A new book aims to give women the “space to practice being the best version of themselves” in the workplace.

Author Diana Theodores, PhD is a Senior Consultant with Mobius Executive Leadership and an international performance coach specialising in presence, communication, and impact/influence. Originally from New York but residing in London, Diana is also a Program Director at the Cranfield School of Management, which partners the UK Customer Experience Awards and other events hosted by Awards International.

In Performing As You: How to have an authentic impact in every role you play, Diane aims to provide female readers with the confidence to speak up and be themselves at work, to fight back against what famous coach Nancy Kline described as the “epidemic of obedience”.

Studies have shown that men are 40 percent more likely than women to be promoted, and while women scored higher in 84 percent of leadership competencies than men according to Harvard Business Review research, they make up only 4.9 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs.

Meanwhile, almost half of top female execs “feel they must compromise their authenticity as they reach top positions”, the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report revealed, highlighting the need for more women to be themselves as they strive for success.

Using techniques from the author’s background in theatre and professional dance, Performing As You is packed with dynamic tools to bring performance techniques to the business stage – including voice, energy, the power of play, and “reawakening the girl in you”.

Whether you are pitching to a board, giving feedback, or speaking to one person or one thousand, by reading Performing As You, women will be equipped with the ability to reclaim their passion and imagination, and have an inner coach that is “louder than their inner critic”.

The author argues that the greatest act of revolution women can perform is to bring themselves fully into every role they play. The world needs more women who can be themselves and Performing As You is packed with the tools and techniques needed to have an authentic impact.

Performing As You: How to have an authentic impact in every role you play by Diana Theodores is out now, published by Rethink Press.

A failure by firms to consider Employee Experience is leading to staff not realising the value of workplace technology investments.

That is the finding of the Digital Wellbeing survey, comissioned by Avanade, which revealed that rather than empowering employees, the proliferation of new technologies can cause confusion, leading to a lack of adoption.

Of those surveyed, only 39 percent are embracing modern workplace technology like Slack, Teams, WebEx, and Skype, while an overwhelming proportion remain wedded to more dated technology like email (73 percent). This is preventing businesses from bringing about the productivity gains and improvements in Employee Experience (EX) they expect from their technology investments.

The study was carried out by YouGov, analysing the working habits of 1,000 UK professionals. It showed that adoption, ROI, and value are all impacted when technology is implemented without consideration for EX. The study also found that while 68 percent of employees react positively to new technologies, only 39 percent actually use them on a regular basis.

Almost two-thirds of employees believe that new workplace technologies are being deployed without consideration of their needs, and they feel this is something HR should contribute in partnership with IT.

Stanley Louw, UKI head of digital innovation at Avanade, said: “We see the workplace as the new frontier for competitive advantage and a driver of sustainable growth. Worryingly, the study shows that while businesses continue to invest heavily in Customer Experience (CX), many are still underinvesting in EX. Considering that employees play a major role in delivering CX this would appear counter-intuitive. Poor EX can also impact engagement, creativity and ultimately wellbeing.

“New technologies offer new capabilities which, not only provide opportunities to improve the way employees work, but also create new ways of working. Successful organisations are those which work with employees to help them understand the relevance new technologies have for them and their specific role, identifying how day-to-day processes and activities can be improved by incorporating these new capabilities.”

Employees in UK businesses are optimistic about the future impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their jobs according to a nationwide study.

The research was carried out by global leader in omnichannel CX and contact centre solutions Genesys, official sponsor of the 2019 UK Customer Experience Awards.

It found nearly two-thirds of employees value new technological tools such as AI in the workplace. In fact, 64 percent of UK employees say it makes them more effective and allows them to focus on other tasks.

The findings reveal an overwhelmingly positive outlook from employees, despite the negative headlines anticipating such technologies would replace humans in the workplace. More than two-thirds of employees say they don’t feel threatened by technology at work. They don’t expect the technology to become a threat anytime soon either, given that 59 percent don’t believe AI or bots will take their jobs within the next ten years.

In fact, employees see AI as pivotal to business success with more than a fifth saying they believe AI or bots will be crucial to their companies ability to stay competitive in the future. While the survey shows that people are more excited about AI technology than fearful, it also found that in the long-term they want assurances from their employers in the form of training. The research showed an overwhelming majority (86 percent) of employees expect their employers to provide training that helps them prepare for an AI-enabled workplace.

Meanwhile, a fifth of employees say they are already working with AI, while just 16 percent report a negative experience of new technological tools in the workplace.

Other findings include 64 percent of employees believing there should be a requirement that companies maintain a minimum percentage of human employees versus AI-powered robots and machinery, and 41 percent of millennials saying they spend 50 percent or more of their time interacting with machines and computers rather than humans.

Steve Leeson, Vice President for UK and Ireland for Genesys, said: “It’s encouraging that the UK’s workers recognise the potential new technologies such as AI have to make their jobs more fulfilling and the value it can bring to businesses.

Some jobs will evolve as human work combines with the capabilities of AI. It’s increasingly important for companies to assess the need for training programs to help employees further skills like creativity, leadership and empathy, which AI just can’t replace.

“Businesses that adopt a blended approach to artificial intelligence, where AI-technologies work in unison with employees, will get the best out of their technology investment and their skilled workforce.”

Client and commercial focus have always been important with consistent high quality seen as a key brand value.

When I was Director of Client Services working in TV, our clients were other broadcasters. We provided all the elements that make each channel appear seamless to the viewer. Performance levels were exacting and measured in a few seconds of outages/errors against a full year’s output (8,760 hrs). Over the years, I have managed large teams under pressure as well as working one-to-one with ‘on-air’ talent and small creative teams.

In my early career I believed success required constant effort; in fact I believed the more effort I put in, the better would be the results. However, I discovered there’s a limit and, over the years, I have realised how important it is to take a step back and allow some space to put the many and complex business issues into some perspective. Doing this has benefits for you as a person, as well as for your clients and customers. 

Overly focusing on tasks and performance levels can sometimes spill over into the nervous system and lead to exhaustion. I found that some therapies you’d normally associate with your private life have enormous benefits in the work context too. I believe, in today’s frenetic world, it’s important to look after yourself; to help you stay the course, continue to make good decisions, and ultimately be successful. But you can only do this if you’re in a balanced state of mind and your physical system is healthy and functioning well.

Apart from nourishing your body by eating well (put down that doughnut) and exercising regularly, do something that keeps your mind healthy too.  Here are a few suggestions.

Silent meditation

I tried silent meditation – strictly no talking for ten days over Christmas one year – and it was a full-on calming experience, if a little extreme. The benefits of silence are significant, and you can do it yourself any time. No unnecessary expense or fancy kit, just a few minutes in a quiet space.

Switch everything off. Relax in a comfortable position and simply focus on yourself. Close your eyes, breathe slowly. Become aware of the sensation of air moving in and out, expanding your ribs and gently filling your lungs.  If your mind drifts off, gently bring it back to your breathing. Continue for 5-10 minutes until you feel fully relaxed.

Make it part of your daily routine. You should find it easier to be more objective in tricky situations and to consider other points of view, especially those of your customers.

Acupuncture or massage

If you prefer a more direct approach, try acupuncture or massage. They both help regularise the energy flow around the body. If you tell a good therapist exactly what you’re looking for (releasing tension, improving performance, relaxing the mind), they should be able to focus their efforts in exactly the right places to help. Ask your GP to help find a qualified practitioner or look up the AACP (aacp.org.uk) or CNHC (cnhc.org.uk).

Hypnosis

If you’re stuck in a cycle of constantly working late, sleeping badly, or having anxiety attacks, perhaps it’s time to try something more regular. A course of hypnotherapy can fundamentally change your habits as it works with the subconscious mind to help disrupt any repeating cycles of negative behaviour.

If you want to do this in private and keep costs down, then I’d suggest you listen to any of the gurus of positive thinking. It’s not hypnotherapy, but it can help you change your behaviour through positively affirming a new approach. Try Tony Robbins or Louise Hay – different styles and approaches, but equally effective.

Your colleagues should notice the difference…and I expect your customers will too.

My Life in 37 Therapies by Kay Hutchison is out 4 July 2019 and is priced at £9.99

With almost one-in-two UK workplaces having introduced gamified rewards for staff, new research has revealed which of this kind of incentive has the biggest impact on productivity.

A survey of 1,219 UK workers, carried out by workplace incentives and rewards provider One4all Rewards, has been published in The Gamification Report. It surveyed employees from different age groups, genders, and industries, revealing which type of gamified rewards systems would motivate them the most or for the longest period of time.

Virtually one-in-two (49 percent) workers were most likely to cite surprise or unexpected rewards as being the biggest motivator. However, the research shows just 36 percent of businesses are utilising this type of gamified reward.

Fixed action reward came in second place (39 percent), with workers stating they would be motivated to work harder if their employer offered them, while random rewards in return for completing a certain task or action would work for a third (29 percent).

Prize pacing style rewards – such as rewards that are given in one small piece at a time, for example a number of small rewards given at a staggered rate – were motivating for 27 percent. Meanwhile, 23 percent of UK workers stated they would work harder or for longer to unlock social treasure style rewards, which are awarded by peers.

The majority (42 percent) of businesses offering gamified rewards systems are relying on fixed action rewards – which award a specific prize for a specific action, such as a named bonus or prize for hitting a set target.

Michael Dawson, Managing Director of One4all, said: “It’s fantastic that almost half of UK businesses have already adopted a gamified reward and bonus system for their staff – but the research shows that some could be using them to greater impact employee productivity.

“Fixed action rewards and bonuses are often the number one style of gamified rewards offered amongst UK businesses – and it’s easy to see why, as the idea of giving a set bonus for hitting a specific target is something that has been around in the workforce for a long time – but it’s definitely worth bosses considering that it’s actually surprise rewards which will have the biggest impact on productivity and effort.

“Given that these types of rewards truly embody the spirit of gamified rewards – which recognise and praise good behaviour, to encourage workers to repeat this in the hope of receiving another reward – this makes sense.”

From poor work/life balance and long working hours to a lack of progression and difficult interviews, new research reveals what it’s really like to be employed by some of the biggest organisations in both the UK and US.

Based on LinkedIn’s annual report of the most sought-after companies to work at in the UK, Power House Truths curates and dissects over 210,000 employee reviews to see where each company really ranks across a number of metrics, including senior management rating, interview difficulty and average salary.

The 2019 LinkedIn Top Companies report discloses where jobseekers want to work, based on the four main pillars of interaction on the platform: interest in the company, engagement with the company’s employees, job demand, and employee retention.

The research shows that despite being the most desirable workplace in the UK and the third most popular in the US, Amazon sits tenth in the rankings. Analysis of the organisation’s 32,000 employee reviews reveals a poor work/life balance, low senior management rating, and smaller salaries when comparing them to the US coveted companies.

The US companies do far better in the overall rank in comparison to UK organisations, holding an average rank position of 5.9 compared to the UK’s 9.2. This may be due to the discrepancy in average salary between major organisations, with UK-based BP paying its employees a staggering £47,700 less than Apple – despite making £29 million more in revenue.

Although Google is the most desirable workplace in the US according to LinkedIn, analysis of its 11,000 employee reviews actually places it in fourth position. Compared to other notable organisations featured on the rank, the tech company has the most difficult interview process, but offers a high average salary and good benefits.

The research also includes an extensive list of the advantages and disadvantages of the businesses included. For example, Google’s Free Food Everyday scheme for its 57,000 employees has been upvoted by 790 people leaving reviews. However, people who work their say it can be hard to maintain a healthy work/ life balance at the company, and they feel because the company is so large, “you don’t always get a lot of responsibility”.

Uber is praised for its flexible working hours by its drivers, but over 500 employees say drunk riders and the cost of car repairs are a huge downside to working for the organisation.

Top company benefits for those working at supermarket giant Sainsbury’s include good sick pay, critical illness cover, and a 10 percent employee discount card. Downsides to working for Sainsbury’s include finding that team leaders are often contradictory and its long working hours.

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline offers one of the most favourable work/life balances, as well as its culture and values rating, with employees praising the company’s work environment and career opportunities. However, the company could improve its senior management rating, decision-making process and average salary.

According to recruitment partner Karen Dykes, the benefits companies choose to advertise play a key role in how quickly they accumulate staff and grow. She said: “With talent shortages reported in many sectors, top candidates are looking beyond basic salary offerings to attract them to certain roles.

“Benefits packages are most certainly in the spotlight, with a particular focus on those that support work/life balance. These include generous holiday entitlement, healthcare advantages and flexible working. If a skilled candidate has multiple interview offers, benefits packages will come into play. They may be time poor in terms of interview preparation, so will narrow the field by evaluating the overall package.”

The following article has been written for CXM by bestselling author and Professor of Innovation, Design and Management at the University of Southern Denmark, Alf Rehn

We might call this the tragedy of niceness…

So used are we to thinking of business as a cold, hard space, bereft of emotions and ruled by calculated rationality, that even when issues more aligned with caring and compassion are discussed, they are often presented as marginal concerns.

Consider, for instance, the issue of diversity. A plethora of studies has shown that diversity is a key business driver. Organisations which rate high in diversity, particularly when this includes top management, outperform less diverse companies when it comes to things such as performance and profitability, and in particular when it comes to innovation.

A recent study from the Boston Consulting Group showed that companies with more diverse leadership teams reported almost double the innovation revenues than companies with below-average diversity scores. In today’s highly competitive environment, such figures can literally be the difference between life or death for a company.

That said, diversity is still often discussed as a ‘nice to have’ for an organisation, rather than something of critical and strategic importance. I’ve sometimes referred to this as “the aestheticisation of diversity”, by which I mean that diversity is looked to more for its superficial benefits and less for the manner in which it responds to core business requirements. Coupled with the tendency to frame diversity as an ethical and moral issue, this ends up presenting diversity as a fundamentally nice thing – and this is a problem.

As long as issues such as diversity – and we could easily replace this word with e.g. care, compassion, or civility – are presented as issues that make ethical or aesthetic sense, they will fail to become adopted as core logics in an organisation.

This is not only problematic from the perspective of diversity itself, it actively damages companies. We thus need to push far harder for the point that diversity is done for logical reasons, fully in line with the profit motive companies tend to operate under, if only to ensure that these principles are taken seriously.

In my research into innovation, this has played out in the starkest ways possible. Studies have consistently and for a very long time shown that team and company diversity are some of the most critical deciding factors for creativity and innovation success there are. Further, I have myself seen how organisations that embrace cultural values such as respect and compassion do considerably better when it comes to idea generation and development than organisations that are lacking in these dimensions.

Still, whenever talk turns to the way in which diversity and compassion might be developed in an organisations, CEOs and key executives often treat these as marginal issues. Rather than seeing them as strategic engagements, they are shunted off to HR, or given short shrift by at best being discussed as a possible theme for a workshop some times in the future.

This needs to change, as in an increasingly competitive environment, companies simply cannot afford to lose the cognitive surplus that lies in having diverse and compassionate organisations. Whilst it might sound troubling to some, diversity isn’t only nice, nor is compassion just pleasant. Both deliver where it counts, in creativity, in profit margins, in improved customer relationships.

Squandering such riches isn’t just about being a boor, but about being an incompetent executive. So let the aestheticisation of diversity and compassion take second place to what truly matters – the cold, hard reality that diversity and compassion drives results, generates innovations, and makes companies better. That they’re nice is a lovely added bonus.

New research has shone a light on a potential recruitment crisis which could lead to “failure” for firms.

A study published by recruitment-tech firm, Worksome found that up to a third of new employees are not passing their six-month probationary reviews, while only eight percent of businesses feel new hires have all the skills needed for the job, costing companies thousands of pounds and creating long-lasting negative effects.

The research found that, on average, businesses spend nearly £6459 a year on recruitment and hiring. If a candidate doesn’t work out, not only are these fees lost, but the salary for the probationary period is also wasted. With the average advertised UK salary being £35k, this equates to potentially £17k lost over a six month probation period.

In total, that means that one in every three new hires could be wasting £23k for a business.

The research also revealed that over a quarter of businesses prioritise cost over quality when it comes to recruitment, but 21 percent say they later come to regret that decision. Meanwhile, 32 percent of business owners say recruiters are too pushy, and rush them to make a decision.

According to Mathias Linnemann, co-founder of Worksome, there are many reasons why a business may turn to a recruitment consultant.

“The prospect of saving time can be a major lure especially in a world where it’s essential to fill positions quickly, and promise to deliver a quality of candidate that businesses are otherwise unable to access,” he said.

“For business leaders lacking confidence in recruitment, the promise of quickly supplied talent is enough to make the recruiter’s commission fees seem worth it.

“However, our research demonstrates that the traditional recruiter method of securing talent is simply no longer working. Businesses are clearly feeling that there is lack of knowledge in their business which – in a fast moving world where getting the right skills, at the right times – could be the difference between success and failure.”

Sharing his thoughts on how employers and recruiters can ensure that they don’t fall foul of the failings in the recruitment process, he added: “With a third of candidates not making it past their six-month probationary period, we can see that something is broken in the recruitment and hiring process.

“While our research suggests pain-points relating to the use of recruitment consultants, there is no one single factor to blame. For many businesses, recruitment consultants offer a vital service and so shouldn’t be dismissed, or all tarred with the same brush. If hiring managers can feel more confident about candidates and recruits before they walk through the door, they can take back a level of control and feel more empowered to make the right decisions.”

Plans by Deutsche Bank to “restart” its operation have led to the first cull of employees in London, along with a loss of staff in New York and Tokyo.

The German investment giant is undergoing a radical reorganisation to “become more profitable, improve shareholder returns, and drive long-term growth”. However, the changes are coming at a cost of 18,000 jobs, with staff learning of redundancies on Monday, prompting some to not turn up to the London office at all after being told their passes would no longer work.

Full details of the job cuts have yet to be revealed, but around 800 staff work for the bank’s share treading operations in London, which are shutting down. The firm says the downsizing of its investment bank is occurring as it aims to cut total costs by a quarter by 2022.

Deutsche Bank has struggled since the financial crisis of 2008, and now hopes to focus on corporate money management as it sheds its equities and trading operation. Despite positive claims on the firm’s future from spokespeople, a significant number of staff are now facing an uncertain future in the wake of the first wave of lay-offs.

In an email circulated to staff, Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing stated what was happening was “nothing less than a fundamental transformation of our bank”.

He went on: “I am very much aware that in rebuilding our bank, we are making deep cuts. I personally greatly regret the impact this will have on some of you. In the long-term interests of our bank, however, we have no choice other than to approach this transformation decisively. Only then can we build on our long-standing history and make Deutsche Bank a leading bank once again.”

With over half of employees and leaders rating inability to adapt to change as the number one threat to the future success of their organisations, a global workplace study reveals that only 43 percent of employees believe their employer to be future ready with a strategy they have confidence in.

Involving over 6,000 leaders and employees, the report by ENGINE Transformation is titled A Future That Works: Winning Workplaces.

It looks at the trends that will shape the workplace of tomorrow, and reveals that while front-line employees want to take collective responsibility for organisational change, many leaders are failing to harness this resource, with only one-third of front-line employees saying they can share ideas on how change is implemented.

While employees have a more positive experience of change when they can see a clear vision, have regular communication, and are involved in designing the change, the survey shows that this remains rare in practice. This failure to engage employees means that while the pace of change is increasing, Employee Experience of change remains poor with only 17 percent reporting a positive experience of change in the workplace.

Emma Robertson, CEO of Engine Transformation said: “The age of traditional change management and consultation is over. Against the backdrop of continuous and rapid disruption in the workplace, to avoid change fatigue and employee burnout, organisations must adopt a more employee-centred approach to achieving sustainable change. Leaders need to adjust their mindset to put employees at the heart of every change programme and allow teams to work in a more agile and empowered way.”

Meanwhile, speaking of the report, Andy Freeman, Marketing Lead at Santander UK, added: “Be clear with your ambition from the outset and don’t waver from it. It’s your north star. The journey to it won’t be linear, but if you stay true to your ambition and make it clear to your teams, they will respect the decisions and changes along the way. Even when decisions are difficult, people will understand why they’re necessary to achieve your overall ambition.”

The volume of businesses using gift cards as part of their reward, incentive and loyalty schemes has seen a significant uplift year-on-year, according to the latest research published by the UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UKGCVA).

The State of the Nation report, compiled by GlobalData and sponsored by First Data, found that the B2B gift card market has seen an impressive 20.5 percent growth year-on-year.

Interestingly, more than a third (35.9 percent) of gift card managers also anticipate the B2B gift card market as having the greatest future growth potential, compared with 2.6% of those who say the same for B2C.

Employee incentive schemes are a particularly key avenue for this growth, with over a fifth (21.1 percent) of Brits receiving gift cards through these programmes. This figure rises to 29.9 percent for millennial and Generation Z workers – those aged between 16 and 34 – suggesting that gift cards are a popular method for engaging with the younger generation, and likely to rise in popularity in future.

Encouragingly, this has also been recognised by organisations offering gift cards, with more than six-in-10 gift card managers (61.5 percent) looking to develop direct relationships with businesses wanting to reward their staff. A further 43.6 percent are also developing partnerships with the likes of price comparison businesses, energy providers and media companies, demonstrating the increasingly prominent role gift cards can play in businesses’ incentive and loyalty programmes.

The in-depth research, which surveyed more than 2,000 UK shoppers, C-suite executives, and gift card managers on their perceptions, attitudes and habits towards gift cards, demonstrates that they could be leveraged as a key tool for businesses to engage their staff, as well as customers. However, more needs to be done to secure senior buy-in if this market growth is to continue.

While more than four in five (85 percent) gift card managers believe gift cards to be an important area of growth for their business, this figure drops to just under two thirds (65 percent) of professionals at C-suite level. This is likely due to the fact that almost half of senior-level employees (45 percent) reported having minimal visibility of the results driven by gift cards, and more than a third (35 percent) reported little to no awareness of the opportunities they can present.

Gail Cohen, Director General of the UKGCVA, said: “The right reward scheme can have a hugely positive influence on employee (and customer) loyalty, particularly when used as part of an ongoing incentive and reward programme.

“However, if retailers are to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the growing B2B gift card market, it is imperative that gift card managers and the C-suite are on the same page, requiring greater education and clearer lines of reporting throughout the business around the positive effects gift card programmes can have.”

Today we are swamped with a plethora of digital tools to communicate with one another, from Whatsapp, texting, Facebook, Instagram, to email, and much more. 

We are led to believe that these technologies make communications easier but at the same time we are bombarded with messages daily where instant responses are the norm. This multi-tasking is overwhelming and the lack of focus affects our productivity at work and at home.

People are no longer reaching for the phone and it is fast becoming the lost art of communication. Are we getting lost in the digital noise that surrounds us? Is it time to rediscover the power of voice?

Lack of focus

There are over 20 billion devices connected to the internet today. That equates to three devices for every single person (Gartner). With this mind-blowing statistic, it is not surprising that many people suffer from nomophobia (smartphone addiction).

Let’s face it, if the majority of the workforce are constantly checking Instagram, Facebook, and their messages while trying to work, it’s clear productivity levels will reduce. People now multi-tasking more than ever and instant responses to messages are expected. A total of 83 percent of millennials open text messages within 90 seconds of receiving (Openmarket research), and as they are a generation of instant gratification, naturally they expect an instant response. This results in lack of focus, which leads to jobs being half done or not finished, therefore reducing efficiencies and productivity.

Drowning in Emails

Let’s not just blame social media and messaging applications such as Whatsapp – email is also a major culprit. We send roughly 281.1 billion emails a day, a figure that is estimated to increase to 333.2 billion by 2022, according to Statista. Therefore, we would expect that emails often get ignored, deleted or end up in the junk box. Emails are not the most effective way to communicate and it is much easier to use other tools such as picking up the phone.

Digital noise is ubiquitous and we are beginning to get lost in the abyss. Companies are reverting back to using direct marketing campaigns as they are tangible and cut through the digital noise.

Generation Mute

Millennials and Generation Z are referred to as Generation Mute because they rarely use the phone to call people, if at all. Bankmycell discovered that 75 percent of Millennials don’t use the phone to make calls as it is too time consuming; instead they much prefer to text, use social media, or send an email than to pick up the phone. Eight-one percent of respondents also acknowledged that they often feel anxious about talking on the phone – indeed, that they sometimes must work up the courage to do so (Bankmycell).

Employer Skills UK discovered that one-in-three job applications don’t have the oral communications skills they require. Naturally, this is an issue for businesses – what was once an expected basic skill has now been eradicated and unbelievably some new recruits are taught how to answer and speak on the phone.

Is it time to come full circle and encourage people to speak on the phone more, and dare I say it – to have more meetings face to face, or at least a video call? While there is no doubt that we have gained tremendously from digital communication tools like Instant Messenger, backed by Millennials and Generation Z in the workplace, we also must be careful not to lose our basic communications and social skills of speaking to people over the phone and face to face.

When and why face-to-face and phone calls cut it

The Harvard Business Review recently discovered that face-to-face requests were 34 times likely to garner a more positive response than emails. So why is face-to-face and over the phone or video communications more effective, and in what situations should we use it over digital communications?

1. When speaking to someone directly, either face-to-face or over the phone, we develop a personal connection with them which is important for communications.

2. We can read people’s body language, understand their tone of voice, expressions and emotions

3. In face-to-face meetings, or over the phone, conversation is natural and fluid.

4. Create a good impression on someone, whether it’s a new or existing client. It’s easier face-to-face or on the phone than over email or messages.

5. Relationships can be strengthened with the connections made in the meeting, with small talk, humour, and a deeper conversation.

6. Clarity! Face-to-face and phone conversations are much clearer with less margin for misinterpretation. Communications over digital communications tools are often unclear and lost in translation.

7. Trust and authenticity are also built more quickly with face-to-face or phone conversations rather than text.

8. Believe it or not, issues are resolved more quickly with face-to-face meetings and phone calls as they are often shorter, as opposed to long email trails and messages.

Meeting someone face to face or phoning them is more time consuming, but it is worth the extra effort. After all, you only get back what you put in.

When should you meet, or make a phone or video call?

1. When you need to resolve something urgently that is rather complex. It’s often easier to get results face-to-face or over the phone as you can talk around the issues seeking for a solution.

2. When you are meeting a new client – if you are meeting a new customer or a prospect then it is a good idea to meet with them so they can see who you are and you can spend some time going through your proposal and getting to know them.

3. When you are chasing someone – if a client or employee has been ignoring your emails and messages then pick up the phone and talk to them about it. It will be much quicker.

4. There are times when you must deliver bad news or discuss something personal and empathy is required. This can only be achieved in a face-to-face meeting or on a phone call.

5. When you want to catch up – you have a business issue to chat through and also it’s been a while since you spoke to the person so you want to catch up with them

Look through the digital noise and out onto the horizon of clarity, and next time you are about to fire off an email or instant message, think for a second would this be better communicated by speaking to someone.

If so then arrange a meeting, take time and have lunch with them, pick up the phone, or make a video call. By choosing the right tool to communicate with, your productivity will increase and you will get the results you want. 

Human and social connection is important, let’s not lose that basic skill and let digital tools take over our communications. Sometimes an emoji just won’t cut it!

A new survey has revealed the extent of ‘ghosting’ by both employers and employees in the UK.

The term refers to the practice of disappearing without contact, and was originally coined to describe dating experiences. However, according to findings from education and training specialists The Knowledge Academy, an growing number of factors mean it is becoming widespread in the professional sphere.

General causes for increased workplace ghosting include: improved economies and low unemployment rates, increasingly competitive job markets (more and better jobs means searchers can afford to be picky), and changing employee attitudes.

The survey quizzed 1,257 full-time employees from a range of sectors to discover how many had ghosted a company and how many had been ghosted by one.

The sector which saw the most applicants ghost their respective employers is Business, Finance, and Legal, where 24 percent of the people asked said they had ended communication in the interview process.

This is followed by Advertising/Marketing/PR/Media which saw 22 percent of applicants ghosting an employer at some stage of the interview process.

In descending number of ‘ghosters’, the remaining sectors placed as follows: Retail/Hospitality (19 percent ), Miscellaneous other (12 percent), Technical services (10 percent), Education (five percent), Healthcare (five percent), and finally Government (three percent).

Flipping the tables, the applicants that have been ghosted the most by employers come from Advertising, Marketing, PR and Media companies – a whopping 30 percent of applicants. Next in line is Business/Finance/Legal companies in which 21 percent have ghosted prospective employees.

The remaining sectors place as follows, in descending numbers: Retail/Hospitality (14percent), Miscellaneous other (nine percent), Government (eight percent), Technical services (seven percent), Education (six percent), and finally Healthcare (five percent).

Speaking exclusively to The Knowledge Academy, experts across a range of industries have shared stories on workplace ghosting.

Jeremy Rose of web hosts Certra Hosting described his experience as an employer. He said: “I’ve had the most ghosting incidents working with freelancers. I was working with a freelancer for small-time projects for a couple of months. When she had finished, I proposed another. After she’d agreed to do it, she disappeared. I can partially understand why this happens – their hours and communication are sporadic, so they tend to move on. And while it’s great they’ve retained their freedom, it’s really problematic dealing with the fallout.”

Meanwhile, Allisa Lindo, currently Growth Marketing Manager at brand asset management firm Brandox, described her experience being ghosted as a potential recruit to another firm.

“My first interview after moving to Sweden went extremely well,” she said.

“After a productive interview with the CEO, as I left, he shook my hand and smiled broadly, saying ‘You’re going to be a great fit here. I look forward to working with you.’ I waited two days and sent a follow-up ‘thank you’ email but got no response. After three weeks I discovered they’d hired someone else. Fast forward a year and I was working for a different company in the same area. A new woman started working there, and she mentioned she used to work for the company that ghosted me. Turns out she was the woman they’d hired, and from what she told me, it sounds like I dodged a bullet.”

The need to praise staff for good work has been highlighted in a new study showing employees would turn down a pay increase in favour of a culture of support.

Global employee engagement firm Reward Gateway carried out a survey of UK employees, managers, and HR staff, and found that more than three-in-five would rather work for a firm that offered praise, than for a company offering none but paying 10 percent more.

While the survey provides overwhelming evidence that HR leaders believe recognition and reward programs make a positive impact on business outcomes, 45 percent of HR workers don’t agree that their current recognition and reward program is as effective as it could be.

The top frustrations HR leaders have with their recognition and reward programs are that employees aren’t motivated by the rewards; moments of recognition aren’t seen or celebrated by other people; and it doesn’t allow for continuous or immediate recognition. To overcome these challenges and improve their programmes, almost three quarters of HR employees surveyed said they would be likely to invest in recognition and reward within the next year.

Another barrier to successful recognition programmes is that managers are ill-equipped to give effective recognition. Only 16 percent of managers strongly agreed that their company provides them with the tools and understanding on how to recognise their colleagues effectively.

Meanwhile, many managers are failing to recognise their employees effectively, as just 20 percent of managers strongly agreed that their company praises or thanks employees for the good work they do based on their company’s values, and over a quarter agreed that they struggle to find the time to give out thanks and praise.

Doug Butler, CEO at Reward Gateway, said: “While it’s great to see so many HR leaders understanding the positive impact of employee engagement on business, traditional methods and manual processes to achieve current workforce employee engagement goals are no longer an option. What employees want is continuous, instant and impactful recognition which reflects the ‘always-on’ workplace culture and the ‘always connected’ personal life many now have.”

A significant number of UK employees would refuse a job offer with a firm they felt was neglecting sustainability.

That is the findings of a survey of 1,000 office workers commissioned by TopLine Film. Conducted to mark the UN’s 46^th World Environment Day, the poll found that 24 percent would turn down a job over a lack of green ideals in an organisation, while a majority – 73 percent – feel their current workplace could make sustainability improvements.

Almost a third (31 percent) don’t think their workplace is environmentally sustainable, while when asked whose responsibility it is for an eco-friendly workplace, the majority (72 percent) said it was incumbent on employees themselves to push for improvements. Twenty-four percent felt this responsibility fell to the CEO, and 17 percent cited HR as the appropriate department to take action.

When asked what their workplaces currently do to address sustainability, the most popular activity was recycling office waste (50 percent). Others cited policies to reduce paper usage (29 percent); reminding staff to reduce energy consumption (29 percent); using energy efficient fixtures (27 percent); hosting virtual meetings to reduce travel time (26 percent); and encouraging reusable kitchenware (24 percent).

Jamie Field, MD of TopLine Film said: “Establishing environmentally friendly practices in the workplace is simply good for business. Attracting and retaining employees is as good a motivation as any other to get your company thinking about sustainability. But a sustainable mindset starts from the top – it’s only fair that those in charge show their commitment to the cause, and implement policies that encourage sustainability at work.”

Unhygienic workplaces are believed to be contributing to employee sickness levels in the UK, research has revealed.

A survey of 1,012 workers conducted by AppliancesDirect.co.uk found that almost half (46 percent) believe that an unhygienic working environment has contributed to making them sick.

When quizzed on the reasons they felt their workplace has made them sick in the past, the majority (68 percent) said that they believed this was due to lack of general hygiene in their workplace, while 62 percent said it was due to colleagues bringing sickness into the office.

With 46 percent of respondents claiming that they’ve had at least one day sick in the past year due to their unhygienic workplace, this would come at a cost of £1.56 billion to UK employers, according to Gov.uk stats.

When quizzed on the least hygienic parts of their working environment, a further 48 percent said it was due to their desk phone, while 45 percent cited their dirty office kitchen as being the reason for them getting sick. Thirty-four percent of workers said this was due to badly washed plates and mugs in the office kitchen, while 28 percent said it was due to unsanitary bathrooms.

Slightly under a quarter (24 percent) of those surveyed said they feel that their dirty desk was the least hygienic part of their workplace, whilst for 18 percent it was their keyboard. A further 14 percent felt that colleagues leaving out of date food in a communal fridge has contributed to illness, and 11 percent of those surveyed felt it was due to pets in the office.

Mark Kelly, Marketing Manager at AppliancesDirect.co.uk said: “I was surprised from our findings just how much office sickness is costing UK businesses annually, with almost half of British workers blaming their workplace for at least one sick day in the past year.

“We carried out some research recently which found that the kitchen was the hub of the office, with 72 percent of UK workers saying this is the most used social space in the office, so it’s concerning to see that almost half of workers believe that this is a space that has made them ill in the past year due to lack of hygiene.

“It’s clear that it’s not just employers who need to keep communal spaces clean, but also that employees need to keep their personal workspaces hygienic to avoid illness from things like keyboards and desk phones.”

Employers are risking alienating millennials by treating them as if they are a different ‘culture’, a hospitality industry forum has heard.

Hosted by industry thought-leader, EP Business in Hospitality, in partnership with online learning specialist Upskill People, the event in London highlighted that continually referring to millennials as though they are a different ‘culture’ or ‘nationality’ is both patronising and short-sighted and puts businesses that do not place compassion and people at the top of their agenda at risk of alienating future talent altogether.

In an industry clearly changing at speed, core messages emerging from the session included the need for a modernised learning culture that seeks to understand all perspectives while embracing shared knowledge across all genders, ages, and job titles.

CEO at EP, Chris Sheppardson, explained:  “It’s becoming more apparent that the younger generations do have a different perspective and agenda on work and life. They are less focused on getting onto the housing ladder and being saddled with a lifetime mortgage, and are instead living more ‘in the moment’ with a genuine interest in environment and society – arguably to a higher degree that many business leaders. As businesses we must build a stronger connection with our people and change our approach to developing talent.”

The debate also reinforced the harsh reality that talent today doesn’t remain with one employer long-term and will move around more regularly, suggesting that employers need to embrace and even support this concept in the future. Leaders also agreed that to develop talent successfully today, there is a greater need for stronger coaching-led approaches.

Chris added: “Empowerment has almost become an old-fashioned concept and re-engagement is needed here. Too many companies try to control and limit any risk. Too many decisions on people are based on spread sheets and figures. Talent looks to embrace culture, compassion for people and communities in work. People are still the greatest asset of a business and young people today expect companies to play a meaningful role in society as well as in business.”

Throughout our careers, we experience many different personality types that influence our behaviours and professional personas.

These encounters can often shape who we become as leaders, but have you taken the time to reflect on your management approach and considered how your team view your performance as a manager? Whether you consider your leadership style as autocratic, democratic, transformational, or laissez-faire, your ultimate aim is to keep your business running smoothly; which includes keeping your staff happy.

Love Energy Savings recently conducted a study on employee satisfaction, investigating how UK employees would rate the performance of their managers. The statistics were largely positive, with almost 50 percent of respondents rating performances as good or excellent.

However, 20 percent of respondents claimed that they work with an inadequate manager. This would indicate that some managers are struggling to build a rapport with their employees, which could have an impact on staff loyalty, retention, and ultimately affect their company’s bottom line.

The data collected in the survey revealed the following key findings:

• 49.9 percent of respondents think positively about their manager’s performance
• 33.5 percent of respondents think negatively about their manager’s performance
• 16.5 percent of respondents feel their manager is satisfactory
• Men aged 18-24 are most likely to rate their manager as inadequate
• All other age brackets, for men and women, are most likely to rate their manager as good or excellent

Common mistakes managers can avoid

To better understand why so many workers are dissatisfied with their company’s management, we need to take a closer look at the root causes. There are many common issues that can be easily avoided, and if approached properly, can empower staff to perform to the best of their abilities.

1. Give your staff space to excel

When you have a lot of responsibilities as a manager, it’s only natural to want to get stuck in and make sure things are running smoothly. The danger here is that there’s a thin line between taking care and taking over.

Nobody likes to be micromanaged, and by doing so you’re advertising the fact that you don’t trust your team enough to let them do their jobs without supervision. By taking a step back and showing your employees that you trust them, they’ll feel empowered – after all, you hired them for a reason.

2. Show you value your staff
As a manager, your staff are your greatest asset. However, too many people take their employees for granted. Thinking of your business as a well-oiled machine may be a good way to visualise your day-to-day operations, but your team are more than just cogs.

Lucia Knight, a career satisfaction coach, explained: “Many of the individuals I work with feel that no one really cares about their career within their organisation, just what’s needed from them.”

She goes on to offer a simple solution to this: “A ten-minute real listening exercise can really nip some small problems in the bud before they become big problems in the future.”

By understanding what makes your team tick, you’ll be able to help them overcome any issues and excel in their careers.

3. Leave your ego at the door

When working in a position of authority, it’s crucial to make sure you’re not abusing your power. It can be all too easy to assume that you know best…after all, you are the boss.

Not only will staff morale plummet in the shadow of your ego, but you’ll lose your objectivity, which could lead to poor business decisions. Recognise that you have teams of intelligent and enthusiastic employees at your disposal, giving you a pool of expertise to put to good use.

Sue Andrews, Business and HR Consultant at KIS Finance, recognises the importance of listening to and understanding your team. She says: “Empathy is not always at the top of the list of characteristics that people see as essential in a good leader. But without the ability to place themselves in others’ shoes, and see the wider picture, leaders run the risk of taking an autocratic approach, which may eventually prove unpopular with those around them.”

What can managers do to inspire their staff?

Although managers can fall into bad habits, there are a number of ways to make sure you’re appropriately managing your employees. Here is some guidance on how you can ensure you’re enabling your employees to flourish.

1. Invest in your staff

Your employees are your strongest commodity, so it’s only right that you invest the time into helping them grow and develop their skills. Without proper attention, you’ll find your team will quickly stagnate if they’re not pushed to achieve their highest potential.

Let your staff get their hands on an exciting new task to flex their creative muscles and break the day-to-day monotony of their regular work. This will give them something new to try, as well as show them that you have faith in their abilities. It’s also crucial to make sure you put personal development plans into place – giving your employees the chance to have a say in how they want to progress and giving you the chance to say how you’ll help them achieve it. By investing in your staff, you’re helping to shape the future leaders of your organisation.

Mireille Harper, PR & Communications at Catalyst Collective, believes that a business’ success rests on how well it can adapt to new ideas. “In today’s rapidly changing and dynamic world, our companies need the value that diversity brings. Good leaders seek to find, promote, develop and champion those who’ve historically been excluded from leadership in the workplace,” she said.

“Strong leaders can handle the ambiguity and creative tensions that come with diversity, and still foster an environment of inclusion, value and respect, where each person can show up at their best.”

2. Be transparent

If you want your employees to respect you as a manager, you need to be open and honest with them. By creating a culture of communication, you’re empowering your staff to ask more questions and gain a better understanding of the direction of your business. Showing your team that you’re all in it together is the quickest way to create a real connection – rekindling their sense of purpose and reminding them why they’re there.

3. Be a leader who inspires their team

Actions speak louder than words. Think about your own performance and how you’ve managed situations in the past. Take the time to reflect on your experiences: could you have seen better results if you had reacted differently to the situation? Every failure and success story should be used as a learning experience to help your team reach new heights and avoid mistakes. Self-reflection helps you and your team develop and shows that you’re all working towards shared targets.

Bob Bradley, Managing Director and Founder of MD2MD, knows how inspiring your staff can help your business reap the benefits. He said: “Business leaders have three choices. They can try to command hierarchical power, expert power, or respect power. The latter is the most effective for an organisation.

“Leaders must have the ability to create willing followers. Naturally, in order to do this, they must create something tangible to follow: a shared vision, a common goal, a culture, and a way of working.”

Suzanne Haughton, Recruitment Consultant for Love Energy Savings, added: “Making sure people feel involved and listened too is something that filters from the top down in our organisation and is a responsibility that every manager takes seriously. Our CEO, Phil Foster, is a great example of this. He’s currently in the middle of a project called ‘Food with Phil’; hosting sessions and bringing together teams from different departments, breaking down silos, and learning about the organisation from the people on the front line and buying everyone lunch in return. Staff feel empowered, the business benefits, and everyone gets fed.”

Driving meaningful working lives in a more automated workplace, motivating a multi-generational workforce and the future of skills and learning are just some of the topics being discussed at this month’s CIPD Festival of Work.

The two-day conference at Olympia London, which runs from Wednesday 12 to Thursday 13 June, will explore the biggest issues in the world of work, with a strong focus on technology. A mix of masterclasses, skills sessions, and panel discussions make up the programme, which aims to spark debate as well as offer inspiration and practical solutions.

130 speakers with a range of expertise and perspectives have been lined up to take part, including Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion, who will talk about his shifting views around artificial intelligence, and the role human creativity has to play in the future of work. The closing address will come from the world’s first cyborg artist, Neil Harbisson, on the integration between humans and machines.

Matthew Taylor, CEO of the Royal Society of Art; Sir Anthony Seldon, best-selling author; and Caroline Fairbairn, Director General of the CBI, will also be speaking, as will representatives from some of the most well-known and successful businesses including Google, McDonalds, British Land, L’Oreal, Siemens plc, and PepsiCo.

Peter Cheese, CIPD Chief Executive, said: “With technology rapidly changing the world of work, it’s more important than ever that we share and understand the many changes and implications on our organisations and people. At the very heart of a successful business is how to attract, motivate, develop and retain people; the Festival of Work will explore how we can do this in an uncertain world and with emerging technologies.”

Meanwhile, for details on some of the UK’s best places to work, meet the winners of the 2019 UK Employee Experience Awards.