Spirit of Purpose · Ready for the Workforce of the Future? A recent McKinsey Global Institute report says trends in e-commerce, remote work arrangements and automation will result in large numbers of workers needing to find new jobs and acquire new skills.  The groups most impacted will likely be low-wage, hourly workers in frontline service roles, […]

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The rapidly spreading Corona Virus is a wake-up for organizations to make sure their business doesn’t suffer if there’s wide-scale quarantine.  Harvard Business Review has tips on how to plan for the possibility of large-scale remote operations.  Here are two. Once you’ve accepted that your organization could be affected and you’ve mapped out a cross-functional plan: Audit […]

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Having the right people in the right roles is critical for optimal business results.  Today’s fast-moving business environment leaves no room for employee stagnation.  High performing leaders actively assess their teams to ensure they’re positioned to maximize their contribution.  Here are three easy questions to ask yourself as you assess your staff.   Who delivers at or above expectation?  What […]

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As businesses turn even more attention to improving the employee experience, Forbes.com reports new HR jobs and titles are cropping up.  If you haven’t heard these titles yet, it may not be long before you do.   The Chief Transformation Officer is a cross-functional leadership role that makes sure today’s accelerated change delivers on its promise and […]

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Generation Z, people ages 17 to 25, have begun entering the workforce.  Is your company ready for how they perceive their role in the workplace?  The Society of Human Resource Management provides this little peek inside the minds of Gen Z. Nearly one-third of these young women and men see themselves as the hardest working generation.  At the […]

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Front line employees are often required to ask customers for information without understanding why.  If they don’t know the rationale behind the questions, they are left to their own devices when responding to pushback.   In her Ted Talk, Tamekia Mizladi Smith, suggests that companies design frontline employee training around the acronym GRACE. That’s G-R-A-C-E.   Here’s what it […]

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If you have an employee who takes up more than their fair share of time, a recent Society of Human Resource Management article says you first need to understand why before you can take appropriate steps. The employee may be insecure or lack the necessary experience to complete the assigned task.  Insecurity can come from low […]

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As the proliferation of automation and AI grows, and our lifespans increase, McKinsey and Company says, companies must look for new ways to keep employees current and engaged.  Episodic, classroom training is becoming obsolete and more attention needs to be placed on how to best prepare the workforces for life-long employability. This means rethinking what we […]

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A recent article from McKinsey & Company urges businesses to rethink their approach to hiring, education and retention.  They suggest a focus on life-long employability to save money and reduce turnover.  How? When hiring, think competence, not college.  Degrees aren’t the end-all-be-all for every job, nor do they guarantee mastery of a body of knowledge.  Look to coding boot […]

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Research conducted at University of Buffalo School of Management confirms that gender bias is still a big issue for women seeking c-level positions. Communal, nurturing traits that women are more likely to display aren’t viewed as leader-like. We still award dominating male behaviors with leadership roles, even when team-building skills are lacking. If you’re a […]

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Today’s leaders need a keen understanding of the people who report to them, and the unique obstacles they must overcome to be successful. Marion Anderson once said, “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” Her message provides clear encouragement to seek to understand […]

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As companies step up their sexual harassment training, it’s important to make sure it’s effective and relevant. The Society of HR Management reported that when Portland State University’s VP of HR noticed his all-male audience wasn’t paying attention during a training, he gave them an assignment. Each man was to ask one woman in his […]

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