WORKFORCE TRENDS IN 2024

TREND #1:

Pay transparency is becoming the new normal – With the passing of pay transparency regulations in many states, there is increasing pressure to ensure that companies have considered their overall design and management of executive and employee pay. Currently, where required, regulations enforce the addition of pay ranges in job postings when looking for prospective candidates. Ultimately, pay transparency can affect an employer’s brand, reputation, and ability to attract and retain talent while ensuring some level of pay equity.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Accurately represent pay ranges – When publishing job postings, it is important to look at the compensation strategy that currently exists within the organization. If none exists, now is the time to start the process. Start with well-written job descriptions. A job description is the driver for determining the worth of a particular role. Work in tandem with managers to update responsibilities, competencies, education, and job experience needed to perform the role. Using updated job descriptions, conduct a market study for each role. Compare your organization with others in your industry of similar size. Leveraging industry-leading compensation databases ensures the delivery of salary benchmarking, grades, and market pricing data that is directly relevant to your organization’s strategic compensation plan. Analyze current internal salaries against the market price for each role to determine how the current compensation for each individual employee compares and formulate a plan to address this. Determine the best way to communicate externally, for job posting purposes, but also internally for the benefit of employees.

Generally, the goal is to take steps to ensure a compensation strategy that meets the needs of the organization while being mindful of the regulations. Use this as an opportunity to build strong relationships, loyalty, and trust with your employees and future employees.

TREND #2

Hybrid workplace remains the mainstay – A couple of years post-pandemic, many organizations are still struggling to normalize the workplace. Recognizing what employees value from their employer is evolving and things like workplace flexibility, and remote working, remain a strong pressure. Many companies continue to struggle with the future of the physical workspace. There have been some big headlines recently on companies who have mandated their employees return to the office, but most companies have settled into a hybrid model.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Offer development and team-building opportunities – Even though we have had a lot of practice working in a remote environment, collaboration, communication, and building relationships remain an obstacle for many. By offering development and team-building opportunities, individuals and teams are likely to work together more effectively.

TREND #3

Economic uncertainty and challenges attracting and retaining talent remain – “Changing Conditions Ahead” would be an appropriate caution sign for the talent market in 2024. The road ahead is shrouded in fog as traditional measures of economic health and the labor market have become more difficult to discern and have not been as responsive to levers pulled by governing agencies. The 2023 recession that was widely expected never materialized. The labor market demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout 2023, despite the Federal Reserve’s moves to increase interest rates and tap the breaks on growth; however, the inflationary pressures impacting business materialized. Employers were to be in the driver’s seat again, however, making changes to popular hybrid and remote working arrangements forged during the pandemic have resulted in employee discord and damage to the company’s reputation. Prognostications for 2023 did not play out as anticipated. Couple economic uncertainty with the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining skilled talent, major demographic headwinds, and an election year on the horizon; uncertainty is the norm. It is tough out there for human resources professionals.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Be prepared and mindful of changes to the labor market – The message to business leaders and HR professionals is to stay alert to shifts in the business and talent landscape and be prepared to act to mitigate risk to your organization. As the year has drawn to a close, there has been an uptick in layoff activity across a variety of industries, and unemployment data indicates that it is taking longer for displaced individuals to land their next position. If your business circumstances indicate a reduction in force may be necessary, a reorganization or merger has resulted in redundancies, or a single individual is being separated from the organization; being mindful of how your employees are treated in the offboarding process will make a significant difference in the preservation of your brand and your ability to attract talent in the future.
An important part of being prepared for changing business conditions is to proactively establish a relationship with a reputable Career Transition service provider before an emergent need occurs. Ensuring your departing employees are personally assisted in preparing for their next career opportunity will have an impact on their future success and perception of the organization. Harsh reviews on social media are a red flag to talent considering joining your team. Transparency, empathy, and direct support through Career Transition programs help minimize reputational risk to your business. It also allows remaining employees to stay engaged and productive by knowing their peers are supported in the exit process. In the ever-changing business world, the employees released today may be those you will need to return when the market shifts again.

TREND #4

Concern grows with effective hybrid leadership and the influence of AI technology – In 2024, the business landscape will undoubtedly continue to gain complexity. Given the increasing number of recent lay-offs and uncertainty in the market caused by geopolitical controversy and a precarious election, leaders will likely find themselves navigating the challenging terrain of the heightened anxiety and burnout of key members of their teams while also striving to maintain effective leadership in a hybrid model. In addition, leaders must keep their finger on the pulse of AI-influenced technological advances that they need to leverage to remain current and competitive.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Leverage Executive Coaching services – In this environment, Executive Coaches will prove to be invaluable allies on the leadership journey, offering a unique blend of professional guidance and personalized support to leaders on the brink. This level of complexity can impede decision-making and compromise the overall well-being of leaders. Executive coaches specialize in helping these leaders regain balance by identifying stress triggers, clarifying priorities, and fostering a resilient mindset.

Executive coaches are the strategic partners that give leaders the edge they need to enhance their effectiveness and remain successful. From facilitating effective communication across dispersed teams to promoting inclusive leadership, executive coaches play a crucial role in helping leaders hone these capabilities. By offering a safe space for reflection and equipping leaders with tools to foster team cohesion, these coaches contribute significantly to the success of leaders in today’s dynamic work environment.

TREND #5

Top talent is reluctant to take on a new opportunity – Candidates, particularly passive ones, are becoming increasingly selective amid changing market environments. At the executive level, the quality of the opportunity from the standpoint of compensation, benefits packages, growth potential, company, and challenges are critical, as the costs associated with changing jobs are higher in today’s volatile market. Many companies are having difficulty “closing the deal” on their own. Even organizations with robust, experienced internal recruiting teams are facing a great deal of unexpected occurrences and surprises coming up during (and after) the offer process (e.g., extensive negotiations, counteroffers, etc.).

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Partner with a trusted executive recruiter – The intense competition for executive talent in today’s market has exploited another facet of the executive hiring process – the treacherous time between the offer and the start date. While losing a candidate to a last-minute competing offer was not previously unheard of, the frequency and aggressiveness of incidents happening in today’s market require CEOs, Boards, and hiring teams to respond strategically to compete.
To best mitigate risk, CEOs and hiring teams must change their mindset. Know the fight is still looming, understand how risks may manifest themselves within the hiring process, and deploy thoughtful, proactive tactics to meet the demands of today’s talent market. This is where a trusted executive recruiter can add a lot of value, shaping the perception of candidates and aligning a company’s value proposition with a candidate’s goals and requirements. A well-seasoned executive recruiter knows how to truly partner with organizations and candidates to ensure the best possible outcome for both, marrying together their mutual long-term success.

TREND #6

Defining your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) Statement – According to the Mercer 2024 Global Talent Trends© Survey, when asked “What are the top priorities for HR in 2024”, 61% of respondents said EVP. An EVP is a statement of the benefits, perks, and opportunities that an organization offers to its employees. The goal of an EVP is to attract, retain, and engage employees, and to help build your employer brand.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Human Resources plays a huge role in defining an organization’s EVP. HR can take these three immediate steps to understand and drive your organization’s EVP. These include:

• Collect employee feedback. When employees feel like their voices are heard, they’re more likely to be engaged and invested in their work. Collect data through an engagement survey or focus groups to understand what is most important to your employees.
• Offer internal career development. It is estimated that 40% of employees in the US have changed jobs or roles since 2020. An internal mobility strategy will help your organization become more agile and efficient in moving and developing existing employees so that you can grow your business’s best asset: Your People!
• Offer development options. In addition to the search for better work-life balance, pay, and benefits, a big reason employee are quitting their jobs is a perceived lack of professional development and career growth opportunities. In a 2021 report by Monster, 45% of surveyed employees said they would be more likely to stay at their current jobs if they were offered more training. Employees respond with better performance and higher commitment when they know you care about their development.

The post Trends and Predictions HR Leaders Need to Know for 2024 appeared first on CCI Consulting.

Although controversial and met with skepticism, AI will soon become a household name like the iPhone or Alexa. We will have AI to assist with education, healthcare, and business ventures. However, the introduction of AI brings concerns – especially about the replication of human value. It makes one think about how humans coexist in a future where one has the option to use AI or human intelligence to build skills or solve their problems. What drives people to choose one over the other?

These questions are increasingly important in my job field, the Human Resources industry. Businesses rely on human capital for support, ideas, and motivation. It’s the people that make the business work. When we want to get the best out of people, we leverage executive coaching as a tool for professional development. I think it is effective because it incorporates connection, empathy, experience, and trust, all of which are characteristics that other humans can bring to the table. However, with the introduction of AI-based coaching platforms, I am beginning to wonder if the people I work with would be better served and prepared for the business of the future by interacting with an AI-based coaching platform for their development. In coaching, is human interaction the key, or would AI coaching platforms be a perfect addition to my toolbox?

Goals of Executive Coaching  

Coaching is often suggested when an employee needs improvement in communication, leadership, team structure, and personal growth. When leaders need guidance to address complex situations, a coach can help move things along by offering an objective lens, support, accountability, and trust. In the scope of a coaching engagement, sensitive information about a leader or a company is often discussed. A core component of what makes coaching successful is the ability to have a trusting one-on-one conversation to focus on improving in the areas needed. Without trust within an engagement, it is hard to feel positive about the goals you set forth, plan to attain, and the feedback you will receive.

A good coach will actively listen to what is being said and can also ascertain what is being left unsaid. They observe body language and context clues from the individual and their environment. Rather than offering solutions from their expertise, they challenge the leader’s perspective, thus prompting independent thinking and change. This includes the ability to apply broader thoughts and exploration to the coachee’s situation. It also allows for reflection before and after a coaching session. Coaching maturity is rooted in experience and allows for sensitivity and intellectual approaches to the situations the coachee shares. As mentioned in the article: Comparing artificial intelligence and human coaching goal attainment efficacy, coaching can be beneficial for the following reasons: improving performance and skills; enhancing well-being, goal-directed self-regulation; better work/life balance; heightened self-awareness, increased confidence, and strengthened interpersonal skills, just to name a few. Will AI truly be able to replicate these results?

Pros of AI   

When thinking about the use of AI in coaching, some capabilities that are exclusive to technology come to mind. Forbes points out that AI Coaching allows for 24/7 access. Having an AI coach at one’s fingertips allows for a coachee to utilize the service at their convenience and frequency. The time that the session occurs is not dependent on the availability of the coach. Also, if an immediate need arises, the coachee does not have to wait until the next session, or even the next day, to receive support. While the quality of that support may vary, it does address a need for instant access that humans cannot.

As the system has high, and in most cases limitless, capacity boundaries, leveraging AI-based coaching tools allows organizations to democratize coaching. In other words, companies can offer coaching to more people in the organization, including those at lower levels who may have limited access to other opportunities for personal development. An AI tool can support multiple people simultaneously whereas a human coach has clear limits on the number of leaders they can work with. Not only is this a capacity challenge, but coaching multiple people within the same reporting structure can create a conflict of interest for the coach and inhibit their ability to be effective. Since AI is consistently objective, relationships across the organization are not formed and thus do not get in the way of coaching recommendations.

When goals are properly defined, AI can automatically share articles, highlight tips, and offer suggestions on actions to take to build specific skills. It sends reminders at a cadence the user decides and can help users to create a personal development plan. With regular input, it tracks behaviors and can pinpoint common derailers as they pertain to effective leadership styles and company culture. Metrics are easily obtained and monitored by sponsors, thus return on investment is simpler to communicate to decision-makers. These are clear wins.

Last but not least, there is a cost component. HR leaders understand that executive coaching can be a substantial investment. By leveraging the expertise shared by millions on the internet, AI-based coaching can be offered for a fraction of the cost of an engagement with a human coach. Coaching at Scale: Investigating the Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence Coaching states “Employing AI coaching could significantly reduce the cost of coaching and democratize this service, allowing people ([and organizations)], who would not normally be able to afford it, to benefit.” This supports the ability to offer coaching to a wider audience and can even give employees an introduction to the coaching experience as a precursor to human coaching in the future.

Cons of AI   

When it comes to executive coaching, goal attainment is important because the leader’s goals often have an impact on business results. However, identifying the root cause of the issue and the right goal in the first place is necessary for the coaching to truly be successful. For example, if a leader reportedly needs to strengthen their communication skills, but they are unsure of what is causing them to be ineffective, they may be misled into an incorrect or incomplete solution when using AI. Current AI tools rely on input from the user to provide prompts that the system can respond to. The system accepts any input as truth and immediately goes to work to string together logical and practical solutions. AI does not stop to clarify if the right question is being asked, nor does it seek a deeper explanation than the one provided by the coachee. If Einstein was correct when he said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” then a true external perspective is needed to facilitate the behavioral changes that coaching is designed to address.

Reid Blackman at the Harvard Business Journal points out moral concerns when AI is involved. In the medical field, ChatGPT could be used to diagnose and treat patients. Although there is a chance this could be effective, there is also a chance of incorrect diagnosis and treatments leading to widespread false recommendations. In the coaching field, a Chatbot could easily recommend unattainable goals or ways of achieving goals that are not realistic for the leader’s position in the organization or level of access and influence. Thus, the recommendations may not be quite as tailored as originally intended. This can be improved by training users on how to strengthen their prompts, but that requires a level of effort that not all users would employ. Even when people know that AI is a system that they have control over when they submit themselves to its process, some leaders report feeling overly pressured to achieve it. They must respond to all the notifications and reminders or else they feel that they are falling behind or that they are not going to get a perfect score when progress against goals is measured and shared with sponsors.

There is also a lack of credibility that comes with AI relative to the experience that is offered by a human coach. Coaching with Artificial Intelligence suggests that AI is not capable of providing a working alliance, which affects a central aspect of coaching outcomes. This is due to its inability to comprehend culture, human interaction, and company structure. AI is also incapable of tracking and empathizing with the emotions of their coachees. While AI can estimate the human sentiment of a leader’s writing, it is not yet able to help someone feel that another human has been where they are and has found a way to the other side. AI does not have access to what is considered the “inner world” of an individual. The primary concern is that AI does not have the interpersonal sensitivity to create the level of connectedness needed to open people up to the possibility of change. Forbes states that AI does not allow for deeper aspiration and is thus incapable of pushing the coachee to reflect on their sessions in a way that human coaching does. Therefore, it is unlikely that AI alone can help a coachee to properly identify and reach their goals at the same level as a human coach. When all of this is considered, AI may not be capable of standing alone in a coaching world, but it can be of assistance.

How Human Coaches Can Leverage AI to Amplify Outcomes   

Although AI is sometimes met with skepticism, it is important to recognize how it can be a great benefit for the working generations to come. As a population, we are and will continue to be affected and defined by the technological advances that come to the surface, thus the use of AI cannot be disregarded or ignored. We can already see enhancements from incorporating AI into human coaching efforts. Many human coaches are working on multiple engagements, making their availability limited. Leveraging AI will allow coaches to use session time more effectively while the AI acts as a 24/7 “customer service representative” for instant support. AI coaching can easily be tied in to assist with aspects of engagements that can be automated or outsourced once the deep work transitions to execution. For example, according to Coaching and Artificial Intelligence: Concepts and Capabilities, AI can assess a leader’s SMART goals to ensure that goals are constructed according to the model. As these goals are set in place, the coach and the coachee can then check in with one another on how these goals are being achieved and reflect on the potential outcomes, ultimately leading to higher goal attainment.

AI coaching models certainly show promise and as with technological predecessors, they will continue to evolve. As we learn more about AI functionality in the coaching world and begin to benefit widely from the implementation of AI coaching into engagements, we will create the space for this technology to grow and allow future generations in the HR community to define this moment for themselves.

Hannah Selheimer

Coaching Operations Support Specialist

The post AI and Executive Coaching: Is The Human Connection Really Necessary? appeared first on CCI Consulting.

The “what’s next” becomes a daunting question, filled with uncertainty. Upon notification of job loss, our coaches at CCI Consulting are often one of the first to speak to someone who has just lost their position. We want to share with you some real-life perspectives on the reality of a job loss and how no two stories are alike. The initial reaction to the job search journey is often founded mainly upon fear. The fear of ageism, scams, career change, starting over, life balance, interviewing, networking, value alignment, salary negotiations, and financial security.   Here are a few stories of real people who overcame those fears and encountered the opportunity and obstacles behind job loss, even when they faltered.

Ageism

Meet Joe. With continued emphasis on inclusion, we hope that inclusion considers age. Often, it does not. Joe is a senior financial executive, holding positions as high-level as a CFO.  With a resume that includes experience and credentials over 25 years, he can hit the floor running, and at age 55, he does not see the end of his runway. Unlike Joe’s perspective, many of his prospects see the contrary.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, the average tenure for a male was 4.3 years, and for a female, 3.8 years.  Joe will work another ten years, surely able to cover the mean of 4.3 years.  The problem is that Joe knows he is 55 years old and subconsciously makes that an issue.  We all need to lead with our strengths, not our self-perceived limitations.  As part of our career coaching, we coach around “Positioning yourself as the best candidate at 50+,” and it works.   Joe landed as a CFO, valued by the “right” employer…finding the latter is the tedious but rewarding part. Based on Joe’s self-perception, he plans to give his new employer those ten final years of his career to the best of his ability.

Somewhat anecdotal, we observe that late-stage career individuals – late 50’s-early 60’s are not viewed as desirable candidates in today’s job market, at least not for jobs with mid-size to larger-sized companies.  Ageism appears to be alive and well in hiring practices in many companies. We also observe good news for late-stage career individuals who are diverse candidates (gender/race) in what they seem to land, on average, about 3-4 months sooner than non-diverse candidates.

Very few people consider how or when they will conclude their career and what the time following the transition will look like.  It is amazing how many of the senior clients late 50s to early 60s assume they will continue working in their high-level roles until they decide to retire and are shocked when the decision is taken out of their hands by companies that eliminated their positions. Unexpectedly thrown into the job market this late into their career, these candidates find themselves entirely unprepared for a job search. A best practice we recommend is that at age 50, everyone writes an essay entitled… “How my career will end” ….  It makes people think about how to best leverage and articulate the remaining 15+ years of their careers.  Joe did it!

Scams

Peter spent his entire career as an Underwriter and was devastated when he learned his job was being eliminated.  Before engaging with CCI, he quickly jumped into his job search without understanding how the process evolved. A few days after applying online for a “perfect” job, he received an email from a “recruiter.”  Peter was obviously excited and relieved, feeling as though the job search process may not take him as long as he imagined.  The email indicated that he needed to complete an application before he would be moved to the interview process.  What Peter didn’t realize was that this was a scam.  He filled out everything in the application, which had the standard information but also included a section for his social security number.  Peter quickly completed every section of the application and emailed it back.  The next communication came from the scammer within hours of receiving Peter’s application.  They indicated that his application looked great, and he received the green light for an interview, but prior to that step, the company requested a background check.  Peter assumed this was normal, especially knowing that this job would require him to handle private financial data.  The scammer also shared that a third-party vendor would handle the background check fee was $500. They also told Peter he would be reimbursed once he completed the interview.  Naturally, Peter obliged and provided all the necessary credit card information. After waiting a few days and not hearing back about the next steps, Peter realized he had been scammed. It was never a real job.  So, instead of spending time on his job search, Peter had to deal with the headache of protecting his assets.  Learning a valued lesson, resiliency persisted, and he overcame the setback.

The Caveat Emptor for job seekers, think twice and seek advice.  The Federal Trade Commission has some good advice.   

Transferable Skills and Career Change

Ingrid worked in the mortgage industry for almost ten years. When she lost her job, Ingrid quickly engaged with the CCI services her company provided. She was thankful for the guidance on writing a resume, using LinkedIn, and networking, which had all been neglected since she was working and never imagined being in a job search. During coaching meetings, Ingrid and her coach discussed the ups and downs of her recent industry.  She was determined not to return, so her resume was reconstructed by downplaying the mortgage experience and highlighting her many transferable skills.  As Ingrid started researching companies and roles, she quickly realized there was a lot of demand for her skills.  Ingrid had a healthy network but had not stayed in touch with many. Ingrid’s coach helped her begin the journey of identifying what was important to her – the type of company she wanted to work for, the industry, and the level. This process gave her clarity as she started having conversations with her network. Within three weeks, one of her “former” colleagues reached out and shared an opportunity at a major Financial Services company within miles of her home.  The resume jumped past the pre-screen stage (and ATS review) since Ingrid’s contact forwarded it directly to the hiring manager.  Ingrid was interviewed days later.  By the end of the week, she was presented with a terrific job offer.  Yes, she accepted it, and when we last spoke months later, she was very energized and happy.  Yes, we can make a change!

Lost Hope and Ghosts

Susan held a senior-level position within HR and lost her job due to a corporate restructuring. At the expense of her former employer, CCI and Susan partnered on building her tools, and she quickly began networking and interviewing.  During one of her coaching meetings, Susan indicated that her #1 target company had informed her that she should expect an offer by the end of the week. However, this promise was followed by silence. After two weeks with no job offer, she contacted the hiring manager.  He apologized for not staying in touch and shared with her that an internal candidate was presented before Susan received the job offer.  The internal candidate had priority, so he was offered the job and accepted it. This was tough news for Susan, caused despair, and deflated her job search morale.  She missed coaching meetings and stopped responding to numerous outreach attempts. Weeks went by, followed by a few months. Susan finally reached out via phone.  Her message was, “Please call me, I have to apologize for not staying in touch, but I want to share a story with you.” After being rejected, she fell into a depression and stopped job searching.  She also mentioned that during this time, she gained 15 pounds.  Susan allowed herself time to grieve and get angry but woke up one morning and felt the drive to return to her local gym (which she stopped attending during her time of distress). Within 15 minutes of stepping into the gym, an old friend approached her to catch up.  During the discussion, she mentioned that she lost her job and was feeling inadequate.  He grabbed his phone, dialed a number, and handed the phone to Susan.  He said, “Say hello to Robert and tell him what you do.”  She remembered the coaching meeting about creating her “elevator” speech.  As the conversation with Robert continued, he said, “We have to meet.”  He was a Board Member of a Healthcare start-up company looking for HR leadership talent and wasn’t finding the right person. Within days, she was interviewed by Robert and the entire board. The final interview with the CEO was met with great success. The final job offer exceeded her expectations in salary and title and Susan was finally able to do the type of HR leadership work she loves.

Culture and Value Alignment. 

Many job search candidates approach their career transition in a “transactional” mindset rather than a strategic mindset. Their focus is on finding their next job and one that pays the same or more than their last job.  While losing a job is certainly a shock, it does provide the opportunity to pause and reflect on how satisfied they were in their former position, where they are on their career/life journey, what would be an appropriate next step in their journey, etc. We coach people to take advantage of this pause and consider their career journey more strategically. Some do so, and some do not.

Sometimes you need to reevaluate your priorities. Although many would not “volunteer” to lose their job, there is a silver lining opportunity associated with termination. Keith was working as a consultant and self-proclaimed “road warrior.”  Clocking over 70 hours a week and spending an average of 4 days on the “road” is grinding. Something had to give…but what? One aspect of the career journey is figuring out what you want, not just in terms of position and salary, but in life. Considering his personal inventory, Keith chose to seek a balance between his work and his family life.  Fighting the temptation to get back on the same horse, Keith found an opportunity that offered more leadership responsibility, more long-term upside, fewer hours, and less pay. That equation was balanced for him. He is betting on the long term.

So Many Stories, So Little Space.

What’s the anecdote? There are so many stories of success and equally as many challenges in the job search process. It is complex and daunting to navigate all the technological advances, especially for those new to this world of contemporary job search. Discussing how and where we work in this quagmire of onsite and remote options is challenging. It is intimidating to ask for pay transparency when historically, such information was private and secretive. It challenges many to ask for help and network for a position. Many have trodden these obstacles, but just as many have reached the pinnacle of their journey.  Amid all the fear and frustration, we hope these stories motivate you to make your journey… just that… your journey.  And when offered help, seize it… CCI has a passion for creating stories of success, although success is all theirs!

Sharon Imperiale

CEO/Owner

The post The Reality of Job Search from a Candidate Perspective appeared first on CCI Consulting.

First and foremost, it is essential to understand that executive onboarding is not just a matter of completing the requisite new hire paperwork and giving them a tour of the office. Instead, it involves a comprehensive process designed to help the new executive understand the company’s goals and objectives, the expectations of their role, and the challenges they may face.

One of the key benefits of executive onboarding is that it helps new executives get up to speed quickly. It can take months or even years for leaders to fully understand the dynamics of a company, but with a well-designed onboarding process, they can accelerate this learning curve.

In addition, effective onboarding also helps reduce turnover. Studies have shown that new hires who undergo a structured onboarding process are likelier to stay with their employer long-term. This is because they get connected faster, better understand how their role fits into the larger organization, and are better equipped to achieve early wins. Since the cost of executive turnover can range from 50% to 200% of their salary, minimizing the risk of turnover and maximizing the probability of success is a good business decision.

What to focus on:

• Recognize the difference between orientation and onboarding
  While both orientation and onboarding are important, they are fundamentally different. Orientation typically covers the logistics of joining a new organization (overview of the workplace, access to technology, payroll paperwork, etc.). While valuable, the orientation focuses on the transactional components of joining a new organization. Onboarding, on the other hand, is about setting the foundation for success and is focused on supporting both the personal and organizational transition, which is more complex and intensive. In addition, since it may take a new executive 6-12 months to acclimate fully, effective onboarding is a process that provides support and feedback throughout this critical period.

The post-acceptance, pre-employment phase is the best time to start the onboarding process by keeping the dialog flowing and continuing to communicate. Provide opportunities for new executives to connect with key stakeholders they did not meet during the interview process. And, as appropriate, invite them to internal or external company events. If anything has changed since they were recruited, make sure the new leader understands what changed, the reason for the change, and what effect this may have on their role. While the process starts before they begin their tenure, it continues as they work through the challenges of acclimating and integrating.

• Do not take things for granted
  When a new leader joins, expectations are high for both the leader and the organization. But transitions are unsettling and challenging. Studies indicate that when new executives fail or leave within the first two years on the job, it is usually not a matter of capability but rather a failure to establish key relationships or difficulty aligning with company culture. In other words, failure is generally related to an inability to get things done with and through other people in this new ecosystem. Therefore, onboarding should focus on helping the new leader understand the culture, gain insight into expectations, and build relationships with key stakeholders. Spending time getting to know their colleagues and team members can help foster a sense of trust and rapport, making it easier to navigate the onboarding process successfully.One of the most critical components of effective onboarding and acclimation is the need to quickly gain focus and alignment with three important constituent groups – the boss, direct reports, and key stakeholders. Early conversations with each group of constituents provide an efficient and effective mechanism for gaining insight into the unique and important nuances of situations and relationships. In addition, the exchange offers a foundation for clarifying and aligning the executive’s needs and expectations with those of the boss, team, and key stakeholders. For executives, this is also an opportunity to share their goals and vision for the company with their new colleagues. This can help foster relationships and build trust early in the process. It also helps ensure the alignment of goals and objectives. Listening to others’ perspectives will provide valuable insight that can help them understand any pain points that need to be addressed or opportunities to make a positive impact.
• Provide early and ongoing feedback
  Early and ongoing feedback helps ensure that things are headed in the right direction regarding building connections, understanding organizational norms and culture, and prioritizing areas of focus and action. If there is an issue or concern, early and ongoing feedback provides an opportunity to proactively address them rather than letting things fester.

Organizations are complex systems. Ongoing honest feedback helps the new leader understand the nuances of culture, team dynamics, and implicit expectations that impact individual and organizational success. Critical areas of feedback include:

• • Is she clear on how success will be measured? Is she on track?
  • Is his approach aligned with cultural norms and values?
  • Is she attending to interpersonal and team dynamics?
  • Are there any concerns about the leader’s approach that must be addressed?
  • What questions or concerns does the leader have?
  • Have the leader do a “stop, start, and continue” exercise to help identify any adjustments in focus or approach that will increase success.

A new leader brings a fresh perspective and new ideas, so this dialog also provides an important opportunity for them to share their insights, thoughts, and observations. This exchange offers the foundation for aligning and calibrating expectations, aligning efforts, and developing an action plan to secure quick wins and long-term success.

If your company does not utilize a structured onboarding process to ensure the success of your newly hired executives, consider implementing one. Investing in a comprehensive onboarding process ensures a smoother transition that helps new executives get up to speed quickly, reduce turnover, and improve overall performance. It is an investment that benefits the executive and the entire organization.

The post Ensuring the Success of your Newly Hired Executive appeared first on CCI Consulting.

What is Performance Management?

PM is an interactive and collaborative exchange between manager and employee. Simply put, it refers to tracking progress, providing feedback, and evaluating the overall performance of an employee. It should be a continuous process that involves planning, monitoring, reviewing, and developing work objectives and overall contributions to the organization. Ultimately, it focuses on an employee’s overall improvement, growth, and development.

Now let’s throw in the possibility that you may meet your employee face-to-face, at least not in an everyday sense. The pandemic caused work culture to take a radical turn. Remote or hybrid work schedules are the new norm, but that should not hinder your ability to manage your employee’s overall performance in any way. With the help of video conferencing, good performance management remains centered on open, frequent communication, goal setting, and coaching.

Best Practices in Performance Management

For performance management to be effective, it should be tailored to the employee, the organization, and the work environment. Consider these best practice suggestions as you implement or update your current approach.

1. Set Expectations: Set clear and specific goals for each employee so they understand what is expected of them, and have a path to work toward those goals. Go to lunch, sit down, set up a recurring video conference, and learn about your employee. The more you learn about each other, the easier you can set clear (and more importantly, attainable) expectations.
2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: This cannot be stressed enough. Routine communication between managers and employees is critical for performance management. These conversations should include feedback, addressing concerns, and discussing progress goals. If you are in the office, face-to-face is preferable, but video conferencing is a great alternative.
3. Use Data: Data-driven decision-making is also a vital aspect of performance management. Regularly tracking and measuring progress toward goals can help identify areas of improvement and track an employee’s overall success. Data is a great tool and discussion point to keep communication flowing.
4. Customize: Each employee is unique, so customize their performance management discussions to their specific needs and goals. If you have a hybrid workplace, and your employee is more responsive to in-person meetings, encourage face-to-face meetings. If you are in a completely remote setting, be conscious of how your employee prefers communication. A simple phone call is all it may take.
5. Encourage Development: Encouraging and supporting employee development can improve performance and increase job satisfaction and retention. Include conversations that include short-term and long-term career goals as part of your overall performance management discussions. Be sure to have this outlined for them to refer to for their own development.
6. Use PM as a Growth Opportunity: Performance management should not be viewed as a punitive measure but rather as an opportunity for growth and development. Employees should feel supported and encouraged to improve.
7. Recognize and Reward: Recognizing and rewarding employees for their success can boost morale and motivate them to continue to perform at a high level. This can be a simple email stating your appreciation or sending them their favorite bag of snacks. Feel free to get creative with this.

Performance Reviews/Evaluations

Performance reviews are a significant element of performance management. There are many types of performance reviews, each with its own unique focus and approach. These are a few commonly used types of performance reviews that can be administered both in person and remotely:

1. Annual Review: This is the most common type of performance review. It is a yearly assessment of an employee’s work over the previous 12 months.
2. 360-degree Review: This type of review involves input from multiple sources, including the employee’s supervisor, peers, subordinates, and even customers and clients. The goal is to provide a more well-rounded, comprehensive evaluation of performance.
3. Project-based Review: This type of review focuses on an employee’s performance on a specific project or task rather than their overall performance.
4. Self-Assessment Review: In this review, employees assess their performance, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and set personal goals for themselves.
5. Continuous Review: This review is ongoing, with frequent check-ins and feedback from supervisors throughout the year. It helps employees stay focused on their goals and adjust as needed to improve their performance.

Performance Improvement Plans (PIP)

Although performance improvement plans are the most dreaded part of performance management, it is crucial for several reasons. It provides clarity and expectations, typically around what may not be working as expected. The PIP focuses on areas needing improvement, helps hold employees accountable, provides legal protection, helps with the retention of valuable employees, and in the end, can improve performance. 

PIPs are an opportunity to provide further coaching and are best performed in person. However, when that is not feasible, video conferencing may be the best alternative to see a person’s reaction and get a feel for how the conversation is proceeding. This also allows for easily sharable information, such as written documentation, when providing the PIP to your employee.

1. Be Prepared: Have the PIP written out with specifics, outlining areas of concern and giving direct examples of where the employee is showing performance issues. Be sure to keep the examples objective and tangible.
2. List Actions: Be sure to list attainable actions and goals with dates the employee is expected to show signs of improvement. These milestones should be realistic.
3. Walk Them Through It: Slowly go over every concern, and make sure you take the time to hear concerns from your employee’s points of view.
4. Set Follow-Up Meetings: Once the employee has a clear understanding of the expectations and you have reached an agreement on those expectations, schedule regular follow-up meetings. The first should be no more than 30-45 days after your initial meeting. In the interim, use this time for continued coaching and feedback. It is best practice to proved the employee with a document of what was discussed and agreed to. Email is useful in this scenario.

Making performance management a priority and creating a process for regular interactive and collaborative exchange about expectations and progress toward goals leads to improved performance, better business outcomes, and higher employee engagement.  

Meghan Steinberg

Director, HR Consulting

The post Performance Management: Adapting to a Changing Workforce appeared first on CCI Consulting.

5 Leadership Skills Every Organization Needs to Focus On:

1. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, manage and effectively express emotions. Emotional intelligence helps leaders to connect with their team, understand their emotions and make decisions that are in the best interest of their team and organization.
2. Interpersonal Skills: Skills like effective communication, empathy, and collaboration are becoming increasingly important for leaders. Companies are investing in training in these areas to help leaders to connect with their team and improve team dynamics.
3. Individualized Development: Leaders are looking for personalized development programs that cater to their specific needs, goals, and preferences. These programs help leaders to focus on the areas where they need the most improvement and provide them with targeted support and resources.
4. Focus on Well-Being: Mindfulness and well-being have become important aspects of leadership development. Leaders are being encouraged to prioritize their mental and physical health, which in turn helps them to make better decisions and lead their teams more effectively.
5. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Organizations are placing a greater emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in their leadership development programs. Leaders are being developed to understand the importance of creating inclusive environments and mindsets.

By focusing on emotional intelligence, soft skills, individualized development, well-being, and DE&I, leaders can continue to develop and improve their abilities. While today’s technology made the transition easier, the shift has brought about new challenges and opportunities for leadership in a hybrid workplace, making it even more critical for organizations to invest in the development of their leaders.

The Importance of Hybrid Leadership Training

Being an effective communicator, collaborating, leading change, and ensuring accountability are essential leadership competencies. However, the way leaders execute these things can look very different than when they don’t have the same degree of facetime with their teams. In a hybrid workplace, leaders are tasked with managing remote and in-person employees, each of whom may have different needs and challenges. They must also be able to perform effectively with teams that may be spread across different time zones and locations.

There are several approaches to hybrid leadership training and development that organizations can use to equip their leaders with the skills they need to succeed in a hybrid workplace. Some of the most effective approaches include:

• Formal training programs: Formal training programs, such as leadership workshops, webinars, and online courses, can provide leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively lead their teams in a hybrid workplace. These programs can cover a wide range of topics, including communication, decision-making, conflict resolution, and time management.
• Coaching and mentorship: Coaching and mentorship programs can provide leaders with the support and guidance they need to succeed in their roles. These programs can help leaders identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop their skills, and get feedback on their performance. They can also provide leaders with a network of peers and mentors who can offer advice and support.
• On-the-job learning opportunities: On-the-job learning opportunities, such as shadowing, job rotation, stretch assignments, and cross-functional projects, can provide leaders with real-world experience and exposure to new skills and perspectives. These opportunities can help leaders develop their leadership muscles in a practical and relevant way.
• 360-degree feedback: 360-degree feedback is a technique that allows leaders to receive feedback from their colleagues, subordinates, and superiors. This feedback can help them identify key areas needed for development and potential blind spots.

Moreover, leaders in a hybrid workplace must also be able to adapt to new technology and processes, as well as be able to effectively balance the needs of both remote and in-person employees. Additionally, they must be able to foster a positive workplace culture and create a sense of unity and belonging among their team members. All these challenges require leaders to have a set of skills that are different from what they may have been accustomed to in a traditional office environment.

5 Ways to Develop Leaders in a Hybrid Workplace

• Provide formal training: Formal training programs can help leaders develop the skills and competencies they need to succeed in a hybrid workplace. This can include workshops, webinars, or online courses that cover topics such as remote management, collaboration, team development, and relationship building.
• Offer coaching and mentoring: Coaching and mentoring can be an effective way for leaders to receive individualized support and guidance as they navigate the challenges of a hybrid workplace. This can include one-on-one sessions with a mentor or coach, or peer-to-peer mentoring programs.
• Encourage collaboration and communication: Encouraging collaboration and communication among team members, regardless of location, is key to success in a hybrid workplace. This can include using virtual collaboration tools, hosting virtual team-building activities, and encouraging open communication channels among team members.
• Foster a positive workplace culture: Fostering a positive workplace culture is critical to keeping remote and in-person employees engaged and motivated. This can include regularly communicating company values and goals, recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions, and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• Emphasize adaptability and flexibility: Leaders in a hybrid workplace must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and embrace new technology and processes. Encouraging leaders to embrace new tools and techniques, and providing opportunities for continuous learning, can help them stay up-to-date and prepared for today’s challenges.

Leaders will determine the success or failure of a hybrid workplace, and successful companies are taking action to ensure their leaders have the skills and mindset to effectively manage a hybrid team. In working with such companies, we’ve found their leaders have a positive impact on employee engagement and performance and give their organization a huge competitive advantage.

Mark Saddic

Vice President, Consulting

CCI Consulting

The post How to Develop Leaders in a Hybrid Workplace appeared first on CCI Consulting.

1. Coaching is Not a Substitute for Performance Management
2. The Coachee has the Right to Confidentiality
3. Stakeholder Involvement is a Key Factor for Success

1. Coaching is Not a Substitute for Performance Management

When a leader is recommended for coaching, they may experience a mix of emotions. Initially, they may be excited that the organization is investing in their development. Simultaneously, they may question what is wrong with them that they “need” coaching.  This emotional cocktail is challenging on its own and may cause resistance to the process, but it is exacerbated when coaching is the way the company has decided to deliver tough messages to a difficult employee.

While the coach can help facilitate a growth process, the leader who is being recommended for coaching should be made aware of development opportunities before working with a coach.  No one likes the feeling that negative conversations are happening about them behind the scenes but when a coach is hired to come in and be the sole bearer of bad news, the leader may be left feeling like no one internally had the courage or respected them enough to tell them about an issue before getting others involved. These conversations can be difficult to have, but it is the responsibility of the manager to clarify performance expectations regarding both what should be delivered and how to do so in a way that is aligned with organizational values.   (For more information on how to engage in difficult conversations, check out this article here.)

When entering into a coaching engagement, it is important for the leader to fully understand why they are being recommended for this form of development before entering into a conversation with the coach.  If there is a need to address specific challenges that a leader may have, coaching works best when this feedback has been previously shared and when the leader has had the time and opportunity to process these perspectives before being asked to adjust their behavior.  This provides a strong foundation for the coaching relationship to be built upon, especially since after meeting the leader for the first time, the coach must create trust and rapport quickly if they are to help facilitate change.

2. The Coachee Has the Right to Confidentiality

Before investing in a coaching program, sponsors should be aware that coaching is confidential.  In other words, what gets discussed in a coaching session, stays in the coaching session.  For the coachee to be vulnerable and open to the process of having their current behavior and leadership style challenged for the purpose of growth, the coach must provide a psychologically safe environment. (Psychological safety is the belief that one won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.)

In a coaching session, a leader must feel comfortable sharing personal or sensitive information, for example, exposing a mistake that they may not know how to share with their manager.  This leader can leverage their time with a coach to discuss the best ways to approach that conversation.  Coaching should not replace the conversation with the manager, but in this example, will help the leader to enhance the level of professionalism with which they handle the situation and manage up.  If the leader fears that what is shared in coaching will be circled back to sponsors, they may not be so willing to offer real-life scenarios up for examination or to try new ways of working until they find what works best.

In addition, coaches are bound to a code of ethics that states that all information acquired by the coach, be it through assessments, interviews, or coaching conversations, will be kept strictly confidential. This information belongs to the client and cannot be shared with the organization without express permission from the coachee.  While coaches certainly want to aid the organization in reaching its goals, they must do so while also respecting the right of the coachee to confidentiality.  If an organization needs to gather data to make important personnel decisions, a coaching program or 360-assessment may not be the best tool to do so.

3. Stakeholder Involvement is a Major Success Factor

While coaching conversations and assessments are confidential, the engagement should not take place in a vacuum.  Key organizational leaders (which often include the manager and HR business partner) have an important role to play.  In an engagement, the leader is not handed off to the coach only to come back a few months later fully transformed. Rather, managers, mentors, HR partners, internal customers, and even family (where appropriate) can check in regularly with the employee being coached to gauge progress, share noticeable changes or differences they observe, and offer support.

Support can come in many forms, including, but not limited to, an additional accountability partner, access to networks or higher-level colleagues, offering additional development resources like books or classes, frequent performance feedback, internal forms of rewards and recognition, etc.  This provides positive reinforcement for what is happening within the coaching program or guidance when adjustments need to be made.

Stakeholder involvement during the engagement also sets the stage for sustaining new behaviors once coaching comes to a close.  Even with long-term programs, the time will come for a coach to disengage, but when that happens, the leader should still have a robust team of people to rely on.  If those individuals are aware of their role even before the coaching process begins, the coachee is more likely to be clear about the company’s positive intentions for the program, is less likely to become dependent on the coach, and will be more confident in their post-coaching journey towards success.

Conclusion

Having this knowledge can help you determine whether coaching is the right solution for your organization’s development needs and will help you ready your leaders for the process.  When you do make the investment, you’ll be set up for successful outcomes and the incredible benefits that coaching can provide.

If you’d like more tips on bringing coaching successfully into your organization, we are here to support you. View our blogs:

• Maximizing the ROI of Coaching for Leaders
• Who Needs a Coach?
• The Three Elements of a Successful Coaching Engagement

If you have questions or would like to discuss your organization’s readiness for coaching in more detail, get in touch by sending an email to info@cciconsulting.com.

Adrianna Gabriel

Director of Coaching & Development

CCI Consulting

The post Is Your Organization Ready for a Coaching Program? 3 Things to Know Before Investing appeared first on CCI Consulting.

Internal talent mobility (also referred to as internal career mobility or internal career management) means that employees can advance their careers and continue professional growth and development within the same organization.  Employees are encouraged to explore opportunities beyond their current role, including moves into adjacent departments or into entirely different career fields. This type of mobility includes upward mobility, such as promotion into a management role or lateral mobility; transitioning into a completely different department within the company at the same level.

Lack of career advancement (63%) was equal to poor pay (63%) as the top reason employees leave a company as reported in the Pew Research Center’s 2022 American Trends Panel. What’s more, the latest workforce survey from The Conference Board found that 58% of professional/office workers surveyed say they are likely to leave their company without professional development—or continuing education and career training to help develop new skills, stay up to date on current trends, and drive career advancement.

It’s clear that people don’t just join and stay at a company for the money; they want an experience that helps them grow personally and professionally. Gen Z and Millennials, in particular, are committed to their personal learning and development and this remains their first-choice benefit from employers according to research by PwC.

Five Benefits of Internal Talent Mobility Programs

Internal talent mobility provides a multitude of benefits that positively impact company performance, culture, and brand perception.  These include:

Minimizes risk to the organization’s growth – By recruiting internal talent, the organization reduces the expenses and inefficiencies associated with hiring only outside talent and boosts retention and engagement by ensuring a worker’s position grows with them and the organization. It also helps retain institutional knowledge.

Boosts productivity – Internal hires tend to perform better than external hires as they get up to speed more quickly because they already know the culture, processes, and expectations within the workplace. In addition, as employees migrate to different areas in the organization, they bring knowledge of the previous department, providing a more holistic view of the company’s operations, interdependencies and opportunities for enhanced collaboration and efficiency.

Enhances your employer brand – Your company brand is visible through Glassdoor, LinkedIn and other social media sites. Building a strong internal talent development program can boost your organization’s ability to hire external talent. When candidates see the company’s commitment to the growth and development of its employees, they are more likely to apply to that organization.

Increases employee retention rates – Employees at companies with high internal mobility stay at their company nearly twice as long as organizations with low internal mobility. Additionally, these employees report a heightened level of engagement and commitment to the organization.

Increased Engagement – Research shows that providing development and career enrichment opportunities is a key driver of engagement. For example, in one study, 80 percent of surveyed employees said that development opportunities would help them feel more engaged at work.

How HR and Upper Management Can Approach Internal Talent Mobility

The new year presents a good time for HR and senior leadership to revisit and revise internal career mobility programs, advancement opportunities, and skills development to help their employees build a long-term career path within the organization and prevent them from pursuing new opportunities elsewhere. Below are a few approaches to internal talent mobility that organizations of all sizes can consider and implement:

Train employees and managers to have career-focused discussions – Many people feel uncomfortable having career discussions with their manager, especially if the goal is to move to another area of the company. Remove the stigma associated with these conversations by making them a normal and regular occurrence.

Encourage internal networking – When an employee reaches out to another department head, it is a signal that they want to stay and grow within the organization. Make it easier to network internally or they will seek those opportunities externally.

Post jobs internally – Transparency matters. It’s surprising how many organizations overlook this simple, no-cost solution to recruitment and retention. According to iCIMS’ 2023 Workforce Report, 70% of workers do not know how to progress in their careers, and more than half think it’s difficult to find and apply to open jobs internally. Communicating internal job openings to employees shows that the organization values and sees potential in its employees and helps direct employees to roles where they have skills and interests.

Take a skills inventory – Tools like career assessments and 360-degree feedback can help you learn where individuals (and the organization as a whole) have strong skills and where more training is needed. This insight can help managers identify internal candidates for current openings or determine the most promising internal career paths for individual employees, then facilitate career path conversations with those employees and build in the learning and experiences required for the employee to take the next step.

Mentorship program – Creating a mentorship program allows employees to establish a relationship with an experienced team member to broaden their understanding of the organization, priorities and contributions of other roles or functional areas.  Mentees benefit from a coworker’s professional experience by learning how to more effectively navigate the culture of the company. Plus, those who mentor gain skills and experience to prepare them for leadership roles within the company.

Cross-training – Internal talent mobility isn’t just about workers moving from one position to another within the company. It also includes the ability of workers to temporarily switch to another employee’s job tasks without leaving their current position. Offering cross-functional projects, cross-training opportunities, and stretch assignments are great ways for employees to grow and develop while staying in their current role. Providing the opportunity to cover for another employee while they are assigned to another project or on leave is a great way to gain exposure to a variety of company activities.

Coaching – A coach can help employees discover what they want to do, assess job-fit, take ownership of their career path, and accelerate the timeline in which they move into the right role. Your organization can hire an external coach or train managers on how to be effective coaches. Both approaches will lead employees to take ownership of their career paths and identify their career development goals.

Professional Development Reimbursement Policy – One of the easiest things an organization can do to promote internal talent mobility is to offer reimbursement for educational courses or certifications that increase an employee’s skills and provide the flexibility and agility they need to move to different roles within the organization.

Start Unlocking Your Organization’s Potential

Building a strong and agile talent pipeline is crucial for businesses today. By investing in internal talent mobility, your organization provides more growth opportunities for employees, develops a pipeline of future leaders, closes skills gaps in your organization—all of which enables your workforce to remain agile and ready for future disruptions. How you invest in and develop your employees today will ultimately determine whether your organization thrives tomorrow.

Kimberlee Beck
Director of Marketing
CCI Consulting

The post Turbocharge Your Talent Strategy with Internal Mobility appeared first on CCI Consulting.

Human resources professionals have contended with challenge after challenge over the past few years, and 2023 is shaping up to be a continuation of many of those issues – along with a few new ones rearing their heads.

Our team members have weighed in on the workforce trends impacting organizations as we head into 2023 and offer their insights, best practices, and recommended actions for HR & organizational leaders as the next year unfolds.

WORKFORCE TRENDS IN 2023

TREND #1:

Unemployment will remain low – Unemployment is historically low, and inflation is the highest it’s been in 40 years. The lower workforce participation rates and recent strong earnings from Fortune 500 companies mean that unemployment will continue to remain historically low in 2023, even if there is a recession. If unemployment were to rise slightly from 3.5%, it would still be far below normal levels.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Be flexible with job requirements – To broaden their talent pool, companies must consider evaluating candidates based on behavioral competencies and technical skills rather than educational credentials. The U.S. government, for instance, requires agencies “to limit the use of educational requirements” in federal contracts, and calls on them “to increase the use of skills and competency-based hiring for employment.”

“Using assessments and competency-based interviewing will ensure that companies are identifying and investing in the talent they seek,” says Jeffrey Harvey, Vice President, Executive Search.

TREND #2

Rising wages are here to stay – Companies are setting aside an average 3.9% of total payroll for wage increases in 2022. Pay will continue to rise through 2023 and beyond, especially for blue-collar jobs and manual services due to the shrinking working-age population and low unemployment rates (Conference Board).

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Double-down on non-monetary aspects of the employee experience – Companies must be willing to be flexible with salary, benefits, and vacation/PTO to remain competitive. However, beyond compensation and benefits, companies need to create opportunities for meaning and development in the careers of their employees. “Several companies are developing internal talent and offering a path for each team member to seek their own career goals rather than climb the typical corporate ladder,” says Harvey. Many employees are attracted to developing their skills and competencies and seek opportunities where they have the freedom and choice to do so. This scenario benefits the employee and the company by maintaining engagement and upskilling employees.

TREND #3

Workers’ desire for a remote or hybrid arrangement will remain unchanged – Research by Ladders found that remote opportunities increased from under 4% of all high-paying jobs before the pandemic to about 9% at the end of 2020, and to more than 15% by 2021. According to their projections, 25% of professional workers will work remotely by the end of 2023.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Offer remote and hybrid work arrangements – The trend of remote and hybrid work arrangements during the pandemic allowed workers to envision a work/life balance they had not seen before. “I recently conducted a senior-level HR search for a client that wanted the candidate to be onsite five days a week,” says Harvey. “Of the hundreds of prospects I reached out to, close to 75% of the potential candidates were only willing to consider opportunities that allowed for a hybrid work arrangement or a fully remote option. Companies must consider hybrid options to attract and retain talent if their business can accommodate them.”

TREND #4

The “quiet quitting” trend will continue – Quiet quitting represents a significant risk for every organization now and into 2023. While motivated and engaged employees drive results, dejected employees who simply go through the motions while they wait for a better opportunity kill productivity, morale, and organizational success.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Commit to the three Cs: communication, celebration, and connection – Gallup research shows the rise in quiet quitters is tied to a lack of clarity about expectations, fewer opportunities to learn and grow, not feeling cared about, and feeling a disconnect with the organization’s mission and purpose.

“To alleviate quiet quitting, redouble your efforts to communicate in ways that paint a compelling vision of the future and provide clarity of expectations,” says Brian Clapp, President. “Although leaders cannot offer certainty amid uncertainty, they can provide focus by letting people know what’s expected, that their work matters, and how they are doing,” says Clapp.

This is also a time to review the way you celebrate employees. Do you only celebrate the big wins? Do recognize employees the way they prefer?  Employees like it when their efforts are acknowledged and appreciated. It can be as simple as mailing a card that says “Thank you! You were instrumental in the success and completion of this project.”  Take time to create a recognition program to show employees that you recognize their hard work and efforts, no matter how big or small.

Lastly, HR leaders need to identify ways to foster connection within the culture. Employees should not only feel connected to their supervisor and team members, but also to the organization. These connections need to be intentional and meaningful. While regular one-on-ones and team meetings are typical avenues of connection, consider alternatives such as involving employees in decision-making, forming committees to foster cross-department collaboration, and creating shared interest groups such as a book club or baseball league.

TREND #5

Constant change is the norm – Change is not going away; it is just going to accelerate. While we can do our best to plan for what might be ahead, the success of an organization will depend on its ability to swiftly adapt, monitor, and adjust. The more organizations and their leaders embrace change, the better equipped they’ll be to ensure their businesses and people are poised for growth.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Invest in your leaders – It’s never been more difficult to lead.  In fact, 55 percent of HR leaders reported “leading change” as a critical skill most lacking in their organization in our 2022 HR Insights Survey. Being skilled at change management is something all organizations need to take seriously and prioritize. Through coaching, leaders can gain the skills they need not only to develop their own resiliency, capacity, and composure when change occurs but also to manage the people side of change, including clearly communicating the vision for the future, setting expectations, and engaging employees in the transformation process.

TREND #6

Talent turnover and scarcity will remain a risk for companies – Voluntary turnover is expected to reach 35% in 2023, according to research from Work Institute. Employees are in control of how, when, and where they work, and they will continue to flex this control to leave organizations that don’t align with their preferences. A significant driver of this trend is hybrid work, with 52% of employees saying flexible work policies will affect their decision to stay at their organization.

WHAT HR CAN DO:

Understand and Act On What Employees Need – Stay interviews and employee engagement surveys are a couple tools organizations can leverage to help combat turnover. “These can help you gain more insight into what keeps your employees working for the organization and what aspects may need to be improved before they become huge issues,” says Mark Saddic, Vice President of Talent Development.

A focus on development and job enrichment is also key, as studies continue to show workers are willing to switch jobs if offered career advancement and training opportunities.

“Providing opportunities for development is a win-win situation for everyone. It provides employees the opportunity to expand their skillset and grow their career, which often leads to higher engagement and improved retention for the company,” says Saddic.

In Conclusion

Every organization is facing a conflux of challenging dynamics that includes bracing for market uncertainty, cost increases, a competitive labor market, and the challenge of navigating the new and probably still evolving balance of in-person, remote, or hybrid work. At the same time, both leaders and employees are understandably exhausted. In this environment of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), resist the temptation to hunker down. By implementing the action steps above, HR leaders can enable their people and organizations to compete, thrive, and grow in 2023.

Kimberlee Beck

Director of Marketing

CCI Consulting

The post Workforce Trends and Predictions for 2023: What HR Leaders Need to Know appeared first on CCI Consulting.

Believe it or not, 70% of senior leaders are unsatisfied with their onboarding experience. We have found that the best onboarding strategies provide a successful track to purposeful, productive work and strong employee relationships. 

Leadership onboarding programs must take that extra mile to set up their new leader for success. Let’s take a look at some of the important components of executive onboarding strategies HR professionals can utilize to achieve success.

Create Customized Programs

Understanding where the new executive stands in terms of knowledge of the role as well as their skill set can alter the way they are onboarded. Tailored onboarding programs can be utilized for a successful transition by providing different progression tracks to each new employee based on their specific needs. Furthermore, with this program, if an internal hire was promoted to an executive position, they too should have a custom onboarding program based on their skills and experience. 

Pre-boarding is Key 

The first step to a successful onboarding strategy starts with pre-boarding. This is the time to get in contact with the executive before their official start date. Engaging in conversations to outline expectations in the employee’s mind is a crucial step in pre-boarding. Having this conversation can allow the new hire to assimilate and digest all of the information provided. It can be helpful to discuss: 

• Position goals 
• Due dates of approaching projects 
• Past accomplishments of the position
• A contact list for other executives or stakeholders

Creating a Mentorship 

Assigning a mentor, coach, or transition accelerator to support a new hire during the onboarding process will benefit them throughout their transitional phase by having someone to turn to when questions or concerns arise. Mentors can be responsible for guiding the new hire to get acclimated to the organization as well as answering questions about the work environment, culture, and other employees.

One-On-One Role Plan

A one-on-one role plan program provides new executive hires with a general overview of the position straight from the source – the current leader. The created report plan details tasks and responsibilities as well as a chance for the appointed executive to ask questions. Including this component in the leadership onboarding program ensures the new executive leader obtains all of the content that is needed to perform their new role as well as knowledge of how the organization operates. 

Executive onboarding is far too important to not have a well-established strategy as the stakes are high for the individual as well as the organization. It is a fact that implementing a well-executed strategy can improve new hire retention by up to 82%. When onboarding transforms into a strategic process, an environment is formed where employees become more productive, engaged, and enthusiastic about their roles. Organizations should treat the onboarding process as an ongoing journey of learning that helps not only the new leader but the entire organization as a whole to succeed long-term. 

The post Executive Onboarding Strategy appeared first on CCI Consulting.