Why Safety and Stability are Important Foundations for Employee Engagement

Why Safety and Stability are Important Foundations for Employee Engagement The words ‘safe’ and ‘stable’ may not immediately sound the most engaging, but they can play a significant role in developing and maintaining an attractive workplace culture that supports highly-engaged employees. At Pure, we spend a lot of time talking to clients, and to delegates at our Best Employers Eastern Region leadership conferences, about ways to evolve workplace culture and increase employee engagement. While the more creative, fun and even slightly quirky ideas for creating motivating and inspiring environments may be the first to capture attention, the fundamental basics are just as important. It’s not hard to imagine how feeling unsafe and experiencing a constant sense of instability would be mentally taxing and distracting. If people can’t give their full attention to the basics of their job, it will be almost impossible to go on to inspire, motivate and engage them further. That’s why in his book ‘Leaders Eat Last’, renowned business author Simon Sinek talks about the importance of leaders creating a safe and secure working environment, and why psychologist William Kahn, thought to be one of the first experts to recognize the importance of employee engagement, believed people could only really become engaged if they felt ‘psychologically safe’ first. Here are some suggestions on how organizations can strengthen a sense of safety and stability for their employees, providing the foundations they need to become fully engaged. Clear communication of role and purpose People feel safer when they know what is expected of them, as it removes the worry of whether they are delivering what is needed and the fear they may be criticized for not doing their job properly. Clear communication about an employee’s role, such as thorough job descriptions and smart, measurable objectives will help to provide this information, alongside the chance to regularly discuss their role and any potential support and training required through one-to-ones, appraisals, and reviews. This can be further strengthened by clear communication of the organization’s mission, purpose, and values, so that everyone can see what success looks like and recognize the role they can play in making it happen. Open channels of communication and a safe voice Open access to leadership, and channels which encourage people to communicate upwards, will help employees to feel it is safe to contribute their suggestions and ideas. Leaders can encourage employees to put themselves out there and to share their opinions by making it clear that all suggestions are valued and encouraged, and that people won’t be judged or ignored. Simple behaviors such as considering all viewpoints in brainstorming sessions, making it clear that there is no such thing as a wrong answer and rewarding those who speak up by thanking them for their input, will all help to build a sense of safety. This will not only help to encourage employees to contribute innovative ideas but also come forward to ask for help or advice if they are struggling, have made an honest mistake or if they have any concerns. Leading by example Research has shown that an employee’s sense of job stability and safety is related to whether or not they can trust their leaders. It is the leadership team that will set the tone for creating a culture of trust and psychological safety in a company, but as Simon Sinek states in his TED Talk video about ‘Why good leaders make people feel safe’, trust is not an instruction. Leaders can’t just tell employees to trust them and expect them to do so. Trust needs to be earnt through actions such as transparent, open and regular communication, leaders being both accessible and approachable, and by showing an obvious consideration for the wellbeing of employees. Leaders can gain trust on a practical level by following through on the things they say they will do and generate emotional trust by treating everyone respectfully. Safe to be authentic If employees are worried that they will be criticized or judged for being their real selves, their efforts will be focussed on trying to fit in rather than being fully engaged with the job. Mike Robbins, author of the book ‘Bring your whole self to work’ explained in a Forbes interview that if there is a lack of psychological safety for people to behave authentically, it makes it difficult for them to perform at their best because they are holding back some of who they really are. This was also emphasized in Google’s recent ‘Project Aristotle’ study which looked at what made a high performing team and identified psychological safety as one of the key elements needed. It revealed that teams performed better if people were not putting on a ‘work face’ and that everyone felt they could act naturally in front of one another. Leaders can help to create a culture in which everyone feels safe to be themselves by being authentic themselves, showing their own vulnerabilities, ad mitting when they don’t have all the answers and demonstrating empathy and acceptance. Security and safety benefits Finally, an organization’s benefits package also provides another opportunity to increase an employee’s sense of safety. It can not only make them feel valued and looked after, but also help to ease potential concerns which could be distracting their focus at work. For example, benefits such as health, life, and medical cover provide reassurance and financial security if an employee becomes too ill to work. Lifestyle benefits help to improve their wellbeing; be that mental health, physical health, financial or social wellbeing. Plus, in the event of ill-health, wellbeing benefits can help employees to get back to work quicker or help them to access valuable counseling support at difficult times.

LinkedIn Features That Can Advance Your Job Search

LinkedIn Features That Can Advance Your Job Search LinkedIn continues to evolve and the site regularly adds  new features and tools to help you better find people, content, and opportunities.  But as a job seeker, how can you leverage these upgrades to advance your job search? To further explore this topic I approached Tara Orchard, a Career/Business Performance and Social Networking Coach to help overview 2 of LinkedIns  features and together we compiled  tips on how these new tools can be leveraged by savvy job seekers during their job search. How You Rank in Who’s Viewed Your Profile In May 2014, LinkedIn introduced a new “How You Rank” tool where you can see how your profile views measure against your connections.     This feature can be located within Who’s Viewed Your Profile and breaks down your percentage rating amongst your contacts for the current week.   It looks something like this:  Taras Tips:  Think of How You Rank as your LinkedIn Klout score in that it offers you a glimpse into where you rank in terms of ‘popularity’ and ‘social influence’ among your network. This can help you gauge whether you are having an influence and being noticed. As a job seeker it can be beneficial to raise your profile views and How You Rank offers you an opportunity to measure and track your efforts. A goal for an active job seeker may be to target ranking in the 75th percentile or higher (top 25%). The other benefit of this feature is that it allows you to see who within your network is most influential (or at least active). As a job seeker, understanding who within your network is active can help you determine who you might want to engage with a little more. Additional Tips from Adrienne: One way to increase your profile visibility is join and be active in groups. Keep in mind you want to both start and comment on other discussions across several groups.  By interacting with a highly viewed person’s content (for example, liking and commenting on their discussions or shares) you can increase your own visibility.  LinkedIn provides customized suggestions in this feature area to help you increase your personal profile views.   A few adjustments that you may not have considered are nicely presented so you can positively boost your profile’s visibility.  Use  the How You Rank  tool to analyze the profiles of connections ranking higher than you and discover what these people are doing, saying, or sharing to raise their visibility.   Adjust your own profile and activities to drive up your personal views; the more visible you are and the more engaged you get with the site the better chances you have of being found by hiring authorities. Publishing Platform Although originally created for major LinkedIn Influencers, this new feature has now been released to all site users.     According to LinkedIn, when you publish one of these new ‘long-form posts’: Your original content becomes part of your professional profile. It is shared with your connections and followers. Members not in your network can now follow you from your posts to receive updates every time you publish. Your posts are searchable both on and off of LinkedIn. To create a post, click on the pencil symbol in your update area, on the home page of the site: Once published you can find your posts at the top of your profile page, underneath your photo and header.   People who visit your page will automatically see your most recent 3 posts: Taras Job Seeker Tips: The publishing platform provides an opportunity to raise visibility by writing and publishing content such as a blog or article relevant to a person’s career (or business). The benefit is allowing job seekers to showcase relevant knowledge and ideas to their network and potentially to people outside of their network.  The  publishing platform  can serve as a tool to generate leads or follow-up on leads by pushing relevant content directly towards potential employers before first contact or after you begin the network and interview process. The potential downside of the platform includes the need to spend time writing content that is relevant, interesting, and well crafted.   If the content is not well considered and written it could have a negative impact. I wrote my first LinkedIn long-post on this topic, “Writing and the Risk of Public Criticism”. Additional Tips from Adrienne: Besides having your posts added to your profile, there are two other ways to use this content to raise your visibility and credibility: Send article links directly to people you know who would find the content relevant and use it to start a conversation (and highlight your relevant knowledge or ideas). Push your LinkedIn articles directly into groups to begin new discussions or add value to current discussions. Immediate benefits for job seekers include a massive platform for sharing information aligned with expertise and brand.   Get employers noticing and following you while raising your visibility with increased search engine optimization. There are no limits to the amount of posts you can create and share, but remember to keep content polished and professional.   Your audience on LinkedIn is very wide and includes a wealth of top resources (recruiters and employers alike). For more top tips on LinkedIn, connect with me on the site:  www.linkedin.com/in/adriennetom

Leaders Are Constant Learners - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Leaders Are Constant Learners - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career To differentiate yourself, you don’t have to have an especially high IQ. No matter who you are or what your background or current circumstance is, one thing is certain: you can always learn, explore, and experiment in new arenas. You only need to be reasonably intelligent and insatiably curious. You can never know too much; and you can never have too much information and insight. If you do not train yourself constantly to learn about humanity, business, places, and ideas, you are just asking for defeat. As some CEOs weighed in: “I can find a lot of ambitious, hardworking people, but I want creativity, and that comes from curiosity. . . . It’s a huge turn-off to me if someone isn’t curious. It’s disorienting.” “Even if you’re number one, you’d better learn something new, and you’d better keep challenging yourself, or they are going to forget about you.” “I will fire a person who has no ambition to learn on his or her own.”

7 Big Reasons to Visit Israel

7 Big Reasons to Visit Israel Israel is indeed a fascinating placeâ€"for seven good reasons. If you are wondering where your next trip is going to be, Israel is indeed a paradise worth exploring. The following are the top reasons for visiting the Holy Land. Israels Natural Wonders Israel is situated in the Mediterranean coast with various unspoiled beaches that are just a short drive away from the cities. On top of these, you can marvel at the country’s Dead Sea which is the saltiest waterbody in the world. You can also gape at the Negev Desert’s mesmerizing crater-strewn emptiness. Or you may march through the north in the Galilee region teeming with green valleys and hills and is also the wine haven of the country. Events Festivals in Israel Israel is filled with cultural festivals and events. You can never run out of entertainment blazes, like The Voice of Music Festival, Masada Opera Festival, International Klezmer Festival, and so on. If you want plain fun and non-stop merriment, Israel is your haven. Israel’s Amazing Archaeological Sites Israel is one of the most historical spots in the world. Thus, ancient sites pack the country. You can visit Caesarea’s Roman ruins, the mountainous stronghold of Masada, Akko’s Crusader ramparts, Jerusalem’s Western Wall, and Nazareth’s Mary’s Well. Israels Great Desert Adventures Negev Desert is the top desert in Israel. It’s a perfect kind of barren with many beautiful spectacles. There are many desert activities you can indulge in, like biking and hiking along the beautiful desert trails or enjoying all-terrain jeep sprees. You can also find forward-looking inns and guest cabins in the area and delight in unique spa experiences. Delicious New Israeli Cuisine Because of Israel’s agricultural advancement and Mediterranean climate, there are many organic products that contribute to their fresh market cuisine. Since it’s a crossroads state, there are various restaurants around, from Palestinian to Turkish, Jewish Yemenite to Druze, to popular New Israeli restaurants. Cosmopolitan Tel Aviv Tel Aviv is one of the major cities in Israel situated on the country’s Mediterranean coastline. It’s also the technology hub and financial center of Israel. And there’s more to it than meets the eye. It’s also a cultural, culinary, and nightlife center of the city. There are also serene beaches that surround the city. A Subtle and Religious Experience Jerusalem is a focal site with a great religious significance and a spot for spiritual pilgrimage. You can feel the holy journey through the Western Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, al-Aqsa Mosque, and more. Whatever your religious view is, you really can feel a special spiritual energy and a unique blissful experience in Jerusalem. There are many people booking Flights to Israel because of these reasons and more. If you want a great historical, cultural, and spiritual experience, Israel is a place you can’t dare miss. You shouldn’t think twice about penning it in your bucket list because it is a whole package of fun, serenity, and excitement.

The Professional Resume Writing Certification From the NRTW or CSPW

The Professional Resume Writing Certification From the NRTW or CSPWAre you looking for a resume writing certification from the NRTW or CSPW? If so, then this article is for you.Resume writing certification from the NRTW or CSPW means that your professional resume should contain all the requirements of the organizations that have hired you. Many of these organizations offer rigorous job security. If you have a certificate from the organizations you wish to work for, you can look forward to a career that will not let you down.For instance, the NRTW certification from the NRTW is quite impressive. The NRTW certification states that you have completed a course in online research methodology and composition. You will also have to prove that you have completed an internship at an organization that specializes in producing quality research reports. This is not an easy requirement but it is important because you do not want to leave out any organization while trying to get a job.The CSPW cer tification from the CSPW means that you have completed a course in interpersonal communications or CRM. Here you will be required to have proof of working knowledge of resume writing, writing structure, and how to make the perfect cover letter.Now you know what the professional certification from the NRTW or CSPW means, the next thing you should do is find a reputable school for these certifications. You can start by reading about the schools you are interested in and then do some research on the internet about the school's reputation and cost.It is important to consider your career when choosing a school for the certification in order to ensure that you choose one that has the best educational and technical skills for your career. You can choose your education carefully if you are in the field of customer service or management. If you are looking for a career in nursing, however, you should have a degree in biology or chemistry so that you can pursue a career in medicine.The resume writing certification from the NRTW or CSPW will allow you to get a job as a professional resume writer. As the resume is what you will be presenting to the organizations that hire you, you need to make sure that your resume looks great and flows very easily. Do not try to write a resume that does not seem professional; you will fail and this will damage your chances of getting a job.In conclusion, the resume writing certification from the NRTW or CSPW is important in order to gain a career that will not let you down. This is an ideal certification for those who want to become professionals in the field of writing resumes for various organizations. Find a reputable school now!

Interactive Organizations Conference - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Interactive Organizations Conference - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog The interactive organization is one that is less dominated by traditional control structures and where people are more free to do their work. Interactive organizations (IOs) are therefore more efficient, adapt faster to changes in their environment and theyre a lot more fun to be in. They can also be chaotic and frustrating :o) Ive been a leader and participant (in interactive orgs everyone is both) in three different organizations which were interactive, and I can assure you, that I will never again work in a traditional workplace. I could simply never function again under the old, inflexible ways defined by the org chart. So when I heard that the first conference on IOs was being organized in Krakow I knew that I had to be a part of it. The term Interactive Organization was defined in Harrison Owens book The power of spirit, how organizations transfrom and describes what a workplace organized around Open Space Technology might be like. The conference itself took place in Krakow, since the conveners (though Berliners) have a firm belief that the future is in the east, ie. eastern Europe. And Krakow was certainly an excellent choice of venue. The city is easily the most beautiful Ive ever visited, and everything in Poland is still quite cheap. Especially the excellent local beer, which was a big part of the post-conference relaxation :o) The conference itself was (of course) held as an Open Space meeting, and the 30 participants from all over Europe quickly organized an impressive agenda focusing on the theory and practice of IOs. I hosted a session of stories from real-life IOs which helped establish a common understanding of what exactly an IO is. In all, I think the conference was an excellent kick-off for establishing a european IO community. We now have a common ground, some projects to work on and the next conference is being planned for 2005, probably in Budapest. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Product Design Portfolio Essentials - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Product Design Portfolio Essentials If you want to have successful career in product design, then before you even start thinking about looking for jobs and making applications, you need to ensure that you have a stellar portfolio in place to show off what you really can do. When you’re applying for product design jobs, as well as having a CV that contains your personal information and your skills and qualifications, you really do need to have a portfolio that shows off just how innovative you are. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you get it right: Have two Portfolios Ideally, you should create two portfolios one highly-edited one that you submit upon application and a more thorough one that contains all of the work you’ve done to show at interview stage. That way, you can get them interested in the first place and hook them when you see them. Short and Simple is Best for the Short Portfolio If you want your portfolio to garner you some interest, then the portfolio you send off with your application should feature no more than ten pieces of your most successful most relevant work. So. if for example, you’re applying for a job designing health and hygiene products, showing them those designs you drew up for electric hand dryers rather than your designs for garden maintenance equipment is probably more appropriate. Just make sure everything in the portfolio is good. The Full Portfolio When it comes to the full portfolio, you should put your newest work, and the work that is most relevant to the job you’re applying for, at front and centre, but you should include all of the designs you’ve worked on at the back, just so that you can give as thorough a picture of who you are and what you’re capable of as possible. Show the Work As well as including the completed product designs, you would do well to show ‘the work’ the steps that helped you to get there from sketches and mood boards to computer-aided designs and anything else that was relevant to your working process. If you do this, and you include information on the design brief and the company that you created the product for, your chances of securing the career you want are higher. Why? Because you’ll show the recruiters that you really do know your stuff and they’ll be able to see precisely how you work. Make it Look Good In many ways, your portfolio pieces should and will stand for themselves, but if you want to have a slight competitive edge, it is never a bad idea to pimp up your portfolio a little by working on arranging it in the most pleasing way possible, including different colours, headings and borders where appropriate. The more of your creativity you can show off the better you will look in the eyes of the recruiters. Take it Online Although it is still very much a good idea to have a physical portfolio, by creating your own online portfolio, you can more easily direct interested parties to your work, and recruiters will be able to find you and offer you work before you’ve even heard about a position. In the 21st Century, being connected is really important. Just make sure that your online space looks just as good as the rest of your work/your offline portfolio. Time to find that dream job!