​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​​

​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.  ​

​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

​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/

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.

​The step beyond getting women into your organization is to help them reach leadership  Women are getting in the door, but what happens once they are in the door? A quick look inside organizations struggling with the issue of developing women leaders can be instructive.  In 1950, the labor force participation rate of women in the US was around 34%. The US Department of Labor projects that by 2025, it will climb to nearly 60 percent.   The data is clear. Companies with women at the top perform better. In fact, companies with the most female officers have financial returns that are 34% better. Companies that are successful in moving more women into leadership roles take seven clear steps, which are outlined in ManpowerGroup’s Seven Steps to Conscious Inclusion report:  Change yourself first. Believe it or don’t bother. Change must be authentic. If not, people see it as a fad that’s here today, gone tomorrow.   The CEO needs to own the issue. Gender parity cannot be delegated to HR. For commitment to be authentic and aligned with business strategy, change must flow from the top and be demonstrated by the leadership team. HR can help support it.   Ask, why not? Instead of saying, “she doesn’t have the experience,” ask, “what do we need to make it work?” Challenge assumptions.  Hire people who value people. If we hire people who value people they will figure out how to optimize all human potential, including women. They will be open to strategies that support balancing the integration of work and home, measuring success on performance and quality of output, not presenteeism. They will support people to plan and manage for career ‘waves’ not ladders.   Promote a culture. Generic programs do not work. The last three decades prove this. Programs don’t change behaviors and don’t improve the numbers. They can even breed complacency, rewarding activity not the results. Accountability sits with senior leadership and decision makers to promote a culture of Conscious Inclusion. Be explicit: women when and where? Simply increasing female representation will not shift the needle. Women and men must be represented at all levels and in every business unit. Leaders must know exactly where they need women to be. Looking at macro numbers is not enough; it results in “pink ghettos” instead of P&L and staff roles.   Set outcomes. In business, it is about outcomes and what you want to achieve. Every hiring and promotion decision can be justified but if that isn’t moving closer towards the tipping point then Conscious Inclusion and gender parity just won't happen. Articulate a talent legacy - how things will change and what it will look like by when. Plan for it as if it were a strategic business priority or investment. Change takes time, focus and discipline.  It may seem like a challenging to-do list. But anything with a worthwhile outcome has always been hard work.   

​A key theme of the World Economic Forum this year was women’s leadership equality. “You have to make it socially unacceptable not to have equal representation at all levels.”  With these strong words, ManpowerGroup CEO Jonas Prising explained why gender equity is so important. He was speaking at a panel at Davos in the context of women only holding 25% of leadership roles despite making up more than half the workforce.  Organizations need to take an active role in sponsoring and promoting women to leadership. Here are steps that organizations can take to increase women in leadership.  Understand women’s workforce needs  There is overlap in what men and women want from work, including a competitive salary and challenging work. But according to ManpowerGroup’s research on what workers want, women’s needs differ. Organizations can attract and retain women in leadership by helping achieve balance for the long run. For women, work must come with flexibility. They continue to do most of the emotional labor and unpaid work at home – balancing work around commitments, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This means flexibility is critical.  Move beyond intent  Good intentions may be a starting point, but they’re not enough. The next step is practicing Conscious Inclusion, or the capacity of people to make decisions, do business and to think and act with the conscious intent of practicing inclusion. Leaders are responsible for implementing ways to support inclusive leadership, and everyone in the organization can educate themselves with the benefits of conscious inclusion.   Provide structure for women to grow  Technology has the ability to facilitate lifelong learning. This not only allows women to upskill and remain relevant throughout their careers but allows them to do so in an environment that offers the flexibility needed to successfully balance work and home. Organizations that support this will become talent magnets for high-performing women.  At Davos, leaders were in agreement that achieving women’s parity is not “someone else’s job” –– it’s everyone inside an organization. This is especially true for leaders who can act now with not just words, but intent.

​Any type of big change can cause stress, especially if it’s a disruption in our normal routine at work. After a year where many people transitioned to remote work, now many organizations are gearing up to again make major changes –– whether that’s returning to offices, instituting formal flexible work arrangements or even making remote work permanent. And, according to a recent Forbes article, half of the U.S workforce is under stress. Here are ways businesses can help employees manage the stress associated with these transitions.Understand work's impact on mental health The same Forbes article references a disturbing finding from a research study on mental health: 55% of the respondents reported that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health. This is not good news, especially since organizations today acknowledge a profound connection between an individual’s work life and their mental health. Organizations that support their employees not only improve employee engagement, but also increase workforce productivity. Foster open dialogue A lot can change in a year, so make sure that managers have open conversations with their team about what they want going forward for career development, work arrangements and work-life balance. At different stages in people’s lives, they can work longer or shorter hours, take on more or less responsibility, or need more flexible hours. Rather than assume, check in with career conversations, encourage them to assess their needs and truly listen. Re-create connection If a team has been working remotely for a year, some colleagues may feel disconnected from each other. To reverse the social distancing of the past year, managers can encourage connecting beyond the usual project meetings and emails by planning for social outings when it is safe to do so again as well as taking action on other tips to help combat burnout. Transparent and frequent communication Finally, when stress and uncertainty are on the rise, transparent and frequent communication on future plans, timelines and processes will help create peace of mind and even mitigate rumors. Good leaders will involve their teams in the discussions of how best to move forward through actions such as employee surveys and focus groups. While the uncertainty of what the post COVID work world will look like can create stress, organizations can take tangible steps to support their workers and keep workforce productivity going strong.

​​The traditional work standard of “9 to 5”in an office setting is becoming a thing of the past due to the rise of the gig economy, which has seen exponential global growth since the beginning of the pandemic. Today, more than 150 million workers are engaged as gig workers – or independent contractors – in North America and Western Europe, with expectations of this number to double by 2023.1For organizations managing this expanding contingent workforce, a Statement of Work(SoW) is a vital framework to help provide value, shift risks and control costs. Here’s how a SoW works and why it’s crucial to help businesses thrive in a post-COVID-19 world:Access Skills, Pay for Tangible OutcomesOver the past year, the global economy has seen the biggest digital transformation and reallocation of skills since World War II, shifting from aviation and hospitality to driving, retail, healthcare, IT and cybersecurity at an unprecedented scale.2As companies bring in gig workers with specialized skills, more are using Statements of Work (SoW), binding legal contracts that outlinework to be completed in the form of deliverables and milestones, with clearly set timelines and their respective payment schedules and parameters. In a growing hybrid workplace, accessing the skills you need instantly while driving compliance and cost savings and mitigating risk is vital. SoWs allow organizations to focus on paying for tangible outcomes, removing the spotlight on an individual’s skillsets. That means skills can be accessed quickly with more flexibility, which increasesoverall efficiency and reduces costs. With these benefits, it’s no surprise that companies have increased spending annually with the US investing at least 60% of its budget on contingent labor and other countries increasing service procurement spend at a slower pace.3“The ‘job for life’ is dead. You don’t hire for people anymore; you hire for services and outcomes and a Statement of Work provides that flexibility and that agility,” says Kayleigh Kuptz, co-founder and COO at Deployed, a UK-based Statement of Work authoring platform. According to Kuptz, companies that develop and implement SoWs can identify exactly what work needs to be done and look for who can do the work most efficiently. This makes more sense as needs shift from permanent staff members with job descriptions to flexible, service-based, output-based work.Emphasize Collaboration, Not LocationGone are the days when companies focus on one individual to deliver work. It’s now the age of collaboration in which a variety of specialized experts work together to help bridge the gap between the skills you have and the ones you are lacking. Equally as important, the growth of the remote workplace has removed physical location as a barrier to finding the best talent. But with workers often spread among multiple regions with different managers and budget categories, there’s potential for confusion and disorganization. SoWscan help teams work together seamlessly to avoid scope creep, improve communicationand ensure accountability every step of the way.“Success in leadership and business begins with clarity,” says David Dye, a leadership and employee engagement consultant at Trailblaze Inc., a consulting firm in Denver. He notes that the clear roles, outcomes, and expectations outlined in SoWs help everyone avoid misunderstanding and ensure that everyone knows what to expect from the employer, as well as what is expected from them.4Reduce Risk, Avoid Compliance IssuesWhen the pandemic turned the world upside down in early 2020, it also turned nearly every business – large and small – on its head. However, many organizations were able to get creative and adapt quicker than others. Financial services company Achiko, was in the midst of expanding into buy now, pay later services on its mobile payment app when COVID-19 hit and disrupted the market and international travel. That’s when the company pivoted its technology to launch TemanSehat, an app which offers incentives for people to get tested for COVID-19 andlets them make payments and keep records to test results used for workplace check-ins.5The adoption of telehealth has exploded from 11 percent of consumers using it in 2019 to 46 percent in April 2020.6Companies that have successfully made these massive shifts depended significantly on their ability to quickly access new teams with specialized capabilities. Having an SoW in place enabled them to not only focus on the outcome but also to minimize the risk of misclassifications of employees and to avoid mistakes with benefit plan eligibility and compensation. An SoW also helps reduce large overhead costs and exposure to non-compliance with employment laws or tax regulations. For example, SoW’s can help HR and procurement professionals more effectively manage the private sector rollout of IR35, the UK’s anti-avoidance tax legislation designed to tax 'disguised' employment at a rate similar to employment, As the law adds further requirements to assess the status of any contingent labor hired, a clearly defined SoW can ensure that the responsibility for determining IR35 status and ensuring the appropriate amount of tax is deducted lies with the outsourced agency vs end-hirers.7Choose the Right MSPToday, one in four SoW projects completed by suppliers are not completed on time or on budget.8This usually happens when projects are not well-defined or when there’s limited visibility of SoW activity in the organization and limited data surrounding cost savings. That’s why it’s important to work with a managed service provider like TAPFIN that understands how to optimize buying channels, manage project scopes and provide actionable insights and drive quality through advanced reporting during the entire SoW process.Refer to this Transform Talent podcast and contact SOW@TAPFIN.com to learn how Talent Solutions’ TAPFIN’s SoW management can bring value and results to your organization.​​References1https://hbr.org/2018/03/thriving-in-the-gig-economy2https://manpowergroup.com/sustainability3 Everest Group – Tackling the Global Pandemic: Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) State of the Market Report 2014https://www.nfib.com/content/resources/legal/is-a-statement-of-work-right-for-your-small-business/5https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/01/how-sosv-backed-achiko-pivoted-from-financial-services-to-health-tech-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/6https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/healthcare-innovation-building-on-gains-made-through-the-crisis7https://www.brooksonlegal.co.uk/news/is-a-statement-of-work-the-answer-to-ir35-in-the-private-sector/8SAP Fieldglass: “Services procurement Insights 2019: The Big Reveal’

​The tech industry has a problem. Despite growing rapidly in recent years, and only accelerating due to the pandemic, the participation of women in technology remains disproportionate compared to their male counterparts. According to projections from Gartner, worldwide IT spending is projected to total $4.6 trillion in 2023, an increase of 5.1% from 2022. Yet, women make up just 28% of the tech industry workforce and only 14% of software engineers. This disparity comes despite the increasing demand for tech talent. According to ManpowerGroup’s latest Talent Shortage Survey, 78% of employers in the tech industry report not being able to find the talent they need. And too often, the tech industry is focused only on technical skills, when others including critical thinking, reasoning, creativity, and more, matter just as much. With demand for tech and IT only growing, why can’t we get more women in the industry? Megan Smith, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer has a suggestion. “We need to change the narrative around women in tech from one of scarcity to one of abundance,” Smith says. “There is no shortage of talented women, just a shortage of opportunities and support.” Invest in Education, Experience, and Exposure Women need better support and resources for career development and advancement. Companies should invest in training and mentoring programs that target women and provide them with the skills and networking opportunities they need to advance in their careers. During the Women in the Post-Pandemic World of Work session at the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup’s Chief Commercial Officer and President of North America Becky Frankiewicz said whether we call it mentorship, sponsorship, or even friendship, it's critical to support women. “I've been the benefactor of many, many women and men who have invested in me, who took bets on me, who saw things in me that I didn't see in myself,” Frankiewicz says. “We were asked recently by our leadership team to reflect over the last year on what's our proudest accomplishments. And without thinking, I said, ‘Enabling a team to achieve things they didn't know they could’ because, to me, that's what helps us unlock in ourselves things that we don't see.” Solutions for Bridging the Gap Achieving gender equity in tech is crucial not only for creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce but also for promoting innovation and driving economic growth. Here are some strategies that can bridge the gap and accelerate the path to equity:Addressing Biases in Hiring: One of the significant barriers to achieving gender equity in the technology industry is biased hiring practices. Unconscious biases can prevent women from being hired, promoted, and even recognized for their work. To combat this, companies should implement strategies like blind screening, using gender-neutral language in job descriptions, and utilizing diverse hiring panels to eliminate bias. Providing Opportunities for Professional Development: Professional development opportunities can help women in the technology industry gain the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to advance in their careers. Companies can provide training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help women develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the technology industry.Supporting Work-Life Balance: The tech industry is known for its long working hours and intense work culture, which can make it challenging for women, and men alike, to balance work and family responsibilities. Companies should provide flexible work arrangements like work-from-home, part-time or reduced hours options, and generous parental leave policies, to help women achieve work-life balance.Creating a Supportive and Inclusive Work Culture: Companies need to create a supportive and inclusive work culture that values diversity and fosters collaboration. This can be achieved through initiatives like employee resource groups, diversity and inclusion training, and policies that promote work-life balance and mental health support. Fixing the Gender Pay Gap: The gender pay gap is a persistent problem in the tech industry. To address this, companies should conduct regular pay audits and ensure that women are paid fairly and equitably. Additionally, companies can create transparency around pay and promotions, providing clear guidelines for how these decisions are made.Increasing Diversity by Providing Access to Digital Technology: In developing countries, and lower-income communities in developed countries, access to tech is often limited which creates a digital divide. As a result, women in these areas are unable to participate fully in tech, limiting their opportunities for education and economic growth. By offering affordable computers, access to the internet, etc., more women will be able to get started with STEM and tech programs and have more resources to pursue education or career opportunities. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem. But what we can’t do is accept the status quo and wait for things to sort themselves out. The time for action is now. And by acting, we can create a more inclusive and welcoming culture, providing access to education and training, and empowering women to become leaders in the industry. In doing so, not only will we be helping women, but we will be able to improve the tech industry, making it more fair, equitable, and sustainable at the same time.

​As we assess the global jobs market more than one year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear the environment is in flux. Over the next five years, 43% of businesses expect to reduce the size of their workforce, yet, over the same period, 34% of businesses plan to expand their workforce.1With increased digitization and automation across industries, more and more companies are either planning for, or are in the midst of major transformations. An organizational transformation impacts the entire workforce. It affects those leaving due to redundancy, the managers who must deliver the difficult news, and the remaining employees. Most know that exiting employees benefit when a company provides outplacement services. It takes a jobseeker at least 23 weeks to land a new role on average in the U.S.,2but this gap shrinks significantly when career transition services are used. Lesser known and discussed is how outplacement also fosters confidence and morale among the employees who remain.  Here are three ways outplacement will help you support your entire workforce during and after organizational transformation.  Pilot a smooth landing for exiting employees  Did you know it’s more difficult for a commercial jet pilot to make a smooth landing when the aircraft is empty?3The same can be said about an employee exiting a job with no outplacement  assistance, especially as unemployment rises and more support is needed to find open positions. According to Kaye Owen of Lloyds Banking Group, workers who are currently facing redundancy seem to be in a much higher emotional state of stress due to the global pandemic and its aftershocks.4Outplacement alleviates some of this stress by helping those leaving the organization do so with confidence and positivity.  This confidence comes from an outplacement provider’s ability to help workers find new roles more quickly. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are rapidly evolving in the outplacement space to help exiting employees land on their feet more quickly. Right Management, for example, leverages specialized experts to prepare workers in transition for their next steps. Those who are “matched” to expert career coaches.5Using outplacement services to pilot a smoother landing for exiting employees shows your company cares about its employees’ mental health and future success. Helping workers prepare for what’s next also maintains positive relationships should your organization need to re-hire these individuals in the future. Motivate remaining employees to stay put “What happens with the remaining employees?” should be one of the questions you ask before executing an organizational transformation. During and after a transformation, the employees who remain often experience ‘survivors’ guilt,’ or lack of motivation and engagement due to ongoing uncertainty, burnout from taking on more work, and/or anxiety that their jobs are in danger too.  These stressors often push workers to leave the organization. In fact, a 1% decrease in the size of your workforce can lead to a 31% increase in turnover the following year.6Demonstrating outplacement support, providing situational coaching, and talking about the changes in an open manner encourages trust among the remaining workforce. The jewelry company Pandora attributes the success of its recent transformation to simplifying its overarching goal to one core KPI—like-for-like sales—so that it was easily understood and remembered by all employees. Pandora made sure remaining employees had opportunities to connect to the organization’s new strategy and objectives through internal town hall meetings and weekly emails during the transformation.7Asking for the entire workforce’s buy in opens the door to moving forward positively throughout the transformation and after it is complete. Coach leaders and managers to communicate better  Communicating difficult messages is no easy feat, especially for line managers who may not be used to the responsibility. As part of an outplacement program, look to support managers and leaders in delivering consistent and fair communication across all levels of employees. Right Management has been the outplacement partner to a major retailer for over 11 years. To support the retailer through multiple downsizes, training was provided to the leaders and managers who would deliver the notification message to affected employees. By sharing best practices on how to communicate the changes, the retailer mitigated legal risk while also offering invaluable support to its managers and leadership team. Transparency and steady communication are key to a successful transformation, and it’s important to think about the lasting impact on the entire workforce. Providing adequate support now will mean a more engaged and productive workforce once the transformation is over and lower your organization’s risk of losing top talent in the future.  For the full story, download our latest white paper, Careers In Transition: How will outplacement evolve to help companies  and workers respond to upheaval?​1http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf2https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm3https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/why-its-hard-to-land-smooth-in-empty-jets/4 ManpowerGroup Careers in Transition: How will Outplacement Evolve to Help Companies and Workers Respond to Upheaval? Whitepaper, 2021 5https://workforce-resources.manpowergroup.com/management-and-retention/5-questions-to-ask-before-implementing-an-outplacement-program6https://hbr.org/2018/05/layoffs-that-dont-break-your-company7https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2020/four-phases-and-three-journeys-of-successful-transformation

​The COVID-19 shock has come at a time when the jobs market is already going through a period of transformation and upheaval. The fourth industrial revolution, characterized by increased digitization and automation, means the skills required by the jobs of the new decade are very different to what was needed five or ten years previously. The pandemic accelerated this change. For people and businesses, negotiating these short-term shocks and long-term trends is challenging. As firms adjust to the post pandemic economy, many will look to make efficiencies and ensure they use their employees’ skills most effectively.In a climate of economic uncertainty, and with a jobs market experiencing a period of radical transformation, outplacement is an increasingly important tool to help employees and firms adjust. The fluid pairing of workers with jobs also performs a vital role within the efficient performance of economies.The future of outplacement will combine data-driven insight and emotional intelligence in a two-pronged ‘Tuning Fork’ evolution. Outplacement needs to adapt for the vital role it will play guiding individuals and organizations through the pandemic recovery, helping create a confident, agile and valuable workforce, able to face the challenges of the years ahead.To learn more about how outplacement is adapting, download our latest whitepaper, “Careers in Transition: How will outplacement evolve to help companies and workers respond to upheaval?” ​​

​As more companies are welcoming employees back into the office, they are faced with a range of reactions – excitement about finally being able to interact in person with colleagues, eagerness for a change of pace, apprehension about juggling schedules, and worry about long commutes.While the sudden shift home for many employees in 2020 could not be planned in advance, the return to the office is one that can be more planful – and many companies have developed comprehensive plans to support returning employees. By now, many organizations have designed and communicated guidelines across the range of all-remote to all in-person. Communicating a policy, celebrating the return to the office, and then leaving it up to individual teams to figure it out is not a recipe for success. Especially in the tightest talent market in years, organizations need to make sure they aren’t driving their best talent away. Instead, they need a comprehensive plan to recharge their talent as they return to the office.Establishing the playbook for your team in the hybrid environment Leaders have a window of opportunity as teams are transitioning into a new working model to be intentional about setting expectations and boundaries that will shape how people engage with each other. Start by reminding the team about why their work is important and then enable the team to define how they will work to achieve shared goals regardless of whether they are in-person, all-remote or hybrid.Establishing and reinforcing the “why”Individuals have an inherent desire to find meaning in their day-to-day work. But the pandemic years have made many employees focus on surviving through the turmoil and uncertainty rather than focus on the “why” of their work. Now that a new normal is on the horizon, what better time to regain that clarity by helping employees connect the dots between their role and its contribution to the broader goals of the organization. Invite a customer to share how the work of the team made a positive difference in their life. One of our clients, a greeting card company, showed a video of family members reading a greeting card from a loved one and sharing why it was meaningful to them. It was a beautiful reminder of how meaningful the client’s work can be.Finding the happy place between team and individual needsWorker flexibility is no longer a privilege, but an expectation. While work/life integration is now a fact, not every employee is skilled in having constructive conversations about how to articulate their individual needs, and not every manager has pivoted towards an accountability mindset.Speak openly about how you synchronize different elements of your personal and professional life and invite others to do the same. Make sure coordination, sharing and collaboration occur, but also be flexible regarding requirements that work must be done in a certain time and place. Rather than gauging performance based on observed activity, focus on outcomes. Aligning on team normsOften, teams are expected to just start working. But differing expectations about when and how people show up can lead to misunderstandings and frustration. Decisions that are seemingly mundane – like when to turn on your camera, or how to make sure someone who is joining remotely can be included in an in-person conversation, or how to remind someone that they are on mute – can have a significant impact on individual perceptions and team dynamics. Facilitate team norms discussions where team members discuss how inequities can emerge in a hybrid setting, share individual work preferences and jointly create a set of shared norms. Then make sure you uphold or adjust these norms over time. This will enable a more trusting and positive microenvironment. Defining mutual support mechanismsWe are hearing repeatedly that our workforce is feeling burnt out. Month after month of taking on more, adjusting to new realities and simply surviving has taken a toll on people. But employees are still hesitant to ask for help even when they need it the most. Incorporate elements related to mutual support in your norms by creating a channel to express when an employee is approaching their limit with a commitment from other team members to support them through those moments in good faith.Add creativity and authenticity to the experienceTo break through the noise of corporate messaging, flipping the script on what voices to feature could be a great way to build connectivity and enhance experiences. There is no better time to do it when you are transitioning to a new working model.For those who are back in person, create a “wall of stories” where employees can share stories and photos about how their organizational purpose was reflected in something they did. We’ve had clients who had a physical wall at the entryway of their manufacturing facility or work site, but this can just as easily be done in virtual space — an internal website or an application like Microsoft Whiteboard, Google Jamboard, or Miro. Team chats, used to celebrate milestones, achievements and share tips can also be a powerful virtual water cooler.As we re-enter the in-person world or venture into a new era of hybrid work, companies have a unique opportunity to reset how they do things and enable their teams to be better than ever.Right Management has been helping organizations evaluate, develop, mobilize and transition their talent for over 40 years. Let us help you develop your own plan to thrive in the new next.

​The CHRO of a client once told me that her biggest concern after a reorganization wasn’t in the design itself but that the organization had to change its way of working afterwards. We had developed an elegant operating model, achieved targeted cost savings, secured alignment across the senior executive team, supported the announcement with a global roadshow, and analyzed pulse survey responses. It was a textbook reorganization that checked all the boxes, but I often wonder if the people in the organization truly changed how they worked at the ground level as the CHRO had alluded to or if the work just stayed the same with different reporting lines.  Reorganizations – particularly those that require reductions in force – are necessary, but highly disruptive. Many people experience them multiple times during their careers, and these experiences can leave scars that last for years. The change itself creates stress for individuals leading to a threefold increase in negative feelings towards colleagues.1Nearly three times as many workers also express distrust of leadership and a belief that there are ulterior motives underlying the announcement.1And in the rush to achieve short-term cost controls, more than half of companies report a reduction in long-term productivity.2We have all seen this movie before – after the initial rush of communication and individual farewells, the rest of the organization is left confused and disengaged.  There is a better alternative. Business leaders need to adopt a new paradigm. In order to change the trajectory of their business and organization, their focus should no longer be on reduction in force, but on revitalization in force. The process starts long before the announcement day and extends beyond the time that impacted employees have changed roles or left the organization.  We recommend four distinct steps for leaders to follow. Organizations who rewire work from the ground up increase the success of their transformation by 30% or more through increased efficiency and increased effectiveness.31. Prepare your leaders for announcement day and beyond. Develop a message that is future-focused and will resonate with employees at all levels. Certainly, an artful balance of clear messaging, empathy and vision is needed to support tough moments, though what is even more important is the ability to lead the organization through change long after announcement day. For months and years after the initial change, the most successful leaders maintain resolve around principles and behaviors to prevent backsliding.  2. Leverage the signaling value of talent selection. What talent is chosen to stay or leave during a reduction in force is an indicator of what the organization values. I once worked with an organization with a large international footprint that had selected an executive team that was highly qualified but all from the U.S. They had inadvertently signaled that global talent was not valued. Often talent decisions are made quickly and based off heuristics and perceptions. Define the role first, then leverage data-driven assessments to find the best fit for that role. Consider also how selected talent will be perceived for the organization’s ability to recognize potential, invest in diversity, leverage experience and other lenses that are important to drive the business. 3. Always treat employees who are asked to leave with respect. Not only is it the right thing to do, but everyone is watching and thinking “that could be me next.” Always communicate tough messages with empathy in an individual setting to impacted employees in advance of telling others. Ensure they hear that the work they have done is valued and will be maintained with a transition plan. Be sensitive to how communication is handled to peers and colleagues. Conduct an exit interview to understand their point of view and potentially pave the way back into the organization in the future. Help them chart a path for their future careers, whether it is in another role in the broader organization or through outplacement. Encourage them to leverage available resources to support their futures. The self-discovery, career coaching and networking tools provided through outplacement help displaced talent find roles that are often a better fit for them than the ones that they left.  4. Invest in the people who will drive the business forward. Too often, organizations are so focused on the up-front parts of change, that they lose sight of the most important part of the future – the people who remain. These workers are often asked to not only cover their existing workload but also the work of those who are no longer in the organization. Interfaces with other functions may have been disrupted with no new plan for who to work with. Managers might have different structures and team members than they did in the past. Too often, business leaders assume that everything will just work itself out, but this leads to disappointment, low morale and protective behaviors that ultimately hurt the business in the long run.  Organizations should focus on three ways to invest in their people after a reduction in force:  Support the individual. Every person will interpret a change in different ways. Their history and context will color how they see the present and future. Help them pivot from lamenting the loss of the past to embracing the possibilities of the future. Show them how the organization is making tangible changes that will impact their day-to-day work in a more positive way.   Drive team alignment. Resourcing challenges often emerge from organizational change. It is up to the teams to evaluate what work needs to continue, change and most importantly, stop. Successful leaders engage the team to redefine what needs to be done, ensure they understand who does what work, articulate where they need to collaborate with other teams, and establish ways for them to support each other when challenges arise.  Reorient towards the future with career conversations. While discussing career growth and pathways may be the last thing on the minds of leaders during a reduction in force, it is one of the most powerful tools for retention and engagement for the individuals who remain. These conversations not only build confidence that they are valued in the near term, but also help individuals see a path forward that they can authentically look forward to.  With change comes opportunity. Revitalize your workforce by helping your people achieve the clarity needed to drive the business onward.  

​As organization’s skills needs shift faster than ever before, especially as trends like digitization accelerate, they need refreshed talent and workforce development strategies to attract, develop, engage and retain the best talent in this next phase of the Skills Revolution.This transformation, however, can be turbulent –– or it can be guided with expertise and strategy. According to newly-released ManpowerGroup research. Skills Revolution Reboot: The 3R’s--Renew, Reskill, Redeploy, becoming  a creator of talent by proactively upskilling/reskilling talent to be available when and where needed reduces risk and paves the way for sustainable growth.Assessing potentialBuilding talent starts with first assessing potential. Assessments like ManpowerGroup’s proprietary SkillsInSight™ help people identify their strengths and work preferences and help organizations to predict an individual’s likely fit for the role. It also compiles aggregate data that makes it possible to predict who will be more likely to acquire new skills in the future. Assessment + data + analytics = insight that supports talent decisions, reduces talent acquisition costs and improves employee mobility by aligning their capabilities and potential to the organization’s skills gaps.Creating a career roadmapCompanies need a clear roadmap when it comes to their strategy and individuals need clear guidance. ManpowerGroup’s MyPath program helps progress talent from one role to the next, from declining industries to growth sectors and closing the skills gap. ManpowerGroup talent agents are experts in assessment, coaching and data-driven recruitment and provide candidates with personalized guidance to develop for future roles. These services provide pathways in growth sectors such as IT, finance, advanced manufacturing, sales and logistics.Coaching supportIt doesn’t matter if workers are blue collar, white collar, new collar – all will need to develop the skills they need for the future of work. For example, RightCoach on-demand situational coaching from Talent Solutions provides busy professionals with topic-focused, online skill-building coaching sessions with a qualified coach, when and where they need it. Teaching new skillsIn growth sectors like technology, talent is scarce because skills are so new. The most innovative organizations are partnering to become creators of talent, sourcing the people who can learn and developing the skills they need. For example, Experis Career Accelerator works with a broad range of clients, technical schools and universities to design curriculum for learners that can be applied on the job even before the learning is complete. With industry experience combined with workforce expertise we are defining future skills requirements, identifying current gaps and mapping skills to potential career paths.For many companies, this future is unchartered territory, which is why these solutions are available to help organizations acquire the skills they need and individuals to develop the skills employers are looking for in-demand talent that’s needed in today’s rapidly-changing environment.  Download the Skills Revolution Reboot: The 3R’s--Renew, Reskill, Redeployreport for more insights, including a roadmap of solutions to help organizations attract, develop, engage and retain the best talent in this next phase of the Skills Revolution.

​During the pandemic 1.7m women left the U.S workforce and did not come back – and the trend is replicated in many countries globally. Burnout, layoffs in roles overrepresented by women (hospitality, retail), and women taking on more of the work at home, all mean gender parity in the workforce stands at 62.9%. the lowest level registered since the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index began in 2006. As we found in ManpowerGroup’s 2023 workforce trends report, The New Human Age, women want work to work for them. In order to do that, organizations need to reimagine when, where and how work gets done, offer pay equity, and advance reskilling, all of which will not only bring women back, but help ease the global talent crisis. To find practical solutions to reverse this trend ManpowerGroup’s Becky Frankiewicz, brought together an all-star, all-women lineup of leaders including Cisco’s Francine Katsoudas, Women Political Leaders’ Silvana Koch-Mehrin, and moderator Nadira Tudor for a session on Women in the Post-Pandemic World of Work during WEF’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. From autonomy and flexibility, to opportunities for learning and mentorship, the passionate panel shared personal stories and practical guidance to accelerate gender parity.   Here are several ways that employers and individuals can help women succeed in the post-pandemic world of work: 1. Listen. Women are Asking for Companies to Do More While no one was spared from the effects of COVID-19, the impact on women has been disproportionately high and more severe. But before we can solve any problems Frankiewicz says we need to address and understand how women are currently feeling about 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.” 2. Realize We Need to Go Back to the Future, Not the Past One reason why more women haven’t come back is that they want to come back to not only a different workplace but a different way of working. To do that and make work more appealing, Katsoudas cautions that companies who expect their people to work the way they did before will be challenged to reengage their workforce. “We all have to figure out how to make the office a magnet, not a mandate. The way we do that is by focusing on the work. We make it really clear that for this particular type of work, we're best when we're together. When we tell our people that they come in. They want to feel like the culture works for them,” Katsoudas says. “If we are asking them to come in, sit in front of their computer and do e-mail, women and men alike are going to say, ‘I can do that from home.’ And we all know better now.” 3. Trust – Flexibility / Hybrid are Hot Topics, its Autonomy that Matters Most We’ve witnessed a working revolution – which has meant different things for everyone. To bring women back into the workforce, and empower them, we have to take advantage of the tools at our disposal such as flexibility, and not just hybrid working. In order to do that, a foundation built on trust will be key according to Koch-Mehrin.  “You trust. You trust the people, you trust that they want to do the job, and you trust them to do the job. It doesn't matter if they sit at an office desk, or if they sit at home, or if they even sit somewhere else. What matters is to get the job done and to deliver on it,” says Koch-Mehrin. “COVID really gave insight to all of us that nothing is granted, and we can adapt and do things completely differently to what we thought we would do.” 4. Invest in Education, Experience, and Exposure Women need better support and resources for career development and advancement. Companies should invest in training and mentoring programs that target women and provide them with the skills and networking opportunities they need to advance in their careers. Whether we call it mentorship, sponsorship, or even friendship, Frankiewicz advises people to support each other. “I've been the benefactor of many, many women and men who have invested in me, who took bets on me, who saw things in me that I didn't see in myself,” Frankiewicz says. “We were asked recently by our leadership team to reflect over the last year on what's our proudest accomplishments. And without thinking, I said, ‘Enabling a team to achieve things they didn't know they could’ because to me, that's what helps us unlock in ourselves things that we don't see.” 5. Take a Whole Person Approach Recognizing that taking a holistic approach to support women at work is crucial for creating a more inclusive, supportive, and equitable working environment. This approach addresses not just the individual needs of women, but also the systemic barriers and biases that they face. Understanding the whole person, their needs, struggles, and what they were going through, is something Cisco focused on early in the pandemic according to Katsoudas. By doing so, it helped inform their research with the female quotient that shows when women feel resilient in their home life that shows up in work and vice-versa. “We have to feel comfortable talking about the whole person, and not just the work part of what we do, says Katsoudas. “In doing that, we help everyone navigate through this next stage until we find the magic way for all of us to work.” The post-pandemic world of work presents new challenges for women, but it also provides an opportunity for employers to create a more equitable and supportive workplace.  Women want to be treated as equals and given the same opportunities as men. This includes equal pay, flexible work arrangements, representation in leadership roles, and support for career development. By addressing these issues, companies can create a more inclusive and equitable workforce for everyone. 

​For companies to gain and retain talent today, they must shift their focus on how to ensure comfort and productivity among their staff, regardless of where and when they work.COVID-19 has shifted the state of the workplace – perhaps for good in some cases. Over the past year and a half, organizations and employees have learned that, in many situations, jobs can be done efficiently regardless of one’s physical location. This has led a number of companies to adopt a hybrid or remote work setup as their new normal, especially after observing impressive productivity rates and high employee satisfaction. According to ManpowerGroup’s 2021 Employment Outlook Survey, over half (59%) of employers are planning to offer flexible work options for the long-term, with 20% offering the option to work remotely 100% of the time and 39% planning to support remote work some of the time. [1]How can companies continue to evolve in this new normal to attract and retain workers in both the short and long term? One of the most important factors is for organizations to understand the unique motivations of employees and ensure that they feel seen and heard when it comes to how, when and where they want to work.  From Roamers to Homers – new work personalities emerge Seven new workforce personas are emerging post-pandemic, each with different needs that range across a spectrum of management, physical space, technology and socialization issues, [2] according to Grantley Morgan, Global Practice Lead and Vice President of Talent Solutions Consulting at ManpowerGroup. Understanding more about these personas can help organizations better adapt to create a more collaborative and productive work environment. ​The RoamersThe Roamers are typically in leadership or field-based roles that require frequent travel. Hence their name, many Roamers split their time drifting between the office, various client locations and third spaces (e.g., coffee shops). Balancing work with health, well-being and family is important to them and especially so post-pandemic. What they want: Companies can help Roamers feel a sense of security as they constantly settle into new locations to get their jobs done efficiently. This can be done by helping them manage traveling between workplaces by providing club-based access to flexible workspaces as well as creative options like Marriott’s work-from-anywhere day pass that enables employees to find quiet workspaces in destinations around the world. [3]​The NomadsThe Nomads have a goal of balancing their life and work goals while having fulfilling experiences and meeting new people. Nomads tend to thrive in environments that help fuel their extroverted personalities, and they feel more productive simply by being in the presence of others. What they want: Nomads prefer a more flexible, work-from-anywhere set-up such as hubs and third spaces akin to Spotify's new model which allows workers to first choose a remote, hybrid or office-based model, then select which country and region they want as their base with support available for relocation and paid co-working members. ​The InventorsThe Inventors appreciate in-person collaboration done safely. While technology has proven itself to be a useful workaround for client communication and team collaboration, especially during these times, Inventors are more likely to miss the office as a creative social hub. They would rather stick to the traditional methods of work rather than solely rely on their digital devices. They also appreciate spaces that encourage serendipitous innovation, learning and team-building in a way that technology can’t replicate for the majority of us. What they want: Companies can cater to Inventors by offering a “hoteling” approach, a reservation-based seating where employees reserve a workspace before they come to work in an office. This enables small group meetings to occur safely. ​The First-TimersThe First-Timers are those who have very recently entered the workforce or feel like they have missed out on important parts of the onboarding process due to remote working. They believe that real, person-to-person connection is vital to kicking off a successful career. What they want: To make First-Timers feel more at ease and confident in their careers, even for the time being, companies can designate physical spaces for in-person training and other learning opportunities. ​The CommutersThe Commuters, previously committed to a traditional five-day work week, now expect greater flexibility in the workplace from their companies – particularly upper management and key decision makers.  What they want: Satisfy Commuters by adding satellite office spaces close to where your employees live, i.e., decreasing the amount of time they need to commute to and from work each day. Another solution is to adopt a more versatile model that allows workers to travel to the office only a few days a week instead of every day. Telecommunications company Vodafone created a zonal approach to workspace design that features dedicated spaces for different types of work. [4]​The Front-linersThe Front-liners, considered “pandemic heroes” by many, include those who work in supply chain, manufacturing, healthcare and other essential services. While their lines of work may involve advanced technologies, people in these industries must still perform their jobs in-person rather than solely behind a screen. What they want: Since they’ve been on the frontlines throughout the pandemic, Front-liners desire technologies such as bespoke apps like Beekeeper which enable workers to give and receive information without needing direct access to corporate systems. These tools improve the workplace experience and help alleviate health concerns as workers reacclimate to public transit and crowded places. ​The HomersThe Homers are masters of routine who prefer a fixed work location that provides them with better control of their schedules, productivity levels and deliverables – like a static home office. Homer's keen focus is a result of minimal disruption and having the ability to remain in the same place.  What they want: Companies can consider offering workplace benefits packages to Homers with state-of-the-art equipment and tools to make the at-home workspace comfortable and efficient. ​No matter where one falls on the employee persona spectrum, it’s the responsibility of businesses to respond to their workers’ needs. Small companies and large corporations alike can benefit from embracing a more fluid workplace structure, as it helps provide an even balance and greater satisfaction among workers without negatively affecting the bottom line – especially in today's fluctuating economy. ​Read Working Anywhere, Anytime during the Big Resurgence by Grantley Morgan for additional insights on these workplace personas. To learn more about how ManpowerGroup can help your organization adapt to the remodeled global work environment and to read more on this topic, visit the Future of Work.​References[1] https://go.manpowergroup.com/meos#%20[2] https://preview.shorthand.com/nHPktdq8cpI1z6WQ\[3] https://workanywhere.marriott.com/?scid=96b2ed49-30d6-4226-8f75-bf5c04343308&dclid=CKOK44nNhfACFVQAiwodOioJ8A[4] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-ready-reimagining-our-office-spaces-leanne-wood/

​Organizations can build their brand by focusing on the hiring experience – which has positive or negative ripple effects.The experience of hiring an employee is just the start of a journey. Even if a job candidate isn’t hired, the process starts to create a perception of your company in other people’s minds.  More than half of potential employees say that a negative hiring experience makes them less likely to buy a company’s products or services in the future, according to findings published in  Add to Cart: Candidates are Consumers, Too. There’s a ripple effect too: 61% would tell others about a negative hiring experience, while 50% say the negative experience of a friend would make them less likely to buy a product or service from that company. This is why it’s important to pay attention to the impact that hiring experiences can have on future purchase decisions. But the hiring process can be used positively, too. Here are five ways organizations can strengthen their employer brand, along with examples of how ManpowerGroup has helped organizations implement these recommendations.  Make a case for investment It’s important that HR teams quantify the impact that employer brand has on sales, and vice versa. This can demonstrate that HR teams help solve broad business problems, not just talent problems. Example: A fashion retailer who planned on entering a new market required significant investment in order to fill a large number of job openings, while simultaneously establishing its brand in the region. We worked with them to develop effective and consistent messaging, and implemented a comprehensive marketing plan to introduce the retailer to the public – encompassing broadcast media, organic social messaging, advertising and more. The outreach reached more than 200,000 people across the duration of the campaign. In total, 100% of vacancies filled, and the communication push impacted a far greater population.  Help overwhelmed recruitersMany HR teams are overwhelmed by requisition loads and administrative burden. This takes their focus away from brand building. Expanding headcount in HR functions or providing support through outsourcing can ensure their employer brand gets the focus it deserves. Example: A large financial services and retail banking company turned to ManpowerGroup Solutions when they had a backlog of hundreds of priority requisitions that needed to be addressed immediately. They decided to outsource this to our team, and we designed a solution for these hard-to-fill, specialist roles, with a significant emphasis on innovation. We used cutting-edge CRM technology, social media, events and name generation research to clear the backlog of 100+ priority requisitions within six months of program launch. Be Transparent One of the key things that job seekers look for from a potential employer is transparency in salary, job description, opportunities for advancement and culture. In fact, 42% of candidates say that a lack of employer-employee trust has a negative impact on their purchase behavior. There are plenty of low-cost, practical tactics to ensure ongoing transparency in the recruitment process, such as responding to job applications with feedback and surveying existing employees to find out what they really think about your organization.  Example: A global renewable energy company was hiring across 46 countries, and had inconsistent processes and candidate communications, which led potential candidates to feel that they lacked transparency. By conducting a thorough region-by-region review of their entire recruitment process, we were able to address the challenges that had emerged from their decentralized recruiting processes. Internal HR experts were transitioned to focus on operational efficiency and employee relations, to ensure that the internal employer brand is consistently advanced. Employer branding initiatives were redesigned and relaunched, working with local stakeholders and in local languages. By improving its transparency, the company now enjoys a stable global recruitment strategy, which has enabled 6,300 hires in two years. Cultivate the Consumer Talent Pool Lots of companies are investing in talent communities, which look to engage rejected applicants for future job vacancies and build relationships with passive candidates. Your customers already understand and interact your products and services. In many cases, they will share your core values too, and could make ideal new recruits. With this in mind, it’s important that marketing, sales and HR teams come together, to incorporate HR messages into broader brand communications, to entice these individuals into your talent pipeline. Example: A telecommunications giant faced a number of recruitment and retention challenges, and needed to find a more sustainable source of talent. By making their marketing and talent acquisition efforts more integrated, they were able to target existing customers with recruitment marketing messages. They were able to use their marketing spend for the dual purposes of cultivating customers and candidates, and they have been able to grow both their talent pool and their potential customer base as a result. Pose as a Secret Shopper Secret shoppers have been used in the retail industry for decades. The same tactic can easily be applied to the hiring process, to help HR executives understand first-hand what the hiring experience is like. From glitches in your online application process, to insensitive automated replies, much can be learned by walking in the shoes of the people you wish to attract. Example: An institute of higher education was experiencing low job applications, even though they had invested in a number of targeted marketing activities to promote their job opportunities. By auditing their approach through secret shopping, we found that there were a number of technical issues with their application process, such as broken links and pages timing. On top of this, their systems were unable to parse data from uploaded CVs, and there were an exhaustive number of application pages. The secret shopping system can weed out these seemingly hidden problems from the organization, which are readily apparent to those in the system.  Want to learn more about the impact of positive or negative hiring experiences on buying behavior? Download the whitepaper  Add to Cart: Candidates are Consumers, Too. ​

​Structure, boldness, lack of boundaries, and a win-win mentality are all signs of a robust, sustainable career culture that will help businesses attract and engage talent. In the changing world of work, the only job security lies in professional mobility. A new “contract” is needed in which career development is embedded in culture, so organizations can enhance competitive capabilities at the same time individuals can enhance their professional skills and employability. Here are the key characteristics of a culture of career development.  Structure and accountability A career development culture has a management framework designed to facilitate an individual’s career growth. It is not just a loose collection of resources. A career culture provides a structure to align career goals to business needs to competencies valued by the organization and to available opportunities. This requires clear paths for advancement, growth for specialists who want to advance but not necessarily to leadership, talent assessment to identify workforce skills and focus career development, processes to create connections between career aspirations and specific business needs and leadership accountability to achieve team members’ career aspirations.  Win-win opportunities Leaders need to learn how to identify intersections where business objectives meet individual career aspirations in order to create win-win opportunities for growth. The skills acquired in a project should be well-aligned to the needs of the organization while enabling the individual to advance toward career goals. Given an opportunity to take on more career projects, employees are more likely to be engaged in work and loyalty to the organization will increase.   Understanding that talent doesn’t belong to a department or an organization In a seeming paradox, to keep a valued employee longer, managers may need to talk about where an employee sees herself working next. When a manager is open to discussing career development, the discussion moves to a deeper, more meaningful level. This is a foreign idea for managers who don’t even want to let a talented team member work outside their own department, much less outside the organization. This mindset needs to change to one in which leaders actively support career growth for the employee no matter where it leads.  Allowing employees to fail In a developmental culture, employees are given assignments that test their strengths and skills. They are allowed to fail and to learn from that experience without retribution. This is particularly critical for high-potential talent who need stretch assignments. Cycling people through different roles and exposing them to a variety of challenges will accelerate their growth and flexibility. This approach involves risk and some leaders may fail, but an agile organization makes quick adjustments. A culture in which vulnerability is accepted is a sign of maturity. It enables people to perform to a level that may even surprise them.

​How can employers attract and retain talent by helping workers to thrive?What does it mean to thrive at work? The answer will vary, but since the pandemic, many have re-evaluated their work and life priorities. The conclusion? Today’s workers want more. They want to be empowered to grow, nurture their mental fitness and physical well-being, find meaning and purpose in their work, and define success on their own terms. After two years of surviving, people want to thrive. Amid the highest talent shortage in 16 years, employers must listen, rethink and act to attract and retain the very best talent. We asked over 5,000 workers from around the world (Australia, France, Italy, United Kingdom and United States) what they need to thrive at work. We then took it a step further by partnering with leading behavior change technology company Thrive to help employers turn insights into action to ensure both organizations and individuals alike are resilient and primed to succeed:1. Pushing the Flexibility Frontier: Understand What Flexibility Means for All.The recent rapid adoption of hybrid and remote working paved the way for many workers to redefine work with more control, choice and flexibility. It’s this flexibility, in many different forms, that will be the lasting legacy of the pandemic, with almost all workers (93%) now saying that they need flexibility to thrive at work. But what does flexibility at work mean? We’re not just talking about knowledge workers being able to work remotely and flex their schedule around other priorities; workers across all sectors and job roles are asking for more flexibility. What we heard is that workers want more control:  45% would like to choose start and end times, while 35% want to choose where they work based on their daily needs and 18% would work a four-day work week for less pay to achieve better balance. There is no one-size-fits-all solution but by offering choice and flexibility employers will succeed in attracting and retaining talent.2. Rewriting The Rules of Leadership: Prioritize Trust and SupportWorkers are looking for more when it comes to their relationship with work and their employers. Mutual trust, a supportive environment and meaningful work are essentials for workers to thrive, and they are willing to vote with their feet to get it. Leaders today need to combine meaningful, purpose-driven work (important to 70% of workers) with a strong culture of trust right across the organization as workers say both trusted colleagues (79%) and leaders (71%) are central to thriving at work. To achieve this, organizations must equip managers and leaders with the right skills to manage empathetically and effectively, providing guidance, support and coaching to nurture potential and enhance the employee experience.3. Thriving – The How To… : Respond to Women and Men’s Differing NeedsIn the wake of the pandemic, women and men have differing priorities and flexibility needs. Overall, flexibility at the start and end of the day (49% women; 42% men) is more important than extra vacation time (33% women; 39% men). Working for organizations with shared values (69% women; 65% men) that provide mental fitness support (60% women; 54% men) are also key factors. Employers who take steps now to offer both women and men the flexibility they need to thrive will have the greatest chance of attracting and retaining the best talent from the widest pool.4. Forging A Family Friendly Future: Support Parents’ PrioritiesThe collision of home, work, and school life over the past two years has led parents to reassess and reprioritize their lives. Flexibility tops the bill when it comes to what parents want, particularly choosing when they start and finish work, but that’s not all. Parents have tuned in to the importance of balance, well-being and belonging at work, and they are willing to walk to get it; in recent months parents have left their jobs in greater numbers than non-parents. It’s critical that employers listen to working parents and offer the flexibility they need to thrive, including opportunities for career progression (75%); and to learn new skills (73%); with help to stay healthy (56% want fitness resources; 54% want healthy food options).5. Fighting Burnout, Building Mental Fitness: Move From Awareness to ActionMental well-being is no longer a ‘nice to have;’ an effective strategy to promote mental fitness is increasingly critical to business success. One in four (25%) workers now actively want more mental health support from employers to protect against burnout. However, despite growing awareness of the importance of managing mental wellbeing, 38% of workers have not used mental health resources at work or are unaware that these exist. A powerful step employers can take is to destigmatize conversations around mental health, raising awareness and putting support in place. ​Mental health concerns won’t be solved overnight but it’s important for employers to create work environments where mental health is better understood, acknowledged and protected for the long-term well-being of their employees.The future of work is far from certain, but a resilient and thriving workforce is critical for organizations to successfully navigate intensifying talent shortages and the ongoing repercussions of the pandemic. Workers are asking for more flexibility and, ultimately, more choice. The employers who are willing to stop, listen and take action to provide what workers need to thrive will reap the rewards. 

​Co-authors:Ruth Harper, ManpowerGroup, Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer Dr. Aaliya Yaqub, Thrive, Chief Medical Officer​In recent years we’ve seen a shift in people’s attitudes toward work. Where work was once thought to define who we are and how we fit in the world, work now needs to “work” for our whole lives. So, what do we really want from work? Increasingly we want to be empowered to grow, nurture our physical and mental well-being, connect to our sense of meaning and purpose, and define success for ourselves.  When we asked workers what would help them thrive, 93% said flexibility was important - with 45% saying they would like to choose start and end times to thier working day.  Workers across different sectors and professions today want more choice over when, where and how they work. Andpilotprograms have shown that giving people more flexibility leads to a happier and more productive workforce. Getting this right makes sense for individuals and for businesses. With talent shortages at a 16-year high and 75% of employers struggling to fill roles, the pressure is on to meet workers’ needs. So, What Do Employers Need To Do? Creating the right environment for people to thrive requires both empathy and trust. Shaping the culture of an organization has traditionally been a “top down” responsibility, led by People/HR teams, but in reality managers are at the forefront of workplace culture. Over half of employees who quit their jobs during the pandemic didn’t feel valued by their organization or their manager, or felt they didn’t belong. Managers are having daily conversations with workers about balancing their responsibilities, managing their days around childcare or elderly care, and ensuring they feel fulfilled and rewarded. One of the most effective ways managers can help workers (and themselves) to feel more in control of their lives is by introducing Microsteps: small, science-backed steps that build sustainable healthy habits. These actions can help managers to support a thriving workforce. Here Are Four Ways to Help Managers and Employees Thrive: 1. Shift from a workplace-centric to a human-centric culture Work needs to be a place of psychological safety, where employees feel they can be honest without being judged. Equipping leaders and managers with the right skills to manage empathetically will enhance the employee experience. More than ever, it’s important for managers to create an environment where authentic connections are possible, and where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work — whether they’re in an office, working remotely, or in a hybrid workplace. Listening to people and showing that their views are of value builds trust and enhances connections with colleagues. One Microstep for managers to try is opening your next meeting with a personal question rather than a work-related one. Asking simple, direct questions about the other person shows respect and forges a deeper connection. 2. Redefine management It’s rare for people to have the innate ability to manage, but these skills can be learned. Helping managers develop their skills will enable them to better support people’s mental well-being and individual work needs.  Workers most impacted by the pandemic are those on the front lines – in retail, factories, and hospitals. With high levels of burnout across the board, managers have a role to play in encouraging positive behaviors to support well-being. Finding moments throughout the day to recharge and connect can have a big impact. Managers need to encourage these moments; it can be as simple as encouraging employees to take a walk outside during a break, take an actual lunch break, or focus on their breathing during a moment of stress instead of reaching for their phone.  3. Measure performance by output, not hours As Adam Grant, Professor of Management and Psychology at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and Thrive Board Member recently pointed out, “We should think of tasks that need completion ... rather than hours.” To help workers thrive, greater flexibility must lead to a focus on what is achieved, rather than how, where or when it’s done. For managers, acknowledging that presenteeism is not a measure of business success lends greater trust to individuals. Giving people flexibility enables them to maintain focus at work, helping to enhance productivity. Managers can support this by encouraging employees to set “focus time” for deep work (and let others know by putting it on their calendars). They can encourage ending meetings 5 or 10 minutes early to allow everyone the time back to recharge and avoid virtual fatigue. And they can lead by example, by letting team members know when they step away from work — to be with family, to attend an appointment, or to sign off for the day. This shows that recharging isn’t a reward for working hard and burning out — it’s a part of work that allows us to avoid burnout and achieve our best performance.   4. Emphasize purpose-driven, meaningful work The connection between purpose-driven work and thriving at work is clear. Nine out of ten employees would accept a pay cut to do more meaningful work. How can managers help? They can bring an organization’s purpose to life by encouraging workers to look after themselves and the world around them; it starts with small steps that build connections between organizations and employees. Starting meetings by asking workers how they’re feeling and what they’re grateful for acknowledges people’s purpose and what matters to them. Offering time out for volunteering demonstrates a commitment to doing good and having a positive impact on society. Organizations have a responsibility for workers’ well-being and ultimately their ability to thrive. Leaders and managers have a huge impact on those around them. Role-modeling their own healthy behaviors and acting as champions for others’ well-being gives employees permission to take care of themselves and those around them, and in doing so helps to sustain a thriving workforce. To learn more about what workers want and what employers need to do now to ensure both organizations and individuals alike are primed to succeed, visit: https://go.manpowergroup.com/whatworkerswant

​How can organizations empower people to grow, nurture their mental fitness and physical well-being, have flexibility, find meaning and purpose in their work, and define success for themselves? ​ManpowerGroup researched and analyzed responses from over 5,000 frontline, corporate, and call center workers, as well as job seekers, across five countries (Australia, France, Italy, United Kingdom and United States) to learn what it means to thrive at work. And we’ve partnered with leading behavior change technology company Thrive to help turn those insights into action to ensure both organizations and individuals alike are resilient and primed to succeed. ​Download the results to understand more about what workers want and what employers need to do now to ensure both organizations and individuals alike are primed to succeed.​Download Infographic Download Report​

A vast majority of global organizations recognize that strengthening workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is vital to their long-term success, with 95% saying they want to improve workforce diversity over the next 12 to 18 months.[1] However, businesses are at different stages along the journey and widespread agreement on how to accomplish DEIB objectives can be difficult to achieve.According to Coqual, a global nonprofit, one of the major hurdles in accomplishing DEIB goals is addressing the common refrain, “What about me?” Focusing on one identity group, such as Black or Latinx employees, can make others feel it comes at the cost of their own wellbeing and career growth opportunities. The ultimate goal in implementing an effective DEIB strategy is to create a culture of belonging in which every employee feels they have a central role with equal access to opportunities. [2]Building a strong DEIB culture takes time and commitment. Here are four steps to consider on the journey.Understand what DEIB really meansThe first step is to understand the roles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and how they interact with each other as core principles. For instance, having a diverse team does not guarantee every employee will be treated fairly or feel respected or welcomed. But companies that navigate DEIB effectively are more likely to have employees with higher job satisfaction, increased trust levels, and feel more engaged. [3]While many organizations understand the value of DEIB, most still struggle with the belonging part of the equation since it can be harder to define, according to Dr. Syneathia LaGrant, VP of Global Learning & Development for ManpowerGroup. “Much more than a feeling, belonging represents the intentional ways a company ensures that it is actively seeking out and engaging diverse employee voices.”Dr. LaGrant notes that onboarding offers a critical opportunity to foster belonging. Instead of just a basic “tick the box” orientation style, companies should demonstrate from Day 1 how much they value an employee’s perspective. “Shift the language from, ‘Welcome to the company’ to ‘We’re so glad you choose us. We know you could have taken your talent anywhere.’”Set realistic, multi-year DEIB goalsWhile most organizations have good intentions when it comes to planning DEIB initiatives, some find it hard to move beyond the occasional social media post reacting to a recent tragedy instead of creating real, substantial change. One way to drive this forward with accountability is to set and measure goals.“Doing the right thing is important for companies, but leaders also need to look at the ROI that DE&I brings, says Ashish Kaushal, CEO of HireTalent and co-founder of Consciously Unbiased. “Manage your DEIB goals like you would for any business unit.”In 2020, global IT powerhouse Accenture did just that by publishing a series of ambitious goals to become a gender-balanced organization and diversify its workforce significantly by 2025. The company has pledged to increase its Black, Hispanic, and Latinx employee base in the U.S., UK, and South Africa by at least 60% over the next few years. To accomplish these goals, Accenture developed a robust set of best practices and focused on key actions including a focus on skills vs. education, prioritizing recruitment in urban areas, weighing internal goals against external benchmarks, and building their own pipeline. [4]Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture, notes that it’s important to look beyond the numbers. “Every organization must work to understand what representation truly means for its people. Without a vibrant culture that supports and sustains the desired change, there’s a very real risk of creating an atmosphere of divisive diversity.”Embrace the challenges of DEIBWithout leadership buy-in to diversity, organizations are doomed to struggle. The good news is that 75% of organizations are aware that more diverse and inclusive decision-making teams will help them exceed their financial goals. [5] Keeping pace with the extreme shifts in the economy and workforce requires establishing a solid leadership framework that helps executives assess and meet challenges head-on. This can be done by focusing on areas of impact, including creating a more inclusive culture and supporting employee career growth.Having a well-constructed foundation also helps companies address a top diversity challenge: attracting diverse candidates. [6] In many cases, this issue stems from aspects of the hiring process and application criteria that are not aligned with diverse candidates’ needs, according to Liz Wessel, CEO and co-founder of WayUp, a New York City-based jobs site and resource center for college students and recent graduates.[7]Companies need to review every aspect of their recruiting process from avoiding biased language in applications and job posts to scheduling fitting interview times, which can impede engagement with certain candidates.  DEIB training and specialized tools for managers can help reduce inherent biases. But it’s also crucial to establish inclusive policies and support structures to address all workplace interactions from childcare and health and wellness to persons with disabilities.Engage outside expertise in DEIB outcomesWhen starting any new initiative, it’s important to enlist outside experts who can help your organization overcome primary challenges and set metrics. Eighty-four percent of human resources leaders are open to receiving external help to build their DEIB culture.Because DEIB impacts every part of an organization, conducting research at the outset, including examining the current employee experience, is crucial. This kind of analysis can be time-consuming and may require a consultant who can view your current structure from an objective perspective. External experts can also help refine your current recruitment process and language as well as updating assessments that don’t filter out neurodiverse candidates. All of this will help companies build a stronger pipeline of diverse candidates.[8]To learn more about building a DEIB culture, read the Future of Work Report II: Who Will Do the Work?References1.Everest Group Future of Work Report – Who will do the work 20222.https://hbr.org/2021/06/what-does-it-take-to-build-a-culture-of-belonging3.https://www.15five.com/blog/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/4.https://hbr.org/2021/06/how-to-set-and-meet-your-companys-diversity-goals5. Leading with Impact Framework, ManpowerGroup 20216. Everest Group Future of Work Report – Who will do the work 20227.  https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/8-diversity-recruiting-mistakes-how-to-avoid-them.aspx8.https://www.helioshr.com/blog/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-hr-leaders-guide-to-dei

​Flexibility is today’s workplace watchword with 32% of global companies leveraging contingent workers to fill the labor shortage gap and save on costs. In fact, 73% of organizations expect to increase their hiring of contingent workers within the next 12 to 18 months.[1] This is especially good news for companies in markets with aging populations, as more Gen Zers and Millennials are choosing these types of flexible work arrangements.[2] Organizations that want to create a more agile and flexible workforce should focus on strengthening their DEIB programs to be more competitive. That’s especially important with younger talent who want to work for organizations with similar values to their own.[3] Here are four ways to create a diverse and inclusive flexible work environment.Analyze data to set benchmarks“What matters is measured, and what is prioritized and communicated gets done,” says Jonas Prising, Chairman and CEO of ManpowerGroup. That’s certainly true when it comes to workplace diversity. It is vital for organizations to review both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate their contingent workforce diversity metrics as well as to identify potential gaps and opportunities. Human resources and finance departments can share real-time numbers on diversity representation but talking to people face-to-face can unveil actual experiences—both good and bad—and identify processes that need to be improved.For example, through these conversations, companies may learn that human resources must update onboarding materials to ensure key contingent worker data is captured accurately. To do this properly, it’s important that organizations design all of their processes with belonging in mind from the beginning, according to Syneathia LaGrant, VP, Global Learning & Development at ManpowerGroup. For example, don’t limit people to a single checkbox when self-identifying information like their gender, race, and ethnicity. Qualitative input, such as career goals, interests, and experiences can also communicate to leaders why people apply for roles—and why others don’t—as well as why contingent workers’ tenures tend to be shorter than other positions.4Engage diverse recruiting and onboardingOne silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has provided a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the workplace. And the hiring process is a key place to start. Recruitment, retention, engagement, and performance are all closely linked – so improving diversity in any of these areas will naturally improve performance in all of them. Combining diversity with flexibility makes an organization even more competitive as it creates an attractive employer brand that appeals to today’s top talent.5Qualified contingent workers should be carefully considered during the hiring process as they offer unique, diverse talent pools. For example, many moms who are returning to the workforce after a hiatus to raise children or care for loved ones are choosing remote and contingent work because of the flexibility these options offer. Recruiting contingent workers can help improve gender, age, and racial diversity within a company. It also brings a high level of experience, maturity, and commitment to organizations.6Global firm Dow Chemical has discovered that retirees are another source of contingent talent, according to Mark Bachman, global director of Dow’s HR Center of Expertise. The company recently launched Dow Network, a social networking site on which all employees, including retirees, can post their profiles and communicate with each other. Retirees who are interested in short-term work are funneled through the company’s temporary employment vendor to find opportunities that best suit their skill sets and needs.7Organizations that work with diversity-focused staffing partners can build a more DEIB-friendly recruiting and onboarding process to reduce decision-making biases, provide training with increased awareness around potential language and cultural barriers, and support coaching that strengthens inclusive leadership.Ensure access to career developmentIt may seem counterintuitive to provide career development opportunities for workers who are not part of an organization’s full-time team, but in fact, it’s a smart move. Competition for contingent talent is intensifying, and organizations need to look at providing resources for these contract workers to stand out in the marketplace, according to Lori Chowanec, Managing Director of Client Engagement at Talent Solutions TAPFIN. This is especially true with a growing segment of contingent Gen Z workers who are using freelance opportunities to expand their experiences and strengthen their skillsets in a variety of areas.By 2030, workers under 35 will make up 75% of the global workforce and will drive the gig boom across generational lines.8 Understanding their motivations will be key and one of the top workplace desires of Gen Z workers, in addition to a fair work-life balance, Chowanec notes, is for companies to care about their well-being including career development. By providing coaching and technologies that enable people to confidently accomplish their jobs, organizations will positively stand out in contingent workers’ minds and even convert some to full-time employees over time.Give contingent workers a voiceTapping into the ideas and experiences of the contingent workforce doesn’t just enhance corporate culture, but it can also positively impact business performance. Contractors value two-way communication just like their full-time counterparts, so it is important to provide them with a sense of ownership by engaging them in feedback and decision-making within the organization.9  Organizations can accomplish this by leveraging managed service providers, which, in addition to recruiting and hiring contingent team members, also help companies train and communicate with them during their time at the firm.There are several major benefits of a flexible and diverse workforce. With a strong commitment to recruit, engage, and train contingent workers, organizations can reap long-term rewards of increased performance and profitability. To learn more about how to create an agile contingent workforce, read the Future of Work Report II: Who Will Do the Work?​References​​1. Everest Group Future of Work Series #2, 2022​​2.https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2018/contingent-workers/home.htm​​3. ManpowerGroup What Makes Workers Thrive Survey, December 2021​​4.https://spendmatters.com/2021/07/14/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-how-can-companies-make-dei-work-for-traditional-and-contingent-workers/​​5.https://www.innovativeemployeesolutions.com/blog/why-your-diversity-and-inclusion-efforts-need-to-include-contingent-workers/​​6.https://www.womenbacktowork.org/blog/2019/8/12/contingent-workforce-amp-diversity-5-strategies-to-create-a-culture-of-inclusion​​7.https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/3tyler-planning%20for%20contingent%20workers.aspx​​8. Deloitte​​9.https://eightfold.ai/blog/manage-contingent-workers/​​

​The pandemic gave us a small glimpse into what happens when we stop commuting to work. Can this translate to a long-term solution?​​More than two years into the pandemic we can start to debrief on the lessons learned from COVID and its impact on the world of work. And one area that is ripe for disruption is our commute.During the peak of COVID, lockdowns provided an incredible opportunity to see what would happen to the environment if our daily commute was reduced or even eliminated. Driven in large part by lockdowns and more remote work, the drop in emissions marked the largest decline on record as less people drove to, from, and for work. Global greenhouse gas emissions plunged by roughly 2.4 billion tons in 2020, a 7% drop from 2019.However, the retreat was short-lived. By the end of 2021 emissions not only rebounded, but they surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose by 6% in 2021 to 36.3 billion tons, their highest ever level, as the world economy rebounded from the pandemic and pivoted towards new ways of working. All of this begs the question, could COVID help usher in an era of working greener and more sustainable?What We LearnedOur pandemic experience taught us that many, though admittedly not all, jobs can be performed successfully utilizing more flexible schedules and working locales. Whether it’s fully, a hybrid model with time spent in office and working remote, a 4-day workweek, or any number of other situationships, we learned that not only can flexible work work, employees are craving the ability to move away from traditional working models.  In ManpowerGroup’s recent report, The Great Realization:  A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape, we explored the Reinvention of Work by Workers – Flexibility, Location, and Purpose.The top three most important work flexibility factors cited were:  Ability to choose start and end times (45%)  More vacation days (36%) Having fully flexible workplace options (35%) Reboot the CommuteIt’s that flexibility that can play an important role in companies empowering their employees to not only work the way they want to but help play what could be a vital role in cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year and the transportation sector accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions.  ​There are methods all of us can use to take small, but consequential steps towards being part of the solution. From biking to walking to public transit to carpooling and beyond, there are options available to reboot your commute on those days you commute to work.  Already, our people are taking steps to make an impact. For example:  In France, we found it was a struggle to fill vacancies in temporary roles due in large part to candidate transportation challenges (lack of car ownership, limited access to public transit in rural areas, etc.). To create a solution for our employers and candidates,ManpowerGroup partnered withBlaBlaCar, the world’s leading long-distance carpooling platform. This allowed us to provide ridesharing/carpooling services to ManpowerGroup associates, temp workers, and candidates resulting in a greater ability to connect clients with the labor force they needed while also reducing our carbon footprint.With 160 locations, ManpowerGroup Germany wanted to be a pioneer in climate action and saw commuting solutions as an area for opportunity.In order to achieve ManpowerGroup’s climate goals,Germany partnered with mobility manager Belmototo create strategy and provide a range of commuting and transit options - from leasing and car subscriptions to bikes and electromobility. And the two partners are already discussing ways to expand this relationship to provide more solutions.To accelerate ManpowerGroup’s sustainability journey and our efforts toward reaching Net Zero by 2045 (or sooner), this month we launched a pilot with our own employees, and associates, to understand their commuting habits and how we can encourage more sustainable ones. France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the UK are participating in the pilot where we will capture data from our people to better understand their current commuting routine, but also their view of commuting, and how we as a company can better support our people and our environment at the same time.  We believe what matters is measured, and what is prioritized and communicated gets done. To deliver on our validated science-based emission reduction targets and reach ourNet Zero goal, we have five priorities:  ​🔌Electrify our fleet💡Boost use of renewable energy✈️Reduce business travel🤝 Engage suppliers to reduce impact🚲 Decarbonize commutingWe have an opportunity to treat every day as Earth Day and by doing so, we can reduce our own carbon footprint and leave the planet in better shape for future generations.  ​Learn more about how ManpowerGroup is delivering on these Climate Action priorities:www.manpowergroup.com/sustainability.​

​The pandemic exposed weaknesses that many companies may not have even known they had. The global talent shortage, the need to scale up tech operations quickly to accommodate remote work and other digital operations, and managing the rising demands from people looking for more from their professional lives, have shaken many businesses to their core. Forcing most to reflect, regroup and reset as they seek a new and more sustainable path for the future.  As we continue to navigate thenew reality, organizations are taking a much harder look at places where they were left exposed and identifying opportunities to reduce or mitigate risk or otherwise use this time as a way to reboot their operations for a leaner, more efficient future.  In ManpowerGroup’s latest report, The Great Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency– we take a closer look at the top trends companies need to know as they hit the reset button.  Trend #1: From Net Zero to Net Positive  Transparency around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), the rise of stakeholder capitalism and the convergence of standards and reporting is creating greater urgency for companies to take the lead. 2 in 3 organizations report ESG as a crucial focus for their organization, while 60% of companies are tying ESG goals to their purpose. Focus on climate action has entered the mainstream with many businesses making commitments towards a Net Zero future, though the next frontier will be S – a company's social impact. Success will come when the S is about People & Prosperity – becoming creators of talent at scale, championing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and improving employability and prosperity for all. For more information about ManpowerGroup’s ESG efforts, download the Working to Change the World report.Trend #2: Optimizing Workforce Via Strategic Talent Management  New, nimble operating models and people practices will emerge to respond to transformations in the market – from digital technologies to changing consumer preferences. The ability to turn data into meaningful insights will be critical to manage human capital risks, including the responsible integration of gig, freelance and contract workers. 68% of companies cite “consolidation of staffing suppliers” as a workforce management strategy currently in place in their organization. Vendor consolidation and resiliency will be at a premium to mitigate uncertainty and manage workforce risk.Trend #3: Businesses Emerge as Most Trusted  The fracturing of trust towards the government and the media has put employers in the driver’s seat to become the most trusted source of information. Embracing a values driven agenda becomes a net positive for attracting and retaining talent. In fact, 7 in 10 workers say having leaders that they can trust and follow is important to them, and 2 out 3 people want to work for organizations whose values are the same as theirs. Employees are increasingly demanding “empathetic” action with expectations from all sides of the political spectrum that CEOs will lead the way. The role of business will continue to broaden into areas from advocating for racial equity to championing vaccination and voting rights. Trend #4: New Definition of Risk and Resiliency  As the pandemic continued to impact our lives, we heard more and more about the fragility of the global supply chain. Even before COVID hit, the strength of the supply chain was being questioned due to factors such as climate change, evolving consumer demand, and the global talent shortage. Over half of organizations are currently assessing their extended supply chains (e.g. third parties, sub-contractors) in order to reduce risks, nearly 40% plan to do so in the next two years. In order to reprioritize risk, organizations are rethinking their logistics strategy. Mono suppliers and vertical supply chains are out, and circular, networked, regional, resilient, and sustainable are in. Supply chain resilience and vendor consolidation will be at a premium to mitigate uncertainty and manage risk. Now is the time to embrace a shared vision of tomorrow. The sudden transformation of how business is done is going to have a lasting effect. As we’ve learned, some of these changes are closer to what workers wanted all along; flexibility, work-life balance and more. The trends known were coming are here and their adoption is accelerating as a result of the pandemic. Companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated as they are forced to adapt and hit the reset button while driving innovation that will sustain operations for years to come.  For more information about the key trends in the 2022 labor landscape, download ManpowerGroup's report, The Great Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency.

​The massive workplace shift that has occurred over the past couple of years has many people seeking new opportunities that will empower them to grow in their careers while at the same time offering flexibility they may have not previously experienced. Successful companies understand that providing career advancement pathways for employees is crucial to recruiting and retaining talent.However, while most firms understand the value of the development of their internal staff and promoting from within, many are deluding themselves about their capabilities. Over 88% believe they have strong career management programs in place, but in truth, most employees have never experienced them. In fact, only two in five workers say they have career conversations with their managers annually, and one in five workers never engage in these types of one-on-one conversations. [1]While individual performance does play a major role in career growth, managers should play a key role in advocating for employees. Team leaders are responsible for offering support and providing constructive feedback to help employees realize their full potential. Here are three ways to equip leaders at all levels within your organization with the means they need to take charge of their careers.Clearly understand workers’ goals and strengthsA key step in ensuring a productive, happy workforce is having a solid understanding of every team member’s career ambitions, needs, strengths, and pain points. Engaging in frequent, open, one-on-one discussions with team members is an essential way to assess where they want to be and where they may be struggling. It’s also important to have faith in workers’ capabilities and create an environment that welcomes ideas, demonstrates respect, and encourages collaboration.Global technology company Hewlett Packard (HP) strongly believes that its world-renowned, innovative products are a direct result of its talented and diverse workforce. HP’s leaders and managers are advocates of empowering their staff to grow and develop at exceptional rates and fostering them to grasp opportunities that will create a better future for individual workers as well as the brand. [2] Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HP, started his career at a call center in Amsterdam and eventually advanced to the highest role in the organization – all within the course of 25 years.“I challenge you to look at the complete person when you’re considering a new hire. Even if that person doesn’t check all the boxes, dig deeper,” Neri advises. “You may find a spark – in their personality, skill set or experience – but most importantly passion and attitude that could ignite a successful career.” [3]Create a culture of career developmentWhile many companies conduct annual performance evaluations, it’s time for leaders to move beyond these and provide more ongoing career development opportunities for employees. Whether working with human resources or an external expert like Right Management, organizations can leverage specialized tools to support the effort from customized education modules to technology portals and one-on-one coaching.Global software giant Adobe offers a variety of educational resources on the company's practices for all new recent college graduates or individuals entering the workforce. The program is called Accelerate Adobe Life. Adobe employees receive regular check-ins, performance reviews, and training programs before starting their new positions. Additionally, employees are offered benefits such as educational reimbursement and leadership development courses. These benefits empower entry-level employees to achieve continual growth and advancement in the company from the beginning. Donna Morris, Executive Vice President of Customer and Employee Experience at Adobe, believes it is extremely important for those in the early stages of their career to understand there is a path for growth and career progression for everyone. [4]Leverage resources and technology to enable career mobilityWhen people feel they are ready to search for a new role, they may not realize that moving to an entirely new company isn’t the only option. In fact, over 40% of people are unaware of available job opportunities within their own organizations, yet 51% of workers know of current openings at other organizations. [5] This is a result of companies not being fully transparent about available positions or leaders not informing qualified team members.To retain talent pools and counteract turnover, companies need to be more candid about how team members can make departmental shifts. They can do this by including job postings in internal company newsletters or communication portals. Managers should also be encouraged by senior leaders to spread the word about openings and be alert to current team members who could fit into new internal roles."Many people leave their employer because they’re not sure they can advance their career, even though they’d like to stay,” says Dan Shapero, Vice President of Talent Solutions at LinkedIn. “That’s a problem that’s solvable with the right technology and cultural mindset.” [6]Tools that use AI to support career searches for individuals can be helpful, especially for large organizations where opportunities can sometimes be hard to identify.  HR software like RightMap™allow organizations to map out the competencies needed by the organization for current open, and future roles. Benchmark your workforce against these competencies and align employees with the roles that best match their skill sets. [7]It’s estimated that companies can retain about 38% of their employees who would have otherwise departed by promoting them for a new role that fits their needs and meets the firm’s qualifications. [8] Nevertheless, some firms say that they don’t have all the information they need to understand the vital skills within their current talent pool. [9]“There is a real need for greater transparency about what opportunities are available and what skills are untapped internally across organizations,” explains Amy Smyth, Head of the European Centre of Excellence for Career Management at Right Management. [10]Organizations that take the time to understand employee goals, help them take control of their own career growth, and make them aware of internal opportunities are setting themselves up for long-term success.To learn more about how to encourage workers to assertively navigate their career paths while providing them with the right resources, visit Right Management.​References:[1] Uncharted Territory Report, ManpowerGroup 2021[2]https://www.themuse.com/advice/companies-committed-to-career-growth[3]https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/blog-post/2021/05/lessons-learned-from-25-years-at-hpe-from-call-center-to-ceo.html[4]https://ripplematch.com/journal/article/companies-that-offer-exceptional-professional-development-programs-for-entry-level-employees-f53abebf/[5] Uncharted Territory Report, ManpowerGroup 2021[6]https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/resources/article/5-reasons-hr-should-look-inside-company-when-hiring/[7]https://workforce-resources.manpowergroup.com/development/wondering-how-to-attract-the-best-talent-focus-on-the-talent-you-already-have[8]https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/resources/article/5-reasons-hr-should-look-inside-company-when-hiring/[9] Uncharted Territory Report, ManpowerGroup 2021[10] Uncharted Territory Report, ManpowerGroup 2021

​What started out of necessity during the pandemic, with people around the world demanding better working conditions, more health and safetyprotections, increased compensation (especially for essential work under incredibly stressful times), and greater work-life balance, has rapidly become the new normal. Employees in every industry, in every corner of the world are taking their professional lives into their hands in ways that few could’ve imagined just a few short years ago. ManpowerGroup’s latest report, The Great Realization:  A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape finds this year is shaping up to be one of the most transformative years in recent history with workers in line to benefit greatly. Five key trends are driving the employee experience, and employers better take notice.  Trend #1: The Reinvention of Work by Workers – Flexibility, Location, and PurposeWhen people thrive at work, everyone benefits. In ManpowerGroup’s recent What Makes Workers Thrive survey of workers around the world, we found competitive pay and workplace flexibility ranking near the top of people’s wish list. The top three most important work flexibility factors were: Ability to choose start and end times (45%) More vacation days (36%)Having fully flexible workplace options (35%)People in all roles – from the production line to the corporate office – will demand greater flexibility, fair wages, and more autonomy as a norm, redefining “essential” for work and for workers. Thus putting individual choice in reach for the many, not just the few. A heightened focus on a values-driven agenda, empathetic leaders and a culture of trust will become a net positive for attracting and retaining talent and engaging remote teams. People will choose to leave jobs as nearly half (49%) of all workers would move to an organization for better well-being. Trend #2: Mental Fitness Prioritized – Prevention Will Be Better Than the CureWe all are sick of hearing about the pandemic.  But the reality is COVID-19 has fundamentallyexposed the growing mental health crisis affecting all workers across the labor force. Employee burnout is a growing bottom-line issue, 43% say their employer is not doing well on taking the issue of employee burnout seriously and actively taking steps to prevent it. Our research found 3 in 10 workers want employers to offer more mental health days to combat and prevent burnout. Mental fitness will be increasingly prioritized, expanding traditional health and safety exponentially. A mass movement to break the stigma of silence will require employers to be explicit about their increased duty of care-protecting mental health as well as wealth, employability and well-being. Expect growing calls to action on burnout prevention as people expect organizations to look at benefits and policies, culture and leadership that helps build resilience and boost mental fitness.  Trend #3: The Decoupling of Work and Home ContinuesLike flexibility, hybrid and untethered work models are becoming increasingly in-demand by people intent on retaining the pandemic’s silver lining and reshaping their own new world of work: balancing home and work, valuing flexibility, interaction, collaboration and human connection in a way that works for them. Even people who want to work remotely, 4 in 10 want flexibility to choose the working situation that suits them best. That goes beyond giving someone the opportunity to have a hybrid schedule but affording them the freedom to build hybrid schedules that fluctuate based on professional and personal needs.  Hybrid and/or flex work will depend greatly on role and function as well as on the sector. For example, between 51% (finance) and 29% (manufacturing) will work a hybrid mix of remote and onsite.This hybrid paradox will continue while we practice and perfect flexibility that works for all.  Trend #4: Culture Matters – The Attraction and Retention Tool That Eats Strategy for Breakfast“What is your company’s culture like?” is a common question candidates ask during the recruitment process. Culture is a key factor not just for new hires, but also for long-term, contingent, freelance, and gig employees as well. As companies work to attract more of these workers (many of them remote), culture will be a key factor for both recruitment and retention. Our research reveals that 3 in 4 workers want to feel motivated and passionate about their work, and 7 in 10 believe the work they do is important and want their contributions to be recognized by management. This increased focus on reshaping company culture to build trust, retain remote teams and energize the employee experience will call for an Employee Value Proposition(EVP) that brings a sense of purpose and well-being plus empathetic leadership for a digital world. In this era of talent scarcity, the best employers will realize firsthand that without investing in and evolving company culture, they will struggle to execute their strategy and need to prepare to lose talent to companies that will. Trend #5: The Rise of Voice and ActivismPiggybacking with culture is the need for companies, if they haven’t already, to take a stance on important social issues. 2021 saw workers stand up, speak up and walk out across industries. Louder demands for raising wages, flexible working, broader benefits and climate action are being galvanized via social media, with or without trade unions. Employees and customers want to spend their time and money with organizations that act as stakeholders: global citizens, pillars of the community and environmental stewards. The data reveals the rising significance of this trend as 64% of employees want their daily work to help better society and 2 in 3 workers want to work for organizations with similar values to their own. Theafore mentioned trends are not the end all be all for the coming future in the labor market. Employees want employers to offer more programs and initiatives focused on prioritizing well-being while also providing flexibility, competitive pay, engagement, good working conditions and opportunities for skills development and career advancement. Shared values matter too, especially on socio-economic issues. But if employers do not understand these trends or ignore what workers want, they run the risk of falling far behind.  For more information about what workers want and other key trends, download The Great Realization: A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape.

​In the tech world, all eyes are on Apple each year as it announces its newest launches and updates to its current line of MacBooks, iPhone and watch. The company has become the epitome of disruptive innovation and how ubiquitous technology has transformed our lives.Yet, there’s something timeless about each Apple launch: A single person standing on stage, telling a story. Today, Apple CEO Tim Cook builds off the legacy of Steve Jobs, who became legendary for his personality and stage presence.The Cook and Jobs presentation skills demonstrate that no matter how digitized we become as a society, there’s always a place for human communication skills – even at the world’s most technologically advanced companies.In fact, the 10 most in demand professional skills in the world reflect the need for human soft skills, including sales representatives and professionals such as project managers and researchers, according to ManpowerGroup’s latest report on the talent shortage.In our increasingly digital world, here are skills that still matter for professionals.Managing Expectations“The future is a concept — it doesn’t exist,” said author and philosopher Alan Watts. For businesses, this ambiguity about the future is more than a thought exercise. It requires understanding how to navigate change when you’re not sure where the changes will come from. Leaders with communication skills will be able to guide others when there is no roadmap. That means making decisions on the fly, the ability to adapt to evolving circumstances, and then sharing your reasoning to others to get them to follow.Delivering InspirationThe artist Michelangelo once said: “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” It’s a human – and timeless – quality to seek inspiration and motivation, and look for it in others. You can call it stage presence, charisma or just je ne sais quoi. No matter what “it” is, there is a palpable energy that can come from someone who is an engaging communicator. We share our social orientation in brain circuitry with all other mammals, so this is a deep-seeded biological need that can’t be replaced by technology. Human communication needs the motivation of the human touch, and that will never go away.Suggesting ImprovementImagine your next job performance review is with a robot. You’d get a PDF with all of your deficiencies, delivered to you with cold efficiency, with highlighted sections to work on. Doesn’t sound fun, does it? As much as we dread performance review, human communication helps us become resilient and improve. Others can see our blind spots that we don’t see, and also equip us with coping strategies and teachable skills.Overall, it’s true that digital trends continue to expand and play a larger and larger role in the world of work. But if you’re feeling uneasy or out of place because of technology, the answer may be in thinking more traditionally – and reclaiming your humanity.​​

​Remote work, online ordering, and curbside pickup are just some of the lasting impacts of the pandemic as every company has now become a digital business. More than 80% of employers have accelerated digitization in response to COVID-19, and consumers and employees alike now expect tech to make the way they live and work easier.The right blend of tech and talent is now front and center. Acute skills shortages continue – in logistics, IT, cyber security, software development, data analysis and more – creating new urgency for organizations to upskill their people so they can translate data into insights, make data-driven decisions and combine the best of human and machine learning.The latest ManpowerGroup trend report, The Great Realization: A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape, breaks down the key trends that will unfold over the coming months and years and that story wouldn’t be complete without a closer look at the impact of tech acceleration.Trend #1: Human vs. Robot – Hyperconnecting Human Strengths  As every aspect of life becomes more tech enabled, we must strengthen the connection people have with work and colleagues for improved productivity and creativity. Machine learning and workforce data will enable prediction of potential performance, matching of individuals to ideal opportunities and will help people know themselves better than they ever did. 1 in 3 organizations plan to invest more in AI technology including machine learning over the next year, which will enable people to specialize in human strengths – in empathy and honesty, judgement and creativity, coaching, compassion and more.Trend #2: Closing the Chasm – From Digitization to Adoption at Speed Advanced technologies are increasingly impacting how companies transform business models, enhance customer and employee experiences and become moredata-driven. To meet the growing need, 1 in 3 organizations plan to build out internal capabilities in e-commerce and digital trade platforms, big data analytics, cloud computing, cyber security and IoT. But investing in and even deploying technology and innovation is the easy part. Digital-led transformation alone is no differentiator. Human capabilities and having the right culture enterprise-wide to execute are key to tech adoption, speedy ROI and continuous transformation. Trend #3: New Dawn of Sustainable Tech Organizations are responding to calls from a variety of stakeholders-investors, customers, employees, board members, governments, industry regulators and NGOs to act as good global citizens andusing technology to reduce emissions, transform supply chains and nudge consumer behavior. As tech giants compete to be the first to open up the metaverse the blending of the digital and physical worlds will emerge as one of the most important new trends, creating new opportunities to reimagine hybrid meeting and working with less environmental impact. Trend #4: Using AI to Increase Diversity and Reduce Inequities  An increase in understanding of neurodiversity means artificial intelligence must have in-built benevolence filter in diverse talent, not filter out the atypical. Organizations will recognize the value of machine learning match and predictive performance so we can help people know themselves better than they know themselves, charting a pathway of employability, equity and increasing prosperity.Despite increased investment in AI technologies across industries, 1 in 5 organizations cannot find enough AI and machine learning specialists for roles that require these skills. The full potential of AI cannot be realized until the right amount of skilled labor comes into the workforce, thus making it imperative for organizations to continue to invest in upskilling and reskilling in this high growth job and talent demand area. Trend #5: Win-Win = When Wage Gains Are Paid For by Productivity Organizations seek to balance higher wages with productivity growth. And policy makers prefer this dynamic because there are no current or latent inflationary pressures as the potential of the economy expands. Technology will unlock producing more with existing inputs or producing the same with fewer inputs.Trend #6: Smart People Analytics Will Enable Data-First Decisions  Providing a seamless and scalable digital experience for employees will require changes in technology infrastructure, management practices and employee and customer engagement models. Workforce and talent data/analytics will be front and center in leveraging data and analytics to identify match for a role and predict potential performance.76% of organizations with more than 100 employees rely on assessment tools such as aptitude and personality tests for external hiring. Employers will have even more data to manage and draw insight from as increased employee led data sharing and aggregation. The pandemic has changed the game. But the biggest mistake that business can make is thinkingtheir “return to normal” will be a return to the way things were. Those ways are over. Digitization means companies can now work faster, and in new, exciting ways that not only help them better compete in the marketplace but also provide their customers with the digital experience they’ve come to expect.  Walt Disney once said, “We keep moving forward—opening up new doors and doing new things—because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. We're always exploring and experimenting.” Be forward thinking and you’ll be able to create a better workplace environment for your people and while improving customer experiences, thus ensuring better outcomes for your business.For more information about tech acceleration and other key trends, download ManpowerGroup’sTheGreat Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency- A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape.

​To #BreakTheBias ManpowerGroup is calling for more companies to respond to What Women Want at Work – new data shows autonomy, career progression and feeling motivated/passionate about the work they do matters most. ​​​

​New research from ManpowerGroup reveals that while 86% of companies are measuring gender parity, most are looking purely at pay equity (often driven by regulation), with far fewer measuring the number of women in traditionally male-dominated roles and the number of women in senior leadership positions.​

​The global talent shortage that began before COVID-19 entered our lexicon has only accelerated thanks to the pandemic. Companies that can successfully manage the labor market have a competitive advantage over other organizations that are falling short in the battle for talent.  With 69% of employers around the world reporting they cannot find the workers with the skills they need, the recent ManpowerGroup report, The Great Realization: A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape, finds whoever holds the talent holds the future.  The talent shortage challenge is a complex issue with no easy answers. Several factors are at play, including: Shifting demographics (including shrinking birth rates)  Reduced mobility across borders The rise in early retirees  Lower workforce participation due to “The Great Resignation” Women leaving the workforce Though these are far from the only factors, they are contributing significantly to a growing threat to businesses in every sector - talent is scarce and everyone is looking for the needle in the haystack.  But behind every challenge lies opportunity. Now is the time for organizations to get even more creative in attracting, recruiting, upskilling, reskilling and retaining valued workers. Already, we find companies stepping up to meet the challenges head on. The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey for Q4 of 2021 found, over 30% of businesses plan to increase wages to attract and retain talent and 1 in 5 employers plan to offer more benefits such as additional vacation time. It's a start, but more will need to be done.  As we continue exploring the top 20 trends shaping the world of work in 2022 and beyond, we take a closer look at 5 trends for how to navigate talent scarcity.  Trend #1: Skills Scarcity Is Driving Employer Creativity  With more than half of all workers (58%) needing new skills to get their jobs done, the skills revolution is in full force. Reskilling and upskilling will become non-negotiable for individuals and organizations as roles continue to require more skills than before, with both tech AND human capabilities most in demand. As the need for soft skills, including adaptability, communication, teamwork, and more take on increased importance, employers will need to ensure their people are constantly being provided opportunities to improve their skillsets. Invest in people and they’ll pay dividends for business  Trend #2: The End of the Generational Era – No More Boomers, Millennials, or Gen Z?  By 2030, people under the age of 35 will make up 75% of the workforce. The generational divide that has segmented the workforce will continue to dissipate until dissolving completely in less than a decade. On our way to that point, people of all ages will demand even more personalization while resenting being boxed, labelled, and pitched against one another. Younger workers are set to swell the workforce and as inflation rises and savings dwindle, the pandemic-exiteers will likely return to drive the gig work boom across generational lines. To bridge the talent gap, will organizations need to hire? integrate? workers from every generation to comprise their workforce mix. Plan accordingly.  Trend #3: From She-cession to She-covery  People from all walks of life have been hit hard by the pandemic. But it’s been especially damaging to women. According to Deloitte’s Women @ Work: A Global Outlook 2021 report, 51% of women are less optimistic about their career prospects than before the pandemic, with 57% saying they plan to leave their current job within two years. Progress that was made in closing the gender gap has hit the brakes with women leaving the workforce at alarming rates. Mass exoduses from sectors typically dominated by women - education, healthcare, and hospitality – coincide with rapid growth in tech, logistics, and sales where women are under-represented.  As women are increasingly getting more college degrees, producing more valedictorians and getting higher GPAs than men in STEM, it will be the employers who provide choice, flexibility and performance-over-presenteeism that will attract and keep the best and brightest, all while driving the skills and growth agenda.  Trend #4: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging – Progress, Not Pledges  Actions speak louder than words and people are no longer content with lip service and empty promises in the realm of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Though more than 30% of companies already deploy D&I training programs, continued polarization along lines of politics, race, identity and age means organizations will increasingly be asked to take positions on social issues. All stakeholders – investors, regulators, customers and employees – will expect even more transparency around progress, not just pledges, and will be held accountable. Organizations will need to visibly action diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging so everyone is able to benefit from economic recovery, tech advancements and climate justice.Trend #5: Sense and Sensibility – The Future of Work Must Work for FamiliesRethinking the future of work needs to be as much about family and care as it is about tech, robotics and machine learning. In ManpowerGroup’s What Makes Workers Thrive survey conducted in December 2021, nearly 1 in 4 workers are looking for employers who provide benefits such as parental and caregiving leave. Employers who provide caregivers (across all genders) with choice – flexibility and performance over presenteeism – will attract and keep the best and brightest. To win the war for talent, employers will need to reexamine and rethink how they accommodate the priorities of their workforce. The global talent shortage is reshaping the game for workers and employers alike. As we continue to move towards a new normal, understanding the issues shaping What Workers Want and meeting those needs is the key to solving today’s talent shortage problem. Companies that are able to go beyond what they’ve previously done for their employees will be able to weather the storm and successfully recruit the best people for their organizations.  For more information about Talent Scarcity and other key trends for 2022, download The Great Realization: Accelerating Trends, Renewed Urgency - A Look at the 2022 Labor Landscape. 

​The new hybrid work environment has its pros and cons for women and people of color. Organizations that want to create and maintain successful hybrid teams, need to establish and enforce DEI policies. As companies continue to evaluate hybrid work scenarios to determine the most effective long-term solution, it’s clear that one area to examine more deeply is how this new environment will be impacted by gender and ethnicity. While employees agree that there are many benefits to remote work, there are also potential disparities to consider and only 13% of company leaders are thinking about them. [1]Organizations that want to create a thriving hybrid work environment should address biases and implement policies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion early in the process to ensure equal development and advancement opportunities. And while companies may implement diversity plans to create a more vital workplace – feelings of inclusion and belonging are key indicators of how these plans impact individual employees. Here are a few ways to make sure all employees – regardless of their gender or ethnic background – feel a sense of belonging in the workplace and have a fair shot at career success. Mind the Gender Gap Over the past couple of years, it’s become clear that work is something you do, not a place you go. Working women around the globe have experienced benefits from this new mindset with the majority saying they would prefer to work remotely post-pandemic. The increased flexibility has helped balance the multiple roles that many women manage daily including work, childcare and domestic responsibilities. [2]On the flip side, remote work also brings the new pressures of “being constantly interrupted by their demanding and impatient ‘mini bosses’ aka children,” said Marris Haddad, VP of customer success at 321 Ignition, a website platform for car dealerships. Haddad's days are spent juggling meeting preparation and virtual networking with homework support, resolving sibling fights, laundry and other jobs. [3]For remote workers who balance multiple roles, leaders can help prevent misunderstandings by creating clear policies that outline individual performance and team communication expectations. For example, when a new hire from a different country – and therefore, in a different time zone – is unable to respond to emails immediately on a Monday morning, some managers may inaccurately label the late response as procrastination. To counter this, leaders must provide training on how to support and collaborate with remote workers. These methods can be as simple as not requiring video on conference calls or improving flexibility with various schedules. Beware of Proximity Bias  The old saying “out of sight, out of mind” becomes a real concern for employees when some are in the office and others are remote. Companies must be vigilant to avoid “proximity bias,” which occurs when employees within close physical proximity to their team are perceived as harder working and more committed than their remote counterparts. This often results in more attention and success for onsite workers.  According to Ali Shalfrooshan, a UK-based occupational psychologist at PSI Services, these biases are a natural instinct, but they don’t always result in accurate judgments and can lead to overlooking qualified individuals who are working remote. One example of this phenomenon occurred when remote workers at a Chinese travel agency showed higher performance levels but did not receive the same performance-based promotions as the company’s In-house staff. [4]At first glance, remote work seems like it would create a level playing field for all genders on which people are judged more for what they produce and what they do and less for managing impressions and appearances, according to Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic ManpowerGroup’s Chief Innovation Officer. But that’s not always the case, he adds. Data shows that when companies move to a hybrid model, men are typically the first to return to the office and sometimes it’s because they see an opportunity to exploit politics. This causes problems because women are then going to be disadvantaged by not being “in the right place at the right time.” [5]Because of this, women may pay the price of being overlooked for prime work assignments and promotions. That’s why it’s important for companies to make a conscious effort to establish policies that treat all employees the same – regardless of gender – and avoid penalties for any remote workers by capping the number hours that all employees are able to work in office. [6]Make Room for Advancement Whether team members work remotely or on-site, they should receive mentoring and coaching to support their growth and performance. The good news is that 89% of workers want more remote learning skills development and career coaching. Leaders who want to create a successful inclusive environment will ensure that these training opportunities are equally accessible to all workers.  This kind of inclusivity may seem elusive to women who have taken on most of the responsibility for childcare and other domestic duties over the past year. [7] During the pandemic, only 9% of women working remotely with children at home received a promotion compared to 34% of men. Black and Asian-American workers are also at a disadvantage, as only 9% have taken on additional leadership roles compared to 15% of white workers. [8]  For these reasons, organizations need to provide career coaching that pairs team members with the right mentor – someone with whom an individual can relate and learn from so they can build the necessary skills that will lead to promotions.To create a brighter, more inclusive future of work, organizations need to clearly communicate that the team’s success is based on the quality of output, not on how many hours are spent in the office or online. Managers should be in regular contact with all employees to discuss how they are achieving their goals and schedule formal performance evaluations in which everyone is held to the same standards. To learn more about how ManpowerGroup is working with companies to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive teams, visit the Future of Work research.References[1]https://www.propmodo.com/hybrid-work-is-making-gender-inequality-worse/[2]https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/when-gender-inequality-in-the-workplace-goes-remote-4-challenges-women-face-in-the-wfh-2-0-era/[3]https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210804-hybrid-work-how-proximity-bias-can-lead-to-favouritism[4]https://workforce-resources.manpowergroup.com/the-transform-talent-podcast/a-conversation-about-working-in-the-new-normal-with-tomas-chamorro-premuzic-season-1-episode-1[5] Future of Work, Everest Group 2021[6]https://grow.acorns.com/how-the-hybrid-work-model-could-affect-women/[7]https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/inequitable-effects-of-pandemic-on-careers/[8]https://workforce-resources.manpowergroup.com/blog/getting-noticed-for-a-career-promotion

​As organizations are being tested at all levels, leaders are needed now more than ever to navigate uncertainty.With the spread of COVID-19, organizations are tasked with navigating uncertainty in their business, while shepherding a workforce that has anxieties and questions. The good news is that powerful leadership now can exert a positive force like never before. Here are ways that leadership skills can bolster an organization for today’s new normal. Lead from the frontAn organization’s workforce health, safety and wellbeing must be protected. In times like these, employees will look to leaders for clear guidance and practical steps to navigate this pandemic. Frequent, clear communication is key. Providing ongoing reassurance and sharing medical advice and guidelines from reputable sources is very important to keep teams safe and ensure business continuity. In addition to following the instructions you receive from governments and medical bodies, have your own remote working, tech, travel, meeting and operational policies adapted to this changing environment.  A comprehensive list of best practices to maximize safety can be found here.Be available –– virtually Leadership needs to remain visible and approachable, and that includes heightening virtual availability if necessary. Many online meeting tools like Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business make it easy for an employee to schedule a brief virtually drop in to ask work questions –– or just to chat. Virtual pop-ins and meetings are important for setting the tone for leadership, especially if the workforce is remote.  Take control through innovation Even if organizations don’t know exactly what the next week will bring, they can start thinking about changing for the months and years to come. Grit and persistence are some of the traits of an innovative culture, and they are needed to face some of our biggest problems. When we are in uncharted territory, leaders should surround themselves with experts and take time to stay informed of the latest trends, challenges and opportunities facing their organization and how to communicate those needs quickly throughout the workforce. In these times of uncertainty and turmoil, businesses need to be guided with a steady and reassuring hand, and yet pivot and be agile when the situation demands it. 

​With employee attrition at an all-time high, employers are struggling to find out what workers want.  The answer, for many, is greater meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their careers. It’s a widespread phenomenon we’re calling the Great Reawakening.One way that companies can meet this challenge head-on is by providing a line of sight to a career that allows employees to learn, grow, and have a positive impact. Call it upskilling, training or career pathing, companies that meet these needs will not only drive productivity and retention of their current talent, but help to attract the best talent in the market.   Stop Just Throwing Money at Today’s WorkerMany hiring managers make the mistake of thinking that it’s all about money. Americans now have trillions more in savings than they did before the pandemic, so they may be less concerned with salary.  And throwing money at an enhanced talent search is bound to be equally fruitless—the candidate that matches your pre-pandemic job description may not exist in a post-pandemic world.   Instead, consider what makes today’s worker feel energized and engaged. In a Gallup report, 87% of millennials said that opportunities for growth and development were very important considerations for job satisfaction. 67% of other age groups felt the same.  If current and potential employees see a clear career path to learn, grow, and be connected to impactful and meaningful work, they will feel motivated and far more likely to stay. This necessitates alignment between individuals’ career goals and an employer’s approach to creating career growth opportunities.    5 things you can do to boost employee career growth Here are some ideas to help you build a career development strategy that will attract and retain talent. These ideas go hand-in-hand with enhanced onboarding and improved recruiting.Broaden your definition of career growth:Ensure that your organization has a broad definition of career growth beyond just promotions. Think of ways workers can grow in role, grow in function, redeploy across functions, even grow outside. Today, careers are much more of a lattice than a ladder. And it is important to even consider development outside of the organization, like the benefits that can come from volunteering in the community on boards or committees.Empower employees to own their career:When employees take ownership of their career, they feel a sense of purpose and belonging. Encourage them to explore their strengths and values and how they align these to the organization. Ensuring employees have mechanisms for getting feedback like 360 tools and career assessments can help. It is also important to teach employees how to network across the organization. Train leaders as career coaches:All managers should be expected to act as career coaches, using powerful questions to help employees explore their connection to their work. Questions such as, “What gets you excited at work?” “What is your dream job?” “How can I support you in making progress toward it?” Through coaching, managers can help employees uncover deeper meaning and purpose as well as grow for the future. These coaching conversations will also make employees feel heard and valued.  If managers are reluctant to adopt this role or are still learning how to coach, enlist certified career coaches. Enlist technology that enables career mobility:HR competency software such as RightMAP™ allows you to map out the competencies needed by the organization in the future, benchmark your workforce against these competencies, and align employees with the roles that best match their skillsets. These tools use AI to support career pathing for individuals, which can be especially helpful in large complex organizations where opportunities may be hard to identify.  Accelerate careers of underrepresented groups:Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are one way to foster inclusiveness and enhance professional growth, but they may not be enough on their own. Consider establishing a mentorship program within the BRG or through another formal program or informal network. It is also important to provide mentors with the support they need to understand their role and the specific ways they can support their mentees. Those companies will successfully navigate the Great Reawakening and cross the finish line as winners in the greatest talent contest in history. Right Management has been helping organizations evaluate, develop, mobilize and transition their talent for over 40 years. Let us help you thrive in the new next.

More than ever before, the year 2020 has solidified the important role Human Resources plays in growing today’s organizations. The global pandemic and social movements highlighting inequities helped companies refocus on what’s most important to employees: health, upskilling and transparency. Those looking to have the right talent today, and for the future, are beginning to implement these themes into their talent sustainability strategy, and HR is in the lead.​The majority of executives (71%) strongly agree that HR plays a vital role in establishing the right culture, and 7 in 10 HR professionals have a strategy in place to design an employee experience that mirrors the customer experience. [1] This signifies the emergence of a new employer/employee relationship—one where the employer assumes a greater responsibility for employee health and wellbeing and sees employees as consumers within the organization. Companies also now have vast amounts of workforce data—from email and computer usage to AI performance analysis. Workers are increasingly comfortable with being monitored, but they expect employers to be transparent and communicative with them to create a sense of trust.  ​Here are several examples of how HR leaders around the world are capitalizing on these new themes in talent sustainability to position their organizations for growth in 2021 and beyond.  ​Theme #1: HealthJust as they created new procedures around social distancing and temperature checks to keep employees healthy and safe, HR pros are now prioritizing employees’ emotional wellbeing to lessen feelings of isolation, anxiety and stress. This isn’t just to retain existing employees but also to recruit the right talent, as energized employees are 6X more likely to work for companies that focus on health and wellbeing. [2] Companies have turned to HR to implement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) safety protocols to protect workers, including limiting gatherings, separating workstations, contract tracing, scheduling more workspace cleanings, and encouraging the use of face masks, just to name a few. [3] These efforts must continue to not only minimize transmission of the coronavirus among staff, but also to foster employee trust and peace of mind that the workplace is a safe place. ​On-demand, professional coaching sessions also are moving the needle in supporting employee health and wellbeing. Global accounting firm PwC recently started to provide access to professional coaches who are available to discuss anything that may be causing employees stress. [3] These kind of sessions provide an invaluable opportunity to listen, learn and understand what workers want and how to support their needs, opening the door to a more resilient workforce. ​Theme #2: Upskilling/reskilling As 65% of the jobs Gen Z will perform don’t even exist yet, [4] it should come as no surprise that today’s businesses are racing to reskill employees. The need to train and develop new skills to grow the talent pipeline has only intensified as companies were forced to pivot, some multiple times, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the tidal wave of digital transformation that came with it. ​Walmart is a great example of this, having evolved its in-house upskilling program over the years. The Walmart Academy was created in February 2016 to provide needed training to 8,000 new managers, then to the whole workforce—2.2 million employees. Today, the retail giant has 201 academies inside Walmart Supercenters and modular classrooms in store parking lots. In 2019, the training integrated with virtual reality (VR) and saw retention increase 10%. The company also says its upskilling effort resulted in the promotion of 215,000 employees in just one year. [5]​“Whether it be soft skills or technical skills, upskilling and reskilling is tied to employees’ desire to continuously learn,” says Marceline Beijer, vice president of Talent Solutions at ManpowerGroup. “Teaching employees new, relevant skills can provide peace of mind and even happiness, knowing their skillsets won’t become obsolete. It truly can put not only your employees but your entire company in a position of power in 2021 and for years to come.” ​Theme #3: Data transparency Workers in 2021 are calling for more transparency from their employers about their wellbeing and productivity on an individual level as well as around environmental and social issues on an organization level.  To build employee trust and prevent turnover, HR teams must be prepared to answer new questions from employees about data ownership. For example, HR is now responsible for gathering health data to prevent the COVID-19 spread. As new HR technology continues to be introduced to monitor and improve employee performance, HR professionals are tasked with being the gatekeepers of this data as well. An empathetic and ethical approach is crucial here. ​Empathetic leadership will also be needed as employees, customers and communities demand organizations to act as global citizens and environmental stewards. Diversity and inclusion are key to preparing for the future of work.  ​“This is one area HR leaders themselves should focus on upskilling,” says Beijer. “We are seeing a remarkable rise in ESG [environmental, social and corporate governance], and as the voice of employees, HR needs to have a seat at that table.” Employees will remember how their employers empathized with them throughout the pandemic. As we move into 2021, organizations that focus on trust and transparency, wellbeing and upskilling will be ahead of the curve in keeping existing employees happy, and attracting new talent post-pandemic. For more insights on these and other trends in talent sustainability, tune into The Transform Talent Podcast.​References[1] https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2019/11/the-future-of-human-resources-2020.html[2] https://www.mercer.com/our-thinking/career/global-talent-hr-trends.html[3] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/how-us-companies-are-planning-for-a-safe-return-to-the-workplace#[4] ManpowerGroup Skills Revolution Study, 2018[5] https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/summer2020/pages/upskilling-benefits-companies-and-employees.aspx

​Remote work, virtual collaboration and other ways to continue the “new normal” of business while social distancing will continue for the foreseeable future. Some organizations will be transformed entirely as they see how Work from Home and Work from Anywhere policies will become the norm for not just safety, but also providing the flexibility and productivity that employees want from a career. ​In this new environment, businesses will need to help their workforce learn and grow with the soft skills needed to excel. This benefits both employers and employees, with79% of employees who are offered free training like their jobs versus only 61% who are not offered training. Many of the methods that develop employees in the physical workplace can be adapted to remote work. Here are ways to help employees build soft skills in our new normal. ​Cultivate Learnability In unpredictable times, we can at least be certain that workers will need to continue to learn new skills and abilities while on the job. In order to meet these new challenges, learnability--the desire and ability to continually learn and grow throughout one's career--is necessary. Cultivating a culture where employees feel like they are constantly learning will not only help motivation, it will also build the soft skills that require constant development.​Make it measurableThe expected average timeframe required to upskill workers varies across countries, and ranges from 83 days for companies located in Switzerland, to 105 days for companies located in France. So measuring progress is key. Measuring a goal can take the form of both inputs and outputs. If the goal is to improve leadership throughout the organization, for example, a manager may set a goal of employees posting in a new company chat system as an input metric. ​Set accountabilityOutput metrics are often associated with performance reviews, which play a part in developing soft skills. But companies can also create output metrics to set accountability. For example, a manager can rate leadership ability before and after a training activity such as joining a committee at work.Another logical question for companies is where training for soft skills will come from, especially with a limited or overextended workforce.  On-demand coaching is one way to provide effective soft skills training in today's environment. For example, RightCoach helps organizations build leadership skills, increase employee engagement and improve retention through on-demand, situational coaching. RightCoach's proven technology platform simplifies participant experience with easy–to-use, on-demand, self-service scheduling.​COVID-19 has created a dramatic landscape where workplaces need to nurture and support employees, and developing their skills is more important than ever.  

​Differentiating and diversifying workforce strategies to access the right combination of skills, workforce mix, and labor markets has never been more important and challenging. The previous article, Total Workforce Index Addresses Organizational Challenges Most Impacted by Lack of Growth Talent, examines the business challenges most impact by growth talent and how to leverage market intelligence tools like the Total Workforce Index (TWI) to stay competitive.This article takes a look at three key opportunities uncovered in the latest 2021 TWI analysis and how organizations should respond. Whether an organization’s strategy shapes retention and development of existing talent or plots optimal pathways to new sources of talent, data from the Total Workforce Index can de-risk workforces across more than 200 key factors that relate to the Workforce Supply, Cost Efficiency, Regulation and Productivity in 75 markets around the world.Analysis of the TWI categories reveals three types of labor markets, each with strengths and weaknesses.Mature markets: These 20 markets are home to the largest contingents of growth talent (average 40% skilled workers) and have infrastructures to support upskilling and reskilling; exposed to wage inflation.   Incubator markets: There are 16 high-potential markets for Digital Services, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy technologies and they  provide an opportunity to balance skilled labor with cost competitiveness.   Emerging markets: These are 31 markets with a rising Gen Z/millennial workforce (50% or greater share of total labor pool) but a shortage of skilled talent due to low rates of tertiary education and they require long-term investments.   TWI data and insights reveal three key opportunities amidst today's labor market realities, which are impacted differently by market type.  Opportunity #1: Elevate Learning as a Core Benefit in all Labor Markets  Recent ManpowerGroup research shows workers want learning and reskilling opportunities—meaning companies looking to hire or retain workers should make learning part of their benefits package. The ability to secure talent needed for growth, especially in Emerging markets, is likely to depend increasingly on compensation strategies and skills development offerings.​For employers willing to step into the role of educator in Emerging markets, the long-term payoff could surpass Mature markets. If it takes money to make money, investing in your talent could be the greatest investment an organization can make.    Emerging markets have half the number (20%) of highly skilled workers as  Mature markets (40%) with only 19% of workers aged 25+ having a tertiary education as compared to 39% in Mature markets.​ Opportunity #2: Segment Incubator Markets to Hedge Wage Inflation in Mature Markets  Incubator markets hold the potential to supply highly skilled growth talent to specific fast-growing industries at cost-competitive rates while contributing to longer-term talent sustainability.Opportunities have been identified in three industries: Digital Services, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Energy. R&D inflows for Incubator countries suggest governments are co-investing to build growth capabilities in these sectors. At the same time, the generational mix indicates a long-term payoff for companies choosing to invest in Incubator markets.Advanced Manufacturing Incubator Markets have a young (39% Gen Z/millennials), highly skilled workforce (33%) with an average monthly wage nearly half ($2,314) that of Mature markets.Targeted investments in Incubator markets will meet the defining talent challenges of the post-pandemic age – namely, accessing industry-specific growth talent in high-potential markets at competitive rates. These are possible medium-term investments that have the potential to bring access to new markets and skills that can boost growth in existing markets.    Opportunity #3: Integrate Contingent Labor as an Essential Strategic Sourcing Channel  Contingent labor is now an essential sourcing option for companies looking to diversify their skills mix and power their digital shift with growth talent.Demand for contingent work has increased by 9% in the past year [1], continuing a trend visible in TWI data since 2013. Within that, highly skilled contingent work is especially being utilized in Mature markets.    In Mature markets, 40% of contingent work is among highly skilled.In fact, rather than undermining permanent work (as previously feared), contingent labor now augments permanent work and offers access to highly skilled workers who are increasingly  moving to contingent work in their search for increased flexibility and autonomy post-pandemic.   How to Seize the OpportunitiesMarket intelligence tools such as the Total Workforce Index(TWI) have become a go-to intelligence source that has proven to be a difference-maker in a company’s ability to execute growth strategies.Organizations can also conduct customized analyses with the weightings for data adjusted to factors that drive growth uniquely within a specific industry and market(s). The opportunities for customization are extensive. Download the 2021 summary report or visit the TWI website to explore the data and rankings. Reach out to the Talent Solutions Consulting team to learn more about customizing the TWI for your organization.​References[1]  Gartner Talent Neuron May 2021

​Among the various core ingredients of talent and career success, few personal qualities have received more attention in the past decade than emotional intelligence (EQ), the ability to identify and manage your own and others’ emotions. Importantly, unlike most of the competencies that make it into the HR zeitgeist of buzzwords, EQ is no fad.​In fact, thousands of academic studies have demonstrated the predictive power of scientific EQ assessments vis-à-vis job performance, leadership potential, entrepreneurship and employability. Moreover, the importance of EQ has been highlighted beyond work-related settings, as higher scores have been associated with relationship success, mental and physical health, and happiness.​All this is good news for people with higher EQ. But what can those with lower scores do to improve their intrapersonal and interpersonal skills? Is it possible to increase your own and others’ EQ beyond its natural levels? While Goleman and other popular writers argue that (unlike IQ) EQ is malleable and trainable, EQ is really just a combination of personality traits. Accordingly, it is not set in stone; it is largely heritable, shaped by childhood experiences, and fairly stable over time.​This does not mean that the effort put toward sculpting emotionally intelligent behaviors is a waste of time. It simply means that focus and dedication are required. The same goes for helping others to act with EQ when they are not naturally inclined to do so. Here are five critical steps for developing EQ:​Turn self-deception into self-awarenessPersonality, and thereby EQ, is composed of two parts: identity (how we see ourselves) and reputation (how others see us). For most people there is a disparity between identity and reputation that can cause them to ignore feedback and derail. Real self-awareness is about achieving a realistic view of one’s strengths and weaknesses and of how those strengths and weaknesses compare to others’. For instance, most people rate their own EQ highly, yet only a minority of those individuals will be rated as emotionally intelligent by others. Turning self-deception into self-awareness will not happen without accurate feedback, the kind that comes from data-based assessments such as a valid personality tests or 360-degree feedback surveys. Such tools are fundamental to help us uncover EQ-related blind spots, not least because other people are generally too polite to give us negative feedback.​Turn self-focus into other-focus Paying due attention to others is tantamount to career success. But for those with lower levels of EQ, it’s difficult to see things from others’ perspectives, especially when there is no clear right or wrong way forward. Developing an other-centric approach starts with a basic appreciation and acknowledgement of team members’ individual strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. Brief but frequent discussions with team members will lead to a more thorough understanding of how to motivate and influence others. Such conversations should inspire ways to create opportunities for collaboration, teamwork, and external networking.​Be more rewarding to deal withPeople who are more employable and successful in their career tend to be seen as more rewarding to deal with. Rewarding people tend to be cooperative, friendly, trusting and unselfish. Unrewarding individuals tend to be more guarded and critical; they are willing to speak their minds and disagree openly but can develop a reputation for being argumentative, pessimistic, and confrontational. Although this reputation helps enforce high standards, it’s only a matter of time before it erodes relationships and the support for initiatives that accompany them. It’s important that these individuals ensure an appropriate level of interpersonal contact before tasking someone or asking them for help. Proactively and frequently sharing knowledge and resources without an expectation for reciprocity will go a long way.​Control your temper tantrumsPassion and intense enthusiasm can easily cross the line to become moodiness and outright excitability when the pressure’s on. Nobody likes a crybaby. And in the business world, those who become particularly disappointed or discouraged when unanticipated issues arise are viewed as undeserving of a seat at the grown-ups’ table. If you’re one of many people who suffer from too much emotional transparency, reflect on which situations tend to trigger feelings of anger or frustration and monitor your tendency to overreact in the face of setbacks. For example, if you wake up to a bunch of annoying emails, don’t respond immediately — wait until you have time to calm down. Likewise, if someone makes an irritating comment during a meeting, control your reaction and keep calm. While you cannot go from being Woody Allen to being the Dalai Lama, you can avoid stressful situations and inhibit your volatile reactions by detecting your triggers. Start working on tactics that help you become aware of your emotions in real time, not only in terms of how you experience them, but, more important, in terms of how they are being experienced by others.​Display humility, even if it’s fakeSometimes it can feel like you’re working on an island managed by six-year-olds. But if you’re the type of person who often thinks, “I’m surrounded by idiots,” then it’s likely that your self-assured behaviors are seen as being arrogant, forceful, and incapable of admitting mistakes. Climbing the organizational ladder requires an extraordinary degree of self-belief, which, up to a certain point, is seen as inspirational. However, the most-effective leaders are the ones who don’t seem to believe their own hype, for they come across as humble. Striking a healthy balance between assertiveness and modesty, demonstrating receptiveness to feedback and the ability to admit one’s mistakes, is one of the most difficult tasks to master. When things go wrong, team members seek confident leadership, but they also hope to be supported and taught with humility as they work to improve the situation. To develop this component of EQ, it is sometimes necessary to fake confidence, and it’s even more important to fake humility. We live in a world that rewards people for hiding their insecurities, but the truth is that it is much more important to hide one’s arrogance. That means swallowing one’s pride, picking and choosing battles, and looking for opportunities to recognize others, even if you feel you are right and others are wrong.​While the above recommendations may be hard to follow all the time, you will still benefit if you can adopt them some of the time. Much as with other coaching interventions, the goal here is not to change your personality but to replace counterproductive behaviors with more-adaptive actions — to build new habits that replace toxic tendencies and improve how others perceive you. This is why, when coaching works, it invalidates the results of a personality test: Your default predispositions are no longer evidenced in your behaviors.

​With 43% of employees saying they won’t return to a 9-5 office schedule, leaders who learn to build a new hybrid environment combining flexibility and structure will meet the challenges of the future.​With COVID-19 vaccinations underway around the world, countries are lifting restrictions and companies are developing roadmaps for what the return to work looks like. As 43% of employees say there is no going back to a traditional 9-5 mode [1], many business leaders are evaluating a new hybrid model that includes both remote and in-office work.Ideally, hybrid work involves the best of both worlds, combining sociability and structure with flexibility and autonomy. Kissflow, a provider of digital workplace services with offices in the U.S. and India, held organization-wide feedback sessions which led to a hybrid model consisting of three weeks of working from anywhere and one week of office-based work.[2] The UK offices of accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers took a slightly different approach with its 22,000 staffers, splitting the week between their home and office with the expectation that employees spend 40-60% of their time with colleagues.[3] Time will tell whether these trial configurations will be successful. But leaders are fully aware that they need to work harder than ever to ensure that expectations are clear and opportunities for collaboration and community building are abundant.Here are four steps your organization can take to develop a playbook for remote work success.Identify roles suitable for remote workAs the pandemic continues, one thing is clear: most employees value the flexibility, productivity and work-life balance they’ve experienced with remote work– and don’t want to lose it. But not every role is a good fit for work-from-home. For example, many workers in healthcare and educational organizations as well as those within the retail and hospitality industries need to be present onsite. Organizational roles fall into a framework of suitability for remote work [1] from manufacturing and technician positions that require physical presence to customer service and marketing, which can easily adapt to remote.Leaders need to carefully examine each role to decide which ones are best suited to continue off-site and only move ahead with a hybrid work environment if an optimal number of roles can work remotely.Define clear expectations and benefitsThe conventional work schedule – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., five days a week – may be shifting for now, but what, exactly, is the new norm? As businesses scramble to figure out whether they want to incorporate a 3-2-2 model (i.e., three days in the office, two days working remotely and two rest days) or another form, leaders need to set expectations around performance outcomes, team milestones and deliverables that consider team members’ flexible schedules and time zones.Remote work has also escalated the need for employee development, as greater distance and fewer face-to-face interactions heighten the need for stronger communications and morale-building. Employers and workers would benefit greatly from on-demand virtual coaching that creates a culture of resilience and helps build community.Prepare for potential pitfallsThe challenges inherent in transitioning to a hybrid model are on full display at Apple, where employees are currently battling with leadership about remote work policies and timing for the return to the office. Common hybrid work issues that organizations like Apple are dealing with include employee engagement, sustaining culture, ensuring well-being, IT security challenges as well as team building and recruiting.[4]Prudential Financial is also working with its 42,000 employees to manage remote work expectations, including ensuring that all staffers opt for Mondays and Fridays as their work-from-home days. The company has been redesigning its offices to repurpose conference and collaboration spaces to further encourage employee engagement. Rob Falzon, Prudential’s Vice Chair, also insists that video capabilities should be extended throughout the offices so remote team members don’t feel left out.[5]Another pitfall to consider is the gender divide that a hybrid work environment has the potential to create. If businesses set up a schedule to allow remote work, but do not cap the number of days employees come into the office, they could create a system that hurts women and impacts diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. This is mainly because, statistically, women are more likely to prefer remote work to help them balance childcare responsibilities.[6] Remote work will contribute positively towards leveling the workforce playing field for men and women – but only if every voice is heard – whether it’s in the office or via a video call, according to Annette Polaszewski, CEO of Interprefy, a fully remote software company where women make up a slight majority.[7]Provide support structuresAside from the many benefits of remote work, employees cite the top challenges as managing distractions, loneliness, collaboration and communication.[8] That’s why organizations need to make sure they evaluate and update HR and IT processes carefully and frequently for long-term success. HR leaders should lead the development of innovative strategies, including video chat software, phone systems, messaging channels like Slack or an intranet channel. The key is finding that delicate balance between radio silence and constantly reaching out to employees with texts and emails. Hybrid work environments will not be sustainable without investments in collaboration software, such as document sharing portals and more information security controls.All the state-of-the-art tools won’t help if organizations don’t provide leadership training opportunities that help managers empower employees to continue skill-building and career development, no matter where their office is located. Learn more about how ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions can help your organization deploy a global talent strategy and a future-ready hybrid work environment.​​​[1]Work, Reimagined: ManpowerGroup Research Reveals What Workers Want Post COVID-19, August 2020[2]https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200824-why-the-future-of-work-might-be-hybrid[3]https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/18/office-hybrid-or-home-businesses-ponder-future-of-work[4]Everest Group – Future of Work Series – Where will work be done, 2021[5]https://www.villageworkspaces.com/companies-struggle-with-hybrid-work-plans/[6]https://www.axios.com/the-gender-divide-remote-work-men-women-childcare-4fc29dba-4e1c-4e96-9cf3-64db61ba23e5.html[7]https://www.c-mw.net/how-remote-working-is-helping-balance-the-gender-inequality-scales/[8]https://www.statista.com/statistics/1111401/challenges-of-working-remote-2020/​​

​The chronic stress of facing uncertainty day after day is taking a mental toll, and 2020 is set to be one of the most stressful years in history. Workers are suffering from burnout and loneliness as they manage remote work, affecting morale and productivity. In fact, a recent survey by Oracle found that the pandemic has propelled workplace stress, anxiety and burnout.  ManpowerGroup Chief Talent Scientist, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, shares his top leadership tips around how managers can better support their teams. Check-in regularly with the teamMake an effort to schedule time in your colleague’s schedules that includes time for asking “how are you feeling?” A 21st-century leader needs to act as an employee coach and be willing to proactively reach out to employees to check on their emotional well-being. “A leader needs to act as an employee coach and be willing to have open and honest conversations where they can check in with their employees to see what their stress levels are and help support them manage these.”Be aware of manager stress levels Self-awareness helps managers understand how their own stress levels can impact the team. When someone is stressed, they tend to focus on themselves and are unable to care for or support others. Managers need to see themselves in the eyes of others, so to help grow self-awareness, make it easier for the team to provide managers with constructive feedback in a structured way.Practice self-care outside of workSleep well, eat well and exercise. If managers put their own well-being at the center of their daily routine, it will not only help manage their own stress levels but better support the team and their struggles during this pandemic. The goal should be not eliminating stress, but learning how to manage it with a balanced and supported environment. “And while it’s important to have a solid culture, creating a totally stress-free environment with no problems won’t help build a resilient team,” Chamorro-Premuzic said. The silver lining is that stress itself isn’t the enemy, if understood and managed effectively. As Chamorro-Premuzic said, “Some people see stress as a negative, but actually it can lead to many successes. In the workplace, resilience is often built through some form of stress or hardship.” In 2020, this rule is being put to the test like no other time in recent history, but it can be used to come together as stronger teams in the future.​

​There’s a huge amount of digital advancement that’s coming into the workforce today. The only way that organizations can be well prepared for this future of work is by upskilling and expanding, acquiring skills to stay relevant and preparing to think about what the jobs of the future will look like.To do that, managers need to start talking. Research by Right Management found that two-thirds of managers are failing to support their employees’ career development. But as we think about developing the workforce of tomorrow, career conversations today are crucial.One of the ways to enable a learning culture is by involving managers. We know from research that in an organization, managers set the tone and model the behavior that learning is a priority.Organizations need to invest in employee development for their workforce to be better prepared for this future. It’s not just for today, it’s preparing for tomorrow.Embedding career conversations into a company’s organizational cultureThere are two main benefits to having regular career conversations: They help enable a learning culture, and there is a direct correlation with higher employee engagement and productivity. In a Right Management survey, 82% of respondents said they would be more engaged in their work if their managers would have regular career conversations with them.If managers are not having their career conversations, employees are not going to see growth and they won’t know what opportunities to explore. Organizations will lose those employees because they are not in sync with their aspirations. Managers play an important role to really take ownership of their career.There is a positive relationship to employee engagement and career conversations on a regular basis. You have higher productivity and engaged employees, because workers are thinking about becoming a better version of themselves. When employees actively think about career aspirations, then productivity, engagement and higher retention is the outcome.Stages of the career journeyOne way to visualize a career is through the idea of learning journeys. A new employee has a learning journey, and so does someone who has been at the organization for 10 or 20 years. They just have different training needs at different times.The softer skills are important, but at certain stages learning is also around functional and technical abilities that need to be absorbed on the job. What thinking about careers as a learning journey can accomplish is mapping and integrating softer skills and technical skills over time, and visualizing how that will come together.What a manager can do is help employees understand where they are in the learning journey for their career. In the short term and the long run, that benefits everyone.

​The rules keep changing as digital transformation sweeps the workplace. The pace of disruption is accelerating, and it is impacting leaders. Today, a combination of personal traits that stay relevant over time and emerging digital skills can help business leaders become the digital leaders of the future. The good news is experience and soft skills can help lead through digital transformation. Here’s how to nurture the right skills to stay current in the workplace.  Nurture Timeless Soft SkillsCertain skills never go out of style even as digital changes impact the rest of the workplace. The powerful combination of brightness, adaptability, endurance and drive are the enablers and solid foundation for effective leaders. These attributes are predictive of future success. Develop Learnability and CuriosityIn a world of rapid frequent disruption new skills emerge as fast as others become obsolete. What you know is less important than what you can learn. Digital leaders need to be role models by seeking out different experiences, unusual perspectives and by being open to fresh ideas. Find out your Learnability Quotient.  Acquire Digital Skills and Expertise Leaders must also have an understanding of the technical skills required to effectively transform their business. They should surround themselves with experts and take time to stay informed of the latest trends, challenges and opportunities facing their organization. Don’t Stand Still Digital transformation is not a one and done. Change is dynamic, so agility and continuous adaptation is essential. Feedback is important to informing what steps leaders should take. Throughout your career, plan to innovate, experiment and learn fast. Tomorrow’s environment is just beginning. 

​Over the last few years, many notable businesses have started to phase out traditional performance reviews. Dell, Accenture, GE, New York Life and Adobe – to name a few – have all moved toward frequent check-ins, touchpoints and coaching for employees.There is good reason for the transition, as shorter cycles between feedback creates more flexibility and actionable goals for both managers and employees. But before a company rushes to join the annual review-free ranks, it’s important to consider strategies to maximize frequent feedback. Here are strategies to consider when making the switch to continuous feedback loops.Discuss short- and long-term career goalsThe annual performance review may ask where employees wants to end up in one, two or five years. The shorter review cycle provides an opportunity to consider not just job titles, but rather roles and projects within an organization. For example, an employee may want to explore learning a specific job skill for a shorter period of weeks or months, and then reflect and consider how that skill fits into larger future goals. Career conversations can offer opportunities to discover a wide range of skill sets in the short term that may fit into longer-term career goals.Be flexible – as necessaryIt can be readily apparent early on in a project if performance metrics will be met, exceeded or fall short. The same is true of employee performance. The benefit of a frequent check ins with managers means that goal metrics can be adjusted. A manager should be cautious of adjusting the goalposts too much, but with buy-in from an employee a goal can become dynamic over time. Adjusting upward, downward or deciding to stay the course will be more motivating than a static goal off in the distance.Consider autonomy, mastery and meaningThe core principles of motivational goal setting still apply. Companies need to abandon the binary choice of moving up or moving out, and allow lateral moves into specialty areas. Check-in should celebrate growth by identifying skills that employees have mastered. Finally, reviews should provide insight into how contributions align to the strategic goals of the business. Reminding employees of autonomy, mastery and meaning on a regular basis will increase motivation for the long term.​Rethinking performance reviews is a healthy practice. But the replacement system needs to adapt to the new format, rather than become a series of mini annual reviews. With careful thought to the goals of performance management, a new method that benefits managers, employees and the company can emerge.

​After a year of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not uncommon for employees to face stress and a feeling of hitting the wall –– or multiple walls along the way. The current stage may prove extra difficult as teams feel both close to the end but with a long road still ahead before a sense of normalcy returns. At this stage in the pandemic, employers need to have a comprehensive strategy for identifying signs of burnout and supporting employees that may be facing difficulties. Here are ways that organizations can mitigate employee burnout and foster resiliency in the workplace. Plan ahead for flexible arrangementsOne source of stress for employees may be how their work arrangements change –– or don’t change –– as a result of vaccinations and returning to work. Communicate now with teams about their preferences and how you may be able to accommodate their needs in the future, whether that’s working from home, hybrid or a return to a physical location to reduce isolation and increase collaboration. Don’t assume all employees have the same preference, but listen and talk through solutions. Discuss training and education Anyone can feel stuck in a rut when they’ve been in their home for a year, and that can extend to a sense of sameness in a work routine. Even if promotions aren’t available right now, it’s still helpful to initiate career conversations, discuss training and upskilling, and look to future opportunities. Knowing that growth can come through on the other side of the crisis can help build motivation and resiliency. Provide self-care and health optionsKnowing this can be an isolating time, many organizations are offering support through HR and partnerships with outside services, including online mental health counseling. Managers should make sure they are well versed in these offerings and provide them proactively and regularly to employees, especially before employee wellbeing declines. Remind employees to take breaksOne of the simplest interventions can also be one of the most effective –– regularly reminding and encouraging employees to take breaks, disconnect and take their vacation time. The digital always-on culture of working where you live can easily lead to burnout if there aren’t boundaries put in place -- and a supportive management system to encourage them. Finally, know that working toward combating burnout is going to take regular practice over the coming months, as the world economy isn’t out of the woods in COVID-19. Organizations should stay vigilant in protecting not just their employee physical health, but also their mental and emotional health as well. 

​An agile workforce is the only way to succeed in the future of work.The employees you hire today may soon have to perform jobs that don’t even exist yet. That’s a challenge when entire groups of their workers need to be retrained, moved or otherwise be adaptable to change. The rapid pace of technological change is also shaping workforce agility to now emphasize leveraging the best blend of people and technology.A workforce is agile when it can quickly shift amid the forces of change--An agile workforce is defined as “the division of tasks into short phases of work and frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans.” For employers, having and keeping an agile workforce is worth its weight in gold. Here are ways that organizations can take an agile approach to workforce planning:Develop for the long term It takes significant resources to recruit, onboard and train employees from an external source. And even then, there’s no guarantee that person will work out. Proactively identify individuals early on to nurture and develop into leadership roles. Consider implementing a development program to help boost the internal talent pipeline for the future and move quickly when you need to fill a top role.  Help staff with their own goals Helping move talented individuals up in the organization can mean that others need to move around or out of the organization. This could mean helping people find relevant lateral moves in the business that aligns with everyone’s goals. It could also mean helping people explore their opportunities outside the organization—from furthering their education, to a change in industry, or even retirement. Agile workforce means helping everyone achieve their career and personal goals.Increase employee engagementAn agile workforce is an engaged workforce – one that is ready to jump at opportunities. A simple management tweak can help increase engagement, with 82% of today’s employees saying they would be more engaged in their work if managers conducted meaningful career conversations with them on a regular basis. Through the implementation of an effective career management strategy, organizations will create a more engaged workforce and a more agile business.Because the global digital revolution is changing the landscape, business leaders cannot be certain about what may be around the corner, which is why investing in keeping an agile workforce now is more important than ever. Agile businesses will have an advantage – and keep an advantage – as the world of work continues to change.

​“Schooling doesn't assure employment but skill does.”― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words​Pay attention to the news stories about the hiring challenges facing companies around the world and a common narrative emerges. Loads of jobs, in virtually every industry, but a lack of talent hampering recruiting efforts. ​And the situation appears even more daunting in the tech sector given the competition for talent. Why? Because every company is now a tech/digital company. If they hadn’t already, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated efforts to adopt and deploy new technologies to help businesses pivot and stay afloat over the last year and a half. ​According to our latest report, Stack It Up: Tech Skills in Demand, we found tech-related jobs make up more than 50% of the top 20 in-demand roles. Some examples of the most in-demand tech jobs include: Data analysts and scientists AI and machine learning specialists Big data specialists Digital marketing and strategy specialists Digital transformation specialists Information security analysts Software and application developers Database and network professionals ​While the search for qualified talent checking those skills’ boxes is ongoing, and an uphill battle, getting talent with the necessary tech skills is just one side of the coin. It’s not enough to just have the right technical skills anymoreThose roles are in demand at companies across a variety of sectors, from financial and professional services to healthcare to retail and e-commerce, government to logistics, advanced manufactur