Of Interest…

It’s been termed “The Great Resignation.” Employees are leaving, and talent is harder than ever to find. It’s more important than ever to find new and innovative ways to be a competitive employer.

The fields of psychology and sociology have always been of great interest to me, in fact, I double majored in them for my undergrad degree.  And over the past year and a half I’ve really noticed the importance of it, including within the workplace.  While leaders are not qualified to act as psychologists or sociologists, they must apply some of the disciplines' methods during this time, including showing empathy.

A year and half ago we are all tossed into remote work abruptly, but over the past few months many of us have transitioned to a hybrid work model. A report by Microsoft examines the trends that have emerged over the past year and a half and what to expect in the near future as hybrid work becomes the norm.

Over the past year and a half, organizations across the country have seen a larger than normal exodus of workers.  What makes this different, is that they aren’t always leaving for another better paying job.  The pandemic caused many to rethink how they are living their lives. And one of those aspects is what they do for a living.

Mindfulness means living in the present moment. It means being (intentionally) more aware and awake to each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one’s surroundings – with acceptance and without judgment.  I recently took a “test” to discover my level of mindfulness; I didn’t do so well. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Like most leaders, I find myself constantly attempting to multi-task throughout the day.  I go from meeting to...

As employers struggle with how to return to the office I have seen varying viewpoints, all of which have some good points.  In this week’s blog, I present two differing viewpoints.  I think there are aspects to consider from each of them, and what you decide is dependent upon your office culture, the type of work you do, and employee sentiment.

I read a lot and based on what I’ve read there is really no perfect day to consider an in-office day for all. A recent article on Wired says there are MTFers who prefer to go to the office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.  Another group is called WTFers – they prefer Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. And then yet another group, the MTWers, perefer Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.  I think it’s safe to say there is no real consensus on which days are ideal for...

During a crisis, leaders are supposed to be the strong ones, right? But we are all human, all have emotions, and all experience stress.  Just as employees can burnout, so can leaders. While a leader must persevere and lead an organization and its employees through a crisis, it’s OK to share vulnerability and empathy with your employees.

2020 dramatically changed the workforce and workplace.  The traditional business structure is fading away as employment preferences change and technology advances.

With a majority of organizations creating a permanently hybrid workplace, it’s important to be sure that it is done right.  The initial move to hybrid or remote work was done in a rush for companies that did not already have a remote work plan in place when the pandemic hit.  If implementing a permanent remote work structure, now is a good time to review your plans and policies.

By now I think we’ve all realized that hybrid work will likely be the new post-pandemic normal.  Hybrid is a combination of working at the office and at home.  It provides a nice balance for employees.  ASE’s recent COVID-19 Return to Work Survey showed that over 34% of ASE member organizations intend to implement a permanent hybrid work model.

I was impressed by the number of responses I received from my last blog, Sometimes You Need a Little Inspiration. Thank you to everyone who shared your favorite quotes with me.  They were so good, I decided to share some of them in this week’s blog.

Someecards.com is a great resource when you need a break from the seriousness of your day or a good laugh.  Memes like “Nothing makes me appreciate a night out at a nice restaurant like my own cooking,” are easy to find.  One of their most recent articles though, I found very inspiring.

Two weeks ago I wrote about being stuck in a rut with meetings.  In that blog, I discussed how to make meetings more engaging, productive, and equitable. Today, I am discussing the importance of paying attention to the quiet people in meetings. Those quiet people often have the most to offer – they just wait for the right minute to offer it.

How would your team describe meetings in your organization?  Inspiring? Fun? Productive? But what would the honest answer often be?  Boring? Repetitive? Inefficient?