 

Should you make the switch?

As long as you’re regularly checking into your state’s guidelines, biometrics can save your business a lot of time and money. Biometric time clocks can decrease time theft, save HR and Payroll departments time and ensure the most accurate data. Just be sure that you have a secure system that safely manages your data. Biometric data is something that can’t be changed if compromised, so keep the safety of your employees in mind when you’re shopping for a new system.

The post 5 reasons firms are switching to biometric time clocks – should you? appeared first on HR Morning.

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Business success depends on a variety of factors, and the recruiting trend landscape is no exception.

An analysis of today’s market suggests an economy shaped by several factors, including a gig economy that continues to expand, and a skills gap bemoaned by many HR professionals.

What’s shaping recruiting trends?

The unemployment rate hovers at a record low of 3.5%, a number that has steadily decreased every year since the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

By many estimates, the U.S. economy is considered at full employment. For employers, that means it’s a slow time to hire, as many positions remain unfilled because the number of jobs available exceeds the number of candidates looking for employment.

A low employment rate brings its own set of unique challenges for recruiting, and with global issues like a trade war with China and the U.K.’s expected departure from the European Union, the global economy might be in for uncertain times.

A slow time to hire means recruiters will need to compete for top talent and recruiting tactics will need to be increasingly innovative.

Here are six things we see coming in 2020:

1. Recruiting with flexibility

A competitive hiring market means offering perks to employees, including one that’s increasingly prioritized by job seekers: flexibility. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the International Workplace Group, 80% of respondents said they’d choose the job offer that came with flexibility over the one that did not. Furthermore, 85% of businesses responded that productivity actually increased in their workplace due to more flexibility.

Offering
flexibility as a job perk, i.e., allowing employees to work some time from home
and other hours at the office, can help you gain an advantage versus businesses
offering positions that do not include flexibility. Flexibility, of course, can
depend on the type of job and technology involved and is most suitable for
employees who can work remotely via their laptops.

2. Hiring outside your target market

The
shortage of workers who are traditionally qualified for specific jobs means
employers will continue to look outside their traditional target markets. This
means hiring will not necessarily be based on prior job experience, but based
on the candidate’s potential for growth and the ability to be trained on the
spot.

Employers
will also need to look for skills they think will help prospective employees
easily adapt to the responsibilities of the job — otherwise known as
transferable skills. Transferable skills can include things like dependability,
strong communication skills, organization, adaptability and leadership.

3. Video recruiting

Video has been increasingly used by organizations in their recruiting processes to convey what tasks the job entails and to showcase the organization’s culture, mission and values. Use of video can help organizations speak to prospects remotely, record interviews for feedback from other team members and assess personality traits.

4. Collaborative recruiting

Building
your business through networking and current co-worker connections is a great
tactic that can bring quality team members to your organization. An employee
referral program that provides incentives to employees who recruit people they
know can be highly beneficial to both employer and employee.

According
to a CareerBuilder study
from the early 2010s, 88% of employers surveyed rated employee referrals higher
than all other sources as the best means of generating return-on-investment.
When competition for employees is so high, finding new hires through
connections rather than job boards is a viable and compelling alternative.

5. Automation

Technology
is becoming increasingly more capable, and digging through each resume manually
is becoming a thing of the past for large organizations. Automation can help
facilitate candidate screening, interview scheduling and skills analysis.

6. Diversity hiring

In 2015, a study performed by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that companies with greater racial and gender diversity were 35% more likely to have financial returns higher than their respective industry medians on a national basis.

The take home

Whatever recruitment tactics organizations choose to integrate in 2020, methods will ultimately be at the mercy of the job market and the global economy.

While we can’t predict the future of the economy, we can guarantee this: Recruitment will be defined by innovation and technology — and the organizations that embrace both will have greater success at recruiting the right employees for the long haul.

The post Recruiting trends in 2020: 6 tactics you’ll want to sharpen up on appeared first on HR Morning.

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Though health insurance coverage for mental health has
steadily improved in recent years,  experts
say support for mental health awareness in the workplace hasn’t kept pace.

Here’s why that’s notable: More than 200 million workdays are lost due to mental health conditions each year ($16.8 billion in employee productivity).

Three in five employees say they’ve never spoken to anyone at work about their mental health status.

To help understand why mental health awareness remains so elusive, Mind Share Partners, SAP, and Qualtrics conducted a study of the prevalence of mental health challenges and stigma in U.S. workplaces.

Less than half of respondents felt that mental health was a priority where they work, and even fewer viewed their company leaders as advocates.

Mental health awareness stats

Other findings included:

About 86% felt their company’s culture should support mental
health.

A full 50% of Millennials and a whopping 75% of Gen Zers had
voluntarily left jobs for mental health reasons, compared to just 20% of
respondents overall.

In fact, most people don’t consider themselves vulnerable to
a disabling mental health condition, even though 4 out of 5 will manage a
mental health issue in their lifetimes.

According the Centers for Disease Control, poor mental
health awareness, and the accompanying stress, can negatively affect employee:

• Job performance and productivity.
• Engagement with one’s work.
• Communication with co-workers.
• Physical capability and daily functioning.

Also, mental illnesses such as depression, are associated
with higher rates of disability and unemployment. Depression interferes with a
person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20% of the time and
reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time.

Only 57% of employees who report moderate depression, and 40% of those who report severe depression, receive treatment to control depression symptoms.

Improving the culture

CDC experts say workplace health
promotion programs have proven to be successful, especially when they combine
mental and physical health interventions.

The workplace is an optimal setting to create a culture of health because good communication structures are already in place, and:

• Programs and policies come from one central
  team.
• Social support networks are available.
• Employers can offer incentives to reinforce
  healthy behaviors.
• Employers can use data to track progress and
  measure the effects.

Action steps employers can take include:

• Make mental health self-assessment tools
  available to all employees.
• Offer free or subsidized clinical screenings for
  depression from a qualified mental health professional, followed by directed
  feedback and clinical referral when appropriate.
• Offer health insurance with no or low
  out-of-pocket costs for depression medications and mental health counseling.
• Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching,
  counseling, or self-management programs.
• Distribute materials, such as brochures, fliers,
  and videos, to all employees about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health
  and opportunities for treatment.
• Host seminars or workshops that address
  depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing
  exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and
  improve focus and motivation.
• Create and maintain dedicated, quiet spaces for
  relaxation activities.
• Provide managers with training to help them
  recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and depression in team members and
  encourage them to seek help from qualified mental health professionals.
• Give employees opportunities to participate in
  decisions about issues that affect job stress.

The post Keys to promote mental health awareness and ease employee stress appeared first on HR Morning.

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You’ve probably heard about America’s $1.5 trillion student debt problem. It’s no secret the strain of student loan obligations has led some to put off buying homes, starting families and pursuing their dreams.

If a recent Price-Waterhouse financial wellness survey is any
indication, it’s also probably getting in the way of productivity at the
workplace.

Half of the millennial workforce holds student debt. Generation X and Baby Boomers hold their share, too, some having gone back to school and others paying back loans they took out for their children.

Many are feeling the pressure, which makes it increasingly hard to check the worries at the office door.

Student loan repayment perks

Some workplaces are responding by offering a student loan repayment
perk. More have incorporated this benefit in the last year, in hopes of
attracting Millennial and Gen Z talent. There is a more proactive approach
companies can take, however, and it’s one that gets to the root of the problem.

Employers can help their employees prevent massive student debt in
the first place by equipping them to save. Forty-nine percent of employees are
planning to save for a child’s or grandchild’s education. But saving for
college is harder than expected for 79 percent of parents, according to a
recent Student Loan Hero survey.

Businesses can make it easier by including a 529 benefit.

A 529 plan is a higher
education savings tool that can help families of various means prevent or
minimize future student debt. With tax-free investment growth and state tax
incentives offered by many states, 529s offer what traditional investment
accounts do not – plus the benefit of compound interest.

It’s a tool that can work well
whether an employee has a modest or robust salary. In fact, just contributing
$10 a week to a 529 can add up over time – more than $15,000 in 18 years or
$6,700 in 10 years.

Looking at the results of a recent
California study conducted by ScholarShare 529, this is something employees
want. Eighty-three percent would like to know more about a workplace college
savings program. Seventy-nine percent say a workplace college savings program
“shows the firm cares about its employees.”

Incorporating 529s in the workplace can mean anything from allowing employees a direct deposit option to offering an employer contribution perk. Even just making employees aware that the plans exist can go a long way in minimizing financial stress.

I know, because that’s what we’ve been equipping employers to do in Virginia. We are finding that employers understand the importance of helping employees save for important life events and are looking for opportunities to offer value-add benefits that don’t require additional budget.

No extra costs or complications

That’s the beauty of this approach.
It doesn’t have to cost extra or be complicated to administer to be of value to
an employee. Just by allowing an employee to be learn about college savings
plans while at work has extreme value.

So, does an employer 529 plan sound like something worth exploring? Here’s how employers can add this benefit:

• Find the right plan. The state where your
  employees reside is the best place to start. You aren’t restricted to offering
  a plan within state lines, but many states have tax incentives for residents.
• Reach out to the 529 employer program
  contact. Many 529 websites have a page that is dedicated to employers.  Learn about the specifics of the programs
  they offer. Be sure to ask how they can help educate employees and also inquire
  about their direct deposit process. 
• Weigh the options and decide. Is the primary
  goal awareness? Would a direct deposit option help your workers save? Do you
  have the ability to offer a contribution?
• Let your employees (and potential employees)
  know. Offer a financial wellness session, host a webinar, include a segment in
  your newsletter or pass out pamphlets at a staff meeting. Do what you need to
  do to let workers know. Don’t be shy about talking it up on LinkedIn either. When
  you make it known that your company cares about financial wellness, it will be
  another reason for talented people to consider a future with you.

In a world where jobs outpace those
who can fill them, employer 529 plan offerings can up your benefits game and
help them stand out from the rest. It’s good for business. It’s good for the
people who power the business.

Most importantly, it’s good for
society. Less student debt could make a world of difference for the next
generation –and for the parents, grandparents and degree seekers who keep your
company running.

The post Employer 529 plans: A benefit that strikes at the heart of student debt appeared first on HR Morning.

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If you’re not getting the “soft skills” you need when hiring
college grads, it could be your approach to interviewing needs to change.

We asked human resource and hiring experts to talk about the perceived lack of “soft skills” in college graduates. They didn’t point to where college curriculums or internships are letting future employers down – they pointed to the recruiting and interviewing process. That’s where employers need to get with the times, they said.

What are we missing?

“Typically when people in HR or talent development are talking about soft skills they mean critical thinking, decision making, communication skills, empathy and awareness,” Renetta McCann, Chief Inclusion Experience Officer at Publicis Groupe, said.

McCann contends that every business failure – whether it’s the
inability to meet deadlines, deficiencies in outcomes, changes in management or
merger/acquisition failures – can be attributed to a lack of these “soft”
skills during the process.

 “In business, ‘hard’
skills are more important than ‘soft,’ but damage is done when those
intangibles, or ‘soft’ skills, aren’t there,” McCann said.

So why are employers repeatedly finding they’ve screened and
hired someone who doesn’t have what the company needs?

Filtered out

Jeffrey Moss, CEO of Parker Dewey, works with recent
graduates and employers. In industries like tech, finance and business, Dewey
finds employers often screen to find the top GPAs coming from the best schools in
that field of study.

Using artificial intelligence to screen resumes before HR starts to reach out to candidates, for example, only makes the filter tighter. This is how employers “miss students without the right GPA or who didn’t use a consultant to keyword their resume,” Moss said. “Automated systems made it so easy to apply for each and every job through AI, keyword search and filtering. There are so many grads with tons of soft skill qualities, but they don’t have the right academic pedigree.”

From these filters, the candidates chosen to start the
interview process are outstanding academically in their chosen field, and they
know how to present themselves.

“Schools make students incredibly interview-ready,” Moss
said.

Employers feel satisfied they’ve found the best of the
bunch, and soon new grads come to work.

Contentment turns to frustration as managers find the new hire lacking in problem-solving or intellectual curiosity. Maybe they don’t know how to speak up effectively if they find a problem no one else has spotted, or they don’t have the conflict resolution skills needed when deadlines are tight and teams are stressed.

So how do you find a better fit?

Know what you’re looking for

“Employers need to be more thoughtful in exactly what
they’re looking for,” Rachel Albert, an independent HR consultant who most
recently was an HR leader at GE Capital, said. “They need to be more realistic,
more thoughtful in exactly what they need. If they did that, the (skills) gap
wouldn’t exist.”

For example, if a manager in finance is looking for an analyst, are they exclusively looking for tech skills? Or do they need an employee with qualities like communication and problem solving who can play a role on a team and learn the technical piece on the job?

In the first situation, filtering resumes to GPA and alma
mater would be enough. In the second, the initial job posting could be open to
more than just finance majors, drawing in general business degrees, students
with studies in communication, etc.

“Which is better?” Moss asked. “Someone who knows Python or
accounting, or someone who is able to learn new things? There is so much
dynamic change in every area of business – adaptation is so necessary.”

Albert and Moss are both adamant that the way to find a better fit for an open position is to include the hiring manager much earlier in the process. Too often the manager who leads the team and knows the dynamics doesn’t meet a candidate until resume screening, first interviews and sometimes second interviews are over.

These experts aren’t suggesting the hiring manager actually reads every resume submitted, but they need to outline for HR what the new hire should bring to the table to be considered a good fit.

“Get the hiring manager and the team more involved in the
interview process,” Albert said. “Grads aren’t working for HR. Don’t just wait
for the top one or two candidates to be sent to you after hiring fair
screenings – send someone from the team to the hiring fair!”

Give applicants information they need

If you’re not bringing in the level of candidates that fit your
organization, give more information about the job and the culture of the
company to potential candidates.

Most businesses don’t give enough dimension to their job posting, McCann said. For example, name the soft skills needed to do the job, like communication or decision-making.

When scheduling interviews, help candidates prepare.

“(Tell them to) come prepared to talk about a meaningful
time you were in conflict and how you handled it,” McCann suggested, “or answer
this essay question.”

Give candidates examples of what’s important to your company
culture before they get to the interview. “If you’re a ‘Radical Candor’ fan,
send them the book. Employers should be priming candidates of our expectations,
of how we behave,” McCann said.

Skills that are important in the company environment should be clear to the candidate before the interview. “Send them examples of well-written emails or well-written memos. Show them what kind of guidelines we follow. We should be elevating (our business culture’s) importance in the candidate screening process.”

Build a better interview

Assessing soft skills and overall fit requires some adjustment to interview at the candidate’s experience level.

Albert recommends a behavioral-based interview approach to
help match the candidate to the open position.

Since recent college graduates don’t have years of career
experiences to reflect upon, have them draw on their past experiences and
abilities.

“A lot of students are not ready to articulate how their
experiences have helped them,” she said. But they do have life experience –
just at a different level.

“Ask them to think of a mistake they’ve made in the past,
and tell me, how did you correct it? Or, ‘I see you were captain of the
volleyball team. Can you tell me a time when you had to motivate someone on
your team? How did you do it?’

“Unless a graduate took super-specific instruction at a
trade school, they need to articulate to an employer how their life experience
translates into their work readiness. Whether they were a nanny or a volleyball
captain, they’ve used conflict negotiation. They’ve shown resilience.”

Give them work

Employers looking to do a better job of fitting candidates
to job openings should “find ways to let them do the work,” Moss said.

His former company used a micro-internship model to bring the best people to the company. The assignment is rookie level – something a new-hire would get on the job, he said. They would be given three weeks to complete what he called “a bite-size project that takes 20, 25 hours to get done.”

The process can dovetail nicely with candidates in their
final semester who still have academic obligation, yet the benefit for the
employer is the team gets the value of the work. And the hiring manager, as
supervisor, gets to see the candidate’s work ethic, attention to detail and
problem-solving skills.

“It’s a low-risk way to see a student shine that might not make the cut when it comes to school or GPA,” Moss aid. “Take advantage of the gig economy. Campus recruiters can use this to align to the existing hiring process and see them in the work.”

Albert is also a fan of giving leading candidates a chance
to show their work.

“A micro-internship is like dating before marriage,” she
said. The more time the candidate and the hiring manager spend together, the
more ideal the situation. “The job is all about the fit.”

The post How to bridge the soft skills gap when recruiting millennials appeared first on HR Morning.

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