The modern work environment continues to change around the country rapidly. Workplaces are trending toward remote workforces, focusing on employee health and wellness, decentralized offices, and using more technology than ever before. To stay competitive, be ready to adapt and develop these traits.

Be Resilient

If we learned anything from the pandemic, it’s the importance of resilience. Adversity and stress are unavoidable in corporate America, and resilience can help you adapt and emerge even better than you were before. Although some people might have built resilience through their life experiences in the past, it’s still something that anyone can develop. First, build your connections by prioritizing your relationships or joining a group to gain social support. Resilient people also tend to focus more on personal wellness than others. From getting regular exercise to finding purpose, be proactive to learn better and faster. 

Be Consistent

Becoming a little better each day doesn’t have to be a huge endeavor. Small habits can make a big difference. Spending just ten minutes a day reading can help you finish a book a month. Some of the world’s leading executives prioritize self-improvement and ongoing learning by reading consistently. If you’re struggling with consistency, then follow these rules:

1. Focus on the process rather than the outcome.
2. Be present.
3. Don’t wait around for inspiration.
4. Surround yourself with people who will hold you accountable.
5. Forgive yourself.

Be Patient

Patience is often the key to the C-suite. Since many leaders are promoted from within, sometimes it pays to stay the course if you are a great culture fit in a company. Remember that you’re already in line for a promotion, but you have no control over career succession. If you can’t wait for the current leadership to retire, then an executive recruiter can help by sharing other options. Be patient, but keep adapting to the changes going on around you.

Be a Forward-Thinker

Forward-thinkers stand out in their ability to see the larger picture. Don’t hesitate to move outside of conventional thinking to solve problems, because pre-established ideas will only take you so far. Being average is comfortable, but some of the world’s most outstanding CEOs have been eccentric, open-minded leaders.

Finally, don’t be complacent when it comes to developing new skills. Set realistic goals and solicit feedback to learn about your strengths and weaknesses. Career progression is a marathon that requires consistency and patience. Succeeding during uncertain times also requires a certain amount of resiliency and open-mindedness.

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Strong leadership is always the common denominator of successful businesses. Some of the world’s top CEOs stress the importance of creating servant-leadership-driven cultures. You can start to reinvent your company from the inside out by giving employees more autonomy and allowing them to fail as they continue to learn and grow. Still, being a CEO is an ever-evolving journey and requires knowing different ways to approach growth. Here are some specific mindsets and tips for becoming a better CEO.

Beat the Odds

Did you know that companies only have an 8% chance of jumping from the middle to the top of their industry? Start taking more drastic approaches to beat the odds by focusing on making big moves that matter. Winning companies know the importance of their employees. That is why companies are so focused on hiring and retaining the best people. When you have good employees who share a vision and are focused on solving a problem, your company is sure to do great things. However, achieving this goal takes an investment in relationships and building trust within your organization.

Empower Your Employees

Great leaders inspire people to come to work every day. An effective way to empower your employees is to make stronger connections with them. Understand what their work means to them. Then, praise those employees regularly when you see improvements and progress.

Remember, people don’t like being told what to do or being told when they do something wrong. That is why having a relationship with employees is vital. More organizations are looking for managers who help turn employees into problem-solvers and innovators. This transformation can only happen when managers allow employees to make mistakes.

Join in the Recruiting Stage

You are only as good as your weakest link, so surround yourself with the most competent people possible by joining in the recruiting stage to learn what candidates think. Many hiring managers have a track record of recruiting the most credentialed and experienced candidates. Even though these people might appear more likely to succeed, it’s often the untraditional hires that can help you beat the odds by changing the meaning of success. Sometimes it takes unconventional interview techniques to find the best cultural fit for the job, like asking non-traditional interview questions or hosting a group happy hour.

It takes a different approach to beat the odds and lead hybrid teams during times of disruption. Focus on empowering and engaging your employees by promoting a healthy work culture of teamwork, honesty, and transparency. Then, involve yourself in the hiring process to discover genuinely exceptional candidates.

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From increased employee health to higher retention, there are significant benefits associated with employee engagement. It also tends to ebb and flow because of the influence of so many different variables. For instance, low motivation and job satisfaction can stem from toxic work culture, poor management, lack of recognition, or various other factors. Fortunately, there are some effective techniques, like informal check-ins, that can improve employee engagement quickly. Let’s take a closer look at some of these strategies.

Plan Informal, Yet Frequent Check-Ins

First, how do you determine if your employees are satisfied? Employee engagement surveys are a good way to elicit opinions about work culture. Since employees crave feedback and recognition, providing them with regular review sessions can improve workplace engagement. Employees that are recognized regularly express the most satisfaction, followed by those that receive feedback once a month. It’s important to let employees know that they are valued by rewarding their achievements. Some organizations are having success with CEO lunch programs to help employees connect with executives. Use this time to gather ideas by asking employees what is working and what needs to be improved.

Recruit the Right Managers

Another key to improving employee engagement is hiring great managers that know how to help employees reach their full potential. Managers are typically the first line of defense against toxic employee-organization relationships since they are the first to see progress and provide feedback. It’s essential to separate egotistical leaders from modest, competent managers.

The best managers have a relationship with employees based on clear communication and a shared vision. When managers ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal, the progress that can be made is remarkable. Having the right people in place can be one of the most effective ways to keeping employee engagement strong.

Long-Term Engagement Approaches

Improving employee engagement starts during the onboarding process. Always be transparent about company goals, values, and the responsibilities of the role. Then, focus on retaining employees with professional development and career advancement opportunities. Operational inefficiencies can cause engagement to plummet, so leaders are encouraged to analyze and optimize these processes. Find areas where you can improve and fix them.

In addition to frequent recognition, employees also want a better work-life balance. Show respect and consideration to employees by suggesting flexible work schedules to meet their personal and professional commitments.

Combining these fast-track tips with some dedicated, ongoing initiatives can improve employee engagement. It should be built on a foundation of good relationships, hiring exceptional managers, and providing employees with a career map to advance with your organization.

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Employees are easy to find. All over the internet, there are job postings with interested applicants in the hundreds. Landing yourself skilled talent goes beyond merely publishing job updates.

In a recent survey, 73% of CEOs complained about the shortage of employees with the required skill set. Talented workers do not embrace the first job opportunity that arrives on their doorstep. Instead, they consider many factors.

In the battle to win the top talent for your business, your branding says a lot. You need to understand the various ways you can improve your employer brand to lure skilled individuals to work with your business.

We’ve compiled some of them for you to implement.

Look Beyond Your Business Logo

You shouldn’t rely solely on your brand logo and catchy slogan to attract better applicants. Your logo and slogan must be alluring. But your organizational objectives and governing principles are what pack the punch.

Your focus should stay on creating a unique experience for your workforce and clients. This emphasis will go a long way in strengthening your brand.

Share Your Story

Everyone loves a good story—whether from a movie, a book, or for branding purposes. One of the surefire ways of attracting great applicants is to sell your brand to them. Tell them about your unique history and your vision.

For skilled applicants to be enthusiastic about working for you, they need to learn about your beginnings and how your business became what it is today.

Showcase Testimonials from Your Existing Employees

Building on the last point, have your story told from employees who have experienced it. Interested applicants want to know why people love working for your business. What makes it unique? It would help if you displayed these testimonials on your website and social media accounts.

Stand Out

Every business executive wants to apply the same formula that works. But you need a distinguishing factor to stand out. Your HR and social media manager must focus on what makes your brand unique and make that your selling point online.

Let the world know through high-quality content why it’s a great experience working for your business.

Know the Expectations of Each Generation

According to Harvard Business Review, employers could be dealing with five generations of employees and applicants: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers, and Traditionalists.

You need to understand these people have different expectations. This insight will help you to create a diversified business. A brand that understands all age groups’ expectations is a brand that people would want to work for. It’s that simple.

Embrace Employee Development

According to a Gallup poll, 87% of millennials agree that employee development is vital in accepting job roles. Everyone is interested in the prospect of personal growth. When your business offers the opportunity for workers to grow, you are guaranteed to attract top talent.

Acquiring skilled workers is a constant battle between the best businesses. But with these tips, you will not only attract but retain the best people for the job.

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It’s a relief to put 2020 behind us finally. Few were prepared to deal with the global pandemic that put everything on hold. While a lot of businesses were forced to shut down their operations, others deployed emerging trends to stay afloat.

As we now navigate towards a post-pandemic world, we must recognize that nothing will remain the same. Recruitment today has shifted from the norm. Thus, there are certain trends you should take note of when hiring new staff for your business.

Here are 3 of the most important hiring trends you shouldn’t ignore this new year.

Virtual Recruitment is the New Normal

As a result of the pandemic, many businesses have adapted to remote work. Top tech companies like Google, Twitter, and Microsoft have fully embraced this mode of operations. As people can now work from the comfort of their homes, this influences recruitment and even onboarding exercises.

Several companies have utilized virtual board meetings in times past. It is natural to implement the same process for hiring new staff. Initializing an encrypted virtual hiring process is bound to save you time and money in the long run.

Before the virtual interview, send out setup tips to interested applicants. This will help avoid potential tech problems.

Diversity Is Important

While the last year ushered in the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter campaign also took center stage. With several voices clamoring for diversity in the workplace, it has become a necessity to hire people across racial lines.

As your business is looking for ways to broaden its presence, you need input from a diverse workforce to create products and services that will suit everyone. A diversified workforce is vital in making that possible. Diversity is a profit driver for businesses, and you should quickly adopt this during recruitment.

Focus on Employer Branding

Applicants are now looking to work for a reputable brand and not just any company that offers juicy incomes. Now, more than ever, businesses should focus on their branding.

There are several ways you can attract the best people to work for your business:

• Taking stronger stances on societal issues
• Showcase testimonials from your existing employees
• Deliver high-quality content on your website and social media pages
• Tell your applicants what they stand to gain working with you.

The landscape for recruiting and retaining employees has made a significant shift from the way it used to be. Working with an experienced recruiter can help you find the best talent in this evolving scene.

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