Puzle

DEI is the future of working. Why are some so afraid of it? Let's embrace diversity of thought and inspire innovation!

Battling burnout? Check out our latest post on how you can recognize burnout and tackle it head on in this new era working.

There has been quite a bit of conversation lately about the generational divides in the workplace. Several news outlets have published polls and research particularly critical of Gen-Z. As the soon to be largest cohort in the workforce by the end of 2035, the young generation is building a reputation of being the most challenging to work with. We respectfully disagree. Check out this article from Newsweek adding their two cents to the conversation: https://lnkd.in/e83meXhe What exactly makes them 'difficult?' From the research findings alone, Gen-Z--more than their predecessors--prioritize work-life balance, want a more inclusive and forward-thinking work environment, and expect ample career growth and development opportunities in fast fashion from their employers. They also want to feel like what they do every day is making a real difference. How are these sentiments any different than what Gen-X and Millennials have been starving for their entire careers? From the above mentioned Newsweek article to other sources like Entrepreneur, you'd think Gen-Z is on a mission to dismantle the status quo of how we work...but is that such a bad thing? Baby Boomers who are more accustomed to being at a company for decades with incremental changes over time seem to be the most resistant to change. Gen-Z brings an unprecedented technological expertise to any industry they choose post-graduation; they advocate for all voices and all ideas from every employee not only be heard, but taken seriously and actions plans put into place to bolster innovation and growth within their companies; they want their 'out-of-office' time to be kept sacred because they fully embrace self-care and their mental health. This generation has been molded by a global pandemic, climate crisis, a racial reckoning and the rise of artificial intelligence; they were bound to completely change the internal dynamics of companies across the globe. Let's embrace a generation challenging employers to be their best for their employees. This new dynamic fosters innovation, enhanced productivity and helps retain good talent for the long-term because they see their employers really investing in them and making an impact in their communities. Change is hard and can be messy, but the time has come to adapt and evolve. Puzle's mission is to redefine how we hire and search for jobs; embracing the ways a younger generation is affecting that evolution is key. Gen-Z is influencing older generations as well. Gen-Xers and Millennials are also finding their voices and redirecting their career paths and seeking out companies where they can thrive. As our economy continues to rebound and the job market adjusts, we will be here to help these groups align and connect on a common mission, shared values and long-term growth. Here's to the future in the way we work!

RTO or return-to-office initiatives post-COVID in the last few years have not exactly been easy. Some companies--mostly well established conglomerates and old school corporations--have had a tough time adapting to the new ways of working, but some have at least tried to meet in the middle of status quo and innovation. Unfortunately, other companies have gone to extremes to get back to their ideas of 'business as usual' and it hasn't been a good look. In November 2023, Amazon announced that if employees did not adhere to their return to office mandate, they may not get promoted. More recently in March of this year, Dell had an internal memo leaked announcing that employees would be passed over for promotions as well if they did not return to office. The newest, most surprising and harshest mandate is now coming from Patagonia. The storied sustainable outdoors brand recently gave 90 remote, U.S. customer experience team members notice on June 25 to decide to either relocate to live within 60 miles of one of seven "hubs" (locations in cities across the U.S.) or find a new job. On top of the jarring news, team members had 72 hours to decide. Those who chose to leave the company would be offered severance packages, but the scenario still seems extreme. Patagonia stands by this decision saying the move is in order to "improve team culture and support business needs," but placing valued employees in such precarious situations seems like the exact opposite. What does that do to team morale in the long term? Why do companies make such drastic shifts that ultimately disrupt all aspects of the business with unknown consequences on their workforce down the line? What does that say about a company who had built a reputation on work/life balance, but turns to making personnel decisions that seem to benefit shareholders over employees? This seems to be an unfortunate trend as the job market continues to favor employers. With mass layoffs still happening in major industries; inflation remaining high and wages staying low; as well as the cost of living forcing individuals to either take any job they can find to stay afloat, or remain in roles they are no longer satisfied in just to pay their bills, employers will enact policies that may not be necessarily in the long term best interests of their employees. However, at some point as it always does, the market will correct itself and the balance of power will return. As companies innovate and increase profits, they will need to hire again and compete over talent. At that point, is it better to be a business that has twisted itself into knots to take advantage of a down market in order to keep shareholders happy, or be a business that took incremental steps to protect not only itself but it's employees in a time of a tough economy as to not tarnish their reputation, and be the most inviting option when it's time to open its doors to top talent looking for a new home? Only time will tell.

The data is in...return to office mandates are NOT doing what leadership hoped it would do. According to recently released research from associate professor at Katz Graduate School of Business, Mark Ma, these mandates are in fact "[making] workers less happy, therefore less productive and more likely to look for a new job." Some companies have even resorted to threats against promotions and salary increases if employees don't return to a fully in-office existence. The reality is, driving bodies back into the before times life of commute/work/ commute is not wielding more profits or explosive productivity levels some executives have convinced themselves would happen post-pandemic. We are in a new era of working and it's time old school corporations embrace that reality and come to a compromise or risk losing great talent. Not all remote/hybrid options are created equally and may not work for all industries and companies, but rigidity isn't the best way to go either. As the way we work continues to evolve, Puzle's mission is to help employers and job seekers find that middle ground where they both can thrive together. Change is hard but not impossible.

It's now 2024 and we are still feeling the affects of COVID on the workplace. The way we come to work, collaborate, socialize, the technologies we use...all of it is a far cry from pre-2020 realities. However, as time goes on, we all must continue to evolve and do what's in the best interest of not only the businesses we manage but the people that dedicate so much time and energy day in and day out to meet deadlines, reach fiscal goals, innovate and grow our thriving economy. Last December, Fast Company published 5 trends that can change job searching in 2024 and we think companies that want to remain competitive and continue to attract and keep top talent need to pay attention. A key takeaway from these trends is the slow down of turnover. It's still early in the year to tell if it's a job seeker's or employer's market, but the time of rapid fire resignations have definitely slowed. It appears now both sides are becoming more methodical about their next moves. Employers are becoming more intentional with who and how they hire; job seekers are seeking out companies that will invest in them for the long run on THEIR terms. The balance of power continues to shift and that makes for a very competitive if not a bit hostile job market. We'll continue to watch trends and share new data as the year progresses to keep a pulse on this new frontier of the way we work.