Calling all HR Professionals… you are essential workers

?Some wisdom from our team, as you wrap-up 2022.

?Over the last year, we sat back and watched and took it all in, how the role of Human Resources is changing.?Changing for the better.?But before we get into how the role of HR has evolved, we need to take a minute to give a much-needed shout out to everyone that handles the Human Resources for their company.?We applaud you and your resilience.

?We realize we are putting it mildly when we say, the last few years in HR have been a rough journey.

?Let’s face it, HR is essential but often forgotten L

?Prior to 3/13/2020, many people thought the HR department just pushed paper and did some hiring.?Speed forward to 3/14/2020, the entire corporate world realized that HR became one of the most valuable departments in the company. (This is of course, most certainly, our opinion.)

While HR did not show up on any “official list”, as an “essential worker,” we pulled our boots on every day and showed up, mentally and physically exhausted, but ready to work on?behalf of our workforces. HR not only never got a day off but worked on call and overtime!

?So, let’s take a moment to give ourselves some much deserved recognition and appreciation.

?We’ve had to adjust to life with COVID, frequently navigating confusing infection protocols and supporting those impacted. We found ourselves asking questions like, “when was your first symptom” and then doing calculations of when someone could return to work.?

?We’ve been tasked with creating policies to get employees out of the office and working remotely to now motivating employees to return to the office and keeping the entire team engaged.

?We had to shift the way we think about work and productivity entirely, creatively and thoughtfully developing remote and hybrid workplaces while still building and maintaining collaborative teams.

?We’ve had to master multiple digital tools and web conferencing platforms.

?We’ve had to learn a brand-new vocabulary of terms, such as:

v?CDC

v?Isolation

v?Quarantine

v?Social Distancing

v?PPP Loans / calculations

v?Great Resignation

v?Quiet Quitting

v?HiPO (High Potential Employee)

?We’ve felt the strain of the Great Resignation, losing valuable employees, and asking those who remained to take up the slack while we competed for new talent in a tight, demanding labor pool.

?“Quiet Quitting” and how to perceive it took up a significant chunk of our headspace.?Who would have thought a “mouse jiggler” was ever going to be a real thing? (Mouse Jiggler:?Software used to simulate the movement of a computer mouse that prevents sleep mode.)

?When workers were already feeling burned out from all the changes taking place at work and home, we had to continue to usher in new transformations in organizational structures, policies, and workflows.

?We’ve had to grapple with the increase in gas prices and ?inflation and squeezing the most from our budgets. We often felt stretched thin and stressed, being pulled in multiple directions at once while still holding tight and being the optimistic face of the company.

?But we’ve showed grit and have been resilient.

?We showed up every day and accomplished whatever we could to make work life better for all.?

?We pivoted when necessary, putting our personal and organizational values at the forefront, and leading with humanity, authenticity, compassion, and empathy.

?We made tweaks and modifications to make work meaningful and focused our energies on learning employee’s interests and developing our staff.

?We’ve been tenacious in the face of every challenge that’s emerged because every person in the organization and their satisfaction with work matters.

?We may be running to the finish line in 2022, but we have a lot on the horizon for 2023 that we need to get ready for.

?Together let’s continue to redefine HR and enhance the lives of all employees. ?As you look towards 2023, do it with this in mind:

You do matter!

You are essential!

You are one of the most important ingredients in the recipe of ?success for your company!

?

Cheers to you during the Holiday Season,

?

The McCloskey Partners, LLC Team

?

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What’s on the HR horizon for 2023?

1.?????Economic changes ahead

While we are not officially in a recession, we are clearly entering a significant slowdown in the economy. The labor market has been tight for some time, and managers have found themselves in a position where they have hired less than ideal candidates out of a desperate need to fill. Or, they may have held on to poor performers, out of fear of not finding a replacement. In a recent article, Bill Conerly, senior contributor at Forbes, commented that as a result of the slowdown, we’ll see a brief period of labor availability before the market shifts back, and the talent pool constricts yet again for quite some time. Managers, then, can make use of this hiring phase to reset expectations and provide appropriate coaching. However, this is also an opportunity to terminate disruptive employees who continue to negatively impact productivity and morale.

????Layoffs are starting to occur and will likely continue throughout 2023, although not in every industry.

????As we prepare for changes to staffing, we should take time to consider those who consistently perform well.

o??Can they move to a different department or role?

o??What are you doing to reward your rising stars?

????Once the labor market tightens, we then need to shift our efforts back to employee development and retention.

o???How and where can we improve our training and technology, develop resiliency among workers, and enhance leadership ability?

o??Once we clean house and strengthen our workforce, how can we retain high levels of productivity?

In addition to potential reductions in force and cutbacks on new hiring plans, organizations will look for other ways to reduce costs and trim down budgets.

????Eliminating high-cost perks and turning our attention to organizational mission, values, vision, and branding may be at the top of the to-do list.

????Outsourcing some services or repurposing current resources, may be a way for companies to reduce overhead costs.

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2.????Employee well-being is key

Employees often rate culture, development opportunities, and health and well-being as top reasons for joining a new company. How, then, can we incentivize employees in ways that align with these motivators? In terms of well-being, there are multiple facets to improving employees’ personal and work lives. It does not stop at mental and physical well-being but extends to other areas such as, financial as well.

????FINANCIAL WELL-BEING: You may want to revisit total reward statements (check with your payroll vendor to see if they can provide these statements on your behalf), retirement plans, benefit costs to the employee, and provide financial advisors or regular seminars on financial wellness. This is of particular importance during a period of inflation and impending recession.

????MENTAL WELL-BEING: There are a few areas that deserve attention here, particularly during a time when workers are reporting higher levels of stress than they experienced in 2020, according to Gallup State of the Global Workforce Report.

o??Does your company have an Employee Assistance Program? Even if your answer is “yes,” you may need to remind employees regularly of the existence of this benefit and the services included.

o??Does your company promote the use of mental health apps and online services?

????PHYSICAL WELL-BEING: What programs does the company have in place for physical exercise that are both fun and functional?

o??Research continues to support the benefits of mindfulness, meditation, and time spent in nature; it may be time to evaluate what is currently in place and what the company can offer that is affordable and bolsters employee engagement efforts. ?

????SOCIAL WELL-BEING: How well do we foster social well-being at work?

o??Consider employee resource groups, meaningful, instructor led teambuilding activities, formal and informal recognition programs and ideas, and annual events to bring workers together across departments and units.

????CAREER WELL-BEING: What educational and career paths are in place to expand employees’ visibility, opportunities for growth, and internal promotion? Are you fully investing in your employees as a way to engage and retain them? In what ways are you demonstrating a commitment to lifelong learning?

o??Promotions may become a challenge during an economic downturn as employees nearing retirement may be reluctant to do so until the economy improves. If you haven’t yet, it is good practice to examine cross-training, opportunities to cooperate across different departments and units, and lateral mobility. Where and when can employees try out new roles and develop fresh competencies? How can you define and institute a philosophy of lifelong learning??

o??Two hot new skills to teach in 2023 are resilience and emotional intelligence, which can undoubtedly be learned according to research. The result? Better problem-solving ability, increased self-awareness, and emotional regulation, enhanced social and leadership capabilities, improved civility and respect, and heightened confidence and optimism. HINT: You may want to add these Trainings as core competencies for each of your leader’s goals in 2023.

o??Continuing to lead trainings on digital fluency will also be critical next year.

o??What are the “in demand” skills? Now is the time for HR leaders to anticipate and act, implementing formal certification programs.

One major intervention, in the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting, is creating a culture of compassion and doubling down on efforts to make well-being a priority. Across all areas of well-being discussed, companies must quickly identify who is struggling and create viable solutions.

t?Employees are seeking meaning and purpose in their work and want the organization’s values to match their own. Companies may want to implement or revise social responsibility policies and programs, as well as take time to listen to its employees about the type of environment that will contribute to their happiness and success.

Implement Stay Interviews.

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3.????Flexible Work Schedules and Work/Life Balance

The way in which we work has changed. Rather than forcing all employees back to the office, we recommend companies re-evaluate remote and hybrid policies and determine what approach makes most strategic sense for the organization based on specific roles and responsibilities.

????Is a compressed workweek an option for your team?

????Where and when can you offer flexibility? What tools and practices can be put in place for staff to be successful, no matter where they are located?

????If you’re a 24/7 operation and there are departments that do not provide 24/7 coverage, is remote work an option? Consider allowing flexible “in office” schedules to allow for remote work when the department would not usually have someone staffing it.

????Let’s examine the ways in which learning, development, brainstorming, and collaboration can be adapted to an asynchronous environment.

??Turning our attention to the demands on working families is also an effective measure in retaining employees and fortifying an organizational commitment to work/life balance. Permitting scheduling flexibility is a start, but there may be more we can offer in terms of on-site or fully/partially funded childcare and allowing more time off for parental leave. States like PA have legislation submitted that, if passed, will require paid sick and parental leave in addition to Federal FMLA job protection. Check out what’s on the horizon in PA. ?https://mccloskeypartners.com/wp/resources/white-papers/

?How do your paid time off benefits compare? Now is the time to revisit those policies and frequently solicit employee feedback about what they need to be at their best.

?4.???Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Another area of importance to the current workforce are diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. When diverse employees collaborate, there is more effective brainstorming and generation of creative solutions. Longer term, it leads to a general increase in tolerance for and appreciation of differences. ?

A few questions to ask:

????How robust are your DEI policies?

????How well are you recruiting and hiring for diversity?

????How are you removing barriers to individual productivity and success so that everyone is playing on equal footing?

????Should you expand your current definitions?

????Are you training the hiring managers, so the right questions are asked during interviews?

Suggestions include:

????Revisiting process for requesting and reviewing accommodations

????Researching ways to shift talent acquisition strategies to increase diversity among your teams

????Reassess onboarding processes to ensure new hires feel welcome

o??Implement Day 1 Onboard Process

o??If you don’t already, consider implementing a 90-day new employee satisfaction survey.

?A WORD ON QUIET QUITTING: Let’s take a deeper look into this phenomenon which has gained much attention in recent months.

It is defined as doing what is within our job descriptions as opposed to going above and beyond. It is getting paid for the work we were hired for, rather than taking on additional work for no additional pay.

Gallup reports that "Quiet Quitters" make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce, and that only 32% are engaged. ?=> 18% are actively disengaged.

WHY IS THIS?

????????????It is attributed to a disconnect between employees and employers and is linked to several of the trends we’ve already discussed including not feeling cared for, lack of opportunities for growth (or at least the perception there is no growth opportunity because the company has not published their Career Path Programs) and feeling detached from the organization’s mission.

It seems to be a signal to employers, in clear behavioural terms, that work, and life are out of balance.

????Expectations need to be better communicated and leaders must have acquired exceptional active listening skills, empathy, and the ability to instil trust in order to be truly effective at changing perspectives and behaviour.

?Lessons we learned in 2022

There is a lot of confusion around the topic of Marijuana and what the company’s drug policy should be.?Take the confusion out and ensure you update your policy.

?Desperate and bad hiring is leading to an increase in employment related lawsuits.?Hire slower and fire faster.?

?Employers need more oversight of their remote workforce. Remote work should be a privilege not an expectation.

Job descriptions need to be updated with remote expectations and physical requirements.

?Companies have no idea if their employees are “quietly quitting.”?Unsure? Conduct a Stay Interview or conduct an Engagement Survey.

?If it’s taking your team longer than 24 hours to respond to a candidate, that is too long.

?Employees are asking for a better quality of life, and they believe it’s your role, as their employer, to be their Quality-of-Life Champion.

?Employees expect their employer to create a road map for career advancement. ?Employees want career development options and need a roadmap to help them “see their future.” If they can’t “see their future,” they opt to go to the employer across the street if that employer is able to show them a picture of what their options may look like.

?Our households look different today.?Friends and family members combined households more during COVID than any other time.?Consider redefining the definition of “immediate family member.”

?Learn how to Practice The Pause (PTP) and teach the PTP to your employees.

?Encore Career choices increased over the last year.?(Careers for someone that had previously retired or already is working in one industry but is opting to work a second job in a different industry.)

?Your HR Team need to be marketers as well.?Old boring Recruiting Ads just don’t work anymore.

?A little bit about benefits…

?Many companies expanded their benefit offerings in 2022 to be competitive and help to offset some of the household costs of their employees.?

?Benefits to consider:

????Vacation & Sick & Personal Paid time off banks

????Unlimited paid time off for leadership team

????Increasing amount of paid time off hours that can carry over from one year to the next

????Day off for Birthday

????Company Paid Holidays & Floating Holidays

????Parental paid leave for childbirth/bonding/adoption (in addition to vacation/PTO banks)

????Expanding Bereavement policy to include Pets

????Allowing remote work on days when the employee does not have coverage for their elderly parents or pets

????Tuition Reimbursement & Professional Development

????Paid Memberships to organizations & Paid Gym memberships

????Paid short term and long-term disability

????Loan forgiveness programs

????Childcare

????Pet Insurance

????Free lunches, Drinks and Snacks provided by Company

?????Employee assistance programs

????Yoga, Pilates

????Arranging team outings