At ManpowerGroup, we believe businesses have a responsibility to be a positive contributor to societal change. That means intentionally building diverse and inclusive workplaces and hiring the best employees based on talent without discrimination. Download Guide
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LGBTQIA+ Inclusive #WordsatWork Guide
5 June 2023 -
How to Embrace Diversity at Work and Support Our LGBTQIA+ Colleagues Year-Round
1 June 2023 June is Pride Month, the vibrant celebration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). It's a time to recognize and show allyship to our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (transsexual), queer (questioning), intersex, and allied (asexual/aromantic/agender) (LGBTQIA+) family, friends, and colleagues.While many of the festivities are revelatory, they should also serve as a crucial reminder for organizations worldwide to create inclusive workplaces that embrace people feeling safe and welcome to bring their true, authentic selves to work during the other 11 months of the year.Here are some impactful ways to support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues at work, champion inclusivity throughout the year, and ensure that Pride Month is more than just a performative display with a shelf life lasting June’s 30 days:Build an LGBTQIA+ support networkTo attract and retain LGBTQIA+ employees, it's essential to create visible support within the company. Encourage LGBTQIA+ staff business resource groups (BRGs) and other work-social groups and extend the same opportunities for extracurricular activities. These initiatives provide a sense of belonging and demonstrate your commitment to fostering an inclusive environment 24/7/365.Additionally, you can forge partnerships with local LGBTQIA+ groups, such as community centers, advocacy organizations, and charities. Engaging with these groups demonstrates long-term commitment and offers valuable insights into the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals. It also paves the way for positive social change.Develop an effective corporate DEIB policyCrafting a clear and comprehensive DEIB policy is crucial to fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment. Explicitly include sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics/intersex status to reinforce your commitment. The policy should outline both the company's and employees' responsibilities while emphasizing the consequences of policy violations. By establishing and driving DEIB initiatives, you can help improve buy-in from all levels of your organization. Encourage empathy by exposing employees to diverse perspectives and viewpoints. Regularly train them on DEIB, ensuring their familiarity with the policy.A truly inclusive workplace is one where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel seen, heard, and valued. Rather than blending in, they bring a unique perspective that challenges homogeneity in attitudes, values, and beliefs. To foster allyship and equal opportunities for LGBTQIA+ employees, go further than just checking a few boxes. Promote a diverse pool of candidates for senior leadership and board positions, while providing comprehensive training to managers and employees on inclusive behaviors. Seek individuals who possess curiosity, humility, and courage. Leaders who exhibit a passion for learning, the humility to acknowledge mistakes, and the courage to speak out against injustices lay the foundation for lasting change.Leverage technology to establish best practicesDEIB technology has evolved to support companies in implementing inclusive policies and practices. Leverage these tools to gain valuable insights, reduce bias, enhance transparency, and offer timely analytics. The World Economic Forum's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 4.0 toolkit provides an excellent resource to explore the myriad opportunities offered by technology.Listen, apologize, and learn from mistakes“To Err is Human; to Forgive, Divine.” - Alexander PopeWe all make mistakes. Recognize that missteps may occur along the DEIB journey. If you're called out for a microaggression or an act of exclusion, respond with compassion, concern, and humility. Make a sincere effort to listen and understand, apologize genuinely, and avoid making the situation about yourself. This compassionate response fosters a culture of learning and growth. Know that growing pains are part of the process. If you make a mistake and are quick to right the wrongs, you can build an open, transparent, and more trusting environment where we know mistakes will be made and forgiveness can be doled out.Set targets and track progressHold your company accountable by setting measurable targets and regularly tracking progress. Senior decision-makers should receive frequent updates on DEIB efforts, including employee experience and engagement levels. If you don’t already have one, appointing a senior-level officer to oversee and direct DEIB initiatives, education, and training ensures that inclusion remains a priority. Implementing at the C-Suite level will show that an organization is taking seriously its role in holding everyone, from the top down, accountable.While these aforementioned tips represent a small fraction of the ways you can make a difference in the lives of our LGBTQIA+ colleagues, you should also take the initiative to conduct research and educate yourself.A good place to start is with the United Nations Human Rights Office's Standards of Conduct. This is an invaluable resource that provides guidance on supporting LGBTQIA+ rights in the workplace, marketplace, and community. This collaborative effort by numerous companies across sectors ensures a comprehensive understanding of best practices.At ManpowerGroup, we firmly believe that businesses play a pivotal role in driving positive societal change. By intentionally creating diverse and inclusive workplaces, organizations can attract top talent and foster innovation. Supporting our LGBTQIA+ colleagues year-round goes beyond symbolism, generating tangible benefits for individuals and the bottom line. Together, we can build a future where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered. Let us embrace diversity, celebrate authenticity, and continue championing inclusivity every day of the year.
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IT World of Work 2023 Outlook
23 May 2023 This ManpowerGroup Global Insights report examines the top seven key global trends driving IT innovation and the impact they will have on the workforce. Although many include the use of increased automation, skilled talent will continue to be the differentiator as the industry works to continue driving innovation and scaling adoption. Download Report
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How to Effectively Manage Employee Notifications During Workforce Transition?
11 May 2023 As companies emerge from the impact of COVID-19 and transition to the new normal, they are making difficult choices about their workforce that reflect economic reality. Prompt and effective communication is the first step toward properly supporting employees during workforce transition--notifying them about downsizing, how it affects them, and how they can move forward in the future.Preparation for delivering the news A successful notification meeting depends upon managers being prepared and ready to deliver the right message at the right time, and, as a result, the employee begins to focus on moving forward. It is critical that there is a well-prepared script of the rationale to reinforce the decision that includes the right tone, style and is a reflection of company culture. The notified employee needs a clear understanding of the situation, as well as solid advice and clear direction on how to use the available resources to find a new position. A designated person may deliver information on the separation package or introduce the HR professional who will share that information with the employee. Creating the appropriate tone and space No one likes to deliver or receive unwelcome news but identifying an appropriate time and space will allow everyone to work through emotions and next steps. The notification meeting should be held in a private location. It is important that a meeting agenda is shared among those delivering the news, the HR professionals and consultants to manage the process effectively. It’s also important to plan for notification of remaining employees and how they will learn of the recent separations is an important component.Taking the next steps For the separating employee, it’s important they know how their responsibilities will be transitioned, what any remaining time at the company will mean, and how the company will best support them in the time of transition. This will include communication of any separation package, training for employees taking over responsibilities, and further outplacement support for the employee to help start the next chapter in their careers. For businesses, changing the capacity of their workforce is always a difficult transition, whether that means scaling up or down. In both cases, preparation, training and communication is key. Being clear and direct yet communicating compassion and respect will help in the long run. For companies, willingness to help during the transition can go a long way towards minimizing the hurt of separation and help everyone get back onto the path toward recovery and growth.
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How to Develop an Effective Coaching Strategy for Your Organization
11 May 2023 The global phenomenon that has been coined The Great Resignation, where record numbers of employees left their jobs during the pandemic, has caused major ripples across a wide range of industries. Amid an economic bounce back that is increasing the demand for labor and new skills, nearly half of workers are walking away, changing their career plans.[1]Businesses that are committed to overcoming these challenges understand that workers are looking beyond pay raises to find organizations that make them feel valued. Many who left jobs during The Great Resignation have expressed that they weren’t listened to by the companies for which they worked. Millions of workers had reached a breaking point due to increased workloads and workplace-related pressures.[2]One of the root causes of workplace dissatisfaction is lack of training opportunities. Unfortunately, nearly 40% of workers report not having been offered any form of coaching by their employer, with 67% saying they do not have a written plan in place to map their professional development.[3]For companies looking to improve employee recruitment and retention, the evidence is clear that coaching makes an impact. Here are some key steps to consider when developing a coaching strategy for your organization’s team members.Provide tools to make coaching accessibleEmployees who don’t know where to turn for career help will ultimately grow frustrated, so it’s important that human resources leaders offer coaching that is easy to access and use within the organization. From orientation through ongoing career conversations and performance reviews, workers should be equipped with everything from online learning libraries to virtual coaching platforms that enable them to build the skills they need to succeed.While executive coaching continues to be a vital way to drive development for leaders, more companies are realizing that training needs to extend beyond the C-suite to all levels to create a culture of high performance and employee well-being. Studies show that coaching not only drives engagement, but also motivates and boosts team morale. Organizations that are classified as high performing have a much stronger coaching culture when compared with other organizations.[4]Role model a ‘permission to learn’ cultureIt’s one thing to make coaching accessible, but if it not valued by management, employees would not make it a priority for themselves. Senior team leaders need to demonstrate in a transparent way that they are dedicating time to their own development, therefore empowering employees to understand that training is not only acceptable, but also crucial to the growth of the organization. Dave Goldberg, the late former CEO of SurveyMonkey, advanced this idea by creating a ‘culture of curiosity’ in which he was at the forefront of continuous learning for himself and his team. He launched initiatives such as the Goldie Speaker Series in which he invited experts from different industries and backgrounds so everyone could learn on the same level.[5]Build in time for developmentOne of the most prominent barriers to establishing a consistent coaching strategy for employees is a lack of time. When asked about the biggest challenge they face at work, many employees say it is an overwhelming workload. Most employees are spending less than three hours a month on professional development.[6]Human resource and organizational leaders should clearly communicate with employees at the outset of their engagement that they are committed to providing employees with the time needed to build skills and increase their value to the company.Google’s famous ‘20% Rule,’ which was kicked off by the company’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 2004, says that team members are encouraged to spend 20% of their work hours learning new skills and exploring other ideas and coaching opportunities.[7]This is a great example of how leaders can commit to building training into employee schedules.[8]More than 98% of leaders that have participated in Right Management Coaching have gained new knowledge and skills to empower employees and provide them with beneficial development tools.[9]If your company is seeking a solution to get you started, it’s easy to book a 30-minute or 60-minute on-demand RightCoach session.Establish a personalized action planA key step to engaging employees in their development involves creating a personalized action plan – and helping individuals follow through with it. This task should be a collaborative effort between team members and managers, establishing concrete goals and ensuring that all assignments, timelines, and desired results are mutually agreed upon. Coaching is frequently used to assist team members as they prepare for new assignments, overcome obstacles, or improve skills and work habits. A personalized action plan may include the following:Perform self-evaluations (i.e., identify newly gained skills, assess key areas for improvement, add and refine goals, etc.).Perform peer-to-peer evaluations.Offer informational webinars and/or conferences on topics relevant employee roles and interests.Encourage employees to attend monthly networking events to build professional contacts.Coordinate regular check-ins and evaluationsOngoing touchpoints are key to making sure goals are being met and continuously evolving. Managers should meet one-on-one with team members on a regular basis, whether biweekly, monthly, or quarterly to create practical, timely benchmarks and devise a thorough plan for what can be discussed during each meeting.Coaching programs require consistency, dedication, and energy, but time and time again, they result in more confident workers, better outputs, and employee longevity around the globe. According to the International Coaching Federation, businesses that implement coaching activities can witness 4-8 times the return on investment.[10]When coaching becomes integrated into a company’s culture and considered as continuous initiative, individual employees, teams, and the entire organization will benefit.Learn more about how your organization can strengthen its coaching strategy through RightCoach.[1] Right Management Employment Data 2021[2]https://hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignation[3] Right Management Employment Data 2021[4]https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/09/29/the-democratization-of-coaching-and-leadership-development/?sh=7fafbd7b7e82[5]https://hbr.org/2019/01/surveymonkeys-ceo-on-creating-a-culture-of-curiosity[6] Right Management Employment Data 2021[7]https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/google-says-it-still-uses-20-percent-rule-you-should-totally-copy-it.html[8]https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/16/google-20-percent-rule-shows-exactly-how-much-time-you-should-spend-learning-new-skills.html[9]https://www.right.com/leadership-solutions/rightcoach[10] Primed for Success Report, ManpowerGroup 2021
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Four Ways Organizations Can Measure the Value of Coaching
11 May 2023 Many athletic coaches refer to that ‘magic moment’ when a player they’ve mentored demonstrates that they have been listening and learning—that moment when a coach knows that their work has made a difference. More business leaders are taking those same lessons to heart, understanding that coaching can positively impact the performance of individuals at every level of the organization.Today, over 65% of employees say that the coaching they’ve received improved one or more of their professional skills and has been a vital tool to help them cope with a constantly changing work environment.[1]While there is much anecdotal evidence to support the benefits of coaching, evaluating its return on investment continues to be the number one challenge of corporate coaches.[2]Amid an ongoing pandemic, a challenging economy, a shortage of talent with vital soft skills and highly scrutinized corporate budgets, human resources and organizational leaders need to ensure they have metrics in place to strengthen the case for coaching. Here are four ways to measure the value of coaching.Agree on What Success Looks LikeThe starting point of any coaching interaction should be to develop a clear purpose that is agreed upon at the organizational level and by individual participants.Coaching conversations, whether in person or virtually on-demand, can help employees develop a plan and goals for the future and engage employees to gain momentum with the work. Determining specific desired outcomes will ultimately strengthen the employee’s growth trajectory and help the company achieve success.Lynsey Kitching, Coach for ManpowerGroup’s Right Management team, notes that coaching is all about results. “It’s all about getting tangible actions that you can take forward, take back to your business, take back to your own development.”Align with Business GoalsGoals for coaching should include helping participants determine how their desired outcomes are aligned with business goals, whether that be profitability, company growth or instilling a more inclusive culture. Coaches should help employees determine how they are connected to the organizational big picture, what key performance indicators (KPIs) will be relevant and develop qualitative and quantitative measures to evaluate the extent to which they are impacted.[3]Global financial firm Fisher Investments kicked off their company-wide coaching by having CEO Damian Ornani broadcast his own personal career goals first. This provided transparency into organizational objectives and enabled employees to see leaders role-modelling mentoring behaviors which they are then more likely to emulate. Then, employees were then encouraged to develop their own goals in alignment and meet quarterly with managers to discuss progress. Following implementation, 99% of full-time employees set goals and 99% also completed their check-in for the quarter.[4]Conduct Pre- and Post-360 AssessmentsOne of the most effective ways to measure coaching ROI is through pre- and post-coaching assessments, which are completed by both coaches and participants. Pre-assessments involve gathering insights about an employee’s strengths and needs, how they are perceived and what they need to do to achieve a higher performance level. This feedback can be gathered in a variety of ways, including automated online surveys or one-on-one interviews and helps set the stage for more impactful training that aligns with corporate goals. Those companies that combine coaching with training can increase company productivity by over 80%.[5]CareSource, a nonprofit-managed U.S. healthcare provider, used before-and-after surveys to track their coaching program’s success, focusing on several key metrics, including confidence, accelerated transition and retention. These surveys found that 77% of respondents credited coaching with either their or their team members’ retention and 80% attributed coaching to accelerating their transition.[6]Measure Team ImpactAs organizations face increasingly rapid changes and shifting priorities, there has been a realization that coaching needs to extend well beyond the C-Suite to all levels of the company to ensure that employees are prepared with the technical and soft skills, such as the resilience, emotional intelligence and collaboration needed to succeed in today’s complex world.Measuring the ROI of coaching becomes more complex since it involves both collective and individual outcomes, which may or may not be compatible. Coaching methods used by Right Management address these challenges with training and evaluation that go beyond executives to impact managers and employees at every level.References[1] Right Management Employee Data 2021[2]https://trainingmag.com/the-effective-way-to-measure-the-impact-of-coaching/[3]https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/community/blogs/kevin-oubridge/7-steps-to-measuring-roi-in-coaching[4]https://trainingmag.com/training-top-125-best-practice-performance-coaching-at-fisher-investments/[5] International Coaching Federation Data 2021[6]https://trainingmag.com/the-effective-way-to-measure-the-impact-of-coaching/
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On-Demand Coaching Solves Today's Problems, Builds Leaders
11 May 2023 Over 80% of employees say they lack the skills needed for their current job and the future. Helping individuals strengthen their ability to manage in a fast-changing global economy requires a culture of learnability and a nimble mentoring approach. Never has the need for self-management been more crucial and more challenging.Only months ago, business leaders were busy navigating the tsunami of workplace change due to disruptive technologies and the skills shortage. Today, COVID-19 has dramatically escalated that change, landing many in a new normal of remote work and virtual collaboration. RightCoach™ is an on-demand situational coaching solution that drives that self-management that with short, issue-specific online skill-building sessions for emerging leaders and high potential employees. Unlike traditional coaching, which aims to change behaviors over the long-term, situational coaching offers a more agile and self-directed approach. Coaches guide individuals so they learn to articulate and solve their most pressing issues while building leadership skills for the future.Here’s why RightCoach™ is different:Flexible mentorship when and how you need itProblems are like weeds. You need to get to the root quickly or they will grow out of control. In larger organizations especially, an executive isn’t always available to help employees address unexpected crises. RightCoach™ provides affordable support with 30- and 60-minute video and chat sessions available within two hours of scheduling. Each session concentrates on one topic for fast and focused support. Participants can book sessions easily across multiple languages and time zones and access via smartphone, desktop and tablets. Experienced coaches across multiple topic areasIn a traditional coaching scenario, employees work with one coach who shares insights based on their own expertise. RightCoach™ offers the choice of building relationships with a global network of experienced executive coaches across a range of industries. Employees gain a variety of perspectives on topics across three workplace categories:Leading Oneselfaddresses such topics as navigating change, building resilience, and expanding social, cultural and emotional intelligence.Leading Othersfocuses on topics related to engaging and retaining talent, building and improving relationships, collaborating to win and managing effective meetings.Leading the Organizationtargets issues such as talent strategy, enabling profitability and growth, leading change, balancing risk and fostering innovation.Confidential career developmentWorkers across generations are hungry for career growth – in fact, many value career and skills training nearly as much as compensation.1But managers are still not doing enough to train employees for the future because they are already stretched thin.2RightCoach™ assists leaders by guiding employees through everyday situations where they need direction, from learning how to provide more effective feedback to managing conflict between co-workers. After each session, organizations can track employee progress with real-time reporting through an easy-to-use dashboard that monitors coaching outcomes and employee satisfaction. For example, an outcome for providing more effective feedback could include a leader understanding the value of feedback and learning to reframe it as valuable information for their direct reports as opposed to criticism, helping them recognize how valuable and important feedback can be for growth and development.Encourage a coaching cultureMore Fortune 500 companies3see the value in coaching to build collaboration and drive transformation. Microsoft, for example, experienced a significant ‘cultural renovation’ after CEO Satya Nadell took the helm in 2014. He understood that the company had to “shift from being know-it-alls” to being “learn-it-alls,”4and the company began providing more one-on-one coaching at every level to encourage a growth mindset. RightCoach™ encourages these kinds of “learn-it-all” coaching conversations that help managers listen to their team. This in turn increases engagement as employees see their career path with the organization more clearly. It’s the kind of development that also significantly reduces the cost of employee turnover on all levels.5Talent leaders like Nadell know that by instilling this kind of coaching culture, they’re adding value for employees and ultimately, value for the company.Learn more about how RightCoach™ can benefit your business.1ManpowerGroup What Workers Want Study2https://hbr.org/2017/11/managers-arent-doing-enough-to-train-employees-for-the-future3https://www.fastcompany.com/90419047/how-empathy-became-the-new-ceo-status-symbol4https://hbr.org/2017/11/managers-arent-doing-enough-to-train-employees-for-the-future5https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/01/29/reduce-turnover-with-a-culture-of-coaching/#14e9b7a127f8
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5 Questions To Ask Before Implementing an Outplacement Program
8 May 2023 How employees leave a company is just as important as how they are onboarded. As restructuring and redeployment becomes a reality for many companies and industries, there are many reasons to invest in outplacement to help transitioning employees through their next steps. Offering outplacement services means that those in transition get professional help in identifying and preparing their next career move. Here are important questions to ask before getting started with such a program.Why are you investing in outplacement? First and foremost, helping employees navigate their next steps after leaving the company is the right thing to do. It’s also key for maintaining trust in the employer. In today’s world of increased transparency due to social media and review sites such as Glassdoor, businesses must remember that former employees are critics and customers. Businesses must also consider boomerang workers, with the possibility that former employees represent talent for the future. What do your employees really want? It’s not enough to provide employees with a financial package and send them on their way. Access to outplacement resources, including virtual coaching and training , is now more important than ever to candidates. Coaching provides the greatest benefit to candidates in transition – offering opportunity for individuals to explore their options with a qualified career coach. In fact, according to Right Management data, candidates who were “matched” to a coach in a specialized area of expertise landed 20% faster than those not matched. The focus for many outplacement discussions will be on upskilling or reskilling and highlighting areas for development that will help gain those skills and boost confidence and increase employability.Are you communicating fairly and transparently? Communication is key for any change project, especially restructuring. Providing clarity from the outset is important to help individuals understand how they will be affected, as well as avoiding mixed messages travelling across the company. Answering difficult questions will help employees better understand the process. It’s also essential to communicate benefits of outplacement support to individuals and managers. What happens with the remaining employees? Organizations often focus on those exiting the business yet make little investment in those that have retained roles, despite the difficulties and increased expectations that may be placed on them. Developing an engagement strategy, including coaching and training, that covers all groups, especially those tasked with moving the organization forwards, is key. It’s critical that individuals understand the role they play and the value they bring in helping shape the path forward. What are you looking for in an outplacement provider? An outplacement program designed to fit all needs is likely to suit none. Instead, focus on how an outplacement provider can tailor support to suit individual challenges. Consider whether the support includes a focus on transferable skills, the technology provided and ease of access, including virtual delivery, if participants can choose from a series of topics to suit their career goals, or if it’s scalable. Choosing a provider that meets employees where they are is critical to take the next steps. There is no doubt that the employment market has changed overnight, and with that takes careful shepherding of employees to help them navigate the stages of their journey. Now more than ever employers who need to pursue outplacement services need help making critical decisions about the future, and it starts with asking the right questions.
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Talent Matters More Than Ever
24 April 2023 Whether it's the rise of ChatGPT, the ongoing development of the Metaverse, or algorithms that impact everything from what we see on social media to how we order food, everywhere we go and everything we do is blanketed in technology. Yet, we’re discovering that if we left everything to machines and technology, we’d all get identical results, products, and activities. So, amidst the growing digitization of work and the workforce, we are seeing that humans are still the catalyst to the future. In ManpowerGroup’s 2023 workforce trends report, The New Human Age, we’ve identified 14 key trends shaping the future of work and impacting today's employers and the people they employ. These include four key forces: shifting demographics, individual choice, tech adoption, and competitive drivers. The report also provides guidance on how employers can attract and retain talent in this new age. Let’s take a closer look at the forces and trends shaping the world of work in 2023 and beyond. Shifting Demographics The rise of the Gen Z workforce has forced organizations to take a long, hard look at how they cater to younger workforces. Employers need to adapt to the shifting expectations of Gen Zers, who will make up 27% of the workforce by 2025. Gen Z is continually raising the bar about issues ranging from diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) to climate change, with 52% of Gen Z workers saying companies are not doing enough on environmental issues. Despite the rise of the Gen Z workforce, with aging populations hitting retirement age every day, we are witnessing acute talent shortages and reduced labor force participation in many countries that cannot be overcome by simply employing younger people. Countries with early retirement rates, such as France and Switzerland, are finding their talent pool drying up. Yet, only 19% of hiring managers are actively looking to hire returning retirees, creating another disadvantage for older adults. This shows that focusing solely on one generational age group or demographic will severely limit a business's ability to recruit talent from a wide range of diverse and skilled talent pools. Individual Choice In the wake of the pandemic, people of all ages and genders are seeking employers who acknowledge and actively support a healthier work/life balance. The majority of workers (81%) say the pandemic has affected how they think about work, while three in 10 workers and nearly half (42%) of millennials want more work-life balance. 31% of workers would take another role in the next month if it offered a better blend of work and lifestyle. Yet, despite the growing importance of candidate and employee voices in the workplace today, more than six in 10 (66%) feel their employers have all the power to determine where they work. That dynamic is creating a power struggle as 64% of the workforce would consider looking for a new job if they were required to return to the office full-time. On issues of gender, this is paramount. In the United States alone, more than 1.7 million women left the workforce during the pandemic. As of December 2022,1 million women still have not returned. Many have new life priorities, and existing work expectations don’t necessarily fit that lifestyle. During the recent Women in the Post-Pandemic World of Work panel at the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup Chief Commercial Officer and President of North America Becky Frankiewicz addressed directly what women are now looking for at work. “Women believe companies should be doing more. They are burned out. They're feeling undervalued and underappreciated. They want autonomy on their terms,” says Frankiewicz. “They want equality in pay, fair pay for fair work, and fair pay for the same work. And they want empathetic leaders and managers who take the time to get to know the challenges they're having both in and outside the workplace.” Work is no longer one-size-fits-all, it’s now one-size-fits-one and organizations need to understand and recognize just how different the needs are on an individual, case-by-case basis. Technology Unleashed People are beginning to acknowledge how much technology and innovation have improved the world of work — it’s no longer accurate to think of “human vs. automation.” Most workers (63%) say technology has made work better. In fact, 63% percent of frontline workers are excited about the job opportunities technology creates, with workers in executive or senior roles (74%) and American employees (71%) reporting feeling most positively about technology in the workplace. The challenges now lie with organizations, who need to use the power of technology to rehumanize — not dehumanize — the workplace. As work during the pandemic showed, less than half (46%) of employers believe in-person brainstorming generates the most creative ideas. That’s in line with what people reported since their main motivations to come back to the office are for social interaction (39%) and efficient collaboration (26%). As tech helps to remove barriers and borders to work and accessibility, employers must recognize the benefits of augmenting their workforce with tech. Doing so will open up a world of possibilities to find new, and exciting ways of working in the coming years. Competitive Drivers Skilled workers have always been highly sought-after, but today the demand is more acute than ever, with 75% of companies globally reporting difficulty recruiting. In ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions’ (TWI), the top three overall markets for skilled talent are the United States, Singapore, and Canada. Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Switzerland fell out of the top 10 markets, primarily due to aging workforces. Additionally, one of the three most important strategies for growth is managing geopolitical risk, and 90% of companies are planning to invest in onshoring or nearshoring manufacturing facilities as they seek to de-risk supply chains with alternative sourcing. In an increasingly borderless world of work, staying competitive in a digital-first global economy, access to highly skilled talent is a distinct competitive advantage. And organizations will need to meet that talent wherever they are. Technology May Be the Great Enabler, Humans Are Still the Future Humans have always adapted to new technologies and better ways of doing things. As the saying goes, history repeats itself. And the pandemic taught us again that we can make extraordinary progress if we come together — it is the combination of innovation, technology, and human ingenuity that will help us overcome the biggest challenges. Now, as we embark on a New Human Age people are utilizing technology and digital tools to enhance human connections, be more productive, and live more meaningful lives. By equipping people with the skills to leverage technology, we can create a future of work that is closer to what workers of the future want; it is how we will build a path for all to increase prosperity for the many, not the few.
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3 in 10 Tech Workers Are Women. That’s Not Good Enough
15 April 2023 First, the good news. The number of women in tech worldwide has continued to steadily rise in recent years. At the end of 2020, women made up nearly 29% of the tech workforce. And those numbers, according to data from AnitaB.org (a global organization for women technologists), show an increase from 26% in 2019. Slow for sure, but progress is progress right? Now, the bad news. At this current pace, it will take 12 years before women see equal representation in tech. And if you think that sounds bad, at the current pace, it will take more than 200 years until the economic gender gap is closed. That’s right, pay equality will finally be achieved in the year 2221. The tech sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many companies efforts to pivot to and ramp up their digital efforts. And with a global talent shortage causing headaches for companies of all sizes, why do women remain so underrepresented in tech? “It Is Stupid”United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “[Gender inequality] should shame us all in the 21st century because it is not only unacceptable, it is stupid.” If you took a moment right now to do an Internet search for “Women in Tech” or some variation of that theme, you might find any number of articles, research papers, social media posts, etc. about the topic. And while several factors are at play, one consistent, unfortunate theme keeps rising to the top...pay disparity. Yet this happens despite research showing that increasing the inclusion of women is a sound business strategy. A 2020 report by McKinsey & Company found, “That the greater the representation, the higher the likelihood of outperformance. Companies with more than 30 percent women executives were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from 10 to 30, and in turn, these companies were more likely to outperform those with even fewer women executives or none at all. A substantial differential likelihood of outperformance—48 percent—separates the most from the least gender-diverse companies.”COVID’s Impact and Future Demand The business case for gender diversity comes at a time when job growth in the tech space and related ancillary fields is exploding and demand will only increase.According to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report on the Future of Jobs, the top 20 job roles in increasing and decreasing demand across industries are skewed based on gender. If organizations want to keep up with demand, safeguard their business from being left behind due to talent shortages, and invest in the long-term sustainability of their company, they’d be wise to invest and develop female tech talent from all walks of life.But as the WEF data shows, jobs with increasing demand are male-dominated, with some roles such as data science or big data specialists being 91% men. Jobs in increasing demand are also highly paid. Yet, the data shows that roles with decreasing demand or those that will be increasingly eliminated are heavily dominated by women. And to make matters worse, by 2025 women will still likely earn just over 60% of their male counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a devastating impact on women, coined the she-cession. Women are over-represented and lost jobs at a higher rate in many of the sectors most impacted by COVID-19 — e.g., retail, hospitality, entertainment, travel, manufacturing, and more. This means women are far likelier to have lost their livelihood, lost income or experienced a drop in working hours. The Time Has Come to Reverse CourseBoosting the ranks of women in tech is a problem in need of a long-term solution. And while that includes developing and growing existing talent within organizations, it also means providing opportunities for girls to pursue STEM fields at younger ages. As Girls Who Code Chief Executive Officer Tarika Barrett recently told The Wall Street Journal, “Our education system is simply not set up to close the gender gap in tech.”Partnering with organizations such as Girls Who Code and other like-minded groups can help to create a pipeline of talent by promoting and investing in programs to introduce girls to STEM fields. But it’s not just the introduction that’s key. It’s retention. Getting them interested early and keeping them interested as they progress in their educational career will help avoid the pitfalls of feeling behind and quitting early to pursue something else. We often hear about the benefits of teaching children foreign languages at younger ages. Research also shows the same principle should apply to tech and computer science courses. This will ensure that girls will not be left behind in an industry that will be an economic driver for many years to come. Additionally, as the COVID pandemic showed, working remotely can be done successfully. Flexibility can play an important part in opening up more opportunities for women, especially for those who are trying to balance career and family responsibilities at the same time. Embracing this level of flexible work can also help organizations tap into desperately needed talent pools while opening up new segments of the labor market to qualified, skilled women. There is no one size fits all solution to this problem. But what we can’t do is sit idly by and wait 12 years for women to get equal representation in tech. And we certainly cannot be content with waiting two centuries for the economic gender gap to achieve balance. The time for action is now. And by taking action, organizations not only can be working to solve their own labor shortages, they’ll can also be building a talent pipeline for years to come.