By Damien Lacey, Marketing Coordinator, Montridge Advisory Group Ltd.

With the world of work continuing to evolve, business owners need to adapt their benefit offerings to attract and retain modern workers. Demographics are changing, workplaces are becoming more diverse, and the impact of technology is greater than ever before. Employees are looking for benefits that keep up with and match their needs and personal preferences. In this article we look at the importance of refreshing benefit offerings with the goal of attracting and retaining the modern worker.

The Landscape of the Modern Workforce & Remaining Competitive

The modern landscape of the working world has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, and as a result of the pandemic, the traditional office-based work culture has undergone even further changes. Workers are no longer limited to working from the office or their homes, as technology has enabled them to work from anywhere. This has given rise to new challenges for organizations looking to attract and retain top talent. Companies that fail to adapt to these changes and refresh their benefit offerings risk losing their competitive edge in the market.

Simply put, refreshing benefit offerings is a key component to your overall strategy. With all these changing components in the modern workforce meeting workers needs and preferences must be done. If you are not first, then you are last. What does that mean? You don’t attract talent and time after time you lose employees to organizations with better benefits on offer.

With employees working from home or across different time zones, flexibility has become a critical factor in their decision-making process. Benefits such as flexible schedules, telecommuting options, and access to wellness programs can help organizations attract and retain top talent. In addition, employers must also ensure that their benefits align with the needs of their diverse workforce, including women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

As the workforce becomes more geographically dispersed, companies must consider how their benefit offerings can be delivered to workers regardless of their location. For example, virtual wellness programs, digital mental health support, and telemedicine services can provide workers with access to vital services irrespective of their location. It is also important to consider the legislative and regulatory challenges when workers relocate to another province or another country either temporarily or permanently. Special consideration should be given to relocated workers to ensure their coverage remains in place. This may mean simply updating the insurer, but it may also mean the need for different types of coverage for those working abroad.

Why Refreshing Benefit Offerings Is Important

One of the primary reasons for refreshing benefit offerings is to keep up with changing demographics. As the workforce continues to become more diverse, employers need to offer benefits that cater to the unique needs and preferences of different groups. For instance, younger workers may value benefits such as flexible work arrangements and professional development opportunities, while older workers may prioritize health and retirement benefits. With five generations in the workforce, this balancing act can be tricky.

In today’s world, workers are accustomed to fast, individualised service. There is an expectation among workers that benefits should be customized for their own situation and delivered in the same efficient manner as an Amazon package. This means that benefit plans need to be flexible, offer a variety of ways to access information, submit claims, and utilize services. For example, some people may wish to access counselling services in person. Others are fine with a digital or telephonic appointment. While certain people prefer text messaging. While it may be impossible to know which of your people prefer which method, being able to offer multiple modalities for the same service is key. The other key is to ensure that your people truly understand what is available and how to access it.

Another reason for refreshing benefit offerings is to stay competitive in the job market. Today’s employees have more choices than ever before when it comes to job opportunities. Offering a comprehensive benefits package can help an organization stand out in a crowded job market and attract top talent. Additionally, offering unique and innovative benefits can differentiate an organization from its competitors and give it a competitive edge.

Examples of Refreshing Benefit Offerings

There are many ways that organizations can refresh their benefit offerings to meet the needs of the modern workforce. Some examples include:

1. Flexible Work Arrangements: Offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, unlimited paid time off, or flexible schedules can be a significant benefit for employees who value work-life balance and autonomy.
2. Professional Development Opportunities: Providing professional development opportunities, such as training programs or tuition reimbursement, can be a significant benefit for employees who value career growth and development.
3. Health and Wellness Benefits: Offering health and wellness benefits, such as gym memberships, mental health support, or healthy food options, can be a significant benefit for employees who prioritize their health and well-being.

Conclusion

Work is no longer what we initially imagined it to be. Workers are coming into the office, working from home, or even a bit of both. Teams no longer feature individuals in the local area but can branch across the country and even internationally. With a drive to attract and retain top talent, organizations should be considering how they can refresh their benefit offerings to meet the needs of their workers today.

By Ashli Komaryk, MBA, ACC, Associate Consultant, Chemistry Consulting Group

Each new addition to your leadership team represents a significant investment.

It’s a bit like gardening, actually. When you add a new plant to your garden you need to water it, make sure it has enough light, and maybe even add some supplemental nutrients or fertilizer for it to thrive.

Leadership Development is a highly effective nutrient to keep your new hire growing, blossoming, and evermore engaged.

Your investment starts with the time spent by an external recruiter or by your internal HR team on recruitment and selection. More time and effort is invested in the hiring process, and hopefully, on a thorough onboarding. Your new hire will need some time to integrate and acclimate as they go through your initial training and orientation, making connections and finding their place. In a supportive environment, they will quickly discover the best way to contribute to the team and to the organization’s success.

Terrific! Now how do you retain this great new member of your team and start generating some return on that initial investment?

What type of Leadership Development Program is right for you?

One size does NOT fit all.

Teams are made up of members with a variety of personality styles, learning preferences and differing types of tasks. Why wouldn’t you want a Leadership Development Program that takes that in to account and is as adaptable as your leaders need to be? Talk to your training provider about customization options. Choosing a rigid, prescriptive training model may risk alienating some participants – so if those were plants in your yard, you’d be aiming your watering hose onto the sidewalk.

Key Elements of your Leadership Development Program

A large part of Leadership revolves around the sophisticated art of persuasion. So, your Leadership Development program should touch on topics such as Emotional Intelligence, communication skills and listening skills.

Equipping your Leaders with the skills to understand diverse personality styles is just as essential.

Consider incorporating a personality assessment tool as part of your program. While there are many options available, DiSC® is one of the most popular and effective tools because of its powerfully simple yet intuitive format.

Debriefing the assessment report generated by DiSC®, provides a leader with deep insights about their personal communication style, needs, behaviours and priorities. This self-awareness is the first step toward understanding those elements in others and thus building better relationships and more productive teams.

In today’s globalized, multicultural workplace it’s more important than ever before to know how to leverage diversity to achieve a competitive advantage.

Inclusion

A quick review of different leadership styles and of the various sources of influence within an organization reminds us that anyone at any level can be a leader. You don’t need a fancy title or a big office to be a leader whom others follow. Those informal leaders set the tone and maintain your organization’s culture. Those charismatic experts up and down the org chart are your top performers, your high-potential contributors and your leadership succession-planning pipeline.

Therefore, to protect your investment in your people and to ensure it yields rich dividends, it makes sense to deliver appropriate Leadership Development programs at several levels of your company – just as you would tend with care to all the elements of your garden so they all grow well and bear fruit!

Leadership Development as a Powerful Motivator  

The message you’re sending to your team when you offer to enroll them in a leadership (or other) training program is powerful. You’re telling them things like: “you matter to us”, “you’re worth investing in”, “we want you to stay”, “your contribution is important”, “we want to support you as you develop into the best version of yourself”. Even if you’re seeking Leadership Development as a remedial expedient, the messaging can still be constructive.

In his book entitled Drive, thought leader Daniel Pink discusses the power of intrinsic motivators: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. Done properly, delivering Leadership Development training to your team will also serve as a powerful intrinsic motivator, building engagement, empowerment, loyalty and retention (Pink, 2011).

Leadership Development as a Bridge to Retention  

The cost of turnover is huge. Some research calculates this cost at an average of six to nine months of the employee’s salary. It can even be as high as 100% to 150% of the departing employee’s salary for highly skilled technical roles (Charaba, 2023). The cost will depend on the role, the loss of productivity, and the amount of time it takes you to find a replacement. If you can curb avoidable turnover, you’re significantly cutting unnecessary costs.

Just as a skilled gardener can detect the early signs of pests or weeds and take action to protect the garden, a skilled leader can detect when team members need added attention or support. A proactive leader will nip issues in the bud before they blossom into major problems that could lead to dysfunctional conflict or resignations.

Cultivating your Garden

At Chemistry, we recognize that your team is a unique constellation of contributors each with their own personality style, learning style, needs and preferences. Our Leadership Development division works with organizational leaders to thoughtfully curate an effective Leadership Development program built to meet the unique needs of your team. Reach out to us today for a conversation about where your team is at and how you want it grow. We’ll plot the course together.

References

Charaba, C. (2023, February 2). Employee retention: The real cost of losing an employee. PeopleKeep. www.peoplekeep.com/blog/employee-retention-the-real-cost-of-losing-an-employee.

Pink, D. H. (2011). Drive. Canongate Books.

By Damien Lacey, Marketing Coordinator, Montridge Advisory Group Ltd.

When employees feel good, organizations benefit. But this doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

Employees may not be aware of best practices and exactly how to be the best version of themselves from a health and wellness perspective. This is where you as an employer come in.

What is the key for your workplace to create an environment for good habits and healthy choices? Support, support, and more support!

Here are seven measures you can take to enhance your workplace to encourage healthy behaviours and mindfulness to benefit your people’s physical and mental health.

1.  Encourage movement and exercise

It is very easy to sit at your desk all day long with your head stuck in your computer. Encouraging employees to step away from being engrossed in their work stations can do wonders for their health – increased blood flow and energy, improved posture and a clearer mind just to name a few. How about having a timer every 30 minutes that you have to do 60 seconds of exercise like jumping jacks or stretching to counteract the effects of sitting.

2.  Healthy eating habits

Food has a huge impact on our productivity levels. Having policies and best practices at work will help employees be healthier eaters. The changes to do so can be small. People tend to eat healthier in groups, so instead of leaving employees to eat at their desk why not have a designated area in the office or on site and encourage people to eat together.

3.  Educate, Educate, Educate

As the saying goes, we don’t know what we don’t know. It is key to provide resources and information to allow employees to make informed decisions on how they are eating, exercising and living. Bringing in experts to educate your people. Nutritionists, mental health experts, fitness trainers are all examples of great resources to have come in and speak.

4.  Create a wellness team

Designing and managing a health and wellness program is tough.One really effective tool is having a team made up of a cross section of employees from all company levels to help implement, and monitor the plan. Having leaders at various levels, in different departments will increase buy-in and provide effective feedback.

5.  Keep employees connected

Employees don’t like to be isolated. Humans need social interaction. What can you do to ensure this happens?  Keeping in mind that some of your people experience social anxiety.  Have in person office hours, weekly team meetings and opportunities for non-work related interactions such as an  in person or virtual happy hour, hobby clubs such as knitting, or cooking, or hiking. Even having a puzzle on a spare table that people can work on alone or together. Encouraging social interaction has become tougher with the changing work arrangements but it can still be achieved with a little imagination. Ask your team for suggestions.

6.  Create a supportive environment

A workplace culture where employees feel  that you value their health and wellness acts as an incentive to be more proactive. Create an environment which allows employees to flourish. Have healthy food choices in the vending machines, work schedules that allow workers to prioritise exercise, reward health achievements like completing half marathons for example.

7.  Encourage people to stop smoking/vaping

Millennial vaping is at an all time high whilst Canadian manufacturers produced 1.1 billion cigarettes in January 2022 (up 7.5% from last year). Encourage your employees to stop smoking and vaping. Even being in the presence of smokers can have detrimental impacts on your health.

Conclusion

Don’t worry, promoting health and wellness in the workplace doesn’t have to be expensive and really complex. Start with small steps.  Measure what has worked and what hasn’t.  Tweak the plan using feedback from your people and build on your successes. When you make this a priority, your employees will work harder for you.

By Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

The leadership training industry has proliferated, with the rise of online, hybrid, and live, virtual instructor-led training. In a saturated field, what do you look for? How do you know what’s right for you and your teams and leaders?

Today, the “modern learner”, as Josh Bersin, Principal and Founder of Bersin by Deloitte describes, is impatient, distracted, and overwhelmed. The modern attention span is fractured at best–“most learners won’t watch videos longer than four minutes” (Bersin).

With 66% of knowledge workers claiming they don’t have time to do their work (The Modern Learner infographic), frequent interruptions (as often as once every 5 minutes!), and a 5-10 second window to catch one’s attention online (Bersin), catering to the infinitely distracted, impatient, and overwhelmed is more important than ever before.

So whether you’d like to accept it or not, successfully harnessing the meaningful and mindful attention of your employees and team(s) requires active and deliberate effort, response, and understanding. You have to be ready, willing, and prepared to course correct, adapt, and change with the times.

It’s essential that your leadership/management training takes these elements into consideration and is designed for the modern learner; otherwise, your investment will become just another item on your employees’ never-ending “To Do” lists, and another factor fueling this always-on, overwhelmed state of “I’m too busy”.

Vivo Team, under the guidance and research of EVP, Dr. Jim Sellner, has spent the last 10+ years developing the ideal methodology; it is simple, and three-fold: (1) diagnose, (2) train, and (3) track. This approach enables measurable performance and outcomes.

We use people analytics; live, virtual instructor-led training (Live VILT); and spaced learning to ensure the modern learner is present, engaged, and activated.

Here are a few of our top leadership training best practices that engage the modern learner to increase the impact of people development and business results.

People analytics in learning and development (L&D) provides insight into the efficiency of your talent and workplace culture by clearly illustrating what is working and what areas need improvement.

“People analytics in L&D provides the data you need to measure the growth, development, and successes of your team and/or leader development programs and coaching. This should be done in terms of behaviors and dollars (by measuring a decrease in the cost of lost productivity).

People analytics in L&D is highly accurate in diagnosing the effects of behaviors on teams. That’s why people analytics in L&D is so important!”

– Dr. Jim Sellner, PhD, EVP People Analytics and Talent Activation, Vivo Team

Live VILT is dynamic, engaged, and most importantly, two-way. Guided in real time, this instructor-led training and coaching is tailored to your specific needs, with leaders and their teams learning together.

A spaced-learning approach allows training to fit seamlessly into the workday (supporting the needs and preferences of the modern learner). Learning in this way–via a series of short, intense training sessions punctuated by a deliberate break in the learning–is highly effective, and better yet, research-based! With this approach, when training reconvenes, the learning objectives are repeated so there is no lag time; learners can see change by practicing and implementing their training right away. Gone are the one-off, multiple day, 8 hour training sessions of the past!

Like Bersin explains, the modern learner has come to expect “accessible, interactive learning experiences anytime, anywhere and on any device.”

The high demand on modern learners (i.e., YOUR employees and team members) must be critically considered and remain top-of-mind. If your learning and development leadership/management programs and platforms don’t take this into consideration, your company’s bottom line will suffer just as well as your team cohesion and collaboration.

Don’t let digital be a divide. Be open, accepting, and willing to adapt to the ever-evolving modern learner and you’ll get results and have the data to prove it.

Keep these leadership/management training best practices in mind and you’ll be sure to have a workforce that doesn’t fall behind!

Reference

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meet-modern-learner-cristina-brembilla

About Renée Safrata, Founder & CEO, Vivo Team

Over the past 30+ years Renée Safrata has worked with thousands of companies and executives throughout North America and Europe, helping them to connect, adopt new behaviors, and become confident members of highly functioning teams. As Founder and CEO, she oversees Vivo Team’s full spectrum learning experience, develops leaders and teams through live, online training, coaching, and people analytics.

About Vivo Team

Watch your workplace culture and profitability soar! Vivo Team’s full spectrum learning experience develops competence, motivation, and collaboration among your leaders and teams through live, online training, coaching, and people analytics. The content and format are based on the latest, proven research in learning and development.

By Deb Walker, Associate HR Consultant, Chemistry Consulting Group

Does it feel sometimes like you are immersed in a game of pick up sticks and someone has just dropped them all randomly on the table?  The chaos of all those sticks seems daunting in the beginning.  How to pick them up, in accordance with the rules, and get the most points to win seems overwhelming and definitely not a simple task.

Recruiting these days can feel a little bit like we are starting a new game of pick up sticks. Technology is rapidly shifting how and where we access candidates; potential employees are radically shifting their expectations of workplaces; and priorities are realigning for best practices in attracting and retaining candidates.

The Job Market Today and Why it Has Changed

There has been much talk about the Great Resignation that has risen to the surface in the last few years.  Within that discussion are thoughts about people reassessing what they want to do, how they want to do it and which organization(s) to connect with.  The advent of the gig economy where people are shifting from working for someone else to being their own boss and potentially working for multiple organizations has played a factor as has the role of AI and the rapid advancement of technology that can streamline the workflow process as well as open up new career paths that didn’t exist even a couple of years ago.

In addition to shifting work agreements, however, is something that has been forecasted for many years but we are now seeing come to fruition.  Baby Boomers started exiting the workplace beginning in 2011 and their ages as well as the pandemic has accelerated some of that movement.  In 2022, the youngest of the baby boomers will be 58 and there are not the numbers in the upcoming demographic groups to replace them.

(Source:  www.cbc.ca; www.forbes.com; www.washingtonpost.com)

What that translates to is there is more competition for fewer qualified candidates.

So what can we do as potential employers in this new environment to attract and hire good fits to openings and opportunities within our workplaces?

Best Practices Include Establishing and Maintaining Solid Foundations

1. Conduct regular job assessments to validate that the activities for each position are removing non-essential duties and activities that are no longer required or provide minimal value-added.
2. Ensure job descriptions are in place and accurately reflect the needs of the role, providing clarity for incoming employees and incumbents alike to connect with their roles and how they aid the organization in meeting core values of both the individual and the organization. That is, assist candidates to make connections between their purpose and values with those of the organization.
3. Regularly review benefits that are available to employees, ensuring that they are aligned with expectations of employees as well as fitting their evolving needs. For example, learning and development is a mutual benefit for the organization and the individual.  As technology, in particular, shifts the deliverables for a position, proactively working with employees on their next career step is fundamental to developing skills and expertise in-house that may fill gaps otherwise accessed through recruiting.
4. Being open to alternative work statuses may assist in bridging. Having options for employees such as: onsite vs remote work vs hybrid; full-time vs part-time; semi-retirement and consulting roles; leaves of absences to aid in work life balance; flexibility with work schedules.  All of these are hot topics for potential employees as well as existing and contribute to providing environments that allow employees the flexibility to meet both personal and professional demands.
5. Psychological health and wellness in the workplace requires ongoing leadership development and fostering open dialogue for a culture of safety and wellness. Mental health and recognition of the impact on health and wellness are key cornerstones being actively sought by candidates.
6. Respect in the workplace is not a new concept within work spaces but what this encapsulates is continuing to evolve. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion need to be integrated and woven into the culture of an organization as these are core values that employees are seeking out as part of their decision on which organization to devote their professional time to.
7. Streamline and speed up your recruiting processes. In a different time, it can take weeks to complete a recruit, from drafting the posting, gathering applications, interviewing and making the selection/offering the position.  This is a luxury that few have in this market environment and many organizations are finding that by the time they complete their process, the candidates they wanted the most have long been scooped up.
8. Interviews are two way information exchanges and marketing the organization through an effective and well strategized brand is key to leading with your best foot forward in attracting and selecting candidates for your organization.
9. Continually re-evaluate the technology platforms that are accessed for finding where your potential candidates are spending their time. Gone are the Career page ads in newspapers but replaced are platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
10. With a shrinking candidate population to draw from, total compensation is a factor, albeit not the sole one. Regularly reviewing to ensure that candidates are being offered a fair, market aligned wage but also that the structure of the compensation plan builds in strong opportunities for both reward and recognition.  These assurances are actively being sought out and monitored by candidates.

All of these are foundation building blocks for building effective tools for recruitment.  It is a sellers market out there at the moment and will continue for the foreseeable future.   Hiring practices in many ways are reflective of retention strategies.  It is the ground work with culture and communication that will provide the basis for attracting and developing employees that will sustain and nurture the sustainability of an organization.

(Source:  www.theglobeandmail.com; www.washingtonpost.com)

So here we are back at our game of pick up sticks.  The rules of the game have changed slightly so how we prepare to play now is to become familiar with the changes, adjust our strategies accordingly and then just roll up our sleeves to begin making sense of what seems at first to be haphazard chaos with sticks everywhere.

By Jamie Laprise, Associate, Montridge Advisory Group Ltd.

People drive the success of your organization. As an employer of choice, you see the connection between your success and the need to support your employees’ physical, emotional, and financial health.

So what’s the secret to attracting and keeping the best talent.? Studies show over and over again it’s all of the things you offer over and above the paycheque.

Personalisation

The talent market is more competitive than ever before. Along with this, employers are beginning to realise just how costly employee retention is on their budget. Today’s employees want their employer to really care about them. It is safe to say that personalised perks are more relevant and important than ever before. The way to figure out what makes your employees tick is to simply ask them.  Below are some suggestions you may wish to incorporate into your strategy.

Customized Rewards

Blueboard is a rewards and incentives program that allows you to provide meaningful experiences to your employees. The days of cash rewards are dwindling away because the new wave of workers value memorable, shareable moments. With Blueboard your people can go through a catalogue of different experiences, organised by topic – travel, food and drink, exhilaration, entertainment, outdoors and more.

Unique Features

Did you know that only 12% of people leave a job for more money? Today employers require a greater understanding of an individual’s circumstances, and a willingness to cater to them. If people are leaving you,  it might be because you didn’t provide them with the value they’re looking for. Here are some benefits you can look at offering to make a difference and stand out for competitors:

• Housing Down Payment
• Retirement & Savings Plans
• Financial Education Support – Credit Counselling, Financial Literacy, Investing
• Health & Lifestyle Spending Accounts
• Employee Vacation / Travel Benefits
• Pet Insurance
• Fertility Treatment Coverage
• Child Care
• Extending Prescription Coverage to include Obesity Medication & Sexual Dysfunction Medication
• Flexible Hours / Working From Home, If Possible
• Fitness Reimbursement Plan
• Stock Options
• Paid Bereavement Leave
• Employee and Family Assistance Programs
• Support Programs for Substance Abuse, Addiction
• Gender-Reassignment Assistance
• Paid Industry Certifications/Training
• Summer Half Day Fridays
• Catered Lunches / Snacks

Showing Appreciation to Workers 

No one has ever complained when they have received a compliment for their work. A simple “great job!” or “kudos!” when an employee is doing well can have a hugely positive impact on performance. This is extremely important to do amongst virtual and hybrid teams to stimulate productivity.

Slack is a messaging platform where you can create chat rooms with all of your employees to give recognition, when they hit milestones, complete projects, etc. These can be organised by team, department, topic or by project.

Discounts

It is no secret that people love discounts and feeling like they got great value for their money. Discount perks enable employees to live the kind of lifestyle that they want (especially in today’s economy!).

WorkPerks gives companies a competitive edge when it comes to attracting potential  candidates and keeping current employees happy. This discount program allows employees to have access to thousands of exclusive discounts from big and local brands across Canada, both in -store and online. As a bonus, Workperks manages the whole program for you. Whether it is clothing retailers, dining out, travel, or recreational activities this program caters to every worker.

It allows you to search a specific area you are in and show you what discounts are close by and where (see image below). They also allow each employee signed up on the platform to add 4 people to their account for no added cost so they too have access to these discounts. See a demo here.

Final Thoughts 

The perks and benefits program offered to employees is the key to what brings in and keeps employees in your company. Not adapting to today’s new work environment will leave employers behind. Combining employee feedback with a thorough data analysis from your benefits advisor is the best way to determine which changes may be most beneficial to create  a comprehensive, modern benefits plan that will go a long way to enhance both your company’s culture and productivity.

By Ashli Komaryk, MBA, ACC, Chemistry Consulting Group

Yes! You heard that right – conflict as an advantage!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could channel all the energy, focus and passion invested in conflict so that it yields a positive outcome? As a leader at any level, think about all the extra time you would get back! You’d have more time and energy to devote to your strategic work of leading instead of dealing with exhausting and stressful conflict resolution.

We’re used to thinking about conflict as bad, negative, unhelpful, dysfunctional, decidedly undesirable. Yet not all conflicts are created equally and some of them can be downright helpful. Let’s take a closer look and make a distinction between two main types of conflict:

 1. Relationship Conflict (Dysfunctional)

This type of conflict is characterized by personal attacks, ego-driven agendas, focusing on one party’s personality or communication style, facial expressions, or even tone of voice. Relationship conflict is quite common. This is not surprising when we consider that we don’t get to choose our colleagues. Sometimes (often) we can find ourselves on a team or having to collaborate with individuals we may not have chosen, were we given the opportunity.

Relationship conflict is decidedly dysfunctional, destructive and demoralizing. Through it, we’re not working to resolve any important issues, or find better or new ways to do things. Instead, it distracts our attention, absorbs our energy and destroys our team’s functionality.

2. Task or Process Conflict (Functional)

This type of conflict deals with issues, ideas, different ways to do a task, the prioritization of action items, or choosing which process or methodology to adopt.

If the conflict is task- or process-focused, then having your team engage in what we would call functional or productive conflict makes sense. The exchange of differing points of view (even heated exchanges) regarding the way to accomplish a task, set out a process, or put priorities in order of importance, could be of great benefit! Especially if you have diversity on your team.

It’s important to remember that leveraging the benefits of diversity doesn’t come easily. It takes time and patience because this very element that could yield rich dialogue and debate, requires a deliberate investment of time and effort for that richness to be given the chance to flourish.

Task- or process-conflict are not personal. Thus, when your team engages in these types of functional or productive conflict the results will likely include:

• More viewpoints
• Diverse viewpoints
• More options
• Higher quality solutions
• A greater sense of collaboration as the debate may fuel additional new ideas and solutions
• Creative thinking

Psychological Safety is a Key Ingredient  

So how do we achieve this wondrous and productive practice of functional conflict?

One fundamental element is creating and maintaining a climate of sincere psychological safety within your team. Dr. Amy Edmundson, author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, defines psychological safety as “the belief that the work environment is safe for individual risk taking” and “the experience of feeling able to speak up with relevant ideas, questions or concerns…when colleagues trust and respect each other and feel able – even obligated – to be candid”.

We want all members of the team to feel at ease expressing their thoughts and ideas.

When everyone knows the rules of engagement and that it’s safe to say “I don’t agree!”, that’s when everyone has permission to share and explore ideas. The benefits of psychological safety to an organization’s financial health, overall safety, the quality of the customer experience and also the degree of engagement and retention of top talent are well-documented in research by Dr. Edmundson and others.

Strategies to get more Comfortable with Conflict

Here are six strategies you can experiment with on your team to build trust and psychological safety. These strategies set the stage for more creative solution-finding, improved operational efficiencies in every department and a generally heightened state of well-being on your team.

1. Co-create rules of engagement for discussion in meetings, including behaviours that all agree are acceptable.
2. Thank others for their ideas and perspectives.
3. Apologize for inappropriate behaviour (taps into vulnerability-based trust).
4. Speak up when something is bothering you about what’s being discussed.
5. Whiteboard different points of view and their pros and cons to help everyone follow the discussion.
6. Use the “yes, and…” technique: follow each team member’s contribution with “yes, and…” instead of NO… (this is a collaboratively constructive approach, rather than a confrontational one that could potentially make your team members defensive)

Good luck implementing some (or ALL!) of these strategies to help your team kick dysfunctional conflict to the curb, on the road to becoming an even more cohesive, creative and high-performing team!

Call us at Chemistry Consulting to discover how our customizable Leadership Development programs will help you learn and implement MBA best-practices in leadership. Give your team a competitive edge and reap the benefits.

By Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

The generation you grew up in can influence your behaviors. In the workplace, you might even notice fundamental generational differences regarding expectations, culture, performance, and engagement. Smart leaders will learn to work with these differences rather than against them.

Simply start by recognizing and understanding the generations and consider generation-specific values and blind spots (from Management Library):

• Generation Z (1997-2015) is motivated by security, may be more competitive, desires independence, will multi-task, is more entrepreneurial, wants to communicate face-to-face, is truly digital-native, and wants to be catered to.
• Millennials (1981-1996) value collaborative workplaces, are achievement-oriented, highly creative, positive, diverse, fun, flexible and continuously provide feedback.
• Generation X (1965-1980) values workplaces that are positive, fun, efficient, fast-paced, flexible, informal, and have access to leadership and information.
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964) value workplaces that have flat hierarchies, democratic cultures, humane values, equal opportunities, and warm and friendly environments.
• Traditionalists/Silent Generation (1928-1945) value workplaces that are conservative, hierarchical, and have a clear chain of command and top-down management.

Once you’ve identified these values and potential blind spots, it’s time to transition your focus to the workplace: How can you actively apply these differences and more importantly, how can you use them to your advantage? The key is clear and open communication.

We all make assumptions; we can’t help it! The kinds of assumptions one makes can differ greatly from one generation to the next. This can lead to misunderstanding and low collaboration.

Manage assumptions and misunderstandings by learning and practicing The Communication Loop—a model for effective team communication that facilitates active listening.

Let’s dig into this a little more.

Step 1: Person A (the sender of the message) should be clear and succinct.

Step 2: Person B (the receiver of the message) may make assumptions or filter the message based on their generational values. If the communication ends there, there could be misunderstandings that lead the receiver to defend, attack or avoid instead of understanding the intended message.

Step 3: Here, the receiver of the message should engage in a two-way conversion by listening for clarity/understanding and repeating the message back to the sender. This can be done with either precision listening (“I heard you say…”) or active listening (“My understanding of what you said is…”).

Step 4: The sender then has the opportunity to agree (“Yes, that is what I said…) or clarify if there is a misunderstanding—in the latter case the receiver would continue to repeat back until the sender acknowledges that the message received is correct.

Step 5: Now that the message is clear and agreed on, the sender and receiver can agree on a plan of action.

Actively trying to understand what the other person is saying by repeating back is the most constructive approach for clear communication and to bridge the generation gap. If the receiver brings an ability and a willingness to consider the message, the two-way conversation can be very effective.

The best part is, with an agreed-upon model of effective communication assumptions and perceived differences between the generations will not come into play.

Commit to The Communication Loop; be mindful of the filters and assumptions you make; commit to active listening to increase cohesion and productivity; and ask for and give feedback to make necessary course corrections.

By following these steps and upholding these commitments you’ll be set up to successfully lead a multi-generational workforce.

About Renée Safrata, Founder and CEO, Vivo Team

Having worked with more than 3,000 companies and executives over the past 30+ years, Renée firmly believes that connection is what ultimately drives productivity and directly contributes to results. Recognizing early on the future demand for digital workplace learning, she now has over 10 years experience creating and delivering educating, entertaining, and unique virtual learning experiences.

About Vivo Team

Watch your workplace culture and profitability soar! Vivo Team’s full spectrum learning experience develops competence, motivation, and collaboration among your leaders and teams through live, online training, coaching, and people analytics. The content and format are based on the latest, proven research in learning and development.

By Tierra Madani, CPHR, HR Consultant, Chemistry Consulting Group

Why do we need Employee Policy Manuals? What are their purpose?

Employee Policy Manuals are a must-have for organizations, large and small. Whether you’re a team of 10 or a team of 500+, an Employee Policy Manual is an incredibly valuable tool in establishing not only expectations for workplace behavior, but provides a guide to your employees by highlighting your core values, code of conduct while outlining current and comprehensive policies and procedures.

Although Employee Policy Manuals are not legally required, there are mandatory policies that employers must have in place, such as a Bullying & Harassment Policy as required by the BC Workers Compensation Act. A well crafted Employee Policy Manual can mitigate risk for the employer while providing a ‘one-stop shop’ for all policies and procedures, whether required by law or a best practice.

So how does one go about developing and designing what is arguably one of the most critical employment documents aside from your employment agreement? Here are four tips to help in developing an effective and engaging employee policy manual.

Four Tips on Developing Your Policy Manual

1. Whatchamcallit?!

Employee Handbook? Employee Field Guide? Culture Book? Staff Manual?

Whichever title you choose, make sure it vibes with your team and your culture. The title you choose does not matter as much as the content that is inside of the document, where the language and terminology you use will need to ensure your policies and expectations are clearly communicated and understood by your employees.

If your culture boasts having fun and is more casual, then choose a name that matches that. Rather, if you’d like to promote a more professional and structural culture, then sticking to a more traditional title is appropriate.

2. What’s included?

For small business, creating an Employee Policy Manual can be simply focused on fundamental policies and procedures. There is no pressure to go into every detail, rather provide an outline of your policies to help your employees become familiar with the workplace and the organization’s mission, values and culture.

General policies may include (but are not limited to):

• Code of Conduct (ie. behavioural guidelines, harassment & discrimination policies, progressive discipline)
• Attendance & Work Hours
• Payroll & Benefits Information
• Paid Leave Entitlements
• Training Programs
• Dress Code
• Parking
• Observed Holidays
• An Equal Opportunity Statement

Customize your Employee Policy Manual with the inclusion of policies that are specific to the way your team works and the benefits offered to eligible employees. Some considerations include a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Policy and a Maternity & Parental Leave Top-Up Program. Facilitate a discussion with your team and/or seek expert advice from a third-party certified HR professional who can provide guidance on what should be included within your manual based on your unique needs.

3. Who Reviews & Approves?

Whether your manual is drafted internally or developed with the help of an HR consultant, it is critical to involve the owner, GM, or top executive in drafting the policies from the start and for the ultimate approval once the document is finalized.

Reviewing the policies and drafted document with your senior leadership team can elicit valuable feedback about the flow of the manual and to address any sections that are not as clearly understood. Consider engaging your culture champions and communication teams to add any additional feedback on the design and to ensure it is inclusive. Revise as needed as you engage the appropriate stakeholders during the review process.

4. Is it Accessible?

The Employee Policy Manual is to be shared with a new employee either prior to their start date or during their onboarding/orientation on their first day of work. A printed copy is not recommended to mitigate outdated versions being kept on hand, while a pdf email attachment is the simplest way to share your Employee Policy Manual. In our evolving digital world of work, documents can be shared in a variety of ways and in different formats which can make things much more accessible. Employee online dashboards and web portals are examples of accessible spaces for your employees to access your most up-to-date policies, including your manual.

Most organizations follow an annual review process of their Employee Policy Manual, and this is suitable only if there are no significant or regulatory policy changes to be made. How do you keep up with changes and how often are you revisiting your workplace policies? Have a discussion with your people team or engage with an HR consultant to ensure your organization is in step with any regulatory changes that may affect your policies.

As well, be sure to ask your new employees for feedback after their initial review of the policy manual. A fresh perspective can help determine if any areas could be improved or built upon.