You’re leading a staff meeting or team huddle, and you ask your employees for their input and ideas. Seconds tick by, but all you hear is…crickets. No one is willing to speak up (or make eye contact, for that matter). As you wait for a response that isn’t coming, you feel increasingly uncomfortable and demoralized. We’ve all been there, says workplace management expert Jo … [More]
5 Elements That Make a Good Company Culture
Successfully attracting and keeping talent that helps your company continue to flourish is heavily influenced by one key factor: culture. Many job seekers are even placing a higher value on a company’s culture than their salary when choosing a position. This is a value Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) holds high, not only with new employees, but every … [More]
Caught Up in an Employee Conflict? Here’s How to Get Out of the Middle
One of your employees is butting heads with a colleague, and they’ve come to you for help solving the problem. This is what you hear: “I can’t talk to So-and-So about this; they’d blow up and make my life miserable,” or, “I tried to smooth this over, but it didn’t work,” or, “You’re our leader; can’t you help?” All of these complaints are typically accompanied by the … [More]
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Propelling Women’s Roles in the Workplace
The newly passed Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to make reasonable accommodations for people affected as a consequence of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, such as fertility treatments or postpartum depression. This is a step in the right direction in helping bring mothers back into the workforce and in narrowing … [More]
Bye-Bye Boss: Why Good Employees Leave and What to Do about It
“I can’t take it anymore! We’re short staffed, I’m killing myself to hold it together, nobody says thank you, so goodbye! Life is too short for this. I can work somewhere else.” “I was doing just fine working from home. Now they’re making us go back. Call me crazy, but spending three hours in the car doesn’t excite me. I’m updating my resume this afternoon.” “I’m not … [More]
Why Diversity Efforts Are Crucial: Seven Considerations for Business Leaders
You've no doubt likely heard the term diversity, equity and inclusion (or DEI), given such an increased and intense focus on the subject in the last few years. DEI programs, often led by human resources departments, are seen as offering valuable education and interactions and adding to an organization’s moral and ethical “compass.” But DEI efforts are also viewed as measures … [More]
The True Cost of Losing an RFP
The most immediate effect of a lost RFP is the absence of new revenue. Companies depend heavily on their proposal teams to secure opportunity wins on a consistent basis. New contracts equal new revenue, that’s obvious. However, when a company loses an RFP opportunity, the ripple effect is felt throughout the company. The annual average win rate for government RFP … [More]
Interest in Employee Tracking Trending Up
Recent studies have found that 7 in 10 large companies in the U.S. will be monitoring their employees in the next two years. Careers and resume advice site StandOut CV reviewed which states are most likely to monitor employees according to Google data and determined just exactly what an employer is able to collate and monitor when using these tools. According to Google … [More]
Cybersecurity Training for Employees Is the Most Popular IT Investment among U.S. Companies, Says Survey
Cybersecurity training for employees, as well as the purchase of cybersecurity solutions/services (61% each), are the most popular IT investments among US businesses this year, according to the newest research by NordLayer, a network security solution for businesses. The majority of US companies (67%) have in-house cybersecurity specialists to take care of that, while 24% … [More]
Gather, GROW and Refill Your Team’s Energy Tank with These Four Steps
There’s never a perfect time to pause your day-to-day work and focus on the internal team, but when you do make the effort, the dividends are immediate. Setting aside an hour, a half-day, a two-day retreat or anything you can manage as a team will provide the opportunity to gather together, grow as a team and refill your collective energy tank in order to bust out of service … [More]
The Hidden Costs of Hiring
Hiring a new employee is an essential but costly process for any business. Beyond the initial salary negotiations and contract signings, there are numerous hidden expenses that can significantly impact a company's resources and time. According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the average cost per hire in 2022 was $4,700. This figure, however, … [More]
An Ugly Firing Isn’t Inevitable: How to Turn Things around with a Problem Employee … Starting Now
The warning signs are all there. Your employee (let’s call him Jeremiah) is calling in “sick” a lot more than seems plausible. He’s missing performance goals. Even worse, more than one customer has complained about his attitude. To your dismay — because letting someone go is one of the most painful tasks a leader ever must do — it’s starting to look like an ugly firing is … [More]
Bridging the Cloud Skills Gap: Six Recommendations for Employers
Roads are likely to buckle and fail if they cannot handle a growing number of motorists. In online terms, more and more remote IT workers, fueled by the global pandemic, are finding they lack in-house skills to handle more than half (60%) of their current operational tasks. Even more important, this deficiency is making it difficult for employers to build and maintain resilient … [More]
‘Vacation Just Isn’t Worth It’ If Your Employees Are Saying (or Thinking) This; Here’s What to Do
Vacations really matter. They reduce stress; help prevent burnout; and keep people healthier, happier, more motivated—and yes—more productive. Research on the positive health benefits and increased performance from regular paid time off (PTO) practices is indisputable. What this means for leaders is clear: Encouraging people to take their vacations isn’t only in their best … [More]
Moving from ‘Fine’ to ‘Well’ at Work
The roadmap to creating a practical wellness plan for the office
Work-life balance. It has been talked what feels like to death in recent years, especially as employees moved from in-person to virtual during the pandemic and are now back in-person full- or part-time. However, the risk factors that come into play when a healthy work-life balance is not maintained are shocking: unhealthy stress levels for prolonged periods of time. The … [More]
Team Building with CSR in Mind
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and team building are two critical aspects of a company’s success. Team building focuses on enhancing collaboration and communication, but integrating CSR into that activity can strengthen the team and generate a positive impact on society long after the team-building exercise is done. Best Corporate Events has more than 20 CSR … [More]
Hiring vs. Recruiting: Understanding the Impact on Retention Rates
In the realm of talent acquisition, hiring and recruiting are two distinct processes that play a vital role in building a successful workforce. While both terms are often used interchangeably, understanding the differences between them can significantly impact a company's retention rates. Hiring is commonly associated with filling immediate vacancies and addressing … [More]
Dealing with DEI Pushback
Eleven strategies to defuse resistance in your organization
Inclusion is good for organizations and good for employees. But if your company is like many, everyone may not welcome the new conversations and initiatives taking place around diversity, equity and inclusion. In fact, there will almost certainly be resistance to your efforts to create belonging — maybe subtle, maybe overt, or maybe both. Some people might refuse to engage … [More]
