As the dog days of summer wear on and the Supreme Court is done handing out verdicts about workplace concerns (and all other issues) for a few months, it may seem like workplace news would slow down. But as long as human beings work together, issues will arise and news stories will abound, even in July. Here’s your catch-up on what’s happened in the world of work this month:
What’s the first thing you do before you buy a new piece of furniture? Visit a new restaurant? Book a room at a hotel? If you’re like 93 percent of consumers, according to data from Podium, you turn to online reviews to inform your purchase decisions.
When it comes to making a choice, people are more likely to seek out and trust insight from their peers as opposed to the information shared by the businesses themselves. And as it turns out, people rely on word-of-mouth whether they’re buying a pair of shoes or applying for a job.
In fact, job seekers read an average of six reviews before applying for a job opening, according to Glassdoor. And 69 percent of people say brand strength is either important or very important when deciding whether or not to accept a job offer, according to an MRI Network study.
As an HR manager, this can sometimes be frustrating. While you work hard to foster a healthy employer reputation by enhancing the workplace culture, even just one negative review can repel potential applicants. And the more negative reviews you earn, the harder it becomes to redeem your reputation, attract top talent and keep your organization thriving.
Here are a few tips to help you better manage your employer reputation and overcome negative reviews:
In 2018, a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey found workers were quitting their jobs at the highest rate since 2001, according to Bloomberg. And while stagnant wage growth may have many workers seeking positions with higher pay, there may be another reason why employees are walking away from their respective posts.
A healthy labor market means that the power has shifted from employers to employees. In other words, people know what they want and, if their current employers aren’t willing to oblige, they’re ready to find what they’re looking for elsewhere.
As an HR professional, this puts you in a tricky spot. On the one hand, you want to reduce turnover and help provide better experiences for your workforce. But, on the other hand, giving in to your workers’ every whim can set a dangerous precedent (and quickly consume your budget). Plus, employees aren’t always forthcoming about their wants and needs.
So what can you do? Here’s a breakdown of the five most common employee demands and expectations, and how you can prepare for each:
Most employees do their best work (and enjoy the greatest sense of satisfaction) when they’re striving toward a goal. There’s something innately gratifying about ticking boxes, climbing rungs on the career ladder and seeing legitimate progress.
But what happens when someone meets all the goals they had set for themselves? Or if they’re reevaluating their career path and contemplating all the what-ifs in their future? For many people, this can lead to a mid-career crisis.
Like a mid-life crisis, a mid-career crisis is characterized by apathy, dissatisfaction and even regret over the paths not taken. In many cases, this prompts employees to seek an exciting change — often in the form of a new job opportunity with a different company.
For employers, this can be difficult — after all, no one wants to lose high-performing, experienced talent. Luckily, as an HR professional, there are a few ways you can help guide employees through this phase, hopefully retaining them in the process:
Q2 is coming to a close and summer is officially in full swing. As you reflect on the first half of the year, we’ve rounded up a few of the hottest headlines from June that could impact the rest of 2019 and beyond.
Here’s a recap of the top stories from this past month:
