Human Experience Excellence - November 2022

Work Architecture As A strAtegy For strong employee engAgement

The Future of Employee Engagement

Sponsored by:

- Laci Loew, Senior Global Analyst, HR Strategy and Insights, XpertHR

Top Picks

The Powerful Connection Between Music And Camaraderie In The Workplace

Three ways collaborative music helps nurture employee engagement

- Ross Honey, President & CEO, TouchTunes

A Call To Rejuvenate Employee Engagement As Business Bottom Lines Fall

Give employees autonomy over their schedule and lives - Mahir Iskender, Founder and CEO, Digno

How Text Analytics Can Help Businesses Build Employee Engagement Strategies

The capability and willingness to listen starts by designing approaches with engagement in mind

- Marcus Pemberton, Vice President, Customer Success, Relative Insight

55 61 67

3 Ways To Create A More Connected Workplace

Hybrid work’s pros and cons

- Deb LaMere, CHRO, Datasite

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Debbie mcgrath Publisher, HR.com

Babitha Balakrishnan Editor, Human Experience Excellence

the ripple effect of employee engagement

The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting societal and economic shifts have impacted the way employees look at their work, the workplace, their employers, and more. These factors have had a major influence on engagement trends in the workplace. Coupled with the fact that remote work is more prevalent than ever before, it may become even more challenging to connect with employees.

According to the HR Research Institute’s The Future of Employee Engagement research report, disengagement is on the rise. Although 87% say there are reliable ways to measure engagement, only 53% actually measure it. More than three-fifths (62%) of HR professionals view employee engagement as a crucial concern at or near the top of their list of priorities. To learn more about what organizations must focus on to develop and nurture corporate cultures, systems, and processes that maximize employee engagement, read the report summary and download the complete report inside.

What are the best solutions to foster employee engagement? How can companies better engage employees and create superstar workers?

This month’s issue of Human Experience Excellence includes expert articles offering valuable insights on creating an engaged workforce, a connected workplace, strategies for promoting employee wellness, and much more.

It’s time to come to terms with the truth: the old practice of job architecture is not a compelling strategy for employee engagement. Work architecture is a key way for today’s employers to engage top talent, while achieving greater productivity and maximizing efficiency. XpertHR’s Laci Loew in her article, Work Architecture As A Strategy For Strong Employee Engagement, discusses the long game of seeing employees as people with unique talents and interests.

According to a recent study, 77 percent of business owners have reported music increases employee morale overall. Interested to learn how collaborative music helps nurture employee engagement and promote workplace camara derie? TouchTunes’ Ross Honey in his article, The Powerful Connection Between Music And Camaraderie In The Workplace, shares how companies can use music to enhance in-person work environments and strengthen team bonds for a better workplace experience.

A successful remote or hybrid culture that pro motes engagement must include a few essential resources. To learn that and more, read Mahir Iskender’s (Digno) article, A Call To Rejuvenate Employee Engagement As Business Bottom Lines Fall.

We work better and enjoy our work more when we have an ally. Do you agree? SkyTeam’s Morag Barrett, Eric Spencer, and Ruby Vesely in their article, Want To Make A Best Friend At Work? Start With Yourself, puts forth five essential practices that will help you become an ally to yourself first.

In brief, when employees have autonomy over their schedule and lives, have clear expectations and means of accountability, and are part of a cohesive, supportive, and transparent team, they are engaged and would stay with the organiza tion for long.

We hope you enjoy reading all the informa tive articles in this issue that focus on building a great workplace, leading to better employee engagement, retention and improved productiv ity. As always, we look forward to your valuable suggestions and feedback on our epublications.

Cheers!

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed in the Excellence ePublications are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HR.com and its employees. Under no circumstances shall HR.com or its partners or affiliates be responsible or liable for any indirect or incidental damages arising out of these opinions and content.

In a world of unparalleled challenges (global pandemic, racial injustice, politi cal rivalry, digital 4.0, emotional malaise), uncertainty reigns. Finding opportu nity in this context requires harnessing uncertainty and harnessing starts with reliable, valid, timely, and useful information. The Excellence publications are a superb source of such information. The authors provide insights with impact that will guide thought and action.

Dave ulrich

Rensis Likert Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan Partner, The RBL Group

Excellence publications are my ‘go-to’ resource for contemporary and action able information to improve leadership, engagement, results, and retention. Each edition offers rich and diverse perspectives for improving the employee experience and the workplace in general.

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Author, Virtual /Live Keynote Presenter, Inc.’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers

I regularly read and contribute to Leadership Excellence and Talent Manage ment Excellence. I use many of the articles I read to augment my own presen tations and I often share the articles with my clients. They are always quick, right on target for the latest issues in my field, and appreciated by my clients.

If you want to stay up to date on the latest HR trends, choose a few of the dif ferent issues from the Excellence series of publications.

Dr. Beverly kaye

CEO, BevKaye&Co.

Work Architecture As A strategy For strong employee engagement

By Laci Loew, XpertHR

The face of the modern worker has evolved quite a bit over the past 30 years. Today’s businesses are remarkably more diverse, with a variety of generations, races, gender identities, and other unique characteristics. These rich points of difference give us more nuanced perspectives and have the power to transform how businesses operate and yield transcendent ideas. But to maintain and nurture this diversity, corporate leaders need to consider how to recruit and retain top talent.

Instead of climbing the ladder to the top, many of today’s workers are more interested in moves, both lateral and vertical, that allow them to capitalize on innate talents and experience new professional challenges. Work architecture is a key way for today’s employers to engage top talent, while achieving greater productivity and maximizing efficiency.

the new career path: it’s not a ladder – it’s a lattice

It’s time to come to terms with the truth: the old practice of job architecture is not a compelling strategy for employee engagement. Many workers are no longer interested in climbing every rung of the ladder on a vertical path to the C-suite. Instead, employees are forging career paths that look like a lattice, weaving together different roles that involve

special assignments and high-priority work where unique skills can be leveraged.

Work architecture makes possible assignments in functions that the worker would likely never experience by staying in their “designated” job role on a full-time basis. Lateral assignments boost employee morale, allow the organization to leverage talent from across the organization, and facilitate the organizational ability to address change.

the long game of seeing employees as people with unique talents and interests

A people-First strategy that Allows employees to Win at Work

Many workers, especially Millennials and Gen Z workers, are gravitating to companies with work architecture strategies in place because they appreciate the human-centric approach to optimizing work. The idea of “work without jobs” allows employees to shine because the strategy matches work directly with skills.

Instead of regarding workers as people who fulfill specific job requirements, work architecture puts importance on the individual and the unique skills they offer. This allows employees to receive high-priority work outside of their assigned job. By engaging a worker with important work matched to their unique skills, the employee has the potential to achieve critical success by performing work that relies on their talents. This presents both the worker and employer with strong wins that foster engagement and a sense of meaningful contributions to the overall organization.

A corporate strategy that creates Efficiency and Maximizes Productivity

Work architecture isn’t just a win for workers. This future-forward strategy creates a style of work and management coordination that is dynamic –allowing companies to flex with the needs of the business and workers’ skills. And work architecture integrates an important component that can yield greater efficiencies: automation. Companies that lean into work architecture strategies will depend on technology that automates routine, mundane portions of high-priority work. This allows employees to dedicate their time to work that inherently relies on elements of the human condition. Workers will have the capacity to use social, emotional, and empathetic skills, thereby better leveraging their skills and improving productivity.

This idea of assigning work to the best resources available – whether they be human or automated – creates agile, humanistic, and cost-effective workplaces that can deepen talent management capability while simultaneously exposing skills that are becoming obsolete and showcasing skills that are growing in demand.

America’s Corporate Leaders Recognize Work Architecture as a Win-Win

Many American companies are already successfully implementing work architecture strategies. Accenture, DHL, FedEx, Hollywood Studios, HP, IBM, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon, the World Economic Forum, and Wells Fargo are all outstanding examples of work architecture. The benefits of work architecture are not limited to any one industry, organizational size, or geography, but these companies have proven that work architecture requires planning and long-term execution.

Companies can better engage employees and create superstar workers by thoughtfully identifying an organization’s highest priority work and evaluating the skills that each worker offers. Similarly, work architecture will force every employee and manager to excel at more social, emotional, and interpersonal skills. And the idea of recognizing workers as humans with feelings, unique skill sets, and individual interests – that’s one of the strongest ways you can engage your team and understand how they make a unique contribution to your organization.

Laci Loew is a Senior Global Analyst, HR Strategy and Insights for XpertHR, where she utilizes unbiased insights and empirical evidence to inform strategic HR decisions and actions for CHROs, Chief People Officers and other senior HR and business leaders. Before joining XpertHR, Laci founded her own HR research services firm advising senior HR leaders in their pursuit to execute HR strategies that make a measurable business difference. She also headed HR research practice areas for Bersin & Associates (now Bersin by Deloitte) and held senior HR and leadership roles for United Airlines, Motorola, and Owens Corning. Would you like to comment?

t he powerful connection Between music And camaraderie in t he Workplace

three ways collaborative music helps nurture employee engagement

By Ross Honey, TouchTunes

Events that have taken place over the last two years have prompted a significant shift in workplace dynamics, with employee engagement and satisfaction becoming a top priority for companies. With the rising popularity of remote and hybrid work environments, business owners who desire true collaboration and team building through in-person work are seeking long-term solutions. From attracting employees to the office to fostering strong team connections and retention, leaders are looking beyond the standard benefits and workplace offerings to create a competitive advantage in today’s talent wars.

Over the last two years, the U.S. workforce has shifted to an employee market where job seekers have the upper hand in choosing roles that meet their expectations. In response to this trend, companies are looking inward and re-evaluating what they offer candidates to differentiate themselves from other employers. Aside from the usual sought-after benefits such as competitive compensation, extensive paid time off programs, opportunities for growth, health and wellness programs, and so on, workers want to feel valued by their employers above all else.

It’s evident that putting people first is key, with a recent study finding that 88 percent of job seekers report that healthy company culture is vital for success. To that end, employee engagement plays a significant role in developing a positive, productive workplace culture. It reduces employee turnover rates, improves internal and client relationships, and boosts job performance.

What are the best new solutions to foster employee engagement that today’s workforce values? One answer is closer and more well-researched than many may realize: collaborative music. Music has long been proven to increase productivity, reduce stress, build motivation, and enhance job performance and happiness. But collaborative music takes these benefits one step further by creating unique social connections and bonds. All of this combined equates to a highly engaged team.

By harnessing the power of music in the workplace, companies can incentivize current and future employees to return to in-person settings with outward evidence of their commitment to investing in their professional growth and individual well-being. In fact, 77 percent of business owners have reported music increases employee morale overall. Offering a collaborative music experience that is accessible to the entire team enables individuals to build lasting relationships with their coworkers as they bond over their favorite songs and artists that motivate them through the workday.

Here are three ways collaborative music helps nurture employee engagement and promote workplace camaraderie:

1. Music helps employees develop stronger connections with their colleagues by establishing a continuous and effective team-building exercise. From discussing favorite songs and music genres to trading new artist recommendations and noting upcoming concerts, employees will discover they share similarities beyond their place of work. By making music easily accessible within the workplace, companies can cultivate environments that welcome open dialogue where participation is valued.

2. Just as music boosts our sense of happiness, it also inspires creativity and open-mindedness. When people connect through music, they instantly feel accepted and are open to sharing their own thoughts and views with peers. In a professional setting, music can encourage employees to become better communicators and innovative thinkers. Whether engaging

in brainstorming sessions, leading internal or client presentations, or seeing a project through to completion, employees will seek out opportunities to think creatively, let their voices be heard, and take on more challenging tasks that showcase their talents.

3. Music fosters a welcoming and productive environment for new hires and tenured employees to grow and thrive. Nothing brings people together like great music. Music can serve as an icebreaker when onboarding new employees or as a source of entertainment during team lunches and other work celebrations. It offers a unique opportunity to unite employees, celebrate wins, or get the team pumped up for a big meeting, all in a new, exciting, and authentic way.

Music has the ability to strengthen company culture by boosting collaboration and camaraderie among employees. While the labor market has much to improve upon, businesses are in a unique position to reinvent themselves in the eyes of their employees. Companies can use music to enhance in-person work environments and strengthen team bonds for a better workplace experience. You just might see employees evolve into your own brand ambassadors.

Ross Honey is the President and CEO of TouchTunes Ross leads the company’s strategy for innovation and market expansion. His extensive background in digital media and entertainment includes 10 years at Microsoft where he served in a variety of roles, primarily in the Xbox business, including General Manager of Entertainment & Advertising. Ross was named to the AdWeek 50 in 2012 and 2013, and profiled in “5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers” (Crown Business, 2003) by James Citrin and Rick Smith.  Would you like to comment?

The Powerful Connection Between Music And Camaraderie In The Workplace

Virtual innovator series: how Bmo Financial corp. is Building a Winning hybrid culture

Webinar with Jaime krause, Director, talent and culture, Bmo & Dave Wilkin, ceo, 10kc

Corporate culture erosion is a negative by-product of hybrid work environments, which is negatively impacting employee engagement, a sense of belonging and productivity. While hybrid work offers many benefits to its employees, it’s difficult to manage and creates an inconsistent employee experience. With recent data from McKinsey stating that 75% of employees prefer a hybrid work environment, it’s important for corporations to get it right.

Join talent leader, Jaime Krause, Director, Talent and Culture at BMO alongside Dave Wilkin, CEO and Co-Founder of 10KC. They’ll discuss how BMO is using 10KC’s all-in-one platform across 46K+ global employees to mobilize their winning culture across geographies and departments through Office Hour events with leaders, curated 1:1 Introductions and a winning corporate location strategy.

key topics Dave and Jaime will discuss that are currently impacting hr and talent

leaders include

● How BMO is using 10KC’s all-in-one platform across 46K+ global employees to mobilize their winning culture across geographies and departments.

● The challenges of hybrid work and how talent leaders and HR teams can overcome them with a winning strategy.

More about our speakers:

● Strategies for leaders to leverage 10KC’s solutions and product features (Introductions, Office Hours) to create engaging events and interactions with their teams that positively impact corporate culture.

● Industry stats, solutions and Human Resource trends that are currently impacting employees and workforces.

Register Here

Dave Wilkin is the CEO and Co-Founder of 10KC. As hybrid work becomes the norm, Dave is reimagining how top organizations like Nike, GE, RBC, and PwC build, scale, and measure their employees’ mentoring, connectivity, and skills development programs. An award-winning serial LGBT+ entrepreneur who grew up in a small, rural town, Dave experienced firsthand that mentors and meaningful connections were critical to accessing career-progressing and skills development opportunities. As a result, he has spent his career empowering organizations to build more inclusive workplaces using 10KC’s technology. Dave wants to share his vision with organizations and business leaders on how they can unlock opportunity by creating meaningful connections in today’s new world of decentralized and hybrid work environments.

Jaime Krause is the Director, Talent and Culture at Bank of Montreal (BMO). She is an experienced Sr. Leader in People & Culture with an accomplished track record in the financial services industry. Jaime works in the People & Culture team at BMO and supports crossfunctional strategic initiatives. She has worked across a variety of HR disciplines including employee experience, measurement, technology and enterprise learning. BMO is the 8th largest bank in North America by assets, and provides personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment services to more than 12 million customers.

About Ten Thousand Coffees (10KC)

10KC is a Diversity-founded talent experience platform for best-in-class connectivity, mentoring, DEI, onboarding, early talent, leadership development, and more. 10KC’s all-in-one solutions serve over 200 of the world’s leading companies and social impact organizations. Built for the new world of decentralized, remote and hybrid work environments, 10KC’s highly configurable technology helps employers build, scale and measure their employees’ engagement, connectivity and skills development initiatives. You can learn more about 10KC here.

Virtual Innovator Series: How BMO Financial Corp. is Building a Winning Hybrid Culture

The Future of Employee Engagement

Engagement in the era of remote work and quiet quitting

SUMMARY

The Future of Employee Engagement

Exclusive Study By The HR Research Institute

Survey conducted by: Sponsored by: ARTICLES

Benefits Change Management Strategy: 4 Steps to Keep Employees Informed and Engaged

By Jason Fan, Forma

Beat Work From Home Burnout: 6 Ways to Keep Teams Engaged

By Andrea Stutesman, Bonusly

Is Your Workplace Designed for Life? The Ultimate Employee Experience Trifecta

By

Rob Catalano, WorkTango Survey Says: Free Lunch at Work Matters to Employees

The Art & Science of Recognition Programs in the Workplace of the Future

By Lauren Allen, Terryberry

How To Lead With L.O.V.E. —And Why It Matters For Your Organization

By Karina Monesson, UKG

By

Julia Gaynor, ezCater

The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, the world’s largest social network for Human Resources professionals, is a key part of our mandate to inform and educate today’s HR professionals. Over the past three years, the HR Research Institute has produced more than 85 exclusive primary research and state of the industry reports, along with corresponding infographics in many cases, based on the surveys of thousands of HR professionals. Each research report highlights current HR trends, benchmarks, and industry best practices. HR Research Institute Reports and Infographics are available online, and always free, at www.hr.com/featuredresearch

The Future of Employee Engagement

Engagement

in the era of remote work and quiet quitting

Exclusive Study By The HR Research Institute

Sponsored by:

Anxiety about employee engagement has gone mainstream, with even major news outlets weighing in on the issue. Not only are employers still grappling with the repercussions of the 2021 “Great Resignation,” they are also now having to contend with a potentially even worse problem popularly called “quiet quitting.” 1

With the changes in the economy and rising inflation, employees might be less likely to outright quit their jobs. But that doesn’t mean that, when faced with a role that is not rewarding, they are going to give their all to it.

Coupled with the fact that remote work is more prevalent than ever before, it may become even more challenging to connect with employees and to monitor their work.

To better understand what is and isn’t working and what organizations must focus on for developing and nurturing corporate cultures, systems and processes that maximize employee engagement, HR.com conducted an exclusive research study of a sample of HR professionals.

Key Findings

1. Employee engagement levels have declined when compared to last year, and many organizations continue to suffer low levels of engagement.

2. Companies recognize there is value in employee engagement and recognize its impact on organizational outcomes.

3. Only half measure engagement in their organizations and most do not engage in continuous assessments.

Employee Engagement Is Declining and

Worrisomely Weak

Although not all companies are suffering from low employee engagement as of late 2022, there is a general trend toward reduced engagement levels, with a plurality of organizations indicating the engagement levels of the average employee are relatively low.

Disengagement is on the rise. Although over a quarter (27%) say employee engagement levels in their organizations are higher than they were last year, fully 41% say they are lower. Only a third say employee engagement levels are about the same as last year.

Larger organizations report a larger drop in engagement levels, with 21% reporting a drop of more than 10% compared to 13% of midsize organizations and none of the smaller organizations.

Survey Question: How has the level of employee engagement changed in your organization over the last year? say engagement levels are lower

Down by more than 10% Down between 1% and 10% About the same Up between 1% and 10% Up by more than 10%

Just over a quar ter say engagement levels are higher

We asked respondents to rate how engaged the average employee is in their organization on a scale from 1 (completely disengaged) to 10 (perfectly engaged). Just under a quarter (23%) say the average employee in their organization has a high engagement level of 8 or above.

Meanwhile, almost half say the engagement levels are at 6 or below, scores that we believe indicate overall weak levels of engagement.

The Responsibility for Engagement Falls on Multiple Parties

In two-thirds of organizations, the onus to improve employee engagement falls on human resources and immediate supervisors to a high or very high extent. About three-fifths say the responsibility is on the top leaders to a high and very high extent.

Survey Question: To what degree are the following groups responsible for improving employee engagement in your organization?

[Percent responding high or very high degree]

Top leadership

Immediate supervisors Human Resources

Employees themselves

Some Metrics Are Problematic; Others

Just Nonexistent

The respondents who do measure employee engagement were asked to choose which methods their organizations use. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of organizations employ exit interviews and over half use annual surveys (58%) and retention rates (53%).

More than a third of organizations utilize one-onones with managers (46%), surveys conducted multiple times in a year (42%) and performance management systems (33%).

Smaller organizations (74%) employ one-on-ones with managers to measure employee engagementmore than mid-size (43%) and larger organizations (40%).

Employee Engagement Has a Positive Impact in Multiple Areas

Amid fierce competition and economic upheaval, organizations today are looking to gain a competitive advantage through their employees. Our survey finds that employee engagement has a positive impact on a number of organizational outcomes, with almost three-fourths saying it improves customer service (72%) and over twothirds saying it improves productivity (71%), retention (70%), and well-being (69%).

Highly engaged organizations are more than twice as likely to give employees the chance to do meaningful work well (90% vs. 43%), to listen carefully to employee feedback (71% vs. 28%), and to share others’ praise with them (such as a client compliment). They are over three times as likely to maintain a positive work culture (80% vs. 24%).

About three-fifths of highly engaged organizations also invest in programs intended to boost engagement, compared to about just one in ten of less-engaged organizations (14%).

To learn more about the research study, The Future of Employee Engagement, we invite you to download and read the complete report to learn how these outcomes, insights, and takeaways can be applied in your organization.

Read the Research Report

1 Klotz, A. C. & Bolino, M. C. (2022, September 15).

When quiet quitting is worse than the real thing. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2022/09/ when-quiet-quitting-is-worse-than-the-real-thing

Benefits Change Management Strategy:

The key to positive change management strategies that engage employees

You work hard to provide the best employee benefits, and that means adapting to ever-changing

employee demands. During the pandemic, you’ve probably experienced some unexpected changes.

In fact, companies of all sizes have undergone multiple changes in the span of just a few years.

And it’s not about to stop.

Jason

According to Gartner, 75% of companies expect continuing evolutions and organizational changes over the next three years. And in another survey, Gartner reveals that only a third of change initiatives succeed.

Change can be hard for employers and employees - especially when it comes to benefits. A common difficulty for HR leaders is that employees find benefits communication confusing. As a result, changing employee benefits can lead to complaints, apathy, or even pushback. If your rollout fails, so does the investment and worse yet - engagement leaving employees frustrated, confused, and anxious. Negative reactions can affect their job performance and job satisfaction and can chip away at their faith in the organization as a whole. In an era of tight staffing levels, losing even one valued employee can be costly.

Consider these tactics to craft the right message

● Focus on the positive impact of the benefits for the employees. Everyone will want to know “what’s in it for me?” Don’t bury the lead.

● Explain changes simply and clearly, avoiding details and unfamiliar jargon. Save the fine print for later.

● Be upfront about any potential downsides. It’s better to be honest and allow employees to come to terms with the change than surprise them later with the bad news. Employees may wonder what else you’re hiding, once again eroding trust in the organization and alienating valued team members.

What’s the key to successful change management and engaging employees?

Effective communication.

Below is a four-step strategy to communicate new benefits information in a way that ensures a smooth transition and better employee engagement.

1. Be Thoughtful When Crafting the Change Management Messaging

Change can be scary for employees, no matter how long they’ve been with an organization. Your choice of words can evoke trust or fear. When it comes to preparing your communication, choose words thoughtfully.

Communicating benefits changes is like making a first impression. You want employees to like them. You want them to walk away feeling confident, interested, and engaged. If their first impression is off-putting in any way, it’ll be more challenging to get them on board later.

2. Use an Omnichannel Approach to Announce Changes

Introducing employee benefits information involves more than just C-suite executives. The trickle-down approach is outdated and can result in a gap of understanding between leaders and entry-level employees. Team members at every level of your organization want to, and deserve to, understand the changes and why they’re happening. It’s important to meet employees where they are to support them and help them navigate change successfully.

Here are some tips to help achieve positive change management and spread the word.

● Offer direct lines of communication. Empower leadership with information so that they can discuss changes openly with their departments or team direct. Similarly, arm managers with details so that they can share changes with their teams in group syncs or in one on ones with direct reports. Using a personal setting with people they know can help reduce anxiety and build trust.

● Consider the medium to drive engagement. Some people prefer flyers or mailers. Others are audio-visual consumers and may like webinars or podcasts. The options go on with FAQs, brochures, and infographics. Create assets that employees like so that the message is received.

● Announce the changes across channels. It’s important to connect with employees through the channels they use. Do they prefer Slack? Create a group dedicated to benefits changes. Or maybe it’s Microsoft Teams, Facebook, email, or a printed mailing to their homes. You might need to hit all of the above to reach a diverse workforce. The channel matters as much as the message and can help ensure employees pay attention to and digest the information.

● Repeat the message more than once and in various ways. Communicating change is not a one-and-done sort of situation. It takes multiple follow-ups to communicate effectively, keep employees engaged, and get the message heard loud and clear. Mix and match the asset type and channel to syndicate the message and ensure it’s received.

3. Establish a Holistic Approach to Gather Employee Feedback

Effective communicators are also good listeners. Provide employees more of a stake in the process by sourcing feedback and listening to their concerns. Don’t just wait for employees to come to you, though. Actively seek feedback to create more ownership in the process.

Going back to leadership and management meetings with teams or direct reports, ask people for direct input on what they like and don’t like about the changes. Consider establishing a company-wide survey that asks employees what they find most and least useful about the new benefits information. If your workforce doesn’t like surveys, consider offering an anonymous portal where employees can post comments or concerns and ask questions without fear of repercussions.

Keep the communication lines open to let employees know you support them and value their feedback. For employees, addressing concerns is a clear way to show them that their opinion is both valued and appreciated.

4. Build a Response Plan to Address Feedback and Keep Employees Engaged

Effective change management communication strategies hinge on an effective process for responding to employee input. If not handled correctly, sweeping benefits changes can lead to uncertainty and insecurity. Your responses to comments and questions can help ease employee anxiety and lead to higher retention.

It’s important to address concerns and listen to feedback to inform a successful response plan. Here are some ways to do that:

● Consolidate feedback. Designing avenues to get input is one thing. It’s equally as important to document and take note. Offer a means of consolidating information gathered from those discussions and the like.

● Use feedback to inform changes. In other words, call on that information gathered from employees to inform decisions on what to do or not to do and determine what is or isn’t working.

● Enact meaningful change. Looking at the feedback data, identify possible patterns to determine what matters and why a change would be meaningful for your workforce.

● Establish a communication and feedback loop. Continually communicate and gather feedback. Set monthly or quarterly goals to listen, learn, and evaluate programs in place. And when a change is made, simply go back to step one to share the news and the subsequent steps that follow.

modern tooling like Forma, employees can easily access and use benefits programs with three ways to pay for benefits via the Forma Store, Forma Card, and claims.

Better yet, Forma offers 24-hour support which is advantageous to employees looking for information and HR leaders who save time answering questions. HR leaders can monitor use and engagement to determine what is and isn’t working. Then, when you’re ready to implement new changes, you can leverage data from the platform and employee feedback to inform future program design decisions.

Schedule a consultation with Forma to learn how to increase employee retention and engagement during times of change.

When you value employee feedback, employees feel valued. Your effective communication strategies will reward you with employees who stay with you and are engaged and ready to adapt to whatever changes and challenges lie ahead.

Deliver Flexible Benefit Programs that Support Employees with Forma

The best way to alleviate employee anxieties is to provide meaningful benefits that support employees’ needs. Forma provides the flexibility to customize and design a benefits program to meet diverse and evolving employee needs. Using

Jason Fan is an HR technology entrepre neur focused on transforming the way companies provide employee benefits. As co-founder and CEO of Forma, a life ben efits platform, Jason aims to revolutionize how companies manage their HR programs and empower employees with the ability to discover and choose benefits that fit their personal lifestyles and needs.

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The Ultimate Employee Experience Trifecta

Rob Catalano, WorkTango

When Employee Experience is a top priority and people know their organization cares about them, they care more about their work. That’s why companies committed to employee experience (EX) tend to outperform expectations. In a nutshell, happy people make stronger organizations. And to generate that kind of happy engagement, organizations need to put the employee experience trifecta to work.

McKinsey’s recent research tells us people who have a positive employee experience are 16X more engaged than those who don’t.

The question is, how do you create a better experience for employees? It’s a three-fold approach encompassing: recognition and rewards, frequent employee surveys, and continuous employee success conversations (the modern approach to performance management). Bottom line: some things are just better together.

What’s that look like?

Recognition & Rewards: The Affirming Power of Appreciation

A big part of EX is expressing appreciation and showing gratitude. Every. Single. Day.

When someone “wows” you with exemplary behaviors and attitudes that support your organization’s values → acknowledge → be proud and loud → celebrate. The most inspiring leaders make recognition and reward a part of their daily routine. Make it simple by using a recognition and rewards solution.

The affirming power of recognition and rewards is undeniable when you add in the ability for everyone to send accolades to any person or team across the organization, to award points that can be redeemed for almost anything, and for these sentiments to be shared publicly and, straight up. Because when people know their work is seen and appreciated, loyalty goes up and there’s a deeper interest in organizational outcomes. This kind of positive employee experience leads to increased employee engagement Moreover, recognition feeds into an engaging employee success program, which is the third component behind a powerful people culture and exceptional experience that inspires employees.

But how do you know if your people and business strategies are on target?

Quite simply: Ask.

Surveys & Insights: The Amplifying Power of Employee Voice

What’s in the hearts and minds of your people? Tune into the voice of employees to find out. In other words, encourage every person in your organization to express thoughts, opinions, and concerns. Continuous “Active LIstening” is what successful, people-first organizations do to create an environment where individuals and teams thrive, and business excels.

Think: surveys that cover the entire employee life journey from hire to inspire to retire and all points in between. DE&I surveys. Health and Wellness surveys. Engagement surveys. Surveys about culture and leadership.

Think: frequent monthly, bi-weekly or even weekly pulse surveys, on-boarding, stay, and exit surveys, professional development and growth survey questions. Follow up on key issues to find out if initiatives are on the right track, and to get employee input at times when those insights matter most.

Then add in weekly one-on-one touch base “SyncUp” sessions, and quarterly “Check-In” performance conversations. These simple steps strengthen relations between manager and employee, and keep meaningful two-way dialogue flowing.

A deep dive into feedback guides decisions. Subsequent actions demonstrate that what employees are expressing is genuinely heard and taken into account.

As the Active Listening approach continues, tracking employee sentiment and making adjustments reinforces your organization as a caring employer. And ultimately enhances the employee experience.

The bonus? When managers can see data indicating how their team feels about their leadership (whether there’s reasonable worklife balance or sufficient coaching for instance) accountability climbs. When they can see their team’s scores in relation to other departments or the organization as a whole (and know senior leaders can see that same information), managers tend to step up their own performance–and by

extension–that of their people. It’s a never-ending cycle of asking, listening, responding, adjusting, asking again…. That’s the power of surveys and insights.

Goals & Feedback: The Engaging Power of Continuous Performance Conversations

An integrated approach to goals and feedback supports the development of employees and builds high-performing teams by aligning individual Goals with business OKRs. In an effective goals and feedback model, conversations are continuous and people-focused. It’s a powerful improvement over the old ways of “performance management”.

Managers have weekly (or bi-weekly) one-on-one “Sync-Up” conversations with their team members. This provides time for project updates, exploring challenges or concerns, checking up on morale and wellness, cheering on successes, forming new goals, and talking about life outside of work.

Quarterly performance “Check-In” conversations build on weekly one-on-ones. They’re a more engaging and agile version of the annual performance review. Goal cycles are shorter. Data is more current. Coaching is more precise. And there are more small wins to celebrate along the way. That adds up to increased continuity, accuracy, and effectiveness.

Weave It All Together to Create the Ultimate Employee Experience

Recognition and rewards help employees see how deeply they’re appreciated. Surveys and insights, together with actively and intentionally listening to the voice of employees, guide decision-making. Actions as a result of that process show how deeply employee input is valued. Continuous goal-setting and two-way feedback conversations threaded into this EX strategy maximize every

person’s potential. At the same time, this approach reinforces how deeply committed the organization is to the success of their employees. Weave it all together and that’s a win-win-win…or as we like to say, the ultimate employee experience trifecta.

At WorkTango, we’re revolutionizing how the world’s most forward-thinking companies engage and inspire their people. We offer the only Employee Experience Platform that enables meaningful recognition and rewards, offers actionable insights through employee surveys, and supports alignment through goal setting and feedback. WorkTango is built for the workplace we all want to be a part of – where priorities become clear, achievements are celebrated, and employees have a voice. So if you’re ready to make work lives better, check out this short WorkTango overview video, or schedule a demo today.

Rob is WorkTango’s Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer and has spent the last 18 years building HR Technology and advisory companies. Rob was on the founding team at Achievers, where he spent 10+ years growing the organization and his passion for improving the employee experience led him to co-founding WorkTango in 2015 to help companies collect and act on authentic employee feedback. He was named one of the 100 Top Global Employee Engagement Influencers each year between 2017 and 2020 and has had the privilege of speaking to HR leaders in over 40 cities.

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The Art & Science of Recognition Programs in the Workplace of the Future

Lauren Allen, Terryberry

There’s no denying it – the past few years have shaken up the workplace’s status quo in ways we’ve never seen before. Today, remote and hybrid work are everywhere, burnout and turnover are on the rise, and engagement is declining for the first time in years. All this, plus

a new generation entering the workforce with their own unique set of values, wants, and needs.

These shifts have left HR departments everywhere reconsidering their retention strategies. And many are beginning to make employee recognition a priority for the future of their companies.

It’s no surprise why either. Recognition programs have been gaining popularity due to their ties to increased employee retention, engagement, and productivity. It may seem hard to believe that simple recognition can generate all these returns, but it’s true.

lingered. Today, it can even drive people to seek out dopamine-inducing behaviors that aren’t always healthy, like using drugs and alcohol or overindulging in too many sugary treats. But there are other ways to get a dopamine surge as well. And one way is through recognition.

Employees - all human beings for that matter - want to feel seen and appreciated. And while there’s an art to giving effective recognition, there’s science behind it too.

The Science Behind Employee Recognition

It may be tempting to think of employee recognition as a trend, but unlike management fads of the past, recognition is based on neuroscience.

Recognition and Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain. Dopamine stimulates the ventral striatum and nucleus accumbens - parts of the brain that process rewards and create positive emotions, like satisfaction and enjoyment.

When an employee’s hard work is acknowledged and appreciated, it provides the same dopamine surge as those early humans experienced. It’s powerful and motivating, and, most importantly for managers, reinforces the behavior. One study even found that receiving a compliment, like genuine recognition, is just as thrilling to the brain as receiving cash — both are perceived by the striatum as “social rewards.”

That dopamine hit cement the knowledge that more of that behavior will create more praise, resulting in another dopamine surge, and so on. This is why positive reinforcement (recognition) works so well.

Recognition and Stress

It may sound unassuming, but dopamine in actuality is a powerful, highly addictive chemical. Evolutionary scientists believe dopamine was a key factor in helping early humans survive. After all, a dopamine hit after a dangerous, exhausting hunt would need to be pretty powerful to motivate a person to do it again and again.

And while most of us aren’t hunting gazelles for survival anymore, the powerful effects have

The amygdala is a part of the brain that’s often referred to as the “emotional center.” It helps define and regulate emotions and it’s what activates our fight-or-flight response. In our normal day-to-day lives, the amygdala is most likely to activate in times of stress. This triggers a cortisol release from the adrenal glands and sparks feelings of anxiety, anger, and/or aggression.

Conversely, less amygdala activity is associated with feelings of less stress and anxiety. And while there are many ways to induce lower amygdala activity, one simple way is with recognition.

When we receive praise, the brain releases oxytocin – also known as the “feel good” hormone. Oxytocin can combat the effects of cortisol, but, like dopamine, the positive result of oxytocin wears off quickly. This means that while recognition is powerful, it needs to also be frequent to be most impactful.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

If you think back to high school, you might remember learning about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow believed that every person has levels of needs that need to be fulfilled in order to live a happy, thriving life.

These levels include

● Physiological – This level includes the most basic human needs for survival, like food, water, and shelter.

● Safety – Safety includes feeling physically and emotionally safe and secure.

● Social – Once base-level needs are met, social needs can take place. This involves having meaningful friendships, feeling supported, and having a sense of belonging.

● Esteem – Esteem includes feelings of respect, recognition, and strength.

● Self-Actualization – Self-actualization occurs when someone becomes the best version of themselves possible.

When recognition is done well, it’s able to meet three of these needs: safety, social, and esteem.

Safety

It may sound surprising, but recognition can help offer your employees a feeling of safety. We’ve all lived through a global pandemic that left many without a job. There were layoffs and it seemed companies were going out of business left and right.

The Art of Recognition

Now that we know why recognition works, we need to know how to give it effectively - and this is where the art comes in.

It’s important to now offer your employees a sense of job security; they need to know they don’t need to live in fear anymore of losing their income. Recognition can help offer this sense of safety by reinforcing that your employees’ skill sets are important for the bigger mission.

Social

Recognition can also offer employees a feeling of belonging. Whether recognition comes from peers or leaders, being recognized reinforces that your employees are in the right place, part of the right team, and doing the right work for their unique talents.

Esteem

Our need for esteem can also be fulfilled through recognition. When recognition is given, it shows that the recipient’s skills and personality are needed for the success of the team. This gives people feelings of pride, respect, and of course, selfesteem.

Recognition may work for everyone from a biological standpoint but giving recognition in a way that is well-received can be a bit more subjective. Each person on your team is unique –some may prefer private recognition to the public while others might prefer a handwritten note to an in-person acknowledgment. There are countless variables, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.

Luckily, there are a few general guidelines that help ensure recognition makes an impact.

Frequency Matters

It’s critical that recognition occurs often and consistently. In fact, a Gallup poll found that recognizing employees at least once per week is best for employee recognition. Yet, 82% of employed Americans feel that their supervisors don’t recognize them enough for their contributions.

This discrepancy can leave employees feeling unseen and unimportant. Lack of acknowledgment gives employees the time to wonder if their work matters and if they should be doing something else. This can lead to disengagement and increased employee turnover.

Instead, managers and leaders should look for reasons to recognize their employees. Even if it’s something as small as thanking someone for always being on time, it’ll make your employee feel seen and valued – and less likely to look for opportunities elsewhere.

Give Specific, Authentic Recognition

Managers may be tempted to give a broad “thank you” to their employees and hope it ticks the recognition to-do box. But unfortunately for busy managers, it doesn’t work that way. Recognition needs to be specific to be impactful.

It’s surprisingly easy to spot inauthentic recognition and once that happens, your whole recognition program could become undermined. If recognition feels generic, manufactured, or unenthusiastic, it can come across as pandering.

When giving recognition, either in person or in writing, consider the incident that sparked the acknowledgment and describe why it was significant. Discuss how this type of work impacts the company as a whole and helps you work towards achieving certain goals.

leader or CEO. Furthermore, 53% of people say they want more recognition from their direct supervisor.

While peer-to-peer recognition is important, recognition that comes from the top down really helps employees feel their work is making an impact. Manager-led recognition also helps build recognition into the culture of the company. It creates an environment where people begin to look for reasons to give appreciation – isn’t that a place we’d all like to work?

Real-Time Creates Positive Reinforcement

From what we know about dopamine and oxytocin being powerful feel-good chemicals that are shortlived, recognition needs to be immediate for it to have the most impact.

Essentially, recognition is positive reinforcement – it’s telling your employees to repeat a certain behavior and tying that behavior to those feel-good emotions. Waiting a few days, a week, or longer to give that recognition weakens the psychological tie from the emotion to the behavior.

It’s important to not only thank the person for what they did but expressing how it plays a role in the bigger picture helps create a sense of purpose in their work. This is a critical aspect of building employee engagement.

Get Buy-In from Leaders

In describing the most memorable recognition they’ve received, 28% of people said it came from their manager. 24% said it came from a high-level

Think of it this way, if your boss thanked you for something you did two weeks ago, would you even remember doing the thing in the first place? So, what are the chances you’ll repeat that behavior in the future? This is why it’s important to give recognition as soon as the event takes place to connect those happy emotions to the behavior.

Inclusivity is Important

It may sound obvious, but in order for recognition to be effective, it needs to be inclusive.

It’s an unfortunate reality of life that sometimes people are overlooked for their accomplishments, especially the more introverted members of the workforce. In fact, one survey found that while the workforce is generally split evenly between extroverts and introverts, 88% of supervisors are extroverted. Furthermore, only 2% of senior executives are introverts.

Implement platforms that allow users to customize their recognition posts with memes, gifs, pictures, emojis, etc. With Terryberry’s social recognition platform, you can include features like

● Custom branding

● Integrations with work tools such as Slack and Teams

● Employee Birthday + other Automations

A common assumption from this data is that extroverts are better suited for leadership roles based on their skill sets. However, another study led by Professor Adam Grant found that introverted leaders outperformed extroverted ones when managing proactive employees.

This isn’t to say you should switch to only promoting introverts, but more so to shed light on the unsung heroes of your organization. Some of your top performers may be undetected by top leadership but are known well amongst the team for their work. This is where a recognition program that has a peer-to-peer element can help those under-the-radar employees get the appreciation they deserve while shedding light on where your true talent may be hiding.

Make it Fun

At the end of the day, if recognition isn’t simple to give, accessible to all employees (including remote, deskless, and everyone in between), and fun to use, it’ll be hard to entice employees to buy in. Online social recognition platforms help answer all of these needs and allow employees and users to own the process. This is what truly builds employee recognition into the culture of an organization.

● Advanced analytics and reporting

● Configurations to support multiple locations

● Single sign-on (SSO) and advanced permission settings

Why Use a Social Recognition Platform?

Research has found businesses that utilize a formal recognition platform have 31% less voluntary turnover and are 12 times more likely to experience strong business outcomes. Furthermore, employees who feel recognized are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged with their work.

If this is the case, then why doesn’t everyone utilize employee recognition programs? We know that even the best intentions regarding recognition, the day-to-day bustle of a busy workplace can result in frequent recognition being placed on the back burner. Client emergencies, machinery malfunctions, and pressing deadlines end up eating away the day, and before you know it, it’s been 50 days since you voiced any sort of appreciation for other employees.

An online social recognition platform, however, can help make recognition simple, fun, and effective.

Getting Started

Living in unprecedented times calls for leaders to rethink the status quo. Without making conscious efforts to adapt to changing times, companies are risking their employees leaving them behind. But leaders who are looking at the evolving needs and values of their employees will see retention, engagement, and morale rise.

Interested in learning more about how your company can benefit from a recognition program? Schedule a demo of Terryberry’s 360 Recognition Platform today.

Lauren Allen is a Senior Digital Content Specialist with Terryberry, an employee recognition company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Terryberry was founded over 100 years ago and has positioned itself as an industry leader in the employee recognition and engagement space.

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An easier way to be well.

We make it easy to run wellness and activity challenges that will increase staff engagement, build team camaraderie, and improve employee health.

Our built–in activity converter pairs with virtually every fitness device and translates any activity into steps – so no one’s left out. Start your corporate wellness journey with Terryberry today.

How To Lead With L.O.V.E. —And Why It Matters For Your Organization

Karina Monesson, UKG

One of the most powerful leadership styles you can embrace is quite simple: leading with love. Yet it’s often overlooked, taken for granted, or dismissed altogether.

I’m not suggesting you tell your team members that you “love” them. Rather, I am suggesting you build confidence in your team members by showing them you care. Consider the moments when you knew your manager truly cared for your well-being versus the boss who robotically tracked whether you hit your targets or not.

We tend to overcomplicate good leadership. It’s like adding more ingredients to the chocolate chip cookie recipe when the simplest of ingredients are what makes it best.

Based on my many years of coaching conversations with employees from various organizations serving in diverse roles, success begins with L.O.V.E!

LISTEN to Your Employees and What They Need

“If you want to add value to people, understand what they value,” says Dr. John C. Maxwell. This is an important statement, so let’s unpack what he means by this and how to put it into practice.

As a leader, it is imperative that we take the time to understand what our employees value most. Never assume you know what is important to your employees and their growth until you have heard it from them. Ask them regularly how you can support them.

During the past two years, many employees have realigned what they value. For some, paying off college debt is important, so they’re more motivated by money. For others, flexibility is high on the list because they’re juggling a hectic schedule (such as caregiving for children, elderly parents, ailing family members, or other responsibilities)— their work schedule must fit with the needs of their family. And others may value development and growth, such as learning a new skill or upskilling, taking on more responsibility, or growing their leadership qualities.

OFFER Words of Affirmation Frequently

Let your employees know that you see them and recognize their work often. If someone feels that you care about them and appreciate their contributions to the mission, they will work even harder.

There is a difference between motivation and inspiration. As a leader, we are not there to simply motivate our people. To a certain degree, that must come from within the employee. When you motivate, you essentially ignite the fire under an employee. Whereas inspiration is creating that fire from within, so that they feel energized and confident about driving the mission forward. A great path to achieving this is by connecting the dots of an employee’s efforts to complete a specific project.

Inspiration

VALUE Each Person and the Individual Qualities They Bring to the Team

We can’t be good at everything, but everyone is gifted at something. Take the time to understand what those “somethings” are and celebrate their strengths. To pinpoint an employee’s values, here’s a simple exercise you can lead with each team member

Share with them a list of core values, such as compensation, flexibility, career development, security, or wellness.

1. Ask your employee to reflect on these ideas and narrow down the list to their top three core values. Encourage them to evaluate what is most important to them in this season of their life.

2. Schedule a time to review those top values with your employee. This gives you the opportunity to uncover and understand their “why” and connect with the individual on a personal level.

3. Together, map out a plan for how you can best support your employee by incorporating those values into their work environment

EMPOWER Them to Make Mistakes

“Trust is given. Mistrust is earned,” says Craig Groeschel. I love this quote. If you trust people, they will learn from their mistakes and grow.

When you empower others, we reinforce that we have hired the right person for the job and that you have trust in their abilities. The key for this to be effective begins with establishing a clear set of directions and expectations for the employee to follow.

should create a fire from within so employees feel energized and confident about driving the mission forward.

Once you have established this foundation, it becomes about supporting the employee while maintaining open communication on their progress. Acknowledgment of any project being completed then builds confidence for future projects.

To a certain degree, this becomes about letting go as a leader and allowing yourself to be purposedriven. Following this plan allows leaders to focus on the bigger picture. This is a critical area when attempting to create a culture of empowerment and trust.

No one wants to be managed, but we all want to be led and inspired. Leadership is a gift we are given that has the potential to impact lives if we start from a place of love rather than fear. When you take the time to L.O.V.E and connect with your employees, you are showing them that you are genuinely interested in their well-being and

success. Remember, when you stop loving people, you stop leading people.

As Sr. Manager of HCM Research and Advisory, Karina Monesson supports UKG’s thought leadership research strategy and partners closely with business leaders to help them maximize the value of their people and technology investments. A former journalist and market researcher, Karina speaks regularly with conference and customer audiences about HCM trends and best practices and her work has been featured in Forbes, SHRM, HR Dive, HR Executive, HR Daily Advisor, and Human Resources Today. She is passionate about leveraging research, data, and technology to improve peoples’ lives and drive systemic change.

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Beat Work From Home Burnout: 6 Ways to Keep Teams Engaged

Andrea Stutesman, Bonusly

Take a moment to imagine what a healthy, remote working team looks like.

You may picture little to no silos in your organization where smiling team members effortlessly communicate and collaborate. The projects they work on are high-impact and achieve lasting results. Goals are met and even surpassed, but at the same time, the team reports that their workload is manageable and job satisfaction remains high. It’s an HR dream. To quote the poignant and unforgettable song from The Lego Movie, “Everything is AWESOME!!!”

Now, let’s slowly step off that cloud and return to the real world. What might that same team look like when burnout hits? And why is it important not only to treat the symptoms but be proactive to help your teams avoid work-from-home burnout?

To answer these questions, we’ll take a look at some of the signs, symptoms, and causes of burnout and then review how to address it.

Note: Please don’t Google burnout symptoms—the more research you do, the more likely you’ll land on

a super serious ailment.

Signs and Symptoms of Burnout

The signs and symptoms of burnout, especially when teams are remote, are sometimes tough to spot. They may include:

● Decreased engagement ● Decreased productivity and motivation

● Poor attitude or outlook (that may rub off on other team members) ● Low eNPS scores

● Decreased retention rates (see also: our Cost of Turnover Calculator)

According to Forbes, burnout is also linked to physical symptoms including: ● High blood pressure ● Depression ● Anxiety ●

Weakened immune system ● Decreased cognitive function ●

In very rare cases, even death

In addition, Forbes states that nearly 70% of remote employees are experiencing work-from-home burnout symptoms.

In a recent Bonusly survey, we found that 49% of U.S.-based managers are dealing with employee burnout. The discrepancy between employees experiencing burnout compared to the managers that say they are dealing with it might be a sign that you should check in with your employees.

everyone on screen all the time (not just the speaker), seeing and looking at yourself on screen in real-time, not being able to move as much as you would in person or on the phone, and more effort or “cognitive load” to express yourself and understand the non-verbal cues of others.

It seems that nothing can replace in-person interaction with your coworkers. Maybe a hybrid work environment could be the answer?

If you’re not sure if your team is feeling burnt out, there is a simple way to find out: ask them! Send an anonymous survey to see how your employees are feeling about their workloads and overall wellness. Here are 14 survey questions designed to understand and combat burnout to give you some inspiration.

Causes of Burnout

The team at Polly surveyed nearly 600 employees and found that their top challenges were:

Meeting fatigue

37% of people listed meeting fatigue as their number one challenge. This is understandable since, on average, we’re spending twice as much time in meetings than before COVID.

Personal connection

25% of people surveyed mentioned personal connection as another difficulty. Stanford researchers uncovered the causes of virtual meeting fatigue which mostly boil down to unnatural personal interactions. They note the increased amount of close-up eye contact with

Increased workload

With two times more meetings and turnover rates like we’ve never seen before, there’s less time to get focused work done and fewer people to actually do the work. These are prime conditions for burnout to develop within your teams.

If you’re hiring new team members, it’s important to consider the amount of time it takes for them to fully onboard before they can start taking on substantial responsibilities, and remember that onboarding new employees alone can be a strain on your teams.

How to Address Work-from-Home Burnout

Now that we’ve looked at some of the symptoms and causes, you may be wondering how to prevent work-from-home burnout or treat it if you know it’s already an issue.

Our very own VP of People Operations here at Bonusly, Vicki Yang, and Co-Founder of Polly, Samir Diwan hosted a webinar where they shared their best advice.

1. Check in regularly

It’s easy to think, “My team is doing great; they’ll never experience burnout!” However, you’ll never really know until you ask. Make sure to check in with your employees regularly to find out how they’re doing and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Could your weekly one-hour meetings be cut down to 30 minutes instead? Does everyone need to attend or can you include only pertinent attendees and then email a summary to auxiliary team members after? Are leaders asking their direct reports if they could use support on any projects they’re working on? Small changes like reducing the number of meetings and facilitating additional support on tasks to help reduce workload can go a long way.

2. Make recognition visible

In a recent study, researchers analyzed data from over 7,000 employees and found that there was a strong link between burnout and employees who felt unappreciated. For example, nearly 75% of employees who felt unappreciated at work said that their workload was too heavy compared to only 40% who felt appreciated. In the same study, 54% of unappreciated workers reported that the amount of stress they dealt with at work was too great compared to only 13% of those who felt appreciated. Additionally, 60% of unappreciated employees reported feeling alienated from the rest of their team compared to just 15% in the appreciated category.

Working from home can make it difficult to celebrate team wins, big or small. However, if you have a system for making recognition visible within your organization, it can do three things:

● It improves communication company-wide providing visibility into projects different departments and employees are working on.

● It opens up cross-departmental collaboration opportunities.

● Making recognition visible helps your team members feel connected, appreciated, and less burnt out.

3. Spark conversations

One of the side effects of transitioning to a more hybrid and remote working world is that teams

may feel less connected. What was once a quick question in passing at the office which spurred a great collaboration discussion now requires more effort like sending an email or chat message and getting a dedicated virtual meeting on the calendar.

Make sure that you encourage your team to intentionally collaborate on and talk about projects together. When employees are empowered to collaborate, they will be able to connect more, lean on one another’s strengths, and reduce their workloads.

During virtual meetings, don’t forget to check in with the introverts or those who tend to be quiet to ensure they have space to speak and share their ideas.

4. Address Zoom fatigue

In addition to some other great suggestions, Vicki and Samir encourage you and your fellow team members to ask yourself, “Is this meeting really necessary?” They suggest allowing your team to turn off the video and interact via chat during meetings and—this is a big one—start and end meetings on time! Or even (gasp!) end your meeting early.

5. Lean on your culture leaders

The responsibility of creating a stellar culture in the workplace has never rested completely on the HR department. That’s why it’s important to identify and lean on the culture leaders in your organization. These leaders make a massive difference in not only the culture but the productivity of the organization and, spoiler alert, they don’t only exist at the top of the org chart.

Who are the people that help make your company a great place to work? Who typically raises a hand to plan fun team events? Who’s always sharing interesting articles or funny jokes in Slack? It’s important not only to identify but recognize your culture leaders so they keep doing what they’re doing and hopefully, new culture leaders will emerge!

6. Make fun part of your culture

In Polly’s survey of nearly 600 employees, virtual happy hours and company-wide all-hands topped the list of most challenging meetings. Don’t just do what you’ve always done! Instead of “forced fun,”

think about surveying your team for new, fun event ideas.

Here are some other great team-building ideas to get you started. The health of your organization is linked directly to the engagement and satisfaction of your employees. Aside from the fact that it can cause legitimate physical symptoms, you can think of burnout as an actual sickness that attacks your otherwise healthy organization. If untreated, it can lead to serious consequences for your staff and business.

As with most illnesses, preventative care is best. If your team is not currently experiencing burnout, now is the best time to put safeguards in place so it doesn’t happen in the future. If your team is currently enduring work-from-home burnout, there’s still hope! Showing your employees that you empathize and that you’re taking it seriously is a great first step.

Andrea Stutesman is Content Marketing Lead at Bonusly.

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Are you worried your top employees aren’t happy?

You probably need a true employee engagement program.

If remote work has your team feeling disconnected, your employees are battling burnout, or those employee engagement scores are looking a little low, we can help.

With Bonusly’s powerful engagement platform you can: • Improve job satisfaction, retention, and productivity at every level. • Make fun, meaningful employee engagement second nature. • Help hybrid and remote employees feel more connected. • Inspire collaboration between teams. learn more at bonus.ly

Is your workplace designed for life?

Stay ahead of “quiet quitting” and the Great Resignation with a human-centric approach

Since COVID-19 prompted a massive work-from-home experiment, HR leaders have taken a front-row seat to the changing world of work. Employees value work-life balance more than ever, increasingly viewing flexibility and convenience as more of a right than a perk.

Health and wellness have taken on new importance, too, with 58% of today’s employees preferring to work with companies that ensure their physical and mental well-being, according to a JLL survey. Meanwhile, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by seven years, reorienting the way we connect both professionally and personally.

HR leaders who reshape the workplace experience in response to these new realities will help their companies stay ahead of the Great Resignation as well as “quiet quitting.” They’ll uncover new ways to spark collaboration, forge connections in both physical with digital environments, and prepare employees to thrive in an unpredictable world.

Following are tips for developing a human-centric workplace experience.

Checklist: How to shape a more human workplace

How do you foster a workplace that provides flexibility, a sense of well-being and resilience alike? Adopt these employee-first objectives as you co-create this new era of work:

• A human-centric…return to office plan. Do your employees view your office as a worthwhile destination where their health and safety come first? Listen to their needs and concerns—then address them.

• A human-centric…hybrid workplace strategy. If your employees have proven they can work well remotely, it’s time to return the favor with a menu of workplace options to support all workstyles and needs. When people are in the office, equip them with spaces that support collaboration and innovation. When they’re not, give them a sense of purpose by fostering deeper connections across the organization.

• A human-centric…approach to investment. Find out what really matters to your employees so you can invest in solutions that make the biggest impact, avoiding needless costs.

• A human-centric…technology roadmap. Help teams navigate new hybrid workplace configurations with wayfinding and room reservation solutions. Test out employee experience apps, using surveys to identify favorite features. And look for connective tech tools that give people a consistent work experience, wherever they choose to do it.

• A human-centric…well-being program. Would your employees thrive with more inviting social spaces, dedicated mother’s rooms, state of the art fitness areas or a broader mix of workplace options? Ask. Then, test out new ideas, put the winners into practice and measure impacts against goals.

Is your workplace designed for life?

Building an employee experience program

Design your workplaces with the human experience front and center, and employees will not only come back willingly, but they’ll also bring their best as they do. From enhanced productivity and performance to supercharged recruitment and retention, an experiential approach pays clear dividends.

You’ll want to start by assessing the current state of your workplace experience. That includes everything from workplace design and amenities to technology and services. Then, you can align and plan. The future of work is not one-space-fits-all. Your teams are operating from unique places, with unique goals, so you’ll need to start with dialogue to define success and outcomes and design your strategy accordingly.

With a solid plan in place, you can operationalize and manage your program. Many organizations pilot new designs and strategies before implementing them across their real estate portfolio. If you have a hybrid workplace, don’t overlook support for employees working remotely. Home office provisioning and ergonomic assessments ensure employees have what they need to perform at their best.

Once you’ve rolled out your plan, don’t expect to check a box and call it done. It’s important to methodically solicit feedback from employees, evaluate ongoing performance and continuously improve delivery.

It’s time to embrace human-centric workplace design

Ready to design work for life? Enlist help from a proven partner to help make the shift to a human-centric workplace.

Working together, JLL’s Employee Experience experts can help you meet new expectations—and surpass them in a way that supports your workforce and business goals at the same time.

© 2022 Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained in this document is proprietary to JLL and shall be used solely for the purposes of evaluating this proposal. All such documentation and information remains the property of JLL and shall be kept confidential. Reproduction of any part of this document is authorized only to the extent necessary for its evaluation. It is not to be shown to any third party without the prior written authorization of JLL. All information contained herein is from sources deemed reliable; however, no representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy thereof.

Empower

Experience / Anywhere is comprised of a digital Hub and a Program Manager.

The Hub connects employees to resources to improve holistic wellbeing and help the day run smoothly:

The Program Manager increases adoption and awareness of the Hub:

Manages

Case Study

JLL partnered with ART Health to scientifically test the impact of the Experience / Anywhere Hub, and after a 16-week study, found that it improved physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing and cognitive performance. Learn

and engage employees to do their best work, no matter where they work.

Survey Says: Free Lunch at Work Matters to Employees

Julia Gaynor, ezCater

There’s no question that the pandemic has changed the way people think about work— what they do, who they do it for, and where and when they do it. Even how they eat. As Martine Ferland, CEO of employee benefits consulting firm Mercer said recently , “A new culture has been set in terms of the deal between employees and their employer.”

Employers are still figuring out whether hybrid vs in-person vs full-time remote works best, the Great Resignation keeps on ticking, and some companies are having to pull out all the stops to lure employees back to the office. Google even put on a private concert featuring Lizzo

But you don’t have to book international music stars to inspire your employees. Often, it’s the small, consistent gestures that mean the most to people, including the people who work for you.

Take the tried-and-true strategy of providing lunch at work

In ezCater’s new Lunch Report, we interviewed 1,000 workers and found that catered lunches are not only valued by employees, they actually have the power to encourage employees to work on-site more often. In fact, The majority of respondents (65%) are willing to plan their in-person office visits based on whether or not complimentary catered lunch is being offered that day. To understand how the lunch at work perk makes a real difference, let’s look at a few of our key findings.

Free Lunch Ranks Higher Than Other Employee Perks

It’s often said that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, but many people still underestimate the power of the lunch-at-work perk. Our survey, however, makes it crystal clear that people love a free lunch (even if they have to go to the office to get it).

In fact, 44% of employees ranked free lunch in their top two work perks (only getting five extra vacation days was ranked higher). And 1 in 5 said free lunch was the most important perk, beating out:

● Reimbursement for transportation (16%)

● Weekly happy hours (12%)

● Gym reimbursement (10%)

Free Lunch at Work Motivates People to Work On-Site

It won’t surprise anyone who’s left their cubicle with the promise of a cupcake to learn that free lunch at work can be a very persuasive offer.

● Nearly 1 in 4 employees (23%) said they would return to the office in-person full-time if free, catered lunches were available.

● 20% said they would plan on traveling to the office 3-4 days a week to reap the benefits of free meals.

● 15% were willing to commute in for lunch 1-2 days out of their week for free lunch at work.

● The majority of respondents, 65%, are willing to plan their in-person office visits based on whether or not complimentary catered lunch is being offered that day.

Clearly, the promise of a free lunch holds enough appeal to lower employee resistance to returning to an in-person working situation.

“Lunch-flation” Is On Everyone’s Minds

Part of what makes employee lunch so appealing is that it helps ease the pain of rising food costs, or “lunch-flation.”

Regardless of their age, title, or job setting, 52% of survey respondents spend $11 or more per lunch when they buy lunch out. Free lunch at the office represents substantial cost savings at the individual level.

While the rising costs of dining out for lunch affect everyone, it seems that the younger generations–who are less likely to bring lunch from home, and more likely to outspend their older counterparts when eating lunch out–are among the hardest hit:

● Only 9% of Gen Z bring lunch from home

● 73% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials buy lunch at least 2 times a week, more so than their older co-workers (Boomers (44%), Gen X (58%)

Younger Generations Are Especially Motivated By Free Employee Lunch

Even though only 1 in 3 GenZ (29%) and Millennials (35%) take a lunch break 5 days a week, these younger employees are still more motivated by lunch at work than their older counterparts:

87% of Gen Z said they’d work onsite “more frequently” followed by 75% of millennials, and 58% of Gen X, with Boomers in last at 57%.

This information is especially important since Gen Z will dominate the workforce by 2030 (which is not that far away).  Savvy employers will take steps now to level up their food-at-work game so they can make the most of folks’ interest in the employee lunch benefits.

Lunch: The Meal With The Power To Bring People Back Together

There’s nothing easy about getting back into the swing of things after the long-term crisis of a pandemic. Many experts agree that COVID-19 was a turning point for how we work, and the so-called Great Resignation seems to reflect that opinion.

But sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference.

As a MetLife report on the rise of the “whole employee” pointed out, the power dynamics between employees and employers have shifted. Employee loyalty has declined almost a full 10 percentage points since the beginning of the pandemic. Because of this, employers must get creative about how they meet employees where they are in order to boost job satisfaction. Providing lunch at work can be a valuable tool in an employer’s back-to-the-office toolkit.

Are You Ready To Take Your Employee Lunch Game To The Next Level?

To read all of our survey results, check out our full report, The Lunch Report: Why Food at Work Matters.

Julia Gaynor is Sr. Content Manager at ezCater

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Feed your employees—and your culture. Learn how ezCater can help you deliver the powerful perk of employer-provided lunch.

A call to rejuvenate employee engagement As Business Bottom lines Fall

give employees autonomy over their schedule and lives

By Mahir Iskender, Digno

After months of mass resignations, layoffs, and quiet quitting, there is finally a bright spotlight on the lack of engagement among employees. If there were efficient evaluation methods in place within every organization, employees would not be able to “quietly quit” without their lack of enthusiasm immediately appearing on their respective manager’s radar, which begs the question - who’s to blame here?

Employee engagement causes a long-lasting ripple effect throughout an organization, one that cannot be ignored. Gallup looked into businesses with high employee engagement, reporting a 41% reduction in absenteeism, a 17% increase in productivity, 24% less turnover, and a 20% increase in sales and profitability. It isn’t solely an issue of employee satisfaction - this boils down to the business’s bottom line.

The concept of ‘engagement’ in the workplace is a shared responsibility between the employee and the employer. With the influence of younger generations demanding better working conditions, benefits, and culture, the pressure falls heavily on the employer to foster an engaging work environment. On the other hand, with an increasingly unstable and unpredictable

economy, employees are facing high stakes in the workplace without ample job security as the mass layoffs have proven. And due to the lack of flexibility in the workplace or potentially the stressful pressure to perform - employees are continuing to walk.

Looking ahead - there must be a valiant effort from the employer to not only revive - but maintain - strong engagement, while intentionally leaning into the balance between digital and traditional methods.

Employers are facing the increasingly obvious reality that the general interest in work is dying. Individuals are discovering the vast opportunities that exist in the world of freelancing and gig work, freeing themselves from corporate obligations and embracing a life of autonomy. The workforce is losing diligent, talented personnel simply because people don’t want to spend eight to ten hours each day in an office, and this trend is only gaining momentum.

Managing Remote, Hybrid, and In-Office Differences

The challenge to promote engagement and even re-engage employees who have started to drift

begins with acknowledging the asks of the employee.

At some point, there has to be a middle ground established between the never-ending remote or in-person debate. Give employees the independence to work remotely and maintain that degree of flexibility in their lives.

A successful remote or hybrid culture that promotes engagement must include a few essential resources. First - when the employee isn’t within direct line of sight or a short elevator ride away, there’s an understandable worry that sets in. Do they have an honest work ethic, and are they producing the quality of work required to drive the business forward without ample supervision or micromanaging? An efficient and configurable technology system that can measure productivity in real-time will effectively close the gap here. Is the employee responding to meeting invites? Are they reaching deadlines or measurable goals? Consolidate all of this data into one platform to promote employee engagement.

promoting cost-effective community

It’s true, many are embracing this new-found freedom of professional remote existence, but we are communal creatures at heart. Having a workplace community adds to the level of engagement any individual may demonstrate. Instead of spending superfluous company funds on Friday food trucks, office happy hours, or fancy break rooms equipped with pool tables, organize and coordinate meaningful in-person staff outings. Celebrate a well-deserved ‘Employee of the Month’ at the new trendy coffee shop or live music venue. Budget for a company retreat that

incorporates minimal work and promotes camaraderie and relationship building on a more personal level.

82% of employed Americans don’t feel recognized enough for their contributions, and 40% said they would put more energy and effort into their work if they received recognition from a supervisor.

invest in the employee-employer relationship

Promoting employee engagement in the future really taps into an old-fashioned - and highly undervaluedapproach. Get to know the employees. Understanding their character, motivators, and communication styles will not only improve engagement, but loyalty, productivity, and happiness right along with it. Build that foundation to understand them as human beings, which may ultimately help drive their career forward as well. A healthy employee-employer relationship is one that maintains transparency, respect, and familiarity.

Engage with employees in a similar fashion to other important characters in life - friends, family, and peers. Be thoughtful in how company dollars are allocated to intentionally support and promote high levels of engagement. And perhaps most importantly, have a willingness and flexibility that allows the organization to evolve with the changing world and the shifting requests from employees. Self-confidence and strong engagement blossoms when employees have autonomy over their schedule and lives, have clear expectations and means of accountability, and are part of a cohesive, supportive, and transparent team. It’s the demand and solution in the present and the algorithm for the future.

Mahir Iskender is the Founder and CEO of Digno, an advanced platform that provides agile management of tasks, goals, and rewards within an organization - a one-stop solution for employee performance evaluations.

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Want to make A Best Friend At Work? start With yourself

By Morag Barrett, Eric Spencer, and Ruby Vesely, SkyTeam

The research is clear, low engagement = high turnover (if not now, then hang on, it’s coming).

On the other hand, organizations with high employee engagement experience greater revenue, better innovation, and happier humans. But employee engagement isn’t as simple as birthday parties and an

open-door policy. It requires real human connection, especially the type found in friendships.

But knowing the value of having friends at work isn’t the same as knowing how to find them. The question most often asked (even by Gallup) is, “Do I have a best

We work better and enjoy our work more when we have an ally

friend at work?” yet disengagement and loneliness are on the rise. Maybe it’s time to ask a different question, “Am I a (best) friend at work?” Having a best friend at work starts with being a best friend at work, which means you have to go first.

When Was the Last Time You Went First?

We don’t mean running to the dessert table before everyone else (though that sounds brilliant), but jumping into a new way of thinking, doing, or being before anyone else around you is.

We’re firm believers in going first, especially when it comes to building the powerful ally relationships we talk about in our new book, You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How To Show Up As One!).

After all, if you want to make a change, you need to be the change. (Think Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror. Bonus points if you can also perform those killer dance moves )

This is more than just a “get yourself together” kind of sentiment. Before you can be an ally (aka. unconditional support) to someone else, you first need to be an ally to yourself. The Ally MindsetTM can have a profound, lasting impact on your career and organization, but if you don’t know how to support yourself, you’ll have a hard time supporting others.

Adopting an Ally MindsetTM always begins with yourself first.

the power of the Ally mindsetTM  So, what’s an Ally Mindset? (And what’s yours? Find out with our free Ally Mindset profile.) “The Ally Mindset is all about forging the human connection, and it is the first step in building stronger relationships on the job by creating allies—people whom you can count on, whom you can depend on, who care about you, and who trust you…. It’s an intentional, conscious choice to be proactive and thoughtful in your relationships rather than reactive and defensive in your interactions.” Us, in You, Me, We.

The Ally Mindset is made up of five essential practices that equip us to make a best friend (or five) at work and be a best friend to everyone around us. We’re not suggesting pajama parties and pillow fights - we’re talking about deep, meaningful friendships that impact the quality of your life and work.

Statistic after statistic shows that having a best friend at work makes work better. We become more productive (21%), safer (36% fewer incidents), and less likely to leave our job (12%).

We work better and enjoy our work more when we have an ally.

your First Ally should Be yourself

But before you can be an ally to others, you need to be an ally to yourself.  Sound counterintuitive? Let’s take a look at the five essential practices.

1. Abundance and generosity

Abundance is a mindset. It’s believing there are enough resources, enough success, enough everything to go around. When you believe that you have enough, it’s easier to share. Generosity is the result of that abundance mindset. It’s giving freely with, wait for it, no strings attached.

Beautiful things happen when you practice abundance and generosity, not just for others but for yourself. When you believe there’s enough success for everyone, you relieve yourself of the stress of competing against others. Yes, they can win, but you can too

You feel free to give generously to your own needs, dreams, and wants while still giving to others. In fact, we’d argue you give even more generously to others when you’re attending to your own hopes and dreams.

2. connection and compassion

Connection is about building relationships with others, but deep ally-level connection also requires compassion - having empathy for the highs and lows of others and a desire to help them.

Connection and compassion build stronger, more empathetic relationships. And, if you’re a leader, help you develop a more collaborative, resilient team.

But many of us don’t practice self-compassion very well. Think about the ways you talk to yourself. Would you speak to someone else that way?

If you did, would it help them? (Hint: NO.)

A lack of self-compassion will often lead you to selfcondemnation and self-pity, which ultimately, makes you more focused on yourself and your failures than on the relationships around you.

Don’t excuse your failings but give yourself some compassion. You, like everyone else, are allowed to be human.

3. courage and Vulnerability

Yes, we said the V-word….We like to think Brene Brown would be proud of us. Courage is about admitting our shortcomings and mistakes and being open to honest and candid feedback. It’s not an absence of fear or discomfort but a consistent choice to face them and not run away.

Vulnerability is harder, and it doesn’t have the same fanbase courage does. It’s owning up to our fears or concerns and asking others for help. It’s being our authentic self, even (especially) when we don’t have it all together.

Courage only works when we have the conviction to be true to ourselves. We have to be courageous with ourselves before we can be courageous with others. It’s why courage and vulnerability are so closely linked in the Ally Mindset. Being your authentic self only works when you are willing to explore who your authentic self is, and that takes courage.

4. candor and Debate

Candor is about honesty and transparency. It’s kindly saying what you really think because good leaders know they have to speak the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Debate is the willingness to take a stand on an issue while still respectfully exploring it in discussions with others. It’s being able to disagree with others and still get along (despite what you see on the internet, this can and does happen).

While candor and debate are played out in relationships with others, they are only possible when you start with yourself (are you sensing a theme yet?). You can’t be candid with others until you know what you truly think and feel. Honesty with others depends on our level of honesty with ourselves. And the kind of productive debate we discuss in You, Me, We can only happen when you have acknowledged to yourself what your own position is.

5. Action and Accountability

This last practice of the Ally Mindset is about doing. It’s moving beyond mindset and thinking to making choices. Action is about keeping your word and being trustworthy. It’s doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’ll do it. Accountability is serving and supporting others proactively. It’s servant leadership in action.

Both mean that you go first in your actions - stepping out to tangibly serve and support when no one else is, rather than complaining about the situation around you.

You can’t practice these attributes effectively if you aren’t serving and supporting yourself while you serve and support others. Every parent who’s ever flown has been told to put the oxygen mask on themselves before they can put it on their child. Ignore your own needs to the peril of yourself and the people you

want to serve. You’ll burn out, get resentful, and hurt yourself and others in the process.

Be an Ally to yourself so you can Be an Ally to others

We aren’t advocating a single-minded pursuit of your own goals and wants with no thought for those around you. Being an ally to yourself is not the same as a me-first mindset, so please don’t be a jerk and use this article as a reason.

But if you find yourself hiding your truth, beating yourself up, or not meeting your own needs, then you are not going to be the friend to others you want and need to be. You can support others better when you support yourself.

So go ahead, take a look at yourself, and make that change.

Morag Barrett is the CEO of SkyeTeam, and a sought out executive coach and member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches organization.

Eric Spencer is the COO of SkyeTeam and is passionate about developing high-performing leaders and teams.

Ruby Vesely is a valued executive coach and facilitator at SkyeTeam..

Together, they are the heart of SkyeTeam, an international leadership development firm and the Co-authors of You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!)

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how Text Analytics can help Businesses Build employee engagement strategies

the capability and willingness to listen starts by designing approaches with engagement in mind

By Marcus Pemberton, Relative Insight

Amid

a challenging and increasingly competitive landscape, talk of quiet quitting, the war for talent and the great resignation, listening and responding quickly to employee concerns to iterate processes and ways of working is a route to engagement, retention and ultimately success.

Certainly, the importance of employee listening makes it a key strategy for leaders across businesses, rather than just HR professionals. Approaches can range from using insights to shape policy and process decisions - such as hybrid working and the four-day week - to more localized managerial behavior changes.

But how organizations listen and turn what they hear into action is the key question. At present, much of this process is led by quantitative data – the numbers. Yet employers also need to tap into qualitative data sources, such as unstructured text data, in order to listen to all employee voices, rather than just the loudest.

Indeed, employee listening is about understanding how employees are feeling, and using this information to develop impactful responses and actions. This can be done through analysis of quantitative data, such as absence rates and customer satisfaction scores, as well as via qualitative data sources, such as surveys, focus groups and exit interview comments. And, while numbers are an essential component of knowing ‘what’s’ happening, interpreting text data starts to piece together ‘why’ and ‘so what’ – enabling organizations then to build ‘now what’ responses. And, while numbers can seem easier to get grips withthey’re generally seen as objective while text data can seem ‘messy’ - focusing on the numbers alone risks omitting the nuance.

Of course, biases and pitfalls are true with focus groups, Slack conversations and town hall Q&As; almost everywhere where people are asked to listen and process information, in fact. Clearly, it’s important to make sure that there is a more objective view available. But today, technology is beginning to fill the

gap: Text analysis tools leveraging AI can help people managers to make sense of unstructured text data and unearth the key insights contained within.

What Does Text Analysis Tell Us?

Through the collection and analysis of employee opinion, HR and people teams get a true sense of their organization’s culture. Uncovering this can be directed - such as running focus groups to dive into organizational values - or open and undirected, for instance, by asking, ‘how are you doing?’ in a monthly survey.

Meanwhile, the same qualitative data can also be the window to organizational subcultures. By way of example, ‘Do our values resonate in the same way in Asia as in North America?’ Or, ‘How are people in our sales teams doing at the moment as we approach recession compared to people in non-customer-fac ing roles?’

Employee Listening Can Influence Policy

Let’s look at an example of how analyzing employee data by comparing the language used by different groups of people can influence company policy decisions:

● Hierarchical language leads to structural evolution: Quantitative survey data showed a correlation between people reporting a strong sense of hierarchy and relatively high levels of disengagement, which was particularly pronounced in some departments. A significant difference in language used to describe coworkers was identified - with ‘staff’ being used routinely in more hierarchical areas, while the word ‘colleagues’ was more common in less hierarchical areas. While the immediate comms fix was fairly simple (essentially, asking leaders to be cognizant of using language suggestive of hierarchy, such as ‘staff’ or ‘command’), this finding also led to follow-up research which revealed localized attitudinal and behavioral differences. These included senior leaders having priority access to meeting rooms or tending to be sole decision-makers. Then, by smoothening hierarchies, the leadership team was able to increase engagement and reduce turnover.

● Adjective use identifies silos and subcultures: Similarly, another organization collected pulse survey data related to collaboration and cross-functional working to understand where

there may be challenges around processes. Analysis of qualitative responses revealed that the most frequently used words showed that what the adjectives were describing looked very different across functions - suggesting differences in experience and focus which potentially contributed to perceptions of silos or subcultures. This was then used to inform local communications to drive engagement and loyalty.

How to Use Employee Text Data effectively

It’s important to note that, while collecting data is a crucial first step, it can be too easy to just scan comments, or simply to keep a mental note of what came up in a focus group. As a guideline, numerical data is most effective as a rough tuning device, to identify and prioritize. But text analytics then enable you to fine-tune analysis and build a clearer picture.

For example, one organization conducted a poll aimed to establish how people felt about an engagement program. While 75% were happy, the analysis also uncovered a barrier - that the nature of several roles meant taking advantage of the program was impossible. The program was then expanded so that it was inclusive of all role types.

Another example of using data to uncover the nuances of employee experience came from tackling global employee sentiment across the course of the pandemic. By combining text analysis of monthly surveys and focus group programs, HR and leadership teams were not only able to monitor changes in engagement levels, feelings of anxiety and perceptions toward leadership, but also the underlying drivers, as well as evolving concerns. This helped shape the direction the organization took so that it could remain productive, efficient and effective.

Meanwhile, another employer established a project to examine and rework organizational values – keen to ensure that these were driving the right behaviors across a dispersed workforce. By analyzing a range of unstructured text data, for instance from focus group transcripts and presentation feedback, it became

clear that there were different sentiments expressed in key regions. Plans were then pivoted to create an inclusive set of values that met organizational aims but also reconciled more effectively with individual cultural contexts.

In this way, text data adds richness, depth, and employee experience and people analytics functions can work in collaboration with business leaders to identify, define and solve business problems. Part of this process is hypothesis testing, with both quantitative and qualitative data stores providing a rich vein to mine for insights.

Leaders who are attuned to employee feedback can create more equitable cultures and the impact of this ripples through engagement, loyalty, and a sense of belonging into productivity and success. Ultimately, the capability and willingness to listen starts by designing approaches with engagement in mind –maximizing the value found from involving diverse perspectives and helping to foster ownership and emotional commitment to changes and evolutions, while strengthening culture along the way.

Marcus Pemberton serves as Vice President of Customer Success at Relative Insight, a technology company that helps organizations generate actionable insights using the power of comparative text analytics.

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Workplace recognition might Be t he key to preventing Quiet Quitting

By Aaron Rubens, Kudoboard Inc.

Historically, setting healthy boundaries at work has felt taboo — but it doesn’t have to be anymore. A new wave of employees taking over their work-life balance is alive and well, and it has taken on a name that many employers now fear, “quiet quitting.”

Quiet quitting is a recently coined term alluding to employees who put the “bare minimum” into their work rather than pushing themselves to go above and beyond. A poll from VitalSmart (now Crucial Learning) highlighted that over 80% of employees avoid having difficult conversations at work, even if the conversation is necessary, and may benefit them in the long run. Why do workers now feel the need to hush themselves into complacency in the workplace rather than speaking up? How did there become such a disconnect between employees and their employers?

Overwhelming stress and anxiety, larger workloads as a result of low retention rates, lack of connection to the workplace and no appreciation for hard work are all contributing factors to employee burnout. If individuals care less and less about what they do at work, the overall success of the organization may be put at risk, leading to poor brand perception, low retention rates and recruitment struggles – all of which are extremely costly and time-consuming to mitigate.

Despite how it happened, the path to curbing quiet quitting is clear: companies need to appreciate, engage and recognize their employees for the good work they do every day. Workplace recognition is the antidote for quiet quitting and can be created with adopting workplace technology, executing mentorship programs and fostering a culture of gratitude in-person and online.

Business leaders have the ability to implement programs

companies should ensure that their employees are heard and appreciated

focused on recognition, which can include anything from celebrating employee milestones to shout-outs that show they are appreciative of what their employees have accomplished.

No organization is looking for an employee that simply “meets the job requirements,” but no employee is looking for a company that barely checks the boxes to support them either.  Virtual recognition alternatives can come in handy when it comes to these types of initiatives, as they can effectively engage employees without the need for a physical office space.

Removing the need for a physical card not only simplifies the process on the logistical front but also allows all team members to engage thoughtfully with their team members. However, appreciation doesn’t stop with a

virtual card or Kudoboard, it needs to be extended into long-term, sustainable culture initiatives.

Mentorship can be used as an essential tool for supporting employees and managing the quiet quitting wave. According to a study conducted by Randstad, employees part of a mentorship program were 49% less likely to leave, saving an organization upwards of $3,000 per retained employee. Mentorship programs can be implemented seamlessly in the virtual workplace with the help of face-to-face video calls, instant messaging through Teams, Slack, and other workplace tech.

There is no better time than today for companies to stand up and take responsibility for ensuring their employees are heard and appreciated. If organizations want to combat quiet quitting, they need to first reevaluate their

company culture and engage their employees in programs that aid in reducing burnout, increasing retention, and solidifying a sense of belonging. When a company goes above and beyond for its employees, the odds greatly increase that its employees will want to do the same.

Aaron Rubens is the Co-founder and CEO of Kudoboard Inc., a platform primarily used for workplace appreciation on special occasions, company events, and everything in between.

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3 Ways to create A more connected Workplace

hybrid work’s pros

and

cons

By Deb LaMere, Datasite

Withmany workers constantly rotating between in-office and remote work, managers are left with the struggle of these continued remote arrangements. Even though we are moving into our umpteenth month of this hybrid work environment, research shows that one in five leaders say they are either unprepared or very unprepared to manage remote teams. Some report that they feel less connected to their company than fully remote or fully

in-office managers. Yet many managers who are tasked with planning a full back to the office change say that planning a shift back to full-time office work is lonely and confusing.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

While work has dramatically changed in the last few years, including where people work, the hours

they work, how they interact with coworkers, and how they balance work and life, managing hybrid work arrangements doesn’t have to be isolating or confounding.

In fact, there are many ways human resources (HR) leaders can support managers and employees so that they feel confident, clear and connected in the new world of hybrid work.

hybrid Work’s pros and cons

Hybrid work arrangements provide employees with more flexibility and freedom. In many cases, they can choose the days they come into the office and the days they work from home. This can then lead to a better balance between work and life, and ultimately result in greater employee satisfaction, and likely more productivity and higher retention.

Still, there are some drawbacks. For example, even the best remote communications technology can fail at times; without the physical commute to and from the office each day, employees may be working longer than usual, leading to burnout; it can be difficult to keep up with shifting hybrid schedules; and there just is no substitute for spontaneous chat or bump-ins around the office. Some employees simply miss seeing their colleagues and friends and having those

in-person connections. This can negatively impact company culture, which can lead to less teamwork and cooperation and lower revenues.

Given all these factors then, how can HR leaders support a sense of happiness in the workplace and better employee engagement? The following are three ways to create a more connected workplace in a hybrid environment.

support Diversity and inclusion

To be effective today, HR and business leaders need to address the full range of environmental, social and governance challenges organizations are facing, including flexibility, diversity, and development, to attract and retain talent.

This can be done by providing attractive benefits and maintaining a culture that is flexible and makes employees feel connected and seen. For example, at Datasite in celebration of Global Diversity Month in October, we held an all employee virtual discussion on the Changing Face of M&A: the people behind the deals, a new Datasite report that highlights findings from a survey of 600 global dealmakers on how they view DE&I in their own workplaces, as well as how they view DE&I from an M&A perspective. We wanted

to understand how the people behind the industry are changing and what this might mean going forward. To make the discussion even more impactful, employees were randomly placed in smaller breakout groups to discuss some of the report’s key topics in-depth, eventually sharing their takeaways with the larger group.

Companies can also implement a quarterly employee event series, that combines in-person and virtual access, to celebrate and recognize key social topics, such as gender equity, bringing your whole self to work, mental health and volunteerism.

Creating a space for intentional conversations in smaller group sessions allows employees the opportunity to share their points of view on sensitive workplace topics.

Arrange opportunities for in-person connections

Many employees want to engage with their colleagues in person but often don’t know who is in the office and when. HR leaders can help arrange in-person office activities, including fun, to remove some of this guesswork.

At our headquarters located in Minneapolis, at which about 400 employees are based but working hybrid, we’ve held fun and educational events, such as a Minnesota Vikings party and taco lunch with leadership and board members, to give employees a specific date on which they can come into the office and likely reconnect with colleagues.

No matter the size of the office, companies could and should do the same to encourage in-person meetings. Lack of connections has the potential to be felt most by new team members, or those hired after the shift to remote work in 2020. Encouraging in-office and in-person meetings can result in a more connected overall workforce – whether team members have been there for a decade, or for just a few months.

lean into technology

Employees have a choice when it comes to employers. Celebrating employee achievements

can go a long way in letting employees know they are valued. For example, during the pandemic, we introduced a peer-to-peer recognition tool that simplifies and gamifies this process, allowing employees to celebrate everything from work anniversaries to project wins, all while connecting with each other to reinforce organizational values. At the same time, we also introduced a new communications tool that allows for two-way communication to make it even easier for employees to connect with each other and stay informed about company announcements and employee news. It was tough dealing with the pandemic and these tools gave us the ability to keep employees connected and supported during a stressful time.

The pandemic taught many individuals the importance of mental health and taking time to destress. Increased communication and ensuring employees feel supported and connected during trying times can also help build a company culture in times of continued remote work.

It’s clear that hybrid work is likely here to stay and while fostering and sustaining company culture, vital to employee happiness, can be challenging in a hybrid environment, leaders who do will likely be rewarded with a stronger overall sense of team and better productivity.

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Deb LaMere is the CHRO at Datasite

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t urning layoffs into layups

By Amy Zimmerman, Relay Payments

are a fact of work life, but no one particularly likes them. Whether you’re a CEO, a newbie to the work world, or somewhere in between, even whispers of a headcount reduction are enough to send you reaching for the antacids. Layoffs are tough on companies, regardless of title; executives want to let team members go with dignity, and team members want to be treated with respect for their service. No matter which side you end up on, there are ways to turn layoffs into layups.

Layoffs

If you’re on the executive side of a company layoff, make sure that you always operate from a place of empathy. I have managed layoffs several times, and I always start by contemplating my personal and company values. Are we operating within the framework of the company’s culture and the commitments we’ve made to our team? How should we execute, considering the shared language we’ve communicated with our team members over time? As long as you approach a looming

layoff from a place that honors your company’s values and puts empathy first, you’ll show up for your team members in a way that will feel authentic to both of you.

We all know that saying goodbye to valued colleagues isn’t fun for anyone, but this approach will earn you the respect of departing and surviving team members alike. If nothing else, remember that everyone remaining on the team will be watching you very closely and paying attention to how you treat their departing colleagues and friends – and your approach to the layoff will indelibly color their opinions of you and the company. That does not mean that you act empathetically just because people are watching, but it does mean that you should show up in a way that aligns with your values and feels authentic to everyone involved.

This seems like a fairly straight forward approach, but if you opened LinkedIn right now, you’re pretty likely to see examples of badly handled layoffs. Stories

abound of companies letting people go in extremely insensitive ways. Layoffs via email aren’t uncommon, and at least one CEO has come under fire for laying off hundreds of employees via Zoom. Employees find these methods incredibly disrespectful, and may very well lead to massive turnover from team members who would have remained loyal until you decided to mistreat their colleagues on their way out the door.

How can executives avoid that horrific scenario? Even if all the proverbial stars align and everything goes as expected, you’re still going to lose at least a little trust + goodwill due to the fact that layoffs are awful for everyone. Minimize the fallout by treating people with the kindness and respect they deserve.

When layoffs go really badly, is it because employers don’t know how to handle them or because they don’t really care? In truth, it’s often a bit of both. Some CEOs genuinely have no idea or

treat people with the kindness and respect they deserve

experience with how to handle layoffs, and people generally prefer to avoid confrontation whenever possible. Even managers who aren’t about to fire people have trouble giving direct, constructive feedback. It’s a very human response to take the path of least resistance and avoid hard conversations whenever possible. Companies should always strive to make team members feel they’re being treated with kindness and respect. Unfortunately, some companies don’t navigate layoffs with that level of care – and more often than not, it’s because they don’t know how.

Most executives genuinely don’t want to lay people off. They consider layoffs a last resort for reasons that have little to do with confrontational avoidance. For one thing, executives are reticent about letting experienced people go with so much institutional knowledge at their disposal – and the expense and time associated with doing so doesn’t make the prospect more appealing. Avoid this wherever possible by

cutting technology, travel, and other expenses before cutting headcount.

Once you’ve decided on the best course of action, make sure you offer team members affected by layoffs the resources they need to land on their feet. Make sure you offer what you can in way of severance pay, extensions of benefits, and outplacement services to help them find new jobs. Tech employees tend to have an easier time due to the sheer volume of positions available and the number of recruiters willing to help.

What if you’re not the person planning the layoff, but the person facing it? If you find yourself out of work suddenly, make sure you properly leverage your networks as soon as you’re ready. Once you share the announcement, you’ll find that people will mobilize on LinkedIn and other social media channels to offer encouragement, make introductions, share open positions, and do anything else you might need to get through.

Once you’ve put your networks to work, take some time to decompress and process them so you can quickly move past them. A bit of quiet time will help recharge your energy for the job search ahead. Once you’ve gotten started looking for your next position, do not disparage your former employer. Even if you feel otherwise, say nothing or stay positive. Remember that bitter and angry people don’t really show up as their best selves for interviews. Instead, put your best foot forward.

No matter which side you find yourself on during layoffs, let your positivity shine through. Find a silver lining in this process, even though sometimes, that’s more easily said than done.

Amy Zimmerman is Chief People Officer at Relay Payments, a venture-backed fintech company focused on building an electronic payment network in the transportation, logistics, and supply chain industries. Amy has over two decades of experience nurturing company culture within the tech community and is co-founder of PeopleCo.

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in it to Win it: making Wellness Fun With Gamification

By Laura Neuffer, CoreHealth Technologies

Gamification in employee wellness uses the psychology of competition, leveling up, and winning, to motivate employees to boost overall health.

Earlier this month, hundreds of athletes descended upon Kona, Hawaii to participate in a grueling, multi-day fitness challenge called the Ironman World

Championship. These time-tested participants set out to complete almost 150 miles of open-water swimming, road biking, and running a full marathon. Those of us less familiar with this punishing sport may wonder, “Why?”

Some entrants may have completed the endurance triathlon to motivate themselves to stay in top

What do video gamers and ironman World champions have in common? the drive to win

physical shape. Some might have been after the thrill of achievement, pushing their body to its limit. Some may have simply enjoyed going full throttle for 30+ hours!

But for many, the psychology of motivation behind feats of herculean strength, like completing an Ironman Triathlon, comes down to the same basic brain science that motivates us to get to the next level in Mario Kart: a chance to win.

Competition is part of human nature. Athletes are familiar with it; video gamers know the feeling of working toward the next achievement level, and anyone who’s ever owned a coffee shop loyalty card will know the thrill of getting the last stamp and earning a free latte.

Fitness trackers work the same way, providing the user with data on their progress through activity levels and challenging them to keep going, to do better. The popular tracking app Strava even connects participants to their friends, sharing their workout stats in a feed and allowing them to virtually cheer each other on. This information flow provides both the carrot (peer support) and the stick (push notifications and the positive peer pressure of seeing your buddy’s latest workout) to keep people, literally and figuratively, in the game.

Any desired behavior can be reinforced with gamification, and this fun approach to fitness is a mainstay of workplace wellness programs. A multiyear study of a Canadian company’s employee wellness program showed that improvements in overall health are possible through gamified wellbeing programs, with employees enjoying improvements in several areas of overall health while participating in a worksite wellness program.

Gamification, the application of game-playing elements such as point scoring and friendly competition, isn’t new. However, its ability to engage and entertain users is becoming better known and widespread across various industries.

In health and wellness, where gamification not only motivates employees to take advantage of well-being platforms but also helps companies measure their success, the solution comes at a good time. Wellness programs are facing challenges in the post-pandemic landscape where many employees still work remotely, resulting in low levels of engagement in work-sponsored well-being programs that use outdated technology. Companies are investing in more updated technology that both reaches employees where they are (in the home office, for example), and motivates them to consider and act on wellness in their daily activities.

Tech research firm Gartner predicts that about 40 percent of Fortune 1000 companies today are using gamification to help transform business operations in some way. In the longer term, as design practices improve and organizations focus on defining clear business objectives, Gartner forecasts gamification will have a significant business impact.

Gamification in corporate wellness is backed by a theory that there are two types of motivation: intrinsic (from within) and extrinsic (external). For years, wellness program managers have been relying on extrinsic motivation, like a financial reward or penalty. While it is known to work well to get people started, it’s proven to have little success in keeping people interested and engaged long-term.

On the other hand, game designers, using game mechanics and experience design, are experts in generating intrinsic motivation by allowing people to generate their own happiness. If you’ve ever studied positive psychology, you know that you can’t find happiness. You have to make your own happiness, also known as intrinsic motivation.

The four key contributing factors to intrinsic motivation include: satisfying work; being successful (or striving to be); social connection; and meaning or purpose. It turns out that imaginary work and imaginary purpose – like those created in games - are just as motivating as reality.

To make gamification work in corporate wellness, games must have some key elements: a goal, rules, a feedback system that shows progress, and voluntary participation. A good game also rewards players based on their archetype.

Richard Bartle developed the now famous Bartle taxonomy of player types, which is a classification of video game players according to their preferred actions within a game. His work shows that players play for different reasons, and in different ways. He boiled down players into four main types:  Diamonds (seeking treasure); Spades (explorers digging for information); Hearts (socializers who empathize with other players) and; Clubs (explorers who tend to be more competitive). You see some of these elements in workplace wellness programs (i.e. social networking, friendly competition, leaderboards). The best programs offer more personalized experiences rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

As long as we maintain short attention spans, thrive on instant gratification, and enjoy having fun, gamification will continue to boost participation – and enjoyment! - in worksite well-being programs. Done properly, the results will include a healthier and more engaged workforce, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and less turnover. With gamification, we can look forward to the new direction wellness programs will take in the years to come to not only evolve how we work, but the satisfaction we achieve while doing it.

Laura Neuffer, MS, has 10 years of experience in corporate wellness. She works with CoreHealth Technologies to create technology programming that can be used in worksite wellness programs around the world.

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6 Ways to promote employee Wellness During t he holidays

By Karen Siegel, Delta Hire, LLC

The final quarter of 2022 is beginning to look rocky, to put it mildly. A recession could be just around the corner, the stock market continues to struggle and inflation has reached levels not seen in decades. The workplace is also a challenge; with so many employees either hybrid or fully remote, business leaders are trying to navigate a new way forward. It’s harder than ever to foster the feel of an office and keep people engaged.

As companies enter the holiday season, end-of-year tasks are further complicated by the new ways in which work and personal lives are intertwined. Financial reports, sales quotas, and strategic plans are comingled with shopping lists, school concerts and holiday parties. No wonder Q4 continues to be known as the employee burnout quarter.

HR leaders can play a key role in helping their organizations through this difficult period. Here are a few steps that can ensure a happier, more productive holiday workforce:

1. Managers Need to Manage Expectations

Those overseeing teams should schedule tasks and deadlines as far in advance as possible. HR should encourage these managers to give their workers

time to prepare, and create momentum, for big projects. Discernment about what is truly necessary, versus what is simply desirable, can go a long way in reducing stress. Otherwise, workers are likely to overpromise—and underdeliver.

2. Provide Room for Work/Life Flexibility

Wherever possible Productivity is essential, but so is keeping workers balanced. Set policies that allow employees to be transparent about scheduling personal tasks. Allowing for flexible work schedules will help your employees feel less overwhelmed by the personal and professional tasks they must complete during the holiday season. Wherever possible, workers should anticipate the days they need flexible working hours and communicate their schedule to their teams ahead of time.

Mental health days should be encouraged by HR leaders as well. While these used to be taboo, many companies are offering these to help employees relieve stress and prevent burnout.  By giving employees the opportunity to attend to personal wellness, employers and HR leaders can make strides toward increasing both productivity and company loyalty.

ensure a happier, more productive holiday workforce

3. Finances Are important

Worrying about end-of-year expenses often distracts employees from their daily tasks. To help maintain financial wellness, many companies now retain support coordinators who can coach employees on their personal goals as well as their professional aspirations. Another approach is for HR leaders to offer financial planning apps as an employee benefit. Not only do these allow people to track spending, reduce expenses and set savings targets, but they also take the stressful weight of managing finances off employees’ shoulders.

4. Find Ways for employees to connect

More than ever, people are willing to talk openly about emotional health in the workplace. This trend becomes even more important during the holidays when loneliness is pervasive.

Creative opportunities for connection can address these concerns. For instance, some companies encourage virtual lunches that pair co-workers who don’t typically interact so that they can become better acquainted. Other firms offer online “happy hours” that allow remote colleagues to unwind together. Community events, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen or helping with toy giveaways, not only foster connection but also help to put the season in perspective.

It became necessary during Covid-19 to curtail in-person holiday socializing, but companies are starting to realize the value of these events. They’re more than a ritual; in a dispersed, online work culture, face-to-face celebrations help people to reconnect and appreciate their shared purpose. HR would do well to support them.

5. Don’t Forget the power of encouragement

Human resource teams can make a huge difference in fostering a happier workforce, merely by acknowledging the pressures of the season. Encourage employees to take the time to slow down, to meditate and reflect, and to simply be grateful.

Companies can also lift morale by showing their appreciation. Gift cards or other small personal items are thoughtful and inexpensive ways to remind employees that their contributions are valued.

6. hr needs to practice self-care As Well

It’s easy for HR workers to be so focused on organizational success that they forget about themselves. Try not to take the pressures of work back home with you. At the end of the day, turn your work brain off. Give yourself a welcome break from professional worries and relax.

While it’s true that the workplace is changing, solutions are out there. More than anything else, workers want to know that their employers value them as individuals, recognizing their efforts and their lives outside the office. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas that affirm corporate empathy. Especially now, small gestures can lead to less turnover, a healthier workplace culture, and better business outcomes. Ultimately, a bit of humanity just might be the gift employees appreciate most this holiday season.

Karen Siegel is Business Development and HR Manager for Miami-based Delta Hire, LLC. A former New Yorker, Karen cut her teeth in the fast-paced world of PR and Marketing. After working at top agencies representing brands including The Ritz-Carlton and Estée Lauder, she turned her attention to HR and Recruiting, along with mentoring young women who are newly entering the corporate world.

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