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  • Management Skills: What Managers Need to lead their Team

    Management Skills: What Managers Need to lead their Team

    A manager needs several characteristics and skills to effectively manage a team. Effective management skills are beneficial for the organization as well as for the team manager. It takes a wide range of knowledge and effective management skills to deal with different types of people, various tasks, and business needs. Without them, it can be difficult to get productive output from your team, which can be disastrous for the organization.

    Six fundamental functions are involved in management, these are, planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, leadership and oversight. So, the manager has to have the skills to conquer these areas. These somehow relate to the skills needed to lead your team.

    These functions help the manager to do the work in an organized manner. The fundamental functions and management skills go hand in hand as they both works for the benefit of the manager.   

    These are 10 essential skills for any manager

    One vision for all

    There should be one vision for all the team members in the team. The team manager directs the team towards the vision of the organization. It is the right direction given by the manager which leads all of the team members towards one vision. The team members should be clear about the purpose so that they can prioritize which initiative they should put first and vice versa

    Building good relationships

     It is the most important management skill. The manager should communicate and build good relationships with all the team members at all levels. It makes it easier for the members of your team to approach you when they have questions or when they need clarification regarding their work. When you have a good relationship with your team, it becomes easier for you to get through their issues regarding work.

    Organizing and strategizing

    The manager has to make sure that the workload is managed properly, oversee the work of other employees, attend office meetings and provide training sessions, carry out the appraisals, and review company policies. The strategic part of the management includes strategizing about the company’s growth and policies for the long term period.

    Decision making

    The manager has to take decisions on a day-to-day basis. The decisions should be taken after considering all the factors. Because the right decisions can take the organization to a higher position as well as bad decisions can make it a disaster. That is why it is called the most crucial management skill.

    Clear and effective communication

    The team manager is the chain between frontline staff and top management. Clear and effective communication can make the work environment better whereas miscommunication may lead to failure. The team manager has to communicate the priorities, goals, strategies, and information to all the team members. Clear and effective communication helps to run the functions of the organization smoothly.

    Problem-solving

    The manager has to be supportive towards solving the problems of the team members. Problems occur in every business or organization, but it is the responsibility of the manager to make the right decision at the right time and guide the members of the team to solve the issues. The problems can take place at any time, so you should always be ready for that.

    Transparency at the workplace

    To encourage creativity and accountability in the team members, the workplace should be as transparent as it could be. So that the employees feel more connected, satisfied, and productive. It builds the trust of the employees towards the workplace and makes them work with more interest. The executives should share the company information with the whole team or individual team members should share feedback with each other.

    Developing new ideas

     It is important to develop new ideas to solve customers’ problems. The organization also needs new ideas and innovations to increase the efficiency and productivity of the employees. Innovations and new ideas are important in today’s scenario because there is cutthroat competition in the market. The manager should always promote and encourage new ideas of the team members also.

    Use of emotional intelligence

    Emotional intelligence here refers to a manager’s ability to manage their own emotions as well as of the team members. When the manager himself has the ability to understand, use and manage their own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and solve conflicts. The use of emotional intelligence is helpful for making the right decision at the right time while having concern for your team members also.

    Help your team grow and flourish

    As a manager, you should support and nurture your team. From solving the issues of the team members to making them reach their goals and dreams, the manager plays a very significant role. Besides encouraging your team to continuously expand their knowledge, you can also nurture and motivate them through positive feedback and outstanding management skills for good work. You can also give suggestions for improvements in their performance. You are also a critic to your team at times, as this can assist them in their professional development.

  • Employees’ Growth Mindset: How to Develop It

    Employees’ Growth Mindset: How to Develop It

    Mindset is the foundation of the success and failure of any organization. The most successive organizations are known to be oriented on growth. A manager has to build a learning-oriented culture at the workplace and help the employees switch from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

    A growth mindset provides motivation and support to employees to progress in their careers. It is beneficial for the employees as well as the business. An employee who has a growth mindset believes that success comes from the right effort and time.

    The psychologist ‘Carol Dweck’ says that success comes from the right mindset rather than intelligence, talent, or education. She categorized mindset into two types:

    Fixed mindset

    People with a fixed mindset believe that they are inborn with certain intelligence, skills, and abilities that cannot be changed. They fear that they might not succeed the challenges often stops them from progressing.

    Growth mindset

    People with a growth mindset believe that they can learn from experiences, develop their skills and improve with practice. They embrace challenges and lead to greater achievement.

    Developing the growth mindset in employees

    Help the employees learn the growth mindset in the following ways:

    Establish the workplace environment:

    The growth mindset requires establishing an environment where openness, transparency, and risk take place. As these will help to make it easier for the employees to adopt the growth mindset.

    • Openness: The ideas and suggestions for the growth of the organization should be given openly to the employees. In the same way, employees should be open to sharing the issues and feedback with the managers.
    • Transparency: There should be transparency in the organization. The vision, strategies, goals of the organization should be transparent. It helps to build the growth mindset of the employees in the organization.
    • Risk-taking: Growth comes from new experiments and the implementation of new ideas. So, the risk factor automatically gets involved while we experiment with new things. The employees should be ready to take risks.

    Learning from success and failures:

    Nobody likes to fail in their lives. But, when projects don’t succeed, the managers should not demotivate the employees. It will bring their confidence levels low and they might not share any ideas in the future. Instead, managers should encourage the growth mindset of the employees by making them learn from their failures. Also, celebrate the success of the employees and make it a part of their learning. The learning doesn’t end while you achieve success, you can learn from your success also. Learning from success is as important as from failure. They both provide a practical approach to learning to the employees.  

    Individual Development:

    The individual developments include encouraging the employees to stretch themselves into the new area of development. The employees attend training and development programs to adopt the new changes and get fit into them. The employees who take part in these programs indicate that their organization believes in themselves as potential employees. It promotes a growth mindset at the individual levels. It ultimately benefits the organization and retains valuable employees. The organization achieves its growth and development when the employees have reached their own growth and development.

    Evaluate Performance, not Output:

    The performance should be evaluated based on learning, not based on output given by the employees. The employees always learn from their work, they may fail or succeed in their job, but ultimately they learn. So, learning plays a very significant role in employee performance evaluation.

    While developing the growth mindset in the employees of the organization, this approach changes the evaluation method of the performance. It helps in the growth of the employees and the organization gets the best from the employees.

    Recognize Individual Accomplishments:

    The employees need recognition of their achievements to stay motivated. Always recognize every small achievement of the employees and celebrate them. The recognition gives them the motivation to make more efforts to reach their goals. When a team gets successful, it should be considered as the achievement of the whole team, not just the manager. Individual accomplishments within the group should also be recognized and rewarded.

    This helps in building the growth mindset in which the employees are willing to step out of their comfort zone to take initiatives and reasonable risks as well.

    Feedback:

    The employees assume that they are working their best unless they get feedback from the managers or given a day off as an award, which gives the idea of how their performance is. Feedback help to know where their performance stands and how to make it better.

    In a growth mindset, the employee often shares and requests feedback. By actively listening to the feedback of the manager, the employee develops a tactical plan to improve his performance. It is also recommended to document the feedback and goals so that both managers and employees have access to them. Meaningful feedback can actually help to develop the employees. 

  • How to build accountability in workplace?

    How to build accountability in workplace?

    Accountability in workplace means accomplishing the goals and responsibilities that you said you will do. Furthermore, commitment and employee morale rise as a result of it, which in turn leads to greater productivity.

    Accountability fosters job satisfaction, and better work relationships, and helps the team work more effectively together. When your team holds each other accountable in a supportive way, it can help you have better performance discussions.

    When the team has a lack of accountability, they have to face poor performance, low team morale, increased employee turnover, and decreased output.

    Accountability is not just something to think about during quarterly reviews or when something goes wrong. High-performance teams practice accountability every single day through open communication, sharing commitments, and reporting on their progress.

    10 Ways to build accountability in the Workplace

    Building accountability at the workplace requires following the following steps:

    1. Hold yourself accountable first

    As a manager, you are the one who sets the culture for the team. So, you have to first perform in a certain way to make the team follow you and do the same. If you’re self-motivated and can hold yourself accountable, you might be in a good position to improve accountability in your workplace. If you are continuously showing up to meetings late, pushing deadlines, and not owning up to your mistakes, the team will follow the suit.

    2. Define goals

    The team manager should define the goals properly to the team members. The team can work effectively only when they know the goals of the organization. There are a few tasks and responsibilities that each team member has to perform within the prescribed time. These are assigned by the manager of the team.

    3. Hold each other accountable

    It’s the responsibility of the manager to hold the team accountable. The manager as well as the team members are accountable for their duties and responsibilities. When it comes to company accountability, communication is key. So, communicate clearly to convey the best you have for the team.

    4. Give feedback- often

    The manager has to evaluate the progress of the team and give feedback from time to time. Your team’s performance is entirely influenced and transformed by your positive or negative expectations. So keep expecting from your employees and give them feedback regularly to get the best output from them.

    5. Consider the thoughts of the team

    Most people are not trying to be difficult or make mistakes but it somehow happens. They may not even know that it affects the team negatively. The manager should approach such employees and explain this to them is the best way of improving their personal issues and accountability in the workplace.

    6. Be tough with the team often

    When the team does something wrong, the manager needs to hold them accountable for that and behave in a tough manner. Some managers ignore this because they don’t want to be in a negative position. But at that particular time, they should only think about the situation that has gone wrong. Ask questions and gaining insight into the employee’s perspective on why a certain result occurred is a good way to do this.

    7. Provide opportunities for improvement

    The manager should always provide opportunities for improvement to the employees. It is important that you make it clear to your employees that you have a genuine interest in supporting their professional and personal development. Knowing that you are investing time in your employee’s success is going to motivate them to continue learning and growing. They become a valuable part of the company. 

    8. The whole system matters

    The whole system here means that every single person in the workplace matters for accountability. The manager should focus on every individual player, such as:

    • The poor performer
    • Someone who often fails to follow through
    • The one who just isn’t pulling their weight

    So, they all are equally important to the team, and they all should be considered while managing the team.

    9. Recognize and celebrate progress

    The manager should always take time to recognize the achievements of the team. These achievements should be celebrated in the workplace. It keeps the team motivated and they keep performing their best toward their goals, which benefits the business. It is just a way of appreciating the efforts of the team and keeping their spirits high.

    10. Emotional Intelligence is required

    Emotional intelligence helps you deal with people effectively. Some people don’t realize how their behavior impacts others. As a manager, it is your job to be kind, find the root cause of the problem, and establish a mutual way forward. Through your conversation, concentrate on maintaining employees’ self-esteem by showing concern for the individual as well as for the company’s needs. Always seek to understand the intentions behind certain actions, and why those actions were taken or tasks were performed.  

  • How to Keep Top Talents: Retention Plan Guide

    How to Keep Top Talents: Retention Plan Guide

    Companies today are judged by their capability to retain talent. The hiring market is saturated but tight – everyone wants to have the best minds in the field. Similarly, the best minds in the field want to invest their time and efforts into an organization where they feel valued – both psychologically and financially. After all, employee turnover brings unwanted disruptions. An employer must know how to retain top talents, and this retention plan guide will help them on that quest.

    Recognize a Job Well Done

    Appreciation and gratitude for a stellar product and valiant effort and extremely important to the staff’s willingness to dedicate their efforts. When an employee receives the same feedback for a superior product vs a run-of-the-mill one, chances are, they are not going to put in more time and effort each time and therefore, feel unimportant and under-utilized. Show them that you are thankful for their incredible performance at work.

    Upgrade Poor Performance and Reward Best Performers

    While rewarding a job well done is vital, it’s just as important to talk about subpar performance. All your employees shouldn’t be treated the exact same way, as it might lead to the best employees feeling undervalued. Acknowledge your top performers, and help the low performers improve their condition.

    Promote from the Core

    You most likely have a number of employees that are competent for various jobs within your firm and have been a part of the company for years in hopes of getting a promotion. Provide your personnel with a crystal clear direction and growth goals. Work with your staff to learn how they are achieving their goals and objectives (such as a promotion, a raise, a management position, and more.).

    Don’t Ruin the Fun

    Incorporate entertaining activities in the office if you want to make sure the employees are motivated and willing to do their best at work. Fostering a joyful work atmosphere helps to retain your finest employees and makes the office a place where your staff wants to come in every day.

    Promote a Sense of Ownership within Your Employees

    It’s critical to provide your staff with the tools they need to do their jobs well and to demonstrate that you believe in them and their abilities. Involve your staff in the decision-making process. Make your employees understand why they are being approached to do the task and how it makes a significant contribution to the organization’s success.

    Be Flexible with Time Off Work

    Vacation days are crucial to the well-being, morale, productivity, and performance of your workforce. Making employees feel uneasy about using their allocated paid days off not only deprives them of much-needed resting time but also acts as a driver for them to look into employment elsewhere.

    Create an Employee Retention Strategy

    You put the company in danger of losing staff to rivals if you don’t have a retention plan in place. Make an effort to speak with each of your employees personally; devise tactics to guarantee that your best performers are satisfied and not in the mood to “jump ship.”

    Be Competitive

    Try to keep an eye on what your rivals are up to when it comes to keeping their employees happy. If possible, surpass their efforts. You want your people to feel that their company is better than others in the business. It will motivate them to stick along and be thankful for their place rather than seek other employers who will offer more.

    Disadvantages of High Employee Turnover Rate

    Whenever an employee resigns, it is not as simple as hiring a new replacement to do the job for you.

    Instead, you need to examine and investigate the root cause that causes them to leave your company. It is easy to say that employee turnover rate is inevitable, but you cannot deny that you have to pay a huge price for it.

    Here are the two negative side effects of a high turnover rate:

    High Cost

    You will be shocked when you know the exorbitant cost of a high employee turnover rate. According to Employee Benefits News, a single turnover can cost businesses up to 33% of a staff’s yearly compensation. Furthermore, millennial churn bleeds the US economy dry of $30.5 billion every year.

    You may be asking why it is so pricey. Where do all of the expenses come from?

    When an employee resigns, a company must begin the recruitment process all over again.

    It often includes recruitment costs, interview costs, post-interview costs, employment costs, training costs, and opportunity costs. When all of the expenditures are tallied, it’s a large quantity of money!

    As a result, maintaining your top staff is preferable to acquire a new replacement. Otherwise, you’ll be throwing money away.

    Decreased Workplace Morale

    Security is a basic human need. When people move in and out of a firm, it creates a destructive ripple effect. When someone quits, another person has to step in and take control of the ex-employees work tasks and responsibilities.

    Your present employees will thus have a longer list of unending tasks, and this will evidently put a strain on them – both mental and physical. If you fail to hire a good new replacement as soon as possible, the cycle becomes endless. Eventually, your present employees will feel disengaged, demotivated, burnt out, and uninspired. They will surely face a negative spiral and once they are tired of tolerating it, they will resign.

    Remember that low morale in the workplace is a silent killer. So, it’s best to recognize this problem and fix it quickly. Else, as negativity is contagious, your other employees will feel the blues very soon.

    Final Thoughts

    With the ongoing talent gap in many sectors, companies are striving to find new talent and hold onto them. In this condition, understanding your employees’ needs and tending to them works wonders in retaining them.

  • The Best Time to Send Employee Emails: The Latest Research

    The Best Time to Send Employee Emails: The Latest Research

    Every company operates an internal communication system. Communication is very important whether it’s a big multinational or a small start-up. Management always stresses maintaining communication with the employees to ensure a better workflow. Companies distribute important announcements, bonuses, holidays, etc., via their mode of communication. Many companies have intricately designed newsletters as well. These newsletters and employee emails are distributed among employees on different regularities- weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.

    It is not enough to just design emails and newsletters for the employees. What is the use of all the effort if they never open it? Our mailboxes are often flooded with advertisements, junk mail, and such. People don’t check their emails every day unless they are required to. Companies should find out the best time to send emails to their employees if they want them to actually read the emails.

    The Best Day to Send Emails

    Monday

    Monday is probably top of the list for being the worst day to send emails. People just start to get back to work after the weekend. They are in no rush to scan through their emails on the first day of the working days. People often like to laze around on the weekends. So, they are not so happy when Monday rolls around, and they have to jump back into a hectic routine.

    Many newsletters and weekly emails are scheduled to be sent out on Mondays. If you decide to crowd the mailbox further with work emails, there is a high chance of the emails not being opened.

    Tuesday to Thursday

    After Monday, employees are in a groove with their tasks. Their productivity is at its most during this time. Employees are likely to check their mailbox for new emails between their work. From Tuesday to Thursday, you can send out emails on any day with the expectation of having them opened.

    Friday

    Friday is a hit-or-miss when it comes to sending employee emails. The chances of employees actually checking their mailbox on this day is 50-50. There are two sets of employees- one who likes to get everything wrapped up before the weekend so they can start fresh next week. They are the ones who will check their emails on Friday and sort through them before their leisure weekends.

    The other category of employees is those who just need the weekend to start. They do not care about what comes next week. These employees will just wrap up the tasks at hand and call it a day. They will not check their emails on a Friday for fear of having their weekend ruined.

    If you miss out on sending an email on the peak days (Tuesday to Thursday), you can consider Friday since you have a 50% chance of the emails being opened.

    Weekends

    You might think weekends are a good time to send emails since people relax and have plenty of time on their hands. Maybe they will pop open the mailbox and dig through the mail in hopes of finding something worthwhile. The number of people who associate themselves with checking emails on the weekend is dangerously low.

    Your employees will avoid anything work-related on weekends or on their days off if they can help with it. They will definitely not open a working mail on their day off. So avoid the weekends to send out emails if you wish for them to be opened.

    The Best Time to Send Mails

    Many people consider early mornings to be the best time for sending mail since employees might check their mailboxes before starting the day. But, how do you know your employee even has the time to check their emails in the morning? What if their alarm did not go off, and they were just rushing to get ready for work? They will not have the time to check their emails when looking for a fresh pair of socks.

    A good time to send emails is from 10 AM to 12 PM. By this time, employees are at their workstations, and they are in full productivity mode. They will go through their emails between work and add any important announcements to their calendar.

    Another decent time to send emails is in the afternoon, somewhere between 1 and 3 PM. Many employees have lunch breaks during this time. They will probably check their emails during lunch or after getting back from lunch.

    Avoid sending emails during after-hours. Like with weekends, most employees will not even bother checking their emails after they call it a day.

    Worth the Click

    You can pick the best time to send out employee emails and still have them unopened if your emails are not worth reading. Your emails should catch your employees’ attention, so they are compelled to click on them. If they find your email uninteresting or think it will just waste their time, they will probably ignore it or just put it in the trash.

    If it is an important announcement, make sure you mention it clearly in the subject. As for regular work emails or scheduled company emails, make them interesting. No one will open your emails unless they are intrigued enough.

    Bottom Line

    In this digital age, everyone is bombarded with emails, no matter their age or profession. You can find newsletters flooding a teenager’s mailbox because they browsed through some websites at one point. People are often lazy or unbothered to actually unsubscribe from unwanted emails. You need to ensure your emails will not be lost in the sea of unwanted junk. The key is to stay relevant to reach your target audience.

    If you are confident about your email content and are still not being opened, you pick the wrong time to send them. You need the best time to send emails to employees if you want the emails to be received and opened.

  • How To Become a Better Boss

    How To Become a Better Boss

    Recently the majority of employees dislike their bosses due to many reasons. Some of the reasons why employees dislike their bosses are unfair payment in return for too many tasks, poor benefits, unjust treatment, bosses treating their employees with arrogance, not giving them a day off and leave when needed and many more reasons are present. To help you the most to become a better boss and be liked by your employees, here are 11 tips to become a better boss.

    1-Break the barrier

    As we all know there has always been a barrier between employees and their bosses, which makes communication harder so as a result tension is born in your workspace. You have to communicate with your employees and try to know them more. Be visible every now and then sit with your employees and treat them as your colleagues. Breaking the employee and boss barrier will make a great impact on your employees’ mentality and productivity.

    2-Make sure to fulfill your promises

    Days off are very important to your employees, especially the days they ask for, so you have to make sure if you give your employees a word about a day off you have to fulfill it.in our modern age, it has become easier for you and your employees when talking about a day off. Having an Employee PTO management system will make it much easier for your employees to ask you for days off.

    3-Let them know they are being taken care of

    When applying for a new job one of the things that employees consider before applying are the benefits, so it is of great importance to offer your employees good benefits to show them that they are valuable to you and just working for you. Employee self-service software will make it easier for your employees to know their payrolls and benefits. As a great boss you always try to make work easier for your employees, using an Employee self-service software will make it easier for them

    4-Put achievable objectives

    Employees complain about having hard tasks that they can’t achieve due to their lack of experience or the little time they are given or sometimes the payroll isn’t compensating for the tasks asked for. When distributing tasks you have to put in mind who is the employee you are giving this task to and what is their level of experience and does their payroll cover the tasks they are given or not. If you distribute tasks to your employees randomly it will lead to frustration and achieving your targets will be harder. You can use Employee management software to know your employees better and their experience, so that you distribute tasks in the right way.

    5-Give your employees the spotlight

    In your team you surely recruited some great talents, so let your employees share their ideas and put them in mind. Give your employees a pat on the shoulder when they challenge themselves and surpass their limits, this will boost their morale efficiently.

    6-Be a cool boss

    In the workspace when work starts piling and deadlines start getting closer, tension increase drastically. It is your job to lighten up your employees, you can bring them food, snacks, and desserts or you can promise to take them out for dinner outside of the work environment as a reward.

    7-Be understanding

    Employees have a life outside of work, so their mental health is of grave importance. You have to make sure that your employees are comfortable and that you don’t burn them out. When being asked for sick leave or Paid Time Off be understanding to your employee’s request. When you find an employee tired mentally or has any problem outside of work you can offer them a day off or leave so that they can tend to their life or recharge for the next day. You can even help your employees by listening to their problems to help them if possible. By doing this you will reduce turnover rates at your company.

    8-Earn your employees’ loyalty

    Always remember your employees are your valuable assets for pushing your company forward, so you have to earn their loyalty and treat them well. Earning your employees’ loyalty is of grave importance to reduce turnover rates and to make them give their efforts fully to your company. You can earn their loyalty by cheering them to be successful in their jobs, watching out for their interests, and always acknowledging their efforts and progress.

    9-Be a role model

    Your employees look up to you, so you have to be a great role model for them so that they take you as their role model. It’s okay to take the blame when doing any mistake don’t blame your employees when you are to blame, this will make your employees respect you and acknowledge you as their boss. Never take your anger out on your employees because this will result in an environment full of tension and dislike you.

    10-Hire the best fits for your company

    Don’t concentrate only on your current employees; you have to hire the best talents for your company. Being a good boss means that you can see the best talents that would fit well in your team and will push you and your team forward. Put in mind when hiring that the newly hired employees will feel alienated at first so you have to help them and make them fit better.

    11-Take classes to evolve

    Another great way to be a better boss is to take communication classes to communicate with your employees better and speak more efficiently at meetings and presentations.

    Being a good boss is a hard job that requires patience, learning, and a lot of practice. You may fail at first a couple of times, but don’t give up that doesn’t mean you are a bad boss your effort will make you a good boss one day. Always remember you will lead your employees not just boss them around.

  • Top HR Managers Smart Goals

    Top HR Managers Smart Goals

    With these smart HR managers goals, you can accelerate company growth, improve brand reputation, and create a happy, productive environment for employees. The human resources function is widely regarded as the gatekeeper to an organization’s productive workforce. It is a strategic business partner that facilitates organizational growth by, among other things, hiring the right talent, aligning learning and development objectives with organizational needs, and so on. However, human resources are no longer just a support function in charge of hiring and retaining employees. As organizations accelerate their digital transformation journeys, new operational norms will emerge.

    And it is at this point that HR revisits its fundamental goals, such as hiring new talent, employee retention, communication, employee appraisals, and so on, and aligns these goals with changing realities. As a result, policies and processes must be realigned.

    What are HR managers SMART goals and objectives?

    HR SMART objectives provide much-needed clarity and alignment. The acronym SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely, and it refers to objectives that are not vague, misdirected, or impossible to implement.

    SMART goals disintegrate the organization’s overriding vision into tiny, bite-sized portions for each department to use in setting their participants’ KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) (Objectives and Key Responsibilities).

    As organizations continue to innovate or expand their business through new market opportunities, HR goals such as “increase hiring by 200 percent in comparison to last year” would be a diversion from the company’s objectives.

    Why should human resource professionals set SMART goals?

    SMART goals assist the HR department in keeping the organizational mission in mind at all times and working towards the organization’s greater good. Even the best-laid plans can fail if they lack specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely goals. SMART goals for HR professionals provide them with measurable targets as well as the means to achieve them, keeping them focused and motivated throughout. HR professionals can track their progress against predetermined goals.

    They can quickly detect any deviation from the predefined path and correct it, saving time and resources. HR SMART goals assist HR in quantifying their requirements so that they clearly understand what needs to be requested from the board, in terms of budget and resources, in order to meet their goals.

    Similarly, HR SMART goals help quantify the results, such as a percentage contribution to the organization’s overall growth in terms of brand enhancement, improved employee feedback, and a larger skill pool. When followed consistently, SMART goals provide a significant push in the right direction for the company culture, making it desirable for both future candidates and investors.

    Human Resources SMART Goals Examples

    If the firm would have to cut costs, for example, the HR department’s Smart objective would be to “increase annual retention from 80% to 90%.” The reasoning is that the company cannot afford to lose existing talent because it cannot hire new employees.

    Companies may become complacent about retention during economic downturns, assuming that employees receive job stability above all else and will not take a chance by changing jobs.

    However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employee turnover has remained relatively stable in recent years, making the SMART goal of employee retention even more relevant. This Strategy address can be subdivided into further tactics to attain it, such as employee rewards and recognition programs, possibilities to upskill/reskill, and so on.

    Consider the following SMART goals for HR professionals:

    Redesign the Employee Experience

    Recruiting and retaining the best and brightest is one of the most important goals for any organization that wants to succeed. As an HR professional, you must assist the company in achieving this goal by maintaining a high level of employee experience. You should make sure that new and existing employees are excited to work for the company and aren’t looking for other opportunities.

    Recruiting and Selection

    It’s time to take a step back, assess your talent management achievements, and set new recruitment goals. As static recruiting methods give way to smart goals, hiring managers must make time to keep up with the changing trends. Set the right targets for 2022 to keep the recruiting game healthy.

    Retention of Talent

    Talent retention is difficult for most organizations, and many don’t even have a retention strategy or goal in place. Employee retention is a major concern, especially given the historically low unemployment rate and the ongoing battle for talent.

    Finally, three tips for HR professionals on setting personal SMART goals.

    1. Before you do anything else, learn about the HR industry’s ecosystem and what resources are available.
    2. After you’ve learned everything there is to know about HR’s broad topics, you’ll need to decide whether you want to work as a generalist HR professional or a specialist in one or two areas.
    3. Once you’ve decided whether you want to be a generalist or a specialist, you should seek out additional educational opportunities, such as workshops and seminars, and gain more experience in your field.
  • How to Promote Peer-To-Peer Recognition in your Company

    How to Promote Peer-To-Peer Recognition in your Company

    Peer-To-Peer recognition at work can be a powerful tool for both encouraging behaviors that shape culture and identifying top performers or individuals with greater influence across an organization. On an individual level, getting recognition or feeling valued can make one feel more productive in their position.

    In today’s world, every organization follows a culture of recognition. Employee recognition makes them feel motivated and accomplish their goals. Employee recognition is given by the top-level management to the employees of the organization.

    Peer-to-peer recognition is when the employees show genuine commendation and appreciation for each other. Though, this method of recognition is not followed by every organization. But a lot of companies are adopting this culture of recognition after they get to know the benefits of the same.

    Ways to promote peer recognition culture in your team

    Peer recognition increases employee motivation and self-esteem, better collaboration, increased transparency, improved employee morale, decreased employee turnover, and a great team spirit.

    Define Objective

    Before you start, your objective should be clear and shared with all the management of the organization so that they see a clear picture of what they are going to do, how they are going to do it, and what will be the outcome of the program. Cost estimation is a very important aspect of recognition programs.

    Build a team

    You need to appoint a team to do the recognition program. The team will be responsible for creating activities that emphasize everyone’s contribution to the recognition and rewards. The team will be responsible for implementing, managing, and establishing a peer recognition program.

    Characteristics of team members:

    • Good knowledge of the program and its benefits
    • Leadership qualities
    • Have an interest in the program
    • Following company values.

    Define clear program criteria

    Before implementing the program, there should be a criterion on the basis of which the recognition program is going to take place. This criterion should be clear, concise, and understandable. This should support the culture of peer recognition. The peer recognition criteria should be based on the following questions;

    • What type of behavior of an employee should be awarded?
    • How the said behaviors should be awarded?
    • How often should employees be awarded?
    • What platform should be used for team communication?

    Share the idea with the employees

    Make the employees aware of the program, how to use it, the benefits of the program, and encourage them to give their feedback and inputs. Draft ideas for creative employee recognition rewards and send the survey to the team and ask them to rank the options. This will help to create the most creative recognition rewards. It is authentic to share the idea with employees. They add up their own ideas and inputs into the program. Employees can best define what makes them motivated with the program.

    Microbonuses

    The micro bonuses can be given by leaders to the employees, employees to employees, and even from an executive to a manager. Peer recognition also supports the idea of giving micro bonuses from peer to peer in recognition of a great work or valuable contribution. You can give the micro bonuses at the very moment when a valuable contribution is made by the colleague.

    Characteristics of recognition

    There are a few characteristics of the recognition program that should be followed to make it more effective and attractive to the employees:

    • Make it immediate

    It is the key element of peer recognition that the recognition should be immediate. Because when the recognition gets delayed, the impact of the reward also gets denied.

    • Authentic

    Ensure that the recognition is genuine. It should not feel like it is another task for the employees that they just have to do to complete their to-do list. If this happens, then they will be unlikely to give sincere commendations.

    • Specific

    A generic recognition will not lift up the spirits of the employees. So the employees have to be specific while giving recognition to their colleagues. The specific commendations will spur peers to do even more and build a good culture in the team and company.

    Exciting Activities to make recognition fun

    Making it fun is the best way to help people quickly adopt the recognition culture. The employees will lose interest in the program if they don’t find it easy, fun, and exciting. The aim of the program should be to create a recognition experience that your team will love.

    Measure the success of the Program

    This is the last step while promoting the peer recognition culture. In the end, measure the metrics to know how much the program was effective. To measure the effectiveness of the program, these are the metrics you can follow;

    • Number of peers recognition sent
    • Number of active leaders
    • Activation rate
    • Up sticks
    • Losses

    The measurement of results helps you to analyze where the adjustments are needed in the program and how to make them implement.

  • Employees benefits in Australia

    Employees benefits in Australia

    People who are considering relocating to another country for work may want to know if the move would be profitable. They’ll consider aspects like quality of life and job happiness before making a decision. All of these employee benefits are available in Australia, which has prompted many to look for work here. this article will provide you with the knowledge of employees benefits in Australia.

    Recognition of your qualifications

    Australian employers value international education and job experience since it provides new perspectives to the workplace. Various technical skills are accepted by businesses in this area. If you have these qualifications, you have a better chance of being accepted into the Skill Select system.

    Access to pension benefits

    Workers who work and stay in Australia are entitled to a variety of pension benefits. To qualify for these benefits, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States. Those who work in Australia have access to the Superannuation fund, which is a retirement savings account.

    Employers must follow the ‘Choice of Fund’ law, which allows employees to choose their preferred pension plan or have eligible employees automatically enrolled into a conforming Group Retirement scheme. With a gross quarterly compensation of $55,270, the new statutory minimum is 9.5 percent. The bulk of employers bases their contribution plan on statistics and industry norms.

    Paid time off and vacations

    Holiday Pay – All full-time and part-time employees are entitled to 20 paid vacation days per year under the legislation. This law does not apply to casual workers, who are frequently paid by the hour or have flexible working contracts. On top of that, there are national holidays.

    Long Service Leave – Australia is the only country with a mandated 8.67 weeks of paid leave in addition to annual leave after 10 years of service. After five years, this entitlement begins to accrue, and several corporations will have it classified as an “obligation” on their balance sheet.

    Maternity/Paternity Pay – While there are no legal requirements for employers to provide paid maternity leave, many do now. There is, however, a government-sponsored paternity leave program (for those who qualify) that the employer can pay for.

    Sick Pay – While there are no official sick pay benefits, most firms provide between five and 10 days of unpaid sick time per year. This could be in addition to or instead of ordinary bereavement leave (commonly up to five days).

    Additional benefits

    Group Insurance – In a range of industries, large, multi-national firms are increasingly constantly providing insurance plans for their employees, which include Salary Continuance coverage as well as lump-sum Death and Disability insurance.

    Health insurance – It has traditionally been a lesser priority, but as the government has increased taxes and reduced rebates for high-income individuals in recent years, large firms are increasingly providing fully funded or subsidized policies (although mostly in IT and professional sectors where salary levels are high and competition for talent)

    Childcare centers – An increasing number of large, professional firms are interested in providing childcare and/or daycare services.

    More time off, alternative working hours, and working-from-home choices are all examples of flexible working circumstances for families.

    Offers a greater standard of living

    Australia offers a higher standard of living. The country has an available health program as well as a social-assistance network. Apart from that, the density of the population is substantially lower, especially in major cities. Australia has a multicultural culture, with people from all over the world coming to live here. In fact, 43% of Australians were born in another country or have parents who were born in another country.

    Study opportunities

     If you wish to increase your educational qualifications, the country has over 1200 academic institutions and provides over 20,00 programs of study.

    Benefits from the Social Security Administration

    • Many of the benefits granted by Centrelink (a component of Australia’s Department of Human Services) underneath the Social Security Act involve:
    • Individuals (65 years and older) who plan to retire or have already retired are eligible for an age pension.
    • Payment and caregiver compensation – for those who look after disabled individuals.
    • Individuals who have been unable to work for two years due to a disability, accident, or illness are eligible for a disability assistance pension.
    • Sickness allowance – for workers who have been injured, disabled, or sick (under the age of two years) and do not have access to or use any of their vacation time.
    • Allowance for a fresh start – for job seekers.
    • Individuals in financial difficulties who are unable to support themselves are eligible for a special benefit. Income support is a monetary contribution to help with living expenses (e.g., pensions, veteran contributions, and rent assistance).
    • Pharmaceutical allowance – assists Centrelink recipients in defraying the cost of prescription drugs.

    Wage stipend

    The average weekly wage in Australia is roughly 1,605 AUD for a full-time worker (1,087 USD). The country’s legal minimum wage is a little under 19 Australian dollars per hour (13 US dollars), or 720 Australian dollars per week (490 US dollars). Australia’s average wage, including benefits, is around 91,550 AUD (62,000 USD).

    Job hours and work flexibility

    Work hours might be as low as 38.5 hours per week. In some of the other companies, the workweek is even shorter. Aside from that, several employers provide flexible work schedules.

  • Job Satisfaction: How to Maintain it in your Team?

    Job Satisfaction: How to Maintain it in your Team?

    Job satisfaction is the level of pleasure or fulfillment an employee feels for their job. Job satisfaction is an important aspect of any business. When the employees are satisfied with their job, they are more committed, productive, and more likely to stay in their jobs. The manager has to give respectful treatment to employees at all levels. They all play a vital role in the business, so they all need to be satisfied with the behavior of the manager. The main factors that give satisfaction to the employees towards their job are pay and compensation, overall benefits, and job security. The trust between the employees and senior management keeps the employees connected with each other at all levels. It increases job satisfaction among the employees.

    10 most important tips to maintain job satisfaction in your team

    We can maintain job satisfaction in the team members by following the tips given below:

    1. Appreciate the work and efforts

    As a manager, you must find time to make your team members feel appreciated and affirmed. Celebrate their small successes and acknowledge their larger accomplishments. Even if you work remotely, think of ways you can boost your employees’ feelings of pride and accomplishment. This should be one of your highest priorities as a manager because most employees don’t feel they get enough praise.

    2. Focus on the long run

    You have to focus on directing the team members towards the vision of the organization because when team members and employees see the big picture—the organization’s goals, vision, and strategy—they feel connected to the organization. They see how they can contribute to achieving those goals, leading to increased job satisfaction.

    3. Communicate openly

    As a manager, when you express your opinions, your team will be more likely to do the same. In your conversations with team members, share information regarding progress and setbacks. This makes them feel connected to the workplace and maintains their job satisfaction.

    4. Take an interest in your employees’ well-being

    Managers should check in with employees on how they are doing. Making time for one-on-one meetings can help you build a relationship with your employees. That helps them feel heard and improves the quality of their work.

    5. Give them opportunities to grow

    This plays the main role in maintaining job satisfaction. When employees stop learning, they might consider looking for another job. Managers can give their employees something to learn by encouraging them to attend conferences, webinars, and seminars; mentoring; and offering internal programs. They should also keep the mindset of curiosity and learning high in interns doing a job and in employees building a career.

    6. Share feedback regularly

    Feedback is a crucial part of the employee-manager relationship. Having unstructured feedback sessions, held regularly and often, is ideal. Give your employee regular constructive feedback sessions to show that you are invested in his or her professional development. The best ways to give healthy feedback are

    • The positive intent
    • Constructive
    • Genuine
    • Regular

    7. Form positive relationships

    It’s easy to overlook the power of a positive relationship. It helps if managers take time to nurture these relationships with employees and colleagues. When we work well together, both we and our businesses get benefited. Collaboration is more effective, and we create a sense of trust that strengthens our teams. It’s a fact of life that happy employees are more productive than unhappy ones. One way to put a smile on employees’ faces is to get them to be friends. Nothing beats having someone around with whom you can talk about things other than work.

    8. Give your employees room for promotion

    As promotion and career growth is the main factor of job satisfaction, the manager should always keep this into consideration. As an employer, you can help your employees plan for their long-term success. This shows them that you are committed to seeing them progress and that you’re willing to invest in their career growth. Encourage your employees to map out their career goals so they can transition from a job to a career.

    9. Rewards, Recognition, and Performance bonus

    Monthly salaries are fair, but when it comes to rewarding productivity and results, it becomes the best to do for your employees’ job satisfaction. Money talks, and an employee who feels underpaid will be less likely to try hard at his job. Book rewards and recognition to motivate your workforce and you’ll see an increase in productivity.

    10. Ensure job security

    Employers can help workers feel more secure about their jobs by communicating with them about the financial state of the company, its objectives, and its performance. When employees know their employer is doing well financially, they feel more secure about their job.

    To ensure job satisfaction for employees, many organizations conduct biannual or yearly employee engagement surveys that address topics like teamwork, feedback, information, work-life balance, and work relationships. The organization can so work on maintaining job satisfaction by providing the data from the surveys.