3 habilidades que cada empleado necesita en 2020 (y más allá)

El auge de la tecnología en los puestos de trabajo hace que muchos empleados busquen adoptar nuevas habilidades para no quedarse atrás, como la codificación o el análisis de datos. Pero estas habilidades probablemente tendrán una vida útil corta. La inteligencia artificial ya ha sido entrenada para codificar, lo que significa que ni siquiera el trabajo de un desarrollador está a salvo de futuras interrupciones. Mientras tanto, nuestras habilidades sociales, como la empatía y la comunicación, necesitan urgentemente nuestra atención. Eso es porque, aunque la tecnología tiene como objetivo impulsar la eficiencia, ahorrar tiempo, aumentar la productividad, nos está provocando estrés. Y bajo el estrés, es difícil practicar habilidades como la empatía. En lugar de entender que algunas personas tardan más que otras en adaptarse al cambio, por ejemplo, los directivos pueden ejercer mucha presión contra un empleado que se está quedando atrás. El empleado, a su vez, podría sentirse más resistente a una iniciativa de cambio debido al estrés que ya está experimentando en el trabajo. Pero a medida que la tecnología sigue cambiando nuestra forma de trabajar, estas soft skills (habilidades blandas) -específicamente: adaptabilidad, proporcionar retroalimentación y empatía- asegurarán que los empleados puedan seguir trabajando juntos para resolver problemas. Al desarrollar una práctica regular para cada uno de ellos, los managers y los empleados pueden adaptarse mejor a los cambios del puesto de trabajo de hoy en día, como el auge de la macroeconomía o el aumento de las fusiones y adquisiciones. Estas habilidades ayudan a los empleados a mantenerse al margen de las tendencias pasajeras y los cambios continuos y les dan poder de permanencia. El cambio es constante, por lo que hay que adaptarse Aunque el cambio es un proceso habitual de la vida, la gente no suele adaptarse bien a él. Parte de la razón se describe en el ciclo de cambio de Ann Salerno, que muestra que todos experimentamos sentimientos de miedo y pérdida cuando nos enfrentamos por primera vez al cambio. Piensa en el anuncio de una adquisición de fusión, por ejemplo: Con él, los empleados sienten la pérdida del status quo, el miedo a posibles despidos, la incertidumbre sobre los nuevos miembros del equipo o la tecnología. De hecho, la mayoría de las fusiones y adquisiciones fracasan, y a menudo se debe a la falta de preparación y adaptabilidad para tal cambio. Pero el cambio es la nueva normalidad en nuestra era digital. Para ver el éxito con la trasformación como en las fusiones y adquisiciones, necesitamos practicar la adaptabilidad, empezando por la aceptación de esos sentimientos de pérdida, miedo y duda. Saber que estos son temporales y trabajar para tomar medidas accionables hacia una nueva normalidad, donde todos cosecharán los beneficios del cambio. El objetivo es pasar más rápidamente de esas etapas iniciales a experiencias más productivas con el cambio, que vendrán con la práctica. Cada vez que tu empresa experimente un cambio, grande o pequeño, reconócelo y discútelo. Reúnete regularmente con los equipos para discutir las iniciativas de cambio en curso. Al mantener a los empleados conscientes de lo que se avecina, pueden prepararse para ello, e incluso ser buenos en la transformación. Dar feedback ya no es el trabajo del manager, sino el de todos. Así como cambia el cómo y el dónde trabajamos, también cambia la dinámica de la oficina. En todas las industrias, los títulos se han disipado y hay menos ordenes de arriba hacia abajo. Más gente está trabajando a distancia. Y más oficinas están contratando trabajadores con habilidades especializadas para proyectos a corto plazo. Como resultado, las típicas cadenas de dar feedback ya no son efectivas; en su lugar, cada empleado necesita ser capaz de aceptar el feedback desde todos los ángulos y saber cuándo ofrecerlo también. Como manager de muchos, he recopilado técnicas para dar feedback que pueden ser aplicada a todos los niveles: Primero, tomar el tiempo para conocer a los compañeros y sus fortalezas y debilidades. Esto ayudará a construir una relación y hacer que la retroalimentación sea justa y coherente. Luego, fijar un objetivo. Este paso es crucial: Al establecer expectativas específicas al principio, es más fácil determinar si es necesario o no un feedback crítico - si alguien no cumplió con las expectativas, mantener una conversación. Empatía: la mejor manera de manejar cualquier tipo de cambio La empatía es la capacidad de examinar una situación desde la perspectiva de otro para comprender mejor su reacción o lucha. Y en nuestros siempre cambiantes lugares de trabajo es más que una simple habilidad suave, es una superpotencia. De hecho, un estudio señala que el 92% de los empleados creen que la empatía está infravalorada en su lugar de trabajo. La empatía permite a los empleados acercarse a los demás con amabilidad y comprensión primero, y dejar de lado el estrés o la frustración que puedan estar experimentando en este nuevo mundo de trabajo. Al practicar la empatía, tanto los managers como los empleados pueden hacer espacio para que todos procesen los cambios, por ejemplo. Esto significa no emular la frustración - a través del lenguaje corporal, las palabras o el tono de voz - cuando algunos son lentos para adaptarse. Para ejercer más empatía, comienza por verificarlo contigo mismo. Crea una cita semanal en el calendario y dedica tiempo a pensar dónde practicaste la empatía dentro o fuera de la oficina. ¿Tuviste un ataque de rabia cuando alguien te cortó el paso en el tráfico? ¿Arremetiste contra un compañero de trabajo remoto al que no podías contactar cuando lo necesitabas? Siéntate y piensa dónde practicó y no practicó la empatía, observa tus errores y piensa en formas de cambiar tus respuestas inmediatas. Ya no se prevé la incorporación de la innovación tecnológica en el lugar de trabajo, y los empleados tendrán que seguir adaptándose a los cambios resultantes. Pero en medio de toda esta variabilidad, hay una solución constante: perfeccionar nuestras capacidades humanas innatas. El hecho es que la IA y los robots no pueden practicar la empatía, la resistencia o la comunicación reflexiva de la misma manera que los humanos. Este matiz diferenciará a los empleados, e incluso se convertirá en un punto clave, ya que la interrupción se acelera en la próxima década.

Ayudar a sus empleados a adaptarse al teletrabajo y a gestionar su bienestar

Cómo Cornerstone Remote Working Essentials puede mantener y mejorar el bienestar y el rendimiento de sus empleados mediante una formación a medida.

Cinco grandes cambios que se están produciendo en nuestro cerebro…

Cofares se enfrenta exitosamente al reto de la digitalización de la mano de Cornerstone (ES)

Ángel Javier Vicente Pérez, Director RRHH y SS.GG., en Cofares, nos cuenta como Cornerstone está ayudando a adaptar a sus equipos a la digitalización y al mundo volátil y cambiante. En particular, Ángel Javier explica que han visto un incremento en el rendimiento gracias a un mejor diálogo y comunicación en sus equipos.

CONVERGENCE DÍA DOS: LA TECNOLOGÍA PUEDE CAPACITAR A LAS PERSONAS PARA SER EXTRAORDINARIAS

El día 2 ha llegado y se ha ido. ¡Nuestro primer Convergence de Cornerstone totalmente virtual está ahora en los libros! En el Día 1, los ponentes presentaron todas las oportunidades futuras que promete el trabajo en la nueva normalidad, y los ponentes del Día 2 continuaron la conversación, resaltando el papel que la tecnología jugará en el empoderamiento de las personas para ser extraordinarias en el nuevo mundo de trabajo. El día fue completado con dos impresionantes discursos, comenzando con nuestra Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Heidi Spirgi, y concluyendo con el inspirador Adam Grant, psicólogo organizacional y anfitrión del podcast WorkLife. Entre medias hubo horas de información y sesiones atractivas, redes de contactos, aprendizaje y diversión. Las personas pueden ser extraordinarias - Discurso de apertura de Heidi Spirgi El discurso de Heidi fue un gran salto desde la introducción de la nueva misión y visión de Cornerstone, compartida por el CEO de Cornerstone, Phil Saunders, en su discurso de apertura. Reconoció que sí, el mundo está cambiando, pero que podemos elegir entre ser un impulsor de ese cambio o convertirnos en víctimas de él. Decidir ser extraordinarios: adaptarse, crear, aprender, crecer, cambiar. Decidir no estar atados. Entonces, ¿qué significa ser extraordinario? Heidi compartió este video para explicarlo con más detalle. La tecnología juega un papel clave en la satisfacción de estas necesidades, y Heidi compartió cómo Cornerstone está aprovechando las tecnologías emergentes para ofrecer una experiencia de desarrollo de personas más moderna, personalizada, inteligente y única. Herramientas como blockchain, las ontologías de habilidades, la IA y el aprendizaje automático ya no son palabras que están de moda. Permiten que las personas se vuelvan extraordinarias y que los empleados sean comprendidos, guiados y tengan sentimiento de pertenencia. Heidi cerró su sesión con un mensaje inspirador. "El mundo cambiará después de esta pandemia, pero el ingenio humano puede cambiarlo para mejor", dijo. La gente puede ser extraordinaria y no estar atada por las limitaciones del ayer. Y cuando la gente no está limitada, cuando la gente es extraordinaria, puede obtener resultados extraordinarios". Golpeando la autopista de la transformación digital Los asistentes que se conectaron desde EMEA también tuvieron la oportunidad de escuchar a Vincent Belliveau, Chief Executive EMEA en Cornerstone, sobre cómo los recursos humanos desempeñan un papel crucial para ayudar a las organizaciones no sólo a navegar por la incertidumbre, sino también a acelerarla a medida que adoptan la transformación digital. Vincent hizo hincapié en que, si bien puede ser un facilitador, ninguna cantidad de nueva tecnología o enfoques innovadores funcionarán si no están fundamentalmente centrados en las personas. Luego compartió cuatro prioridades que acelerarán la transformación de los recursos humanos. Ayudar a su empresa a adaptarse a las nuevas formas de trabajo. Desarrollar una estrategia de habilidades fuertes, es crítico para el negocio. Respaldar el poder de los datos para acelerar la toma de decisiones, aumentar la eficiencia. Abrazar la automatización para hacer espacio y que la gente crezca o intente algo nuevo Herramientas emergentes para la transformación Capacitar a las personas para ser extraordinarias requiere darles las herramientas para hacerlo. Performance and learning: The key to unlocking people potential, un panel de clientes de Cornerstone, entre los que se encontraban Kristy Touchet de Home Bank, Patrick Sorensen de GSI y Lorie Hess de The Bama Companies, debatieron cómo la combinación de las plataformas de rendimiento y aprendizaje ha supuesto un cambio en el desarrollo de los empleados, incluso durante la COVID-19. "El desarrollo no se detiene en los momentos difíciles, de hecho, es más importante que nunca", dijo Lorie. Pero los empleados no son los únicos que deben estar capacitados para ser extraordinarios, los equipos de RRHH también necesitan la tecnología adecuada. En How to leverage AI to create an exceptional user experience, los propios Lars Eichhof y Duncan Miller de Cornerstone compartieron sus recomendaciones para la IA, el aprendizaje con la máquina y la automatización. Estas herramientas, explicaron, están abordando el reto de escanear un volumen cada vez mayor de candidatos y elegir entre ellos talentos de calidad. El aprendizaje impulsará el trabajo en la nueva normalidad La “nueva normalidad" ya no es tan "nueva", Jeff Miller, CLO y VP of Organizational Effectiveness de Cornerstone, y Kimberly Cassady, CTO, señalaron en 10 cosas que los líderes necesitan saber en la nueva normalidad. "Tenemos que ser proactivos en el cambio antes de que tengamos que hacer o responder a él de forma reactiva", dijo Jeff. ¿Cómo se ve eso en la práctica? Jeff y Kim ofrecieron estas 10 recomendaciones: ¿Otro ingrediente crítico para la nueva normalidad? El aprendizaje. En una mesa redonda titulada “Creating A Scalable Skills Development Culture”, Vincent Belliveau charló con Meredith Taghi, del Deutsche Post DHL, Nina Bressler Murphy, del Instituto de Aprendizaje de Novartis y Loh Gek Khim, de Singapour Skills Framework. La conversación se centró en cómo "las habilidades son realmente la moneda del futuro" para impulsar el desarrollo de las personas que, a su vez, impulsa el crecimiento organizativo y la transformación empresarial mediante el dominio de las habilidades. El analista de la industria mundial Josh Bersin se hizo eco de la importancia de las habilidades en su sesión sobre “Aprendizaje a alta velocidad en la pandemia”. Cada individuo, cada empleado, cada gerente y cada ejecutivo debe entender que hay una transformación en sus trabajos, en sus vidas individuales, en sus empresas y en sus modelos de negocio. Y el aprendizaje es la clave de la transformación. Para que el aprendizaje sea efectivo, las organizaciones necesitan confiar en el contenido adecuado, explicó el equipo de Cornerstone Content en la sesión “Delivering the right content to the right people at the right time.” A medida que nos adaptamos a la nueva normalidad, la formación de habilidades profesionales es esencial y el aprendizaje debe ser accesible en cualquier momento y lugar. ¿La clave de la formación? Los empleados necesitan estar equipados para adaptarse y prepararse para los cambios en su vida personal y profesional - nuestra oferta de contenidos tiene los cursos para permitir a sus empleados hacer precisamente eso. Los clientes ya están utilizando el contenido para llegar de manera más efectiva a los alumnos con recursos oportunos y relevantes. En “How to engage learners in a rapidly changing world,” una sesión de atención al cliente en la que participaron Bancorp, Hulu y Davita Kidney Care, los clientes compartieron cómo han utilizado el contenido para hacer frente a la pandemia y a los problemas sociales actuales. Bancorp, por ejemplo, presentó una lista de cursos para capacitar a los empleados y gerentes sobre los prejuicios raciales. Hulu, por su parte, ha reconstruido recientemente su experiencia de aprendizaje para modelar su plataforma de consumo, creando una plataforma más intuitiva y fácil de usar para sus empleados. Construyendo una resiliencia para el cambio y el futuro A medida que los empleados acepten la "nueva normalidad" y se esfuercen por abrazarla, la mentalidad y la cultura de la organización serán fundamentales para potenciarles. En su sesión, "Construyendo habilidades de atención, resiliencia y bienestar mental en un mundo cambiante", Joe Burton, CEO de Whil, compartió algunos de los principales factores estresantes, tanto grandes como pequeños, que ocupan las mentes de los empleados hoy en día. Pero hay una forma de hacer frente a estas ansiedades: practicar la atención, la conciencia de sí mismo, la autorregulación, la motivación, la empatía y las habilidades sociales. "Los empleados necesitan traer estas habilidades con ellos todos los días", explicó Joe. "Cornerstone y Saba, a través de la asociación con Whil hacen que estas habilidades sean alcanzables". Discurso de clausura de Adam Grant sobre la creación de una cultura de generosidad productiva Para concluir el segundo día de Convergence y la conferencia en su conjunto, psicólogo organizacional, autor de best-sellers y anfitrión de WorkLife, un podcast original de TED, Adam Grant subió al escenario virtual para compartir sus consejos para nutrir a los donantes, que son esenciales para una cultura organizacional positiva y resistente. Adam declaró un objetivo simple para las organizaciones: Reconocer la importancia de las personas que creen en la generosidad y se preocupan por los demás, no son valores que se deban dejar en la puerta de la oficina (de casa). Si podemos hacer un mejor trabajo apoyando y nutriendo a los donantes, nos moveremos hacia un mundo en el que las personas puedan construir mejores relaciones y comunidades fuertes, y también hacer más trabajo. ¡Gracias por un inspirador discurso de cierre para finalizar Convergence, Adam! Exploración, networkingy aprendizaje Entre las sesiones, los asistentes de hoy también se tomaron un tiempo para explorar los patrocinadores de Cornerstone y Convergence (¡gracias, patrocinadores!). En la sala de exposición virtual, los patrocinadores, entre los que se encuentran JazzHR, Kokoroe, XOS, Audalia y muchos otros, compartieron vídeos atractivos sobre sus productos y respondieron a preguntas a través de un chat en directo, desde explicar cómo utilizar ciertas funciones hasta compartir historias sobre el origen del nombre de su empresa. Como parte de la función Explorar Cornerstone, los asistentes también aprendieron sobre los productos de Cornerstone, programando demostraciones y hablando directamente con expertos en productos. ¡Había mucho que aprender y muchas maneras de participar, desde involucrarse con la Fundación Cornerstone, una organización de servicios sin fines de lucro en todo el mundo, hasta solicitar un premio RAVE para el cliente! ¡Nuestra parte favorita de la exploración... Ver a los asistentes intercambiar recomendaciones en los chats de productos! Con un día más corto de sesiones en el segundo día, los asistentes disfrutaron de algunos momentos de zen, siguiendo las meditaciones guiadas de Whil, y haciendo algo de yoga. ¡Solo diez minutos fueron suficientes para quitar la presión y desconectar! Y esto es un resumende #CSODConf20! Con este primer Convergence virtual detrás de nosotros, esperamos ansiosamente nuestra próxima oportunidad de conectarnos con todos vosotros. Hasta entonces, estamos muy agradecidos de que os hayáis unido a nosotros en este viaje. Echemos un vistazo a algunos de nuestros momentos sociales favoritos del día. ¡Nos vemos pronto! Para ver las sesiones que te perdiste durante la conferencia, visita: https://www.cornerstoneconvergence.eu/. ¡Y sigue con la conversación! Sigue Cornerstone Convergence 2020 en los canales de redes sociales, visita: Twitter @CSODConvergence, Instagram @CornerstoneOnDemand y Facebook @Cornerstoneconvergence. Puedes participar en la conversación usando #CSODConf20.

Cornerstone ahora en vasco y catalán

El impacto económico de Cornerstone OnDemand, por Forrester

El talento en cuatro generaciones: fortalezas y debilidades

En Cornerstone OnDemand a menudo hablamos del valor de la diversidad, un valioso atributo en manos de las empresas. Hemos hablado de cómo crea innovación, derriba barreras al progreso de las organizaciones, y de cómo crea engagement. Este es un discurso que a menudo oímos repetir en el panorama español e internacional, pero muy a menudo se deja de lado una dimensión muy importante: la edad. La diversidad intergeneracional significa que las empresas no discriminen por razón de edad en ningún nivel de responsabilidad, y aquí queremos destacar lo que esto significa en el escalón del liderazgo. ¿Cómo son las generaciones en ese rol? El primer estudio en España sobre el liderazgo intergeneracional en las organizaciones elaborado por el Observatorio Generación & Talento lleva a cabo un minucioso análisis de las características de cada una en el entorno de trabajo. Hoy en día hay cuatro generaciones ocupando posiciones de responsabilidad en el mercado laboral. Estas son la “Generación T”, nacidos antes de 1995, la Generación de los “Baby Boomers”, nacidos entre 1956 y 1970, la Generación X, que nace entre 1971 y 1981, y la Generación Y, del 1982 al 1992. Esta última a menudo se identifica con los conocidos como “millennials”, aunque las perspectivas difieren LA GENERACIÓN T (“TRADICIONALISTA”) Entre las fuerzas de estas personas destaca su experiencia, tanto en el ámbito más técnico del trabajo como el know-how tácito. Gracias a la férrea disciplina que caracteriza a los miembros de esta generación, serán ideales no solo para inspirar y gestionar a los trabajadores desde una posición de liderazgo, sino para realizar labor de coaching o mentoring frente a miembros más nuevos. Junto a su ya establecido estatus por razón de antigüedad, los “Generación T” son la imagen de la continuidad de la empresa. Su único problema es lo que se percibe como un apego excesivo a los convencionalismos. LA GENERACIÓN “BABY BOOMER” Los Baby Boomers destacan por su rigurosidad, su compromiso con los resultados y su gran preparación. Aunque a veces caigan en patrones demasiado rígidos, son conocidos y respetados por su madurez profesional, su impecable red de contactos, y su dedicación a su trabajo. Ésta es también la generación que abre la puerta a las primeras mujeres en posición de liderazgo. LA GENERACIÓN X Esta generación, calificada a menudo como “puente” entre los más mayores y los más jóvenes, es la primera en reconocer el valor del trabajo en equipo, y fomentar la colaboración para la consecución de los objetivos de la empresa. Su característica de “hermano mediano” o “bisagra entre generaciones” les hace conciliadores y dialogantes, pero cierta falta de identidad generacional definida puede conllevar una falta de compromiso con su organización. LA GENERACIÓN Y (“MILLENNIALS”) Los méritos y problemas de los millennials han sido objeto de mucho debate en el mundo laboral. Aunque esta generación cuenta con versatilidad, autoconfianza, flexibilidad, y unas habilidades digitales sin precedente, carece de capacidad para liderar equipos, en especial intergeneracionales, y de visión estratégica a largo plazo. Gran parte de sus “defectos”, sin embargo, se debe al relativamente poco tiempo que las personas de esta generación llevan en el mercado laboral. La solución radica en que las anteriores y más experimentadas generaciones guíen y ayuden a las últimas de modo que potencien sus habilidades y limen sus carencias. En definitiva, destaca la necesidad de que las empresas cuenten con personal de todas las generaciones, para poder aprovechar las distintas ventajas y capacidades que ofrece cada una. Y de esto trata la gestión del talento: de saber diseñar, mantener y motivar a un equipo cuya combinación de habilidades, actitudes y experiencia redunden en beneficio tanto para la propia organización como para los empleados.

Emilio Cuellas, EMEA Account Manager, CORNERSTONE ONDEMAND

Cómo los altos directivos impulsan la transformación en sus organizaciones gracias a los departamentos de RRHH y cómo Cornerstone les puede ayudar.

En 2021, ¿qué profesiones serán las más demandadas?

El 2021 empieza con la esperanza de todos nosotros puesta en que los próximos meses sean mejores. Este año empieza fuerte con: la borrasca Filomena, el asalto al Capitolio y una campaña de vacunación apresurada. Además, arrastramos un mundo patas arriba en el que parece que todo ha cambiado. El comienzo de año deja intuir algunas de las tendencias y hojas de ruta que seguirán las diferentes compañías, pero concretamente es importante resaltar cuáles serán las profesiones más demandadas de ahora en adelante, ya que la pandemia ha provocado que sean muy diferentes a las del año anterior. Muchos seguro que se plantean el dilema entre vocación y empleabilidad, especialmente en los tiempos de incertidumbre y en el contexto de crisis económica y social e incertidumbre en gran parte del planeta. En estos momentos difíciles muchos tratan de mantener su puesto de trabajo a pesar de que la transformación digital y las nuevas formas de trabajar hacen que el mercado laboral busque nuevos perfiles que respondan a las nuevas necesidades del mercado. Además, los departamentos de RR.HH. de las organizaciones han tenido que improvisar y aprender una nueva forma de gestionar a los empleados. Quién sabe si estas nuevas profesionales no serán el primer paso para crear empleos aparentemente futuristas dentro de unos años. Salud Los enfermeros y enfermeras han sido profesionales muy solicitados durante el 2020 por la pandemia y este nuevo año lo serán todavía más, sobre todo ante la campaña de vacunación contra el coronavirus. Durante estos meses están realizando un esfuerzo físico y psicológico sin precedentes para para evitar el colapso sanitario. El puesto más elevado será el de director de hospital, que coordinará al resto de sus compañeros. Logística El confinamiento ha moldeado los hábitos de consumo, ya que el comercio online ha ganado mucho peso en los últimos meses y ha jugado un papel crucial cuando no se podía salir de casa. Por esta razón, la logística es uno de los sectores más dinámicos en creación de empleo. Este 2021 se prevé que la demanda de profesionales en el sector logístico siga in crescendo. Concretamente, se demandarán directores de logística en un contexto de importancia clave de las cadenas de suministros, aunque la profesión clave será el Global Sourcing Manager, encargado de las compras a nivel global. Sector IT En este campo, los programadores o desarrolladores de perfil muy técnico serán los más buscados. Su labor se basa en diseñar, desarrollar y administrar no solo sitios web y aplicaciones, sino también códigos para sistemas operativos y software para uso interno dentro de la empresa, siguiendo el camino hacia la transformación digital que todas las empresas tienen que hacer frente. El perfil más destacado será el Chief Information Officer (CIO), desempeñando capacidades administrativas y técnicas. Corporativo El profesional más demandado será el responsable de relaciones laborales, vital en un ciclo de cambios legales como el actual continuarán siendo demandados en el 2021. Destaca la figura del socio estratégico de recursos humanos (HRBP), que ayudará a armonizar los procesos internos con el fin de conseguir los objetivos empresariales. Estos son solo algunos de los perfiles laborales más buscados de este año. Es evidente que muchos sectores y perfiles se ven afectados por la crisis sanitaria. De hecho, en función de las exigencias del nuevo mundo del trabajo , los perfiles más solicitados han cambiado de modo que el ecommerce se ha convertido en un sector fundamental, y ha crecido la contratación en muchos otros en áreas como TI, pero también en salud y en el ámbito corporativo.

La discriminación por género, una barrera para el progreso de la empresa

Aunque actualmente el empleo en mujeres es casi tan común como en hombres, no siempre ha sido así, con la parte femenina de la población encontrando obstáculos y discriminaciones a la hora de encontrar o desempeñar un empleo, además de trabajar más tiempo por menos sueldo. Está en manos de las empresas reconocer que el talento no tiene género, y procurar contratar y retener a los mejores independientemente de su sexo. En Cornerstone estamos firmemente comprometidos desde nuestros inicios a apostar por la igualdad y no discriminación en el empleo. De cara a esta ocasión, ofrecemos algunos pasos para avanzar en el camino de la diversidad de género en las empresas y así poder aprovechar la ventaja competitiva que la diversidad en los equipos ofrece. 1. No discriminar en el proceso de selección para captar al mejor talento Algunos empleadores están convencidos de que una mujer rendirá menos o peor que un hombre, una visión anticuada que hay que eliminar para mantenerse competitivo en el exigente mercado de talento. Así, el primer paso será ignorar el género del candidato a la hora de valorar su currículum y adecuación para la posición, y evitar hacer cálculos predictivos sobre las ventajas o desventajas que un género presentaría frente al otro. 2. Admitir y acomodar las diferencias para obtener el máximo rendimiento Las diferencias entre dos géneros pueden ser una “dificultad”… o una gran ventaja. Además de que las personas varían entre sí por muchas razones aparte del género, tanto hombres como mujeres tienen capacidades y habilidades que solo pueden enriquecer a la empresa y aportar innovación y productividad. Es inevitable que ambos tengan compromisos de naturaleza personal, así que un empleador que quiera retener a su talento tratará de acomodar estas necesidades sin tener en cuenta si obedecen al género del empleado. 3. Cerrar la brecha salarial para mantener el compromiso En España este tema está en plena actualidad, con muchas mujeres cobrando hasta un 30% menos que sus compañeros por el desempeño del mismo trabajo, además de tener que superar condiciones de precariedad en el empleo. Esta desigualdad social, política y organizativa debe ser eliminada sin demora si las empresas quieren recibir los beneficios de contar con el mejor talento en su fuerza de trabajo. 4. Romper el techo de cristal para aumentar la motivación Una de las discriminaciones que afectan a las mujeres en el ámbito laboral en España es el techo de cristal, que retrasa o impide sus ascensos a cargos de responsabilidad. Las empresas deberán desmarcarse de actitudes que fomenten el progreso laboral de los hombres más que el de las mujeres si pretenden contar con liderazgo de calidad y libre de discriminaciones que, a la larga, dañan a la organización e impiden su progreso.

Mujeres líderes

El día 8 de marzo se conmemora el Día Internacional de la Mujer por las Naciones Unidas desde 1975. Durante ese día, las mujeres de todo el mundo reivindican su derecho a la igualdad con respecto al hombre y piden mejoras en sus condiciones personales y laborales. Este año su lema es “Soy de la Generación Igualdad: Por los derechos de las mujeres”, además se conmemorará el 10º aniversario de la creación de ONU Mujeres. Aunque las mujeres van aumentando entre los altos mandos de las empresas, con una tendencia constante desde 2002, sigue siendo muy reducido el número de mujeres que lideran grandes corporaciones. En comparación con el número de hombres ocupando los mismos puestos, muy pocas mujeres llegan a lo más alto de la pirámide jerárquica dentro de las compañías. Según el estudio Informa D&B del 2019 sobre la presencia de las mujeres en la empresas españolas, todas aquellas empresas que componen el IBEX 35 deben regirse por la Ley de Igualdad, además de seguir las recomendaciones del Código de Buen Gobierno, que promueve alcanzar un 30% de mujeres en altos cargos formando parte del Consejo de Administración de cada una de las compañías en 2020. Destacando que la presencia de mujeres es menor en las empresas grandes y medianas, y mayor en las pequeñas. Investigaciones realizadas en los últimos años, han mostrado el efecto positivo que tienen las mujeres cuando logran implicarse de una manera participativa en posiciones de liderazgo de cualquier empresa. Todas las iniciativas en materia de igualdad de género en las empresas aumentan los beneficios y la productividad, así como la retención de talento. Pero para ello, son muy necesarios acuerdos laborales flexibles que apoyen el equilibrio entre la vida laboral y familiar de todos los empleados, para evitar cierta discriminación de algunas posiciones laborales respecto a las mujeres. A esto se suman los factores culturales que necesitan ser replanteados para evitar que se limite el desarrollo de las mujeres en el ámbito empresarial. ¿Cuáles son los rasgos comunes que presentan las mujeres líderes a la hora de gestionar una compañía? Empatizar con las personas: las mujeres tienen en cuenta los sentimientos y las expectativas de las personas en su equipo de trabajo para impulsarlos profesionalmente y sacar lo mejor de ellos. Ser empático es una cualidad imprescindible para incrementar la motivación y el compromiso de los empleados, puesto que valoran que las empresas muestren preocupación por sus intereses, miedos y necesidades. Gran organización en las tareas y coordinación de equipos: Las mujeres saben administrar su tiempo eficientemente para lograr los objetivos marcados. Además, saben ser directas en la toma de decisiones y transmitir lo que pretenden conseguir de un proyecto, teniendo en cuenta las disposiciones del equipo que lideran, lo cual llevará a obtener resultados muy positivos en calidad de trabajo, colaboración e integración del equipo y, por tanto, productividad. Equilibrio entre la intuición y la racionalidad: esto implica que al mismo tiempo que buscan nuevas soluciones, creativas e innovadoras para resolver los problemas que puedan surgir, también gestionan las novedades y tendencias que estén surgiendo. Esto les permite ser más creativas y estar abiertas a escuchar diferentes opiniones, hacer grupos colaborativos y estar abiertas al cambio. El camino que queda por recorrer hacia la igualdad de género todavía es muy largo como lo demuestra el hecho de que cuanto más se asciende en la jerarquía de una empresa más difícil es encontrar mujeres. Dicho esto, se ha progresado mucho en la buena dirección y tanto la sociedad como las organizaciones son conscientes de la importancia y los beneficios de tener un liderazgo más equilibrado y representativo, incluyendo tanto hombres como mujeres. Descubre más sobre como alinear la gestión de talento de forma inclusiva y sostenible aquí.

Pasado, presente y futuro de RR.HH.

Muy pronto se publicará una encuesta, elaborada por Cornerstone en colaboración con IDC, en la que se afirma algo que todo el mundo ya sabía sobre la relación entre gerentes y RR.HH.: mientras los gerentes esperan que recursos humanos sea particularmente eficiente y se apoye en la gestión de los procesos de administración, RR.HH. quiere centrarse en cuestiones a largo plazo para ganar relevancia estratégica. Una diferencia significativa, por ejemplo, es cómo los gerentes esperan que el proceso de cálculo de las nóminas sea fluido, mientras que recursos humanos prefiere hablar de compensación. La situación ideal es, por supuesto, una mezcla de ambos. Esta encuesta muestra cómo RR.HH. puede ganar relevancia y el apoyo de la empresa para aportar valor a cuestiones como el reclutamiento y el aprendizaje, y que la solución de los problemas a corto plazo (por ejemplo: “Tengo una vacante y necesito formar a alguien con urgencia") puede fomentar el diálogo en la estrategia a largo plazo (Por ejemplo: ¿Cuáles serán las habilidades y las competencias que se necesitarán en 12 o 24 meses? ¿Quién dentro de la empresa se podrá beneficiar de un plan de desarrollo para ocupar posiciones futuras?"). Ser eficiente en la resolución de problemas a corto plazo (“presente") es lo que yo llamo ser un buen "político": normalmente, los problemas se ponen en conocimiento de RR.HH. y las soluciones se deben encontrar de forma rápida con el fin de ser respetado y considerado digno de confianza, especialmente teniendo en cuenta que esto es lo que se espera de RR.HH. . Esta actitud de resolución de problemas fomentará un debate continuo con Negocio a medida que los gerentes trabajen con RR.HH. para definir su planificación anual y expresar sus necesidades más inmediatas. Esto también ayudará a RR.HH. a tener una mejor comprensión de toda la organización, ya que será capaz de hablar con todos los empleados con el fin de garantizar un mapa actualizado de competencias. Por otro lado, RR.HH. tiene que tener una visión futurista y con el fin de anticiparse a situaciones y necesidades inesperadas. Por supuesto, la retroalimentación de la alta dirección es necesario, al igual que un debate constante con otros actores estratégicos (I+D, posiciones de cara al público, también contactos externos como clientes y proveedores). ¿Cuál es el tiempo medio de retención de los empleados dentro de la empresa? Si son 6 años, por ejemplo, significa que es necesario tener una visión a 7 años cuando se empieza a trabajar en la planificación del próximo año. Por lo tanto, es necesario tener un conocimiento muy aproximado de lo que podría ocurrir a largo plazo con el fin de anticiparse. Toda la estrategia de planificación de la plantilla cae bajo esta función de previsión. En esta etapa, es necesario pensar en términos de futuras competencias y la evolución del puesto, y luego establecer una correlación entre la información disponible sobre los empleados y las nuevas vacantes. Todo esto parece bastante obvio, y las funciones actuales y futuras de Recursos Humanos en la organización parecen bastante claras. Sin embargo hay una tercera dimensión para RR.HH. , se trata del pasado, de su labor "historiadora". ¿Significa esto que RR.HH. tiene que conocer a todos los directores generales desde que se creó la empresa? ¡Por supuesto no! ¿Significa usar la historia más allá del placer intelectual de aumentar su conocimiento? Lo explico: la historia ayuda a comprender la cultura y la mentalidad de una organización. Trabajar en un entorno internacional sin tener un conocimiento básico de las culturas de los diferentes socios (y por tanto la historia) puede dar lugar a malentendidos y errores potenciales. Esta es la misma preocupación en cuanto a la cultura de la empresa. RR.HH. es responsable de mantener, compartir y moldear la cultura de la empresa. Recursos Humanos puede hacer esto de muchas maneras. Un ejemplo típico es el proceso de reclutamiento para asegurar que alguien de un “buen perfil". Otro sería analizar qué elementos de esa cultura deben ser reforzados (conciencia del riesgo de cumplimiento o la actitud de servicio como actitud) y desarrollar una formación adecuada para inocular este comportamiento en la cultura a partir de la gestión. RR.HH. tiene un muy importante papel que desempeñar en la empresa, y con frecuencia tiene que hacer malabarismos entre las necesidades a corto plazo, procedentes de la empresa, a menudo urgentes, con un posicionamiento a largo plazo para ayudar a los desarrollos estratégicos. RR.HH. no debe olvidar el 3er elemento, la cultura, ya que las raíces permiten aumentar el compromiso, la confianza y el orgullo.

Q&A Reskilling: El efecto de la digitalización

Hablando con Marc Altimiras en el seminario en línea de Observatorio de Recursos Humanos, empezamos a entender mejor qué es “reskilling” y cómo podemos llevar esa transformación digital a cabo en nuestras organizaciones. Estamos viviendo un contexto único y extremo por el coronavirus, por ello es más importante que nunca que los departamentos de RRHH compartan ideas y formas de acelerar sus procesos de digitalización para poder adaptarse al nuevo cambio. Nosotros desde Cornerstone, proponemos a nuestros clientes que utilicen el poder de la IA y nuestra experiencia de más de 20 años para que de forma muy sencilla mapeen las habilidades dentro de su organización (taxonomía) y así poder tomar decisiones estratégicas. ¡No os perdáis la grabación completa aquí! Pasemos a responder algunas de las excelentes preguntas que se nos plantearon durante el webinar. Pregunta 1: Respecto a las prioridades de las empresas en el 2020, ¿no crees que la transformación digital ha subido en las prioridades tras el inicio de la crisis actual? ¡Absolutamente de acuerdo! Tener empresas adaptadas a la digitalización se ha convertido en la expectativa debido a la crisis sanitaria actual. Yo espero que este momento sirva para reflexionar sobre cómo la tecnología puede y debe ser un aliado para el negocio y los empleados. Muchos gremios tendrán que reflexionar sobre si la IA o la robótica podría tener más relevancia en su organización y así aumentar productividad incluso en momentos de distanciamiento social. Incluso vemos que el gobierno está tomando iniciativas para cambiar leyes aplicadas a la validez del estudio y aprendizaje remoto en las organizaciones. Pregunta 2: Los skills, ¿están asociados a la persona o al puesto? Los skills están asociados a la persona. Se utiliza el puesto como fuente para detectar qué skills tienen normalmente las personas en esa posición. Para construir qué skills tiene un puesto normalmente se analizan más de 250M de posiciones y más de 750M de carreras profesionales. Una vez detectados las skills que puede tener un empleado en función de su posición, el empleado o su manager (o RRHH) puede validar que son correctos. Pregunta 3: ¿Cómo dar oportunidad de carrera cuando la empresa es una pyme? Esta es una de las grandes dificultades cuando tenemos talento emergente en nuestra organización y queremos proponerles un desarrollo interesante para que se quede en nuestra compañía. Pero es evidente que una PYME no tendrá los mismos puestos de trabajo, digamos suficiente diversidad en puestos y departamento. Esta tarea no es fácil pero tampoco imposible. Las ideas que propongo son: Asegúrate de crear proyectos dentro de diversos departamentos. Sabemos que las nuevas generaciones prefieren trabajar en proyectos sueltos. Demos la oportunidad a estas personas a que se involucren en otros proyectos incluso en otros departamentos. Para esto podemos definir que asignen un 5% o 1% de su tiempo a esta tarea Monetiza y recompensa su trabajo. Si tienen proyectos sueltos en los que colaborar, recompensa los resultados no solo con dinero, sino sobre todo con reconocimiento interno. Es importante que resaltemos el buen trabajo públicamente dentro de la empresa Mantén una conversación transparente. Si bien no tenemos un puesto futuro en la actualidad, podemos ofrecer formación para que cuando surja ese puesto estemos preparados. Dejar que nuestros empleados se formen es esencial. Pregunta 4: He visto que es compatible con otras soluciones, otros LMS, por ejemplo, SAP (SuccessFactors) ¿Tiene sentido usar Cornerstone con otra solución de este tipo? Todo el sentido del mundo. Se puede utilizar Cornerstone para rápidamente iniciar un programa de “reskilling” accediendo a la taxonomía de skills y contenido mapeado a skills en Cornerstone en cuestión de semanas. Al mismo tiempo, se puede mantener la solución que se tenga, dónde se integra fácilmente la información de cursos realizados en Cornerstone para poder tener una visión global. Pregunta 5: Desde su punto de vista, ¿cuáles serían esas habilidades que habría que tener en cuenta con carácter general? Sin duda las “soft skills”. Son habilidades que en ocasiones adquirimos en el puesto de trabajo, no en la universidad y si carecemos de ellas pueden generar situaciones hostiles en la organización. En ocasiones, cuando hablamos de valores y de cultura en las empresas son esas habilidades blandas las que definen la cultura: ¿Cómo sociabilizamos?, ¿Cómo nos comunicamos? o ¿Qué expectativas tenemos de nuestros jefes? Pregunta 6: La tecnología utilizada para esto es Amazon Web Services, ¿correcto? Cornerstone utiliza múltiples tecnologías para la plataforma. En particular se utiliza la arquitectura de microservicios apoyada en AWS para facilitar la innovación rápida de cualquier parte de la plataforma. En concreto cada 3 meses hay una nueva actualización con funcionalidades que se pueden activar en caso de ser interesantes. Pregunta 7: ¿Qué categorías/tipos de contenidos son más utilizados en vuestra plataforma para reskilling y upskilling? Todo tipo de categorías, desde contenido para mejorar “soft skills”, pasando por contenidos más técnicos para temas concretos como digitalización, compliance o enfocados a un tipo particular de rol como ventas. Disponemos de diferentes subscripciones que incluyen formaciones de los proveedores de contenido más relevantes a nivel mundial. Destacaría los cursos de Cornerstone Learning.

¿Qué valoran los millennials en la búsqueda de trabajo?

Los millennials van camino de convertirse en la principal fuerza de trabajo en las empresas. De hecho, según varios estudios, para 2025, esta generación a la que también se conoce como Generación Y representarán el 50% de los profesionales de una plantilla. Pertenecen a esta generación los nacidos a partir de los años 80 y a día de hoy muchas empresas buscan conocer sus necesidades, anhelos e intereses ya que va a ser fundamental para atraer y fidelizar a estos jóvenes talentos que se convertirán en los líderes empresariales del mañana. Ahora que desgraciadamente muchos de los jóvenes se encuentran en la búsqueda de trabajo a causa de la crisis del coronavirus, es muy importante que se conozcan cuáles son los “requisitos” o qué es lo que más valoran a la hora de decantarse por un puesto de trabajo en concreto. Desde Cornerstone, destacamos cuáles son los aspectos que más valoran los jóvenes a la hora de buscar trabajo: No son partidarios del liderazgo vertical El esquema jerárquico tradicional en el que se dan órdenes de arriba abajo no es muy de su agrado. Cada vez más este sistema de liderazgo es menos utilizado, sobre todo en las organizaciones que apuestan por renovarse contantemente adaptándose a los nuevos tiempos. Las nuevas generaciones apuestan y demandan un nuevo modelo de negocio en el que haya una comunicación fluida entre los altos cargos y ellos mismos, de esta forma, se crea un clima de trabajo en el que prima la cercanía y la empatía. Los líderes deben acompañar en el crecimiento laboral de sus compañeros, convirtiéndose en una fuente de inspiración y modelo a seguir. Los jóvenes de hoy quieren sentirse escuchados y valorados dentro de las compañías para aprender al máximo y desempeñar su trabajo con la mejor de las actitudes. Tienen muy en cuenta el salario emocional Para los millennials, es muy importante el bienestar en la organización ya que en muchas ocasiones la remuneración que reciben les gustaría que fuera superior, es decir, la precariedad salarial hace que los millennials decanten la balanza en cuanto a valorar otros aspectos ya que el factor económico no es un aliciente. Con esto se pude decir que el salario económico no lo es todo. Los jóvenes de la Generación Y anteponen un buen ambiente de trabajo, diálogo con los compañeros o proyectos interesantes que contribuyan a su felicidad y confort. Buscan la tan ansiada conciliación laboral-personal Si algo bueno podemos sacar después de la pandemia es que gracias a ella muchas organizaciones se han replantado los modelos de trabajo y de gestión laboral. Especialmente, se podría destacar la implantación masiva del teletrabajo incluso en aquellas organizaciones que previamente a la crisis eran más reticentes. El teletrabajo ha llegado para quedarse y también los horarios flexibles. En menor o mayor medida, los líderes de las organizaciones deben adaptarse a los nuevos aires de cambio que sin duda favorecerán la tan ansiada conciliación de la vida laboral y personal de sus empleados. La vuelta al trabajo después de 5 meses teletrabajando, por el momento, debe ser progresiva y adaptada a las circunstancias de cada empleado. Las cosas ya no volverán a ser como antes y los empleados han demostrado que es posible teletrabajar desde casa un largo periodo sin que la empresa se resienta. Espacios de trabajo abiertos Crear entornos de trabajo abiertos a la experimentación, la innovación y la creatividad, para mejorar la productividad de sus plantillas y atraer a los perfiles digitales y millennials. Esta generación valora muy positivamente sentirse libre en el ámbito laboral y, en esta misión, la creatividad juega un papel fundamental. Los millennials valoran muy positivamente la posibilidad de contar con espacios de trabajo flexibles, es decir, poder desempeñar sus funciones desde otros lugares que no sean la oficina, como pueda ser su casa, espacios de coworking… La tecnología para una formación constante Desde Cornerstone gracias a nuestro software en la nube para ayudar a las empresas a gestionar su capital humano, hemos creado un catálogo de cursos para atajar todas las necesidades fruto de la trasformación digital actual. Los millennials se han visto inmersos en la era tecnológica desde bien pequeños, razón por la cual disponen de altas competencias en esta materia. Además, son la generación del boom de las redes sociales, y esperan que sus managers hagan un correcto y eficiente uso de las mismas. Por esta razón, uno de los aspectos más valorados por estos talentos es el conocimiento tecnológico de su mánager desde el momento de la selección, pasando por el onboarding, y de forma permanente a la hora de llevar a cabo los diferentes proyectos y las relaciones entre los compañeros en el día a día. A modo de conclusión podemos decir que los jóvenes buscan proyectos que realmente les motiven, que les hagan sacar lo mejor de sí mismos, y les depare nuevos retos cada día, evitando así todos aquellos puestos de trabajo monótonos en los que siempre se llevan a cabo las mismas actividades. El teletrabajo en España parece que no acaba de despegar por parte de las organizaciones. Son muchos los españoles a los que les gustaría optar a trabajar algún día desde casa y no cuentan con dicha posibilidad. Contamos con las infraestructuras necesarias, pero lo que nos falta es un cambio cultural. ¿Estamos más cerca de ese cambio debido al COVID19? ¿El virus ha acelerado la digitalización en las empresas?

Recruiting y onboarding: el reto de seducir al mejor talento para nuestra empresa

El nuevo recruiting: agilidad y seducción “La contratación es la parte más dinámica de los recursos humanos en este momento, debido a la gran cantidad de datos que se recopilan durante el proceso de contratación y a la alta competencia en el mercado laboral” Josh Bersin No hay duda de que la irrupción de las nuevas tecnologías, la hiperconectividad, las redes sociales, la universalización del acceso a la información, que permiten acceder y compartir conocimiento a nivel global, han determinado que estemos ante un mercado altamente cambiante, donde los modelos de negocio tradicionales deben coexistir con la llamada economía digital, basada en un nuevo paradigma de modelo de negocio y de consumo caracterizado por la ubicuidad y la inmediatez gracias a dichas tecnologías. Ante este nuevo escenario, las empresas tienen que adaptarse con rapidez. Cada vez más se requiere que las organizaciones sean ágiles y que tomen decisiones rápidamente, en definitiva, organizaciones Smarter & Faster, para adaptarse a los rápidos y constantes cambios del mercado, también del mercado laboral. Un mercado laboral altamente competitivo, con profesiones, roles y competencias en constante aparición y transformación, exige también agilidad en la detección, selección e incorporación del mejor talento para cada momento y necesidad concreta. Seduciendo al talento Y en el contexto de un mundo hiperinformado, donde los profesionales tenemos acceso a todo tipo de información, donde recibimos feedback constante de otros profesionales, se está produciendo un cambio de paradigma también dentro del recruitment: las empresas en muchas ocasiones ya no es suficiente que sean únicamente ofertantes de trabajo sino que, cada vez más, deben asumir el rol de seductoras del talento. "El recruitment tiende cada vez más a que las empresas se conviertan en seductoras del talento" Conceptos como el Inbound Recruiting (la selección a través de la atracción), o el Employer Branding (nuestra marca y reputación como empleadores) poseen una importancia creciente para conseguir seducir y atraer a ese talento que queremos tener en nuestra compañía y por el cual competimos con muchas otras. Si no cuidamos nuestra marca, ese talento al cual queremos seducir, y que recibe múltiples inputs sobre quiénes somos, cómo hacemos las cosas, cómo cuidamos y fidelizamos al talento, probablemente ante condiciones retributivas similares optará por otras marcas. Gamificando el onboarding Una vez detectado y atraído el mejor talento mediante un buen proceso de selección, el segundo reto de las organizaciones es plantear un buen proceso de acogida de dicho talento, que permita realizar la mejor incorporación posible en la cultura y los valores de la compañía, de forma rápida, pero a la vez efectiva y, ¡sobretodo, atractiva! Los primeros pasos dentro de un nuevo entorno profesional son clave para la adecuada integración del nuevo talento, su motivación y la gestión de sus expectativas, y en definitiva para consolidar la imagen de la organización. El nuevo empleado se puede convertir, si realizamos una acogida exitosa, no solo en un empleado motivado, sino en el mejor embajador de nuestra organización, ayudando así a la consolidación de nuestro Employer Branding. Una de las experiencias con mayor éxito para mejorar la acogida de nuestros clientes consiste en incorporar la gamificación como dinámica para ayudar a consolidar la acogida de los nuevos empleados, de forma lúdica y amena, lo que conlleva un alto grado de aceptación y engagement. Habitualmente usada como complemento de procesos formales de comunicación y formación, la gamificación es un método informal que, mediante el juego, refuerza de manera natural la consolidación de conocimientos concretos por parte de los empleados. Cultura corporativa, valores, misión y visión, procesos internos y de negocio, son muchos los ámbitos en los que, desde nuestra propia experiencia, la introducción de la gamificación puede generar un salto cualitativo y cuantitativo importante en la comprensión y adquisición de nuevos conocimientos. ¿Cómo podemos ayudarte desde TALENTS by IThinkUPC? En TALENTS by IThinkUPC somos expertos en ayudar a las organizaciones a mejorar sus procesos de selección y onboarding, aportando soluciones digitales que puedan facilitarlos. Por un lado, somos partner certificado de la solución Cornerstone, líder mundial en soluciones de Human Capital Management (HCM) y que ofrece su suite de recruiting para digitalizar los procesos de selección y acogida en las organizaciones. Y, por otro, somos expertos en introducir la gamificación como estrategia para innovar en ciertos procesos de negocio, con una solución como uPlay, nuestra plataforma de gamificación. ¡No dudes en contactar con nosotros para explicarnos tus necesidades concretas! Te ayudaremos a encontrar la solución que mejor se adapta a tu organización, en base a nuestra experiencia. Este articulo fue publicado originalmente por: https://www.ithinkupc.com/es/blog/recruiting-y-onboarding-el-reto-de-seducir-al-mejor-talento-para-nuestra-empresa

Sindicatos de trabajadores, un elemento clave para el éxito de la estrategia de RRHH

El día 12 de agosto es el aniversario de uno de los principales sindicatos que operan en España, la Unión General de Trabajadores, UGT, que con 130 años es la segunda organización sindical más longeva de Europa. La ley sobre el trabajo de mujeres y niños, la de accidentes de trabajo o la de descanso dominical, así como la primera celebración del Primero de Mayo en 1890 son algunos de los logros que UGT tiene en su historia y que, junto a otros sindicatos, han cambiado y mejorado el panorama laboral español y, sobre todo, los derechos de los trabajadores. Un sindicato (del griego síndikou) es una asociación integrada por trabajadores en defensa y promoción de sus intereses laborales, tanto con respecto al empleador como al propio Gobierno. Su fuerza, por tanto, es innegable ya que muchos son los trabajadores que ven en ellos el garante de sus justas condiciones laborales y esto hace que sea imprescindible contar con ellos, hacer que participen de la estrategia de recursos humanos que ponga en marcha cualquier compañía. No hacerlo, podría, sin lugar a dudas, hacer que nuestra estrategia no funcionase. Y es que las empresas tienen que adoptar medidas que permitan la interlocución directa, continua y transparente entre los sindicatos de trabajadores y los responsables directos de la compañía. Esa comunicación fluida y constante es básica para introducir cualquier nueva acción que afecte a los empleados. Por ejemplo, en referencia a un programa de formación o un nuevo sistema de retribución flexible, ¿por qué no consensuar con los sindicatos su puesta en marcha, su temática o las características de los trabajadores a los que se les ofrecerá? Pero además, se puede incluir a los sindicatos en procesos en los que hasta ahora habían permanecido ausentes, como en los procesos de reclutamiento. De esta forma, la selección de personal garantizará su transparencia y la adecuación del empleado en función de los requisitos que la empresa necesita. Los sindicatos ayudan a las empresas a: Garantizar los derechos de los trabajadores Asegurar que se cumplen las condiciones contractuales Mediar en las negociaciones entre empleado y empresa Contar con ellos en definitiva es contar con los empleados y esto hará que los profesionales que conforman una compañía se sientan respetados y valorados por la misma, sentimientos clave para retener y atraer nuevo talento. En definitiva, la transformación del propio departamento de recursos humanos de un enfoque básicamente administrativo a un rol más estratégico hace que también sus “clientes” sean más numerosos. No se trata únicamente de gestionar empleados sino de entender cuál es la dinámica del negocio, cuáles son los retos, qué talento se requiere en la empresa… y de escuchar a los que conforman la compañía, a todos y cada uno de ellos. Un enfoque en el que escuchar a uno de los activos más poderosos, los sindicatos, resultará esencial para una estrategia realmente efectiva.

Tendencias 2021 RRHH: lo que los líderes de negocios pueden esperar después de un año turbulento

El mundo experimentó un gran reajuste en el 2020, con innumerables cambios que alteraron casi todo como lo conocemos. El lado bueno de una pandemia global es que obliga a las organizaciones a girar y adaptarse, así como a recordar lo que más importa. Al despedirnos del 2020, es un buen momento para reflexionar sobre los cambios positivos que han nacido y continuarán impactando a nuestro mundo en el 2021. Como impacto directo del COVID-19, según una encuesta de la Sociedad de Gestión de Recursos Humanos de más de 2.000 miembros, 2 de cada 3 empleadores dicen que mantener la moral de los empleados es un desafío. La misma investigación de la SHRM señala que el 71% de los empleadores dicen que la adaptación al trabajo a distancia ha sido difícil y el 83% de los empleadores afirman que están ajustando sus prácticas comerciales según la pandemia. Mientras que las ramificaciones a largo plazo aún no están claras, el trabajo ha cambiado. La incertidumbre ha sido un tema que ha marcado este último año, y la industria de los recursos humanos se ha enfrentado al reto de lidiar con los cambios en toda la organización y darse cuenta de que el cambio es constante. Si el año 2020 nos ha enseñado algo, es que no se puede predecir el futuro... ¡pero siempre es divertido intentarlo! Al entrar en 2021, esto es lo que los expertos de Cornerstone esperan ver como tendencia el próximo año. RRHH, conoce a la AI, el nuevo socio de negocios "Desde hace varios años, nos hemos acostumbrado al poder de la IA, especialmente cuando se trata de crear experiencias personalizadas, como las listas de reproducción de música creadas en nuestros teléfonos hasta las recomendaciones inteligentes en las páginas web de compras. Predecimos que 2021 será el año en el que más equipos de RR.HH. empezarán a invertir en la IA en el lugar de trabajo. Ya sea que se utilice la IA para ayudar a contratar a los mejores candidatos para un puesto de trabajo o que se confíe en ella para recomendar los mejores contenidos de aprendizaje y planes de desarrollo personalizados, la IA tiene el potencial de ayudar a nuestro personal a crecer y prosperar a través del cambio. Por ejemplo, la pandemia ha hecho que muchas personas tengan la necesidad de cambiar rápidamente sus habilidades. Hemos visto esto en la industria de servicios, ya que muchos restaurantes se han pasado a la comida para llevar por primera vez, así como en la industria de la salud, con el despliegue de nuevos protocolos para mantener a los empleados y pacientes seguros. Ahora más que nunca, los empleados necesitan ser adaptables, y la IA puede ayudar a la gente a mejorar sus habilidades y volver a capacitarse y mucho más. Uno de los retos, sin embargo, es que muchos líderes y su personal no son conscientes de los muchos usos prácticos de la IA en el lugar de trabajo diario. Por eso nos comprometemos a ayudar a las organizaciones y a los líderes de RR.HH. a comprender cómo la IA puede beneficiarles. De hecho, para ayudar a impulsar la innovación de la IA, hemos creado recientemente el Cornerstone Innovation Lab para IA, un centro de excelencia dentro de nuestra empresa que reúne a nuestros mejores expertos en IA y aprendizaje automático. Ellos son responsables de innovar formas prácticas y éticas de aplicar la tecnología de la IA en el lugar de trabajo. Los beneficios son verdaderamente ilimitados, y apenas estamos empezando a ver cómo la IA impactará en nuestro mundo". - Mark Goldin, Chief Technology Office La gente se apropiará más de sus habilidades "En 2020, los roles de los empleados en todos los niveles y en todas las organizaciones han cambiado de una manera u otra. Ya sea que la crisis haya obligado a las personas a seguir trayectorias profesionales completamente nuevas, o simplemente a volver a explorar el camino que están siguiendo, las personas sienten la presión de hacer un balance de sus habilidades y de averiguar qué nuevas habilidades pueden necesitar para ser valiosos para su organización. En el futuro, creemos que los acontecimientos del año 2020 han despertado un sentido de autonomía y responsabilidad personal en los empleados para que lleven a cabo su desarrollo de primera mano. Hemos visto a más trabajadores tomar cursos de aprendizaje y desarrollo en línea este año para elevar el valor que aportan a su organización. Parte de la apropiación del desarrollo de habilidades es participar en evaluaciones para entender qué habilidades aportan a su empresa y qué habilidades necesitan potenciar. Una visión precisa de las habilidades permite a las empresas desplegar rápidamente los talentos únicos de sus empleados a través de asignaciones de trabajo y movilidad interna a medida que su empresa se adapta a la dinámica cambiante del mercado. También permite a las organizaciones hacer una planificación de la fuerza de trabajo basada en las aptitudes para identificar y desarrollar a las personas con aptitudes adyacentes a las aptitudes nuevas y emergentes necesarias para competir en el futuro. Las personas también comenzarán a explorar trayectorias profesionales alternativas fuera de la trayectoria vertical y funcional tradicional que aprovechan las aptitudes que tienen actualmente, las que disfrutan utilizando (sus puntos fuertes) y las que desean aprender. Las personas y las empresas están buscando nuevas formas de adaptarse en los mercados altamente volátiles y las habilidades se convertirán en la moneda que impulsará ese cambio. - Heidi Spirgi, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer La transformación acelerada continuará en todos los sectores y geografías "Uno de los beneficios que las organizaciones han visto a lo largo de la pandemia ha sido la aceleración casi instantánea de la innovación y la transformación digital. La pregunta ya no es "cómo" sino "a qué velocidad". Lo que está claro es que la capacidad de pivotar rápidamente será el motor de la transformación, incluso dentro de los departamentos de recursos humanos. Las organizaciones estarán más abiertas a abordar el trabajo de forma diferente, ofreciendo nuevas experiencias a los empleados, adaptándose mejor a la plantilla actual y continuando el despliegue de modelos empresariales y organizativos nuevos o significativamente mejorados. Los recursos humanos desempeñarán un papel importante para ayudar a las organizaciones a transformarse, apoyando a los empleados a medida que identifican y desarrollan las habilidades necesarias para desempeñarse en este nuevo entorno, preparando a su plantilla para el cambio continuo e impulsando los más altos niveles de compromiso. Las organizaciones están poniendo a prueba su resistencia y adaptabilidad". - Vincent Belliveau, Chief Executive EMEA Las organizaciones dominarán las conversaciones sobre el desarrollo en un entorno de trabajo a distancia "La gestión del desempeño ha experimentado una evolución durante años, que se aceleró en 2020 a medida que muchos directivos y sus equipos pasaron a ser prácticamente remotos. La retroalimentación continua a través de actividades como los controles regulares son herramientas probadas para fomentar la comunicación e impulsar el compromiso en un entorno virtual. Las investigaciones nos muestran una y otra vez que los empleados más comprometidos se traducen directamente en empleados de mayor rendimiento. Y sabemos que el aumento de las oportunidades de desarrollo y formación es lo que impulsa ese compromiso. Por lo tanto, mantener a los empleados comprometidos a través de la tecnología no que deberías tener, es algo imprescindible. Tener contenido accesible a la carta a través de una variedad de plataformas permite este tipo de desarrollo en tiempo real que puede ayudar a mantener el compromiso e impulsar el rendimiento en un entorno de trabajo remoto". - Jeremy Spake, Director, Thought Leadership & Advisory Services Las nuevas habilidades de RRHH se convertirán en la norma "2020 ha introducido un sinnúmero de nuevos desafíos, desde la adaptación a nuevas formas de trabajo hasta superar la fatiga como consecuencia de los cambios perturbadores repentinos. Los profesionales de RRHH deben actuar como una fuerza que guía para ayudar tanto a los empleados como a los líderes a navegar por estos desafíos. El papel tradicional de RRHH debe ahora aprovechar las nuevas habilidades para facilitar programas eficaces de trabajo a distancia, atender las necesidades personales de los empleados cuando se ven afectados por desastres naturales y poder buscar, descubrir y mitigar los prejuicios inconscientes incrustados tanto en las personas como en los procesos. Ya estamos viendo que se requieren varias habilidades nuevas e incluso nuevos roles que surgen dentro de la industria para abordar esas necesidades personales. Desde proporcionar apoyo dedicado a empleados remotos o a aquellos que se enfrentan a desastres naturales hasta ofrecer asesoramiento para mitigar el sesgo inconsciente y la fatiga del cambio, ahora hay varios elementos de los roles de RRHH que requieren un nuevo conjunto de habilidades. En 2021, veremos un nuevo énfasis en la importancia de adoptar una mentalidad de aprendizaje para que los RRHH y el liderazgo no sólo puedan apoyar y ayudar a su personal a prosperar, sino que, en última instancia, preparen a toda la organización para el éxito, independientemente del futuro perturbador del lugar de trabajo". - Kimberly Cassady, Chief Talent Officer La Generación Z aportará contenidos similares a los de TikTok a la formación profesional "Hacia el año 2021, veremos más compañías adoptar formatos de aprendizaje más precisos - alejándose de ofertas prolongadas e irrelevantes - que chocan con el sofisticado filtro de contenido que los grupos de edad más jóvenes han perfeccionado. En respuesta a este cambio, Cornerstone Studios ha desarrollado una variedad de formatos de aprendizaje innovadores, como el marco de nanoaprendizaje de Cornerstone en la tan alabada serie de ADN, que presenta un aprendizaje de calidad a través de un diseño cuidado para el consumidor. Estos impactantes y poderosos videos piden ser consumidos en mitad de una vida profesional muy ocupada". - Summer Salomonsen, Head of Cornerstone Studios Habrá tolerancia cero para la falta de transparencia "COVID-19 ha reformado la forma en que trabajamos e interactuamos entre nosotros. La oficina tal como la conocemos podría desaparecer, y según un reciente estudio de Gallup más del 60% de los directivos dicen que apoyarán la elección de sus empleados de trabajar remotamente después del COVID-19. Hemos comprobado las evidencias a lo largo de la pandemia sobre lo que ha funcionado y lo que no. Hemos visto a muchas organizaciones y gobiernos prepararse adecuadamente, así como a algunos que no dieron en el blanco. Cuando la información era clara y había transparencia sobre lo que se podía esperar, ahí es donde la gente se sentía más tranquila y cómoda con el camino a seguir en tiempos de incertidumbre. En 2020, hemos visto el potencial de muchos nuevos medios y tecnologías de comunicación, y en 2021, será el momento en el que las organizaciones de todo el mundo las adopten plenamente. Como representantes de nuestras empresas, los líderes de RRHH deben ser capaces de llegar a su personal allá donde estén. Para muchos de nosotros, eso significa que tenemos que adaptar nuestros métodos de comunicación tradicionales para satisfacer las necesidades de los trabajadores ahora y en el futuro. También predecimos que las empresas adopten más canales para la retroalimentación de los empleados. En este momento, los trabajadores están ansiosos por compartir sus preocupaciones, y es importante que las empresas tengan canales seguros donde las personas puedan ser igualmente transparentes y contribuir al bienestar de la organización. Ahora se espera que haya transparencia, con o sin crisis". - Jeff Miller, Chief Learning Officer and VP of Organizational Effectiveness Practicaremos la empatía en un mundo virtual "En el entorno laboral actual, en el que las personas están experimentando todo tipo de cambios en sus rutinas o niveles de estrés, la empatía es fundamental en el lugar de trabajo. Los investigadores de Stanford han descubierto que exponer a las personas a ciertas situaciones dentro de un mundo de realidad virtual puede ayudar a facilitar la comprensión mostrando lo que es caminar en los zapatos de otra persona. Adoptar la RV en su estrategia de L&D puede aportar un elemento de deleite a la experiencia de aprendizaje de los empleados, y ayudar a las personas a superar las futuras interrupciones que seguramente vendrán. Una pregunta que las organizaciones deben hacerse es cómo adoptar la tecnología nueva y emergente para promover la colaboración cruzada. Por eso Cornerstone sigue apostando por la RV con nuestra inversión en Talespin (una empresa de desarrollo de talentos de RV), que utiliza la tecnología de RX para promover las habilidades para el futuro del trabajo". - Elvis Ha, Senior Director, Product Management El cambio y la transformación organizacional comienza con tu personal Todo esto para decir que el 2020 ha llegado a su fin. Si bien el año se ha presentado como un desafío, por decir lo menos, también ha impulsado a muchos de nosotros a considerar cómo podemos tener un impacto en nuestro futuro colectivo. El 2020 ha acelerado los cambios inevitables y ha obligado a las industrias, las empresas y, lo que es más importante, a las personas a adaptarse a estos cambios en un período de tiempo considerablemente corto. Y el año 2020 nos ha demostrado, por lo menos, que las personas son resistentes, que las organizaciones pueden adaptarse a los rápidos cambios y que, juntas, pueden crear resultados extraordinarios. En Cornerstone, creemos que las organizaciones que ven el cambio y las transformaciones como oportunidades ayudarán a su gente a tener éxito, desarrollar nuevas habilidades y prosperar. Para saber más sobre la inversión de Cornerstone en la revolución de la readaptación y la adaptación, consulte el informe de investigación global de 2020 Cornerstone, "A License to Skill", y explore las soluciones de fuerza de trabajo aplicables y éticas impulsadas por la IA en el libro blanco "Realizing the True Potential of AI in HR". Este contenido fue originalmente publicado en inglés en Rework.

The future is coming: habilidades y estrategias de RR.HH. en la “batalla por el talento”

En este año, marcado por los eventos virtuales, tuvo lugar el pasado 12 de noviembre el Congreso Factor Humano. Se trata de un evento exclusivo para los profesionales que integran los departamentos de Recursos Humanos de las empresas, tanto públicas como privadas, donde conocer la actualidad del sector a través de las mesas de debate, talleres y los productos y servicios ofrecidos por los sponsors, con los que contactar en sus Stands Virtuales. Más de 60 ponentes de primer nivel participaron en este entorno virtual que este año celebraba su 7ª edición y que retransmitió las charlas en streaming para todos aquellos usuarios registrados. Entre sus patrocinadores destaca Cornerstone OnDemand, quien además lideró una mesa redonda que tuve el placer de dirigir, titulada –The future is coming: habilidades y estrategias de RR.HH. en la “batalla por el talento”–. Contó con participantes de lujo como: Laura Visier, Resposbales de Talento y Aprendizaje en UCI Encarnación Rute, Corporate HR Director en Pullmantur Antonio Gómez de la Bárcena, Director de Personas en Just Eat Spain María Carrasco, Directora de Talento en Securitas Direct Al comenzar la mesa redonda, inicié el debate de la mano de las soft skills, lanzando la pregunta de cómo conviven estas con las tradicionales y por qué cada vez se les da más importancia. Para Securitas Direct, la revolución tecnológica ha traído muchos cambios en las organizaciones, así como nuevas metodologías. Para la empresa de seguridad, fue clave la introducción de la robótica y la IA, según explicó María Carrasco. La incorporación de nuevas tecnologías ha permitido que busquen nuevos perfiles profesionales en la compañía. Para Carrasco, las soft skills son una combinación de esos conocimientos clave y competencias más importantes para adaptarse a la situación actual. En este sentido, la directiva destaca la capacidad de aprendizaje, ya que los conocimientos quedan obsoletos después de un tiempo y los profesionales tienen que estar actualizándose para seguir siendo empleables y desarrollar su carrera laboral. Carrasco cree firmemente que los empleados deben ser más resilientes para poder adaptarse a los nuevos cambios. En Securitas Direct, el perfil más versátil que buscan es el que combina conocimiento técnico con otras habilidades que fomenten la movilidad interna y que permita desarrollarse de cara al futuro. En sus propias palabras, Carrasco destacó: "Las compañías debemos proporcionar herramientas a nuestros empleados para que sean ellos los dueños de su propia carrera laboral." Por su parte, Just Eat remarcaba la importancia de las soft skills dentro de las compañías. Éstas requieren otro tipo de aprendizaje, aunque muchas de ellas son innatas a las personas. Son habilidades que impactan en todos los niveles de la organización. Las soft skills se asocian a las personas resilientes y a la adaptabilidad. Tal y como destacó Antonio Gómez, “La empatía virtual es muy difícil, creo que hay que trabajar mucho en las organizaciones para fomentar la empatía a distancia.” Continuando el debate, remarqué la importancia de apostar por el upskilling y reskilling para mejorar y adquirir nuevas competencias. En este sentido, el directivo de Just Eat remarcaba que son un elemento fundamental dentro de la cultura de la organización para aquellos empleados que adquieran nuevas competencias dentro de las organizaciones. El reskilling es un elemento de inclusión dentro de la compañía. Las compañías tienen la responsabilidad como empresa de promover esa inclusión, fomentando el aprendizaje para que la gente pueda optar a nuevos puestos de trabajo o incluso no caer en la obsolescencia tecnológica en su propio puesto. Minutos más tarde, pregunté sobre el rol al que se han tenido que adaptar los RRHH para poder gestionar todos los cambios que ha traído consigo la pandemia con tan poco margen de reacción. Por su parte, Pullmantur comparaba la situación como si el rol de RRHH estuviera en medio del tablero de juego y le cambiasen las reglas. Los roles han ido evolucionando, pero con la llegada del coronavirus se han acelerado en los campos de innovación, IA, nuevas formas de trabajo... Encarnación destacaba que, en esta época de crisis, hay que aprovechar los recursos para ayudar a los demás. En este caso, Pullmantur dio la posibilidad de utilizar muchos barcos como hospitales. Encarnación remarcó que lo primero que hicieron con la llegada de la pandemia fue de asegurar y garantizar la seguridad y salud de los empleados. En un segundo lugar, se centraron en fomentar la comunicación interna de manera que trataron de adaptar las herramientas a una nueva situación con el fin de ayudar a todos los miembros de la organización. Por último, destacó que se replantearon el nuevo entorno de trabajo con equipos trabajando en remoto. Tuvieron que revisar estructuras y, en términos de formación, comenzar a trabajar con herramientas de trabajo híbridas, haciendo que las soft skills se adaptaran a las necesidades reales. El hecho de que los RRHH estuvieran en constantes comunicaciones con los empleados, creó una relación de cercanía en la que los trabajadores y la organización deseaban alcanzar un objetivo común yendo todos a una. Continuando la sesión, introduje el tema sobre la inteligencia emocional en el debate, haciendo hincapié en cómo ha ido ganando importancia en el ámbito de RR.HH. En este sentido, preguntaba a los directivos cómo habían sido capaces de gestionar a los equipos durante la pandemia, y cómo había afectado al trabajo diario. Laura Visier de UCI, respondiendo a la pregunta de cómo ha afectado la pandemia al trabajo diario, respondió que la pandemia ha propiciado la agilidad a la hora de desarrollar lo que se venía haciendo en los últimos años. Han incentivado la inteligencia emocional desde el primer momento para garantizar la salud de los empleados lo máximo posible, tomando la decisión de mandar a su personal a teletrabajar cuanto antes para minimizar riesgos. Mantenían una información anónima de cada empelado para trasmitir tranquilidad y brindarles apoyo cuando era necesario. Puedes ver la mesa redonda al completo del Congreso Factor Humano 2020, pulsando aquí.

¿Tienen los RRHH la capacidad de soportar una crisis?

La palabra crisis siempre se asocia a algo negativo, pero sin duda una crisis puede convertirse en una gran oportunidad para buscar nuevas estrategias y objetivos con el fin de mejorar. Desde este punto de vista, las crisis pueden sacar lo mejor de nosotros y poner en marcha todo nuestro ingenio para hacer que las empresas continúen prosperando con una serie de mejoras que, sin haber llegado a esta desagradable situación, quizás ni nos las hubiéramos planteado. Si conseguimos que nuestras organizaciones salgan reforzadas de todo esto, podremos abarcar nuevos horizontes e incluso nos plantearemos que sea un gran momento para reclutar nuevos talentos, barajando la posibilidad de incorporar personas que, aunque tienen una gran valía se han quedado sin trabajo. Apostar por la comunicación trasparente y honesta La situación de inestabilidad y la incertidumbre que ha generado el virus está requiriendo la toma de decisiones difíciles, aplicar rápidamente decisiones y adaptarse a la nueva realidad. La herramienta clave para la gestión de los RRHH en tiempos de crisis es la comunicación. Hay que apostar por una comunicación honesta y trasparente con los empleados para trasmitirles tranquilidad, confianza y reforzar su vínculo con la empresa, además de hacerles partícipes de la búsqueda de soluciones. Esta crisis ha supuesto una oportunidad para trabajar junto a los empleados, escuchando sus preocupaciones. Además, es muy importante que haya un buen clima laboral y un ambiente positivo ya que son las principales bases para un buen líder en momentos difíciles. El miedo no es la mejor opción. El trabajador rinde más y mejor, sabiendo que la empresa se compromete con su situación. Las decisiones o cuestiones difíciles se deben comunicar de la mejor forma, explicando las razones que han llevado hasta ellas y por qué deben ser así. Liderazgo para motivar a tus empleados Se debe promover el liderazgo basado en la comunicación, hay que tener un buen líder capaz de motivar a los trabajadores de tal forma que se consiga un mayor rendimiento de la empresa. Hay que conseguir que los trabajadores se esfuercen ahora más que unca y asegurarles que esa entrega y dedicación será compensada en el futuro. En este sentido, la importancia de las personas y sus actitudes, nos obliga a proyectar una gestión de personal basada en nuevos modelos de comportamientos y valores, y ambientes de mejora en innovación continua dentro de un esquema organizacional más abierto, informal y flexible, y en el cual las relaciones entre los empleados y las empresas se intuyan de manera nueva e ilimitada. A medida que el ritmo de la innovación y el cambio tecnológico se acelera en el espacio de trabajo, los directores de RRHH tendrán que reinventarse para ser capaces de pensar en la estrategia de personas y talento, y de trabajar con la dirección en la estrategia de negocio. Se requerirá un perfil renovado del papel de los directos de RRHH de acuerdo con las exigencias del futuro. Aunque departamento de RRHH es uno de los más afectados por la crisis, es importante que, a pesar de esto, continúe siendo un elemento indispensable dentro de las organizaciones y sea partícipe a la hora de definir las estrategias de negocio en el nuevo mundo de trabajo. Se conseguirá que se trasforme el departamento, así como los empleados y el desarrollo de su carrera profesional. Se trata de transformar talento en realidad. Insistimos en la importancia de que los RRHH pasen de ser un sistema integral de importancia en las organizaciones a convertirse definitivamente en una de las competencias principales que contribuya a crear un nuevo modelo de gestión, a transformar aquellas ideas obsoletas de la antigua cultura organizacional combinándolas con las todavía eficientes, y a consolidar las nuevas propuestas basadas en líderes y directores capaces de llevar a cabo la idea de la mejora continua y de administrar talentos en busca de una futura dirección competitiva y sólida. La crisis está asolando a muchos países y a muchas empresas, por eso es necesario plantearse la necesidad de buscar soluciones en cada uno de los campos especialmente a nivel empresarial ya que es uno de los principales pilares de la economía, uno de los cuales necesariamente son los RRHH. Debemos ser capaces de desarrollar a personas que den respuesta a las necesidades de conocimiento y experiencia de las figuras implicadas en la gestión de los empleados, y capaces de liderar y dirigir a personas de todo tipo en las organizaciones del siglo XXI. Solo así, podremos situar a los RRHH y sus responsables en la posición que deben ocupar dentro de las organizaciones.

Por qué es tan importante la inteligencia de las habilidades

Las investigaciones realizadas por el Institute for the Future indican que nada menos que el 85 % de los puestos de trabajo de 2030 aún no se han inventado. Ahora más que nunca, los empleados deben tener capacidad de adaptación, ser flexibles y estar preparados para aceptar cualquier tipo de desafío. No obstante, nada de esto es posible sin un conocimiento profundo de las habilidades de los empleados, de cuáles son sus puntos fuertes o de la forma en la que se pueden aprovechar sus talentos ocultos. Las habilidades se han convertido en el lenguaje universal para el crecimiento y el éxito de cada empresa. Y la inteligencia de las habilidades permite a las empresas comprender mejor a sus empleados, desarrollarlos y aprovechar sus talentos para satisfacer las necesidades de la organización de forma dinámica. También permite tomar decisiones importantes para el negocio de forma más rápida y con mayor confianza. Pero ¿cómo se obtienen esos conocimientos exactamente? La inteligencia artificial (IA) para RR. HH. está revolucionando el panorama La IA tiene el potencial de incrementar la capacidad de ampliación de los RR. HH., reconocer patrones en las conductas de las personas y ofrecer asistencia personalizada donde y cuando sea necesario. Mediante el uso de la IA, los líderes de RR. HH. y empresariales pueden ayudar a los empleados a mejorar sus habilidades y adquirir algunas nuevas de forma más eficaz para satisfacer las necesidades y los objetivos cambiantes de la empresa, sean cuales sean los requisitos del futuro. Con la aplicación adecuada de tecnologías de inteligencia artificial y aprendizaje automático, las empresas pueden ir más allá de la mera identificación de habilidades y adoptar prácticas de gestión del talento orientadas a la acción como nunca antes. En este informe de Lighthouse Research & Advisory, basado en un estudio realizado con más de 1000 empleados y miles de trabajadores, aprenderás: el concepto de inteligencia de las habilidades; la forma en la que la IA forma el núcleo de estas iniciativas; los casos de uso y las aplicaciones de la inteligencia de las habilidades. Descarga ya el informe y descubre cómo la IA y la inteligencia de habilidades pueden ayudar a tu empresa a obtener información más valiosa sobre el negocio, hacer predicciones y responder de forma eficaz ante los dinámicos cambios del mercado.

Lánzate al futuro, con preparación: Guía para líderes de talento que dan forma a un nuevo mundo laboral

“Una época sin precedentes”. “La nueva normalidad en el trabajo”. “Un reinicio a gran escala”. Seguro que has escuchado cosas así. Y es verdad. La pandemia de la COVID-19 y otra serie de eventos mundiales han dado un giro radical en la forma en que trabajamos, dónde trabajamos y qué esperan los trabajadores. Sin embargo, en muchos aspectos, es algo positivo, porque hace mucho que planea la sombra de un cambio en la forma en que trabajamos. Estamos a las puertas de la quinta revolución industrial, una en la que los trabajadores retoman el trabajo después del periodo más intenso de cambios que ha sufrido el mundo actual. Además, es una oportunidad única para que las organizaciones redefinan el trabajo de manera que sirva a todo el mundo. Y el futuro del trabajo está en las manos de los líderes de talento y de RR. HH. A diferencia del resto de líderes empresariales, los líderes de talento son la clave para redefinir el lugar de trabajo no solo para el presente, sino también para lo que depare el futuro. Como agente de cambio que eres, tienes ante ti la ocasión de empoderar a tus trabajadores para que mejoren su conexión, su capacidad de colaboración y su preparación para el futuro. El futuro será de las organizaciones que tengan la valentía y la mentalidad para redefinir la forma en que trabajan. Para lanzarte al futuro con preparación, agilidad, resiliencia, un propósito común y alineamiento, debes ofrecer una experiencia conectada que genere valor para las personas y un entorno diseñado para el éxito y el crecimiento colectivos. ​ Es posible que no se repita esta oportunidad de redefinir la forma en que trabajamos y avanzamos, así que mejor no desperdiciarla. Queremos ayudarte a recorrer este camino y, para ello, hemos preguntado a profesionales del talento de todo el mundo y a líderes de pensamiento de empresas como The Josh Bersin Company y The Fosway Group, cuál es su opinión sobre cómo se redefine un futuro que sirva a todo el mundo. Y lo que nos han respondido te abrirá los ojos en cuanto al enfoque de tu organización para el trabajo. Esta guía está repleta de estrategias que han demostrado su eficacia, así como estadísticas muy reveladores y ejemplos prácticos. Así que podrás encontrar la información y la inspiración que necesitas para lanzarte al futuro con preparación. Aprenderás por qué (y cómo) debes: Lograr que el aprendizaje sea el camino para el crecimiento de las personas y del negocio Convertir las habilidades en tu nuevo lenguaje de crecimiento Conectar el desarrollo de habilidades con carreras profesionales Delegar en la inteligencia artificial (IA) el trabajo más pesado Descárgate la guía ahora para saber cómo puedes redefinir el lugar de trabajo para que todo el mundo disponga de las herramientas para adaptarse, crecer y triunfar.

5 charlas Ted para mejorar la gestión de los Recursos Humanos

Una de las prioridades de Cornerstone OnDemand es ofrecer a sus clientes una selección de contenido selecto, inspirador y efectivo para el día a día. Con este objetivo, en 2015 Cornerstone inició una colaboración con TED Talks, la icónica productora de charlas impartidas por visionarios de diversas industrias. TED Talks, ya una iniciativa de prestigio internacional, examina con atención el tema del trabajo y el negocio, su futuro y el de las personas que lo hacen posible. A continuación seleccionamos cinco charlas para inspirar y hacer pensar a profesionales de Recursos Humanos, directivos, y a quien esté interesado en pensar más allá del 9-a-5. Por qué los trabajos del futuro no parecerán trabajos David Lee sugiere que el mundo de la industria y el negocio debe ser el que lidere este desarrollo, y empiece a diseñar los trabajos del futuro, aquellos que permanecerán relevantes sacando provecho de las ventajas inherentes del ser humano: la creatividad, la empatía, el pensamiento lateral. Esta será la evolución que cambiará la propia naturaleza del trabajo, y Lee propone suplementar, mediante la innovación, los millones de trabajos que necesariamente se perderán con el perfeccionamiento de máquinas diseñadas para reemplazar la labor humana. A medida que el trabajo se vuelve más complejo, aquí hay 6 reglas para simplificarlo Las seis reglas de Yves Morieux, director del BCG Institute for Organization, para la simplificación del trabajo. Cuánto más complejo se convierte el trabajo, más necesidad hay de gestionar esta creciente complejidad, que se compone de interdependencias y jerarquías. Un consejo: simplificar la propia estructura organizativa, no permitir que una multitud de “capas” alejen a las personas de los objetivos reales, de la acción importante, ya que esto crea desmotivación y desapego del propósito del trabajo a nivel colectivo e individual. Nuestra forma de pensar en el trabajo está rota ¿Por qué trabajamos? Está claro que el sueldo es una de nuestras grandes motivaciones pero, ¿qué hay de los otros elementos que hacen que el trabajo valga la pena? Barry Schwartz, psicólogo y autor de muchos libros sobre la psicología del trabajo, argumenta en esta charla que hay cualidades de satisfacción psicológica que definen el apego al trabajo mucho más que la recompensa económica. Además examina una pregunta muy apta para los tiempos de cambio social y tecnológico que transcurren: ¿Cómo afecta el trabajo la naturaleza humana… y viceversa? Por qué el candidato perfecto no tiene necesariamente el mejor currículum ¿Qué peso tiene un currículum perfecto? Y ¿Qué dice de la historia personal del candidato, del viaje que lo ha llevado al punto de aplicar a su empresa? Regina Hartley, Vicepresidente de Recursos Humanos de UPS, advierte que muchas veces las apariencias no son suficientes para estimar si un candidato es mejor que otro. Hay que mirar más allá para comprender al camino personal que ilustra el currículum. Por ejemplo, un currículum que muestre frecuentes cambios de empleo puede indicar inconsistencia y falta de compromiso o todo lo contrario: una dedicación férrea a vencer los obstáculos. “Como mínimo, el luchador merece una entrevista” propone Hartley, animando a los profesionales de Recursos Humanos a mantener una mente abierta y creativa en los procesos de selección. 5 formas de liderar en épocas de cambio Nos encontramos en una época de veloces e intensos cambios. A parte de lo que suponen para la vida individual y social, ¿qué significan estos cambios para la estrategia corporativa, y cómo utilizarlos en favor del crecimiento? El experto en cambio organizacional Jim Hemerling explica cinco pasos para liderar en estos tiempos de cambio de manera revitalizadora en lugar de exhaustiva… y todo se centra alrededor de las personas.

ALSA confía en Cornerstone para gestionar sus RRHH en su gran proceso de internacionalización

En este vídeo, Verónica Marco Pinilla, Directora de Gestión de Personas en ALSA, nos habla de cómo su empresa líder en trasporte de personas por carretera en España, confía en Cornerstone para modernizar y centralizar los RRHH, transformar la cultura tradicional de la compañía, así como desarrollar planes de carrera definidos para sus 15.000 empleados y planes de sucesión para la empresa que ofrece servicios en Europa, Marruecos y Puerto Rico. ALSA ha elegido Cornerstone por sus casos de éxito previos y por la facilidad de uso de su plataforma.

Blockchain para los RRHH: Más allá de la criptografía

El blockchain es una tecnología que servirá para hacer que el mundo sea más seguro y contemos con productos más personalizados. La mayoría asocia el blockchain a las criptomonedas como los bitcoins, pero tan solo es la punta del iceberg. Debido a la gran evolución de los dispositivos y el software, ahora es posible vincular las transacciones, su procesamiento y la inteligencia de los dispositivos a través de un sistema distribuido en todo el mundo. Aunque aún existen desafíos en materia de adaptabilidad, seguridad, legalidad, propiedad intelectual, gestión y privacidad, esta tecnología será sin duda una de las tecnologías digitales de más rápido crecimiento y evolución en el futuro inmediato. A medida que más personas adopten esta tecnología, se crearán nuevas oportunidades y se aplicará en distintos sectores, como en los RR.HH. Pero, ¿qué es blockchain? El Blockchain o cadena de bloques es un conjunto de tecnologías que permiten mantener un registro distribuido, descentralizado, sincronizado y muy seguro de la información que trabajan ordenadores y otros dispositivos. Su función es un registro público en las operaciones digitales, ya que permite identificar a cada persona y dispositivo de forma única y almacenar y trazar esa identificación en todo momento. Únicamente las personas capaces de descifrar el código son las que tendrán acceso a la información. La relación con los RRHH La tecnología blockchain se puede aplicar a muchísimos procesos de negocios de diferentes sectores. Por tanto, ¿qué relación guarda con los Recursos Humanos? Todos somos conscientes de los cambios que estamos viviendo en el mundo del trabajo, de la incorporación del teletrabajo a la vida diaria, así como las nuevas habilidades (digitales o no) que necesitan los empleados para sacar el máximo rendimiento de las máquinas y la automatización. En este sentido, uno de los retos actuales del sector de RR.HH. es la selección del talento, junto con la consecuente verificación de datos y credenciales de los posibles candidatos. Para ello, la tecnología blockchain se vuelve un aliado perfecto para llevar a cabo esta tarea. Si aplicásemos la tecnología a este proceso, sería posible contar con la información del candidato totalmente centralizada y verificada, al no poder ser manipulada. De esta forma, la información ya estaría contrastada previamente y permitiría hacer más eficiente el proceso, pudiendo acceder a toda la información verificada en una consola única sobre el candidato. El valor que aportaría esta aplicación sería por tanto doble. Por una parte, el empleado contaría con toda su información centralizada y encriptada, y podría eliminar o destacar datos que crea relevantes para el puesto, aunque nunca falsificarlos. Por otra parte, el empleador podría tomar decisiones más rápidas, recudir costes y tiempos administrativos, así como reducir los riesgos laborales asociados a la selección de un nuevo empleado. De esta forma, la empresa contratante podría ganar claridad en la planificación, mejorar resultados y aumentar su agilidad en la ejecución. Futuros escenarios: Olivia, estudiante de Enfermería Imaginemos a Olivia, recientemente graduada en Enfermería. Hace pocas semanas que completó el último examen de la carrera y aún no cuenta con todas las certificaciones pertinentes. Sin embargo, necesita recibirlas a tiempo para poder acreditar sus estudios al organismo que le abrirá las puertas a su primera experiencia laboral. Olivia ya cuenta con una cartera de credenciales habilitada a través de la tecnología blockchain. En ella puede volcar todos los datos relacionados con su carrera laboral, como sus estudios, posibles proyectos, premios que haya recibido, etc. Gracias a su cartera de credenciales, Olivia podría volcar su nuevo certificado de estudios de Enfermería a través de un código QR de forma fácil y sencilla, sin necesidad de validar esos datos, ya que el propio código habría sido emitido por su Universidad. En cuestión de un par de minutos, Olivia podría agregar ese certificado a su cartera de credenciales y acreditar su información de cara al organismo pertinente. Futuros escenarios: Gran superficie de retail Una gran superficie de retail se encuentra inmerso en su campaña de ventas de Navidad. Dado el aumento de la demanda en esta época del año, esta empresa necesita contratar a un gran número de empleados para cubrir dicha campaña. Contratar un gran volumen de empleados en un corto período de plazo puede suponer un gran desafío. Sin embargo, si el uso de carteras de credenciales habilitada por blockchain, se podría reducir el tiempo que se emplea en verificar la información de los candidatos y a la vez que el retailer ganaría en agilidad, seguiría cumpliendo con los requisitos indicados por el departamento de Compliance. Esta visión futurista del blockchain es algo en lo que Cornerstone y otros partners están trabajando para hacerlo realidad en un futuro próximo.

Cómo formar exitosamente a los empleados en una mediana empresa

El recorrido de las medianas empresas está lleno de obstáculos que complican el camino hacia el triunfo en el mercado. Contar con una plantilla de profesionales que reúnan las competencias adecuadas para superar los retos del día a día es imprescindible para consolidar un negocio con éxito. Pero es importante tener claro que, por muy calificado que esté un trabajador, siempre necesitará que la empresa ponga a su disposición los recursos necesarios para ampliar y actualizar su formación. Es por ello que toda organización necesita un plan de formación adaptado a las necesidades de su plantilla y a sus objetivos de negocio, sin importar su tamaño. Es un error pensar que sólo las grandes empresas necesitan este tipo de programas, pues en un entorno tan competitivo como el actual la capacitación de nuestros profesionales es lo que marca la diferencia. Pero para ser capaces de formar a nuestros empleados de manera eficiente, es preciso seguir una serie de pasos antes de ejecutar el plan propiamente dicho. Lo primero, obviamente, es analizar las necesidades actuales de la empresa y la plantilla, determinando qué habilidades y conocimientos poseen los trabajadores, de cuáles carecen y cuáles necesitan reforzar. Definir correctamente nuestros objetivos nos ayudará a tomar mejores decisiones en los siguientes pasos. Una vez que hemos determinado dónde estamos y a dónde queremos llegar, es el momento de diseñar el plan de formación. Para ello hay que pensar a largo plazo, teniendo en cuenta cómo puede evolucionar no sólo el empleado, sino el propio puesto de trabajo en el sector, así como las habilidades y conocimientos que el trabajador necesita adquirir para superar todos sus retos presentes y futuros. Es importante no limitarnos a las ‘hard skills’, las habilidades más técnicas, sino también aquellas de carácter más personal o social, como la comunicación, el trabajo en equipo o la ética profesional. Cuando hemos definido el programa, el siguiente paso es seleccionar las acciones formativas concretas que van a recibir los empleados e impartirlas. Hay que tener en cuenta tres elementos clave: los contenidos propiamente dichos, los horarios y el calendario de la formación (que nunca deben entorpecer la jornada laboral del empleado ni la compatibilidad con su vida personal) y la modalidad de la formación, que puede ser presencial, online, en grupo, individual, etc. Pero el trabajo no acaba cuando se imparten las acciones formativas. Después hay que evaluar los resultados en base a diferentes criterios. El más importante es la mejora que muestra el empleado en cuanto a la calidad y rapidez de su trabajo, pero también su capacidad para transferir los conocimientos adquiridos a sus compañeros y si existe una mejora significativa en los resultados de la empresa. Y, por supuesto, debemos vigilar si estas mejoras se mantienen en el tiempo, a fin de lograr una visión más completa sobre la efectividad de nuestro plan de formación. Para una mejor gestión de la formación en tu empresa, Cornerstone pone a tu disposición las soluciones más innovadoras para fomentar el desarrollo de habilidades y el liderazgo. Con Cornerstone Learning podrás mejorar el desarrollo y entrega de la formación, gracias a herramientas colaborativas y sociales, así como aumentar la participación de los empleados en el aprendizaje. Todo lo que necesitas para impulsar el talento de tu plantilla con la confianza del líder global en software de formación en la nube.

Cómo la Generación Z afectará al mercado laboral

Las empresas son la suma de las personas que las forman y cada nueva generación cambia la manera de entender el negocio, la formación y la productividad. Este año veremos la entrada de la última generación que llega a la mayoría de edad en 2018: la llamada “Generación Z”, que sustituye a la Generación Y, los Millennials. Los miembros de la Generación Z, los que han nacido entre 1995 y 2015, suponen solo en España algo más de ocho millones de personas, y según la consultora Deloitte, en 2025 esta generación compondrá el 75% de la fuerza laboral del mundo. Los más mayores entre ellos se preparan para entrar en el mercado laboral en pocos meses, lo que sin duda provocará nuevas transformaciones al ámbito de trabajo. Más digitalización La Generación Z no recuerda vivir sin Internet. Mientras que sus predecesores, los Millennials o Generación Y, crecieron junto a la Red, los “nativos digitales” encontraron Internet desde la infancia y con la Red han reunido gran cantidad de conocimientos y habilidades que les permite usar herramientas digitales con gran confianza. Se puede prever que el lugar de trabajo cambiará precisamente para ajustarse a los usos y necesidades de estas dos últimas generaciones, que no conciben trabajar sin conexión. Esto también afectará a la manera de gestionar el aprendizaje y la formación, ya que los Millennials y la Generación Z a menudo recurren a fuentes online, como artículos, videos y tutoriales para adquirir las habilidades que necesitan. Además, al estar acostumbrados a formatos de recomendaciones personalizadas como Youtube, Spotify o Netflix, necesitan contenido más dinámico, accesible e individualizado que generaciones anteriores. No cabe duda de que estos cambios llegarán de inmediato al mundo móvil, ya que las generaciones que ahora tienen hasta aproximadamente 40 años son inseparables de sus smartphones. Sin ir más lejos, los Millennials son la generación que más utiliza el móvil (84%) así como los miembros de la Generación Z (73%, teniendo en cuenta que parte de ellos es aún demasiado joven para tener móvil, o ser encuestada). Declaran que pasan más de 10 horas al día conectados, tiempo que invierten en buscar nuevos contenidos y entretenimiento, aprender habilidades, y conectar con su círculo en redes sociales. Por lo tanto, tanto la formación como la comunicación organizativas tendrán que tener vertiente móvil si quieren llegar a los usuarios más jóvenes. Más valores en el trabajo La Generación Z compartirá con los Millennials la búsqueda de un trabajo que aporte sentido y utilidad no solo a la propia vida sino a la colectividad. Más enfocados que sus padres en temas de diversidad, igualdad, sostenibilidad y transparencia, la Generación Z buscará trabajar en un lugar cuyos valores sean adyacentes a los suyos. Así, las organizaciones podrán utilizar sus valores organizativos y sociales como punto de atracción a la hora de seleccionar y retener al talento. Más privacidad Si algunos Millennials habían quedado desprevenidos, la Generación Z ha aprendido de sus errores y de los de sus padres y tiende a evitar compartir datos o materiales privados online. Esta generación es consciente de los peligros inherentes en compartir datos online, peligros que se han puesto en relieve con los numerosos ciberataques, abusos y fugas de datos que se han manifestado en los últimos años. Su cautela en el espacio digital se corresponde con la tendencia europea institucional hacia la garantía de la privacidad, tendencia que motivó la entrada en vigor del Reglamento General de Protección de datos de la UE (RGPD). El fin del trabajo para toda la vida Las generaciones del siglo pasado podían confiar en encontrar un puesto de trabajo donde permanecer hasta la jubilación y trazar su carrera profesional dentro de una misma empresa. Al contrario, las últimas dos generaciones no pueden ni pretenden seguir el mismo camino. Con la flexibilización del ámbito laboral y la diversidad de habilidades requeridas en una sola carrera profesional, las nuevas generaciones prefieren cambiar de un puesto a otro, buscando una progresión transversal y ya no únicamente piramidal. La entrada de la Generación Z exacerbará esta situación, forzando a las empresas a ponerse al día en cuanto a las oportunidades y aprendizaje que ofrecen a sus empleados y a invertir más esfuerzo en retener al mejor talento. En definitiva, el paso de la Generación Z a la mayoría de edad y el mundo laboral dejará su marca en los próximos años. Las empresas deberán ser capaces de gestionar las habilidades y necesidades de los miembros más jóvenes de su plantilla para aprovechar su destreza con las nuevas tecnologías y mantenerse en la cima de la transformación digital.

Competir con un Robot o Convertirte en su Jefe

La sociedad se transforma a un ritmo vertiginoso y nuevas tecnologías disruptivas se abren paso en todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas, incluido en la empresa e influye en la evolución de los empleos. A partir de 2020, las tecnologías generarán más puestos de los que destruirán, serán empleos de alto valor y surgirán nuevas profesiones. En este webinar exploramos cómo adaptarse a este nuevo entorno.

Conduciendo por la autopista hacia la transformación digital

Un año más hemos celebrado el Cornerstone Convergence 2020 y ha sido un gran éxito. Hubo múltiples charlas y conferencias y han asistido miles de personas de todo el mundo lo cual es muy destacable al ser un evento virtual debido a la situación en la que nos encontramos. Al tratarse de jornadas virtuales se podía consultar en la agenda las conferencias de interés y a la hora establecida se visualizaban los vídeos, los cuales contaban con chats interactivos que permitían a los diferentes participantes comunicarse entre ellos. A lo largo de los dos días que duró, Cornerstone Convergence Unbound reunió a los profesionales de recursos humanos, negocios y gestión del talento para debatir sobre los retos y el impacto tecnológico en el ambiente laboral actual después de estos meses de grandes cambios. Ambas jornadas comenzaron con charlas inspiradoras. El discurso de Phil Saunders, CEO de Cornerstone OnDemand, dio a conocer una serie de nuevos datos de nuestra compañía que arrojaron luz sobre cómo Cornerstone se está adaptando a los nuevos tiempos poniendo como elemento central a sus clientes. Por otro lado, Vincent Belliveau, Chief Executive Officer de EMEA, explicó cómo hemos llegado a la autopista de la transformación digital y compartió sus recomendaciones para ayudar a acelerar la transformación de RR.HH. y el impacto en las diferentes organizaciones. La invitada especial de este año fue Viola Davis, la galardonada actriz, productora y filántropa que habló de cómo el hecho de revertir e interiorizar su propia vida le ayudó a ascender hasta lo más extraordinario. También, participó Adam Grant, psicólogo organizacional, y autor estadounidense que actualmente es profesor en la Wharton School de la Universidad de Pensilvania y especializado en psicología organizacional. Adam Grant habló de la importancia de crear una cultura basada en la generosidad para al final ser más productivos como equipo. En el ámbito nacional cabe destacar la presencia de nuestro cliente español, Prosegur. Angel Ortiz, Global Director de Employee Experience, explicó cómo llevaron a cabo el proceso de transformación en la experiencia de los empleados. Con 170.000 empleados en 26 países, el reto de estandarizar los procesos de los empleados, reducir sus tareas más repetitivas y mejorar su compromiso es muy complejo y está siendo muy exitoso en Prosegur. Haciendo hincapié en el discurso de nuestro CEO europeo, Vincent Belliveau, destaca que la característica fundamental de esta trasformación que es la aceleración. Los departamentos de Recursos Humanos están desempeñando un gran papel, no sólo en la adaptación que han hecho en sus empresas para poner en marcha el trabajo remoto, sino en la atención que han prestado a sus empleados. Empleados que están a su vez cambiando y que han empezado a formase online masivamente. Según los datos de Cornerstone, en los últimos meses el acceso a los cursos online de la compañía ha aumentado en un 50%. Las personas además son ahora más demandantes en las organizaciones. Los empleados demandan cada vez más trasparencia, reclaman un mayor equilibrio entre trabajo y familia, y más ahora que ha empezado el trabajo desde casa. Este es el momento de presionar el botón de la aceleración porque estamos en una revolución. En la medida en que las organizaciones se puedan adaptar a estos cambios tan rápidos y a las nuevas necesidades de la sociedad y de sus empleados, tendrán mayor éxito. Algunas de las pautas o consejos que Vincent enumeró en su intervención son: Adaptarse a la nueva manera de trabajar. Habrá que aprovecharse de la tecnología para que los empleados estén más conectados y establecer una Cultura de Aprendizaje en la organización. Para ello será fundamental buscar la manera de que cada empleado pueda disponer del contenido relevante que necesita en cada momento para realizar su trabajo y adaptarse al constante cambio. Gestionar “skills” o competencias se ha convertido en algo crítico para el negocio. Debido a la disrupción tecnológica tan acelerada a la que estamos sometidos, estamos inmersos en una crisis de competencias ya que hay escasez de talento. Es importante establecer un mapa de competencias necesarias en mi organización y buscar el gap que hay entre las competencias necesarias y las que tienen los empleados, para acelerar así los procesos de reeskilling y upskilling a los que habrá que hacer frente. Prepararse para entender y beneficiarse de “El poder del Dato”. Tener herramientas que nos permitan obtener la información necesaria para tomar decisiones de negocio en tiempo real se ha convertido en un pilar para la subsistencia de las empresas. Hoy en día existen herramientas de Inteligencia Artificial y Matching Learning que nos permitirán hacer cosas como detectar automáticamente gaps de competencias de los empleados y proporcionarles el contenido necesario en cada momento, detectar a las mejores personas para puestos determinados, y en definitiva obtener datos para tomar la mejor decisión en cada momento. Convivir, aceptar y promover la automatización. Hemos de aceptar que hay procesos que hacen mejor las máquinas y otros que necesitan del hombre. No nos quedemos atrás en los procesos de automatización sin dejar de poner a las personas siempre en el centro

CONVERGENCE DÍA 1: LA NUEVA NORMALIDAD DE HOY PROMETE FUTURAS OPORTUNIDADES

¡Hemos organizado este año nuestro primer Cornerstone Convergence totalmente virtual y hay mucho que contar sobre el evento! Bajo el tema de la conferencia "Unbound Thinking", los clientes, partners y empleados de Cornerstone de todo el mundo participaron en sesiones, charlas de redes, y preguntas y respuestas para explorar cómo las organizaciones -y su gente- pueden revisar y reemplazar el pensamiento de ayer con las nuevas perspectivas necesarias para nuestro nuevo mundo de trabajo. En nombre de todos en Cornerstone nos gustaría enviar un agradecimiento especial a nuestros importantes clientes por compartir cómo están utilizando nuestra tecnología para impulsar los resultados del desarrollo de talentos en sus organizaciones. ¡Ahora, veamos algunos de los aspectos más destacados del primer día! Navegando por el Ahora del Trabajo — Discurso de apertura Phil Saunders, CEO de Cornerstone "¿Es esto lo que esperabas?" Para iniciar Convergence 2020, el CEO de Cornerstone, Phil Saunders, hizo una pregunta a la que más de 17.000 asistentes probablemente tuvieron la misma respuesta: definitivamente no. Ninguno de nosotros podía predecir que asistiríamos a Convergence desde nuestra oficina en casa (o desde el sofá o la mesa de la cocina). El futuro del trabajo es ahora, y esta nueva realidad está llamando a la gente y a las organizaciones a pensar y actuar de manera diferente. Phil se refirió a los cambios que se vislumbran en el horizonte para Cornerstone, que permitirán que las personas se eleven hasta ser extraordinarias y sean impulsoras de la innovación. La nueva misión y visión de la compañía está centrada en el cliente, enfocada en la inversión en innovación y en un compromiso continuo con el trabajo de la fundación Cornerstone OnDemand. Phil también introdujo tres principios clave que guían la visión y la misión de Cornerstone: ayudar a la gente a ser comprendida, ser guiada y sentimiento de pertenencia. Phil cerró su charla con una nota de agradecimiento por la oportunidad de fomentar las conexiones y conversaciones con los clientes, socios y empleados de Convergence. Con más de 50 sesiones en cinco pistas, Convergence 2020 ofrece una oportunidad inigualable para aprender de un grupo increíble de líderes de talento e innovadores acerca de cómo navegar el cambio, empoderar a los empleados, adoptar tecnología innovadora y mucho más. Navegando en el cambio constante - en 2020 y más allá La necesidad de navegar por el cambio constante resonó en casi todas las sesiones del Día 1, sin importar el tema. En el panel de discusión, “Identificando las habilidades correctas y las estrategias de contenido para navegar el cambio sin precedentes”, Summer Salomonsen de Cornerstone y Mark Lamswood involucraron a Liggy Webb, autor premiado y líder de pensamiento sobre la resiliencia humana, en una conversación sobre la adaptabilidad. Discutieron cómo la curiosidad y la apertura a desafiarnos a nosotros mismos son la clave para manejar una transformación sin precedentes. El contenido del aprendizaje también puede ayudar a impulsar el cambio en el lugar de trabajo, de modo que las organizaciones puedan pasar de la ansiedad a la acción, logrando en cuestión de semanas lo que podría haber llevado años. Otro papel fundamental del contenido del aprendizaje es su capacidad de promover iniciativas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión en todas las empresas. En varias sesiones de hoy se nos ha recordado que la lucha contra el racismo no tiene fecha límite; y que el fomento de un lugar de trabajo más diverso, inclusivo y equitativo es más que una estrategia de recursos humanos. Apoyar a los líderes en el desarrollo de capacidades de liderazgo inclusivo es sólo el comienzo. Abrazando un viaje personalizado y enriquecido de los empleados Los tres requisitos clave (ser entendido, ser guiado y pertenecer) que el CEO Phil Saunders esbozó en su discurso de apertura cobraron vida en muchas de las sesiones de hoy centradas en poner a los empleados en primer lugar. La experiencia de incorporación es un paso crítico para animar a los nuevos contratados a sentirse bienvenidos y tener una visión clara sobre su papel. En la creación de un enfoque de incorporación de clase mundial, Pamela Greenwood, IT Officer and Makarand Kulkarni, Senior Business Solutions Officer for World Bank Group compartieron cómo utilizaron Cornerstone Onboarding para incorporar con éxito a 940 nuevas contrataciones en un año. En Liderando el camino: Innovando una premiada estrategia de desarrollo de liderazgo, John Niedzielski y Lynda Cribari de la Universidad de Davenport compartieron cómo se asociaron con Cornerstone para desarrollar un conjunto de ofertas de liderazgo para aumentar el compromiso de los empleados. Impulsar la innovación con tecnología disruptiva Una vez que los empleados se sienten cómodos navegando por el cambio y se sienten comprometidos con su crecimiento, son capaces de inclinarse hacia las nuevas tecnologías para impulsar la innovación. Los candidatos, los empleados, los gerentes de contratación y los recursos humanos sienten el impacto a medida que los equipos de adquisición de talento atraviesan un período de cambio único. En Assemble the best people for today and tomorrow, los expertos de TalentLink compartieron la clave para una mejor comunicación -confianza, transparencia y autenticidad- y las capacidades disponibles dentro de TalentLink para habilitarla. En otra sesión se destacó la enorme oportunidad que ofrece el blockchain para hacer coincidir el talento con las oportunidades profesionales con una única fuente de verdad propiedad de los empleados. Por último, el Director General de Talespin, Kyle Jackson, entabló un debate con Manal Houri, Jefe de Transformación Digital, Aprendizaje y Desarrollo de Facebook y Joanne Rossouw, Jefe de Aprendizaje Digital de Nestlé, sobre la creación de habilidades de liderazgo y comunicación mediante la realidad virtual. Tanto Facebook como Nestlé se encuentran en diferentes etapas de su camino en la aplicación de la RV como modalidad de aprendizaje, pero se reconoce su potencial. "Proporciona un espacio seguro para que los alumnos aprendan", comentó Rossouw. "Una vez que empezamos a utilizar el formato en el que una persona se pone unos auriculares de RV, empezamos a ver que las mentalidades cambian", añadió Houri. Por supuesto, Cornerstone hizo varios anuncios en #CSODCONF20 Mientras que las sesiones comenzaron el primer día de la conferencia, Cornerstone también hizo varios anuncios clave alineados con su nueva visión, estrategia y compromisos de innovación, y estamos emocionados de compartirlos aquí. ¡Cornerstone da la bienvenida a Ajay Awatramani como Chief Product Officer! Ajay dirigirá la estrategia, la gestión y el diseño de los productos a medida que la empresa redoble su visión para acelerar la innovación y fortalecer aún más sus soluciones de desarrollo de personas líderes. Presentamos el Cornerstone Skills Graph, un motor de habilidades impulsado por la IA que se ha incorporado a la cartera de productos de la empresa. La tecnología permite a las organizaciones y a su personal poner en práctica la "capacitación estratégica" -la práctica de adaptar las aptitudes a las personas, el contenido de aprendizaje y las funciones laborales- para predecir, prepararse y responder rápidamente a los cambios dinámicos de la empresa. El informe Cornerstone sobre el desarrollo de habilidades revela una importante brecha de confianza entre las empresas y su personal. Este estudio global descubre los mayores retos a los que se enfrentan las organizaciones a la hora de ayudar a sus empleados a desarrollar nuevas habilidades y ofrece consejos prácticos para cerrar las brechas de confianza relacionadas con el desarrollo de habilidades. Lea una conversación sobre las conclusiones entre Heidi Spirgi y Mike Bollinger sobre el Cornerstone’s ReWork, o haga clic aquí para acceder al informe completo "A License to Skill: Embracing the Reskilling Revolution" Ampliación de la colaboración entre la Fundación Cornerstone OnDemand y el Proyecto HOPE, una organización humanitaria y de salud mundial sin fines de lucro. Este nuevo plan de estudios en línea enseña a los trabajadores sanitarios de primera línea a examinar, clasificar y tratar con seguridad a los pacientes de COVID-19 en regiones remotas. A partir de hoy, los cursos ofrecidos a través del Proyecto HOPE estarán disponibles en más idiomas, incluidos el inglés y el español, y en nuevas regiones, entre ellas África. Hasta la fecha, más de 2.800 alumnos de 139 países han recibido aproximadamente 5.000 horas de capacitación, y la demanda del programa de aprendizaje en línea sigue creciendo. ¡Increíble! La actriz, productora y filántropa Viola Davis, ganadora de un premio de la Academia, en "Being True to Yourself" (Siendo fiel a ti mismo) El día 1 de Convergence terminó con un inspirador discurso de clausura con la verdaderamente impresionante Viola Davis y el Director de Aprendizaje y Vicepresidente de Efectividad Organizacional de Cornerstone, Jeff Miller. Su conversación se centró en por qué necesitamos abrazar y hacernos cargo de la historia de nuestra vida. Como explicó Viola, somos la amalgama de todo lo que ha llegado antes que nosotros. No sólo debes aceptar y hacerte cargo de la historia de tu vida, sino que también debes compartir esa historia. Porque cuando compartimos nuestras historias, empezamos a entendernos más a nosotros mismos y a los demás, lo que fomenta la empatía. El mensaje final de Viola se centró en el desarrollo de una mentalidad generosa. Reconocer que cada decisión que tomas deja una migaja, un legado para la generación futura. Acepta tu pasado para liberar tus bendiciones, y luego da de ti mismo, por pequeño que sea, para construir algo mejor. ¡Diversión, redes y comida! Sí, ¡Comida! Finalmente, ¡no sería Convergence sin grandes conversaciones, diversión y comida! En vivo desde Los Ángeles, el Chef Curtis Stone se unió a Convergence para enseñarnos a cocinar un delicioso plato de pasta: cavatelli de ricotta con mantequilla marrón de salvia y parmesano. ¡Increíble! Y para los chefs caseros que realmente querían subir el nivel, el Chef Curtis enseñó a los asistentes cómo hacer ricotta casera. ¡La charla fue muy animada con los hambrientos asistentes - y si lo vieron en vivo, saben que el molino de pimienta automático realmente robó el show! ¡Echa un vistazo a algunos de los momentos del Día 1 capturados y compartidos por los asistentes! ¡Y eso es todo por el primer día de Convergence! Gracias de nuevo a todos los que participaron. Ha habido muchos ponentes y sesiones a lo largo de estos dos días. Para ver las sesiones que te has perdido visita: www.cornerstoneconvergence.com. Si quieres estar al tanto de todo lo que se trató en el Convergence 2020 de Cornerstone puedes seguirnos en los canales de redes sociales: Twitter @CSODConvergence, Instagram @CornerstoneOnDemand y Facebook @Cornerstoneconvergence. Puedes ver las diferentes conversaciones que hubo usando #CSODConf20.

Cornerstone apoya el cremiento de Suavinex gracias a su capacidad de personalización

Elisa Espony, Directora de People & Change en Suavinex, empresa de 450 personas en el campo de la puericultura, nos cuenta como la flexibilidad de la plataforma Cornerstone ayuda la organización a transicionar de un modelo jeráquico a un modelo autogestionado.

El futuro de la cultura corporativa en organizaciones que tienen la innovacion en su ADN

Fresh Thinking eBook con Silvia Leal

Gestión por Habilidades (Skills) La democratización de la gestión del talento

Mediante el uso de inteligencia artificial y una librería (taxonomía) de habilidades con más de 50,000 skills, RR.HH. puede gestionar organizaciones de cualquier tipo de tamaño, ofreciendo un grado de personalización y experiencia de empleado antes nunca visto.

Gestión por Habilidades (Skills): La democratización de la gestión del talento

La controversia del trabajo flexible y el teletrabajo

En los últimos años, gracias a la llegada de grandes innovaciones tecnológicas a las empresas, han surgido nuevos puestos de trabajo al tiempo que se han transformado tareas y puestos de trabajo tradicionales con nuevos procedimientos y una metodología más eficaz, lo que se traduce en un enorme cambio para las compañías y sus empleados. Entendemos el trabajo flexible como un tipo de acuerdo de trabajo que da cierto grado de flexibilidad en la duración de la jornada así como en el dónde y cuándo trabajan los empleados y, aunque en los últimos años ya eran varias las empresas que se sumaban a esta nueva realidad, una encuesta de la Sociedad de Gestión de Recursos Humanos revela cómo este fenómeno es imparable y hoy ya más del 60% de las organizaciones encuestadas en España permite algún tipo de teletrabajo, frente al 20% de las encuestadas en 1996. Por su parte, el teletrabajo –o teleworking– es un término amplio que abarca cualquier trabajo que se realiza fuera de la oficina tradicional, y el que, como vemos, se ha disparado en los últimos 20 años por su demostrada eficacia en la optimización del tiempo en el entorno laboral. Aun así, trabajar desde casa provoca opiniones contrarias, con criterios tanto a favor como en contra. Esta forma de empleo puede ser a tiempo completo o parcial, de manera que, según la misma encuesta, el 77% de las organizaciones no deja que la gente trabaje desde su casa a tiempo completo, asegurando que para trabajar en equipo se necesita mayor colaboración, y por lo tanto, interactuar con los compañeros en la oficina de forma presencial. Concretamente, en España, solo hay un 7% de empleados que ejerce esta modalidad de trabajo según los datos de la Eurofound y la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT). El estudio asegura que trabajar desde casa “facilita la intromisión del trabajo remunerado en los espacios y tiempos normalmente reservados para la vida personal”, una objeción que sin embargo son también muchos los estudios que desmontan este argumento defendiendo que el equilibrio entre la vida laboral y personal es ya hoy una preocupación "generacional y social", y que la posibilidad de que los empleados puedan gestionar trabajar desde casa beneficia la descarga de estrés y, por tanto, favorece la productividad. En medio de esta controversia, desde Cornerstone sí creemos que es importante tener en cuenta algunos aspectos básicos para que la adopción de fórmulas de trabajo flexible y/o teletrabajo se haga con éxito: Define qué esperas de tus empleados Si quieres plantear alguna de estas nuevas opciones de trabajo flexible en tu empresa, es importante definir las metas que esperas que consigan tus empleados, con objetivos muy específicos con un plazo de cumplimiento fijado para que cada uno conozca sus responsabilidades. Esto es fundamental para que el trabajo no se difumine por malinterpretaciones de horarios o métodos de trabajo; que existan pautas y pasos a seguir siempre es una guía positiva, tanto para los colaboradores como para la dirección, puesto que así ambos saben lo que esperar. Actualiza las políticas de trabajo Es tarea del departamento de Recursos Humanos diseñar la metodología y control para que tanto empleados como empresa puedan beneficiarse del trabajo flexible y el teleworking, además de decidir cómo gestionar estas políticas de trabajo de manera que mantengan un equilibrio entre todos los trabajadores y, cómo no, entre estas nuevas opciones y el trabajo presencial. Favorece siempre el entorno laboral De este modo, Recursos Humanos no solo debe gestionar y actualizar las políticas de trabajo actuales, sino también pensar en el modo de adaptarlas a los nuevos tiempos que vivimos con el objetivo de seguir ofreciendo flexibilidad a los empleados, tendiendo puentes entre los estilos tradicionales y las formas autónomas de trabajo, con el objetivo de mantener el bienestar de nuestros trabajadores para mantener un entorno laboral positivo, sea donde sea.

La ética de la IA en Recursos Humanos

Recientemente anunciamos el lanzamiento de nuestro Cornerstone AI Innovation Lab o Laboratorio de Innovación para la Inteligencia Artificial. Situado en París, nuestro centro de excelencia IA reúne a expertos de aprendizaje automático, inteligencia artificial, recursos humanos y protección de datos para investigar nuevas formas de usar esta tecnología en el ámbito de los Recursos Humanos, con un foco especial en la experiencia del empleado. De este laboratorio nace Skills Graph: un buscador de habilidades que hace uso de la tecnología más puntera de inteligencia artificial para acercarle a nuestros clientes la posibilidad de destapar las habilidades de sus empleados. Dicho buscador nos abre un mundo lleno de posibilidades. Un mundo en el cual podemos ayudar a nuestros empleados a descubrir nuevas carreras profesionales, sugerir contenido y aprendizaje que se adapte a las ambiciones profesionales del empleado. Se habla mucho de reskilling y de upskilling y así, gracias a la innovadora visión de nuestro sistema, esta tarea es menos ardua, más transparente y justa. La inteligencia artificial sirve por un lado para la automatización de procesos. Es una forma de optimizar nuestro trabajo y ayudarnos a ser más eficientes. Y por el otro para crear correlaciones que no son evidentes (¡si lo fueran, nos bastaría con la inteligencia natural!). La combinación de estos dos factores puedo permitirnos una mejora importante de los procesos de recursos humanos. Sin embargo, el algoritmo no tiene intenciones, y si no se pone cuidado, puede repetir los errores del pasado, por ello es importante habar de ética y plantearnos cómo incorporar la noción de comportamiento del algoritmo en la fase de diseño. No podemos ignorar que la IA genera incertitudes y riesgos, y el ámbito de los Recursos Humanos no podía ser diferente. Un ejemplo muy discutido ha sido el del uso de datos de personas no filtrados, para un algoritmo de selección de personal que concluyó con discriminación basada en el género. El motivo por el cual este tipo de situaciones han ocurrido ha sido, porque la programación de inteligencia artificial muchas ocasiones se basa en tener muchos datos y buscar patrones repetitivos dentro de esos datos históricos. Estos datos pueden ser un reflejo de realidades pasadas, por ejemplo, que hubiera una mayoría de hombres en determinados puestos de trabajo, criterio que raramente se justifica. Por ello, las empresas que trabajan con esta tecnología tenemos la responsabilidad de combinar los ingenieros de datos, los profesionales de Recursos Humanos y los profesionales de la ética, para hacer un uso correcto de dicha tecnología. Existen muchos motivos para innovar en esta línea, y estos se han hecho muy evidentes en estos últimos tiempos: velocidad, volumen, cambios muy rápidos y la limitación de los procesos clásicos manuales. Pensemos en una empresa que quiera adaptarse al cambio y apueste por una estrategia de aprendizaje de reskilling. El proceso manual tiene un límite en la capacidad y la calidad; por ello, automatizar procesos con una inteligencia detrás de ellos nos ayudará a que estos procesos se gestionen con mayor rapidez y que sean útiles. Pero para ello, los departamentos de Recursos Humanos tendrán que actualizarse y convertirse en “expertos” en IA, o más exactamente, en expertos usuarios de la IA: Pensar en los datos. ¿Qué datos estamos utilizando para crear esos algoritmos? Si nos basamos en datos históricos esto puede tener consecuencias que tenemos que considerar durante el diseño. Uso del algoritmo. Una vez puesto en marcha, los usuarios del algoritmo, es decir RRHH, tendrán que aprender cómo funciona la IA, afín de poder juzgar de la exactitud de sus resultados, corregir los errores, disminuir los riesgos y contribuir a su mejora. Este fenómeno va a dar paso a nuevos puestos de trabajo dentro del departamento de RRHH, al mismo tiempo supone una gran oportunidad para que este departamento expanda sus habilidades ergo upskill y reskill. Por todo esto, en el Laboratorio de Innovación de Cornerstone para IA ponemos la ética en el centro de nuestra innovación. Siempre pensamos en los siete principios éticos para la inteligencia artificial de la UE: supervisión o control humano, algoritmos robustos difíciles de manipular, algoritmos que tengan en cuenta la protección de datos personales, algoritmos transparentes y que tengan en cuenta la diversidad y la no discriminación, el bienestar social y ambiental y la responsabilidad. La IA es una herramienta de gran potencia, de nosotros, los profesionales de RRH, depende cómo se utilice. Este artículo está basado en este podcast de Observatorio de Recursos Humanos.

Las claves para lograr un ascenso teletrabajando

Llegó marzo y se paralizó el mundo. Nadie sabía cómo gestionar la pandemia que nos vino encima y hubo que readaptarse de manera rápida a las nuevas circunstancias. Uno de los principales efectos que ha traído consigo la extensión del virus en el ámbito laboral es la implantación masiva del teletrabajo. Se trata de un modelo de trabajo que antes de la crisis estaba apenas implantado en España. Había cierto rechazo cultural quizá basado en la idea de que los empleados se controlan mejor desde la oficina, la cultura de la empresa se mantiene mejor en la oficina y de que es difícil la adaptación tecnológica para que los empleados teletrabajen. Seguro que hace un año no nos hubiéramos creído encontrarnos en esta situación hoy en día. Millones de españoles han tenido que adaptarse en un mínimo periodo de tiempo y podemos decir que el teletrabajo ha venido para quedarse. Como todas las cosas, el teletrabajo tiene sus ventajas y desventajas. El hecho de no ir a la oficina representa algunas ventajas para el empleado, y, sin embargo, puede suponer una barrera importante a la hora de proyectar su carrera profesional dentro de la empresa porque, al no estar en la oficina, resulta más complicado hacerse valorar por el jefe y demostrar la valía profesional. En opinión de los expertos de selección, el plazo medio que se debe estar en un puesto, cuando deseamos avanzar profesionalmente, oscila entre los 3 y 5 años. A partir de ese tiempo, la compañía recomienda buscar un cambio. En algunos casos este puede consistir en incorporarse a un nuevo proyecto que nos permita ampliar nuestro campo de acción. Así que si estás pensando en conseguir un ascenso mientras estás teletrabajando, desde Cornerstone te marcamos una serie de pautas a seguir que permitirán estar más cerca de tu nuevo puesto: Márcate metas y “microobjetivos”. Ahora que estamos teletrabajando y que nosotros mismos nos marcamos nuestros tiempos a la hora de desarrollar las tareas, es muy importante marcarte unos objetivos a corto plazo. Lo fácil es caer en una rutina aburrida y monótona que nos lleve a acomodarnos. Pero, teniendo una meta que alcanzar y pequeños objetivos diarios o semanales, seremos constantes hasta alcanzarlos. La empresa valorará el esfuerzo y la constancia diaria lo que llevará a que tengan una buena consideración sobre nosotros. En general los jefes sabrán lo que están aportando sus empleados. Gánate la confianza. La empresa debe confiar en el empleado y viceversa. A día de hoy ya no se habla de las horas diarias trabajadas, sino de los resultados obtenidos independientemente del tiempo dedicado para ello. Que el trabajador sienta que la empresa no ejerce presión sobre el control horario, contribuirá a que desempeñe sus labores sin presión y con mayor dedicación, siempre y cuando el empleado cumpla con los plazos establecidos en la entrega de proyectos, demostrando su compromiso profesional, sin necesidad de su presencia en la oficina. Entrega a tiempo todo aquello a lo que te hayas comprometido y haz que tus jefes y compañeros sepan qué trabajo has realizado y se beneficien de ello. Fomenta la comunicación interna. Es importante que empleado y jefes fomenten la comunicación. Es interesante mantener reuniones periódicas para revisar el ritmo de actividad, y la marcha de la consecución de los objetivos alternando encuentros virtuales y presenciales que ayudarán a reforzar el vínculo profesional y personal. Hoy en día la tecnología propone herramientas como “Cornerstone Check-ins” que nos permiten ir haciendo una revisión de la evolución del desempeño sin tener que esperar a la evaluación del desempeño anual. Potencia tu aprendizaje. Ahora que no estamos en contacto contante con nuestros compañeros de oficina es más difícil compartir anécdotas laborales que siempre está bien escuchar para tenerlas en cuenta y mejorar nuestro desarrollo profesional. Todos estos meses, se ha hecho hincapié en continuar formándonos como si estuviéramos en la oficina a través de diferentes cursos que se adapten a nuestras preferencias y nos ayuden a ampliar conocimientos. Para sustituir todo lo que aprendíamos antes en las conversaciones de la oficina, en el café y en el día a día, hay numerosas herramientas que permiten consumir formación online muy adaptadas a las necesidades de cada uno. Tal es el caso de Cornerstone Content Anytime. Mantén actitud positiva y colaborativa. Una de las cualidades más valoradas por los jefes, además de los resultados, es el rol del empleado dentro de la empresa y su predisposición para desempeñar su trabajo, algo que hay que demostrar mucho más desde casa, manteniendo una proactividad constante. Es fundamental además ser flexible y estar abierto a los cambios que puedan surgir, transmitiendo en todo momento sentido del deber. Un cambio de mentalidad es básico y necesario para dejar atrás el desequilibrio entre el trabajo presencial y el remoto. Como aún tenemos unos meses de teletrabajo por delante, sería interesante seguir estas pautas para aspirar a un ascenso profesional en un momento de transición empresarial. Con el tiempo se espera que se establezca una fórmula de trabajo mixta, en base a una estrategia que incremente la productividad y la responsabilidad del empleado en un beneficio común. Aunque el confinamiento ha servido de ensayo, el sistema de teletrabajo sigue siendo una asignatura pendiente para muchas empresas y profesionales en nuestro país.

La transformación de los Recursos Humanos

La función de los Recursos Humanos que, hasta ahora, se había concebido como secundaria o de soporte, está viviendo un claro auge en su importancia dentro de las organizaciones. Anteriormente, este departamento no solo, en ocasiones, llegaba a considerarse prescindible sino que además padecía la presión de probar su utilidad a la empresa además de la falta de recursos para gestionar y organizar el gran volumen de información sobre los empleados de forma eficiente. Hoy en día, sin embargo, vemos que la posición de los Recursos Humanos cobra creciente importancia, asistida por evolucionadas tecnologías que permiten realizar y evaluar sus funciones con gran precisión. La historia de los Recursos Humanos se puede trazar hasta 1878 cuando por primera vez en EEUU se reguló por ley la semana de 60 horas para mujeres y niños. Esta práctica, que hoy nos parece abominable, fue un hito en la industria al poner en relieve la importancia de gestionar las circunstancias y necesidades de los trabajadores. La primera instancia histórica del proceso de selección como hoy lo conocemos aparece durante la primera Guerra Mundial, cuando los militares al cargo de dirigir fábricas de explosivos comenzaron a realizar pruebas para escoger a los candidatos más aptos para esa peligrosa tarea. Era obligatorio también posicionar a un trabajador social en estas fábricas, encargado de velar por el bienestar de la plantilla. Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial se forman los primeros departamentos de administración de plantilla, encargados de la selección, gestión y desarrollo del personal, un rol que se expandió para incluir su formación, entrenamiento sobre riesgos laborales, seguridad y negociación salarial. Pero pese a su constante desarrollo, hasta hace bien poco la gestión de recursos humanos todavía se consideraba simplemente como administración de personal, con funciones de carácter técnico relacionadas con la contratación, entrenamiento y compensación de los empleados. Aún no se conocía todo su potencial dentro de la empresa ya que sus funciones no estaban vinculadas a los objetivos organizativos generales. Esta situación ha cambiado radicalmente gracias al desarrollo acelerado de la tecnología, la globalización y los movimientos demográficos. Los primeros cambios radicales empezaron a ocurrir a principios del milenio, cuando el creciente uso de internet y la flexibilización de la jornada y del lugar de trabajo transformaron la gestión del personal, obligando a los Recursos Humanos a adaptarse a las circunstancias de cada trabajador. La creciente complejidad de su papel ha venido a poner en relieve la importancia que tiene una gestión efectiva y productiva del capital humano de cara a aprovechar al máximo el potencial de la fuerza de trabajo. Acompañando la evolución de las funciones de Recursos Humanos, se empezó a explorar el vínculo entre estos y los objetivos organizativos. Con el propósito de ayudar a las organizaciones a liberar el potencial de las personas, hemos desarrollado tecnologías punta para hacer frente a los retos que presenta el proceso de selección, onboarding, formación y aprendizaje continuo de los empleados, sean cuales sean sus circunstancias. Las soluciones de HCM (gestión de capital humano) permiten un alto nivel de sofisticación a la hora de manejar el enorme volumen de datos que se producen en el ciclo de vida de cada empleado, y gestionar su posición, formación y compensación de la manera más efectiva posible.

Los hitos de 2017 en el ámbito de los Recursos Humanos

Recordamos en este post tres hitos en el ámbito de los Recursos Humanos que han marcado el año 2017 y que serán temas cruciales también en 2018. 1. El futuro del trabajo está en la experiencia del empleado Las compañías están empezando a comprender que una buena experiencia de trabajo es un factor crucial a la hora de atraer y retener al talento, por lo tanto la ventaja sobre los competidores reside en el nivel de satisfacción de los empleados. La introducción de los millennials en el mercado de trabajo ha traído consigo un cambio de actitud para muchos empleadores, que han reconocido que los empleados que comparten valores y cultura con su organización están más satisfechos y tienen mejor rendimiento. Así, las empresas están empezando a invertir esfuerzos y recursos en motivar a los empleados, procurando su satisfacción para así aumentar su productividad y retener el talento. 2. Recta final ante el RGPD El año que despedimos ha visto a las empresas llevar a cabo los preparativos para asegurar su conformidad con el Reglamento General de Protección de Datos de la Unión Europea que entra en vigor el 25 de mayo de 2018. Aunque España cuenta con resistencias culturales que imponen barreras al cambio, hemos visto un muy positivo movimiento general en favor de adecuar los procesos a la normativa y una aumentada consciencia por proteger la seguridad e integridad de los datos. A lo largo del año hemos elaborado análisis y contenido explicando el RGPD y ayudando a las empresas a prepararse para la conformidad, y esta seguirá siendo una importante prioridad para nosotros también en los primeros meses de 2018. 3. Es el momento de los RRHH En Cornerstone podemos afirmar que 2017 ha sido un punto de inflexión para los recursos humanos, que han tomado el camino hacia la adopción de una nueva y decisiva posición estratégica dentro de la empresa con el auge de la transformación digital y todo lo que significa para la fuerza de trabajo y el negocio. Es imperativo incluir esta función en la toma de decisiones de negocio, ya que están a la cabeza de la gestión del talento, uno de los más valiosos atributos de todas las empresas, independientemente de su tamaño o sector. Así, esperamos que en 2018 se mantengan los esfuerzos por dotar a los Recursos Humanos de nueva autoridad estratégica para alcanzar todo el potencial de las organizaciones. En definitiva, el año que está terminando ha marcado grandes progresos en el mundo de los Recursos Humanos y de la empresa. Desde el equipo Cornerstone, os agradecemos vuestra compañía en este viaje que hemos emprendido hacia el trabajo del futuro, y os deseamos un feliz año nuevo. Esperamos que 2018 traiga tantos intereses, retos y satisfacciones como el anterior.

Personas y Tecnología: El Futuro Binario que viene

En el seminario en línea “Personas y Tecnología: El Futuro Binario que viene” conducido por Observatorio de Recursos Humanos junto a Silvia Leal, Xavier Marcet y José Alberto Rodríguez, se habló con mucha pasión sobre la inteligencia artificial y como tenemos que buscar un equilibrio entre las máquinas y los humanos. El aprendizaje en el centro de esta revolución tecnológica. La inteligencia artificial y la robótica, incluso podemos decir que la ciencia en general es un ámbito en el cual se requieren de muchos conocimientos de las cuales algunos de nosotros no disponemos. Eso nos genera dudas, inquietudes y en ocasiones preocupaciones. Lo hemos visto claramente con la vacuna contra la COVID, muchas personas creen las fake-news, ya que el fenómeno de encontrar información falsa en las redes es muy común y está al alcance de todos. ¿Qué es cierto y qué es mentira? ¿Cómo aprendemos a diferenciar y a ser curators del contenido que consumimos? Estas preguntas se han empezado a plantear de forma muy activa con el surgimiento de plataformas online como Facebook o Google. Podemos aprender de estas situaciones nuevas que se nos plantean como sociedad ante una revolución tecnológica y aplicarlas a escenario futuros con la inteligencia artificial y el machine learning. Con esta premisa, me surgen dos reflexiones: cómo podemos usar la tecnología para que sirva a las personas y cómo comunicamos esa visión al mundo. Un momento histórico y revolucionario Ante todo, tenemos que enfrentarnos a este momento con ganas y con una visión optimista, pero sin perder la capacidad crítica. En ocasiones son las crisis catalizadoras del cambio, y la crisis sanitaria no podría ser menos. Hemos acelerado la digitalización del mundo laboral en cuestión de meses de una forma abismal. Trabajos que con anterioridad no podrían ser remotos por una falta de recursos tecnológicos ahora ya lo son. Muchos años se ha estado hablando y en ocasiones demonizando el uso abusivo y excesivo de las redes sociales por nuestros jóvenes. La idea de que lo que habíamos creado con la intención de unirnos nos estaba haciendo seres más individuales, más apáticos y solos, ha sido muy debatida. Pero, durante la pandemia estas plataformas nos han permitido sentirnos unidos y conectados con muchas personas de forma virtual y eficiente. Es gracias a la tecnología que muchos nos hemos podido sentir más cerca de nuestros familiares y hacer este tiempo tan complejo más llevadero. De nuevo ha sido la tecnología la que nos ha salvado – durante la pandemia pudiendo trabajar remoto, comprar online y conectar con nuestros seres queridos, incluso ahora en las fases ya casi finales con la vacunación. Pese a todo esto, es evidente que no todas las empresas estaban preparadas. “El 86% de las empresas no tenía una estrategia de digitalización”. Aprendemos con los robots Seamos sinceros, negarse a los beneficios de la tecnología es casi imposible en la actualidad. La tecnología está en nuestras vidas, y pesa a la posible resistencia al cambio de algunas personas, no parece que vaya a disminuir. Por lo tanto, ¿cómo podemos favorecernos de esos avances? Cada generación tiene su desafío, y quizás el desafío de la generación actual es la de encontrar el equilibrio entre esta nueva ecuación: personas y máquinas. No podemos perdernos en dramatismos, todos estamos de acuerdo que los avances tecnológicos tienen que estar a disposición de las personas, por y para nosotros. Para poder ser más competentes, resilientes y adaptarnos a los cambios que vienen tenemos que saber transformarnos y aprender. ¡Aquí la tecnología nos ayuda! Un punto de vista nuevo: gracias a IA y el uso de algoritmos en tecnología de aprendizaje podemos descubrir qué habilidades tenemos y cuáles nos faltan. Si alimentamos al sistema con suficientes datos, estos se pueden cotejar y de esta forma podremos saber qué habilidades tienen otras personas en otras empresas en mi mismo puesto de trabajo. Esto me permite ver tendencias, detectar posibles huecos de conocimiento y entender mejor mi desarrollo profesional. Aprender como forma de vivir: ya no son relevantes las formas de aprendizaje de antes. Para aprender no tengo que estar en un aula, puedo estar con mi móvil en el metro. Por eso es tan importante que se incorpore la cultura del aprendizaje a nuestra vida en movimiento. El sistema de IA me propone cursos, es capaz de gracias a la integración con Salesforce o Microsoft de ayudarme a aprender y resolver dudas en mitad de actividades. Dejemos que la tecnología nos busque cursos relevantes y nos sugiera contenido que me pueda ayudar a navegar los retos de mi trabajo de forma más eficaz. Estos dos ejemplos, son las tendencias que vemos claramente en las organizaciones competitivas. Aquí no se trata de "mandar a tu gente" a formarse, sino que conseguimos que los empleados aprendan algo nuevo todos los días con poco esfuerzo y de forma orgánica. Empleabilidad y la nueva norma Estamos en la era del aprendizaje. Ser curioso y querer aprender son cualidades necesarias para que seamos personas empleables. Las neuronas si se regeneran, una forma de conseguir este efecto es estudiando. “El aprendizaje genera conexiones entre las diferentes zonas del cerebro, y por eso es clave para que este se pueda anteponer a su deterioro”, Pablo Irimia, neurólogo de la Clínica Universidad de Navarra y vocal de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN). Por lo tanto, nuestra responsabilidad como ciudadanos es la de aprender siempre, ser curiosos y querer saber más. No ya para mantener nuestra salud mental y física sino por el bien de todos como sociedad. Es por ello, que las empresas que invierten en desarrollo y dan acceso a sus empleados al aprendizaje ven que tiene empleados más capaces, con más interés por su trabajo y con una fluctuación menor. ¡Todos ganamos! No tengamos miedo a la IA. Entender la inteligencia artificial no va a exigir a nadie que se convierta en ingeniero, pero sí que tenemos que entenderla. De hecho, una de las carreras profesionales nuevas posibles en el departamento de RRHH serán puestos que entiendas los algoritmos y sean capaces de ver si los algoritmos se han corrompido, incluso entender y analizar los datos y analíticos y traducirlo a la estrategia. Estamos juntos en esto Recursos humanos en ocasiones peca de hermético y poco comunicativo. Por ello, durante esta crisis hemos visto que las empresas que han sido trasparentes y comunicado de forma eficaz han conseguido mantener a sus empleados interesados en la empresa y las metas. Comunicar que la automatización de procesos beneficia al individuo es esencial para conseguir que nuestros empleados quieran aprender y crecer. En definitiva, las máquinas nos ayudan a tomar mejores decisiones, ser mejores empleados y optimizar recursos internos en la organización. Ante la duda, habla con un experto. Ellos nos ayudarán a profundizar en los temas y entender problemáticas complejas. Si dudamos sobre la eficacia de la tecnología habla con tu proveedor Invierte en tu empleabilidad, adquiere nuevas habilidades. La tecnología no nos va a quitar el puesto de trabajo, sino que nos va a empujar a tener nuevos requerimientos y la necesidad de adquirir nuevos conocimientos. Por ello, ser proactivo y aprender para adaptarse es esencial Creemos la mejor versión de nosotros mismos. Podemos reinventar la forma en la que vamos a trabajar en el futuro. Usemos esta oportunidad para diseñar los puestos de trabajo del futuro y las empresas en las cuales nos gustaría trabajar. Si quieres aprender más sobre la ética aplicada a la inteligencia artificial, no te pierdas el blog de nuestro compañero José Alberto Rodríguez Ruiz, experto en Datos y Tecnología para Cornerstone “La ética de la IA en Recursos Humanos”. Para descubrir lo que está haciendo Cornerstone en el ámbito del poder de datos no te pierdas toda la información sobre nuestro AI Lab en París en este link!

Reinvéntate a ti mismo, no hay otra opción - Prosegur

Este blog está basado en una de las múltiples conferencias que ofrecieron nuestros clientes a lo largo de todo el mundo en nuestro evento anual, este año virtual, Cornerstone Convergence. En este caso, la conferencia viene de la mano de Ángel Ortiz, Global Director of Employee Experience en Prosegur. A lo largo de su ponencia, nos ayuda entender cómo han llevado a cabo el proceso de transformación de la experiencia de los empleados dentro de la compañía. Con 170.000 empleados en 26 países, el reto de estandarizar los procesos de los empleados, reducir sus tareas más repetitivas y mejorar su compromiso es muy complejo. Entre las principales soluciones se incluyen: La importancia de reinventar la plantilla para afrontar el futuro con garantías, mejorando las capacidades específicamente humanas de los trabajadores. El proceso de definir la vida profesional del empleado y la hoja de ruta de los proyectos de transformación asociados a las etapas de su ciclo de vida. El proyecto de trasformación digital de Prosegur comenzó en 2018. La transformación es fundamental de cara a evitar posibles consecuencias futuras. Una de las razones por las que una empresa no se adapta a la velocidad del mercado es una mala colaboración entre los equipos. La forma de trabajar de los empleados necesita una integración entre todos ellos. La colaboración en el trabajo es fundamental y lo que sucede cuando los empleados no están sincronizados es que baja la calidad, se incrementa el coste del trabajo y aumenta el tiempo que se debe invertir. Todos los empleados deben trabajar en la cadena de valor de los productos que elaboramos. Jack Welch, exCEO GE, decía que los tres indicadores que tenía una compañía para evaluar su propio rendimiento son: la vinculación de los empleados, la satisfacción de los clientes y el cash flow. Unido a estos tres indicadores, es fundamental contar con empleados que estén motivados a la hora de llevar a cabo los objetivos de la compañía para alcanzar la llamada cultura corporativa. Este término se podría definir como las ideas y creencias que tienen las empresas y que, de forma directa, influyen a la hora de gestionar una compañía. Todos podemos tener acceso a las mismas tecnologías y materias primas para la elaboración de productos, sin embargo, algunas empresas tienen más éxito que otras. La única diferencia es la cultura corporativa; cómo trabajan en grupo sus empleados, cómo pasan el testigo de unos a otros y cómo de integrados están esos trabajadores. Ese es el factor diferencial, es decir, una empresa no puede copiar a otra en la forma de trabajar de sus empleados. En Prosegur se dieron cuenta que el proyecto de trasformación digital empezaba por las personas. Debía comenzar por la agilidad desde el punto de vista del concepto de trabajar más coordinados. Convertir a la plantilla en una más ágil requiere una metodología de trabajo, formación y nuevas herramientas. El siguiente punto era conseguir escalabilidad. Prosegur es una compañía de 170.000 empleados en 26 países del mundo. Por lo tanto, había que revisar los procesos para intentar hacerlos homogéneos en todos los países y negocios. Necesitaban buscar una fuente única del dato, es decir, mejorar la categorización de datos. Había que aumentar la automatización para reducir las gestiones administrativas con el fin de conseguir una excelencia operativa. Los procesos que no eran eficientes creaban un sobrecoste. Por eso, a través de este proceso de mejora continua, consiguieron liberar recursos para dedicarlos a la innovación. Es decir, consiguieron adaptarse no solo a la innovación en los productos de hoy, sino también en el futuro pensando en los próximos 15 años. En ocasiones, un gran descubrimiento se consigue pensando de manera distinta. Es una característica del cerebro humano. En el informe del futuro del trabajo, las skills más demandas son la capacidad de crear nuevas ideas, la resolución de problemas irrepetibles, canalización de las emociones y pensamiento crítico. En Prosegur, al comienzo de su proyecto de trasformación decidieron revisar sus procesos creativos para abordar especialmente el proyecto de reskilling en sus trabajadores. Analizaron todo el ciclo de vida del empleado para investigar en detalle todo su programa de experiencia. En este ámbito, conseguir atraer talento nuevo es mucho más costoso que retener el talento existente a través de una buena experiencia del empleado. De ahí, que sea fundamental marcar la hoja de ruta personalizada para cada uno de ellos para conseguir su evolución constante y su anexión a la compañía. Se deben mejorar los indicadores de productividad, incrementando la calidad de los datos. No se trata de crear una curva que sea plana, sino que tenga momentos positivos y negativos. Los momentos positivos podemos hacerlos muchos más positivos para generar dopamina y así generar una vinculación mayor del empleado con la compañía. Desde Cornerstone, guiamos y acompañamos a Prosegur especialmente en el onboarding de los empleados y hacemos un seguimiento de los mismos durante los siguientes seis meses. Desde la compañía, apostaron por Cornerstone por su amplia y variada oferta de formación tanto online como offline, la posibilidad de ecommerce del contenido de seguridad, de prevención de incendios o la gestión de efectivo y capitales y las opciones en movilidad de la plataforma. Ofrecemos mucho contenido de formación personalizado para cada empleado, que se incluye en la app del cliente para que los trabajadores puedan formarse desde cualquier lugar. Como concluía el propio Ángel Ortiz en su intervención, el comportamiento de los empleados para hacer eficiente la cadena de valor de los empleados reside en el espíritu de equipo y en la capacidad de transformarse.

Tendencias - Entender el futuro para construir el presente

Dicen que las crisis aceleran los procesos históricos y todo parece indicar que, en esta ocasión, lo que se acelere será la transformación digital. Por ello, hay que entender muy bien cuáles son las tendencias que se están acentuando y, sobre todo, las claves para convertir esta crisis en prosperidad. Con Silvia Leal.

Un ‘Spotify de formación continua que mantiene los empleados al día

Tras la pandemia mundial, las empresas están dedicando más esfuerzos e inversión a favorecer el bienestar y formación de sus empleados a través de nuevas estrategias en esta nueva normalidad. Los directivos cada vez tienen más claro que el corazón de las empresas son sus empleados y que el éxito de los mismos repercute de manera directa en el éxito de la compañía. En una época tan cambiante como la que estamos viviendo, es importante que las empresas refuercen el compromiso de su plantilla para no perder el talento. Además, tener una plantilla que está contenta y motivada en la empresa, sin duda creará un mejor ambiente, y hará que se consigan los objetivos. El ciclo tradicional era el de una persona que pasaba por una primera época de formación, terminada la cual comenzaba su carrera profesional. Pero ahora la formación se ha convertido en una verdadera necesidad y la carrera profesional de los empleados debe complementarse constantemente con la formación. Lo más escaso, para las empresas, es encontrar trabajadores adecuadamente formados para la nueva economía; una economía cuyos perfiles cambian sin cesar. Y por ello necesitan que su plantilla cuente con la formación adecuada. Desde Cornerstone gracias a nuestro software en la nube para ayudar a las empresas a gestionar su capital humano, hemos creado un catálogo de cursos para atajar todas las necesidades fruto de la trasformación digital actual. Lo que mejor funciona son los microcursos de learning los cuales cuentan con muchos impactos de poca duración que permite que el empelado los lleven a cabo a la misma vez que desarrollan sus tareas diarias, además de permitirles planificar su propio desarrollo profesional futuro. Los cursos son de calidad y ofrecen un contenido que potencie las soft skills que siempre son conocimientos menos técnicos. Muchas organizaciones hasta ahora creían que los empleados solo se forman con los contenidos que la organización pone a su disposición, pero en realidad los empleados acaban buscando en Internet lo que ellos necesitan. En nuestra plataforma, los empleados pueden crear playlists donde ponen contenidos internos y externos que permiten adquirir una habilidad. Dentro de esa playlist los empleados pueden publicar los contenidos. El propio empleado puede navegar entre la gran cantidad de cursos ofertados de manera que puede seleccionar aquellos que más le convengan para potenciar sus conocimientos de manera que tenga una carrera profesional exitosa y personalizada según sus preferencias. El sistema almacena la información sobre cada empleado para ofrecer un contenido determinado que se ajuste a sus preferencias y que le permita desarrollar su carrera profesional o incluso le va ofreciendo determinadas pautas para llegar a los objetivos deseados o a una concreta posición dentro de la organización. Otros procesos en los que ayuda la IA es la movilidad interna. En el pasado cuando había una vacante dependía del jefe de esa posición y de alguien de RRHH, lo que llevaba a que la oferta de candidatos fuera muy limitada, pero ahora la IA nos permite hacer estos procesos con muchos más datos y el propio sistema nos ofrece datos de candidatos que incluso no sabíamos que podíamos considerarlos y que si optan a esa posición pueden tener éxito en su desempeño. El factor principal que barajan las personas a la hora de elegir un trabajo son las oportunidades que les brinda ese nuevo trabajo para aprender. En este sentido, es fundamental el entorno que nos rodea, es decir, los empleados que son los principales activos de las organizaciones y que trabajan con nosotros codo con codo. Ellos pueden ayudarnos a continuar creciendo de una manera duradera en el tiempo y no solo en un momento puntual. Pulsa aquí para ver la entrevista al completo

Webinar: Nuevas medidas para la bonificación de la formación

En este webinar sobre las "Nuevas medidas para la bonificación de la formación", Marc Altimiras de Cornerstone OnDemand y Diego Pérez de Innopulse describen el impacto de la resolución de medidas extraordinarias COVID19 del SEPE y cómo prepararse para ayudar a las empresas a capitalizar la formación e-learning en un momento en que se torna aún más importante este tipo de formación. Y al mismo tiempo beneficiarse de los créditos disponibles. Cornerstone junto con Innopulse han organizado este webinar para hablar de la plataforma conjunta que han adaptado las exigencias propuestas por el Gobierno para la formación profesional online dentro del ámbito laboral y que se ha recogido en la nueva Resolución publicada en el BOE a principios del mes de mayo. En esta Resolución se recalca la importancia de que las empresas continúen promoviendo su formación de manera online con el ahorro en costes y tiempo que esto implica apostando por la sencillez y la eliminación de tareas administrativas que están presentes en todo el ciclo de vida formativo. Cornerstone en su objetivo de ayudar a las compañías a formar a sus empleados ofreciendo contenido que permita desarrollar sus skllis, mejorar la productividad o mejorar su carrera profesional, se encarga de ofrecer una solución completa que permita a las empresas bonificarse la formación de forma segura y eficiente. Principalmente lo está gestionando a través de dos herramientas de su amplio catálogo. Cornerstone Learning para permitir un control de la formación de tus empleados y para la administración de la formación. Así como Content Anytime ofrece suscripciones a un amplio catálogo de recursos formativos listos para ser bonificados. En la resolución del 15 de abril de 2020, el SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal), para hacer frente al impacto del Covid 19, se considera precisa la flexibilidad de las condiciones en que ha de ejercitarse temporalmente la formación profesional, debido entre otras a las medidas de suspensión de formación presencial, lo cual obliga a buscar alternativas frente a esta prohibición de las sesiones presencial. Por su parte el SEPE, ayuda a cambiar la formación presencial y transformarla en aulas virtuales. Para que las nuevas aulas virtuales sean consideradas como tal, deben tener conectividad sincronizada entre las personas formadoras y el alumnado participante, bidireccionalidad en las comunicaciones, registro de conexiones o facilitar la posible conexión del órgano de control. Esto requiere un tiempo de adaptación en el cual el método más adecuado para la trasmisión de contenidos se basa en el tutor. Cornerstone junto con Innopulse a través de la plataforma recogen todos los requisitos exigidos por el Gobierno para una formación online bonificada. Uno de los requisitos es hacer un seguimiento del aprendizaje que realizan aquellos trabajadores que disponen de las herramientas necesarias y se tiene en cuenta el tiempo de permanencia en cada curso, el número de visitas, puntuación obtenida en el test o si el usuario está en otro tipo de espacio de trabajo colaborativo como, por ejemplo, un foro. Esta herramienta de formación dispone de un procesador automático en el que se planifican las sesiones de los cursos y se crean automáticamente las sesiones de cada curso en el aula virtual (Zoom, Webex…). Además, el sistema inscribe automáticamente al formador, participantes y usuario SEPE en la sesión correspondiente y facilita el enlace y acceso en la comunicación de preinicio a FUNDAE. Pero volviendo a la Resolución, ésta va dirigida a aquellas empresas inscritas para llevar a cabo formación de sus trabajadores y que cumplan los requisitos legalmente exigidos para ser beneficiarias del crédito de formación, así como las personas trabajadoras incluidas en la normativa en vigor. También, podrán participar las personas trabajadoras cuyos contratos se hayan suspendido por un expediente de regulación temporal de empleo durante los periodos de suspensión. Es decir, los trabajadores incluidos en ERTEs podrán beneficiarse de la formación debido al elevado número de personas que se encuentran en esta situación. A modo de conclusión, podemos decir que la Resolución pretende que todas las empresas se adapten a la nueva situación y que ninguna de ellas deje de formar a sus empleados ante la pandemia del coronavirus, sino que lo haga de forma online. Es un gran cambio para muchas de ellas en las cuales se decantaba la balanza en una contante formación presencial por lo que todas las acciones estaban orientadas a esta modalidad. Hay que conseguir sacar algo positivo de todo esto y conseguir que la formación online perdure en el tiempo manteniendo la misma consideración y la misma validez que la formación presencial. Cuando las aguas vuelvan a su cauce se establecerá un nuevo modelo o marco operativo, pero por el momento tendrán que continuar ciñéndose a las nuevas medidas emitidas por el Gobierno en materia de formación para el empleo. Si quieres ver el webinar completo, pulsa aquí

YoMeQuedoEnCasa, pero ¿está España preparada para el teletrabajo?

5 ventajas de apostar por la promoción interna durante la planificación de la sucesión

Marc Altimiras, vicepresidente regional de ventas para Cornerstone España, analiza los beneficios que ofrece a la empresa y a sus empleados la promoción interna para la gestión del talento. De cara a llenar una vacante disponible en una organización, conviene tener en cuenta la opción de la promoción interna antes de contemplar a los candidatos externos. Esta práctica fomenta tanto la retención como la atracción del talento, optimiza las trayectorias profesionales de los empleados y en conclusión, mejora la productividad y el desempeño de la empresa. En España, la promoción interna es una asignatura pendiente. Para distinguirse de sus competidores, las organizaciones deberán optimizar su gestión del capital humano en el ámbito de la selección y promoción. Estas son algunas de las razones por las que le conviene abrir el proceso de selección entre su plantilla existente. Conocen la compañía Aquellos que ya se encuentran en la fuerza de trabajo de la empresa están familiarizados con sus usos, procesos y cultura organizativa, de manera que su onboarding a la nueva posición será mucho menos costoso en tiempo y recursos. Además, tienen una establecida reputación entre los equipos facilitando la integración de su rol. Han ocupado el puesto inferior al disponible En la mayoría de los casos, el empleador tiene la opción de ocupar el puesto vacante ascendiendo a uno de los subordinados, lo cual es conveniente para la organización ya que estos han realizado las tareas de soporte de la función que ahora asumen, conocen las obligaciones del puesto y de los inferiores, y están preparados para dar el siguiente paso en su carrera. Como analiza el siguiente punto, esto contribuye al desarrollo y la motivación de los empleados. Las promociones internas encaminan el progreso de carrera Cuando un empleador ofrece una promoción a un trabajador, su voto de confianza afecta de una manera muy real al desarrollo de la carrera profesional de él. Además de suponer una justa y merecida recompensa a aquellos que hayan probado su valor para la compañía, resulta positivo para la empresa ya que motivará a las personas a aumentar su productividad y optimizar el desempeño. La promesa de progreso profesional aumenta el engagement Como hemos analizado en otro de nuestros posts el engagement se está abriendo un importante hueco en las empresas del presente y el futuro. Las claves para mantenerlo entre la fuerza de trabajo será fomentar la motivación y compromiso de las personas, dos elementos psicológicos del trabajador que responden al trato que recibe de parte de la compañía y el nivel de respeto que siente que merece en ella. La promoción interna anima a los empleados a trabajar para conseguir un puesto superior y expresa la confianza de la dirección en sus capacidades, de forma que se sientan valorados y su trabajo, recompensado. La promoción interna beneficia la marca de empleador Dado todo lo anterior, el fomento de la carrera profesional resulta un factor atractivo para el candidato externo que se presenta a un proceso de selección de una compañía que favorece la promoción interna, ya que entiende que esta vela por el beneficio de sus empleados y premia la excelencia en el trabajo. Así, las empresas que favorezcan la selección interna podrán atraer al mejor talento, y retener al que ya tienen en plantilla. En Cornerstone hacemos lo posible por facilitar la gestión del capital humano, y recomendamos dar este voto de confianza a los empleados, que responderán maximizando su productividad y lealtad a la empresa. De cara a llenar una vacante disponible en una organización, conviene tener en cuenta la opción de la promoción interna antes de contemplar a los candidatos externos. Esta práctica fomenta tanto la retención como la atracción del talento, optimiza las trayectorias profesionales de los empleados y en conclusión, mejora la productividad y el desempeño de la empresa. En España, la promoción interna es una asignatura pendiente. Para distinguirse de sus competidores, las organizaciones deberán optimizar su gestión del capital humano en el ámbito de la selección y promoción. Estas son algunas de las razones por las que le conviene abrir el proceso de selección entre su plantilla existente. Conocen la compañía Aquellos que ya se encuentran en la fuerza de trabajo de la empresa están familiarizados con sus usos, procesos y cultura organizativa, de manera que su onboarding a la nueva posición será mucho menos costoso en tiempo y recursos. Además, tienen una establecida reputación entre los equipos facilitando la integración de su rol. Han ocupado el puesto inferior al disponible En la mayoría de los casos, el empleador tiene la opción de ocupar el puesto vacante ascendiendo a uno de los subordinados, lo cual es conveniente para la organización ya que estos han realizado las tareas de soporte de la función que ahora asumen, conocen las obligaciones del puesto y de los inferiores, y están preparados para dar el siguiente paso en su carrera. Como analiza el siguiente punto, esto contribuye al desarrollo y la motivación de los empleados. Las promociones internas encaminan el progreso de carrera Cuando un empleador ofrece una promoción a un trabajador, su voto de confianza afecta de una manera muy real al desarrollo de la carrera profesional de él. Además de suponer una justa y merecida recompensa a aquellos que hayan probado su valor para la compañía, resulta positivo para la empresa ya que motivará a las personas a aumentar su productividad y optimizar el desempeño. La promesa de progreso profesional aumenta el engagement Como hemos analizado en otro de nuestros posts el engagement se está abriendo un importante hueco en las empresas del presente y el futuro. Las claves para mantenerlo entre la fuerza de trabajo será fomentar la motivación y compromiso de las personas, dos elementos psicológicos del trabajador que responden al trato que recibe de parte de la compañía y el nivel de respeto que siente que merece en ella. La promoción interna anima a los empleados a trabajar para conseguir un puesto superior y expresa la confianza de la dirección en sus capacidades, de forma que se sientan valorados y su trabajo, recompensado. La promoción interna beneficia la marca de empleador Dado todo lo anterior, el fomento de la carrera profesional resulta un factor atractivo para el candidato externo que se presenta a un proceso de selección de una compañía que favorece la promoción interna, ya que entiende que esta vela por el beneficio de sus empleados y premia la excelencia en el trabajo. Así, las empresas que favorezcan la selección interna podrán atraer al mejor talento, y retener al que ya tienen en plantilla. En Cornerstone hacemos lo posible por facilitar la gestión del capital humano, y recomendamos dar este voto de confianza a los empleados, que responderán maximizando su productividad y lealtad a la empresa.

Adam Grant en Convergence: ¿Le das poder a tus "givers" organizacionales?

En nuestra conferencia virtual de Convergence, el psicólogo organizacional y anfitrión del podcast WorkLife, Adam Grant comenzó la sesión final con una declaración: Los takers son personas que preguntan, "¿Qué puedes hacer por mí?" mientras que los givers son personas que preguntan, "¿Qué puedo hacer por ti?" ¿Qué significa esto en un entorno organizacional? Para las empresas, contratar a "givers" y potenciarles en el trabajo podría significar la diferencia entre una cultura de trabajo productiva y feliz frente a una cultura de trabajo tóxica.  En un mundo superado por una pandemia mundial, el malestar social, el equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida privada, y más, los líderes deben trabajar para construir una cultura de givers y de generosidad productiva. Adam ofreció algunas estrategias para hacer que esto suceda: Mantener a la gente errónea fuera del autobús: Cuando se trata de contratar, eliminar a los mayores compradores, aquellos que aparentan ser generosos. No preguntes sobre su propio comportamiento, sino sobre el de los demás. Cuando respondemos a preguntas sobre otros, a menudo terminamos proyectando nuestro propio comportamiento. Los takers anticipan el comportamiento egoísta de los demás, y así es como justifican sus acciones. Empezar con el pie derecho: Una vez que hayas examinado a los takers egoístas, considera las prácticas de incorporación que ayudan a la gente a contribuir de manera significativa. Dales una vuelta a las entrevistas de salida y realiza entrevistas de contratación. Pregunta a los empleados sobre su primer mes en el trabajo y aprende a adaptar tu rol a sus fortalezas. Fortalecer la cultura remota: La gente echa de menos la estructura y el sentido de comunidad que viene con el trabajo en una oficina. Uno de los retos de los entornos de trabajo a distancia es la falta de compromiso. Establecer un tiempo estructurado para interactuar y resolver problemas juntos. Si quieres que tus givers brillen, anímalos a que propongan ideas independientes y luego reúne al grupo para evaluar y refinar las ideas. Crear seguridad psicológica: Cuando la gente se siente psicológicamente segura, es más probable que innoven y menos probable que cometan errores. "No me traigas problemas, tráeme soluciones" es una filosofía peligrosa. Si la gente sólo puede hablar cuando tiene una solución, nunca oirás hablar de los problemas. Crear un espacio en el que la gente pueda plantear problemas con seguridad: convertir un cuadro de preguntas en un cuadro de problemas y fomentar la participación de givers y takers. Aprovechar la fuerza de los lazos débiles: Ayuda a otros a dar y recibir ayuda por y para otros individuos con los que consideren que tienen "lazos débiles" porque la mejor persona a la que preguntar no siempre es la más cercana a ti. En la mayoría de los casos, la gente está dispuesta a dar, pero a menudo no sabe lo que otras personas necesitan. Las culturas de dar ayuda son también las culturas de buscar ayuda. Prevenir el rebote del giver: Esto es particularmente importante en el mundo actual, ya que los límites del trabajo y el hogar no están definidos. No tienes que ceder en cada relación. Los givers efectivos corren un alto riesgo de agotamiento y cansancio. Como taker, piensa en a quién ayudas, cómo y cuándo ayudas. Este contenido fue originalmente publicado en inglés en Rework.

Applicando el Marketing a los RR.HH.

Impulsa la selección y la gestión del talento con la ayuda del marketing. Un webinar de Audalia Nexia HR Lab, Cornerstone Partner

Checklist para compradores de tecnología de selección de personal

Cofares se enfrenta exitosamente al reto de la digitalización de la mano de Cornerstone (ES)

Cómo maximizar el verdadero potencial de la IA en RRHH

Consejos a profesionales de RRHH para navegar en tiempos de incertidumbre

Cuidando de ti mismo primero

El mundo del trabajo ha cambiado prácticamente de la noche a la mañana con la propagación global de COVID-19. En este texto, compartiremos historias personales y perspectivas de los empleados de Cornerstone que, como muchos de nosotros, están haciendo todo lo posible para equilibrar la vida, el trabajo y la formación desde sus sofás, mesas de cocina y otros espacios de oficina improvisados. +++++ Cuando los empleados vienen a mí preocupados por perder su puesto de trabajo por compromisos familiares o porque están enfermos, siempre les he dado el mismo consejo: Cuídate bien primero porque, francamente, no serás útil para mí y para el negocio si estás enfermo, nervioso o no puedes estar totalmente presente. Es mi forma de decir, en tono humorístico, que no sólo está bien priorizar tu bienestar, sino que es lo que se espera. Ese consejo es especialmente importante hoy en día. Superar estos tiempos inciertos y turbulentos sólo será posible si todos podemos unirnos como compañeros de trabajo, como amigos, como familias y como vecinos. Y para estar realmente presentes con los que nos rodean, primero debemos cuidar nuestra propia salud mental y física. Para muchos de nosotros, estas últimas semanas han sido una lucha. Personalmente he estado aceptando mi "nueva normalidad", que incluye un trabajo a tiempo completo, educar en casa a un niño de primer curso, mantener entretenido a un niño de 4 años y apoyar a un marido que todavía tiene que trabajar fuera de casa. Y en medio de todo esto, sigo encontrando maneras de concentrarme en mi propia salud y bienestar. 1. Encontrar tres cosas Descubrí esta práctica cuando traje a mi primer bebé a casa desde el hospital, un acontecimiento que, aunque parezca extraño, presenta similitudes con la situación actual, dada la interrupción en el horario, el aislamiento y la preocupación por la salud y la seguridad de los demás. Durante ese tiempo, me di cuenta de que tenía que simplificar mis objetivos del día y centrarme en tres cosas que pudiera llevar a cabo. Ahora estoy volviendo a las mismas que elegí hace siete años. Cada día cuenta como un éxito si puedo: 1) Hacer mi cama 2) Hacer mi café 3) Tomar aire fresco (lo ideal es salir a pasear) Cada una de estas actividades tiene un significado para mí por la costumbre o la sensación de control que proporcionan. Pero pueden ser otras tres cosas diferentes, siempre y cuando sean simples y alcanzables. 2. Fortalecer tus conexiones virtuales Me identifico como una persona muy extrovertida, así que uno de los mayores retos para mí ha sido perderme cosas como el buen ambiente en los cinco minutos libres que tengo al día para hablar con otros padres o las ganas de ir a los partidos de fútbol. ¡Soportaría cualquier atasco de tráfico sólo para poder ver a mis compañeros de trabajo cara a cara otra vez! A pesar de que varios de nosotros habíamos trabajado a distancia algunos días a la semana antes de COVID-19 y estábamos acostumbrados a no vernos a diario, todos queríamos estar conectados y reunirnos de manera periódica. Así que establecimos una cita virtual diaria de 15-20 minutos. Algún día podríamos reducirlo, pero por ahora, todos estamos deseando que llegue ese momento para vernos y reírnos juntos. He propuesto reuniones virtuales con mis amigos y familia, y también lo ha hecho mi hija. Este fin de semana, seré la anfitriona de mi primera noche de juegos virtuales en un grupo con otros padres. 3. Practicar el autocuidado simple A principios de este año, me fijé la meta de establecer prácticas de autocuidado, lo que me obligó a organizar mi pensamiento: No se trata sólo de mimarse a uno mismo, sino de cumplir con las rutinas que te mantienen sano y con los pies en la tierra. Pero con mi gimnasio cerrado, mi apetito insaciable y mis niveles de estrés que parecen aumentar cada hora, ¿cómo sería posible manejar el autocuidado? Según la Dra. Nadine Burke Harris, experta en el campo del estrés tóxico, "Lo que las investigaciones nos dicen es que el sueño, el ejercicio, la nutrición, la atención y un ambiente propicio pueden reducir las hormonas del estrés y mejorar la capacidad del cerebro para recuperarse del estrés". Estas últimas semanas, me he centrado en dormir bien, beber agua y comer proteínas (no los brownies que realmente quiero), y hacer algo de ejercicio todos los días, aunque sea acompañada por mis hijos en el yoga. Estoy tratando de incluir la concentración en las clases, pero es difícil cuando los niños pequeños se arrastran sobre ti. El resultado final es que cada uno lidiará con este tiempo incierto de diferentes maneras. Y cada día traerá nuevos desafíos a medida que nos esforcemos por entender y organizar nuestra nueva normalidad. Pero la mejor manera que conozco de ser la persona que mi organización necesita es centrarme en las cosas que me mantienen con los pies en la tierra y sana. Con suerte, tú puedes hacer lo mismo.

Estudio impacto COVID19 en los RRHH por eXternal soLutio

Habilidades de equipo: fortalezas, talentos, soft y hard skills

Antes de saber qué habilidades individuales tenemos que sacrificar por el bien de la empresa tenemos que entender de qué habilidades disponemos en nuestra organización. En los círculos de profesionales de recursos humanos hablamos mucho sobre las habilidades del empleado. Venimos de un mundo en el cual los universitarios se incorporaban a la vida laboral con conocimientos que parecían obsoletos antes de que terminasen las prácticas. Por ello, todas las empresas que apostaban y apuestan por la innovación entendieron la importancia del aprendizaje. Si creamos culturas de aprendizaje, podremos adaptar nuestros conocimientos a un mundo cambiante y ganarle la batalla a la volatilidad. Vale. Entendido. Pero, ¿qué habilidades son las que tenemos que enseñar y cómo puedo identificarlas? Esta es una de las grandes dificultades a las que se enfrentan los departamentos de aprendizaje hoy en día. Por ello, la tecnología viene al rescate; igual que Netflix sabe lo que me gusta y me interesa ver, gracias a la IA y sistemas complejos de algoritmos y base de datos como las que ofrece Cornerstone podemos identificar qué habilidades necesitamos en nuestra industria. Construir lo que se llama una taxonomía de habilidades desde cero sería igual de locura que pretender construir mi teléfono móvil yo misma desde mi escritorio. Dejemos ese trabajo especializado a aquellos que tienen el tiempo, los recursos y usemos sus conocimientos en nuestro beneficio. Hard skills, soft skills o fortalezas. Sabemos que los conocimientos técnicos o habilidades duras –hard skills– se pueden adquirir de forma sencilla gracias a la tecnología. El mundo interconectado con millones de tutoriales online nos ofrece conocimiento y explicaciones 24-7. Por ello, hemos podido observar que son las habilidades blandas –soft skills– las competencias sociales que se suelen adquirir en la vida diaria, precisamente, las de mayor importancia. Y, ¿cómo es posible? ¿Te acuerdas del chico de prácticas que empezó en tu empresa y no entendía las dinámicas de la oficina, pero era capaz de crear unas tablas del Excel de infarto? Cuando se nos incorpora talento que nunca ha estado en ambientes laborales nos percatamos de que quizás les falte habilidades como la escucha activa, un sentimiento de responsabilidad o incluso motivación. Estas son habilidades que le permiten a nuestras graduados y nuevos talentos resolver problemas, colaborar y tener una mirada crítica y constructiva. Esto significa que la taxonomía de habilidades no solo nos ayudará a entender qué hard skills tendremos que desarrollar, sino también qué soft skills debemos incentivar en los equipos. Y qué pasaría si más que centrarnos en las habilidades que nos faltan, nos centremos en nuestras fortalezas o fuertes. ¿Qué habilidad tengo yo, qué se me da especialmente bien y qué además es muy necesario para mi trabajo? ¿Cómo puedo mejorar en esa habilidad y optimizarla para que todo el equipo se beneficie de ello? Pensemos en positivo. No nos centremos en todo lo que no sabemos y lo que nos queda por aprender, sino en lo que sabemos que se nos da bien y en cómo lo podemos expandir y multiplicar. Por lo tanto, una estrategia de éxito comprende que como empleado necesito crecer y aprender cosas nuevas – ya sean habilidades blandas o duras – que me saquen de mi zona de confort, pero al mismo tiempo también tener acceso y poder entender cuáles son mis fortalezas y cómo incentivarlas. Individualismo. Felicidad. Sacrificio por el conjunto. En el documental Playbook de Netflix entrevistan a algunos de los mejores entrenadores deportivos del mundo y de forma constante se puede entrever una visión que se repite en todos los deportes colectivos: la función del coach es la de ayudar al equipo a que funcione de forma conjunta, aunque el jugador se tenga que sacrificar. Cambia la palabra coach por manager, equipo por departamento y jugador por empleado. La función de un manager es la de ayudar a su departamento a que funcione de forma conjunta, aunque el empleado se tenga que sacrificar. Este concepto nos confronta con un dilema: vivimos en una sociedad individualista. Todos nos creemos en el derecho de estar en una búsqueda individual por la felicidad laboral. Nos sentimos en el derecho a ser promocionados y, en ocasiones, en esta miopía perdemos la visión del departamento y se nos olvida preguntarnos si como sociedad o grupo no funcionamos – el individuo no tiene un espacio en el que estar. Sin empresa no se necesitan empleados. Si queremos construir una empresa innovadora y resiliente tenemos que contratar a talento que se complemente, que se refuerce. Que como conjunto funcione y que cada miembro del equipo desarrolle sus habilidades – a ser posible sus fortalezas – y que como equipo crezca. Por ello, las taxonomías de habilidades no solo tienen que centrarse en un plano micro, sino macro también. Cambia fracaso por aprendizaje. En este video de Paolo Gallo, éste pregunta a un auditorio lleno de gente cuál es el contrario de logro. La gente grita al unísono fracaso, a lo que Paolo responde “no, lo opuesto a logro es aprendizaje.” Este concepto es quizás un poco utópico, pero muy necesario si queremos de verdad generar una cultura del aprendizaje en nuestras empresas o grupos de trabajo. Tenemos que construir entre todos un espacio en el cual innovar y arriesgar forme parte de nuestro día a día igual que equivocarse y aprender de los errores. Compartir los procesos de aprendizaje – fracasos – con el grupo nos proporciona transparencia, empatía, crea entendimiento entre las personas y nos provee una visión macro del equipo del que formamos parte. Así, surgirán sinergias y oportunidades de colaboración y de forma natural se germinará el aprendizaje colaborativo. Para acelerar estos valores, podemos buscar ejemplos dentro de nuestras empresas en las cuales un fracaso llevó a un gran logro. También ofrecer reuniones post-mortem para proyectos grandes en los cuales se invita a todo el departamento o incluso gratificar al que arriesga, aunque se equivoque. En conclusión, es nuestro deber como empleador educar y proporcionar la transparencia que nuestros empleados necesitan para entender las necesidades del conjunto. La tecnología es una gran herramienta para que las organizaciones y los departamentos de RRHH puedan ser transparentes con sus empleados. Tener una visión global informada y entender la visión de nuestro CEO es elemental cuando queremos construir una organización innovadora llena de mentes curiosas. Este concepto va muy ligado a la idea de responsabilidad social que le pedimos a las organizaciones con iniciativas que apuesten por la diversidad o el medioambiente. Como empleado, mi responsabilidad es la de estar en constante proceso de aprendizaje, no perder la curiosidad y entender que mis habilidades se deben de complementar con las del resto del equipo. En consecuencia, tendremos un entendimiento de lo macro y lo micro que nos ayudará a comprender y saber cuándo nos toca esperar y sentarnos en el banquillo.

HipoGes Iberia confía en Cornerstone OnDemand para desarrollar su proceso de digitalización

Cornerstone OnDemand, líder mundial en el desarrollo de personas anuncia que Hipoges Iberia ha elegido integrar algunos de sus productos en el nuevo proyecto de empoderamiento de los empleados a través de la transformación digital. HipoGes es una de las principales plataformas de gestión de activos de la Península Ibérica, con más de 20.000 millones de euros de activos gestionados. Fundada en 2008, hoy en día HipoGes opera en tres países (España, Portugal y Grecia) y cuenta con más de 680 empleados, ofreciendo sus servicios a instituciones financieras e inversores internacionales. El éxito de HipoGes Iberia radica en su cultura dinámica con una multitud de perfiles. Sin embargo, con el fin de impulsar todo el potencial de sus empleados y hacer que ellos mismos se empoderase de su propia formación profesional, surgió la necesidad de digitalizar y agilizar todos los procesos de RRHH en una plataforma central. Anteriormente, HipoGes utilizaba directorios de archivos locales para sus procesos relacionados con la gestión del personal. Se dieron cuenta de que la empresa, con un componente tecnológico tan fuerte, necesitaba acelerar la transformación digital de los recursos humanos. Gracias a las herramientas Cornerstone Learning, Cornerstone Performance, Cornerstone Recruiting, Cornerstone HR, HipoGes Iberia ha logrado: Aumentar las oportunidades de desarrollo profesional. Gracias a los servicios de Cornerstone, HipoGes ha desarrollado en el imaginario colectivo de sus empleados la idea sobre la importancia de incrementar constantemente su propio desarrollo. La puesta en marcha de la plataforma ha permitido racionalizar los procesos y proporcionar acceso a los empleados necesarios para un desarrollo completo, así como ofrecer una experiencia de usuario muy completa y diversa. Mejorar la eficiencia y la calidad. La necesaria transformación digital del departamento de RRHH permitirá a HipoGes llevar a cabo la gestión de personas de una manera más rápida y eficiente. Además, el hecho de concentrar todos los procesos y herramientas una única plataforma ha permitido lograr una mayor eficiencia y calidad en la gestión del desarrollo de las personas, mejorando la contratación y el ciclo de desarrollo y aprendizaje de los equipos. Optimizar los procesos de RRHH. Utilizando Cornerstone HR, la organización ofrece a sus empleados un sistema de fácil acceso y de fácil movilidad. Además, podremos analizar todos los datos almacenados sobre sus empleados para mejorar sus capacidades y habilidades. Por lo tanto, dispondremos de una gestión mejorada y una cohesión de los datos. Aumentar el compromiso de los empleados. La disrupción tecnológica está cambiando constantemente la forma en que trabajamos por lo que es fundamental que el acceso a la formación sea lo más sencillo y eficaz posible para mantener a los empleados comprometidos. Cornerstone ayudará a mejorar la experiencia del usuario y permitirá a los empleados hacerse cargo de su propia trayectoria profesional ofreciéndoles una formación muy personaliza para cada uno de ellos. Utilizando Cornerstone Performance, tanto los empleados como la alta dirección tendrán la oportunidad de crecer en la empresa, al tiempo que dirigen sus propios caminos de aprendizaje y desarrollo. Hoy en día, la fuerza de trabajo está emprendiendo más aprendizaje y desarrollo para aumentar sus habilidades y talento y hacer la empresa a prueba de futuro. La flexibilidad y la agilidad de la plataforma han mejorado la comunicación entre las diferentes oficinas. Hoy en día, la empresa ya no tiene barreras relacionadas con los diferentes idiomas y las diferentes zonas horarias. HipoGes ha podido adaptar y personalizar las herramientas teniendo en cuenta las diferencias legislativas y culturales de los distintos países en los que está presente. Tal y como destaca Javier Lores, Chief HR Officer, con las soluciones de Cornerstone han logrado potenciar a sus empleados, haciéndolos protagonistas de su desarrollo laboral. La motivación y el compromiso ha aumentado en toda la fuerza de trabajo. Han conseguido captar la atención de todos sus empleados gracias a la promoción del desarrollo de las personas junto al entorno dinámico de la organización.

Integrando al empleado y al robot, lo que está por venir

IA y competencias: adaptarse al futuro del trabajo

Inteligencia Artificial - Robots de los que podemos aprender

La cuarta revolución industrial, la Inteligencia Artificial, la nueva normalidad … son muchos los cambios que estamos experimentando hoy en día. En este contexto, las organizaciones deben reinventar sus modelos, ayudar a reconectar personas y reinspirar para liderar. ¿Y si la solución estuviera en manos de los robots? Con Silvia Leal.

La importancia del equilibrio trabajo-vida

Encontrar el equilibrio perfecto entre la vida laboral y la personal es algo que cualquier trabajador desea conseguir y debería ser una gestión fácil que no supusiera quebraderos de cabeza. Actualmente, existe una preocupación por parte de las empresas por brindar condiciones que sean más favorables y permitan gozar de ambos espacios de forma sencilla. No mantener ese equilibrio desencadenará en estrés laboral, perdiendo productividad por falta de descanso emocional, tan necesario para mantener los niveles de trabajo a los que hoy en día nos vemos sometidos. Mantener ambos aspectos de tu vida separados es importante y totalmente aconsejable, por lo que dejar en la oficina los asuntos de trabajo será imprescindible a la hora de poder disfrutar de tu tiempo personal con tu familia y amigos, olvidando los problemas o el cansancio de esa tarea que tanto tiempo te costó llevar a cabo. Siguiendo la misma línea, es importante desconectar en vacaciones y disfrutar del tiempo libre cuando lo tenemos. Las Navidades son días para disfrutar de los tuyos y reencontrarse con amigos, para descansar y desconectar de todo lo demás. Hacer planes, disfrutar de las luces navideñas, organizar cenas en las que se reúne toda la familia… Dedicar tiempo también para ti y lo que te hace feliz te hará volver al trabajo con muchas más fuerzas. Un buen programa de recursos humanos ayudará a mantener ese equilibrio en sus trabajadores, gestionando los días de vacaciones, e incluso proponiendo un límite a las horas de trabajo extra que realice cada empleado, siendo remuneradas o compensadas en horas disponibles para asuntos personales. También, ofrecer un horario flexible para poder pasar tiempo con la familia si el trabajo de ese día ya ha sido concluido, puede ser algo muy positivo para el empleado y para la empresa, ya que se sentirá mucho más despejado y lleno de energía para retomar sus tareas al día siguiente. Debemos tener clara cuál es nuestra prioridad, y es que, al final, somos nosotros mismos los que decidimos si vivimos para trabajar o trabajamos para vivir.

La salud mental es lo primero en la mente de las empresas - aquí está cómo hacer que estos esfuerzos duren

En los dos primeros meses de la pandemia COVID-19, empezaron a surgir preocupaciones sobre una posible crisis de salud mental. Las cuarentenas obligatorias y el cambio masivo y repentino al trabajo a distancia dejaron a muchos empleados sintiéndose ansiosos, solos y deprimidos. De hecho, desde el brote de la pandemia, el 75% de las personas dicen que se sienten más aisladas socialmente, mientras que el 67% de las personas reportan mayores niveles de estrés. Más de la mitad (57%) se sienten más ansiosos. En respuesta, algunas empresas han tomado medidas para apoyar la salud mental de sus empleados. En abril, Starbucks anunció que ofrecería a los empleados y a sus familiares 20 sesiones de asesoramiento gratuitas al año. De manera similar, PwC introdujo sesiones de entrenamiento de bienestar para todos sus empleados. Aunque este tipo de esfuerzos son necesarios con la situación actual, no abordan completamente el problema subyacente: La continua estigmatización de las condiciones de salud mental en el puesto de trabajo. En una encuesta realizada en 2019 entre 1.500 empleados, se comprobó que menos de la mitad de los encuestados creía que su empresa daba prioridad a la salud mental. Además, la mayoría de los encuestados también informaron de que tenían miedo de hablar de la salud mental en su puesto de trabajo por temor a ser juzgados por ello. La pandemia COVID-19, y la consiguiente recesión económica, han afectado negativamente a la salud mental de muchas personas y han propiciado las enfermedades mentales ya existentes. Por ello, es más importante que nunca que las empresas rompan el estigma en torno a la salud mental en el puesto de trabajo y pongan en práctica soluciones eficaces a largo plazo para abordar estas cuestiones. Las empresas deberían centrarse en mejorar la forma de hablar sobre la salud mental en el trabajo, reexaminar sus programas de beneficios para empleados y alentar a los empleados a utilizar los servicios de salud mental disponibles. Hablando de la salud mental en el trabajo Una de las mayores deficiencias de los esfuerzos de los empleadores en materia de salud mental es estar mal equipados, o simplemente ser reacios, a abordar estas cuestiones. Sólo alrededor del 25% de los managers en EE.UU. han sido entrenados para ayudar a los empleados con recursos sobre la salud mental. Pero esta es una habilidad necesaria para que los managers la desarrollen. Muchas enfermedades mentales pueden impedir la capacidad de una persona para funcionar plenamente, y para desempeñar su trabajo. La depresión, por ejemplo, puede hacer que la productividad de un empleado disminuya. Esto es demasiado común en los puestos de trabajo, de hecho, entre 17 y 44 mil millones de dólares en ingresos se pierden anualmente debido a la depresión. Para abordar mejor los problemas de salud mental en el trabajo, los directivos deben asegurarse de que sus empleados se sientan cómodos al hablar de estos temas. Y para ello, tiene que haber confianza, especialmente entre los managers y sus informes directos. Facilitar los controles regulares entre empleados y managers puede ayudar, pero en esas reuniones, hay que animar a los managers a practicar la vulnerabilidad. Cuando los managers describen sus desafíos personales, estén relacionados con la salud mental o no, los hace parecer más humanos y accesibles, y los empleados se sentirán cómodos haciendo lo mismo. Invertir en mejores servicios Un número sorprendente de empleados todavía sienten que hay una falta de cobertura de salud mental en su empresa, y con razón: Sólo el 13% de las empresas ofrecen programas de control del estrés en el trabajo y sólo el 11% ofrecen beneficios de atención o meditación, según un estudio reciente de la SHRM. Sin embargo, la mayoría de las empresas ofrecen hoy en día programas de asistencia a los empleados (EAP) que ayudan a esos empleados mediante llamadas telefónicas inmediatas con un consejero, un número limitado de sesiones gratuitas con un profesional de la salud mental y referencias de terapeutas. Pero la utilización de estos programas es baja, con un promedio inferior al 10%. Esto se debe en parte a la falta de comunicación sobre la disponibilidad de estos servicios y a que estos programas suelen ofrecer lo mínimo en términos de beneficios de salud mental utilizables y opciones de apoyo. Los EAP no requieren mucho esfuerzo o dinero de las empresas, por lo que muchos prefieren usarlos. La mayoría son relativamente baratos, cuestan entre 75 céntimos y 1,50 euros por miembro al mes, independientemente de la frecuencia con que los utilice el personal. Las compañías necesitan invertir en programas de EAP que ofrezcan mejores y más efectivos tratamientos. Por ejemplo, además de las ofertas existentes de un EAP, los empleadores deben considerar la posibilidad de ofrecer servicios de asesoramiento en el lugar y programas online que utilicen la terapia cognitiva-conductual para tratar a los pacientes. También hay otros servicios, como Psyched In Residence, que las empresas pueden usar para traer psicoterapeutas calificados, acreditados y experimentados al lugar de trabajo, sin que las personas necesiten pedirlo específicamente. Hoy en día, los profesionales también pueden ofrecer sus servicios profesionales y emocionales en persona o virtualmente. Reiterando los beneficios disponibles ahora y más adelante Afortunadamente, los expertos predicen que la mayoría de los jefes que agregaron o hicieron cambios en sus recursos de salud mental en respuesta a COVID-19 probablemente los mantendrán a largo plazo. Pero proporcionar recursos no es suficiente. Para convencer a los empleados de que su salud mental es importante para una empresa ahora y en el futuro, la acción debe venir de arriba hacia abajo. Si se toman en serio la normalización de la salud mental en el trabajo, las empresas deben colocar a los directores generales en el centro de sus iniciativas de salud mental. La mayoría de las compañías no tienen ni un solo responsable para todas sus iniciativas de salud mental, sino que permiten que muchos departamentos, como el de Recursos Humanos y el de Aprendizaje y Desarrollo, jueguen papeles diferentes pero simultáneos en la administración de las mismas. Pero sin un líder al cargo de estos programas, es más difícil crear responsabilidad. Los CEOs pueden actuar como el " jefe normalizador". Pueden supervisar todas las iniciativas de salud mental de una empresa, hacer que los diferentes departamentos rindan cuentas ante ellos y dirigir más conversaciones sobre la salud mental y el papel que desempeña en el lugar de trabajo. Al dejar claro en una reunión de toda la empresa que comprenden la importancia de eliminar el estigma que rodea a estas condiciones en el trabajo, un director general envía un mensaje al resto de su organización de que se toma en serio la creación de una cultura en el lugar de trabajo que comprenda y dé prioridad a las enfermedades mentales, al tiempo que se centra en eliminar los estigmas asociados. La pandemia de COVID-19 expuso muchos problemas subyacentes en el lugar de trabajo, entre los que se encuentran el abordar y proporcionar recursos para los jefes de salud mental. Pero para abordar estos temas de manera efectiva, se deben hacer cambios meditados sobre la frecuencia con la que una empresa habla de salud mental y en la forma en que invierte el tiempo y el dinero de los ejecutivos en el apoyo a estas iniciativas. Para obtener más información sobre cómo apoyar la salud mental de los empleados durante este momento difícil y en el futuro, consulta este artículo reciente del Vicepresidente Ejecutivo de Aprendizaje y Efectividad Organizacional de Cornerstone, Jeff Miller.

Lo que los datos sobre el teletrabajo pueden enseñarnos sobre la productividad de los empleados

El inicio de la pandemia COVID-19 ha hecho inevitable el cambio al teletrabajo para las empresas no esenciales. Para los empleados, los desafíos a los que se enfrentan, están bien definidos: desde equilibrar el trabajo con el cuidado de los niños hasta comprometerse sin amigos cerca. Para los líderes, mientras tanto, un aspecto clave entre sus preocupaciones ha sido la productividad. Desde los últimos meses, muchos jefes siguen sin estar seguros de que sus equipos trabajen con la misma eficacia fuera de la oficina. Algunos han llegado a controlar las horas de trabajo de los empleados a través de una infinidad de métodos que van de lo práctico a la controversia. Pero mientras los líderes debaten la practicidad y la longevidad del teletrabajo, los trabajadores prosperan. Según el estudio realizado por la Autoridad Portuaria de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, en colaboración con Fundación Másfamilia, sobre la experiencia de teletrabajo durante el confinamiento revela que las mujeres han encontrado mayores problemas que los hombres a la hora de conciliar la vida personal con la laboral. En una clasificación del uno (pocas dificultades) al diez (muchas dificultades), las mujeres se sitúan en una media de 3,28, mientras que los hombres se mantienen en el 2,95. Otras fuentes de datos sobre el teletrabajo están deduciendo algunas percepciones interesantes que pueden ayudar a dar forma a la política de la plantilla en el futuro. ¿Se llegará a un consenso? La definición de productividad previa al COVID-19 ya no se aplica. Cada vez más, la productividad tendrá que medirse por los proyectos realizados y los objetivos alcanzados, no por las horas trabajadas. Pero lo más importante es que la productividad de los trabajadores no se desbloqueará a través de la vigilancia o el monitoreo. Más bien, los empleadores deben dotar a sus equipos de datos para que puedan impulsar su propia productividad. Sin duda, se trata de un reto que superar porque el estudio arriba mencionado asegura que el 55% de las personas trabajadoras no había teletrabajado antes de la llegada del coronavirus. Los empleados son más productivos cuando tienen el control Incluso en medio de la interrupción de COVID-19, los trabajadores de todas las industrias han sido capaces de mantener de alguna manera la calidad del rendimiento. ¿Por qué? Ya no están atados a un número determinado de horas en la oficina. En cambio, la gente trabaja durante los momentos en que son más productivos a nivel individual. MyRoofingPal, una empresa que hasta hace poco se adhería a una semana laboral tradicional de cinco días, ha pasado a una semana de cuatro días después de notar patrones clave en el rendimiento de los empleados los viernes. "Antes de pasar a las semanas de cuatro días, notamos que tanto la cantidad como la calidad del trabajo disminuyó más tarde durante la semana. También recibíamos más solicitudes de días libres los viernes que cualquier otro día de la semana. Al pasar a cuatro días de 10 horas, mejoramos la productividad. Desde el cambio, recibimos menos solicitudes de días libres en general, también", explica Jesse Silkoff, el co-fundador de la compañía. En pocas palabras, identificar los momentos del día en que son más productivos ayuda a los empleados a trabajar mejor. La responsabilidad permite empoderarnos y es liberadora y energizante, como destaca Michael Gordon, fundador de CareerCloud. "Cuando nadie me vigila por detrás del hombro sobre cómo gestiono mi tiempo, acabo boxeando mejor el tiempo, y hago más trabajo cada hora. Existe este ciclo de auto-refuerzo: Estoy trabajando, me siento bien, así que no me siento mal por hacer ejercicio durante el mediodía, o incluso por tomarme un medio día libre extra para jugar con mis hijos, entonces te sientes fresco y rejuvenecido y es como si mi vida estuviera en equilibrio", explica. ¿Pero cómo pueden los empleados tener una mejor idea de cuándo trabajan mejor? Aunque la vigilancia obligatoria y otros controles pueden parecer invasivos, alentar a los trabajadores a examinar voluntariamente el tiempo en beneficio propio podría resultar rentable. "Los empleados que registren su tiempo estarán más en sintonía con sus horas de máxima productividad, lo que les ayudará a programar mejor sus tareas del día. Los líderes, por otro lado, pueden utilizar estos datos para tener una visión más amplia con el fin de conocer las pérdidas de tiempo de la organización, los empleados de mayor rendimiento, los esfuerzos más rentables de la empresa y mucho más", dice Miguel Guardo, jefe de satisfacción del cliente en BeeBole, un proveedor de controles de asistencia. Para la máxima productividad, el trabajo debe caer en dos cubos Si bien los datos sugieren que los empleados busquen formas de ser eficientes y eficaces en un entorno remoto, los expertos coinciden en que los entornos de oficina desempeñan un papel importante en la productividad. Especialmente para los trabajos creativos, las interacciones colaborativas en persona (lluvias de ideas, discusiones improvisadas) son críticas para el éxito. Con la incertidumbre que se cierne sobre COVID-19, es probable que, aunque las restricciones disminuyan, muchos trabajadores tengan que trabajar a distancia al menos parte del tiempo. Pero los desafíos del trabajo a distancia no desaparecerán: hay distracciones, la colaboración es limitada y el agotamiento puede aparecer. Cameron Powell, CEO de High Performance Story y cofundador de Humancentric Labs, lidera un esfuerzo que surge en Silicon Valley para estudiar los hábitos de trabajo de los empleados en la "nueva normalidad". Junto con el London School of Economics y Collabworks, Humancentric Labs está llevando a cabo una encuesta continua para evaluar los cambios que el COVID-19 ha provocado en las oficinas y en el estilo de trabajo. Los hallazgos preliminares sugieren que lo mejor es una mezcla de trabajo desde casa y compromiso con los compañeros, según el Laboratorio Humancéntrico. "Las empresas tendrán que dividir el trabajo en dos tipos básicos: el trabajo de colaboración, que es más productivo cara a cara, y el trabajo de enfoque profundo, que puede hacerse en casa, en un espacio de trabajo conjunto o en una cafetería", dice Powell. Los líderes que buscan información inmediata sobre sus empleados también pueden hacer algunos cambios simples. Realizar una encuesta para evaluar cómo se sienten los empleados sobre su carga de trabajo, cómo están enfrentando el cambio y si están en un estado mental positivo. Actúa en función de los resultados ofreciendo herramientas de ayuda, como materiales de formación que fortalezcan la adaptabilidad o información sobre el programa de bienestar de tu empresa. Y por encima de todo, capacitar a los empleados con acceso a sus propios datos. Ya sea que se trate de la comprensión de los patrones en sus controles de tiempo, o una ojeada sobre cuánto tiempo pasan con el LMS de su organización, la información es poder. De esta forma es posible prepararlos para el éxito y ayudar a que su negocio prospere también.

Los retos de la trasformación digital

El pasado día 29 de septiembre, el Museo Reina Sofía se convirtió en el escenario de la nueva edición del Talent Day, un evento de referencia en el sector de los Recursos Humanos que, por quinto año consecutivo, se convirtió en el mejor escaparate de las principales tendencias en gestión de personas, reuniendo e inspirando a los directivos y líderes en Recursos Humanos más importantes del país. Esta edición fue más especial todavía ya que los últimos meses de este año la pandemia ha impactado en todos los aspectos de nuestras vidas, afectando a nuestros valores más esenciales: salud, trabajo y emociones. En este contexto, las organizaciones han tenido que reinventar sus modelos, reconectar personas e inspirar para liderar. Además, esta nueva edición contó con el respaldo de los sponsors como Cornerstone OnDemand. Tras el éxito alcanzado en la pasada edición, los 68 ponentes debatieron y reflexionaron sobre en un total de 8 mesas redondas y 15 speed talks. Una de esas mesas redondas estaba dirigida por Emilio Cuellas, EMEA Account Manager de Cornerstone OnDemand, quién formulaba preguntas que respondían el resto de ponentes. En esta mesa participaron: Elena Sanz, Directora General Personas y Organización de MAPFRE Roberto di Bernardini, Head of Global HR de BANCO SANTANDER Carmen Fernández, Directora de Cultura y Talento de NATURGY Emilio Cuellas: Hay factores como la digitalización y la guerra por el talento que han cambiado en los últimos meses. La pandemia ha impacto de una forma definitiva en las empresas y las personas que forman parte de ellas. ¿Cuáles son los retos más importantes en materia de RRRH? Naturgy: Lo primero en esta etapa es que reorientemos los aprendizajes a todos los cambios que ha traído consigo la pandemia. Nos tiene que hacer reflexionar sobre nuestras prioridades. Una de esas prioridades es sin duda lo digital. Las personas siempre han estado ahí, son el éxito que buscamos. En esta situación, desde Naturgy no solo hemos cuidado de nuestro personal, sino también de los clientes. Hemos buscado dar soluciones rápidas para poder dar respuesta a las diferentes necesidades. Además, un término que resuena con especial importancia es que hay que hablar de un liderazgo sostenible. Mapfre: Los retos a los que nos tenemos que enfrentar son: la digitalización, la globalización, los cambios. La pandemia ha cambiado muchas cosas. La trasformación del ámbito digital reside en las personas. El liderazgo debe ser mucho más humano y muy diferente a lo que veníamos haciendo hasta ahora. Los cuatro pilares de Mapfre en las trasformaciones son: continuo reto del talento, la diversidad en la inclusión, la trasformación (reto digital) y la personalización de la experiencia del empleado. Santander: La oportunidad de la pandemia a los RRHH hay que aprovecharla. En los últimos 6 meses se ha puesto verdaderamente a las personas en el centro. Es muy importante que el liderazgo sea cercano y empático. La pandemia ha creado una necesidad de llevar todo esto a la realidad. La oportunidad es que todos los cambios no caigan en saco roto y se aproveche la oportunidad de consolidar con los nuevos conceptos y poner la experiencia del empleado en el centro. Emilio Cuellas: La evolución de los perfiles de las empresas, no llevan a decantarnos por el upskilling y reskilling ¿Qué opinión tenéis sobre este tema? Naturgy: El upskilling y reskiliing suena a deporte de riesgo, pero en Naturgy tratamos de acompañar en el aprendizaje continuo a los empleados. Cuando tienes una situación como la que hemos vivido, todo tiene que ser más rápido. Debes hacérselo fácil a tus empleados al actuar de manera rápida. Durante la pandemia hemos contactado todos los días con los empleados para estar cerca de ellos y hacerles aprender cosas fundamentales para ayudarles a sobrellevar la situación. De esta forma, se crea un vínculo con nuestros profesionales a la vez que se les tiene formados en los tiempos que corren. Todos hemos tenido que agudizar el ingenio para tener una nueva formación online. Los empleados valoran que hemos cuidado de ellos. Mapfre: El conocimiento es clave en todas las organizaciones. Pero no solo el conocimiento en temas técnicos, sino también en capacidades emocionales. Todas las empresas están desplegando modelos de aprendizaje online, que son importantes en dos vías. El autoaprendizaje permite que tenga su propio modelo de aprendizaje. El talento se crea gracias a los planes de trasformación en los que identificamos los conocimientos y estrategias a corto plazo para incentivar que esos conocimientos estén dentro de los recursos formativos, sino también para que la gente sepa dónde están las oportunidades del fututo. Santander: El sector financiero está atravesando un cambio y necesidad de competencias básicas. La pandemia ha acelerado las transacciones, muchas de ellas están siendo realizadas de manera digital. El 50% de los empleados necesitan actualizar sus capacidades. Con la pandemia, hemos lanzado un nuevo proyecto que permite crear una plataforma de aprendizaje digital al alcance de todos los empleados que ayuda a adquirir las capacidades nuevas que requiere la pandemia. Emilio Cuellas: ¿Como definirías a las organizaciones el futuro de los RRHH? Naturgy: Debemos adaptarnos a corto plazo para evolucionar en varios ámbitos. Deben prevalecer los conceptos de rentabilidad, sostenibilidad y competitividad, es decir, si queremos ser parte de una empresa dentro de 10 años, hay que reinventarse. En las personas deben prevalecer los conceptos de cercanía, empatía y vínculo. Las organizaciones deben acompañar a sus empleados, es decir, ser el medio donde ocurren las cosas. El entrono nos tiene que ayudar y ser accesible. Con el tiempo debemos tener un empresa ágil y vinculada con los empleados a la vez que el talento entra y sale a la vez que participa. Mapfre: Desde la compañía hay que ayudar a construir sociedades de valores éticas y sostenibles. En las organizaciones debe prevalecer lo digital, la ética, más trasparentes y sostenibles. Las empresas son más digitales gracias a las nuevas formas de compartir aprendizaje a través de las nuevas plataformas. Las organizaciones éticas y trasparentes contribuyen a que la sociedad obtenga mayores resultados e ingresos. Somos empresas, pero hay que continuar creando valores presentes y futuros. Tenemos que ser éticos porque sin ética no puede haber negocio. Hay que ser sostenible en todos nuestros procesos. Debemos dejar una huella digital acorde con el planeta. En cuanto a la gestión de personas, la digitalización unida al liderazgo y las trasformaciones de las organizaciones permite que la oferta del empleado sea una oferta de tú a tú. Santander: Creo mucho en el rol social que cada empresa tiene. Hay muchas empresas que tienen que adaptarse al aprendizaje constante en la vida profesional de un empleado. Cada empresa debe centrarse en definir cuál es el propósito del impacto que debemos dejar en la sociedad. Los recursos humanos siempre están el centro de las empresas y son fundamentales para aprovechar la oportunidad que nos ha brindado la crisis.

Negocio Unbound. Una visión y nuevas estrategias para el nuevo mundo del trabajo

Ayer no se parece en nada a hoy. Para algunas empresas, la crisis de COVID-19 ha frenado el negocio, pero para otras ha puesto las cosas en hipervelocidad. Las tendencias que estaban surgiendo antes de la crisis se han acelerado: Las iniciativas de transformación digital son más urgentes, ya que ahora las empresas tienen que tomar decisiones rápidas. La tendencia hacia el trabajo a distancia se ha manifestado en su totalidad. La necesidad de volver a capacitar y mejorar la plantilla es ahora una preocupación inmediata en lugar de una improvisación en el futuro. El cambio no es opcional. Cómo cambiar es ahora la cuestión crítica. Es un desafío increíble adaptarse en estas circunstancias, pero las empresas lo están haciendo. Piensa en el giro brusco de Medtronic para acelerar la producción de ventiladores en sus fábricas, o en Honeywell, y muchas otras empresas, que ahora fabrican mascarillas. Las empresas están demostrando lo rápido que pueden adaptarse cuando se eliminan las limitaciones que les impedían hacerlo. Algunas restricciones fueron el resultado de ideas vigentes del ayer, como los modelos o procesos de negocio anticuados, para resolver los desafíos de hoy. Otras limitaciones, como el amparo generalizado de los pedidos, son verdaderamente únicas del momento histórico actual y requieren enfoques nuevos y creativos que tengan un impacto duradero. Estas organizaciones ágiles han descubierto su propia capacidad de adaptación, y es fundamental que no vuelvan a las rutinas y estructuras anticuadas después de que pase la crisis. La volatilidad de los negocios ha ido en aumento durante las décadas anteriores a la crisis y sólo se acelerará mucho después de ella. En Cornerstone, nos comprometemos a ayudar a las empresas a adoptar un enfoque no vinculante de los negocios. Un negocio sin ataduras es aquel que no está confinado por convenciones y está abierto a nuevos enfoques en sintonía con su entorno cambiante. Y creemos que en el corazón de un negocio sin ataduras está el desarrollo continuo de las personas. En los últimos 20 años, hemos perfeccionado nuestro software para ayudar a las empresas a adaptarse rápidamente con las personas, las habilidades y la formación adecuada. Y con nuestra adquisición de Saba, líder mundial en soluciones de talento, estamos en una posición aún más fuerte para ayudar a las compañías a inclinarse hacia sus impulsores de cambio: aprendizaje continuo, datos procesables y agilidad de la fuerza de trabajo. ¿La clave? Seguir eliminando las limitaciones. Aprendizaje sin límites: El aprendizaje es el acelerador El aprendizaje es el acelerador de la adaptabilidad. Los datos del Cornerstone People Research Lab muestran que la formación se ha disparado en las últimas semanas a medida que las empresas ayudan a sus empleados a adaptarse a esta nueva normalidad, incluyendo un aumento en los cursos sobre gestión del estrés y trabajo desde casa. Esto demuestra que, en lugar de utilizar la formación para cumplir únicamente con los requisitos de cumplimiento, necesitamos proporcionar a los empleados un aprendizaje más holístico para abordar todos los aspectos de la vida laboral. Para hacer eso, el aprendizaje debe ser: Ubicuo: Disponible en cualquier dispositivo, y, lo más importante, integrado en el flujo de trabajo en los sistemas y herramientas donde se está trabajando. Y cuando el aprendizaje se ofrece en una variedad de formatos como el aprendizaje a través de la colaboración social o la formación abreviada -conocido como nanolearning- que son rápidamente adquiribles y fácilmente aplicables. La retención del aprendizaje se ve mermado cuando los empleados se forman en el horario laboral. En cambio, la retención y la eficacia del aprendizaje es mayor cuando los empleados lo necesitan y pueden aplicarlo inmediatamente a una situación del mundo real. Hiper-Personalizado: Elimina el tiempo y la energía que necesitan los empleados en buscar el aprendizaje. La tecnología puede ayudar a presentar a los empleados oportunidades relevantes que se contextualizan en función de sus habilidades, experiencia, aspiraciones y preferencias. Un facilitador de negocios: Para que las empresas se adapten rápidamente y a escala, necesitan promover el aprendizaje real -que se adhiere a ti- que requiere repetición, refuerzo y crianza. Y el aprendizaje real siempre se evidencia con el cambio. Cambios de mentalidad. Cambios de comportamiento. Cambios en los resultados. Para ayudar a avanzar en estos cambios, Cornerstone se ha centrado en proporcionar a la gente el contenido de aprendizaje más moderno y relevante disponible a través de Content Anytime, nuestra oferta de servicio de suscripción. Con miles de cursos de docenas de socios de contenido de clase mundial, nos comprometemos a ayudar a las organizaciones a proporcionar a su gente el contenido adecuado para ayudar a acelerar el aprendizaje. También hemos invertido recientemente en Talespin para asegurarnos de que nos mantenemos en la vanguardia del área emergente de la formación en realidad virtual. Al adoptar estos cambios en la formación en el trabajo, las organizaciones estarán preparadas para cualquier desafío que se presente. En un lugar de trabajo verdaderamente adaptado, la formación es el compañero constante de cada trabajador, y la gente siempre estará aprendiendo. Carreras sin límites: Coaching personalizado basado en la IA para potenciar a su gente La razón principal por la que la gente elige dejar una empresa es porque no tienen la oportunidad de aprender y crecer. Además de crecer en su carrera, la gente quiere ser vista y valorada por unas destrezas únicas. Quieren tener un propósito en el trabajo como se detalla en un reciente informe de tendencias de Mercer Consulting. Quieren sesiones de formación continuas y frecuentes con su gerente. Quieren entender cómo mejorar. Quieren que se les apoye en la mejor manera para desafiarse a sí mismos, manteniendo al mismo tiempo una sensación de bienestar. Desean nuevas experiencias que les ayuden a poner en práctica la formación y explorar los intereses emergentes. En esencia, la gente quiere ser entrenada.  Esto requerirá que las organizaciones reexaminen la forma en que apoyan a su plantilla. El primer paso será transformar a los gerentes en entrenadores. Lo que hace a los coaches más eficaces es que guían a los individuos, no a los roles, y que comprenden verdaderamente a quién están entrenando y hacia dónde se dirige esa persona. Esto significa que las organizaciones proporcionarán a los gerentes herramientas para comprender mejor a sus empleados individuales - como sus perfiles de habilidades profundas, intereses, aspiraciones personales y profesionales y su bienestar emocional - así como herramientas para ayudarles a aplicar esa información holística en conversaciones más significativas y en una navegación profesional personalizada. Además de convertir a los gerentes en entrenadores, las organizaciones encontrarán nuevas formas de complementar la orientación de los empleados con herramientas de entrenamiento digital impulsadas por la IA. Estos tipos de herramientas se incorporarán a la tecnología que los empleados ya están utilizando y aplicarán los datos personalizados del empleado para guiar y hacer recomendaciones para el crecimiento y el desarrollo. Por ejemplo, después de que un empleado complete un curso de capacitación, se le recomendará una secuencia de más entrenamientos y actividades para reducir realmente su brecha de habilidades. Además, los empleados se beneficiarán aún más de las recomendaciones basadas en la inteligencia artificial, las conversaciones con los robots de chat inteligentes, que pueden hacer de todo, desde sugerir una nueva capacitación, hasta un proyecto próximo que podría interesarles, pasando por un papel adecuado a sus habilidades. Estas herramientas, combinadas con las ricas conversaciones con los gerentes (impulsadas por los datos), proporcionan una navegación profesional verdaderamente personalizada que está informada por las habilidades, experiencias y aspiraciones de los empleados, lo que hace que se sientan más comprometidos y capacitados en sus carreras. Para ayudar a hacer posible esta visión, Cornerstone ha lanzado Cornerstone Careers, una nueva solución de producto centrada en ayudar a los empleados a conectarse con sus gerentes y navegar por sus carreras. Cornerstone Careers incluye Check Ins y Capacidades, y añadiremos más características en los próximos meses, incluyendo el Centro de Carreras para ayudar a los empleados a desarrollar sus carreras de una manera totalmente personalizada. Data Unbound: Más datos holísticos de personas para mejores decisiones de personas Con la tecnología ha llegado una explosión de datos y análisis. Y durante años, las organizaciones se han esforzado por extraer conocimientos y un importante valor comercial de los datos de las personas. Sin embargo, los conjuntos de datos de ayer no dieron a las organizaciones una comprensión holística y significativa de su gente, tanto dentro como fuera de la organización. Las empresas anhelan una comprensión más completa basada en datos para conocer a la persona en su totalidad: Sus capacidades, fortalezas, experiencias, aspiraciones, estado de ánimo, preferencias de aprendizaje y bienestar. A principios de este año, dimos un gran paso en esta área con la adquisición de Clustree, una empresa francesa de tecnología que desarrolló un motor de habilidades líder en la industria, impulsado por la IA, y una ontología de habilidades extensas para ayudar a las organizaciones a emparejar las habilidades de sus empleados con funciones laborales específicas. El beneficio de este completo y elástico conjunto de datos de habilidades es doble. En primer lugar, los datos permitirán a las empresas desarrollar y desplegar dinámicamente las habilidades adecuadas para los proyectos, funciones e inversiones clave. Por ejemplo, la observación de los datos en toda la empresa global permitirá a las compañías construir equipos que reúnan las mejores habilidades y experiencias independientemente de la geografía. Con los datos sobre el talento tanto interno como externo, las empresas también podrán reunir la combinación óptima que incluya a empleados, candidatos, contratistas y autónomos. En segundo lugar, y lo que es más importante, los datos más inclusivos permitirán a las empresas mejorar el bienestar, el compromiso y la retención de sus empleados. Los empleados y sus directivos podrán utilizar estos datos en las conversaciones sobre desarrollo, por ejemplo, facilitando un enfoque hiper-personalizado del crecimiento en lugar de una talla única para todos. Y estos datos deben recopilarse para el beneficio y el empoderamiento del empleado, más que para el seguimiento de la productividad y la eficiencia. Los datos pueden abrir una experiencia de vida laboral más significativa que, en última instancia, beneficie tanto al empleado como a la empresa. Cornerstone se adapta y evoluciona contigo Este evento extremo que estamos viviendo, COVID-19, es la prueba de que las empresas deben ser más ágiles que nunca para tener éxito. E incluso después de que superemos esta crisis, las empresas no pueden volver a nuestro estado anterior en el que se tarda 18 meses o más en girar la fuerza de trabajo. Cuando surgen fuerzas imprevistas, las empresas que son capaces de actuar rápidamente no sólo soportan el cambio, sino que prosperan gracias a él. Para construir esa agilidad, las empresas deben eliminar las limitaciones que las frenaban y abrazar un nuevo mundo de trabajo que invite al cambio y a la innovación. El surgimiento de este nuevo mundo de trabajo llega en un momento crucial para nuestra empresa también. Con nuestra reciente adquisición de Saba, estamos en una posición aún mejor para ayudar a nuestros clientes a hacer la transición a esta nueva realidad. No sólo aumentaremos la velocidad y la escala de la innovación, sino que ahora tenemos acceso a casi el doble de datos de clientes, lo que nos permite mejorar la I.A. dentro de nuestros productos. Como empresa combinada, estamos comprometidos a acelerar estas iniciativas de innovación estratégica con la intención de ayudar a las empresas a abordar estos nuevos y repentinos desafíos, crear nuevas oportunidades y transformarse en un negocio resistente sin ataduras.

Navegando por el nuevo mundo del trabajo

Prosegur gestiona la formación online y presencial de sus empleados con Cornerstone

¿Qué es el Cornerstone Skills Graph?

Acabamos de anunciar el Cornerstone Skills Graph y puede que estés pensando - eso suena genial, pero ¿qué es? Nos pusimos al día con Cyril Le Mat, Director of Data Science de Cornerstone para responder a todas esas preguntas y darte más información sobre lo que el Cornerstone Skills Graph puede hacer por ti. Cyril, por favor, empieza describiéndonos el Cornerstone Skills Graph El Cornerstone Skills Graph es un motor impulsado por la IA y el aprendizaje automático que detecta automáticamente las habilidades de diferentes fuentes (perfiles, títulos de trabajo, formación, ofertas de empleo) y las identifica en diferentes casos de uso: recomendación y desarrollo de la carrera, puntuación en relación con un puesto y visualización de datos. Esencialmente, relaciona las habilidades con las personas, el contenido de aprendizaje y los puestos de trabajo. ¿Cómo beneficia el Cornerstone Skills Graph a las empresas, los equipos y los empleados? La taxonomía de competencias del gráfico de competencias es universal, estandarizada, correlacionada, abierta y multilingüe. Los beneficios incluyen: Proporcionar a las organizaciones un amplio repositorio de capacidades basado en más de 50.000 competencias únicas (sin contar los sinónimos), detectándolas automáticamente en los empleados Desarrollar la movilidad interna mediante recomendaciones sobre los puestos y las funciones Permitir a los empleados, a través de recomendaciones, desarrollar sus habilidades existentes o adquirir otras nuevas, y en última instancia, desarrollar su empleabilidad Aumentar la participación de los empleados en la capacitación mediante recomendaciones basadas en la competencia Potenciación de la gestión y las trayectorias profesionales En particular, ¿cómo ayuda el Cornerstone Skills Graph a desarrollar habilidades "estratégicas"? No se trata de adivinar las habilidades que tienen las organizaciones o de decir cuáles son las más estratégicas, sino de permitir que las organizaciones comprendan las habilidades que tienen sus empleados, que amplíen estas habilidades a través de sugerencias y que les den un buen uso. Por ejemplo, si el reto es desarrollar las habilidades de IA, el Skills Graph será capaz de detectar las habilidades existentes en la organización que están vinculadas a este término, así como ofrecer contenidos de formación a las personas que deseen reforzar o desarrollar estas habilidades. Además, Cornerstone puede ayudar a detectar candidatos con habilidades relevantes dentro de Cornerstone Recruiting. A medida que pasamos por cambios constantes e impredecibles, ¿sigue siendo posible anticipar y cartografiar las habilidades que se necesitarán a medio plazo? El Skills Graph se centra en la situación actual de una empresa y en la forma de aportarle un valor concreto (desarrollo de competencias, funciones laborales, movilidad, etc.). La taxonomía de las competencias es abierta y dinámica, integra las nuevas competencias que llegan al mercado y, por lo tanto, pone de relieve las tendencias del trabajo. Esto significa que el Skills Graph está en constante evolución, identificando las competencias emergentes, y proporciona una solución más dinámica que los repositorios utilizados por las empresas hoy en día, que pueden quedar rápidamente obsoletos después de su creación. Un aspecto importante a destacar son las tres V de los grandes datos: volumen, variedad y velocidad (es decir, velocidad de los cambios y la evolución). Con más de 70 millones de usuarios en la plataforma Cornerstone y millones de horas de contenido de formación consumidas cada año, sabemos que las recomendaciones del Skills Graph serán cada vez más efectivas y específicas. ¿Es una nueva plataforma? ¿Cómo encaja en el ecosistema de Cornerstone OnDemand? En particular, ¿cuáles son los vínculos con Clustree, en cuya tecnología se ha basado? Esta no es una nueva plataforma, el Skills Graph impulsará todos los productos de Cornerstone. El objetivo es racionalizar cada proceso de RRHH con nuevas capacidades tecnológicas. Este Skills Graph fue construido sobre la tecnología de Clustree que incorpora más de 5 años de investigación y desarrollo. La adquisición de Clustree nos ha permitido en Cornerstone adelantarnos al mercado con una tecnología madura, una rica taxonomía de habilidades y un equipo de expertos en IA y habilidades. ¿Cómo se vincula el Cornerstone Skills Graph con toda la oferta de formación de Cornerstone, tanto la plataforma de aprendizaje como el catálogo de contenidos? Nuestra oferta de formación, incluyendo nuestro contenido Content Anytime, se mejora con el Skills Graph. La inteligencia y la perspicacia permiten mejores recomendaciones de contenido basadas en el perfil y las aspiraciones de un empleado. El Skills Graph etiqueta automáticamente el contenido de la formación en relación con las habilidades relevantes, ahorrando a las organizaciones mucho tiempo para conectar los puntos y hacer coincidir las habilidades con la formación de los empleados. ¿Qué papel desempeñará la IA en los nuevos desarrollos? La IA desempeña un papel central en estos desarrollos porque el Skills Graph es un motor de la IA. Estas soluciones son innovadoras y requieren un amplio apoyo para desarrollar todo su potencial. Los equipos de recursos humanos se han interesado durante mucho tiempo en estas tecnologías por el enorme valor que pueden aportar. Desafortunadamente, el término IA puede ser mal utilizado, y muchos participantes tienen productos mejorados por grandes datos y análisis de datos, pero en realidad carecen de las características de predicción que harían que fuera realmente potenciado por la IA. La tecnología está cambiando rápidamente, y nuestro motor es parte de una nueva generación de herramientas basadas en la IA que resultarán indispensables para el equipo de RRHH del mañana. El Skills Graph integra de forma nativa la tecnología de la IA (algoritmo de aprendizaje profundo, etc.) en los productos Cornerstone y responde a necesidades reales que han sido desarrolladas por expertos en RRHH y científicos de datos. Muchas gracias a Cyril por toda esta información tan detallada. ¡Una noticia muy emocionante! Para más información sobre el Cornerstone Skills Graph, dirígete a nuestra sala de prensa.

Y Ahora Cómo Mantendremos Nuestro Empleo?

Reuniting: the science of rebuilding connection + trust

As the world opens up and we come back together, we'll need to navigate new territory in our work relationships. While we have been sustaining our team connections and productivity as we work from home, we have been slowly creating new norms and styles of engagement. In this session, discover what neuroscience tells us about what helps teams thrive and why we need to be particularly mindful as we emerge from isolation. Learn strategies you can implement right away to create more collaboration, inclusion, and peak performing teams in your organization. Join Dr. Britt Andreatta, author of Wired to Connect, shares some groundbreaking new research on the science of connection and trust. As the former Chief Learning Officer for Lynda.com, she consults with organizations around the world on how to maximize their learning solutions to yield phenomenal results. Her research on the brain science of success has transformed the talent industry. In this interactive session, you will: Learn about the science of groups and teams The brain during isolation and loneliness The power of connection and trust Discover new brain-based strategies you can apply to Rev-Up your skills About the speaker: Dr. Britt Andreatta is an internationally recognized thought leader who uses her unique background in leadership, neuroscience, psychology, and education, to create brain-science based solutions for today’s workplace challenges. Britt is the former CLO for Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) and she has over 10 million views worldwide of her online courses. She regularly consults with corporations, universities, and nonprofit organizations on leadership development and learning strategy. Britt is the author of several brain science-based books and trademarked models including Wired to Grow, Wired to Resist, and Wired to Connect. She was named a Top 20 Influencer for 2021.

Payback Time: The Top 10 Most Lucrative College Degrees

It's back to business at colleges across the country — but not for the nation's most recent graduates. More than 40 percent of them are unemployed and many are loaded with student debt. Small wonder, then, that some question whether a college education is really worth the time and money. The answer is: Yes, depending on which major a student chooses. PayScale, an online provider of compensation data, recently tracked the academic disciplines that offer the greatest salary potential both in the short and long term. Here's a closer look at the most lucrative job titles and salaries, based on annual pay of bachelor's degree holders without higher degrees and grads who typically have two years' experience when they start. The Meal Ticket: Engineer Given the planet’s growing need for energy, the expanding population of global travelers and the speed at which information technology is spreading in the industrial and developing worlds, engineers with highly specialized skills are in high demand. Engineering makes up six of the 10 top-earning degrees (and 12 of the top 20). (No. 1) Petroleum engineering: starting salary $98,000, mid-career salary $163,000 (No. 2) Aerospace engineering: starting salary $62,500, mid-career salary $118,000 (No. 4) Chemical engineering: starting salary $67,500, mid-career salary $111,000 (No. 5) Nuclear engineering: starting salary $66,800, mid-career salary $107,000 (No. 6) Electrical engineering: starting salary $63,400, mid-career salary $106,000 (No. 7) Computer engineering: starting salary $62,700, mid-career salary $105,000 All About Numbers The major that edged out chemical engineering to land the No. 3 spot on the list: actuarial mathematics, with a starting salary of $56,100 and a mid-career salary of $112,000. Applied mathematics also scores high, coming in at No. 8 with a starting salary of $50,800 and a mid-career salary of $102,000. No. 10 is statistics, with a starting salary of $49,300 and a mid-career salary $99,500. Actuaries use mathematical, statistical, financial and economic theory to solve real business problems. Many actuaries work for insurance markets and predict, for instance, the frequency and intensity of earthquakes or hurricanes for purposes of setting policy rates. Actuaries also work in the consulting, accounting, government, and financial services areas. Applied mathematics, on the other hand, is more concerned with mathematical methods, which can lead to careers in science, engineering and general business. Statisticians typically work for federal, state or local governments or private companies. Help Wanted: Gadget Hounds Another hot commodity: computer science majors. They've been in demand since the dawn of the personal computer era, but their value has skyrocketed as the number of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices worldwide has exploded. Future advances in industrial, medical and research methods depend on the know-how of computer scientists. Ranked No. 9 on the PayScale list, computer science majors can expect to start at $58,400 and reach a mid-career salary of $100,000. The Missing Ingredient The left-brained crowd clearly has the lead when it comes to earning potential, but that doesn't mean right-brained folks are destined to pinch pennies. International relations, advertising and film production, for example, appear in the top 50 majors on the PayScale list, with international relations leading the group at a starting salary of $40,600 and median salary of $93,000 (although, to be fair, liberal arts and other more creative-oriented majors dominate the list's bottom 50). Two important points about the PayScale ranking: it doesn't distinguish between the salaries a computer scientist can hope to earn in Silicon Valley versus one who lives in Alaska. Nor does it factor in the role of good old-fashioned hard work. Yet what it does well is set expectations for today's youth (and help older generations come to terms with their youthful decisions). Photo credit: Can Stock

Preparing Your Workforce for Digital Transformation

Make talent development a priority in the age of digital disruption Ready or not – digital transformation is here. With technology developing more rapidly than ever, the way we do business is changing and it affects everything from customer acquisition and our product offerings, to our tools and processes, to our workforce and work environments. To succeed in a rapidly changing market, organizations must adapt their talent management practices to reflect new digital innovations and processes. Constellation Research discovered that industry-leading companies' ability to adapt to digital disruption was a key factor in their long-term success. As many organizations begin to radically reimagine how they leverage technology and processes, a need for a new talent development strategy arises. No organization wants to be left behind because they failed to adapt well enough or fast enough to the changing digital landscape. So, how can organizations disrupt their talent development strategies to help succeed in the age of digital transformation? How to futureproof your organization in the age of digital transformation It's a sobering fact: Talent development strategies that worked in the past may no longer work in the near future. Human Resources (HR) and Learning and Development (L&D) teams must become true business partners and create a continuous, hyper-connected development experience for people that aligns to the ever-shifting goals of the business. This eBook offers research-backed strategies that will show you how to create a digitally centered, learning-focused talent development environment that will help your organization keep its competitive edge in the era of digital transformation. You'll gain insights into: Determining your organization’s level of digital transformation preparedness Coaching strategies to prep your workforce for digital transformation How to champion a culture of learning to enable ongoing employee skill development Download our eBook to discover the talent development best practices you – and your people – need in order to futureproof your organization while putting your people in the driver’s seat of their own experience.

A Job Title Just for You: The Rise of the Custom Position

With the unemployment rate hitting the lowest level since 2008, even the happiest employees are deciding to investigate their career options. Three in 10 employees regularly search for new job opportunities even though they are currently employed, according to CareerBuilder.com. Lately, companies have begun luring top talent via a novel incentive: the newly created position. In the last few months, Horizon Media introduced the first Chief Invention Officer; DigitasLBi created a Chief Data Scientist; Ogilvy & Mather unveiled a Worldwide Chief Strategy Officer; Hearst Magazines introduced the first Managing Director of Brands and AOL nabbed an industry veteran with the newly created Head of Independent Agencies. But are these companies really developing innovative new positions — or are they merely making superficial name changes to appeal to egos? After all, Disney is famous for referring to its front desk representatives as "guest relations," yet that title elevation doesn't really fool anyone, particularly employees. Is Horizon Media switching "innovation" to "invention" just to land its intended target? "It's a good first step [to address employees' needs]," says advertising executive Jeff Fromm, Barkley U.S. "But [newly created positions] are easier than really developing meaningful programs that matter in the long run, like a good work-life balance. It's just trying to be cool. It's better than nothing at all, but it still is a short-term fix." Yet, others say these jobs are designed specifically to meet today's executive in today's workplace. In order to land currently employed top talent, employers must offer entirely fresh top-level positions with no pre-existing instruction manuals and the ability for new executives to hire their own teams. Formerly top perks like half-day Fridays and in-house chefs are no longer unique or sufficient. Many of the executives attracted to these new roles say they weren't specifically looking for a new job, but once approached by these companies, they cited the excitement about new opportunities. For instance, advertising veteran Suhaila Suhimi Hobba jumped to the media side of the industry as AOL's Head of Independent Agencies after conversations with key AOL executives made her realize that she could leverage her skills in a new manner at the Internet platform. Likewise, DigitasLBi nabbed Scott Donation from rival Interpublic Group with the hefty job title North America Chief Content Officer (as well as a full fleet of responsibilities). Indeed, these customized positions send a powerful message: We're building this role just for you (even if we are also talking with three other executives). For companies hoping to keep current employees, the key to counteracting this trend is to follow their competitor's lead. Although it is difficult for current employers to counter-offer when a competitor is willing to underwrite an entirely new adventure, companies should suggest a customized new role and work with their employees to set the parameters. Again, it is important not to inflate titles without reworking specific responsibilities. Some 52 percent of workers feel as if they have a job, not a career, according to CareerBuilder, so this trend is an opportunity for employers to help their employees find their passion. While the majority of these new positions are for mid- to high-level roles, the trend is likely to filter down to even entry-level workers. Ultimately, customized positions speak to the desire to be appreciated. And everyone likes to feel wanted by their employer, from C-Suite execs to the people at the front desk. Er, guest relations. Photo: Can Stock

5 Architects’ Wild Designs of the Future Workplace

We talk a lot about the future of work, but what about the future of where we work? New workplace trends are not only changing the way we think about our careers and office cultures, they're also changing the nature of the "office" itself. Long gone are the days of cubicles, corner offices and stuffy conference rooms. Instead, office design is increasingly reflective of modern work values. The increased prioritization of flexibility and collaboration over traditional work hours and hierarchies has translated to open offices, versatile seating arrangements and adjustable work-from-home policies. But some design firms and architects are pushing the envelope even further: considering how office environments reflect new standards like mobility, sustainability, community and more. What will our offices look like in 10, 15 or 20 years? Here are five architectural visions of the future: 1. Standing Room Only Photo credit: Jan Kempenaers The health risks of sitting at work are well-known by now, ushering in an age of standing desks, treadmill desks and even bike desks. Dutch firm Rietveld Architecture-Art-Affordances (RAAAF) offered a different approach: Let's tackle sitting by obliterating the idea of desks entirely. Their experimental office design, The End of Sitting, comprises diverse surfaces in lieu of furniture to support multiple working positions. While guests trying out the sample installation had some feedback on utility, they also reported an up-tick in well-being and physical fatigue, RAAAF partner Ronald Rietveld told WIRED. "There's a thousand things that could be improved, but that's not what this is about," Rietveld said. "The most important thing for us is that it's offering more activity and more well-being." 2. Work on Wheels Photo credit: IDEO Recently, the IDEO team unveiled an internal project on the future of automobility—asking themselves, how will the driverless car impact our lives? One potential concept: a mobile workstation. As autonomous driving becomes more mainstream, IDEO envisions "inverse commutes, where working spaces come closer to where people live instead of commuters heading to pre-determined workplaces." Work on Wheels, as IDEO calls it, would not only dramatically reduce commutes, but could leverage underutilized real estate, optimize energy resources and provide opportunities for ad hoc services, like food trucks and mobile dentistry, to thrive. 3. Truly Local Lunch Photo credit: Organic Grid+ When it's time for lunch, why not source your salad from the office? Interior designers Sean Cassidy and Joe Wilson decided to put employee health and well-being at the forefront of their futuristic office, Organic Grid+, the winner of Metropolis' Workplace of the Future 2.0competition. The design includes both radical customization, giving employees the opportunity to design walls, desks and meeting rooms to best suit their needs, as well as health-conscious attributes, such as wearables to track worker wellness, "sky gardens" and planting stations for employees to harvest their own food. "In our minds, workers are the heart of most businesses and should be treated as such," Cassidy toldMetropolis. "If we spend one-third of our lives at work, then we should create a greater cohesive relationship between the employee and the workspace." 4. Home Sweet Work Photo credit: M Moser Associates With modern technology enabling most people to complete any work from home, some designers propose the new purpose of the office is to foster face-to-face interaction between employees—not simply offer a place to do work. That's the idea behind M Moser Associates' "convivial workplace," an office that encourages workers to socialize. The design resembles a living room or café, and aims to be a stimulating environment employees. While most offices already have common spaces, they aren't typically a part of an employee's daily routine. As Steve Gale, London head of workplace strategy at M Moser Associates, told Huffington Post, the idea of the social workplace is a "shift in the center of gravity to a different way of thinking and working." 5. Embodying Transparency Photo credit: Bjarke Ingels Group and Heatherwick Studios Google has long been at the forefront of innovative workplaces, pioneering the versatile office as well as workplace perks like in-house chefs and laundry services. They recently proposed a blueprint for a new Mountain View campus that Silicon Valley Business Journal claims could "explode the concept" of buildings and workspaces. What's so special about the new Google office? For one, the proposal reworks the entire North Bayshore district with community gardens, retail shops and cultural spaces open to the public. In addition, the buildings are built to be transparent and flexible—literally. Cable-net glass roofs invite the public to peek inside Google, and the buildings are made up of pieces that can be inserted, removed, raised and lowered at will. "It really evolved out of stepping back from first principles and saying, 'What's holding us up?'" David Radcliffe, Vice President of Real Estate and Workplace Services at Google told SVBJ. "It comes out of our experiences of trying to support our evolving business."

Is Tinder Tomorrow’s Recruiting Tool?

This spring, an unusual profile went up on the dating app Tinder—instead of looking for love, this new Tinder-er was seeking labor. That's right. Ad agency Havas Worldwide Chicago developed a Tinder profile to recruit candidates for its summer internship program. If users swiped right on Havas' profile, the agency started a conversation with them about their skills and interests, ultimately choosing a match to join its team this summer. While Tinder remains an outlier when it comes to recruiting via social apps, a large majority of companies are using social media to find talent. According to Staff.com, 92 percent of companies actively seek new employees via social media, with 73 percent of recruiters saying they have made successful hires. Social media is popular for job seekers, too: Among workers earning more than $75,000 a year, 24 percent use Facebook to assess a company's culture, 21 percent use Twitter, 13 percent use Pinterest, 12 percent use Snapchat and 10 percent use Instagram, according to a recent Jobvite report. "Social media has dramatically changed the day-to-day activities of talent acquisition (a.k.a. recruiting) at Arcadis," says Cindy Bishop, associate VP and director of talent acquisition at design consultancy Arcadis U.S. "Where only a few years ago, sourcing candidates was accomplished by job board postings, university recruiting, employee referrals and partnering with agencies for hard to fill, niche jobs, now we have the access to that specialized talent using social media technologies. Because information is now public, recruiters can contact potential candidates directly and initiate conversations immediately." Using the Latest Trend to Find the Greatest Talent Still, few companies have embraced social media as a way to find workers as actively as Havas Chicago. The agency has looked beyond the usual suspects—Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn—instead testing their recruiting luck on the hottest platforms of the moment. In addition to their recent Tinder trial, Havas has reached out to candidates via Instagram and Snapchat. "It's based on the simple idea that kids understand these platforms," says Jason Peterson, President, Havas Chicago. "If you want to hire someone to do social media, hire the people who know how to do it best." Recruiters say social media channels enable them to bypass traditional recruiting efforts, such as a blind resume process or hiring friends or acquaintances. The traditional tactics tend to result in average candidates, they say, but social channels enable them to microtarget ideal candidates and discover potential, passionate employees who are often overlooked in more traditional settings. Recruiting Outside the Box Recruiters also like how there's not one right way to seek talent on social media. Havas, for instance, asked people to interpret an emoji story as part of its Instagram application process. This deviation from the traditional application process resulted in the agency receiving more than 300 applicants, and about 10 percent of them applied specifically because of the unique application. Creative agency Mother New York took things a bit further last spring when it created a LinkedIn profile for a faux executive named Donald Buscando—a creepy looking character who would troll the LinkedIn pages of college students looking for interns. Buscando sent silly, odd messages encouraging people to apply for a summer internship position—"Are you a designer? You have beautiful bezier curves. You should apply."—and interested students who visited his profile were then able to see a video of Buscando "at work," with more information about what the agency was looking for in potential hires. And last month, venture capital firm First Round posted a job opportunity, "Looking for a Storyteller," using the platform Medium. As a blog-publishing platform, Medium is rife with writers and deeply integrated with Twitter—allowing them to reach a highly-targeted audience across two different channels. The Future of Recruiting Of course, it's important to note that the vast majority of companies recruiting with extreme or odd social media tactics are looking for entry-level or internship positions. As of yet, there's no emoji application for an open CFO position at a Fortune 500 firm. But it may be just a matter of time. Ultimately, social media is more cost-effective, creative and far-reaching than traditional recruitment. "It's time to get with the program—print, job boards and agencies are costly and outdated," says Bishop. Photo: Shutterstock

Band-Aids Can’t Fix Your Aging Human Resource Information System

By now most organizations know they need a Human Resource Information System (HRIS). But when it becomes clear that an existing solution is soon to be obsolete, the choice to either keep finding workarounds or scrap the solution in favor of a new tool is a tough one. Recognizing that it’s time for a change is key. Outdated HRIS platforms are inefficient, costly and cannot meet the flexibility and functionality needs of the modern workforce. Still, many are in use today. Government agencies, for one, use legacy HRIS systems that are missing modern functionalities such as an intuitive user experience, employee/manager self-service, multiple talent management modules and reporting or analytics tools. Despite the need for the industry to revamp the technology, a recent report from GAO showed a $7.3 billion dollar reduction in federal spending focused in on development, modernization and enhancement of federal IT. With less available funds, agencies are spending the funds they do have on simple operations and maintenance—applying bandages to a broken system. This approach is understandable, since the cost of replacing a system is high, and the process of implementing, customizing and configuring a new on-premise solution can be extremely complex. But SaaS tools are an affordable and easier alternative. Plus, they provide the flexibility that's missing from legacy solutions. The Benefits of SaaS Tools Over Legacy Systems One of the main differences between traditional, on-premise solutions and cloud-based Saas solutions is the cost structure. On-premise solutions almost always require a large initial implementation fee, followed by ongoing payments that depend on how many people an organization employs—the more workers an organization has, the less an on-premise tool costs. Meanwhile, cloud-based solutions are subscription based, don’t involve a massive implementation cost and charge organizations per employee. In this scenario, smaller organizations pay less than larger ones. There are functional differences as well. There’s a misconception that SaaS tools are fairly rudimentary and cannot be configured to fit an organization’s specific needs. On the contrary, because they’re implemented via the cloud rather than a physical installation, they are highly flexible. And, there are also multitudes of configuration capabilities for SaaS solutions that can be tailored to an organization’s specific requirements. Today’s SaaS systems come equipped with powerful reporting capabilities and seamless user experiences. More importantly, they provide another route for organizations that don’t want live with the pain of an old system, but don’t want to upgrade to an expensive on-premise replacement either. Unifying Solutions Spells More Savings Once an organization decides to make the leap to a SaaS solution, the transitional time could provide an opportunity to consider how the organization tackles other business processes. Could it be time to consider replacing standalone processes within a comprehensive approach? A talent management solution, which unifies disparate HR functions and technologies under one umbrella could provide the kind of well-oiled structure that modern-day organizations need. Unified talent management solutions enable organizations to achieve cost savings by removing redundant or overlapping tools and improving the user experience by allowing HR teams to rely on one centralized solution. Moreover, though unified talent management solutions vary, most provide resources and avenues for building a culture of learning, collaboration and development, which enable organizations to quickly implement new initiatives, and onboard employees quickly and effectively. By elevating and broadening the scope of tools available to HR teams, talent management systems can take HR out of its silo and give it a more significant role in the organization. And, with more internal clout, HR teams will have more leeway when it comes to shaping company culture and other corporate decision-making. It all Comes Back to Your HR Strategy Before making any decisions regarding HR technology, it is important to be familiar with your strategic plan, assess the gap between your existing technological capabilities and the requirements of your plan and begin to replace or add the necessary components in a systematic, prioritized, cost-efficient way. Making a switch overnight is unrealistic, especially for organizations with complex structures, such as government agencies. Nevertheless, there are ways to modernize human resources technology at a reasonable cost without having to sacrifice depth of functionality. At the end of the day, you must consider your goals, and choose the right technology that helps you achieve them. Learn more about modernizing your HRIS.

8 College Majors That Didn't Exist 5 Years Ago

English, Biology, History. These college majors of yore are taking a backseat to a new wave of highly specific—and timely—areas of study. As the work landscape changes, the educational landscape has to adapt as well. Just in time for graduation (which will likely bring a flood of resumes to recruiters' inboxes), here are a few majors that probably didn't exist when you were in college—and why they're relevant to the growing workforce: 1. Robotics Engineering What: Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering (the first in the country) Where: Worcester Polytechnic Institute — Worcester, MA Why: No longer just the stuff of Hollywood movies, robots are becoming an integral part of the way we work—from hotel bellhops to factory workers—these machines provide a powerful addition to the workforce. But someone has to build them first. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that by 2018, the demand for qualified robotics engineers in the workforce will grow by 13 percent. Some institutions now offer graduate studies in AI (Artificial Intelligence), as well. 2. Online Journalism What: Bachelor of Science in Online Journalism Where: Boston University — Boston, MA Why: Sure, blogs existed five years ago, but major publications were still relying heavily on print magazines and newspapers rather than the world wide web as a main source of revenue. Today, however, online content is king—requiring a whole new set of skills to manage and track articles. Other colleges even offer Social Media as a major, or Master's programs in Data Journalism. 3. Game Design What: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Entertainment Arts & Engineering Emphasis Where: The University of Utah — Salt Lake City Why: In 2015, the estimated worth of the global online gaming market is $41.4 billion. Mobile gaming is booming, too, and projected to be worth $100 billion by 2017. Plus, with the rising trend of gamificationin the workplace, it stands to reason companies will need people to build these products—whether it's an actual game or an internal software with a game component. 4. Cyber Security What: Bachelor of Business Administration in Cyber Security Where: University of Texas at San Antonio — San Antonio, TX Why: Cyber warfare is a serious threat to businesses and the country (Sony, anyone?). As more and more sensitive information is exchanged electronically, vulnerabilities in this area abound. The Pentagon is "desperately short of people who have capabilities (defensive and offensive cybersecurity war skills) in all the services and we have to address it," said former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. To understand the politics and strategy behind this subject, some institutions now offer a Master's program in Technology and Policy as well. 5. Human-Computer Interaction What: Bachelor of Science in Human Centered Design and Engineering Where: University of Washington — Seattle, WA Why: Technologies are becoming more interactive and more personal. Understanding how a smart thermostat reacts to human action (i.e. turning down the heat as more people enter the house), for example, is vital to technological progress. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) students study the user interface, software, design, usability and social and ethical dimensions of technology. From a users' first interaction with a technology to his or her daily use of it, HCI students work to integrate products into our lives in a thoughtful way. 6. E-Business/E-Commerce What: Bachelor of Business Administration in Electronic Business Marketing Where: Western Michigan University — Kalamazoo, MI Why: Amazon's success should be argument enough that online retail isn't a phase—it's an entirely new business model. As more companies opt for an online-only presence over a brick-and-mortar shop, the traditional business strategy needs to change, too. Enter: a new wave of E-Biz pros. 7. Data Science What: Bachelor of Science in Data Science Where: University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA Why: Big Data was all the tech industry talked about in 2011. We're still feeling the residual effect today—and for good reason. Not surprisingly, a university nestled in the tech hub of San Francisco offers an undergraduate degree in understanding and interpreting Big Data. More numbers are tracked and recorded electronically today than ever, and if this data is understood and communicated properly, it can be a valuable asset to a company's bottomline. If these majors aren't futuristic enough for you, take a look at the growing number of "Interdisciplinary Studies" majors (a rising trend over the last 30 years) where students work with advisors to essentially create their own curriculum and major of study. In our new world of flexible work schedules, job hopping and a growing gig economy, a uniquely personal major like Interdisciplinary Studies may be the most intuitive of all. All photos: Shutterstock

How to Build an HR Analytics Team [Infographic]

In the age of Big Data, business leaders and HR professionals are still learning to combine age-old intuition with analytics when it comes to making workforce decisions. Josh Bersin, principal and founder of research firm Bersin by Deloitte, mentioned in a recent interview that only 4 percent of the market is currently running sophisticated people analytics, while 50 to 60 percent of companies are still trying to make sense of the data they have. So, where should organizations looking to implement an analytics program begin? Start by hiring the right people. People analytics is intrinsically a multidisciplinary endeavor, and you need a team that can evaluate, approve and implement data-driven decisions across your workforce. Check out our infographic below on how to build an effective HR analytics team, and keep reading for more details. (Click to enlarge) The five positions above cover a variety of skills and disciplines, but those who hold them should work together closely as a dedicated, organizational unit. The CHRO: As Bersin highlighted in his interview, executive buy-in is a crucial first step to implementing analytics. The CHRO should work with other executives, most importantly the CEO and CFO, to not only approve budgets, but also establish a company culture that embraces the value of Big Data. The Data Architect: Around half of all companies are in the process of just cleaning their data before they can work with it, according to Bersin. The Data Architect is the person responsible for pulling the data, integrating different datasets and cleaning the data to prepare it for analysis. The Change Agent: In addition to executive support, it's important to find someone who oversees the analytics team. While the CHRO has purview of the analytics department, the Change Agent is in charge of leading the team and working closely with other departments—like marketing and finance—to ensure that insight is turned into action. This person should have a strong understanding of the company's strategy, and how analytics can drive it forward. The Workforce Behavior Expert: A large part of succeeding in analytics is understanding what questions to ask to gather workforce data. The Workforce Behavior Expert, usually an industrial-organizational psychologist, is the one who understands what makes your employees tick—he or she is in charge of developing and evaluating surveys, validating results and making sure you're measuring what you need to measure. The Workforce Scientist: Of course, you need someone who can actually analyze the data to gather the insights. The Workforce Scientist—who can be a traditional data scientist, but should have some HR-related expertise—is in charge of experimenting with the data once it's available. This person should also have strong design or data visualization skills, in order to represent the data in compelling and easy-to-understand ways. Last but not least, don't feel intimated. Building an internal team takes time and very few, if any, companies have truly mastered the art of analytics. If you focus on gathering the right people with the right strategy, you'll be ahead of the curve.

Relocations, New Offices, Work-cations: It’s All About Keeping Top Talent

To retain highly-valued employees, many companies give employees the option to work from home, leave work early to attend their kids’ choir performance or, if they so choose, practically live at the office filled with gourmet meals, a gym and massages. But it doesn’t stop there: when employees want to move to a new city, companies are accommodating employees by providing a slew of relocation options or even the possibility to open a new office. It’s all in the name of avoiding the loss of a top-performing employee to another company. While relocating employees can be expensive for companies, it can be well worth it to retain the best employees. Every year $9.3 billion is spent in the U.S. on corporate relocation, according to Worldwide ERC. Let’s take a look at three ways that companies cater to employees’ desires to work from different geographic locations. Relocating Permanently Whether an employee wants to move to be near his hometown, to be in the same city as his significant other or to explore new territory, companies often are eager to keep top-notch talent, even if that means keeping them in a new city. While 37 percent of relocations are new hires, 64 percent are current employees, according to Worldwide ERC. Tech companies and consulting firms often have the flexibility to let employees switch offices since they have many offices and clients spread across the country. Bain & Company, the global consulting firm with offices in 32 countries, has a global mobility program that allows and even encourages employees to transfer between offices. When employees experience a new city and lifestyle, the exposure to cultural diversity advances them in their career development immensely, Eliza Scherrer, U.S. global mobility strategy leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, told Forbes. "[Encouraging location transfers] will help a company build loyalty. It will help you retain your people and it will grow them into better leaders tomorrow," she says. "All of that brings value to an organization." Darci Darnell, partner who has worked in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and London Bain offices, has been able to expand her horizons and learn how to deal with multiple cultures. "The opportunity to call up the chief talent officer and say, 'I'm interested in doing something different' and for him to say to you, 'That's amazing. Take out your map,'" Darnell says in a Bain video. "[That's] an extraordinary moment in your career, a moment when the world is your oyster." Opening New Offices Similarly, San Francisco-based PR firm LaunchSquad allows employees to relocate to its New York, Boston and Detroit offices. All four of these offices were in fact started by a go-getter employee who wanted to live in a new city. The clients and additional employees grew from there, according to LaunchSquad. But not just any employee can open a new office. The employee must exhibit independence and leadership and have the skills necessary to be an office leader. For example, one of LaunchSquad’s top employees, who had been with the company for a long time and had become an office leader, decided to move to Detroit, and the company wanted to retain her, according to LaunchSquad. Thus the Detroit office was borne. "If we have loyal employees who are far enough along in their development and can work independently, we let them work from where they need to," says Meghan Cavanaugh, vice president of talent at LaunchSquad. Enabling employees to transfer to other offices or even open new offices with the right expertise and leadership qualities has benefited LaunchSquad in keeping their employees happy and in recruiting high-quality talent. Many new hires in their San Francisco office are transplants and eventually want to go back to the East Coast. During the interview process, candidates are often told that after a couple of years with the company, they could relocate to the New York or Boston office if they want. On the flip side, employees who grew up in the Bay Area have the option to experience life on the East Coast by working from a different office for several years. Taking Work-cations When employees relocate to a different office or open a new office for long-term expansion, they often generate new ideas and innovate because of their change in environment. The same benefit can be generated for employees who aren’t looking to relocate by sending them on a work-cation — that is, a vacation where employees work together from a new locale. Take Dimagi, a mobile app development company with projects in more than 25 countries. To escape the extreme winter in the Boston offices, employees decided the ideal solution was to work from another country for several weeks. And so the Away Month program was born. Fourteen Boston-based employees were invited to the first Away Month in 2012 in Sao Paolo. "The employees were driving this, and I wanted to support them," Jonathan Jackson, Dimagi’s CEO, told Inc. "From a business-development perspective, getting a better understanding of South America and scouting potential partners there made sense. But I wanted people to know that this wasn't just a way to party down in Brazil. They needed to be able to communicate with the team at home, and remote clients as well." Employees who worked from Brazil said that they felt a deeper personal connection with their colleagues after the trip and developed energy and new innovations that wouldn’t have happened in Boston. After the great bonding experience, Dimagi hosted a second Away Month this year in Guatemala. One notable difference was that the company had grown to 80 employees, and the number of employees who traveled to Guatemala was three times the number that traveled to Brazil. The work-cation was just as successful as the first one. Employees generated new ideas and got a better understanding of their international markets. "Away Month is an opportunity to promote a lot of ad hoc work discussions outside of the office and between different groups, more so than we do when we’re at home," Jackson said. Whether employees are relocating permanently or for a month, switching environments causes employees to think outside the box and engage with colleagues in a new context.

Jason Corsello: How Technology Upgrades the Employee ’User Experience’

Companies are fanatical about the customer experience (see Apple). Why aren't companies equally committed to the employee experience?, asks Jason Corsello, vice president of corporate strategy and marketing for Cornerstone OnDemand. Corsello, in his article The Employee 'User Experience' Needs an Upgrade. Corsello isn't talking about office space or company culture here; he's talking about employees' experience with portals, collaborative tools and platforms. "For many successful companies, creating that great bricks-and-mortar 'UX' is a core competency of HR," writes Corsello. "Creating an equally optimal digital user experience for valued employees is a critically important challenge that relatively few businesses have mastered, let alone understood." Let HR Design the Employee UX "[A]s HR tech moves higher and higher into the cloud — and as employees become socialized and accustomed to having Apple-like elegance and simplicity with anything they interact with digitally, at home or at the office — HR departments need to be designing user experience, not the IT managers who ruled the roost for so many years before them." Borrow the Look & Feel of Social Media "Sounds like a no-brainer. But ease of use gets lost quickly in the excitement to offer new features and functions in HR software. Success — and mass adoption — tends to happen when you mirror something cool that people already know. Steal a page from Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn when developing user experience that will click with your employees." Prioritize Engagement — not Record-Keeping "[C}reating or investing in a system of engagement over a system of record is important for the future of HR tech....There's a reason the annual performance review is dying." Make Mobile Useful & Fun "Employees will use HR technology on their phones if they can use it as a helpful tool. Whether that means syncing calendar updates with teammates to submitting peer reviews while waiting to take off for a business trip." Read more at the Human Capitalist

The Business Case for Skill Intelligence

Research from the Institute for the Future reveals that a staggering 85 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet. Now more than ever, employees need to be adaptable, able to pivot, and ready to take on any challenge. Without deep insights into employee skill sets, where employees’ strengths lie, or how to tap into their hidden talents, however, none of that is possible. Skills have become the universal language for growth and success for every organization. And skill intelligence allows businesses to better understand, develop, and provision talent to dynamically meet the needs of the organization. It even allows us to make business-critical decisions more quickly and with greater confidence. But how exactly do you get those insights? Artificial intelligence (AI) for HR is game-changing AI has the power to increase HR scalability, recognize patterns in people’s behavior, and offer personalized support where and when needed. Using AI, HR and business leaders can more effectively upskill and reskill employees to meet shifting business needs and objectives — whatever demands the future may bring. With the right application of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, employers can go beyond tracking skills to enable action-oriented talent practices like never before. In this Lighthouse Research & Advisory report — based on a study of more than 1,000 employers and thousands of workers — you’ll learn: the concept of skill intelligence how AI forms the core of these initiatives the use cases and applications of skill intelligence Download the report now to learn how AI and skill intelligence can help your organization uncover better insights about the business, make predictions, and effectively respond to dynamic market changes.

Reflection Should Be a Habit — Not Just a Tradition

It's nearing the end of the year, which for many of us marks a time for reflection and resolution. Where did we succeed in the past year? Where did we fail? What can we do better next year? But as steadfast as the tradition of New Years' Resolutions may be — the practice of making changes in the New Year is thought to have started among the ancient Babylonians —the resolutions themselves are often short-lived. We pledge to finally read those books on our bedside table, propose more ideas during team meetings, actually use our gym membership or take a real vacation. Three months later, the books are collecting dust, Phil is still the loudmouth at the table and we convince ourselves we just don't have time to exercise or take a week off. The Impact of Habit Why do we wait until January 1 to reflect on our lives and make these changes, only to fade back into our old routine months, or even weeks, later? In some ways, the popularity of the tradition belittles its impact —we make a resolution simply because that's what we're supposed to do at this time of year. So, last year, I vowed to buck the trend. My resolution? To stop making New Years' Resolutions altogether. It wasn't a statement of pride — I certainly have changes I want to make in my life — but an attempt to move from an annual tradition of reflection and resolution to a habit of such. Instead of thinking up and struggling to achieve a few one-off New Years' Resolutions, I wanted to establish a consistent, ongoing behavior and practice of reflecting and improving. In fact, I think everyone would benefit from creating a habit of reflection — especially during the weeks before the holidays (the busiest weeks of the year for many people). It's time to make a commitment to be our best selves now — not in a few weeks when the clocks strikes midnight, not next year, but now. Think Bigger In the midst of rushing to meet Q4 and end of year goals and deadlines, we tend to put our heads down until we can come up for air. We work to speed through to-do lists, rather than taking a step back and prioritizing our tasks. We put blinders on, but what we really need to do is broaden our perspectives. I found myself in this exact routine the other day. I was simply milling through my list of tasks to complete before the end of the year, instead of looking at my work holistically. It was overwhelming to gaze at the sheer volume of work. To be honest, there are several things I can probably push to next year in order to hone in on the tasks that truly matter to my current goals. By taking time to stop and reflect on my workload — not after it's completed, but while I'm in the thick of it — I can heighten the quality of my work and my level of engagement on the job. My year without a New Years’ Resolution has taught me that we should always be reflecting, we should always have resolutions. But power emerges when reflection becomes a practice. Maybe it is on the treadmill or maybe it is in your car with the radio off on your drive home. When I was a public school teacher, every commute home I would turn the radio off and think about the day; what went well, what didn’t go so well, what I could learn today that would make me better tomorrow. The practice, I believe, made me more in tune with work and my students. It’s the difference between a good leader — someone who gets the work done — and a great leader — someone who goes above and beyond. Instead of pondering your upcoming resolution for 2016, why not try to start something new today: put down the to-do list, reflect and think bigger. Photo: Creative Commons

Don't Fear the Machines—Even Supercomputers Need a Human Touch

Amidst the frantic warnings that automation may take the jobs of human workers, it is vital for talent management leaders to be a voice for a more nuanced approach. The advance of technology is inevitable, but rather than an "either-or" choice between humans and machines, innovative talent leaders are finding creative and optimal combinations of human and machine interaction. Such combinations reveal new sources of value for both people and organizations, and they represent a formidable opportunity for savvy talent leaders to expand the value proposition of learning—as well as ensure the sustainability of their organizations. Working With the Supercomputer Consider the savvy combination of humans and machines that is embodied in IBM's work on "cognitive" computing—best exemplified by IBM's Watson, a combination of algorithms, interfaces, hardware and software that was capable of winning the television game Jeopardy over its human opponents. Now, Watson interacts with physicians researching oncology treatments for cancer, scanning thousands of research studies and conversationally interacting with physicians about the implications and findings. The supercomputer's algorithms can digest thousands of scientific articles much more efficiently than biochemists, producing promising hypotheses for the scientists to study. The advantage of a machine like Watson in medicine is undeniable. The U.S. Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center estimates that only 20% of the knowledge doctors use to diagnose patients is based on published scientific evidence, while IBM's Watson computer can thoroughly scan medical literature on certain cancers, as well as search up to 1.5 million patient records, in order to present doctors with verbal opinions about the best treatment. For humans, it would take at least 160 hours of reading a week just to keep up with new publications. This is not so much machines replacing humans, but architecting work to optimize the combination of automation (in the form of the Watson supercomputer) and human physicians. Fading Boundaries in the Workforce The same principle applies to improving Watson itself. Making Watson "smarter" requires more than simply feeding it more information or making it more conversational. Some of the biggest advances will come with improving Watson's ability to work with humans—and building that capability requires human insight. Not only does improving Watson require thinking beyond the computer, it also requires thinking beyond the traditional IBM workforce of regular full-time employees. Some of the best talent for this work lies beyond IBM's organizational boundary. How do you get a cadre of workers—inside and outside of IBM—motivated and qualified to invent new applications for "cognitive"? Obed Louissaint, the Vice President for HR, IBM Watson, Watson Health, Research, Technical Talent & Corporate Functions described how IBM's answer was to create "IBM Watson Academy," a virtual hub for training on a massive scale, including global challenges and thought-provoking idea exchanges, such as, "What do you think should be the next Grand Challenge in computer science?" The Academy's focus is on cognitive training accessible to employees of IBM itself, but also to employees of IBM's clients, IBM's development partners, and students in schools and universities around the world. Building an Ecosystem of Talent For example, upon its launch, Watson Academy piloted an IBM-made MOOC, adapted from a Columbia University graduate-level course taught by an IBM Watson researcher, which included students and faculty from 19 universities in 10 countries. In addition, the Academy launched an online interface that delivers learning in a broad variety of media, ranging from mastery modeling videos through hands-on guided practice. This creates flexible learning mosaics that appeal to learners and are at the same time easy to maintain and update. The idea is to make IBM's best tools and lessons about cognitive available to the entire ecosystem of workers inside and outside of IBM, to rapidly create a qualified workforce ready and willing to develop the next big thing for Watson. The Academy has also used contests to get attention and motivate these current and future workers to train themselves on cognitive using tools on the website and then compete to showcase their best solutions. Contests expand the rewards for learning beyond money to include reputation and the thrill of winning against the best in the world. The future of learning will rely on a mix of algorithms, cloud-based data and human-machine interfaces. Optimizing that brave new world will require that leaders reframe how they think about the work, the workforce and the fundamental relationship between people and automation. As IBM has found, even the smartest machine can benefit from some help from the human mind. Photo: Creative Commons

Human Capitalist: The Key to Great HR Tech? Not Big Data — Good Data

Like every business department these days, HR is awash in Big Data. But, as Carol Anderson, a leading human resources expert, writes on Human Capitalist, the analytics HR teams are using aren't all that useful. "Time and again," she writes, "I have watched HR professionals spend an inordinate amount of time defending their data to leaders and employees who don't believe that the data is credible." Anderson's advice? Stop obsessing about Big Data, and start focusing on Good Data. Here's how: Ask End-User Questions at the Beginning "An excellent place to start is, as usual, at the end. Key questions to consider: What data do leaders and executives need to understand organizational performance and leadership strength? How useful is the current data being provided? How accurate?" Review Current Data "Now, armed with the knowledge of what is important, it’s time for a candid review of the current state of data. Who inputs the data and how is the integrity of the data ensured? Where are there inconsistencies in the data? Why do they exist (you may need to push beyond the 'because we need it')? Can we provide the data that the leaders need in a timely and accurate manner? If we find gaps, what data is the priority to address?" Employ Teams to Get the Job Done "Pull together small cross-functional teams to complete the analysis and revise the data processes. Break the work into small chunks, and give the teams the challenge to eliminate inconsistencies, and recommend a process to ensure data quality." Read the full article here.

5 Companies Using Gamification to Boost Business Results

In 2011, a group of online gamers collectively solved a problem in three short weeks that had puzzled scientists for decades: They found the structure of an enzyme that helps AIDS-like viruses reproduce. This communal discovery has become a go-to example that illustrates the benefits of gamification, a trend in which game mechanics are applied to non-game situations to encourage users to behave in a certain, desired way. In the HR community, companies are increasingly implementing gamification to drive higher employee engagement, boost productivity and encourage healthy habits, among other outcomes. By tapping into people's innate love of playing games, employees are encouraged to solve problems while generating measurable results for the organization. At Cornerstone, we use a lighthearted people-matching mobile game help increase team camaraderie. Here's a look at five creative ways more companies' have implemented successful gamification programs: Cisco Employees Play Their Way to Becoming Social Media Masters Challenge: Cisco had invested in a global social media training program for its employees and contractors to build and leverage their social media skillset. But with over 46 courses as part of the program, it was overwhelming to figure out where to start. Gamified Solution: Cisco introduced three levels of certification for the social media training program: Specialist, Strategist and Master, as well as four sub-certification levels for HR, external communications, sales and internal partner teams. It also mixed in team challenges to incorporate a healthy dose of competition and collaboration into earning social media certifications. Results: Since gamifying its social media training program, more than 650 Cisco employees have been certified with over 13,000 courses taken. How Deloitte Made Leadership Training for Senior Execs "Addictive" Challenge: Deloitte had built a leadership training curriculum for senior executives, but had trouble encouraging executives to start and complete the program. Gamified Solution: Deloitte turned to Badgeville to introduce gamified elements like badges, leaderboards and status symbols that measured how many executives were participating and completing courses. Results: The average time to complete the training curriculum dropped by 50 percent, and the program has seen a 46.6 percent increase in the number of users that return to the site daily. Engine Yard Sends Employees on Missions to Grow Its Knowledge Base The Challenge: Cloud app management platform Engine Yard had invested in a Zendesk knowledge base to encourage self-service and community troubleshooting, but employees and customers weren't engaging with the knowledge base as fast as hoped. Gamified Solution: Engine Yard implemented Badgeville's game mechanics into its Zendesk platform that rewarded contributors with Achievements and introduced Missions that users could complete for additional recognition after completing customer surveys or reporting bugs. Results: Once Engine Yard gamified its knowledge base, the company saw a 20 percent drop in customer complaint tickets, a 40 percent uptick in forum engagement and knowledge base searches and a 40 percent improvement in customer support response time. 100% of Googlers Submit Travel Expenses Thanks to Gamification The Challenge: Google, like many companies, needed more of its employees to submit travel expense information on a timely and regular schedule. Gamified Solution: When Google employees take a work trip, they receive an allowance for each location. Google gamified the expense process by letting employees who didn't spend their entire allowances choose what happened to the remaining money — getting paid out in their next paycheck, saving funds toward a future trip or donating it to a charity of their choice. Results: Gamifying Google's travel expense system translated into 100 percent compliance within six months of launching the program. Microsoft Staffers Around the World Weigh In On Language Localization The Challenge: Microsoft has myriad language localization needs for its many products, and ensuring that translations were accurate and made sense was a huge challenge for just one team. Gamified Solution: Microsoft built a "Language Quality" game, which involved a very simple Silverlight application that let users view screens to check for language accuracy. Microsoft included intentionally poor translations to make sure its employees were actually paying attention. Results: 4,500 users reviewed 500,000 screens to correct or improve translations based on their native languages. Microsoft Japan actually took a company-wide day off to play the game and ended up winning the leaderboard.

For Generation Z, Passion is the Future of Work

In a recent blog, "Why Passion is the Future of Work: HR Leaders' Best Advice for Grads," I was quoted for noting, "doing what you love is the future of work." While this is true for millennials (and really, for people of any age as they advance in their careers), it's particularly salient for Generation Z. Generation Z typically includes those born after 1995, and like every generation, they're distinct in their motivations and expectations regarding their career paths. They are less focused on money and prestige than previous generations, and their ranks include an impressive number of entrepreneurs. In fact, more than four in ten Gen Zers plan to pursue entrepreneurship (four times higher than the actual percentage of people who work for themselves today at 6.6 percent) and 63 percent think entrepreneurship should be part of the higher education curriculum. The willingness of this cohort to go out on their own is born of a truly independent mindset. Coming of age in a far better economy than millennials did, they're also much less likely to move back home or return to graduate school after college. How does all of the above lends itself to work defined by passion? There are three key trends employers should prepare for when it comes to hiring Generation Z: 1. A Sense of Purpose Gen Zers expect to be told the purpose of every responsibility they assume. They tend to be focused and work hard, but they want to believe that their contributions matter. They seek results and aren't demure about receiving recognition. 2. Flexibility is Not Just a Buzzword Gen Zers don't see the point of being locked into a 9-to-5 office environment. Employers who don't get on board with working remotely will likely fail to attract Gen Zers. Remember, this is the first generation that was born into a technologically connected world, and they find the requirement to be physically present at work rather quaint. 3. Global, Social, Mobile Gen Z is better prepared than any other generation for the global workplace. They will be perfectly poised to work in global organizations and seamlessly able to expatriate when the opportunity presents itself. Social media and mobile are as natural to them as the telephone was to their grandparents. They grew up with technology—digital literacy is just as significant as literacy itself. What Type of Jobs Fit Generation Z? Gen Zers will have less competition from millennials or Gen Xers for many positions in social media and community management, app development, UI / UX design, cloud computing or sustainability or other "green" jobs, and data mining. The jobs of this generation will be roles that didn't even exist 10 years ago. As a baby boomer myself, I see a lot to admire about Gen Z. My cohort, having grown up during the economic dream world of the 50s and 60s, tended to follow the money so that we could replicate or exceed our parents' comfortable lifestyles. Gen X was focused on finding prominence in their work, pursuing investment banking and other prestigious careers. The millennials, graduating into an abysmal economy, often had to defer their dreams of finding passion. But Gen Z seems to have benefited from great economic and cultural timing, affording them the opportunity to truly follow their passions. Older generations have traditionally had to wait until retirement to find work that holds meaning—going back to school for their teaching certification to share their knowledge with students; or opening their own businesses where they can sell their famous secret barbecue sauce or pecan pies—but Gen Z, with its collective drive and ability, doesn't need to wait. For the next generation of workers, following your dreams is no longer just a privilege. It's also a real possibility. Photo: Creative Commons

A Fortune 500 CEO Who Sits (Happily) at the Bottom of the Corporate Ladder

The traditional office hierarchy is looking more and more like a thing of the past. A lot of companies are moving to "flatten" their internal structure by making everyone feel more equal (from doing away with formal offices to eliminating job titles altogether to introducing employee rotation programs). Some are taking the opposite approach, with outsized job titles that can border on ridiculous. What about a third way? Where leaders aren't at the top, or even in the middle. Think of an inverted pyramid, where the CEO is at bottom. What kind of senior leader in his right mind would willingly take on the role of office peon? A Fortune 500 leader, apparently. John Donahoe, the CEO of eBay, to be exact. Put the Customer First In an interview with venture capitalist Peter Levine, Donahoe discussed his "servant leadership" style. He's worth paying attention to: Donahoe is widely credited with turning about eBay in the six years that he's held the job. Traditional hierarchies have never worked, says Donahoe. Instead, he uses an inverted pyramid mindset where the customer is the center of all conversations and decisions. Instead of having the C-suite and top executives at the top of the ladder, Donahoe suggests flipping it, so the customers are on top, followed by the customer-facing employees with the top executives on the bottom. "Everybody inside the company exists to help [employees dealing with customers] serve the customers better," says Donahoe. "And I’m at the bottom of that pyramid, and ultimately my job is to clear channels to serve our customers well." Make Employees Feel Valued Donohoe also talks about "followership," where employees feel that the top executives are working for the employees, rather than the other way around. "If you want to have the absolute most talented people working for you," he says, "they can’t feel like they are working for you." Be an Authentic Leader Just because the inverted pyramid works for him doesn't mean it works for everyone else. Donahoe cautions leaders to choose the management style that feels authentic to them. "I wouldn’t try to copy someone else’s personality. I followed Meg Whitman, I had big shoes to fill," says Donahoe, referring to his predecessor at eBay. "But I couldn’t be Meg Whitman. I had to be me. The leaders that create followership, if there’s one common quality it is that they are authentic. Having good values, and then being authentic and transparent." h/t: Andreezen Horowitz Image via Can Stock Photo

Technology Opens the Door to Business Intelligence, But It’s Not the Key

So your company is investing in a new talent management system and you think you'll get all kinds of great data from it, right? Well...maybe. Just because you buy the latest HR technology product doesn’t mean you’ll get good business intelligence. Technology is not the key here. Solid business processes that result in accurate and timely information are the key. Human resource data is particularly vulnerable to poor maintenance because the people entering the data are managers and employees that tend to approach the task with resentment (i.e. "doing HR’s work for them"). Not only is the data poorly maintained, but also the same data is reinvented many times over by different branches of HR that use the data for different purposes. What's more, most HR teams don't run quality audits on their data to ensure that data entry is accurate or that data is updated as necessary. Here are some steps a company can take to trust their data and utilize technology tools. Step 1: Find the Root Cause of the Inaccuracy We often dump raw data and manipulate it with spreadsheets to make it look pretty. If the data provided to clients is wrong, find the root cause and fix it. It's often a simple fix, but you need to dig for it. Use the five whys to find the root cause. A termination code is wrong on a report. Why? Because the manager entered an incorrect code. Why? Because the manager was using an outdated code listing on the intranet. Why? Because the code listing had not been updated. Why? Because the HR representative who was responsible for updating the code listing on the intranet had been out for an extended leave and no one knew to make the change. Why? Because all the responsibility is on one person to remember to update the codes. If you simply changed the code in the system to the correct code, it would still be wrong the next time a manager refers to the code listing on the intranet. If however, you find the root cause, you not only fix the error, but also the systemic problem that led to the error — the process was too dependent on one person. Step 2: Make Sure Your Hierarchy is Designed to Distribute Employee Data to Managers Correctly Many HR systems are fed from payroll that is organized around the accounting department. In our increasingly complex organizations, however, hierarchies aren’t that simple. Employees may be paid by one department, yet may report to a leader in a different department. The unit leader may be part of a specific department for accounting purposes, but in distribution performance and talent reports and processes, they should actually show under their direct manager, not their leader. This is a great opportunity to think collectively across HR silos, identify different organizational structure needs, and design a structure that works for each need. Step 3: Get Your Job Data Straight An HR system is, at its core, a matching system that contains both employee data and job data to be matched depending upon the purpose. Compensation? The employee is assigned to a job code. Recruiting? The vacancy is assigned a job code. Learning and development? The competencies and learning paths are linked to a job code. Job codes are both the most powerful and most misused elements of HR data. If an employee is assigned to the wrong job code, their salary grade, their EEO code, their bonus structure and possibly their benefits will be wrong. Companies must think collectively across HR silos and create job codes and job data that works across all HR functions. Step 4: Make Sure Your Systems Talk to Each Other One system for recruiting, another for learning, and yet another for the HRIS, may be nicely customized for the HR function using it, but it doesn’t translate across functions. HR needs to talk the same language for the sake of their customers, meaning that a job code to a recruiter should mean the same to a compensation representative. Step 5: Audit Your Data It takes work and it takes time, but your credibility is worth it. Before you open the door to HR technology, be sure you have the key! Photo: Can Stock

Cartoon Coffee Break: Workplace Therapy Session

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back every two weeks for a new ReWork cartoon. Mental health at work is a growing concern for organizations around the world. How can HR managers ensure their employees don’t burn out? Check out some suggestions here. Header image: Creative Commons

Q&A with Josh Bersin: The No. 1 Problem Facing HR Departments Today — and How to Fix it

The way many human resources departments are structured and operate needs to change, says Josh Bersin, principal and founder of Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte Consulting LLP a human resources research and advisory firm. As the need for talent grows, the traditional approach to "centers of expertise" with HR generalists has to change, argues Bersin, driving more embedded talent expertise within the business. Bersin suggests that companies have to redefine talent management from "integrated" to a configurable "talent system." Why are companies rethinking their approaches to talent management? We are entering a crisis in retention and engagement. Coming out of the recession skills are in short supply and organizations need to reinvigorate the value proposition and work experience for their employees. We like to call it "building passion in the workplace" – it goes far beyond the traditional definition of engagement. Over the last ten years companies have been focused on "integrated talent management" – bringing the various talent teams together to implement coaching, performance management, development planning and other practices. Now, in 2014, we need to take the next step, and build what we call the "corporate talent system" — not software. Rather than think about how to "tweak" or "change" the performance appraisal and compensation process to improve engagement or retention, for example, we now need to shift our thinking to all elements of talent management at the same time. The whole talent "system" works together, so you really can’t change one process without looking at all the others. Suppose you want to improve employee engagement and performance in a given business area. First, of course, you have to look at management skills and behaviors. But beyond this, the likely solution may involve a change in performance management, an increase in diversity and inclusion, changing the work environment and work rules, modifying compensation, tweaking the employee development environment, and just about everything else. Rather than look at one talent practice as a solution to a problem, now we need to look at the "system" as a whole. This takes a consultative approach. In 2014 we have to design HR to think about these problems in a systemic way and then take a systemic approach to solutions. Companies are not only going to need integrated software, but they’re going to need to have teams that work on problems in a consultative way. Describe a company that solved a problem by taking a jigsaw puzzle approach to HR? A Midwest electric utilities company is having a hard time recruiting engineers to work in its two nuclear power plants. The head of the nuclear division told HR that he wanted to raise the compensation by 35 percent to attract engineers. The HR leader said "not so fast" and created a small consulting team of HR experts that’s basically a SWAT team. After several months of study, the team concluded, "Yes, we’re not getting enough candidates, despite there being people in the market for these jobs. The reason we’re not getting them has nothing to do with compensation — it’s our employment brand. We have no brand value proposition, we’re unknown, and no one thinks we’re a cool company. You can raise the comp all you want, but we’re still not going to get them." They implemented these recommendations, and sure enough, within six to nine months they developed a strong pipeline of engineers. How can a company begin to change its approach to HR? We have to redesign HR to think about the entire "talent system" as a whole — and put in place senior specialists in the field who can implement and tweak these processes as needed. Generally there are three things in the way of this. First, many people in HR lack domain expertise. In one of our most recent surveys, nearly 45 percent of respondents ranked "reskilling HR" as a top priority. Second, HR structure is designed well for integrated consulting. Companies have spent a long time setting up HR generalists that serve the needs of line managers — these people have to become embedded specialists, connected to the center of expertise. Third, we have defined the HR roles based on service delivery, and HR people get paid based on the "customer satisfaction" of their line managers. While this is a good thing, it draws them away from becoming consultants and encourages them to spend time on administration. We need to shift HR teams into consulting roles and need to train managers how to implement HR practices through self-service wherever possible. 2014 will be a challenging year to hire and retain people. It’s time to rethink about HR and redesign our teams to build a highly engaging workplace, drive development and performance, and attract the most highly skilled candidates.

Beginning Your Talent Analytics Journey: Don’t Become a ’Mustang in the Mud’

One of my favorite analogies is ’don’t be a mustang in the mud’. The expression refers to the iconic Ford Mustang – a great car on the street, but definitely not the right vehicle in the mud. More and more I’m seeing organizations work to figure out what problem(s) to attack with predictive talent analytics and I’m reminded of my ’mustang in the mud’ analogy. Talent Analytics is Hot The enthusiasm for talent analytics is very strong, and that momentum is driving companies to either engineer or look to partners to help solve multiple talent challenges – new hire turnover, employee development, talent mobility, etc. That’s fantastic, but there seems to be a trend to attack multiple problems at one time. Deloitte tells us that only 8% of organizations are doing strong predictive analytics. This continues to be a small number and the year-over-year ramp remains low. My hypothesis is that there are a lot of ’mustangs in the mud’ – a lot of horsepower in the wrong environment. Walk Before You Run As the niche of predictive talent analytics continues to grow, I get the sense that many companies will immediately begin trying to solve many problems in parallel. My advice to those companies is to start with one – to walk before you run. Start with one where you know you either have the attention of the business or you feel confident that you can get it. One where the data needed to gain insight into the issue exists, and finally one that is more easily operationalized and/or deployed in the business. Doing so will allow you to: Assess your technology/partners to determine if within your own network you have access to the predictive analytics solution you will need – both people and technology. Trial and error for what will become a repeatable process for diagnosing and executing development of the next problem/need/challenge, because we all know there’s always more than one. At the end of the day, if you’ve never undertaken a formal data and predictive analytics strategy, no matter how great the predictive analytics solution you use, trying to solve for too many things at once will take that Mustang you’re so proud of and put it in the mud where it’s only fractionally as effective. Scale will come in time, but set yourself up for success early versus attempting to tackle so much that you never get off the ground. In other words, don’t allow yourself to become a mustang in the mud...

Ted Talk Tuesday: The Key to a Creative Breakthrough Is Doubt

This post is part of our monthly "TED Talk Tuesday" series, spotlighting can't-miss TED Talks and their key takeaways. You can learn more about our partnership with TED here. Alan Iny works as a senior specialist for creativity and scenarios at Boston Consultant Group, where he trains executives and fellow BCG consultants on how to think creatively. A member of the firm's strategy leadership team and co-author of Thinking in New Boxes: A New Paradigm for Business Creativity with Luc de Brabandere, he has vast experience in advising companies worldwide in innovation, scenarios, transformation, organization design and change management across industries. In his TED Talk, Iny explains that creativity in the workplace today is a paradox. It has never been more essential, and yet the prevailing "think-outside-of-the-box" approach to creativity doesn't offer the structure we need to be creative. The key to a creative breakthrough, he asserts, is doubt. Watch the video below and read on for three key takeaways from his talk: "Embrace doubt. Doubt that doubt is bad." Iny starts off by describing the "typical" brainstorm session, where everyone sits around a conference room table and decries "Think outside the box!" and "Let's have a blue sky unconstrained session!" but that rarely results in the breakthroughs we desire. He asserts this is because "the critical capability for practical creativity in individuals and organizations is very often lacking." What's the critical capability? Doubt. According to Iny, if we really want to have creative breakthroughs, we must stop putting pressure on executives to never show any doubt and encourage people to doubt everything they know to be true. In the workforce, rapidly changing technologies and a new generation of millennial workers offer more reasons to introduce doubt into your workday. Whether it's hiring practices or social media strategy, now is a great time to take a step back and reevaluate whether the processes you believe to be the most effective are still holding up. "All of your boxes are only working hypotheses, they are subject to change." Iny emphasizes that by recognizing your "boxes" or mental models can change, you open yourself up to the possibility of improving or even completely rethinking things you thought were permanent. For example, when starting a new business, executives have for years favored a hierarchical arrangement. But in order to take advantage of unprecedented technological advances and a changing workforce, companies are now rethinking that "box" and as a result morphing into arrangements that allow for greater collaboration. The same holds true for vertical vs. lateral hiring. Our recent Career Trends survey found that 89 percent of employees would consider a lateral career move with no financial incentive, but only 32 percent of organizations encourage cross-departmental movement. This signals it might be time for companies to rethink their career mobility "box" if they want to hold onto their top talent. "Who am I to judge?" Iny references a moment in which Pope Francis responded to a question with "Who am I to judge?" He says, "That is the kind of doubt and humility great leaders demonstrate. Especially when everyone around them is telling them they are infallible." No matter how great of a leader or manager you are, Iny explains, you are still a human being drawn to the status quo. To fight this, we must deliberately and regularly list the assumptions and constraints we use to look at the world, our companies and our customers and decide which ones need to be refreshed. This allows us to not only nurture new ideas, but change existing ones. Photo: TED

The Case for Ethical Hacking

When it comes to addressing the threat of cyber attack, companies are starting to borrow from the playbook of their would-be enemies by hacking their own systems before others get the chance. The practice is called "ethical hacking" and it's an approach that recently gained worldwide attention when it was revealed that Edward Snowden, the American exile who is now hiding out in Russia after disclosing details about U.S. spy operations, received an official certification in ethical hacking while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency. The reason for the interest in ethical hacking is clear: security concerns are on the rise — both in the public and private sector. To lessen the risk, companies are investing heavily in security services. A 2010 Gartner survey predicted that spending on worldwide security services would reach $49.1 billion by 2015, a 40 percent increase from 2011. The Case for Self-Inflicting Wounds While many companies wait until there is a security breach to fix the system, one way to proactively manage a cyber hack is to simply hack your own system before others do. Ethical hackers — the undercover cops of the IT world — are important investments for companies, especially government agencies, financial institutions or others that deal with highly sensitive information. Third-party companies employ these certified hackers to identify holes in a company's IT infrastructure. Here is how Cornerstone uses ethical hackers to stay on top of digital security threats and assure our customers that our system is impenetrable. We pay third-party professional hacking services to hack our system continuously for two weeks. This is called a penetration test and implements a combination of manual and automatic maneuvers. We have conducted these tests four times a year — timed with new product releases — since 2010. We publish results upon client request. This how we can prove the security of our system. We make sure all red flags that are identified are addressed immediately. As the spread of cloud-based and other technologies opens up more opportunities for cyber criminals to strike, it is crucial that IT departments be proactive about plugging any holes before they spring a leak.

3 Ways the "Gig Economy" Can Improve Your Talent Pool

A growing number of Americans are ditching full-time employment in favor of short-term projects and side jobs, where they can pursue their passions, determine their own schedules and essentially be their own bosses. Contingent workers now total 53 million, making up 34 percent of the American workforce. With this so-called "gig economy" showing no signs of slowing, human resource pros are starting to think about how to embrace this burgeoning pool of talent – and how to keep their own full-time employees fulfilled as the appeal of a "long job" fades. "The freelancing trend isn’t going anywhere, so HR departments need to evolve," says Sharon Steiner, vice president of Human Resources at Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelance services. While the idea of finding talent beyond full-time employees certainly goes against the grain of traditional HR, a short-term gig doesn't necessarily translate to a lack of long-term value. By integrating freelancers into your company culture and offering your employees exposure to outside knowledge, you can strengthen your business' bottom line. Below are three key strategies to broadening your talent pool and embracing the "gig economy": 1. Go mobile Instituting a mobile-friendly workplace is increasingly important for full-time employees, but it’s crucial when working with freelancers who are often remote or work odd hours. "You need to be where the talent is," says Steiner. "The gig marketplace is almost all digital and it’s becoming increasingly reliant on mobile. When you work with freelancers, you need to make sure your channels of communication are open." With mobile applications maturing beyond simple administrative tasks, accomplishing real work – and even conducting full projects – is entirely possible from the palm of someone’s hand. IBM recently launched enterprise apps that bring IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities to iPhone and iPad users in the enterprise, so employees can tackle complex projects on their phones/tablets. And last month, the cover of the New Yorker was completed entirely on an iPad. 2. Recruit retirees The gig economy is not just a community of independent Millennials – it includes professionals at every age, and Baby Boomers actually take the lead. Recruiting retirees for short-term projects is the perfect opportunity to assist in their transition while sourcing senior expertise, as recent studies show nearly two-thirds of workers ages 16 to 64 prefer a gradual transition to retirement. "In mature industries, like energy or utility, the senior management and technical engineering folks are often heading toward retirement years, but the pipeline of young talent is not yet available," says Steve Boese, co-chair of the HR Technology Conference and host of the HR Happy Hour Show and Podcast. Employees who had a good relationship with their workplace, he adds, would likely love the opportunity to continue working for the company or industry in some capacity after they leave full-time. 3. Support side gigs While it may seem counter-intuitive, offering your own employees "gigs" or opportunities to work on projects outside of their job (and likewise sourcing short-term talent from other companies) is another way to refresh creativity and expand your company’s skill set. "It’s a huge value proposition to tell current or prospective employees that your ’career concept’ isn’t limited by your industry," says John Boudreau, professor and research director at USC’s Marshall School of Business and Center for Effective Organizations. "There are people who don’t work for you, but may want to work on a specific project for you. On the other hand, there are employees who want to work for you, but you can’t give them everything they need or want to learn." A few years ago, Siemens and Walt Disney formed an alliance aligned with this theory. Expanding beyond their internal team, Siemens borrowed Walt Disney employees to help develop a marketing campaign for their new hearing aid for kids. In the same vein, companies have created programs that allow employees to work on their own side projects, such as Microsoft Garage. No matter how you do it, finding ways to integrate short-term projects into your company can bring in high-quality expertise and offer current employees an expanded work experience. Boudreau finds the prospect of looking for talent beyond employment limitless: "What if we saw career development as boundary-less?" he asks, "And what if we saw the talent we need as existing everywhere?" Photo: Shutterstock

Meet the Future, Ready: A Guide for Talent Leaders Shaping the New World of Work

“Unprecedented times.” “The next world of work.” “The great reset.” You’ve heard these phrases repeatedly. And it’s true: The COVID-19 pandemic and other world events have radically changed how we work, where we work, and what employees expect from work. But in many ways, that’s a good thing — because a shift in the way we work has long been in the cards. Standing at the edge of a 5th industrial revolution, employees are now heading back to work after the most intense period of change the modern world has ever experienced. This also means organizations have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-build work in a way that works for everyone. And the future of work now lies squarely in the hands of HR and talent leaders. Like no other business leader, talent leaders hold the golden thread to reimagining the workplace for today — and whatever comes next. As agents of change, you have the opportunity to empower a more connected, collaborative, and future-ready workforce. The future belongs to organizations with the courage and mindset needed to reimagine how they work. To meet the future ready — with agility, resilience, shared purpose, and alignment — you must deliver a connected experience that creates value for people, and an environment that’s designed for collective growth and success. ​ This opportunity to redesign the way we work and pursue what’s possible may never come again — let’s not waste it. To help guide your path forward, we asked talent practitioners around the world – as well as renowned thought leaders from companies like The Josh Bersin Company, The Fosway Group and more – what they have to say about rebuilding a future that works for all. And what they had to say may just give you a new lens through which you view your organization’s approach to work. Filled with proven strategies, revealing statistics, and practical examples, this guide will give you the insights and inspiration you need to meet the future ready. You’ll learn why (and how) you should: Make learning foundational to people and business growth Turn skills into your new growth language Connect skills development to career paths Let artificial intelligence (AI) do some of the heavy lifting Download the guide now to learn how you can rebuild a workplace that empowers everyone to adapt, grow, and succeed!

The impact of digital transformation on HR

HR and IT need to work together to not only overcome their individual challenges, but also drive overall enterprise results. Effective IT and HR collaboration is critical when selecting and deploying a TMS. This paper will explore strategies and tactics to ensure the organization is better positioned to deliver on a talent strategy through a modern, integrated Talent Management System (TMS) that can support and enable candidates, employees, managers, and the business as a whole.

3 Steps to Building Organizational Adaptability and Resilience During the Pandemic

In working with more than 6,300 organizations in a wide variety of industries across 20 years, Cornerstone has partnered with countless clients that are navigating organizational change. Weve found that during troublesome times there are three constants that emerge time and time again: First, while crises are difficult and traumatizing, they can also bring out the best in people. Over the course of the past year, weve all witnessed extraordinary acts of compassion, creativity, and selflessness. Second, and on a practical note, organizations who are (or learn to be!) agile, flexible, and innovative during disruption have a better chance of surviving this and any other crisis. Third, organizations that keep an eye on the future while still effectively managing the crisis at hand come out stronger and more successful than those who only plan for immediate needs. And that, in a nutshell, is the purpose of this eBook: To help you and your organization not only navigate todays challenges but to plan for the future by continuing to motivate, engage, and inspire your employees and stakeholders. Within this eBook, youll find practical actions to take today to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to provide stability for your employees. Just as importantly, these steps will also ensure youre ready to survive and thrive in whatever may come.

5 ways to deliver sustainable business leadership during a global health crisis (and beyond)

Employee health, business success and public good are more interconnected than ever in the midst of a global pandemic. Because of this, a social responsibility lies with leaders from across industries to ensure the response minimizes negative human impact. Business leaders should spend the immediate future refining, or instituting, inclusive policies that benefit every employee—and persist for years to come.

5 ways COVID-19 will change the future of work

Theres no question that COVID-19 has impacted the world of work in deep, disruptive ways. How much has the world of work changed as we embraced social distancing and found our own version of “shelter at home?” the world of work for white collar professionals IS likely to change based on what weve learned. But offices arent going away. Your companys approach to what work is and how it gets done is simply going to evolve. In many industries, the trend has long been leaning towards more remote work for professional grade team members. While some companies have taken the full plunge, many have barely dipped a toe in the true “remote workforce” organizational design.

Cornerstone SMB Learning Management Survey Results

“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” Often attributed to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this old African proverb helps us realize that some days can be tough on our journey. It is helpful to remember that rough seas help us learn how to manage, how to cope. And it is not just life skills we are talking about; it is an organizational dynamic. Learning has often been billed as a competitive advantage, being able to adapt and adjust faster is how businesses think of employee learning and development (with the notable exception of those who are just focused on maintaining compliance). The thought process goes, “by developing and training our employees, well have the most skilled workers, which will translate into productivity, retention, and ultimately success in our marketspace.” All of which are true, but the year 2020 taught the world of work some additional, hard lessons about the value of investing in learning: the key to adaptability and survival of every business starts and ends with learning. Remote work, virtual collaboration, and new skills training became the lifeboat that saw us to shore. To our surprise, we found that not only could we survive this way, but we could also thrive. We may not be able to predict the next crisis, competitor, or marketplace change, but you can prepare your workforce to be adaptable and your business to be ready to take on any challenge.

The Transformation Toolkit: How to thrive in the face of market disruption

In todays market, it is disrupt or be disrupted. Every industry is exposed to disruption in some way. In the face of these disruptors, organizations have two choices: continuously reinvent themselves or be left behind. The pace of change has not only accelerated but has manifested itself in a reduction in tenure on the S&P 500, with a 77% decrease in average lifespan since 1920. According to some projections, 50% of S&P 500 companies will be replaced in the next decade. In the public sector, we see similar trends, such as the prediction that 50% of higher education institutions will close or go bankrupt in the next decade. Or in healthcare, where we see mergers and acquisitions up 14.4 percent year over year. Even government agencies must stay relevant by transforming into more efficient organizations to stay modern in service delivery and responsive to constituent needs. Recognizing and adapting to the disruption is key to transformation, and HR leaders must play a pivotal role in driving this strategy. Driving transformation will likely necessitate a closer look at processes and technology, but the real key to a successful transformation is your people. By focusing on and investing in your people, your organization will be better set up for sustainable performance improvement and the type of cultural change that's necessary to turn disruptive crises into transformational opportunities. In the following chapters, we will focus on three of the more common disruptors: mergers and acquisitions, emerging technologies and changes in regulatory compliance. It is virtually guaranteed that you and your team will experience one or more of these in 2020. Each chapter will walk through the impact of these disruptors – on your people and on your business - and give you specific actions to help you attract, retain, and develop a team that will thrive in the face of disruption.

Thriving beyond COVID-19 with transformation and adaptability: Financial Services

Your customers need you now, more than ever. In order to help your customers when they need it most, your financial services business must quickly adapt to digital transformation without disrupting the ability to meet their immediate and often urgent needs. Many old processes that involved retail or in-person business must transform to a digital interface while maintaining high levels of customer service. We know this crisis has likely forced you to make some changes, but is your business truly adapting to thrive? Are you able to make change and transform at scale for a future that may never go back to “normal”? This guidebook will do a deep dive on the challenges the financial sector is facing and explore how a focus on employee experience— comprised of engagement, productivity, and compliance efforts– can support your customers, while quickly adapting your culture and operations to a digitally transformed organization.

Empowering the Future Workforce, Part 1: Mapping the Skills Landscape

This post originally appeared on Toolbox HR. We’re in the midst of another Industrial Revolution—and while we can expect great things to come from technological advances (like increased automation), we’re going to need to work collectively to prepare ourselves for the changes that are to come. We can rest assured, however, that newer, more efficient jobs are on the horizon. Soon, we’ll start to liken the workforce transformations of today to those of the 18th century Industrial Revolution, when we witnessed the now obvious transition of certain roles like carriage drivers to taxi drivers (and now, rideshare app drivers). But before we can realize all the good, productive outcomes from a revolution, we must admit that change is not easy. In this next Industrial Revolution, led by the perforation of AI into every industry, how can we actively ease the transition for organizations and their people? Let’s consider this: the automation we are familiar with today often replaces menial tasks, which in turn alters the value that certain roles bring to an organization. In the near future, however, we may start to see AI’s responsibilities shift from objectively placing doors on a car frame to subjectively selecting the best product from a bin with almost infinite combinations of shape, size, texture, color or weight. What this means is that the AI Industrial Revolution will impact every role across every industry, but not necessarily equally. While some roles will only see a shift in certain automatable tasks, others with a higher percentage of repeatable tasks will experience more disruption. In order to fully grasp the extent of the impact on various roles and industries, we first need to understand the skills landscape. Governments, non-profits, educational institutions and businesses alike are all going to have to play a part in global reskilling and upskilling initiatives. As AI continues to mature, the private sector will need to be more deliberate and strategic in building skills within their people if they want to achieve desired business growth. As your organization embarks on a journey to map out your unique skills landscape and drive actionable insights, be sure to consider the following capabilities: a unified view of skills, the measurement of proximity of different skills, and continuous monitoring of new skills. A Single View of Skills and Capabilities Even in mature HR organizations, it’s a heavy lift to implement a skills framework that provides insights into which roles require which skills, who has which skills, and which skills are needed from an organizational standpoint. Many teams are only able to complete this sort of work for a relatively narrow scope. There are natural barriers around hierarchies, languages, and intensive specializations, which make it difficult to capture a cohesive picture of skills within an organization. Many traditional and even new skills technologies struggle to get past these barriers, only providing pieced together fragments of skills mappings. However, there are also next-gen solutions, which sit on massive sets of data gathered from public, private, and academic sources to aggregate a global pool of any term that could be used to represent a skill. From there, Natural Language Processing, analysis, and eventually AI structure these terms into unique "nodes" that can ingest synonyms across global languages to represent skills evenly across the organization. Similar to the world of finance, where we convert the balances of different accounts into a single view to make decisions, this is like creating a single skills balance sheet to understand how to invest for the future. Gaps and Importance of Proximity Most of the ink in the future of skills is spilled on gaps: what skills do people have now and what skills are they lacking for the future. With this narrow view, the work ahead of us looks incredibly daunting. In order to have a better understanding of skills evaluation—and achieve more impactful results—it’s critical that we consider proximity and adjacency. Take, for instance, clinical research and market research. Intuitively, the names tell us there are commonalities and fundamental differences between the skills required to perform in these areas. These two skills have a correlated distance, or a proximity, to one another. They also have skills that cluster or are closely adjacent to them. But how much is the same and what exactly is different? The clusters surrounding those skills and their own distances from similar skills help provide that key insight into creating a pathway from one set of skills to another. Instead of proximity, many solutions focus on hierarchy in organizing sets of skills. Why? Understandably, to help ease human navigation and use. But of course, more advanced solutions also unlock the power of understanding the relationships between skills, as well as the distance, and that is critical to maximizing effectiveness of HR initiatives. Future-Proofing Your Skills Inventory Another important concept when considering the new skills revolution is the context of the roles they impact. There are, what we call, "deep roles," which are very specialized in certain areas that may rapidly change and adjust. These roles will see their skill sets change in concurrence with technology. For instance, highly specialized roles in Natural Language Processing will need to have at least an awareness of new technologies and techniques as they are announced to maintain relevance in the market. Supporting these scenarios and the many in between is very difficult for humans to do. That’s why new generations of intelligent skills engines have emerged to actively crawl the web looking for job postings, resumes, blogs, training videos, and other public and private data. These tools help us understand how the global skills economy is shifting. Eventually when there is enough data to be confident of a new skill, the skill is mapped into individual roles to keep workers in those roles competitive with equally dynamic training recommended to help skill them. Why These Criteria There’s no doubt we will continue to see innovation in the skills department as upskilling remains a top business and talent priority. With that, there will be many criteria to consider when evaluating the tools needed to support the future workforce. The outcome will be a single up-to-date dashboard of skills across the business that sets the organizations up for success as they plan for the future. With these criteria in mind, organizations can have a clearer picture of how to invest in their people development. The driving force that gets us from today to tomorrow is skill-building. This development takes time, and it's successful when it’s pinpointed and personalized. With the sheer volume of employees and their nuanced roles, we have to prepare to fill the 95 million jobs of the future quickly and efficiently. For additional insights about how employees identify and develop their employees’ skills, check out our global skills report.

Cartoon Coffee Break: Support Working Parents During COVID-19

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back every two weeks for a new ReWork cartoon. Throughout the pandemic, working parents have been juggling caregiver responsibilities with being productive during work hours. As a result, the stress levels of these employees have been significantly higher than those without children. It’s up to employers and business leaders to help working parents manage their unique work-from-home challenges. One of the many ways we try to do this at Cornerstone is through our partnership with Sylvan Learning and their virtual tutoring services. A few other ways companies can support working parents is by creating more flexible work schedules and adjusting xpectations. These efforts signal to your working parents that they have your support and improve their job satisfaction and retention. Allowing Flexible Work Schedules In addition to their daily job tasks, working parents have to manage their children’s schedules. Parents have to set up online classrooms and help their child with homework. That’s in addition to completing their own work assignments and attending meetings. Employers can help alleviate some of this stress by allowing for flexible work schedules where possible. This way, working parents can design their days so that they prioritize their children’s needs and job tasks at different times of the day. Allow them to take shorter work days or work weeks if necessary—studies show that this can reduce burnout and improve productivity. Help Working Parents Redesign Their Jobs A recent study found that about 60% of working parents haven’t had any outside help with childcare during the pandemic, resulting in more parents leaving their jobs. Working mothers in particular have been dropping out of the workforce at higher rates than working fathers. In order to retain these employees, business leaders may need to temporarily reset job expectations. Start by hosting open conversations with working parents to get a better understanding of the obstacles currently impacting their productivity and overall job satisfaction. Ask them which parts of their job they can and can no longer accomplish, and then allow them to craft a new job description accordingly. Through these methods, working parents will feel supported by their employers during this difficult time and, more importantly, stay in the workforce. Click here to learn about how Cornerstone's partnership with Sylvan Learning is helping companies support and retain their working parents who are balancing work and childcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear ReWorker: What Should My Company's COVID-19 Quarantine Policy Be?

Dear ReWorker, We recently had our first employee test positive for COVID-19. I told her coworkers that they need to quarantine. But our CEO says as long as they are symptom-free, they can still come to work. What should my policy be when an employee tests positive? Sincerely, Confused About COVID Protocols +++++ Dear Confused, I hope your employee recovers rapidly with no side effects—and that no one else at the office tests positive. There are the clear guidelines from the CDC for quarantining in case of COVID-19 exposure. Not only does your CEO need to get familiar with them, but she or he needs to comply. If you suspect there’s intentional non-compliance taking place, you need to have a serious conversation. More on that below. But first, here’s what you need to know about COVID-19 policy. If an Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19 The employee needs to quarantine for 10 days, be fever-free for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medication, like Tylenol or Advil) and have reduced COVID symptoms before returning to work. There’s no need to provide a negative COVID result—in fact, the employee may still test positive at that point, but the CDC says individuals are no longer contagious after 10 days. Of course, if your employee is still feeling terrible, or his doctor says he’s not ready to return to work, then he stays home. Employers don’t override doctors. When Colleagues Need to Quarantine Only employees who have been exposed need to quarantine. But what does exposure mean? Here is the CDC’s definition: An individual was within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more. An individual provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19. An individual had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them). A colleague shared eating or drinking utensils with an infected individual. An infected individual sneezed, coughed or somehow got respiratory droplets on a colleague. Because we’re talking about a professional setting, it’s likely that you only need to be concerned about the first situation—being within six feet of the infected employee. Even though your CEO might not like it, colleagues that had this level of close contact need to quarantine. While the gold standard of quarantining is now 10 days as long as there are no symptoms, there are some other options, too. If an exposed colleague tests negative at least five days after the exposure, the quarantine period can be reduced to seven days. The only other alternative to quarantine is previous illness or vaccination—if someone was exposed, but they’ve already had COVID-19 in the past three months, or if they’ve been fully vaccinated, there’s no need to quarantine. Again, these are official CDC policies—your CEO doesn’t get to choose otherwise. Now, about the CEO... Consequences For Non-Compliance with COVID-19 Regulations The strongest argument for any cause is an evidence-based one. Show your CEO this piece, detailing OSHA regulations that businesses must follow—including quarantine orders. If putting employees’ lives in danger doesn’t resonate with your leader, then perhaps this will: the CDC can issue guidelines, but OSHA can issue fines. That hurts the bottom line, and no company wants to throw money away. Plus, depending on factors like role and industry, healthy quarantined employees can work from home. And, until March 31, 2021, if your company has fewer than 500 employees, you can receive tax credits for paying those who quarantine. And here’s one other incentive to keep in mind: What happens if these exposed employees get sick, expose others and suddenly turn your company into a COVID hotspot? Not only does this become a health disaster, but it also creates a PR nightmare. When you have a leader on your hands that’s not taking the pandemic seriously, sometimes, you need to play hardball. Get your CEO on the same page immediately, and send everyone home who should be home. Sincerely, Your ReWorker Suzanne Lucas, EvilHRLady.org

Cartoon Coffee Break: Defining a Work From Home Policy

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back regularly for a new ReWork cartoon. Even before the pandemic upended employees’ daily routines, workers craved flexibility. A 2018 survey found that almost a third of workers valued it more than extra vacation time or higher job titles. And beyond helping companies attract and retain employees, flexible workplace policies make companies more agile and save them money. Nontraditional work setups due to the pandemic have shown that people need flexibility more than ever—and more than just the ability to work from home. Take a closer look at what flexibility really means when crafting work from home policies for your company. Flexibility in the Workplace Means Different Things to Different People Not everyone is looking for the same thing when it comes to having a flexible work arrangement. Some people may want to work from a geographical location not tied to a physical office, while others might work most efficiently outside of the typical 9-to-5, or even with their hours distributed across more or fewer days per week. Others might actually prefer having a dedicated office space outside their home to visit, even if it’s not five days per week. The need for flexibility can come from many different places. For some, it’s about remaining productive or meshing with their best workstyles—perhaps working better at certain hours of the day or in specific environments. Others might need flexibility—whether of location, hours or accomodation—in order to care for dependents or manage a disability. Establish Clear Boundaries Around Flexible Work Having flexible work policies doesn’t—and shouldn’t—mean that you expect your employees to be available around the clock (or while, say, on a hike!). When considering flexible work schedules for your employees, emphasize and establish boundaries to avoid employee burnout and help them maintain a work-life balance. Encourage employees to set away messages, pause chat or email notifications or block time on their calendars when they are not available. After all, trust is key to a strong manager-employee relationship: Focus on measuring the results of your employees’ work rather than micromanaging their daily behaviors. Finding the Best Work from Home Policy For Your Team Crafting work from home policies will not necessarily be one-size-fits-all—you’ll likely have to make some exceptions. Know what factors are likely to impact your employees’ ability to complete work and where logistical challenges might pop up—such as managing time zones with colleagues or clients, or completing collaborative work. Ultimately, flexibility is still one of the most important factors people consider when deciding whether to accept or remain at jobs. As you develop policies moving forward, understand what flexibility really means for your company. Read more about how to measure productivity to find the best flexible work situations for your organization.

The Purpose-Driven Organization: HR’s Opportunity During Crisis & Beyond

Why purpose-driven talent practices matter In times of crisis, 84% of executives believe clear purpose impacts an organization’s ability to transform.* While change is a natural and an unavoidable part of life, no one anticipated the crises we are collectively experiencing in 2020. Now, organizations have an opportunity to re-evaluate and adapt to the new world of work by helping their people find meaning and contribute to a more optimistic future. And talent leaders are being called upon to help lead the change. Intentional decisions and clear priorities align employees to purpose and motivate them to act In this research report published by RedThread Research, explore why organizations need talent leaders to exert an active role in the conversation around purpose at work. Whether your organization is just starting out or you are deep in your purpose journey, you’ll learn why purpose-driven talent practices matter. You’ll gain insight into: What is purpose and how does it differ from other related terms (e.g. mission, vision)? What is HR’s role in creating a purpose-driven organization? What does the employee experience look like at a purpose-driven organization? What are some of the purpose-driven practices we’ve seen in response to significant current events? Learn more about how purpose-driven talent practices help achieve business success * RedThread Research: The Purpose-Driven Organization: HR’s Opportunity during Crisis and Beyond, 2020

You Can Require Employees to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19—But Should You?

The COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is happening throughout the U.S., bringing with it the hope for a return to normalcy and—for many employees—a return to the office. While many of your workers will likely be lining up to get the vaccine as soon as they’re able to, others might be more hesitant. This raises an important question for organizations: can you require your employees to get vaccinated if they plan to return (or continue going) to work in person? And, perhaps even more importantly, should you? You Can Require Employees to Be Vaccinated, But There Are Rules to Follow The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidelines for employers on requiring the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of work. In a nutshell, employers can require the vaccines, but they have to be mindful of employee protection under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The act states that employers can’t discriminate against employees with disabilities or certain medical conditions, and can’t require employees to undergo medical examinations as a condition of their jobs. That is, unless the employer can demonstrate that such testing is necessary to confirm the individual’s ability to perform the essential functions of the position. What does the vaccine have anything to do with the ADA? It turns out that the vaccine itself isn’t so much the issue as the pre-screening questions vaccine recipients need to answer before getting the shot. This can count as a "medical exam" under the Americans with Disabilities Act, because asking those questions may require the employee to disclose a disability—a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. That doesn’t mean you can’t require a vaccine; you simply have to ask employees to obtain the vaccine from their doctor, a pharmacy or another non-work location. The key is keeping private health information out of the hands of an employer. But keep in mind: you still need to allow employees to opt-out for medical or religious reasons and make reasonable accommodations for employees that cannot be vaccinated. Just Because You Can Require Vaccinations Doesn’t Mean You Should The decision on a vaccination requirement is one your organization will have to make based on several factors, such as the industry you serve. If you’re in healthcare or interact with customers across vulnerable populations, you have a business necessity to get people vaccinated. But even so, not all hospitals are requiring their employees to be vaccinated, opting instead to recommend the shot to their employees. And they have a good reason—there aren't enough vaccines to go around. It makes little sense to battle with recalcitrant or ineligible employees when not everyone can get it anyway. Meanwhile, if your business doesn’t deal with vulnerable populations, or your business model doesn’t require much in-person contact, you may decide it’s not worth the administrative hassle associated with requiring the vaccine, especially right now. There are still eligibility restrictions, and some people are hesitant about receiving a brand new vaccine. As of November, the Pew Research Foundation found that almost 40% of Americans said they "probably" or "definitely" would not get the vaccine. As a result, encouraging employees to get it when they’re eligible is a better path to take right now, rather than requiring them to do so. But remember: the vaccine isn’t a silver bullet. Regardless of your policy, your organization will need to continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines on social distancing, masking, and cleaning. For more on how to help your organization and your people adapt during the evolving pandemic, check out these COVID-19 resources for HR leaders.

AI Won't Replace Recruiters, But It Will Make Them Better

Similar to how technology has created efficiencies in operations, marketing and sales departments, human resources is being transformed by emerging AI technology. AI is getting a lot of attention in recruiting specifically due to the huge potential to automate some of the low-value, high-volume recruiting tasks that continue to monopolize time and attention. But the question remains: Will AI actually replace recruiters one day? Industry experts such as Katrina Kibben, managing editor of RecruitingDaily, predict AI will automate any area of recruitment with distinct inputs and outputs like screening, sourcing and assessment. But other experts, such as HR consultant and futurist Michael Haberman, anticipate augmented intelligence in which AI technology will be used to enhance human capabilities rather than replace people completely. While AI for recruiting has the potential to fully automate some functions that are currently done manually, other functions can't yet be replaced by technology. For now and in the near future, I agree with the experts that AI cannot replace people with jobs that require social skills, empathy and negotiating abilities. I believe the question we should be asking isn't "Will AI replace recruiters?" but "How can AI augment recruiters?" Here are three areas where AI is already changing the recruiter role. 1) Automating Resume Screening For high-volume jobs such as retail and customer service, most recruiting teams just don't have the time to manually screen all the resumes they receive per open role. Automated resume screening saves recruiters' hours per hire and promises to improve the quality of hire through its self-learning feedback loop. In this scenario, AI learns the requirements of a job and the qualities of good candidates based on successful and unsuccessful employees previously or currently in the role. Intelligent resume screening can also apply machine learning to enrich resumes by using public data sources (e.g., prior employers, social media profiles) to further analyze candidates' skills and personality. Similar to blind hiring methods, AI has the potential to eliminate unconscious bias during the resume screening process because it can ignore information about candidates' race, gender and age. Automated resume screening is currently being used by companies who conduct high-volume hiring. While this technology promises to have multiple benefits for recruiters, one major limitation is that it requires a lot of data to learn how to screen resumes as accurately as a human recruiter. 2) Enhancing Candidate Engagement The vast majority of job applicants never hear back after sending off their resumes, and in today's candidate-driven market, attracting talent by improving the candidate experience represents low hanging fruit. AI "chatbots" save time and help recruiters compete for talent by providing real-time interaction with candidates. Recruiter chatbots use natural language processing to ask and answer questions about the job, learning from their interactions to improve their answers and better assess candidates' needs and desires. This technology is currently being used by early adopter tech companies, but it could benefit any recruiters who receive too many candidates to interact with everyone themselves. Of course, the technology isn't at a point where it can perfectly mimic human conversation, so for certain industries or roles there's still a need for actual conversation. 3) Augment Online Interviews The convenience and efficiency of online interviews have made them extremely popular. Online interviews are being enhanced by AI through algorithms that analyze candidates' word choices, speech patterns and facial expressions to assess his or her emotions and personality traits. This form of AI for recruiting promises to augment the recruiter role by providing additional data points on how well a candidate may fit the job requirements or company culture. This allows recruiters to have a more objective assessment of candidates before deciding whether to invest in an in-person interview. Similar to automated resume screening, one of the main limitations of this type of technology is that it requires a lot of data—in this case, recorded candidate interviews—to be able to accurately identify and then categorize words, speech patterns and facial expressions. AI is already able to replace low-value, administrative tasks such as resume screening—but the extent to which AI will be able to replace a recruiter's ability to engage and interview candidates remains to be seen. One thing is clear: understanding the potential capabilities and limitations of this new form of technology puts us in the best position to leverage it to become better, faster and smarter at what we do. Photo: Twenty20

What the Talent Lifecycle Looks Like in a World "Beyond Employment"

Have you heard phrases like "non-employment work arrangements," "freelance talent platforms" and "labor market intermediaries"? They reflect an emerging trend in which work and workers exist "beyond employment". Increasingly, these new approaches to work are fundamentally changing how you achieve your organization's mission—and leaders who overlook them risk making the same mistake that taxi services made when they dismissed the emergence of ride-sharing services. "Beyond employment" designates a world where the concept of a job may be irrelevant or inadequate for describing how work can be deconstructed and dispersed. It's a world where reward systems must reflect that rewards are often non-monetary. It's a world where workers can move seamlessly back and forth over an organization's boundary, or never even join an organization, making concepts like "employee turnover" and "employee careers" too confining to capture the reality of the options available to companies and workers. It can be difficult for HR professionals to understand how to approach this undefined, non-traditional new world of work. The best place to start is with the familiar: The standard talent lifecycle of 1) workforce planning, 2) sourcing talent, 3) selecting talent, 4) developing talent, 5) rewarding work and, eventually, 6) ending the company-worker relationship. By exploring the talent lifecycle through the lens of a "beyond employment" world, it's easy to build a bridge from where HR is now to where we could be. Step 1: Workforce Planning In a world beyond employment, planning is transformed from employee supply and demand to worker optimization. The focus becomes the work, not employee head counts or FTEs. Organizations have permeable boundaries where fundamental concepts such as head count, worker availability, movement between jobs, and worker separation must take on very different meanings. The key planning issue may be where to allow your boundary to open and where to keep it closed. Step 2: Attracting and Sourcing Talent Today, HR typically looks for candidates who want to work for the organization as regular, full-time employees. The new world of work requires a process of seamlessly engaging multiple systems (procurement, contracting, partnering, recruiting) to attract workers for engagements that may not be full-time. No company could afford to have a "job" exclusively devoted to developing YouTube advertisements during the Super Bowl, but when you deconstruct that project, you can source it with crowdsourcing or freelance platforms. Step 3: Selecting Talent Today's selection systems focus on assessing skills and cultural fit to make sure the employee has potential for a career beyond his or her first job. But today, companies are selecting talent based on short-term benefits (for both sides). For example, when Siemens created an innovative hearing aid for children, it didn't hire employees to devise its marketing campaign—instead, it borrowed employees from the Walt Disney Company through an alliance, and they came up with packaging that included a comic book and a children's story about coping with hearing loss. Step 4: Developing Talent Today, employee development systems focus on experiences gained by moving through jobs and hierarchical levels. But a "career" today is not necessarily a progression through positions—instead, it's often an accumulation of projects and task credits. What does it mean to get "promoted" in such a fluid system? Should we take mentoring to the cloud? A company called Everwise does just that. The mentorship platform has amassed a data base of 60,000 relationships, pairing experienced professionals with protégés across organizations. Step 5: Rewarding Great Work When work and workers can move across organizational boundaries, it's a recipe for extreme employment-at-will with little long-run exchange. But if organizations make permeability a central part of their reward structure, they can actually create rewards that entice workers to move out and in. For example, organizations can offer a big bonus if a worker returns after an outside stint where they acquired valuable skills. There is already talk of "tours of duty" across organizations, more portable rewards and flexible systems that track skills and achievements. Step 6: Separating from Workers Employee "turnover" is the end of the employment relationship and perhaps the most frequently measured HR outcome. In a new world beyond employment, the whole notion of employee "separation" could be obsolete. The end of a project by a contractor or freelancer is hardly a separation, when that worker could easily be available in the future. This makes employee separation less of "the end" of a talent lifecycle, and more of an integral element in an ongoing series of engagements between work and workers. To meet the future demands of leaders and live up to the vast potential contribution of work "beyond employment," HR leaders need to rethink the very foundations that support today's HR systems. However, with a little creativity, it's possible to see a bridge from here to there. Thanks to David Creelman and Ravin Jesuthasan for assistance with this column. Boudreau, Creelman and Jesuthasan are the authors of a forthcoming book, Lead the Work. Photo: Creative Commons

HR, Meet IT — Your Analytics Partner in Crime

Today, it's hard to talk about HR without talking about analytics. From the first recruiting email to the exit interview, big data is changing the way we both approach and practice talent management. While the foundation for success in human resources — great people skills and strong intuition — is certainly still relevant, a modern career in HR increasingly requires a "moneyball" mindset. This shift from a largely right-brain driven career path to a left-brain one has, unsurprisingly, created a skills gap in the industry. There's no lack of big data tools or products available to help HR pros — but actual knowledge of how to navigate the growing workforce analytics landscape is limited. The solution? According to Michael Arena, Chief Talent Officer at General Motors, HR is in need of a partner in crime: the IT department. Arena, who spoke at last year's Wharton People Analytics Conference, has made a name for himself as an early adopter and strong proponent of HR analytics. His analytics-heavy résumé is an anomaly among HR executives — trained as an engineer, former visiting scientist at MIT Media Lab, a PhD in Organizational Dynamics — which makes him acutely aware of the need for more big data skills in the industry. We talked with Arena to learn more about his own partnership with GM's IT team, why he thinks it's crucial for HR and IT to join forces and what he's looking forward to in the future of workforce analytics. Why should HR focus on building a relationship with IT to implement workforce analytics? IT is a critical partner because they know how to secure data, mine data sets and integrate solutions across various systems. IT is also really important because [HR] needs them to help simplify systems into web interfaces or dashboards that others can use day-to-day. It's one thing to get a bunch of data scientists together, but then you have to take those findings and make it useful for the business. For example, we have a leadership dashboard to see routine demographics within individual groups. That was an IT design solution that lets us measure a multitude of different things. Describe your collaboration process — how do the two departments work together on analytics? It's dynamic. It's not just us pulling or them pushing. Usually, we partner actively once we have determined a specific need that we want to go after. But there are frequent times when [IT] may have new functionality and we have discussions about how we can apply that to our analytics. What are you looking forward to as workforce analytics matures? Social network analysis—looking at how people are connected to other people, and how [networks] help people be better together. There's a lot of academic research that says up to 40 percent of performance has to do with people's placement in a network. We can use simple surveys to run these studies, and then IT helps us build the models afterwards. The hard part is how to visualize it. We look at things like career advice networks or innovation networks — sometimes just knowing who the brokers are or what the informal networks look like can make a huge difference. What are the biggest challenges you and other HR execs face in workforce analytics? Incomplete data. I know things are missing, but it's hard to say what. We measure people, and that makes this field uniquely challenging because people don't behave predictably. Also, I always want to analyze more things. So that's where pragmatism comes into play. We have to be able to recognize when there's enough good quality data available to make a decision. And sometimes we have to figure out how to make decisions based on what we have. Photo: Shutterstock

Moneyball Management: How Companies Use—and Misuse—Data Science

We used to assume that the best salespeople were extroverted, but research shows the biggest predictor for sales success actually is persistence—the courage to keep going despite initially being told no. The findings, based on millions of worker surveys and tests conducted by I.B.M. and reported in The New York Times, highlight a pivotal point in HR. No longer relying solely on gut instincts, human resource managers are turning to Big Data and analytics to hire, fire and promote employees. Called "workforce science" or "people analytics," the marriage of HR and analytics presents unprecedented opportunities for employers to gain a better understanding of how their staff operates. "It used to be that only really large organizations like Home Depot were good at analyzing their workforces," says Matt Stevenson, workforce analytics and planning practice leader for North America at Mercer Workforce Sciences Institute. "But now the technology has become democratized and it’s a lot cheaper for smaller companies." As more organizations incorporate Big Data and analytics into HR efforts, they'll need to understand the right—and wrong—approaches to workforce science. Starting points for an analytical approach The simplest approach to workforce science is what Stevenson and his colleagues refer to as hiring source analytics. Companies recruit using a variety of different methods: referrals, web ads, career fairs, etc. Using various performance review metrics, they can go back and analyze, for example, whether employees hired from a web ad tend to perform better than peers who came from referrals. Do they get promoted faster? Do they stay longer? It’s important that companies control for certain factors when conducting these analyses. For example, people who apply for jobs through web ads might fill entry level positions, while people who are brought in through recruiters might be more senior. Comparing the job experiences of the two camps would result in a false comparison. Another way companies incorporate workforce science is by testing people before they start a job. Selection tests are nothing new. The U.S. military used selection tests for soldier placement during WWI. "What’s different now is you can go back and see how well this test actually predicts someone’s performance," he says. Companies test their existing employees to understand the skills that contribute to top performers' success, and those results help them set a baseline for testing future hires. For as little as $30 per employee, companies can conduct a very simple online test through various vendors, according to Stevenson. One of the biggest benefits of this type of testing is that managers can look at more than one factor. "It’s no good if you predict who’s going to be the best seller, if you can’t predict whether that person will stay. You can create these selection criteria that ask and test for a bunch of things that you care about," Stevenson says. Beware the caveats Before managers jump on every shiny data science model for hiring, firing and promoting, they should understand that the discipline is not without flaws. Wharton researcher Peter Cappelli told The Economist about a case "where the software rejected every one of many good applicants for a job because the firm in question had specified that they must have held a particular job title—one that existed at no other company." Overreliance on algorithms means that employers risk overlooking some factors in their decisions. "We’re getting to the point where some of our hiring managers don’t even want to interview anymore," Teri Morse, vice president for recruiting at Xerox Services, tells The Atlantic. According to the article, "They just want to hire the people with the highest scores." In the case of selection tests, Stevenson cautions that human resources managers aren’t getting the full picture: they never get to see how people who they didn’t hire perform. "Your selection test may predict how well people will do in your company based upon the people you already have. But what if the people you have aren’t as good as other people?" he says. The future of workforce sciences Workforce sciences are more relevant in some industries than others. A company that designs nuclear power plants, for instance, is looking for incredibly specialized people and will get more value out of testing to find the right match than say, McDonald's, where people join and leave daily, Stevenson says. As the labor market tightens, however, looking at hiring from all angles—including a statistical standpoint—will become more valuable.

The Art and Science of the Virtual Classroom

In a previous webinar, we explored six key principles of successfully designing any virtual classroom platform and shared a blueprint for adapting traditional classroom methodologies for live, online instruction. During this session, we will take a closer look at two of the critical elements of the ILT to virtual conversion process: Logistics and Facilitation. This is often where you will find the biggest differences between traditional classroom and virtual classroom delivery. Well dive into the aspects of virtual event project planning and introduce you to a critical tool (the Event Roadmap) and roles and responsibilities associated with virtual events. Virtual facilitation is more than just delivering a virtual lecture; its as much science as it is art. Learning to read a virtual audience is the art; knowing how to keep them engaged through meaningful interactions is the science. In this practical and tactical session, we will provide tips and tricks to help you master both. Attendees will learn: - How to create a logistics roadmap to plan your sessions; - How to write a facilitator/producer guide that includes visual and verbal cues; - Best practices for keeping an audience engaged; - When to use (and not to use) your web camera; and, - Why to create a Plan B and what to include in your backup plans.

Tips for Converting ILT to Virtual Classroom Delivery

“Deliver that training online!” Its easy for your boss (or their boss) to say that, but successfully converting classroom training to the virtual classroom takes work. Its just similar enough to trick you into thinking its easy. But your traditional learning methodologies need a makeover if theyre going to work in the virtual classroom. Think about the best virtual sessions you have attended – we bet it was more than lecture and uploaded PowerPoints! Join Cornerstone and the Training Officers Consortium for a session that will explore the six key principles of successfully designing for any virtual classroom platform. The principles of feedback, equipment functionality, instructions, scripting, visual and verbal cues, and time management provide a blueprint for adapting traditional classroom methodologies for live, online instruction. Learn best practices gained from over 20 years experience designing, developing, facilitating, and producing online events. These principles will provide the guidance you need to create successful live, online learning experiences. In this session, you will learn: - The six guiding principles of virtual classroom design - The benefits and limitations of common virtual classroom tools, including how to compare functionality, speed of set up, and ease of use - How to design interactions for your chosen virtual classroom platform - The logistics behind the scenes and how that affects delivery - A strategy for implementing design and delivery best practices within your organization

How Cornerstone Can Help Your Organization Thrive in the COVID-Era and Beyond

Our customer success team shares how you can leverage your Cornerstone investment to tackle critical activities in these evolving times.

Credit unions meet crisis: How to engage employees and members during crisis

The impact of COVID-19 has meant countless small & medium businesses are turning to their financial services providers for financial support and guidance during this time of crisis. Your members need you now more than ever. How are you ensuring your employees are ready to help with the proper skills and leadership training? Join Mike Bollinger, Cornerstone's VP of strategic initiatives, and an impressive panel of HR leaders to learn how to leverage talent management solutions to develop and engage your employees to better serve your members at this critical time. Join the panel discussion to learn: - Best practices for communicating with and preparing employees for COVID-19 - The role of skills & leadership training in todays landscape - How to manage a remote workforce and safely transition back to work - How to develop, engage, and retain employees in times of crisis and beyond - How learning & development initiatives impact membership growth and success

SMB Product Demo

View an overview of Cornerstone's Learning, Performance, and Recruiting products.

SMB Customer Success Center

Were more than a product. Were your partner every step of the way. When you partner with Cornerstone, you are not just purchasing software; you are joining a community committed to your success.

Industry analysts & customers agree Cornerstone is the leader in learning

Cornerstone is the strategic leader in learning management as ranked by the most trusted analysts in the industry, year after year. And our specialization in Learning drives performance outcomes. Ranked as leaders in talent management, we amplify your learning strategies with an end-to-end talent management strategy.

Three steps to building organizational resilience and adaptability during the pandemic

Within this eBook, you’ll find practical actions to take today to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to provide stability for your employees. Just as importantly, these steps will also ensure you’re ready to survive and thrive in whatever may come.

Cartoon Coffee Break: The State of Remote Work

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back regularly for a new ReWork cartoon. When the COVID-19 pandemic began back in March, many employers thought that working-from-home measures would impact the productivity and efficiency of their teams. They feared that if employees were out of the office, they would act accordingly and be less invested in their work—or feel like they were on an endless vacation. But over the past nine months, these theories have been debunked. Remote work has had an opposite effect, with most employees working harder than ever before. Productivity levels stayed the same for most companies and industries and, given the severity of the coronavirus spread, life has felt nothing like a vacation for most people. However, the flexibility of remote work has given everyone the opportunity to re-evaluate their current living situations. While some stayed put, others have changed their home address. Since March, the popularity of this trend has grown: As of October, fourteen million Americans are toying with the idea of relocation. Employees and employers alike are realizing the benefits and complications of remote work and relocation—and how both could be here to stay, even when stay-at-home orders are no longer in effect. The Pros and Cons of Remote Work Employees who are enjoying their new remote work lifestyles probably plan or hope to continue doing so even after the pandemic has ended. And for these individuals, relocation is the natural next step. Remote work eliminates the need for a commute and allows employees to move where they please without leaving their company. In fact, in a recent survey of remote workers conducted by The New York Times and Morning Consult, 1 in 3 said they would move to a new city or state if remote work continued. Employers also stand to benefit from this trend. Some companies might find that a majority of their employees prefer remote work, and might switch to a fully remote workforce as a result. In these instances, companies will no longer need to pay the rent for a physical office. What’s more, with remote work capabilities, companies will be able to access and hire global talent without facing immigration hurdles. However, there is an equal number of concerns that arise when a company decides to go fully remote. Without a physical office space, every facet of a company’s operations moves online. This not only creates more data security risks, but it makes communication and collaboration harder. Fully remote companies will have to find new ways to encourage knowledge-sharing, brainstorming, and socializing across their teams. How Employers Can Support With the Transition to Remote Work To support this shift, employers need to prepare for a more permanent remote work policy. Even if most employees remain local, expect that some might not. Create an effective hybrid model that accommodates both remote and in-office employees so that everyone can collaborate and be productive—no matter their location. Above all else, all employees—leadership, news hires, interns and HR teams alike—should be open to experimenting with new, creative approaches and technologies, like a flexible work schedule or a new internal messaging system. Meanwhile, employers should constantly be re-evaluating the tactics being used, asking themselves questions like: "What’s working? What isn’t? How can we adapt?" With remote work, the lines between work and life are more blurred than they’ve ever been, and everyone is trying to navigate a unique situation. But as long as teams are willing to listen to each other and adapt with one another, they can improve their understanding of remote work—and learn how to best support each other. To learn more about how to effectively manage and lead a remote team, check out this recent article from the Head of Cornerstone Studios, Summer Salomonsen, who recently had to adapt her leadership techniques to meet the needs of her newly remote team.

How To Manage And Lead A Remote Team With Innovation

When the world came to a screeching halt back in March because of COVID-19, Cornerstone Studios had to close its physical doors. But for a team that typically creates learning content using video equipment, studio space and actors, remote work seemed untenable. Head of Cornerstone Studios, Summer Salomonsen took a different approach to managing a remote team, viewing this unprecedented situation as an opportunity to innovate and adapt to the new world of work. "It really came down to this mindset shift. Was I willing to see disruption as an opportunity for a catalyst?" Salomonsen said in her webinar, "From Closed Studios to Better Content: Driving Innovation from Constraint," featured in the 2020 Learning Content Summit, a free, virtual event held November 2, that brought together learning content experts to tackle relevant, timely strategies to help companies navigate this new world of work. As it turns out, Salomonsen was willing, and this mindset shift ended up paying off in spades. Not only did Cornerstone Studios successfully transition to remote production, but they also learned a few things along the way. While there are no set guidelines for adapting to this new normal, understanding how Salomonsen led Cornerstone Studios through this tumultuous transition provides a blueprint for how to successfully drive innovation from constraint at any company during a time of deep uncertainty. The Path to Innovation: Top Takeaways from Summer’s HR Summit Webinar Without a physical studio, Cornerstone Studios needed to rapidly reassess both their production methods as well as their work culture to move forward. But a concrete gameplan felt unrealistic amid so much uncertainty. Instead, the path forward involved increased flexibility and constant collaboration among the entire Studios team, grounded in three core goals. 1. Find new strategies for team productivity "When your productivity is centered around a functioning studio that employs a lot of different people for a lot of very specific reasons, things can start to feel impossible," said Salomonsen of determining Cornerstone Studios' roadmap. She had to ask herself a daunting question: Now what? But instead of making the snap decision to immediately produce brand new content, or reinvent the wheel entirely, Salomonsen took a beat and ultimately recognized there was an opportunity to revamp and rework existing content to meet the moment. Resurrecting old content, looking at it through the lens of the current climate, and updating it accordingly reinvigorated the Studios team. The world of work was undergoing dramatic changes in March—but this new normal also benefited from revamped learning content. "The resounding undercurrent of this was: Am I willing to reexamine the old process? And how can I find increased employee productivity there?" said Salomonsen. 2. Demonstrate value to the business by fostering creativity What was once considered valuable—a full-service production studio—was dropped from the equation. There was no longer a need for it, and the Studios team needed to evolve past it and find value elsewhere. Sometimes, this meant producing a program from Salomonsen’s living room or packaging up equipment into a branded production kit. Adapting to these changes involved a great deal of resilience and scrappiness from every team member, so Salomonsen made sure to give them the space to practice creativity. She quotes General George S. Patton: "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity." 3. Create and maintain relationships for a remote workforce Back in March, Salomonsen felt that maintaining connection among the existing team was important, and even more so as they remotely onboarded new team members. "While I recognize the enormous resource-taker and expensive nature of all-hands meetings, I also realize in those early days, we needed to see each other," said Salomonsen. A weekly all-hands studio sync still remains on everyone’s calendar to this day—eight months later, video chat required. Driving Innovation from Constraint For Salomonsen, the past several months were filled with impossible decisions and overwhelming uncertainty about the future of Cornerstone Studios. But this experience confirmed something that Salomonsen had always believed: Constraint is the true driving force behind innovation. This seismic shift away from normal ultimately propelled Cornerstone Studios—and Salomonsen herself—onto the path toward innovation, and the team is better for it. You can find more information about the 2020 Content Summit here. If you missed it but are still interested in watching, you can access the full archive, including Salomonsen’s full talk, by registering for the event here.

What We Learned From HR Tech 2020

In a year that has completely redefined the HR function and HR technology at a rapid pace, it’s no surprise that change was a theme throughout this year’s HR Technology Conference and Expo. Hosted virtually across four days and 136 sessions, this year’s #HRTechConf had no shortage of valuable insight for attendees on how the pandemic and the social and economic disruption of 2020 have accelerated digital transformation, technology innovations and other changes around the people experience at work. Keynote speakers, analysts and industry experts emphasized how organizations and their use of technology must adapt to support people in the now of work—and beyond. Here’s what we learned at the event this year: We’ve Seen a Shift to Adaptable HR and "Work Tech" In the opening keynote, Josh Bersin acknowledged how 2020 has forced HR into a new operating model, one that is more responsive (efficient) and resilient (adaptive) to the changing needs of business. "HR, itself, has turned into a much more innovative, adaptable part of a company," he said. Josh noted that 40% of workers have changed jobs or roles, or have a new manager. A full 90% of companies have instated a work-at-home policy. The need for HR and HR technology to help people be more productive and focused while working remotely is critical. As a result, HR tech is shifting to "work tech" and Bersin likened it to a Swiss army knife ready to support the new world of work. Making the Right HR Technology Investments are More Important than Ever Despite the promise these shifts in HR technology trends are bringing, the latest Sierra-Cedar/Sapient Insights HR Systems Survey reveals a 27% decrease in expected expenditures for HR technology this year. Sapient Insights Group Chief Research Officer Stacey Harris cautioned attendees, "if your conversation is all about cost cutting or compliance...you're NOT having the right conversation." Instead, Stacey emphasized the value of a continuous change-management approach to HR technology investments because it’s linked to better talent and business outcomes. Building Workforce Resilience is Critical When Disruption is Everywhere From widespread remote work to increasing automation, disruption is driving cultural shifts and a need for leaders to act with empathy and care. In their session, 10 Things Leaders Need to Know in the New Normal, Cornerstone’s own Chief Learning Officer Jeff Miller and Chief Talent Officer Kimberly Cassady shared key strategies leaders can use to help their people thrive. A key takeaway? Leaders don’t have to know everything. Instead, Kim and Jeff advised them to "create space. Space for you and your employees to think. Ask for feedback, and ask often." In his keynote, How HR Can Boost Workforce Resilience, Marcus Buckingham echoed the need for feedback, because it builds trust between leaders and their people. And trust is critical to drive resiliency, which today is at an all time low. For more tips from Buckingham on boosting workforce resilience, read a full summary of his keynote here. Organizational Purpose is Here to Stay In her Day Two keynote, Finding Your North Star: The Importance of Purpose (and Technology) During Disruption, Stacia Garr, Co-Founder and Principal Researcher at RedThread Research, shared how the integration of work and life has many people questioning what makes us human. In short, the pandemic and the social and economic unrest of 2020 is exposing the need for corporations to be citizens—to have an organizational purpose that goes beyond shareholders to encompass all stakeholders important to the business. Stacia shared that there are three reasons why we will see this rise in purpose-driven business persist: A shift in employee sentiment, Purpose is good for business, and A stronger level of commitment from companies than we’ve ever seen before. For more on why organizations need talent leaders to exert an active role in the conversation around purpose at work, check out this Cornerstone-sponsored research paper from RedThread Research: The Purpose-Driven Organization: HR’s Opportunity during Crisis and Beyond, 2020. Create Safe Spaces to Drive Lasting Cultural Change To encourage employee engagement and reduce burnout, leaders need to promote a team mindset. Mental and physical health and safety is the most important moving forward. So too is fostering a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. In her keynote, Culture Matters: How to Interrupt Systemic Discrimination From the Top-Down and Bottom-Up, Dr. Tolonda Tolbert emphasized the diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI) need to be intentionally embedded into organizational culture. "By creating a safe place for employees to self-reflect, learn new behaviors and habits and put those skills into practice you are able to drive a lasting culture change," she said. At the end of the day, employees who feel valued and included at work contribute more, and that supports all business goals. As we face these unprecedented challenges, innovative thinking is the only way to survive and thrive—and creating demographically diverse teams is the shortcut to innovation. Dr. Tolbert emphasized that technology can be a differentiator. In his keynote, Why Ethics Should Be at the Heart of HR Tech Decisions, founder and principal analyst of HRExaminer.com John Sumser cautioned that the loss of proper boundaries between life and work because of COVID-19 is creating serious consequences. "Where we are now is neither new, nor normal, nor sustainable. In order to navigate the future of our workplaces, we’re going to have to learn how to talk about mental illness." Sumser shared that ethics is the foundation of safety and health and that HR needs to lean on technology appropriately in order to truly understand and address issues related to employee well-being and safety. We’re Experiencing the Rise of the Talent Marketplace Talent mobility and the gig economy are now a reality, and the emergence of the "Talent Marketplace" is accelerating how organizations retain talent and support talent mobility. In the session The Role of Technology in the Talent Marketplace, attendees learned that "gig jobs" within organizations are the way forward to not only unlock unknown talent within the organization, but also enable a better understanding of the skills that already exist. Reskilling and strategic skilling along with the use of AI can surface new development and job opportunities. Moreover, understanding the employee journey and using technology to support that journey, through this new work experience will be more critical than ever. As Jason Averbook shared in his keynote Digital HR for Business: PLANNING 2021, employees work in journeys. Software vendors create modules. But organizations deploy journeys and measure the impact of journeys—not modules. Therefore it’s important for HR to partner with their tech vendors to ensure the selection, implementation, and value of the tech investment is driven by the journey they need to deliver. This is HR’s job. While the Future of Work isn’t Clear, Organizations Must Continue to Transform Digital transformation, employee experience, well-being, diversity, gigs, AI... the amount of transformation impacting organizations and their people is astounding. The importance of using technology to support people through the accelerated change to the experience of work matters. As Lisa Buckingham & Ken Solon emphasized during #HRTechConf's closing keynote session - "transformation is all about company culture." Thank you to Steve Boese, Jeanne Achille and the entire team at LRP for putting together a fantastic virtual conference and giving us so much more to think about and practice at our own organizations! See you (hopefully in person) next year! Are your people equipped with the right skills today to adapt to a new world of work? Learn how the Cornerstone Skills Graph can help you implement "strategic skilling"—the practice of matching skills to people, learning content and job roles—to predict, prepare for and quickly respond to dynamic business changes.

Performing the Core Functions of HR Remotely

Your Human Resources department isn’t just a team of experts in managing people—they’re experts in managing your company’s people. And if it’s operating effectively, your HR folks have tried and true tactics for keeping things running smoothly. While every successful HR team is unique, most probably have regular check-ins with employees to discuss their goals and offer them development opportunities; gauge employee sentiment based on how they act at the office; take managers out for coffee to discuss leadership or succession questions. What’s the common denominator? Adequately addressing people problems requires people to interface. But, as we continue to navigate a workforce shaken to its core by the COVID-19 pandemic, HR teams now have to support employees they haven’t seen in person in many months—and, in virtually onboarded cases, at all. While some functions of HR including paperwork and reporting can easily be done remotely (one example: the government has approved an extension allowing remote I-9 verification), problem solving, employee development and succession planning require a little more creativity. Here are four ways to make HR work in a remote setting. 1. Know Your People—in Their New Work Setting When there’s no chance to run into people in the hallway or chat in line at the cafeteria, getting to know colleagues becomes a difficult task. But it’s more important than ever for HR professionals, if you are to support them in the new normal. For example, you may think you know your accounting team and their challenges at the office, but are they facing different obstacles at home? Is your head of accounting dealing with his kids’ remote learning troubles, which is causing him to miss deadlines? Knowing your people means knowing the nature of their work and the culture on their respective team. Speak to individuals to see how you can best support them, not only through official avenues like offering them parental leave, but also through smaller, internal changes. Perhaps, moving that accounting deadline to a different day of the week would make all the difference. 2. Provide Learning Tools Learning and development on the job are always important. But it’s particularly crucial at a time of massive disruption when employees need to sharpen key soft skills like resilience, communication and productivity. Employees need to have tools that enable them to learn and grow in the flow of work without day-to-day coaching from HR or their managers. Implementing a learning management system can help employees set goals, guide their own development and access learning materials as they need, when they need them. HR will still have to dedicate time to developing and deploying the appropriate learning content and resources. But centralizing it and making it widely available can be game changing. Remember, remote HR doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility to facilitate employee growth—and technology can actually make that process easier on you. 3. Schedule Face Time By this point in the year, we’re all exhausted by video conferencing. But it’s a necessary evil. While studies show that too much time on camera can be stressful, you’ll get a clearer understanding of how people are doing if you can see their faces. Face-to-face interactions are critical to us as humans, so to continue evaluating how your employees are feeling (are they down? are they energetic and motivated?), you’ll have to schedule more video calls. But taking a break from a computer screen might help—instead of a typical Zoom session, try FaceTiming in the backyard, or while you take a socially-distanced walk around your respective neighborhoods. 4. Set Solid Boundaries The work of HR is never done. There will never be a time where every employee is happy, every manager is trained, every succession plan is written and every job description is updated. When working remotely, you never have to go home because you’re already there, so it can be hard to turn off your computer and put your phone on do not disturb mode. But you cannot solve every problem. And you need time to relax. Set your boundaries—and encourage your employees to do the same. Set a good example, and teach by doing. For more columns by HR expert Suzanne Lucas, click here.

The Time To Prepare For The Post-Pandemic Workplace Is Now. Here's Where To Start

This article originally appeared on Forbes HR Council. It can be hard to imagine, but there is a light at the end of this COVID-19 tunnel. Businesses will eventually reopen, and employees will return to their workspaces. But we won’t see a complete return to normal. Workplaces will look and feel very different — and in many ways, the experience will be something like a culture shock. But unlike the shock that came with the start of this crisis, companies have time to prepare their businesses and their employees, examining potential futures and creating contingency plans for each. For example, because there may still be a risk related to the virus as more people return to work, companies can develop a strategy for keeping employees safe in the office. For this kind of planning to be effective, it needs to start now. The task might seem daunting in the face of uncertainty — not to mention the host of urgent matters leadership teams are addressing on an almost daily basis as the situation evolves. But considering reentry must be on every leader’s priority list so that the business is able to respond quickly and decisively (and safely) as restrictions ease. Most importantly, these measures will help employees feel at ease. They’re ultimately the ones who will determine how quickly a company can adapt to another new normal. By taking proactive steps — from communicating contingency plans to deciding what the new normal office space will look like to providing ongoing support — companies will better support employees through this next adjustment. Have A Contingency Plan For Every Variable According to Accenture research, one of the top needs of employees in times of crisis is confidence in the company's ability to navigate the future. "You don’t have to know everything.... A leadership team that looks ahead proactively, and responds rather than reacts, goes a long way toward helping people in volatile times," the researchers wrote in the report. This is exactly what contingency plans accomplish: spelling out how your company will react to a number of possible futures. For example, what will be your company’s response if the virus reemerges and sends everyone remote again this fall? What if there’s another economic recession? These are the questions employees are already wondering about. Sharing the company’s strategy ("in person" over video, not in an email), even if it’s not all good news, will demonstrate confident leadership and increase employees’ trust in the business. Redesigning (Or Ditching) The Physical Workplace Most businesses will reopen before the coronavirus is fully contained — in fact, some already have. For some, that persistent threat of the virus and the comfort with remote work might make the office space obsolete. Experts predict that many employees will want to continue working from home after the initial wave has passed. If a company’s business strategy is compatible with remote work, and if teams were productive while working from home, getting rid of an office is something to consider. But for those returning to a physical office, they’ll return with a concern about whether the workplace is safe. The once-popular bullpen desks and open floor plan will likely feel too close for comfort. Instead, offices will need to be updated for better hygiene, from positioning desks farther apart to more regularly (and thoroughly) cleaning conference rooms and shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and elevators. While these changes might make the office feel safer, getting used to this new office space will be an adjustment for employees. Gathering in a smaller conference room might feel uncomfortable. Stopping for small talk in the kitchen might, too. To help navigate this awkwardness, anticipate some of these issues, and set expectations before everyone returns through a video call. This will help prepare employees to adjust and demonstrate that the business values their safety. Be Prepared For Your Employees To Change After The Pandemic Everyone has experienced the pandemic differently. Some people, for example, have had a negative experience with remote work: One study on working from home during this crisis found that over 50% of employees feel lonelier and experience increased anxiety. For others, the transition to remote has been welcome, helping them embrace a better work-life balance and more flexibility. Still, the entire workforce has been affected. The CDC recently issued a warning that the stress caused by this crisis has put people more at risk of developing depression and other mental health issues. Companies should come prepared to offer support, and doing so will require proactive communication. Research shows less than 50% of employees feel that mental health is prioritized at their company. Organizations without mental health benefits should consider adding them; others can boost existing offerings with employee assistance programs that refer workers to therapists and counselors in their communities. Companies should also consider training managers to talk about and normalize mental health at work so that employees feel more comfortable discussing it. We’re about to enter a new normal, and companies must be ready to adapt. Thorough planning will help them prepare and keep employees’ anxieties in check. Those companies that fail to approach reentry with transparency and empathy could lose what is most crucial to the overall health of their business: the support and trust of their employees.

ICYMI: How to Remain Relevant and Career-Driven In The New Decade

It’s official: We’ve entered the 2020s. The turn of the decade marks significant change—from new technology to the where and how we work. It begs the question: What does the future of work look like? We’re only halfway through 2020, and organizations have already experienced incredible amounts of disruption. Moving forward, companies will have to continue adapting to fast-paced change. An organization’s HR department, above all, is tasked with helping employees and managers understand what change means for their jobs. For example, will innovations in AI and machine learning mean robots will replace specific roles? Will remote work become the norm across teams? These types of questions are important—even in a post-COVID world—and still require answers. Here are 6 steps that HR teams, managers or employees can take to help make the new decade their most successful yet: 1. Take Calculated Risks Many employees are afraid of taking risks. It could be that they're unsure of what's permitted at work or the repercussions of failure. But taking calculated risk (under the right circumstances, of course) is healthy for a career. Many successful businesses thrive because they encourage employees to take risks and challenge the status quo. "The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg said. Risk-taking can also support career growth and leverage untapped creativity from employees. To motivate employees to become more comfortable taking risks, consider helping them take advantage of opportunities that will help them learn and grow in their career. Encourage them to regularly take a step back and weigh their options—make a list of potential risks and courses of action aligned to them. This approach will help them be adventurous, but now act on emotion or be held back by fear. Indeed, risk-taking can be scary. But employees who take risks can create something powerful, whether it be a new product or a completely different way of doing things. And if they don’t succeed, they will learn from their mistakes and apply those learnings the next time they take a risk. 2. Deliver Results Many organizations today look at their employees based on how much profit they create for the company. This metric, best known as profit per employee, is a measure of net income over twelve months time divided by the current number of full-time employees. As a result, employees are feeling stressed and pressured to perform. But there are ways to combat this worry. Employees can hone in on three objectives: aligning their goals with organizational targets, delivering quantifiable results and maintaining skills that allow them to be agile and quickly pivot any course of action. To help encourage these behaviors, HR teams can encourage employees to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, assignable, relevant and time-based goals). This approach helps to provide clear direction, quantify areas of opportunity and highlight successes. 3. Always Be Learning Businesses and the positions they hire for evolve—precipitated by technological and economic changes. In order to grow and develop in their career, employees need to actively and continuously develop new skills. Investing in learning and development programs pays dividends for organizations and their employees: One study found that companies with well-financed L&D programs benefited from improved employee performance. HR leaders, in turn, must focus on the organization’s future needs. Search for talent with transferable, applicable skills like communication, change management and leadership—or invest in programs that will teach these skills to your employees. 4. Embrace the Technology Revolution There’s no doubt that technology is rapidly changing the workplace. The majority of business functions are moving toward using more automation, digital solutions and big data—yet there's a shortage of technical talent. That's why employers must invest in growing their own. In a recent survey, 92% of respondents said they will need more employees with technical skills and 57% said they plan to reskill workers. In some cases, training will occur for positions that don’t yet exist. Therefore, professionals who possess the right technological skills—or are willing to gain them—will be in high demand for years to come. 5. Think From an Abundance Mindset When leaders operate using an abundance mindset, they understand there’s room for everyone to succeed, and winning doesn’t require someone else on your team to lose. Encourage employees to adopt this mindset by performing it daily: For example, it’s likely that much of your employees’ work will involve participating as a member of a team. Help team members understand the importance of collaboration and take action if you notice someone isolating themselves from colleagues. Work on improving their mindset, and behaviors will follow 6. Mentorship is So 2000—Get a Personal Board of Directors Instead Every successful employee knows that having a professional mentor is priceless. If done right, the relationship yields many benefits, including management opportunities and salary increases. In the coming decade, it will be vital to level up this relationship: Instead of relying on one mentor for all your professional needs, encourage employees to create a personal board of directors that will provide insight from different points of view. The team might be made up of people with different job titles and experience levels, such as a CFO, CHRO, COO and CMO. Make sure the board can uncover skills gaps,, instill operational knowledge and provide opportunities for growth—both personally and professionally. Above all, to create a career that continues to thrive, workers must define what success looks like to them and then consistently work towards that goal. And by adopting new approaches to reach them, employees will stay relevant and indispensable even in our rapidly changing workplaces. For more ways to make the most of the coming decade, read tips from Cornerstone’s AVP of Learning and Organizational Effectiveness Jeff Miller here.

5 Ways healthcare organizations can lead through change

Most healthcare organizations are managing to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not been easy. Keeping everyone safe while budgets and revenue crater and costs skyrocket is an increasingly precarious balancing act. Although, a few organizations have been able to approach these challenges in a unique way. They know that simply “weathering the storm” is a short-term strategy at best, and they’re doing more than simply reacting to present circumstances. These few organizations aren’t just managing the crisis — they’re leading through it. Are you ready to lead? Download the brief to learn about the 5 requirements to leading through a crisis. Building a more agile workforce Enabling a remote workforce Prioritizing digital transformation Creating a more patient-centric organization Aligning business initiatives and talent initiatives

3 Ways the Pandemic Could Change Our Workplaces For The Better

This article originally appeared on Fast Company.com It’s been a challenging time, but it has shed a clear light on things that need to change. The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to reject former routines and adopt new, socially distant ones. Protests that erupted worldwide following the murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans inspired calls for reform and brought systemic racism, police brutality, and white privilege to the forefront of the American psyche. Maybe—just maybe—these events could produce lasting, positive change. It’s difficult to predict what will happen at the national level, and unfortunately, there’s historical evidence that the impacts of events like these aren’t lasting. But I see the makings of lasting change in the American workplace. What if companies are as trusting and empathetic with their employees as they were during the pandemic? And what if leaders commit to long-term plans to bring more diversity and racial equity into their workforces? There’s work to be done in the workplace (and as a straight, married white male of privilege, I have to acknowledge the work I have to do, too). Using the learnings revealed from this year’s crises, businesses can affect real change. The question is, will they? More trust Trust between employers and their employees has always been crucial to a team’s morale, productivity, and collaboration. So far, this year has put that trust to the test. For instance, when COVID-induced remote work began, many employers invested in employee tracking software and other monitoring tools—this despite decades of research on employee management showing that close monitoring signals distrust to employees and encourages disloyalty. Instead, the opposite approach is more effective: Trust employees and they will honor that trust—and the fact that employees have been more productive during the pandemic is evidence. Employers will have a hard time denying this flexibility in work hours and location post-pandemic. And many employees will likely demand it. Companies that have confidence in their people will see the benefits, like greater employee engagement, innovation, and productivity. To work, that trust needs to go both ways. Amid the recent protests and calls or reform, many companies have pledged to make permanent changes. Some have promised upgrades to diversity and inclusion programs, others have started working on leadership pipelines and bringing more people of color into their board rooms. But in order for these initiatives to actually bring about lasting change—and encourage a workforce’s trust—companies must follow through on every purported strategy. Employees’ trust is on the line if a company’s efforts stop when the protests do. More empathy This crisis has taken a toll on the minds and emotions of American workers, with an incurable virus in our midst, unemployment at an all-time high, protests occurring daily, and the global economy still wavering. At least one-third of U.S. employees reported experiencing symptoms of depression while living through COVID-19. Thankfully, more than half of employers have recognized these struggles and are refining their mental health benefits in the wake of the pandemic. What’s more, employees themselves have become more connected. They all have similar concerns and are more understanding. I’ve noticed this in my teams. Now that our work and home lives are mixed, we’re learning more about each other and our lives, families, and homes. When a videoconference is interrupted by a coworker’s barking dog or crying baby, we laugh it off as just another side effect to our new normal. Employees are acting with more humanity—but when it comes time for offices to reopen, will this practice remain? There are benefits to maintaining this practice of empathy post-pandemic. Empathy can improve employee retention, advocacy, and even lead to business success, too. But it has to come from the top: In order for empathy to spread throughout an entire organization, managers must take the lead. They must deliberately practice empathetic leadership and take the feelings and opinions of others into account before acting on something. This strengthens manager-employee relationships, fosters loyalty, and can even teach employees how to operate compassionately. Empathetic leadership styles are especially important amid workplace discussions around race and biases. If leaders aren’t invested in these efforts or don’t clearly emote their support, employees may be apathetic as well. Continuous learning Sustained change requires continuous learning and reflection. This is true for individuals, companies, and even countries. Without it, we lose touch with what we’ve learned and why it’s important. Interestingly, learning became a priority during COVID-19. Employees displayed an earnest interest in using this isolated experience as an opportunity for personal growth and development. This habit will be critical to maintain. As skills gaps are widening across industries, reskilling efforts need to happen now. Companies will have to continue providing learning opportunities that are easy, effective, and can be integrated into employees’ everyday workflows. The protests have also encouraged learning. Many white people are pledging to educate themselves on systemic racism and oppression in America. In fact, since the protests began, Black American authors have topped the New York Times’ bestseller list, and the top 10 entries on the nonfiction list have been primarily titles that focus on race issues in the U.S. Business leaders have done the same, promising to learn more about how race relations and inequalities affect their workplace. This is important since, for too many companies, racial biases and microaggressions still go unnoticed. And these conditions not only perpetuate systemic racism, but they can slow the growth of Black employees and affect their job performance. This learning cannot end with the protests. Organizations must continue using learning and development programs, like implicit bias training, to locate and address their racial blind spots. Of course, research shows that learning initiatives alone are not enough—they must be accompanied by structural changes, like the removal of any noninclusive organizational policies. But they are still an integral part of a company’s overall commitment to antiracism that the executive team should be held accountable for. Before society returns to "normal," ask yourself the following questions: What have I learned? What do I want to do differently? How can I make sure that I follow through on these changes? Right now, the American workplace has an opportunity to become more trustworthy, empathetic, and equitable. But it will require effort. Business leaders and employees must commit to change.

Conversations with Gen Z: Old Ways, New Normals, and Shaping the Future of Work

Gen Z’s steady entry into the workforce has come with a wave of preparatory thinkpieces, advice columns and data breakdowns—rivalling even Millennial content. But there’s an important reason: as the first "digital natives," Gen Z brings transformational changes, industry-wide rethinking and reshaping the world of work—again. Born after 1995, Gen Z is the most ethnically-diverse generation in the U.S. to date and among the most educated. They had their first smartphones in elementary school, and see themselves as content creators, not just consumers (56% say they use social media to express themselves creatively). With this comes a penchant for instant gratification—even in their careers. But that doesn’t mean they lack work ethic or discipline. Still, most Gen Zers report feeling unprepared for the workforce. And in many ways, the workforce itself isn’t quite ready for them: companies are increasingly experiencing generational challenges due to mismatched experience and expectations. Even the digitally-inclined Millennials are likely to clash with Gen Z, according to some experts. The best way to overcome this generational challenge is to give both Gen Z and their future managers the tools and training they need to work best together. In fact, 75% of the Gen Z workers in one study said that a boss or manager’s ability to coach and mentor them is of absolute importance. Millennial manager Casey Brecker, a team lead with Cornerstone’s Associate Client Executive (ACE) department, and Gen Z Associate Client Executive (ACE) Tina Phan, can attest to the importance of having these resources. Read on to hear about their experience working together. Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and your work relationship? Brecker: I've been at Cornerstone for almost four years now. I lead our ACE team, and have been in this role for just about a year now. [Phan] was my backfill for the role, so I hired her in October of 2019. Phan: I've been at Cornerstone for almost two years. I started on the Healthcare Corporate Account Development (CAD) team and then was promoted to the ACE team. Casey is my direct manager. What was the learning curve like for you when it comes to entering the workforce—or, in your case, Casey, managing a Gen Z employee? Phan: The soft skills I’ve developed through various jobs throughout high school and college helped prepare me as I entered the workforce. But I quickly realized how important it is to actively reskill and upskill in all areas as I progress in my career. To learn, I found myself modeling my work based on my peers who I admire. I connected with many of them to get a better sense of what they’ve done to make them successful in their role and that helped me understand what areas I could improve on, what I needed to do to be successful in my own role, and how I can make an overall impact at the organization. Brecker: I've learned a lot in almost a year of management.Gen Z is making a really big shift in the corporate world. Everyone is reframing the way they retain them. A big part of it is managers being supportive, mentoring, letting them make mistakes—and also asking for Gen Z’s opinions to learn from them. Gen Z’s approach is fresh and reminds me to avoid getting caught up in the ways we usually do things. Growing in the Workforce: Different Expectations and New Trajectories The linear "corporate ladder" was already well on its way to being an outdated concept before Gen Z entered the workforce. Do you have a sense of there being a new bar for success or career progress now? Brecker: What I've noticed in interviewing candidates is that Gen Zers are extremely motivated, really eager to advance and already thinking about their next role. In addition to covering Phan’s to-do list during our weekly check-ins, we make it a priority to regularly talk about her development, career growth and what we can do to get her there. Phan: One of the things that attracted me to Cornerstone was seeing people in my department move linearly or laterally within the company, depending on what they want their career trajectory to look like. And that's one thing that Gen Zers really hope to do is drive their own career path. There is a belief that Gen Z—having been so indoctrinated by the instant gratification of social media—expects more rapid and immediate movement in their career. Have either of you felt that? Phan: I would say more importantly Gen Zers want to know that the company we work for is committed to investing in our development. We are eager to work and build on our skills, both technical skills and soft skills, as well as gain valuable career experience for our future. The job market is full of talent so at times we may feel expendable. But we also see companies as expendable if they don’t support our career advancement. We can easily find new opportunities through our social networks if the job we are in now isn’t right for us. That is why it’s so important that companies are in tune with the needs of their Gen Z employees. Brecker:What's going to engage Gen Z coming into the workforce is that motivation to get to that next step and a culture of development and engagement. The freedom to face challenges on their own, but also having a mentor and a coach to help guide them along the way. It certainly was an adjustment for me at first. I had to make more time in our check-ins to discuss development opportunities and slow down to thoughtfully coach. But after a few weeks, we got in a groove, and now Tina is one of our best team members in the department and is incredibly proactive and self-sufficient. Cornerstone has launched several digital learning courses specifically geared toward the Gen Z audience. Have you taken those courses yet, and what did you think? Phan: Yes, the courses were very digestible (5 minutes or less) and got information across effectively and efficiently. They provided great insight on how Gen Zers think, operate, and interact. Brecker: The courses were extremely informative in distinguishing Gen Z myths versus realities. From the training it is clear that this generation is driven, has a hunger for personal development, and craves in-person interaction. As a manager, I learned in order to succeed as a team and retain your people it’s extremely important to set clear expectations, create a space to motivate and form authentic relationships. These are courses everyone should make time to take! To find out more about Cornerstone’s Digital Native Advancement (DNA) Program and the newly-launched "Plan Z" initiative, click here.

A CTO’s Perspective: Rethinking the Office Space Post-COVID

When our company first began to understand that COVID-19 might shut down our offices, we decided to do an all-remote drill. The thinking was: let’s send everybody home and see how it goes now, in preparation for when it’s not an option. That was back in early March. The punchline of that story is probably obvious: the "drill" quickly turned into a reality, end date indefinite. Our transition was assuaged somewhat, since we’d already been increasing remote work as our team was growing globally. We’d already implemented technology infrastructure to make remote work possible and secure. Still, the pandemic was a sudden move to all-remote, making it challenging for workers to adjust—not to mention that many of them are now dealing with a lack of childcare or other stresses associated with the pandemic. Our team has remained incredibly resilient in the face of this change, and we now have the opportunity to continue the transition to a new type of work—one that the pandemic didn’t create, but accelerated. With restrictions letting up, leadership teams are planning what returning to the office looks like—and some are implementing temporary in-person policies already. But if companies are working towards "business as usual," they’re missing an opportunity to pause and think about how we need to change the office for the future of work. We likely won’t return to the office in full force for many months to come—and in my view, perhaps we shouldn’t, ever. Instead, companies should be more focused on creating new types of work and collaboration space and on implementing more flexible work policies. Remote Work Boosts Engagement—and Hiring Opportunities There’s data suggesting that many workers, having experienced working from home during the pandemic, are interested in continuing to do so—whether that’s full-time or part-time. And while companies might be worried about a lack of productivity as a result, research suggests the opposite. A recent study from Accenture found that employees crave the flexibility to "achieve the productivity that helps my mental health." And one study found that, being granted this flexibility, at least 60% of employees feel more productive and engaged at work. Not only are employees better engaged in their jobs, but employers can increase their access to great talent. Employers no longer have to hire around their HQ or local offices, which often limits the talent pool to those employees who can afford to live in high cost of living areas. And by offering remote work to candidates, employers see higher application rates, greater candidate diversity and lower hiring costs (including incentives and/or relocation fees), among other benefits. It’s no wonder, then, that this trend was already taking shape before the pandemic, with remote job postings increasing 270% from 2017. Embrace the Opportunity to Rethink the Office Space If I could point to one positive impact of COVID-19 on the way we work, it’s absolutely that we’ll start to move away from the open office to mitigate personal health risks. It’s the worst-kept secret in the tech business that the open office, despite its revolutionary promises to spark creativity and spontaneous collaboration, failed miserably. One study found companies that switched to an open office format saw in-person interactions actually decline by 70%. That’s because in the absence of physical walls, the office culture often creates them—and instead of interrupting someone in-person, digital communication increases. The open office did save companies money by being able to fit more employees per square foot of office space. But the good news is that, in this new world of work, they likely don’t need more office space to accommodate the workforce with more people working remotely part-time or full-time. As companies reopen, they should consider dividing the office into thirds: Permanent desks: Remember that some employees don’t have home environments that are conducive to working from home regularly—or maybe they are just happier and more productive coming into a physical office everyday. Hoteling: Allow employees to reserve a desk when they need it to come into the office a few times a week or on an as-needed basis to collaborate with colleagues in-person. Collaboration Space: This is meeting room space with white boards and other tools that facilitate in-person collaboration and design sessions. Make the Remote Work Experience Better Before everyone was working from home, remote employees were at a slight disadvantage when the majority of their colleagues were in-person. In-person, it’s easier to be part of every conversation, feel connected to colleagues through casual conversations or office happy hours and even feel a stronger affinity for the company because of that personal connection. Loneliness and low engagement make remote workers more likely to leave a company. But as more people opt for remote work, improving that experience will be critical not only to help employees collaborate more effectively, but also for retention. Organizations, specifically IT teams, should consider remote work best practices, such as allowing for more flexible work schedules, assigning start-to-finish projects with definitive deadlines, and leveraging pulse surveys to regularly check-in with your teams to make sure they have the support, resources and motivation to stay productive. And all of that needs to start now: Many in leadership might think that no one will be leaving in the middle of the pandemic—but that’s simply not true. And in fact, it’s easier than ever before for employees to leave: they don’t have to clean out their desks or even say goodbye to colleagues. Finding ways to help employees feel connected to the company, its goals and its success will be critical post-pandemic now and as unemployment begins to fall and employees are more comfortable job-hunting. Companies have been making space for remote work for the last several years, and the pandemic has only accelerated the need for investing more in making remote work tenable for more employees. It’s critical that companies embrace this opportunity to give their workforce more autonomy and flexibility—rather than revert to former best-practices.

Rebuilding Remote Leadership Starts With Building Trust

Last month, I wrote an obituary for normal: the way things used to be. Many typical practices and ways of working are no longer effective, forcing everyone to utilize the most valuable skill of 2020: adaptability. One area where this is especially prominent is in leadership. The shelter-in-place orders eliminated face-to-face interactions and hands-on supervision has been replaced with digital communication and invisible oversight. The long-held belief that employees couldn’t be trusted to work as hard or as efficiently was put to the test. Likewise, many managers found themselves challenged to manage a remote, distributed workforce. The early weeks of working-from-home were completely chaotic. Uncertainty about our health, safety and future distracted everyone. So did the lack of proper processes, tools and digital know-how on the part of many workers and managers. In a recent Global Mentor Network interview, San Francisco Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper stated, "We’re all making it up as we go. Most of us are faking it." But that’s changing. The unplanned working-from-home experiment seems to be working for many people and companies. Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft and Square have all made permanent full-time remote work optional, if not the default. Even the insurer Nationwide has committed to reducing their physical office space from 20 locations to four.It’s the tip of the iceberg, but all signs are pointing to the notion that while this is the new normal as we know it, it will continue to evolve. And when it comes to leadership, it will continue to evolve too. Senior management is learning how to support remote workers. Supervisors are getting comfortable managing their teams through digital and cloud technologies. Still, most would also admit they have a long way to go. As businesses begin to reopen, managers need to adapt to lead their teams virtually. Trust Matters Most Overseeing a distributed workforce without the benefit of informal coffee breaks, lunchroom chats and in-person meetings requires a new approach to leadership and advanced digital skills. Where should you start? Sure, technology tools are required, but those alone won't build engagement and ensure productivity and performance. Effectively leading and managing a team of remote workers begins with trust. Without trust, nothing else really matters. The first and foundational question for leading distributed and remote employees is : "Do you believe these employees can succeed?" For obvious reasons, answering "no" requires deeper inquiry and analysis. But so does answering "yes." For example, if you answer "yes", consider these questions: What are the reasons your employees can succeed while working remotely? Are these reasons based on facts or assumptions? If assumptions, what are the additional things you need to do or need to know? If you answer "no", consider these questions: What are the reasons you believe your employees can succeed while working remotely? What is required for you or your employees to successfully get to "yes"? What tools or resources do you need or do you need to provide to get to "yes"? You can also ask similar conditional questions about: Access and collaboration requirements Team meetings Team morale Gathering feedback Managing remote and distributed workers can be complicated under normal circumstances. But add a pandemic, social unrest and technological disruption, and tensions are heightened. Crisis or not, employees look to their managers for cues. These cues drive the moods and behaviors of everyone else. Do your cues and actions instill trust? To find success in your team and for your company, they must. To learn more about what the future of work looks like, download our new whitepaper, Five Ways COVID-19 Will Change the Future of Work.

ICYMI: June Brings the Heat to Work Life

Editor's Note: In today's fast-paced news cycle, we know it's difficult to keep up with the latest and most impactful trends and stories. Our ICYMI series aims to help you stay informed and in the loop from your workplace or remote work station. There’s no other way to say it: June 2020 has been a month—one defined by social activism and growing demand for lasting change in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion in this country, and in the offices and boardrooms of corporate America. The impact of this moment is history is so profound it’s spread globally. Here are some headlines that promise to set the tone for the future of work for years to come: The United States Supreme Court declared a historic victory for LGBTQ employees now protected by law from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Demonstrations broke out nationwide following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ahmaud Arbery in Glenn County and Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta. As calls for equality and peace rang out in the streets, renewed commitments to corporate diversity, equity and inclusion reverberated around boardrooms and company all-hands Zoom meetings. And, companies across sectors observed Juneteenth—most for the first time. The Black Lives Matter movement truly became global. Communities around the world are entering reopening phases that include bringing people back to offices—at least, in theory. In the U.S., the government is considering offering "back to work bonuses" to entice workers to return after socially distancing and operating remotely for months. It remains to be seen whether or not this measure will help shift work back to workplaces. As organizations continue to shift their business operations in response to COVID-19, HR and executive leaders are adopting innovative their recruiting strategies —with methods like curbside job fairs and virtual onboarding sessions over Zoom taking the place of in-person campus visits and conference room interview cycles. There’s been a great deal of focus on the public health crisis facing the world, but a second powerful crisis is brewing: the immense strain on people’s mental health as the coronavirus and its impact to our personal and professional lives continues. Business and HR leaders are now faced with a challenge: how can companies provide safe spaces for employees to discuss mental health struggles without stigma? Prepare Your People and Your Organization for the Future These and other articles clearly demonstrate that today looks nothing like yesterday. What we thought of as "the future" has become the now. The world changes fast, and if you're bound by what worked yesterday, you can't move forward and adapt to today. Learning is the key. When you learn to unbound from what change has made obsolete, you can thrive, now and forever. To help prepare for what's to come, we've joined forces with our clients, partners, and industry experts to provide resources to survive these times, rebound from the effects of this change, and thrive in the future. Access them here.

Heidi Spirgi Named to 2021 Constellation Research Business Transformation 150

This week, Constellation Research announced its 2021 Business Transformation 150 (BT150), an elite list of executives leading business transformation efforts around the globe. We are proud to share that Heidi Spirgi, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Cornerstone, has been named to the list among other visionary business leaders. Leaders have been challenged this year by a perfect storm of disruptions: COVID-19, generational shifts in the workforce, transformative action for diversity and inclusion, a hypercompetitive new customer experience landscape, and the relentless march of exponential digital change. Executives named to the 2021 Business Transformation 150 list understand how the business environment is transforming in response to all of these pressures and are proactively preparing their organizations to excel during and after this transformation. Why this BT150 recognition of Heidi’s leadership is meaningful to us Heidi is an adaptable, empathic leader who guides her team to rethink how work can get done, without losing sight of a people-first mindset. She leads by example through her commitment to work-life balance for herself and her team, and she advocates for peers, encouraging them to use their voices to spark change. She has a deep-rooted passion for embracing a "beginner’s mindset" so that businesses can cultivate innovative cultures and teams built on cognitive and demographic diversity. Now, just over one year with Cornerstone, Heidi’s strategic decision-making and innovative approach to how work can get done has helped position Cornerstone to be the market leader. In partnership with the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation, Heidi also orchestrated the launch of Cornerstone Cares, a publicly available site that provides free online training around unconscious bias, COVID-19, stress management and remote work as well as playlists designed for K-12 educators to transition to online learning. Since its launch in March, over 70,000 people have visited the site, completing more than 42,000 courses, in addition to the millions of users who leverage Cornerstone Learning and Content Anytime through their organizations’ portals. As an agent of change, Heidi has lead the creation of go-to-market campaigns that address the growing concern over the global skills gap, and two recent acquisitions: Saba Software, a cloud-based talent management solution provider, as well as Clustree, one of the world’s most sophisticated skills engines that will be integrated into Cornerstone’s portfolio of products. "This year’s BT150 leaders have watched their futures accelerate in front of them. As positive change agents, their hard work to build new business models, accelerate organizational change, and apply new technologies has paid off in the post-pandemic environment," said R "Ray" Wang, founder and CEO at Constellation Research. "Moreover, their collective drive to improve the world around them and mentor the next generation sets them apart." On behalf of Heidi and the Cornerstone team, congratulations to all of the leaders named to the BT150 list! To learn more about Heidi, you can read about her background and follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn. And for more insight into Heidi’s views about leading through change and how organizations can prepare their people for a new world of work, read her latest posts on the ReWork blog.

The expert’s guide to great virtual learning

Five ways COVID-19 will change the future of work

How much has the world of work changed as we embraced social distancing and found our own version of “shelter at home?” The most popular hot take goes something like this: "It’s all going to change! Once people have worked from home for this long, they’re never coming back to the office!" Of course, great HR pros know the truth always lies somewhere in the middle. If I could short the stock of every expert who has made the above proclamation in the COVID-19 lockdown era, I would. That being said, the world of work for white collar professionals IS likely to change based on what we’ve learned. But offices aren’t going away. Your company’s approach to what work is and how it gets done is simply going to evolve. In many industries, the trend has long been leaning towards more remote work for professional grade team members. While some companies have taken the full plunge, many have barely dipped a toe in the true “remote workforce” organizational design.

Careers Unbound: Career Coaching in Today's World

Following a traditional career path is no longer a road to success. The reality is that navigating today’s ever-changing work landscape requires a far more proactive, choose-your-own-adventure approach. But companies can—and should—do far more to help provide guidance and opportunities to employees who are figuring out their professional lives. While it was once relatively common for an employee to work at a single organization for 40 years, rising slowly up the corporate ladder, it’s now rare for workers to spend their entire professional lives at one company. In fact, according to a 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, employees hold an average of 12 jobs in their lifetimes. And this trend will only continue. "Estimates today are that a young person could have 16-17 different jobs across five different industries," says author and future of work strategist Heather McGowan. Then there are the ripple effects of COVID-19 to consider. Thirty percent of college grads are now rethinking their industry of choice, including moving away from NGOs and fields like hospitality and tourism, according to a recent study. Meanwhile, another 30% are considering taking a gap year. And anecdotal evidence suggests that a number of current employees are switching gears to tackle entirely new roles and responsibilities as company needs and goals have suddenly shifted as a result of the pandemic. One thing’s for sure: Resumes are going to look a whole lot different moving forward, with skips and hops becoming even more commonplace and widely accepted. Given our volatile working world (further fueled by advances in technology and automation), how can companies help employees create a personalized vision and direction for their future that’s not necessarily tied to a traditional upward trajectory? Transforming Managers Into Coaches While frequent job jumping is becoming more of the norm, it’s not only the result of outside forces. Unfortunately, many individuals simply feel disconnected from their work, with 51% actively looking for a new job or watching job openings, according to Gallup’s State of the American Workforce report. Managers have the power to change this; after all, they account for a whopping 70% of variance in employee engagement scores. But moving the needle will require them to take time to focus on the unique strengths and interests of their reports. As opposed to micromanaging tasks or dwelling on ways to fix individual shortcomings (so that everyone on the team checks the same success boxes), managers should have more regular, in-depth check-ins with employees to discuss their professional goals and challenges as well as projects and positions that might interest them. And instead of formally evaluating, managers must build trust by acting more like coaches: asking open-ended questions, actively listening and guiding individuals toward solutions that play to their strengths. In this way, they’ll encourage individuals to take a more active role in their own development journey while simultaneously honing those workers’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The result? Happier, more engaged employees and greater internal mobility. And it’s not just the employees who benefit from this adjusted approach. Research shows that organizations whose leaders successfully empower others through coaching are nearly four times more likely to make fast, good decisions and outperform their industry peers. But it will take more than just desire and a serious time investment to make these meaningful conversations and professional relationships possible—and effective. AI-Powered Digital Coaching Tools To identify an employee’s various capabilities and provide them with the right development opportunities, companies will greatly benefit from the use of AI-powered digital coaching tools. This smart technology can make recommendations for growth (like relevant training sessions, projects or open roles) based on skills courses that an employee has completed or shown interest in. As a result, that individual may stumble across a position or department they had never considered before but would be a great fit for their talents, keeping them engaged and invested in the company. This nonlinear path may seem unusual, but today’s workers are motivated by professional growth opportunities and not necessarily a promotion or a bigger paycheck. According to research from Cornerstone, 89% of workers across generations said they would consider making a lateral career move with no financial incentive. Meanwhile, analyst Josh Bersin found that companies who effectively nurture their workforce’s desire to learn are at least 30% more likely to be market leaders over an extended period of time. By constantly evaluating the skill sets of employees and providing them with continuous opportunities to learn (an approach known as new skilling), companies can not only develop industry-leading talent but also an exceptionally adaptable workforce. But it’s just as important for employees to hone their soft skills as critical as their technical skills. Luckily, XR specialists like Talespin are building immersive learning programs that coach users how to effectively respond in professional scenarios that require empathy, problem-solving and purposeful inquiry, among other leadership skills. "We're seeing retention of core concepts go up by over 200%, and they typically stick for two to three times as long," says Talespin CEO Kyle Jackson. "People start making different connections than they would have if they had been in e-learning or video- or classroom-based learning." Paired with more constructive, open-ended conversations with managers, these trail-blazing, AI-driven technologies will help to upskill employees and propel them into challenging, satisfying careers. No roads required.

Infographic: How the public sector can adapt to COVID-19 and beyond

COVID-19 has impacted how the world works in deep and disruptive ways. Cornerstone surveyed public sector organizations to better understand how they’re responding to this crisis as well as what resources they need to accelerate adaptability.

Your HR Business Case Was Approved—Here’s How to Actualize It

Congratulations—you received approval on your HR business case and budget. Now what? What if I told you that you have less than a 50% chance of achieving what you got approved? Would you feel good about going back to your executive team in one, two or three years and asking for the same budget again? In my humble opinion, I would say "No," but then again, I’m not much of a gambler with delivering on a commitment. According to a recent PwC HR Tech Survey, less than half of all respondents said they achieved 76% or more of what went into their HR Cloud business case. This is not an encouraging result when you are competing for budget or trying to expand it. With our problem in front of us, I offer these ideas as a starting point for overcoming the odds and achieving the goals you set in your business case: 1) Baseline, Baseline, Baseline As anyone who has bought or sold a home knows: "Location, location, location." The same logic applies to baselining—sometimes it matters more than the business case itself. Often, however, we pay so much attention to what goes into a business case, that there’s not enough focus on establishing and documenting a pre-change starting point. Instead, you should leverage the critical thinking you put into your business case and baseline the data that supported your pre-change estimates before any change occurs. I would suggest making whether or not you can baseline a criterion for determining if a calculation goes into your business case at all. If you cannot defend your estimated improvements, savings and revenue, you are setting yourself up for an uphill battle when it comes time to maintain or expand your budget. Further, by baselining and measuring against your baseline, you speed up responsiveness to lagging indicators that are important to your talent processes, and to the business. For those interested in learning more about the role of lagging (and leading) indicators on value measures in HR, there is a great piece written by Dr. Tom Tonkin, principal, thought leadership & advisory services at Cornerstone OnDemand, that goes deeper on that point. Why is speeding up responsiveness important? It is better to know early in the process that you are behind where you thought you would be. It provides you with time to reflect and gauge what may be the cause. Often, for example, the problem is that there hasn’t been enough time allotted for change management or user adoption. 2) Crawl, Walk, Run HR and talent teams struggle to leap immediately to effectiveness measures such as "Productivity or Revenue by Employee" or "CSAT/NPS Improvement." (There is a difference between efficiency and effectiveness measures that I cover in this post for those who are interested in learning more). My quick and simple recommendation is to start small (efficiency) and build to strategic actions (effectiveness). Turnover is an excellent example and a measure that is frequently scrutinized. Turnover, by itself, is something most companies measure, but what about turnover of your highest performing employees? To begin baselining the effectiveness of improving high performer turnover, start by identifying turnover data in critical areas of the business where this might be a problem. Then drill down and ask if you can segment that by low/medium/high performers. (The cost to replace a high performing employee can be 90-200% of their annual salary according to SHRM’s "A Guide to Analyzing and Managing Employee Turnover.") With that information baselined, you can begin working to track and measure uplift in other more strategic measures. 3) Don’t Wait to Align With the Business—Start Early There is plenty of research out there that supports the importance of HR/Talent being aligned to the business, but I point you to this blog post if this is an area of particular interest. But simply put, illustrating the connectedness between Business and HR/Talent Priorities requires a) an understanding of business priorities and b) insight into how HR initiatives support them. When you think about turnover, for example, there’s rarely just one initiative that can improve it. Rather, it is typically a combination of efforts. The point is to work early to think about what measures and data are required to build your HR/Talent value story so that when it comes time to present what you’ve done, you have both a strong qualitative story and a very authoritative quantitative impact story to tell. For a visual on how to consider structuring your HR/Talent Value Story, see the third part of my three-part blog series on the topic. With these points in mind, I offer two closing questions to reflect on: Do you know the impact your HR/Talent practices are delivering for your business? Are you prepared to defend your investment when asked?

Cartoon Coffee Break: Back to a New Normal

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back regularly for a new ReWork cartoon. Across the U.S., states are starting to reopen, and soon employees will be going back to work. Some may want to jump right back into old routines and commutes, but they will be greeted by a lot of change: In most public spaces and shared environments like the workplace, there will be an increased awareness around any and all public health risks. Most offices will have to physically restructure to account for social distancing. To prepare for this transition, employers are reviewing guidance from public health officials, considering more remote work-friendly policies and investing in converting traditional workspaces to socially-distant operations. Among employees, some are excited to return to their workplaces while others plan to continue working from home until this public health crisis ends if their job (and employer) allows. Regardless of how the next few months play out, the previously universal phrase "going to work" is sure to take on a new meaning as people adapt to a new normal.

Webinar Recap: How Pima Community College Is Supporting Its Staff During COVID-19—And Preparing Them for Work After It

When college campuses closed earlier this year due to COVID-19, universities hopped into crisis management mode. Colleges had to quickly adopt new, virtual ways of educating their students while ensuring the safety and sanity of remote and on-site staff. Pima Community College (PCC) is one such institution. Located in Tucson, Arizona, PCC is one of the largest multi-campus community colleges in the United States, serving all areas of its Tucson community. The College began preparing for the switch to remote learning in the weeks leading up to campus closures. They held forums, communicated possible changes to the student body and created a crisis management plan: First, they would stabilize its staff, then create normalcy and then focus on their employee’s future growth and development. To help with this effort, PCC created EmployeeConnect, a centralized digital communication and training hub for all staff members. At first, the platform aimed to create organization and connectivity for the College’s temporarily disparate staff. But since its deployment, EmployeeConnect has expanded in scale, reach and impact. It has boosted learning and development among staff members and ensured that PCC will emerge from this crisis armed with the skills necessary to succeed in a post-pandemic reality. Creating Organization and Clear Communication During the COVID-19 Crisis Like so many academic institutions, PCC needed a way to quickly get organized and keep its staff informed amidst all the coronavirus-induced change. With this in mind, Jesse Diaz, an advanced program manager at PCC, and other members of the College’s leadership team got to work creating EmployeeConnect. And by using Cornerstone’s Learning and Connect solutions, Diaz was able to build, design and deploy the platform in less than 48 hours. The team first made sure EmployeeConnect served as an informative resource for every member of PCC’s staff—meaning its remote workers as well as those still on-site like facilities personnel, campus police, payroll teams, and members of the finance department. They then outfitted the platform with context-rich content that’s applicable and relevant to everyone. Administrators shared posts like "Working During COVID-19" to explain what actions PCC was taking to keep its onsite workers safe and "Things Going on Around the District" to give an update on the construction of a new downtown campus. The platform also serves as a repository for all of the College’s communications so that staff members never miss an update. Every new remote work policy or direction from HR is accessible via EmployeeConnect so that staff members can read or submit questions on these changes without sifting through emails. Diaz and his team can also track how employees interact with the platform. By identifying popular posts and frequently asked questions, they determine which pain points are most common and update the site’s content accordingly. For instance, PCC added a section to EmployeeConnect dedicated to payroll because so many employees were submitting questions on the topic. Fostering Connection and Offering Employees’ Support PCC is using EmployeeConnect to do more than organize communications and provide clear updates: Like most companies and institutions, PCC is worried about how COVID-19 is affecting their workforce’s mental health. According to arecent study, nearly 7 in 10 employees believe the COVID-19 pandemic is the most stressful time of their entire professional career. Inanother poll, nearly half of Americans said that the coronavirus pandemic has harmed their mental health. In addition to encouraging the use of their wellness benefits, PCC wanted to create connectivity among its employees and help socially distant personnel feel less alone during this particularly isolating experience. And with the EmployeeConnect platform, this kind of virtual and united community was quickly created. The platform gives PCC’s workforce an opportunity to share and comment on their coronavirus-induced experiences through posts and comments. There’s content on where to shop for groceries, tips on balancing childcare and work, techniques for managing anxiety and indoor exercise routines for everyone to try. Administrators at PCC also share information on the College’s wellness benefits and encourage staff members to use them. "Within the first few weeks of using the platform, people realized that there was value in this private online community," said Diaz. "They could contribute and talk about their worries in a private forum where they could be human, be themselves." Opportunity For Professional Growth and Development PCC also added professional development and skills training to its EmployeeConnect platform. Their goal is to not only help staff members navigate their new remote work environments, but to ensure every employee comes out of this crisis stronger and more prepared for the future. As newly remote employees, PCC’s faculty and staff needed to develop certain hard and soft skills: For example, some had to learn how to use new technologies, like video conferencing and online meeting scheduling, for their now virtual classrooms. They’ve had to strengthen their leadership and emotional intelligence skills, too: In remote work environments, conversations are typed out, and meetings happen through a screen. This lack of in-person interactions makes it harder to pick up on social cues, understand someone’s moods or properly convey needs. PCC’s staff members needed training on how to lead in these scenarios and connect with students or co-workers, even if through a screen. On EmployeeConnect, learning is delivered via playlists from Cornerstone’s Learning Solution—a format that proved highly effective for PCC’s staff. These collections of training and courses are organized by topic and skill-level, so employees can choose from beginner, intermediate or advanced. In practice, employees log onto the platform, find the section dedicated to the skills they need, choose their proficiency and start learning. "With these curated playlists, our employees are learning in a Netflix-style format," explained Diaz. "This has made learning more effective. They can just scroll through collections of video to find the one they need and press play." By creating learning content that’s easy to find and consume, PCC has set its employees up for future success. According to the numbers, staff members are now taking more courses: When the site launched in March, only 720 employees had completed their compliance training, so PCC added marketing to EmployeeConnect that drove users to "College Directed Training," a section of the site dedicated to compliance training. Since then, 468 more employees have finished the courses, pushing the completion number up to 1188 employees as of May 4th. It’s also become clear that staff members will continue using the site to learn, connect and grow because they derive value from it. The platform’s user engagement is far above the industry standard: While average engagement levels for internal community websites like EmployeeConnect usually land around 0.09%, PCC has maintained a solid 13% for two months in a row. Even after this crisis has ended, Diaz and his team expect to use the EmployeeConnect site as a place where PCC’s staff members can share experiences, improve themselves and learn new skills. This virtual internal community has brought more than organization and connection to people facing a difficult time—it has helped PCC build a pathway towards future growth and talent development. The full session is available on-demand and includes many more tips and details on how EmployeeConnect has helped Pima Community College prepare for work during the COVID-19 crisis and for future growth after it. I hope you find it useful in helping make your work easier and more impactful.

Nurturing Workers’ Adaptability Quotient Will Differentiate Businesses Post-COVID

COVID-19 caused a seismic shift in every corner of life, including how employees work. Within days, companies were forced to shift to remote work and many completely shook up their business models to adhere to stay-at-home restrictions and other regulations. The challenge was and remains colossal. But weathering the storm of the pandemic is just one part of ensuring business success. As other forces—including the rise of automation technology and the evolving expectations of the incoming Gen Z workforce—continue to put pressure on how organizations work, businesses will have to become more nimble than ever. In an op-ed for Human Resource Executive, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Cornerstone OnDemand Heidi Spirgi discusses how to create a more agile workforce and business by emphasizing and nurturing employees’ adaptability quotient, a measure of resilience and flexibility. Read more here.

Dear ReWorker: Some of My Employees Don’t Want to Return to Work—What Should I Do?

Dear ReWorker, We’ve been given the go-ahead from the government to re-open our business. The only problem is that the employees don’t want to come back. The hourly staff is making more on unemployment than they do working, and the exempt staff has been working from home and aren’t thrilled about returning to the office. Is there anything I can do to get our staff to come back? Sincerely, Flying Solo _______________ Dear Flying Solo, First off, know that many other HR professionals are in a similar situation. A recent poll found that 45% of employers are struggling to accommodate reluctant employees. And while you could just offer everybody a big raise so that they earn more at work than they do on unemployment, I suspect that’s not exactly in your budget. It also probably isn’t the main source of hesitation—which, I imagine, is fear. When you’re tackling this issue, it’s best to go through the most common reasons people don’t want to come back and address them one-by-one. 1) They Get More Money on Unemployment Let’s start with the monetary issue you mentioned. Unemployment payments are generally terrible, but the federal government temporarily allotted each person an additional $600 per week. The key word here is "temporarily." As of right now, this is scheduled to end in July—and then what? It drops to regular state unemployment, which, as I mentioned, isn’t good. Prepare to let your employees know that, unfortunately, you can’t hold their jobs for them. They are welcome not to come back—in truth, everyone is making difficult decisions about what’s best for them and their families—but you’ll need to replace them. Technically, you can notify the unemployment board that you’ve offered them their old job again, and they’ll get zero financial assistance, but certain companies are opting not to do this. 2) They Want to Work From Home Take a step back for a minute. How has remote work been going for your organization? If productivity has remained relatively high, then perhaps you should consider making it a permanent arrangement. Twitter and Square both recently announced that they were giving some employees the option to work at home full-time indefinitely. Obviously, this won’t work for everyone. Some jobs can be done remotely quite easily, while others necessitate being physically present. For instance, a plant supervisor may have been able to do a ton of organizing and planning from home, but when production starts up again, she’ll need to be on-site. Perhaps a different schedule will work in this case—it’s at least worth considering to alleviate the anxiety of many workers. Most employees would be thrilled with the extra flexibility to work from home even a couple of days a week. See if that can work for you. 3) They Have Legitimate Health Concerns This is a virus that no one seems to be able to pin down. There’s the ever-growing list of symptoms, from prolonged cough and fever to loss of smell and taste and "COVID toes." Some people are asymptomatic, while others lose their lives. There’s still so much we don’t know—and likely won’t for some time. In the meantime, it’s critical to make sure your business is carefully following all CDC and state guidelines for re-opening. Reassure employees that you are working to keep them and their families safe. If someone has a health concern, consider a leave of absence. If your business has fewer than 500 people, you’re subject to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which can help pay employees who are sick, have been exposed or need to care for someone else who has been. 4) They Are Struggling With Child Care Many schools don’t appear to be re-opening, and summer camps are a mystery right now. Again, if you have fewer than 500 people, you’re subject to the FFCRA and required to let people who have children at home take protected paid leave to care for them (yes, the act covers both health and child care complications). Let your employees know that you’ll be following the law and help walk them through how it applies to their particular situation. It’s also a good time to revisit the flexible scheduling arrangements I mentioned earlier. If your employee can get their work done, but it tends to be during more "off" hours because they’re watching children, explore this path. Just make sure there’s enough communication and overlapping hours to allow for quality collaboration with coworkers, if needed. If you go through all of these options and they still don’t want to come back, genuinely thank them for their service and let them go. While you’ll have to recruit and train new hires, you’ll likely be able to find individuals who want to be there. Unemployment rates are astronomically high right now (and will likely continue to rise). And if Walmart was able to hire 200,000 people in a little more than a month, you can hopefully find new people as well.

Genuine Ways to Connect With People Remotely

With the stress of being newly remote comes a focus on logistics: How do I get my webcam to work? What does it mean if someone isn’t responding to my email? What if my internet goes out in the middle of a big presentation? But moving past all that, zero in on why you’re trying to connect remotely in the first place—and how you can accomplish that goal. Without the ability to read body language, have discussions without lag time and quickly catch up on the fly, the human element of work can get lost. Remember that a big reason people love (or don’t love) their jobs is their connection to their colleagues. So as we adapt to a remote world, let’s refocus on that. Engaging Informally Telecommuting technology has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years as more and more people work from home, connect during business trips and set up remote offices. Zoom, WebEx, Google Hangouts—they were all invented so that we could have meetings and collaborate effectively on work projects when we’re not face-to-face. The technology is great for that, but it can—and should—serve another central purpose: building and keeping our human connections with colleagues. Think about everything you’re able to do informally when you’re in an office environment that you’re unable to do now. I’ll start the list for you: Stop by someone’s desk to ask a quick question Catch up on personal lives in the break room or at the elevator Debrief a meeting after it’s officially over on your way out the door Invite nearby colleagues to join you on a trip to find some coffee Hear your coworkers getting excited about something and ask what’s going on Organize a standing happy hour There’s a lot there, right? And we don’t want to lose all those opportunities to connect with people. So, the question becomes: how can we simulate them within the confines of a remote experience? Creating this type of intimate, collegial environment requires two things—culture and planning. Ways to Build Culture Online With quick access communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams and Workplace Chat, people can virtually "stop by someone’s desk" to catch up or talk about non-work things, but most need a precedent for it. Oftentimes, we think (consciously or unconsciously) that these workplace communication tools should be used exclusively for work. But building or maintaining relationships with coworkers is an important part of work, so use them for personal connections as well. Send a Slack question whenever it pops into your mind (and try to respond quickly and graciously when someone reaches out to you!) Make it a habit to ask your teammates how their day is going, if they did anything fun over the weekend and whether they caught the latest episode of that TV show you both watch. Reach out to a colleague or two after a meeting to share how you thought it went, anything you’re excited or unsure about or any ideas you didn’t get a chance to share. Post your excitement about topics that colleagues might find relevant or interesting on a Slack channel. Encourage others to do all of the above! Plan With Purpose Accidentally blurring the line between work and socializing isn’t exactly possible when you’re remote—you have to deliberately cross it. Schedule time for all of the things you’d normally do ad hoc, such as: Virtual coffee. It sounds corny, but have you ever done it? It can be really wonderful. Talk about whatever you want—work, life—but if you talk about work, don’t talk about projects or action items. Focus more on feelings, things you’re excited about, frustrated about, etc. to provide a sense of connection. Pad your online interactions with time for informal chat. Start 1:1s with some "how are you/what’s new?" talk and make sure you share and set the tone for real connection. Plan group hangouts. Get the team together and have everyone bring a beverage or snack of choice. Play an online game (my office is exploring the Jackbox suite of games you play through your phone and computer). Remember when you were a teenager and you would sit on the phone with someone for hours and sometimes not even talk? You’d just be doing your homework or something, but they were there? Try this with work. Maybe both you and a colleague have a deep-think project to work on and could use the occasional outside perspective. Schedule time to be online together doing your separate work, with the ability to ask for feedback or suggestions whenever the moment strikes. At the end of the day, logistics are important. If you can’t hear or see someone, it will obviously be hard to communicate with them. But don’t stop at that surface level. Focusing on building human connection with your colleagues through culture and planning will help you develop and maintain the relationships that are the lifeblood of successful work. Rae Feshbach is the Head of Content Engagement at Cornerstone.

Webinar Recap: How Organizations Can Adapt and Thrive in the "Next Normal"

2020 will be remembered as a year of dramatic shifts and unprecedented disruption. For HR leaders, the COVID-19 pandemic put an unexpected spotlight on the digital workplace and remote work, on crisis management and adaptive culture and on redefining the workforce experience. As well-known management consultant Peter Drucker said, "The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, but to act with yesterday’s logic." What, then, does the new logic look like for business? How can organizations find the opportunity amid the crisis? Heidi Spirgi, Cornerstone’s Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, recently joined Leapgen CEO and co-founder Jason Averbook to discuss these very issues surrounding our "next normal." Several key points are highlighted below, but you can take a deeper dive into the full presentation by accessing the on-demand recording. Adaptability as a Critical Skill for 2020 (and Beyond) Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the catalyst for change that anyone would have chosen. Many organizations have met the challenges admirably, from manufacturers pivoting to serve the public good to organizations making a concerted effort to protect their people and find innovative ways to keep the lights on. "[It] shows how fast businesses can pivot when they need to," said Spirgi. Now the challenge will be whether we can hang on to this agility and adaptability in the period to come instead of reverting to what we already know and have done in the past. "Adaptability requires unlearning," Averbook said. Yes, everyone will need to develop new skills and adapt to new realities, but there must also be a conscious effort to shed risk-averse processes and outdated mindsets. Spirgi cites the lack of focus on mindset as a key factor that holds organizations back as they create a digital business. HR leaders, for example, have been thrown into the core of the business during the response to COVID-19 to help determine how the business will operate going forward. This requires a significant mindset shift. "HR has to not think of itself as a vehicle of managing talent, but have its mission be to manage change within the business," she said. In studying organizations that are simply surviving versus organizations that are thriving, a few key trends emerge. The former group tends to value expertise among employees—which can be measured by IQ (capacity for knowledge)—and not to place a strong focus on innovation. The thriving group is more likely to measure and value AQ, or adaptability quotient, which is linked to the capacity for change. Its workers are resilient and resourceful, curious and optimistic. If you are interested in measuring AQ across a team, a pulse survey can give you a great start. If your results show that your team doesn’t feel empowered to fail or take risks, it’s unlikely that your AQ is high. At an individual level, it’s up to managers to help cultivate AQ—and to model it themselves. This might include maintaining a beginner’s mindset and stripping away preconceived notions, even though you may be an expert at the subject at hand. Or modeling a willingness to take smart risks and taking the time for genuine human connection with the team. Accommodating Different Learner Styles There are also plenty of other skills beyond adaptability that employees will need to hone to advance their career and help their company succeed. And it’s in large part the employer’s responsibility to provide these skilling opportunities. Unfortunately, there is a gap between learner expectation and learner experience. The demand for frictionless learning, or learning in the flow of work, continues to grow. Learners want personalized, curated and highly contextualized experiences. But most organizations are pretty far from delivering this experience, Spirgi said. Getting there will require another mindset shift. "We think about learning in the context of work as required training," Spirgi said. This is the box-checking type of learning—critical processes, compliance training and so on, all of which is very important and will never go away. "[But] that’s such a small percentage of the learning that needs to be experienced at work." As learning moves from one-to-many to an experience that’s more employee-driven, organizations will need to learn more about their people—not just their job title and hire date, but a view of the whole person, including their experiences, aspirations and skills. Of course, employers successfully gathering data on their employees is dependent on one big thing: trust. People Data and Privacy "One of the big roadblocks to collecting rich and meaningful data... is that people don’t trust HR with their data," Spirgi said. "They are deeply concerned that if they share information about their mood, aspirations, strengths, interests and well-being that it could be used against them if they’re honest and transparent." There must be a line drawn between, for example, data used for performance reviews and compensation consideration versus data used to drive more intelligent coaching and decision-making. HR must be willing to make commitments to its workforce about how its data is being used. What’s Next for HR? As Averbook puts it, we are standing at the intersection of opportunity and confusion. What happens next for HR? What happens next in learning? No one can legitimately know for sure. What we do know is that the pace of change was steadily accelerating even before the pandemic and has been kicked into hyperdrive in recent months. HR leaders have an unprecedented chance to step up and help their organizations adapt and flourish in this "next normal." "This is the biggest opportunity of our careers," said Averbook. To learn more about how you can make the most out of this opportunity, view the full session on demand.

How to Convert Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Classroom

"Just deliver the training online!" That’s easy for your boss (or your boss’s boss) to say. But successfully converting instructor-led training (ILT) to a virtual classroom setting takes real work. Traditional methodologies are going to need a makeover, and developing ways to foster real human connection will be critical. In the midst of an unprecedented period of transformation and disruption, the importance of having truly effective training and development can hardly be overstated. Cornerstone recently partnered with the Training Officers Consortium (TOC) for a wide-ranging and insightful session designed to provide tactical and practical tips for making the conversion from ILT to the virtual classroom. There were many helpful takeaways from my discussion with host Melissa Chambers, director of online instruction at MSC Consulting, and Chris King, Chief Technologist at TOC, and I’ve highlighted some of my favorites below. To take a deeper dive into the full presentation, please access the on-demand recording. ILT-to-Virtual Is Not a One-for-One One of the common pitfalls when translating pre-existing in-person training to synchronous online training is believing that the virtual session should be a near-clone of its predecessor. "Just because it was an eight-hour, full-day course does not mean that it needs to be an eight-hour, full-day course again," Chambers said. And really, who would want to participate in an eight hour—full-day course virtually? Moving online means it's necessary to rethink the best way to format the course from many different angles. Make Sure You Get Regular Feedback When you’re in an instructor-led session, you’re usually paying attention to the body language and eye contact of your learners as indicators of engagement. Since those are less clear online, you need to proactively build opportunities for interaction into your virtual classroom. Set the expectation for participation at the outset of the session and then be sure to check in with participants regularly throughout. "You’re training them to know that you’re going to be asking something of them on a regular basis so they’re less tempted to multitask while they’re in the virtual classroom," King said. While it may seem difficult to know whether your participants are truly engaged, Chambers and King pointed out that you also don’t necessarily know who’s engaged in an in-person classroom, either (despite nonverbal hints). Time Is Different Online Than It Is Face-to-Face Some things are faster online, while others are much slower. While it’s great to have participants get to know each other, a round-the-horn virtual introduction with webcams can easily eat up a significant chunk of your presentation time. Think about tools that will maximize time efficiency; it’s much faster to do introductions via chat, for example. Have a Deliberate Design "You certainly need to bring a little bit of project management discipline to this and have a deliberate design—and focus—on what you’re trying to accomplish," King reminded us. Whether you’re thoroughly grounded in instructional design or just kind of winging it, you need to have a plan in place. What is your technology? How long are your sessions? Exactly who will be involved? Do you need a producer, a moderator and an instructor to deliver the session successfully? These are all important factors to consider ahead of time. Design First... Then Select the Tools Everyone loves a shiny, new toy, and some platforms are packed with tools that make for fun experiments and engaging user experiences. It can be tempting to think, We have these cool widgets, so let’s have a breakout room and some whiteboarding. Instead, let your design light your path. What do you want your learners to be able to do at the end of the session? What do you really need for engagement? You’re looking to reduce the cognitive load of both your students and facilitators. If people are worried about how to use a dozen unfamiliar tools, they aren’t going to be absorbing the content or having an effective learning experience. During our discussion, one of our attendees even chatted us some great advice: "Don’t build your outfit around your socks!" After you select your tools, practice on them! All of your teachers’ and coaches’ advice holds true here: Practice makes perfect! Facilitators: Mitigate Virtual Lurking and Ask Open-Ended Questions While there is no literal back row in a virtual classroom, you may encounter the occasional disengaged learner slouching and tuning out of your training. Maybe they never turn their camera on or they never talk in chat. This doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t engaged, to be sure, but if interactivity is important, facilitators may need to solicit it. As Chambers pointed out, facilitators run into a potential pitfall with questions. Be wary of closed questions that can be easily dispatched with a simple "yes" or "no." Even if you ask an open-ended question, like "Do you have any questions?" you are likely to be met with crickets. (Don’t be afraid of occasional crickets, especially during online training, as it can take participants a few seconds to gather their thoughts and type a response or take themselves off mute.) She suggests providing a succinct option for hand-raising—e.g., "Do you have any questions? If so, please click the green check for ’yes’ or the red x for ’no.’" This allows people to virtually raise their hand without going too far out on a limb. Also, note that extroverts dominate voice-driven Q&A, so try to mix it up between audio and text. Always, Always Have a Plan B! If you watch the recorded presentation, you will see a lengthy list of the ways that a session can get upended for even the best-prepared presenter. Chambers, for example, once had a puppy eat through a computer cable prior to an online session, leaving her without a power cord. Talk about a twisted version of "my dog ate my homework"! But, hey, electricity goes out sometimes. Demo sites refuse to load. Sessions fail to record. Have a Plan B! In addition to thinking through some contingency plans, make peace with the fact that it’ll never go perfectly. If you do, you’ll be in good company, and the chances for a successful virtual session are much greater. The full session is available on-demand and includes many more tips and details about the six guiding principles that Chambers and King see as the key to a successful conversion to the virtual classroom. I hope you find it useful in helping make your work easier and more impactful.

Double Your Investment in Work Relationships During the COVID-19 Pandemic

On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 coronavirus a pandemic, officially elevating the disease to a worldwide issue. All countries, all people. Since then, each of us have faced unprecedented and accelerated changes in our daily lives and work. Analysts and researchers have projected disruption in the workplace due to technology and changing attitudes about remote work, but no one imagined that the future would become the present so soon. Very few organizations are prepared to handle the logistics, let alone the impact this will have on the relationships of employees, managers and organizational leaders. Generosity in a time of crisis is a sign of good character and the COVID-19 pandemic only expands the good we can do for one another. But money or time aren’t the only ways we can serve those in our communities and workplace. There’s another key asset that many of us in the workforce can give, even in these shaky times: social capital. Social capital is broadly defined as the positive outcome of human interaction like the exchange or gifting of ideas, information, and opportunities. We aren’t limited in these exchanges while working from home and social investments may be more valuable than ever. Here’s one thing you can do when you’re ready to give: sponsorship. Sponsorship involves an organizational leader or manager (sponsor) using their influence to advocate for the success of a more junior employee (protégé). This might sound like mentorship, but there’s a distinct difference between the two. Mentors lend an ear and give tough advice to mentees because they’ve been there and done that. Sponsors use their relationships and reputation to ensure their protégé is recognized by the right people. Mentors invest their time, sponsors invest their influence. The sponsor’s journey looks like this: Select top-performers from more junior ranks of the organization (or performers from outside your work who you feel comfortable recommending) Plug protégés into meaningful projects to build on their skillset Endorse protégé’s work and make valuable introductions to key power players Advocate for their protégé’s career success behind closed doors (where the decision makers are) You might not spot your company’s next high-potential at a company happy hour, but taking time to invest in the long-term career of others is always meaningful. Getting involved and sponsoring someone else gives you the chance to flex muscles that could lie dormant during this time of crisis: empathy, embracing positive differences, and prioritizing inclusivity while navigating a change. To learn more about how you can apply sponsorship as a leader, check out our Content Anytime Leadership & Management subscription and maximize your leadership’s potential to spot, cultivate, and surface your best talent.

Operating in Today’s COVID-19 World – A CTO’s Perspective

As a CTO, the integrity and security of corporate networks, hardware, software, technologies and employees are always central to my work—regardless of where they operate. Even before the global pandemic hit, remote work was on pace to increase 30% by 2030 globally, according to Gartner. At Cornerstone, we were already seeing and making changes to accommodate that shift, with 100% of our employees working remotely today. For my team, that means 1200+ currently remote engineers, developers and IT support staff who were used to coming into the office every day to collaborate with their teams. To focus my team’s operations amid this uncertainty, I’ve introduced a three-pronged approach to remote work that’s pivotal to Cornerstone’s immediate-term platform development on the backend and a smooth customer experience on the frontend: 1) Look for Opportunities to Motivate Tech Employees and Boost Engagement All business leaders faced with the current situation need to build a team culture of collaboration. Communication is key. That means delivering up-to-the-minute information related to shifts in corporate operations, specific team updates and COVID-19-related resources. They should also empower remote employees with access to corporate IT networks, technologies and digital tools that help them navigate disruptions to traditional workflows. As CTO, it’s my responsibility to ensure Cornerstone’s developers have what they need to overcome innovation challenges from home. For example, we have many scrum teams at Cornerstone who thrive in—and are used to—in-person environments. They’re all used to the ceremonies associated with development sprints, including: daily standups, retrospectives, collaborative design sessions, that drive innovation at the company. Fortunately, we had already deployed great tools, like Slack and Confluence, that enable our developers to remotely conquer the same projects under similarly tight deadlines with energy and enthusiasm. And, of course, we make extensive use of WebEx, Zoom and Google Hangouts. Friendly competition is another important aspect of in-person dev work. To bring this energy to our remote teams, we’re also planning to host a global virtual Hackathon with the theme: Remote Enablement Tools. This will actually be our seventh Hackathon at Cornerstone with prior events under suggested themes, such as AWS, D&I, etc. Our aim for the event is to serve as a vehicle for increasing connectivity, creativity and camaraderie across teams. Facilitating team-oriented events and activities like these enables us to keep employee engagement levels more normal. They can also inspire out-of-the-box thinking and fresh approaches to hurdles that arise as this situation evolves. 2) Empower IT Teams to Become Data Protection Agents Beyond the typical provisions that come with all-remote work, the pandemic context raises additional challenges like making sure everyone can connect to the corporate and production networks effectively. The social unrest, misinformation and even conspiracy theories can generate an emotional response that makes people easier to exploit—and cyber schemers know it. In fact, a survey of security executives representing industry, government and nonprofit sectors from the CNBC Technology Executive Council found that there’s been a 40% increase in phishing attacks. A third of survey respondents also said they’ve seen an overall increase in cyberthreats. SaaS systems, in particular, are struggling to respond. CTOs, CIOs, CISOs and other technical executives need to prioritize elevating the role of IT teams in educating the non-technical workforce about cyberthreats and providing security training (if they haven’t done so already). Remote workers, for their part, should be extra sensitive to the ever-present phishing schemes at this time. IT teams need to help remote employees keep work data and devices safe, offering guidance, including: locking device screens every time they’re not in use, storing work laptops and other company hardware safely and completely avoiding printing sensitive company or client information. IT teams can also advise employees to take tactical steps like securing home Wi-Fi networks with a strong admin password and limiting corporate platform access to trusted colleagues. During this new reality businesses need to approach IT operations and remote work with extra vigilance focused on protecting corporate information, client data, SaaS platforms and other digital assets as much as possible. As the head of Technology at Cornerstone, it is my job to empower my team with the responsibility to prepare, inform and support every employee with the digital tools and security knowledge to stay safe. Employees logging on from living rooms and couches need to understand IT security best practices like these—and learn to implement them in the course of daily work. 3) Prepare for Tomorrow’s Inevitable Unknown Now more than ever, CTOs and CIOs are in a strong position to drive their organizations toward digital transformation—with 73% of IT leaders expecting to advance efforts throughout the pandemic. To keep developer teams motivated and prepare for whatever crisis comes next, CTOs and CIOs need to consider accelerating digital transformation efforts like migrating databases to the cloud. The digitization of company workflows, implementation of updated BYOD and remote work security protocols and employment of remote work-friendly platforms or tools will be crucial to tackling immediate-term challenges tied to COVID-19 with future-ready innovation. As the pandemic peaks and talk of reopening economies continues, now is the time for companies to develop refreshed crisis plans that account for business model pivots, workforce dispersal and unpredictable disruptions to critical operations. In the process, business leaders need to take stock of the benefits of having a dispersed workforce—withstanding a location-based crisis like an extreme weather event, for instance—and invest in technology, tools and training that allow them to thrive remotely regardless of external circumstances.

This Week on HR Labs: Exploring New Capitalism in the Wake of Covid-19

Cornerstone is proud to bring you Season 2 of HR Labs, a podcast about learning hosted by our very own Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Heidi Spirgi. This season, we’re exploring the importance of learning and development as businesses shift their priorities from shareholders to stakeholders—particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find it on Apple Podcasts and everywhere else you listen to podcasts. Back in 2019, a group of nearly 200 CEOs made a promise: Moving forward, they would make business decisions in the best interests of their stakeholders—rather than their shareholders. And they’re far from alone. Many others have made similar statements about a move toward this stakeholder-first approach in a growing trend known as ’new capitalism.’ Then, the pandemic hit. Businesses faced—and are continuing to face—the impact of sweeping shutdowns and a crushing economic downturn. It’s the first pressure test of companies’ ability to prioritize stakeholders—to put people before profits. In episode 1 of this season, we’ll look at the origins of this stakeholder-first approach, and how the pandemic has impacted it so far. Through a conversation with Kelly Monahan of Accenture Research, we’ll hear how companies are showing early signs of sticking to these initial promises, and her research-based advice for leading during times of crisis. We’ll also hear from Cornerstone’s Mike Bollinger about what role learning is playing in the new normal and why it's so important to focus on a forward looking view. Enjoy this episode of HR Labs below. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/promise-pandemic-how-new-capitalism-is-being-put-to/id1482283780?i=1000471667454

Balancing Life With Kids and Work in a COVID-19 World

The world of work changed virtually overnight with the global spread of COVID-19. In this series, we'll share personal stories and perspectives from Cornerstone employees who—like so many of us—are doing their best to balance life, work and learning from their couches, kitchen tables and other makeshift office spaces. +++++ When I received the dreaded notification that schools were officially closed I thought of it as something that would be challenging, but not insurmountable. Being a complete Type-A control freak I had high hopes and even higher expectations for my tiny humans (Oliva, 5 and Jack, 3). I created a reasonable schedule based on a few I’d seen online complete with at-home workouts, academic time, outdoor activities, and what I felt like was a realistic amount of TV time. I dove deep into Pinterest coming up with great art projects and fun things they could do while I was plugging away at work. I was going to tackle this situation head on the best way I knew how: with extreme organization. A few weeks into this quarantine and I can comfortably say I have thrown all my expectations and schedules out the window. Turns out those tiny dictators don’t care about my schedule of activities I confidently posted to the refrigerator a few weeks ago (can you believe it!?). So now we’re on to plan B: survival mode. Here’s a few things I’m doing to stay sane while I balance work and COVID-19 life with kids: 1) Asking for help As I mentioned above I thought I could juggle work and kids just fine on my own but quickly came to the conclusion that I could not and needed to ask for help. I realize I am incredibly fortunate to have family members nearby who are in my "quarantine circle" and are willing to take the kids for a few hours every day. I feel awful burdening them on a daily basis but I know it’s what I need to do to make it through this time. It’s not the 7:30AM-5:30PM help I’m accustomed to having – so the struggle is still there to get everything I need done in a day but definitely takes a huge weight off my shoulders. I also have to remember to ask my husband for help. I’m admittedly awful at this, a self-proclaimed supermom, I try to do it all on my own. But even this is too much for me and we’re in this together. We try to sit down at the beginning of the week and coordinate calendars the best we can, take turns making meals, and entertaining the kids. No one can do this all on their own and it’s important to recognize when you need help (whether physical or virtual) to get you through the day.  2) Managing mom guilt  I mentioned a little bit of the guilt I’ve been feeling handing off my kids to family but in addition to this I have been experiencing extreme mom guilt when it comes to my kids. They’re used to having a full day’s worth of activities while at school which have all been replaced with my #1 babysitter, the television. I realize there are tons of great resources for children’s virtual learning, entertainment and even exercise, but they all have one thing in common: a screen. But all I can do is let go of that mom guilt and do what works best for me. If I need to let them sit with iPads for 3 hours straight so I can get through some conference calls and projects without them bothering me, so be it. We’re all doing the best we can right now and need to continue to grant ourselves grace (and maybe just this once ignore the AAP guidelines on screen time!). 3) Giving myself permission to let go This is hard. There’s no rule book for this. Some days my kids will be up, dressed, and playing with toys and projects I cutely set out the night before while I sip my coffee and check my email. Other days it’s 3PM, no one has brushed their teeth, we’ve had cereal for lunch, and the only organized activity has been "movie time". And that’s okay. Let it go. (Have I mentioned my kids have made me watch Frozen 1000x?) 4) Carving out time for me This is probably one of the hardest things for anyone who is dealing with small kids, even when there isn’t a global pandemic going on, but I make it a priority. I can’t be a good mom, employee, wife, or friend, if I’m not able to take a little bit of time during the day to do something for me. Lately that means taking the dog on a walk around the block (by myself), getting in some exercise, or even waking up earlier than anyone and heading downstairs to watch a reality tv show in peace. Whatever that moment looks like for you – make sure you take it. In conclusion – I have no idea what I’m doing. No one does and that’s okay. I take solace in the saying "nothing lasts forever". Try to take everything day by day and we’ll soon be looking back on this crazy time and appreciating the strength we didn’t know we had. Sara Schonfeld is a senior marketing manager at Cornerstone.

Post-Pandemic-Proof Your Business: Prepare for "Reboarding"

There is light at the end of the tunnel. At some point, the pandemic will end. Organizations and people will attempt to thrust themselves back into something approximating normal. However, expecting normalcy to return without issue invites a second crisis—one that also happens to be preventable. From a loss of income to the loss of a loved one, the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a serious toll on everyone—from working-level to the C-suite. Feeling anxious, confused, overwhelmed or powerless iscommon during an infectious disease outbreak. As society attempts to cope with reality, millions of people are experiencing changes in sleep and eating patterns, difficulty concentrating and the exasperation of mental health problems. Expecting the stress to just blow over after the shelter-in-place orders are lifted may place your employees and business in harm’s way again. Now is the time for leaders to act. Getting the response right might define your career—and serve as your organization’s defining moment. Here are a few steps you can take right now to post-pandemic-proof your business. 1. Do not expect getting "back to normal" will be anything close to normal. "Back to normal" implies the possibility of going back to exactly the way things were. In the case of this pandemic, that is not only misleading, but potentially dangerous. The disruption and consequences caused by COVID-19 and the response to it are unprecedented. This novel coronavirus viciously exposed our personal, corporate and governmental vulnerabilities. Every country and human on this planet has been impacted in one way or another. Tip:Adopt a "re-build" rather than "resume" attitude. Life was not just put on hold when the crisis hit. Humans don’t have a pause or rewind button. Regardless of how each of us has beens affected and responded, we are different now. Life is different now. Uncertainty and ambiguity aren’t going away. It’s okay to be uncomfortable as we adapt to an evolving "new normal." 2. Anticipate that the return to normalcy could take 12 to 18 months. Much to the dismay of billions of people, COVID-19 likely isn’t going away. It’s a virus, not a blizzard or earthquake. Unlike natural disasters that have a beginning and an end, this catastrophic event will be mitigated, but it won’t disappear. It’s likely to linger, and even reappear, if we don’t remain vigilant. It took more than three millennia to eradicate smallpox. Thanks to modern medicine and technology, it’s reasonable to expect the "cure" for COVID-19 might only take years. Tip: Physical distancing guidelines will need to be practiced for months ahead—especially in the workplace. Personal protection equipment (masks and gloves) will need to be provided for both physical safety and emotional peace of mind. Anticipate how CDC guidelines might affect production work, customer interaction and travel. Embrace remote work whenever possible. Discuss how and when meetings and gatherings will be conducted, including networking and lunchroom gatherings. 3. "Reboard" your employees. Welcome back each employee like it’s the first time you’ve met them.The novel coronavirus has undone a century’s worth of habits in just a few weeks. There will be personal and economic consequences. A lot of workers will return to their jobs as different and, in many cases, more vulnerable people. Tip: Schedule one-on-ones with each employee. We are all responding to this crisis differently. Some of us are stressed about older parents living alone. Others are concerned about the safety and education of young children. Some are still cashing paychecks, while others are standing in food lines. Conversations should address unique challenges faced by each employee. Many of these meetings can, and should, be done in advance to get a pulse on levels of engagement or challenges that lie ahead. You should be reaching out to workers regularly, anyway—furloughed or not! 4. Train your managers and supervisors to recognize the invisible signs of trauma. I’m not suggesting your non-clinical staff learn to diagnose. But it is important to help them simply become aware of symptoms. Some managers have great relationships with their direct reports. They’ll know in a heartbeat who has weathered the crisis well and who hasn’t. Unfortunately, many don’t. They won’t have a clue (without some training) who is adjusting well and who isn’t. Tip: Make sure every manager and supervisor is able to recognize the signs and symptoms of emotional trauma, post-traumatic stress (PTS), and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are a number of organizations in your community ready to help. Many offer on-site training and evaluation. Some offer free online resources and elearning courses. 5. Upskill your leaders. Many leaders entered this moment unprepared; few are ready for what’s next. Many managers were elevated into their roles based on their technical prowess or tenure. This isn’t the time to have them make it up as they go. Further, front-line supervisors, in particular, directly manage 80% of the workforce and, odds are, most lack the soft skills needed to help their teams navigate what lies ahead. You can’t afford to send them into this "battle" without the proper tools. Tip: There is no time like the present to invest in your managers. Enroll your front-line supervisors in online learning courses on coaching, active listening, communication, leadership and stress management. Grow their emotional intelligence and team-building skills. If there ever was a time for empathy, trust and compassionate communication, it’s now. The notion of life as a linear journey ended weeks ago. We’re now living, working and growing on an exponential curve. Hop on board. You’ve got a one-way ticket, and your next stop has yet to be determined. Consequently, there is no getting back to business as usual. The best advice: Prepare for business as unusual.

Learning Corner With Jeffrey Pfeffer: COVID-19 Changes Everything—and Nothing—About Managing Workers

COVID-19 has seemingly changed everything. Many people who are lucky enough to have jobs work from home. Children go to school at home, with parents expected to provide oversight and help with learning. College students and older kids have returned home to shelter in place. One result of all of this being at home:Multitasking is now the new normal. A CEO who has a 3- and 6-year-old told me that she (with help from her husband) was simultaneously running a company, a daycare center and a school. But expecting individuals to do their jobs with the same level of concentration and performance is insane. "People are finding it harder and harder to get things done"—and for good reason. Not only are they tackling tasks in different work environments (likely with fewer interactions with bosses and colleagues), they are trying to do so while being bombarded with dire updates about health outcomes and the state of their retirement accounts. When I went looking for advice about how to manage workers through what is, one hopes, a temporary albeit highly stressful situation, I was struck by how many of the recommendations seemed like general best practices. Here’s what I heard from a handful of companies navigating this new work/life reality. 1) Try to Avoid Layoffs Job loss raises the risk of premature death by 63%,negatively impacts both physical and mental health andabout doubles the suicide rate. But is it possible to retain employees even in difficult economic times? Of course, because layoffs are, in part, a choice. They are also a consequence of how leaders run their business. During the 2008 recession, for instance, Whole Foods laid off fewer people than Stanford University, which has a multibillion-dollar endowment. After 9/11, Southwest laid off no one, unlike its peers in the airline industry. More recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 24 Hour Fitness laid off every one of its 30 director-level people, GMs and area managers, according to a former employee. In most cases, the layoffs were effective immediately—with few people getting even 90 days of severance and most getting nothing. Meanwhile, Lifetime Fitness, a private equity-owned competitor, announced that all of its C-level folks would work for no pay so that layoffs could be avoided, according to that same source. As you can imagine, sidestepping layoffs allows companies to retain talent that can spring into action when things recover. (As that former 24 Hour Fitness employee wondered, "Who is going to run the place when they reopen?") It also generates gratitude and extra effort from the team. Jim Goodnight, co-founder and CEO of software company SAS Institute, which avoided layoffs during the 2008 downturn, noted that employees found ways to save money and enhance productivity once they felt secure. Taking care of your people is always a good idea. 2) Prioritize Wisely, Define Urgency and Provide Back-Up So People Feel Supported Too much of organizational life is filled with busy work, unnecessary meetings and forms and processes that don’t add value. But a crisis is a great time to redesign how we work. One reason for thecrazy hours that have become all too customary (and arementally and physically detrimental to our health) is that we believe "everything is equally urgent"—even though, of course, it is not. Better prioritization helps employees focus on what matters most, both personally and professionally, and clears away distractions, setting them up for greater success. In practice—and in response to COVID-19—that might mean immediately putting all of the long-term, non-critical projects, like completing 360-degree performance reviews, on the back burner so that people can focus on the most mission-critical tasks. In fact, that’s exactly what Sarahjane "SJ" Sacchetti has done as CEO of Cleo, a company that offers virtual support and resources to those "on their journeys through life as parents." But shifting priorities alone isn’t enough. Employees often feel under the gun because some critical task falls squarely on their shoulders. (No wonder people often work while sick.) Under Sacchetti, Cleo changed the system of individual accountability, so that for important projects, there were at least two people—and frequently more—who shared responsibility. That way, if pressing issues came up in their lives, they could easily cover for one another. Not only does this provide a sense of support among workers, but it ensures that important tasks are always completed. 3) Recognize and Embrace the Connection Between Work and Family Pretending children don’t exist during business hours was never a realistic solution. "Every day is ’Bring Your Child to Work Day’ because that’s what’s on employees’ minds," Sacchetti says. "While they’re at work, parents are thinking about daycare pickup, the fact that their child has a behavioral issue, how they’re going to create a nutritious meal." This precarious balancing act has been made more apparent as a result of the pandemic, but it’s long been an issue that companies have failed to adequately address. A report from the Center for American Progress noted that 90% of fathers and 95% of mothers experienced work-family conflict, which studies show leads to greater absenteeism, more turnover, reduced labor force participation (particularly for women) and reduced productivity. The COVID-19 crisis is a perfect time to finally remediate family leave, paid time off, and other policies that could smooth the divide and lead to better outcomes for both individuals and companies. 4) Assess How People Are Doing Without data, it is impossible to manage anything, including employee well-being and engagement. That’s why it’s critical to be smart about gathering feedback. Recently, Galluppublished five "pulse" survey questions that any company can use to make sure they’re meeting the needs of their workers during this crisis. If management is failing to properly communicate or build confidence among employees, they can rethink and test out new strategies and practices before soliciting more feedback down the road. Meanwhile, global design company IDEO instituted a tracker so they could identify the whereabouts of employees—whether they were at home, caught in a remote location or staying with other family members—to better support them in their work. Armed with that knowledge, the company was able to provide equipment (at no cost to the employee) as well as social support and referrals to mental health professionals. In general, assessing people’s well-being and checking in on them is a clear signal that an organization cares. 5) Unleash People’s Creative Energy Now is potentially a great time to challenge employees to reimagine processes that have been done a certain way "just because." (Think of all those wasted hours at unproductive meetings.) IDEO’s Head of HR, Duane Bray, for example, shared that the company crowd-sourced ideas from employees for how it could move its mostly in-person design research methods online. Encouraging workers to think outside the box may well lead to superior business solutions that can simultaneously make everyone’s lives easier. Reducing economic insecurity and stress, eliminating non-value-adding activities, giving people back-up, recognizing employees’ familial responsibilities, assessing how workers are doing (and providing support) and examining the possibility of working in new ways are all sensible suggestions. Not just during the COVID-19 crisis, but all the time. In that sense, the current health crisis changes nothing about what good leaders and good companies should always be doing. It just makes those actions more urgent.

Dear ReWorker: What Rules for Remote Work Apply to This Unprecedented Situation?

Dear ReWorker, Our CEO wants everyone to wash their hands and come into the office, but I'm trying to convince him the best thing is to let as many people as possible work from home. I've tried to tell him it will be fine, but he's old-school. If most of our employees do end up working from home, what company-wide rules can we reasonably enforce? Set hours? A background noise ban? Sincerely, Ready to Be Remote _______________ Dear Ready, You can, within reason, make just about any rule you want. Setting strict work hours and banning background noise during official meetings or calls are both pretty standard. But, at this point in time, even those may be over-the-top requests for your staff. They also might not be attainable for colleagues sharing spaces with children, video-conferencing partners or noise-making roommates. Here are a few more reasonable rules to live by these days: 1. Everyone does their best. 2. Everyone lets babies and pets participate in video conferences. 3. Obligatory snacking. 4. Unlimited screen time for children. OK, back to being serious. I get where your CEO is coming from—this is the worst way to work remotely. You have a bunch of people without experience working from home, kids are out of school and daycare and everyone is stressing out about their livelihood—not to mention loved ones (and the world, in general). It’s understandable that your CEO expects people won’t be as productive (though, to be fair, several of those stressors would still reach employees at the office). That said, he may not have a choice anyway. Multiple states have already made it all but impossible for non-essential workers to be in the office, and others will soon follow. So, home it is, when at all possible. And since your CEO probably isn't going to be on board with the list I laid out above, here are some real rules to consider: 1. Non-exempt employees (paid hourly or otherwise eligible for overtime) need to track their time. Remember that all breaks less than 20 minutes have to be paid. So, if they step away to help a child with a video game (see rule 4 above), it's paid. 2. Try to minimize background noise. It's reasonable to ask people who may need to be on calls—video or audio—to keep the number of distractions down. That being said, certain distractions are unavoidable (turns out, young children didn’t get the memo about respecting boundaries). Luckily, there’s a mute button at your fingertips, which every employee should be using regularly during calls. 3. Be as flexible as possible. This one depends on the type of work you do. If you primarily work with external clients, you may need to keep and enforce strict schedules. If you're mainly writing code, it may not matter if you're working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (at least, most of the time). 4. Focus on the end product. Don't waste management time auditing every keystroke to make sure people are sitting in front of their computers. Instead, look at what they produce. This should be the way we manage all of the time—not just when people are at home—but focus specifically on this right now. It will drive your old-school CEO crazy if he's measuring productivity by presence. I guarantee you'll be able to tell if people are slacking by looking at the outcome of their work versus the hours put into doing it. 5. Be understanding. This is a strange and unsettling time for everyone. Even with work at home provisions, people in your company may lose their jobs. Their family members may lose their jobs. People may get sick. The typical problems of life did not stop when COVID-19 burst onto the scene. Be compassionate and empathetic. 6. Have everyone check in, one way or another. This, again, depends a bit on your existing company culture. If your team regularly uses a chat platform like Slack or Microsoft Teams, a sense of departmental unity will probably transfer over to an out-of-office work set-up. If your communication was strictly face-to-face, getting people to collaborate and communicate via technology may be tricky. But keep a parallel conversation about life in general going with your employees. Ask them about their day and set time aside to talk if they’re interested. Give everyone the phone number for the Employee Assistance Program, if you have one, and encourage them to call if they feel too stressed or need help with a personal issue. Keep an open ear for signs of problems. No one can predict when this will end, but hopefully, your CEO will learn that working from home is a feasible way to run his business with a remote workforce. He may even like the freedom that comes with not having to wear shoes. This brings us to Rule 7: Pants are required—no exceptions.

Cartoon Coffee Break: Remote Work Realities

Editor's Note: This post is part of our "Cartoon Coffee Break" series. While we take talent management seriously, we also know it's important to have a good laugh. Check back regularly for a new ReWork cartoon. Loneliness is one of the biggest challenges remote workers face. When working from home, it’s easy to miss—and miss out on—the social interactions a physical office setting provides. This is especially true for extroverts, who feel energized and inspired by exchanges with others. They may suffer the effects of loneliness more than introverts, who are less likely to need to regularly engage with their coworkers. As employees across the world continue to practice social distancing in the effort to combat COVID-19, it’s in every company’s best interest to look for ways to connect with their teams (yes, even with those who are easily annoyed by social interaction). Over longer periods of time, isolation can cause employees to feel less belonging toward their respective organizations and, in some cases, result in an increased desire to leave them. Optional virtual pizza parties and happy hours are two easy and effective ways to promote a sense of belonging. Failing to provide remote outlets for connectivity will be a missed opportunity.

Learning Corner With Jeffrey Pfeffer: Why—and How—HR Should Get Into the Workplace Design Business

Two types of topics grab my attention. First, there are the instances when companies think they are saving money by cutting costs, but do so in ways that actually increase turnover and decrease engagement and productivity (thus, pursuing false economies that backfire). Second, there are the pathways to improve human performance that receive too little attention from management and human resources professionals. Workplace design—the physical space where people work—fits both criteria. Today, companies relentlessly try to lower their occupancy/real estate costs, which are oftenthe second- or third-largest operating expense. They do so mostly by using open office plans that decrease the amount of space allocated to each employee. Architecture and design firm Gensler’s 2013 workplace survey reported that between 2010 and 2012, the average square feet per person dropped from 225 to 176, a decrease of more than 20% in just two years. However,studies going back decades show that open office designs negatively impact employeesatisfaction levels andperceived productivity. After all, it’s tough to focus on the task at hand—not to mention, quite stressful—when you’re constantly being disrupted. In the Gensler survey, more than half of employees reported being disturbed by others, and more than 40% resorted to makeshift solutions to try and block out distractions. (Unsurprisingly, substantial research also documents a connection between noise and stress.) Perhaps you’d assume that, at least, there’d be better dialogue between colleagues as a result. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. A recentSwedish study found that communication among employees was actually worse in open-plan arrangements. Instead of obsessing over square footage, organizations should optimize spending on those things that affect employee well-being and productivity—and, consequently, their bottom line. The Incredible Impact of Workplace Design So what elements of a workspace will make the biggest difference? Turns out, employees want basic amenities over flashy perks. In a 2019 survey of more than 1,500 employees, air quality and light were the biggest influencers of employee performance, happiness, and well-being. (The ability to personalize one’s space was also high on the list.) Those that were satisfied with their environments were found not only to be 16% more productive, but also 18% more likely to remain at their job and 30% more attracted to their company over competitors. Moreover, areport from the National Research Council of Canada highlighted the many ways that workplace design can influence mental health. Among them: how light affects circadian regulation; light and color affect mood; design impacts social interactions; and of course, design influences privacy and people’s ability to control the stimuli to which they are exposed. Knowing that the health and happiness of employees are top of mind for HR teams, workplace design should be much more of a priority. HR Next Steps There are several things human resource professionals can and should do to ensure that their workplaces are helping—not hindering—their company’s objectives. First, educate the management team about the effects of workplace design on physical andmental health, turnover and job performance. Many senior managers, maybe even many HR professionals, remain too uninformed about theextensive research linking aspects of physical workplace design to numerous business and employee well-being outcomes. Second, to the extent possible, provide employees with choice and flexibility around where they work and what those environments are like. A 2019 International Workplace Groupreport found that flexible work was on the rise, with 50% of employees globally working outside of their main office headquarters for at least 2.5 days per week. In fact, some countries now mandate flexibility. For instance, in the Netherlands, employees who have been with an employer (with at least 10 employees) for one year are entitled to ask for the ability to work from another location. It’s in a company’s best interest to move in this direction, offering alternative arrangements that best suit individuals’ needs. If remote work isn’t an option, aim to give workers more control over their surroundings. A recent Harvard study revealed that "employees, by a margin of 42% to 28%, would rather be able to personalize their work environment than opt for unlimited vacation." The things they’d most like to be able to adjust? Temperature, overhead and desk lighting and noise levels. Third, and most fundamentally, HR should incorporate aspects of physical workplace design into their organizational effectiveness toolkits. That means: 1) doing evaluations of people’s reactions to a physical space, including post-occupancy studies so companies can learn from their experience; 2) using architects and design firms that are aware of and sensitive to the aspects of physical design that affect employee outcomes; and 3) ensuring that companies do not suboptimize in their decisions about workplaces—saving on real estate costs while harming employee engagement, satisfaction and job performance. The major points I’m making here aren’t new; in fact, studies of the effects of the physical environment on behavior represent some of the earliest research in industrial and organizational psychology. But they continue to be overlooked. Workplace well-being and individual performance and productivity depend on the design of the spaces where work gets done. HR practitioners must get more involved in physical design discussions and decisions to ensure better results.

Practical HR Resources for COVID-19 Pandemic Planning

To say HR leaders are taxed right now is an understatement. Organizations are depending on their HR teams to help plan for business continuity, communicate policy and calm anxiety for their people during a very stressful time without a clear end in sight. While continuity planning is not new, this particular environment and the considerations needed for this specific pandemic are fluid. With COVID-19, even the most seasoned of HR leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. As our own company has been working through ongoing changes to mitigate risk and ensure the safety and wellbeing of our people, their families, the communities in which we work, and the customers that we serve, we've been sharing a lot of resources with each other. We thought it would be helpful for our readers to compile some of the best resources we've found. 1. Coronavirus Checklist for Employers Heather Bussing, an employment lawyer and contributor at HR Examiner created a practical checklist for HR and employersthat will help in planning for employee exposure and illness from the COVID-19 virus 2. Employee Communications Plans Our friend Laurie Ruettimann shares four pieces of advice for HR to remember when communicating about the Coronavirus.Check it out to learn why: transparency matters, you should let the experts step in when you need to, humanity trumps policy, and you should go slow in order to go fast. Here are a few extra tips from our communications team: If you don't have an internal communications team, partner with your marketing communications team. They'll help you be clear about the objective for each update, policy and guideline that you're communicating. They'll help you answer the right questions: are you trying to inform, reassure, and what action do you want your people to take, if any? Communicate with clarity and transparency (as much as possible) and give your people a destination to have their questions answered. Consider all of the appropriate channels you want to use to communicate with your stakeholders. Beyond company-wide emails, what other tools are your people expecting to get news from: your intranet, your Slack channel, your employee community hubs, text alert systems, employee social channels? Arm your frontline leaders with communications tools (and in advance if possible) to ensure they're well understood by the people your employees often go to first for information – their managers. Provide ongoing updates about what your organization is doing to address the situation, even if the update is to say there is no change. Your people expect and need current information. You're responsible for communicating with your internal stakeholders, but don't forget it's critical that there's consistency with what you communicate externally too – to candidates, the community and your customers. Work with your external communications team to ensure that alignment. 3. Continuity Planning Resources The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in the UK posted some great (free!) downloads and templates for you to customize, including: An emergency protocol/business continuity plan A pandemic contingency continuity plan A policy on controlling the risk of infectious diseases in the workplace Other checklists and resources you'll find useful All of these downloads and more are available on the Coronavirus Support Materials page. SHRM has also shared some helpful FAQsand other resourcesfrom their online news site that you can access whether or not you're a member. 4. Remote Work During a Pandemic These are not normal times. Yes, you likely have a remote work or work from home policy, but there are many additional things to consider when the requirement becomes mandatory, or when you have an entire company doing it concurrently for the first time. From Constellation Research, here's a great on-demand webinar recordingand slidesthat are a guide to remote work during COVID-19. 5. Helping Employees Manage Their Fears and Anxiety I can't think of a more widespread stressful time for employees worried about their families, their travel plans, the economy, or how they're going to afford to miss time off work if they aren't covered. They're inundated with news, mixed messages, and a social stream that won't stop. Managing this type of stress on top of their day-to-day responsibilities can be overwhelming. And while there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to fear and anxiety, this is an excellent webinar recording from our partner and friends at Whil: How Mindfulness Helps Employees Build Stress Resilience and another from the Australia Human Resource Institute's website: How to Help an Employee or Colleague Panicked by Coronavirus . 6. A Candid Conversation: Coronavirus, Face-Touching and HR The HR Famous Podcast hosts – Kris Dunn, Tim Sackett, and Jessica Lee – have a frank conversationabout the realities of being in HR and calmly managing and responding to an increasingly complex and changing dynamic at work when the answers aren't easy. 7. More Tips, Resources and Guides for Employers and Employees Last week, trusted HR advisor Sharlyn Lauby ran a post on the topic . In it are some of her personal reflections, articles and resources to help employers and their people navigate the workplace challenges we're all facing as a result of COVID-19. Time to Pay it Forward Lars Schmidt has started an important thread on this topic to bring the HR community together to share new and current resources like those above. Follow Lars' post for more of these and take a minute to give back to your peers by sharing your ideas, resources and tools there as well.

Disrupt from Within: 3 Ways HR Can Spur Employee Innovation

Stories of disruption typically fall somewhere in the tradition of David vs. Goliath. That is: A small, nimble and clever startup unseats an unsuspecting industry giant. Look no further than Netflix vs. Blockbuster, Airbnb vs. traditional hotel chains, or even Wikipedia vs. Encyclopedia Britannica. But rather than wait for a disruptor to emerge, many large companies are looking for ways to disrupt from within—changing the status quo internally to stay competitive in the marketplace. Amazon and Adobe are just a few examples from Harvard Business review’s Innovation 20 list of companies that have developed new products, services and business models to improve financial performance. But how exactly does HR help spur this kind of disruption from within? I recently interviewed Dave Ulrich on the topic. Ulrich describes himself as compulsive about organizational improvement and recently co-authored a book with Arthur Yeung called "Reinventing the Organization." He’s also a professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a partner at the consulting firm RBL Group. His answer is centered around people: their competence, their commitment and their contribution. By focusing on these keywords, HR can help ignite an organization-wide transformation. 1. Competence Ulrich’s first rule of disrupting from within is to put the right people, with the right skills, in the right jobs, at the right time. "If you hire the right people, a lot of the business challenges are [taken care of]," he says. HR needs to focus on matching people to available jobs and setting criteria for their success—that is, establishing objectives, expectations and accountability. "My caveat," he adds, "Is always that people should not be overly competent for their position, a recipe for boredom and disengagement." Instead, there should be follow-up training, ongoing coaching and, unfashionable though they’ve become, regular performance reviews to ensure accountability. HR can play a role to make sure these conversations are happening. 2. Commitment A committed employee shows up to work and does what they’re asked to do. That’s important, of course, but to support an innovative organization, it’s not enough to simply be physically present—employees should also be energized and creative. HR can help facilitate these qualities by providing learning and growth experiences and offering clear pathways for employees to move in the organization. This does not always mean employees must advance. But are there opportunities for lateral movement to a new and challenging role? Is there sufficient autonomy for employees to own their work and feel motivated to perform it at a high level? Employees with persistently low performance despite interventions, or who simply lack the necessary skills to thrive, need to be moved to a more appropriate role, or removed from the organization before they undermine the morale of their peers. Ulrich recommends grounding conversations in data: "Can you help me understand why you’ve been late with your work or why you’ve missed the last 5 meetings?" If firing is required, be proactive. "It’s important for the sake of your employees that you take action," Ulrich adds. "If you don't do it, you not only hurt that employee, you're also hurting all the other employees who need to respect your ability to make hard decisions." 3. Contribution To maximize the contribution of each employee at the organization toward innovating, HR needs to help convey meaning. "Sometimes people are 'committed' behaviorally: They show up, but they're not showing up emotionally," Ulrich says. Addressing that gap starts by communicating why the company does what it does. That is, answering questions like: What is the value of our work? Ulcrich says employees who understand and embrace the why, and who believe that there is value to others—customers, investors and stakeholders—are more likely to be high contributors. "They commit not just with their feet and hands but with their hearts and minds," Ulrich says. They’re more likely to think creatively about how the organization can do better, and how it can reinvent itself to be of higher value. 4. People and Purpose Create Profits Ulrich says the emphases are not profits and people, nor profits and purpose. "It’s profits through people. Profits through purpose," he says. The goal of reinvention isn’t simply to reinvent. Instead, it’s to ensure the company’s ability to continue to thrive in its market rather than be unseated by a disruptor—whether that’s another company or even a new regulation or technology. But successful reinvention cannot be mandated. Instead, it has to come from the company’s people.

The 4 Most Important Mindset Shifts to Make in 2020

My head is spinning. As someone consumed with workforce trends, January is my jackpot. Each day I probably receive 100 or more emails, newsletters and Google alerts about what thought leaders and experts suggest will be dominant 2020 workplace trends. Fortunately, there are some themes running through all the prognostications: Competition for skilled workers will intensify. Labor shortages for most workers will continue. Artificial intelligence will not displace masses of workers (this year) but will amplify disruption. None of these forecasts are "breaking news." But it’s not that past year forecasts were wrong— these trends simply continue unabated, and our challenges grow exponentially. To see how right or wrong these predictions are, we’ll need to wait another 12 months. But suffice it say, you shouldn’t—no, you can’t—wait one minute longer to start implementing solutions. The luxury of waiting and reacting to past events is long gone. Solutions don’t lie in simply purchasing more technology, training based on corporate buzzwords or using more hashtags like #employeeexperience, #culturaltransformation, #wellbeing, or #diversityandinclusion, either. Rather, change that works requires a series of mindset shifts. Here are what I feel are the four most important shifts needed to succeed and grow in 2020 and beyond. I came up with an acronym DICE to remember them: Disruptive, Infinite, Curious, and Empathetic. You might wonder which one is most important or which should come first. It doesn’t matter. You can’t disrupt and transform the status quo effectively without shifting all four. So let’s roll the DICE! Disruptive Mindset Many companies make the mistake of making disruption their goal. But that’s not what a disruptive mindset is all about. According to Charlene Li, author of The Disruption Mindset, "disruption doesn’t create growth, but growth creates disruption." The disruptive mindset is more than a certain self-perception or an inclination. It’s consistent and persistent behavior that challenges the status quo. In her book, Li details four disruptive leadership mindsets: the Agent Provocateur, Realist Optimist, Worried Skeptic and Steadfast Manager. Which one best describes you—and is it allowing you to grow your organization or sustain the status quo? Infinite Mindset While we’re on the subject of disruption and challenging the status quo, the infinite mindset is a natural fit. Simon Sinek, the author of The Infinite Game, believes that the pursuit of being number one may be a losing strategy. Instead of taking on an attitude of winning, a person with an infinite mindset takes on an attitude of improvement. Sinek writes,"It takes unbelievable courage to completelychange the way we see the world... If we can learn to embrace infinite mindsets, not only have we increased and enhanced innovation, seen trust and cooperation thrive, but we’ll actually love our jobs..." Curious Mindset If there is one mindset that underpins the others, it’s curiosity. Disruption requires openness. The infinite mindset seeks continuous improvement. Empathy, which we’ll get into in a moment, requires stepping into the shoes of others. You can’t do any of these without a curious mind. Dr. Todd Kashdan suggests that unleashing curiosity requires being comfortable enough to make mistakes, share your anxiety and embrace your vulnerability. It’s time to restore the "mad-scientist" mindset of a 5-year-old. Is your company providing a safe haven for curiosity, an environment where people feel comfortable deviating from the norm and evolving? Empathetic Mindset The importance of empathy continues to grow: It now rests high atop the list of desirable characteristics ofexceptional leadersandskills for top talenteven in highly technical fields like theUX industry. According to the Wall Street Journal, about 20% of U.S. employers now offerempathy training, up significantly from just a few years ago. (Whether you can actually train someone to be empathetic versus act like they are is a story for another day!) Empathy has been used to describe a variety of experiences, so a definition may be particularly helpful: Empathy is the ability toimagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. In other words, seeing the world through their eyes and experiencing their feelings. In building up this necessary soft skill, individuals will be better positioned to inspire other employees, build more communicative teams, and earn loyalty. Not to mention, since empathy is an exclusively human skill, anyone worried about saving their jobs from an automated future would be wise to develop it.

CIOs, It's Time to Join Forces With HR

As a CIO, focusing your attention on human resources may not be the first thing on your list of priorities. But as the war for talent rages on, the role of talent management in an organization's IT strategy is increasingly important. In the past, IT and HR departments have shared a rocky relationship. HR professionals often lacked technical understanding or awareness of the work performed in IT, which made it difficult to recruit the right candidates. On the other end, the process-oriented thinkers of IT viewed HR as a reactive — rather than a proactive and strategic — department, which diminished the business value of HR in their eyes. Both departments held preconceived notions and misunderstandings about the other. Thanks to the growing attention to HR technology and people analytics, the divide between the two departments has been narrowing. But it's time for CIOs to help close the divide for good. As a CIO, you have the unique opportunity to empower businesses with software and data-driven talent insights that not only help employees, but also impact the bottom line. Close the Skills Gap At the end of the day, HR and IT share the same goal: move the business forward. And no matter the industry, the amount of progress an organization makes ultimately comes down to its people. But as HR knows, finding and attracting top talent isn't easy. The demand for the best people is increasing and the bar for "best" is also being raised. According to PricewaterhouseCooper's 18th Annual Global CEO Survey, 50 percent of organizations in the survey anticipate increasing headcount this year — and 80 percent of CEOs say they're "looking for a much broader range of skills than in the past." Investing in talent management software that encompasses everything from recruiting to exit interviews will transform HR's knowledge into hard data that IT can analyze to help make smarter business decisions. By aligning IT's technical prowess with HR's data on the employee life cycle, your organization will have insight into what skills and experiences actually predict success, so you can close the skills gap both more efficiently and effectively. Deliver Higher Value at a Lower Cost In addition to closing the skills gap, working with the HR department to find the right talent management product for your company can help deliver more value while lowering costs. The upfront cost of HR software can be returned tenfold in terms of the time and money saved on recruiting, training, turnover prevention and workforce planning. For example, the average cost of replacing a lost employee — including interviewing, hiring, training, reduced productivity, etc. — is up to 50 percent of an annual salary for entry-level workers and up to 400 percent of an annual salary for high-level employees. However, these high costs of turnover can be avoided with intelligent tracking and analytics. HR software solutions can warn managers of at-risk employees, as well as solve a suite of talent management issues: predicting performance, identifying and solving low productivity areas, measuring retention in L&D and more. Lead the Way in Analytics A strong working relationship between your IT team and your CHRO's team can also help you advance your people analytics program — an area in need of more industry movers and shakers. You've heard the statistics before: three in four companies believe using people analytics is important, but a mere 8 percent report that their organization is "strong" in the area. How can you lead the way? A unified, cloud-based talent management system allows your organization to consider workforce data across the organization, instead of occasionally answering a data request from HR and performing people analytics in a piecemeal fashion. As Chief Talent Officer Michael Arena emphasized in a recent interview, people analytics is inherently a difficult subject: "We measure people, and that makes this field uniquely challenging because people don't behave predictably." Instead of making it harder on your organization to integrate workforce analytics, work with your HR team to find the right solution and process for success. The old adage "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it" applies to talent management as it does to any other department. Your HR team understands your organization's most critical talent challenges better than anyone else — but they need your team's IT expertise to solve them. By joining forces, you can impact the future of your organization, your people and the work landscape as a whole. Visit this page for more on this topic and how CIOs can play a part. Photo: Shutterstock

Sitting on the bench: strengths, talents, soft and hard skills

Before knowing what individual skills we have to sacrifice for the good of the company, we have to understand what skills we have in our organisation. In HR circles we talk a lot about skills. Most of us have experienced university students entering work life with fresh knowledge that seemed obsolete before the internship ended. For this reason, companies that are committed to innovation understand the importance of an always learning approach to growth. If we create a learning culture, we can adapt to a changing world and win the battle to volatility. Ok – great! Understood – we need new skills all the time. But which skills do we have to teach and how can HR departments identify them? This is one of the biggest difficulties that learning departments face today. But, fear not! Technology can come to the rescue. Just like Netflix knows what I'm interested in watching, thanks to AI, a complex algorithm and a huge database, skills can be identified and developed through the same processes. However, building what's called a skills taxonomy, like the one Cornerstone offers, from scratch would be just as insane as pretending to build my mobile phone myself from my desk at home. Let's leave that specialised work to those who have the time, the resources, and use their knowledge to our advantage. Hard skills, soft skills or strengths. We know that technical knowledge or hard skills can be acquired easily thanks to technology. This interconnected world with millions of online tutorials offers us a never-ending portfolio of knowledge and explanations that we can access anytime and anywhere. Soft skills, on the other hand, are not so easy to acquire and develop, yet are of greatest importance. How can this be possible? Do you remember the intern that started in your company and didn't understand the dynamics of the office, but could create some bad-ass Excel tables? When talent is brought in that has never been in work environments before, we realise that they may lack skills such as active listening, a feeling of responsibility or even motivation. These are skills that allow our graduates and new talents to solve problems, collaborate, and have critical and constructive thinking. This means that the skills taxonomy will not only help us understand what hard skills we will have to develop in individuals, but also which soft skills we must encourage in teams. But rather than focusing on the skills that we lack, what if we could focus on our strengths? What skill do I have, what am I particularly good at that is very necessary for my job? How can I improve on that skill and optimise it so that the whole team benefits from it? Let's think positively. Let's not focus only on everything we don't know and what we still have to learn, but on what we know we are good at and how we can elevate and multiply it. Therefore, a successful strategy understands that as an employee I need to grow and learn new things - be it soft or hard skills - that take me out of my comfort zone, but at the same time also have access and be able to understand what my strengths are and how to improve them. Individualism. Happiness. Sacrifice for the team. The Playbook is a documentary on Netflix that interviews some of the best sports coaches in the world and you can see a trend in team sports: the role of the coach is to help the team work together, even if the individual player has to make a sacrifice. Change the word coach for manager, team for department and player for employee. The role of a manager is to help the department work together, even if the employee has to make a sacrifice. This concept confronts us with a dilemma: we live in an individualistic society. We all believe in the right to be in a search for happiness and purpose at work. We feel we have the right to be promoted and, at times, in this myopia we lose sight of the department or, even worse, the company needs. Without a company you don't need employees. If we want to build an innovative and resilient organisation, we have to hire talent that complements and makes the community stronger. A community that works as a whole and that has team members that can develop their skills – and their strengths too. For this reason, skill taxonomies have to focus not only on a micro level, but also on a macro level. Trade failure for learning. In this video by Paolo Gallo, asks the audience what the opposite of achievement is. People shout failure in unison to which Paolo responds "no, the opposite of achievement is learning." This concept is perhaps a bit utopian, but very necessary if we really want to generate a culture of learning in our companies or work groups. We all have to build a space in which to innovate and take risks as part of our day to day. Sharing the learning processes - failures - with the group provides us with transparency, empathy, creates understanding between people and provides us with a macro vision of the team we are part of. Thus, synergies and opportunities for collaboration will emerge and collaborative learning will naturally evolve. To accelerate these values, we can look for examples within our companies where learning or “failures” have led to great achievements. Also offering post-mortem meetings for large projects involving the entire department or even rewarding those who take the risk, even if they haven’t quite got it right. In conclusion, it is our duty as an employer to educate and provide the transparency that our employees need to understand the needs of the whole team. This concept is closely linked to the idea of ​​social responsibility, with initiatives that are committed to values such as diversity or the environment. As an employee, my responsibility is to be in a constant learning process, not to lose curiosity and to understand that my skills must be complemented with those of the rest of the team. Consequently, we will have an understanding of the macro and the micro that will help us understand and know when we have to wait and sit on the bench.

The Good & Bad News About Women's Rise in the Workplace

Women who work have come a long way since the macho, cigar-puffing, strip club-filled ways of "Mad Men." But they still have a lot farther to go. Women are equally represented in the workforce in terms of their numbers — and, yes, are paid more than they ever have been when compared to men — but young workers still think gender inequality is a major issue in the workplace, according to a Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends survey. Seventy-five percent of Millennial women think more changes are necessary to achieve gender equality in the office, compared to 50 percent of young males. What changes do Millennial females want to see? More career advancement and more money. Cracking the Glass Ceiling Females still struggle to climb the corporate ladder. Just look at Fortune 500 companies: only 4.2 percent of CEOs are female, a figure that hasn't really changed in recent memory. The culprit, according to the study's authors: women are still opting out of their careers in droves to raise children. According to the survey, 51 percent of women said being a working mother made it harder to advance in their careers, whereas only 16 percent of men said the same. What's more, more fathers found that parenthood made career advancement easier (10 percent) compared to mothers (2 percent). As for compensation, female workers, not surprisingly, want to earn the same wage as their male peers (50 years ago women earned 57 cents for every dollar men pocketed; today it's 77 cents). But one reason for the narrowing disparity: male wages have dropped 4 percent on average for men over the last 30 years while female wages have risen 25 percent. Why can't women get equal pay for equal work? Education isn't the answer; more Millennial women are enrolled in college and graduating with Bachelor's degrees today than men are. Other unquantifiable factors, according to the survey, include gender stereotypes, discrimination, lack of professional networks and women's resistance to negotiate for promotions. Experts agree these factors likely account for 20 to 40 percent of the earnings gap, according to the survey. Perception vs. Reality The study highlights some interesting disconnects. While many women say that men have an unfair advantage when it comes to wages and treatment at the office, only 15 percent say they have been discriminated against based on gender. Also, most men and women say the genders are paid equally for performing the same job — and only one in 10 women say they are paid less than their male peers. What gives? Why do you think there's such a difference between perception and reality? And what do you think needs to happen before women are truly equal — both in pay and status — in the workplace? Image via Can Stock Photo

5 Reasons Tech Will Help — Not Replace — Recruiters

Today’s recruitment efforts can have quite a bit in common with an advanced science experiment. Algorithms match talent to an organization’s needs or pinpoint stellar employee performance. Machine learning from Big Data can even predict which employees are most likely to quit. But just because technology improves certain recruiting functions doesn’t mean hiring managers will be out of work anytime soon. "In embracing the science, never forget the art. Technology is not infallible. Remember the human dimension," Meghan Biro writes on Forbes. "The best HR practitioners and leaders know their organizations and culture brand on a visceral level." Researchers at the University of Oxford studied 500 different jobs to predict the likelihood that each would be replaced by technology within the next 15 years. Human resources management positions rank among the least likely to be automated. Technology simplifies the more mundane tasks of recruiting, such as combing through thousands of resumes to find qualified candidates, but there are many areas where it simply cannot (or at the very least shouldn’t) replace the human aspect. 1. Candidates don’t want to be hired by a machine. Personal relationships are key to filling positions. In many cases, recruiters are the ones who make a first impression on applicants. Just as potential hires need to sell themselves to the company, recruiters are tasked with selling their employer brand to candidates. New hires will have a hard time getting a feel for company culture or negotiating a contract with avatars. 2. Hiring decisions require intuition. "An organization can have the best ATS [applicant tracking system] on the market, but attracting candidates and filling positions comes down to personal interactions between applicants, recruiters and interviewers," Patrick Clark writes in Business 2 Community. Through face-to-face interactions and situational conversations, recruiters glean important — but not always immediately apparent — information about candidates. They catch subtle, nonverbal cues and personality indicators to understand whether individuals will mesh with company culture. 3. Internal hires and employee referrals still rule the roost. Companies trust their employees. That’s why internal hiring and referrals from current employees account for the majority of hires, according to the CareerXroads 2013 Source of Hire Report. While software certainly can make the employee referral process easier, recruiters can understand the internal and external relationships that play a significant part in recommending and evaluating talent. 4. Technology enhances the work that recruiters already do. Rather than displace workers, technology helps them do their jobs better. It helps them post to job boards and schedule interviews efficiently. Technology also broadens the talent pool to global and social audiences. It makes it easier for recruiters to identify talent that they might not otherwise have found. 5. Technology makes a recruiter’s job more strategic. "When you automate the right tasks, then it frees up time to do the in-person ones better," Sharlyn Lauby, the president of HR consultancy ITM Group tells Inc. With administrative burdens off their plates, recruiters have more opportunity for face-to-face communication and personalized attention. When used correctly, technology makes HR even more human, Clark writes. "Automating the administrative aspects of hiring enables you to focus on strategy, build relationships with candidates and find new hires who will be the best fit for your business needs." Photo: Creative Commons

How to Advance Your Career in a Workplace That Has No Boss

The modern workplace is all about being "flat" -- that is, eliminating the hierarchies, job titles, and traditional corner offices more associated with the Industrial Age than the Digital Age. But while many employees thrive in the egalitarian culture of a flat organization, others who are more familiar with the promotions, titles and other perquisites of a vertical workplace worry about a potential drawback: their own career advancement. It doesn't have to be that way. True, flat organizations have far fewer leaders at the top, but that doesn't mean employees can't expand their skills and position themselves for a better job down the road. The key is to look beyond the classic rewards for a job well done and to pursue other ways of learning new skills, fulfilling your ambition, and boosting your worth. Here are four ways to do just that: Become a Master of Your Trade Jason Fried, the CEO of Chicago-based software company 37signals, doesn't often promote employees to managerial roles. He doesn't have a chief technology officer, a creative director or customer support manager. Instead he divides his 40 or so workers into teams and gives them the freedom to manage themselves. The programmers program. The designers design. The customer support staff, well, supports customers. Instead of one designated team leader, the company rotates each team member into the role each week. "Instead of rewarding high performers with managerial responsibilities -- which often drives people further away from the job they are actually good at -- we reward with responsibilities closer to the work," Fried writes in a regular Inc. Magazine column. Promoting a great designer to creative director would only take her away from the day-to-day work she's so good at, he explains. Instead, the company lets her lead more projects and truly own her work. The moral of the story: master, don't manage. Expand your depth and breadth of knowledge to truly master your craft. You may not technically be "climbing the ladder," but you're certainly adding skills and grooming yourself for a better position down the road. Be Your Own Boss Valve, a Washington-based developer of video games with some 300 employees, has never had a boss in its entire 17-year history -- nor does it have traditional pay scales, hierarchies or office hours. Yet, Valve's per-employee profits reportedly top those of Google and Microsoft. The egalitarian structure allows all employees to participate in major company decisions, including individual compensation. Leadership and product design are handled by whomever steps up and makes something happen. By giving everyone a vote and the opportunity to participate, the company places the onus on employees to manage projects, develop and execute on strategy, and lead. "You don't necessarily need leaders or people in positions of authority, but you need people and systems to empower everyone else," said Nick Stein, senior director of marketing and communications at Salesforce.com. The company has developed software that helps companies identify their goals, motivate employees to achieve them and reward top performers in both flat and hierarchical organizations. "It's about empowering people to take more control of their destiny," Stein said. Be a Mentor There may not be an established hierarchy, but junior employees will still need role models and mentors. Think of it more like the relationship between Obi-Wan Kenobi