Corporate Culture Archives - Groupe Insearch

Monica Richgels Named Partner, Executive Search at Groupe Insearch

By Angelica RainsLeadership

January 25, 2023

Groupe Insearch – a member of the Sanford Rose Associates Network of offices, is honored to name Monica Richgels as Partner, Executive Search at their firm. Groupe Insearch is a proud woman-owned and operated executive search firm. They build impactful teams with accuracy and a customized approach. Their search process is thorough and hyper-focused, utilizing a variety of resources to identify, attract, and hire the best possible talent in the field. Their long history as market specialists has established them as a trusted resource for top performing candidates and high-profile CEO’s, private philanthropists and venture capital investors to identify and recruit the top 1% of C-level support. Groupe Insearch has a global industry presence and services all major metro areas including Miami, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Angelica Rains, Founder and CEO of Groupe Insearch states, “Over 5 years, Monica’s engagement and commitment to both clients and candidates has made her a sought-after advisor. Her internal thought-leadership, mentorship and contribution to revenue growth are key assets we appreciate and know will impact our continued expansion.”

Monica’s relationship with Groupe Insearch began over 20 years ago as a candidate and then a client. She held positions as Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff to industry leaders in San Francisco and New York. Over the past five years some of Monica’s accomplishments at Groupe Insearch include:

Groupe Insearch top biller in 2020 and 2022
President’s Club 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
Over $2m in revenue
SRA top biller awards out of nearly 1,000 recruiters

Groupe Insearch specializes in executive support placements in both corporate and private service organizations. For more information visit Insearchsf.com.

For over 60 years, Sanford Rose Associates®, comprised of independently owned firms continue to “find people who make a difference®”. Executive Search Review recognizes Sanford Rose Associates network as being one of the Top 10 Search Firms in North America. Sanford Rose Associates has 160+ offices worldwide and through our network of offices, we can deliver leaders in over 40 countries across the world for our U.S. based global clients.

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January 25, 2023

More Women Left Corporate Jobs During the Pandemic

By Groupe InsearchLeadershipNo Comments

The pandemic has completely transformed perspectives about work, especially for women. In the 18 months since COVID-19 appeared, more than half of working women are less optimistic about their job opportunities than they were before a novel virus took the world by storm.

For women in corporate jobs, the future appears even bleaker.

How the Pandemic Exacerbated Conditions

During the pandemic, many women who had corporate jobs reverted to traditional roles.

They found themselves in the position of being the caretaker for everyone around them. These women provided emotional support and encouragement for their employees on their teams.

During the lockdown periods, these same women were also the support system at home, assisting their children with virtual learning, checking on relatives, and holding the family together. Women traded their career aspirations and took on greater domestic responsibility.

As a result, the women burned out quickly.

Difficulties Women Face in Corporate Jobs

Landing a job in corporate America isn’t easy as a woman. It’s even more difficult as a woman of color or LGBTQIA.

Many corporate women have experienced the broken rung syndrome: making their way up the corporate ladder is nearly impossible because the first step in moving up is often disconnected. It’s so shattered that getting to the second rung is a tremendous hurdle.

Corporate roles require considerable face time when managing or leading teams of employees. During the pandemic, women:

experienced higher stress levels than men (74% compared to 61%)
burned out quicker than men in similar jobs
earned less than men for the same job
left the corporate workforce at a rate of 3:1 compared to their male counterparts

Women gave up the positions they worked for on the ladder. In doing so, they also may have given up their opportunity for further advancement.

Changing the Outcome

The good news is that the future doesn’t have to be bleak.

Companies can – and should – encourage women to return to their places in corporate positions. These five steps can help women step up over that first broken rung of the corporate ladder and on to richly satisfying careers.

Offer greater flexibility

Allow employees to take time off when needed. Some companies have experimented with unlimited paid leave. If that’s too big of a leap, try a smaller commitment of a few days at a time.

Align accountability with financial incentives

Too often, performance metrics don’t match up. Reward results rather than time spent in the building.

Consider diversity when hiring

More than numbers, diversity thrives when people of different backgrounds, races, and experiences work together.

Eliminate bias and identify promotion trends

Make sure equitable performance reviews identify accomplishments and any need for professional growth accurately.

Listen when women speak

Women in corporate jobs find that their ideas and contributions are often suppressed.

With your help, the women who shouldered the burden of the pandemic will be back, stronger and better equipped to lead companies forward.

November 17, 2021

Consumer-Facing Companies Need Empathetic Leaders

By Groupe InsearchLeadershipNo Comments

There’s no question that Covid-19 forced fundamental changes to the way we run as a society. After nearly two years, some of these changes will likely be permanent. One fundamental change businesses are making is how they relate to their customers. Rather than customer engagement and convenience being the main focus, it’s now shifting to essential needs, like safety and security.

According to Forbes, displaying this level of acknowledgment to customers makes them feel like the company is concerned about them and looking for tangible solutions to their current problems. If this sort of empathy is to be extended to the customer, it first starts within.

How does a company become more empathetic as a whole? It starts with leadership. Empathetic leaders give the workers a role model for empathy that turns into an entire company exuding the emotion.

Chief Experience Officers (CXO) Are the Empathetic Leaders You Need

Rather than the entire C-Suite focusing on finances and numbers, having someone in the room advocating for the customer at the turn of every major business decision is the best way to close the customer experience gap and keep it closed.

CXOs not only look at every step of the customer experience to ensure every touchpoint is dedicated to the customer’s needs, but they serve as that empathetic advocate for the rest of the company. They can effectively inspire the company to want to focus on the customer and each department delivering their “line of sight” in full dedication to the customer experience.

Allowing the CXO to inspire and mentor the company to deliver that customer-focused line of sight will build a genuine, empathetic framework that vibrates throughout the company.

Different Ways Customer-Facing Companies Can Empathize During the Pandemic

Customers are humans first, who may have had trouble paying their bills and meeting necessities since the onset of the pandemic.

How does a business empathize with this while still making money?

Here are a few key ideas:

Rather than focusing on upselling, showcase how you can provide them with the essentials they need, including safety and security. Customers are likely to upsell on their own if you appeal to these needs.
Remain at the forefront of their hearts while implementing contactless business.
Rebranding certain products to tailor to customer needs.
Be a light in your customers’ day at a time when depression and anxiety are on the rise.
Focus on your web presence as this is the epicenter for customer experience right now.

There is something to be said for empathetic business. Empathy has always been a keynote in the customer experience but is now more than ever. Customers crave that security and trust in a brand. In order to create such a framework, empathy has to be encoded in the DNA of the company. Finding an empathetic leader that inspires the company to focus on empathy for the customer above all else is the core that will set you apart.

November 3, 2021

4 Signs of a Self-starter

By Groupe InsearchLeadershipNo Comments

When you inquire about how some business organizations maintain their productivity levels, you may find that those organizations have C Suite officials who take proactive measures in completing the company’s projects. These people are self-starters.

Self-starters are usually people who show positive attitudes to work. They are filled with great energy when carrying out tasks. They are also enthusiastic, innovative, and have initiative. More often than not, they stand out in any organization because of their performance and productivity.

They are not hard to identify in an organization because they have the zeal to work and take the forefront in completing the company’s projects. Below we outline the signs and features of a self-starter.

They Have a Winning Mentality

A self-starter usually has a winning mentality. They believe they can complete tasks successfully, and they are always ready to take responsibility to achieve positive results. When they are faced with some challenges in the process, they develop new strategies and ways to combat the problems.

When no one knows how to carry out a complex project, a self-starter may likely be a problem solver. They may map out plans tailored towards tackling complex tasks.

They are Not Weakened by Failure

A self-starter sees failure as an opportunity to learn and correct mistakes. When Plan A fails, they switch to their fallback plan. A self-starter individual knows that failure is part of the journey to success.

They, therefore, worry less about failure because their target is a success. They are the people you can rely on if they are in your company’s C Suite role.

They are Naturally Motivated

An organization succeeds when they have workers who are naturally motivated to work. A self-starter is a product of zeal and motivation. They also encourage other team members through their positive attitude to work.

Naturally, a self-starter loves what they do because of their innate motivation and passion. Through this, they have passion for the company’s vision, the same way the company owner might do.

They are Usually Leaders

Leadership requires some particular skills. Taking responsibility and completing it are some of these skills. A self-starter, through their maximum performance, assumes leadership positions in an organization.

There are numerous factors why they are usually regarded as leaders.

They are diligent about work.
They motivate and encourage team members in the completion of tasks (team-oriented).
They do not see failure as an escape route from responsibility.
They are problem solvers.
They are result-driven.

Above all, these signs above are an indication that a leadership position in a company lies beyond the three-letter words, e.g., CEO. It relies solely on how an individual shows great energy and enthusiasm to work; how they take an initial step in getting a task done successfully. Most importantly, it also impacts how you can boost the morale of your team members.

October 20, 2021

Five Ways to Keep Your Millennial Employees Happy

By Groupe InsearchIndustry TrendsNo Comments

To say millennials are important in discussions about staffing in workplaces today is a huge understatement. The reason for this is that there are 1.8 billion millennials (which make them a quarter of the world’s population) in the world.

They make the majority of today’s workforce. Moreover, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, millennials will form 75% of the US workforce by 2030.

Therefore, if you are an employer looking to hire millennials, here are five things it is highly recommended you take note of.

How to Keep Your Millennial Employees Happy

Create A Connected Office

Millennials are regarded as the dot.com generation for a good reason. They grew up around the time the internet started to exist. They not only grew up on the internet, but they also live there, and it defines their lives and interests.

If you want your millennial employees to enjoy your workplace, you do not only have to give them access to the internet and the digital space, but you also have to ensure that their work duties and functions allow them to use their knowledge of the digital area and the internet.

Make your office diverse and inclusive

By being connected to the internet, millennials are used to conversations with people of different ethnicities, races, and beliefs. They are not only used to diversity; they think of it as the only way to live.

Many millennials claim that they find workplaces with a lack of diversity bizarre and difficult to work in. Thus, if you want to keep your millennial employees happy, make attempts so that diversity is or becomes a priority for your office.

Support Causes

Again, millennials who have grown up around the internet have seen plenty of people advancing several causes. As a result of this exposure to advocacy, supporting ethical and charitable causes is second to the average millennial in the US. Many millennials support several reasons or even do advocacy for grounds themselves.

Thus, if you want to keep your millennial employees happy, ensure that you support their favorite cause or charity. You can also make volunteering a part of your office activities and get your employees involved in community service.

Give them Job Training and Development Benefits

Since millennials are in constant communication with people worldwide, they can constantly compare themselves with those who are in the same industry in terms of employment metrics, like working conditions, wages and opportunities for personal development.

Millennials are more flexible than any other generation preceding them. So, you have to challenge them with pieces of training and personal development opportunities that allow them to improve themselves, or they will get bored at your workplace quickly.

Above all, care about their wellbeing

Millennials are aware of the implications of work on their health more than any generation before them. It is not just physical health for them. Millennials are now also aware of their mental health. One of the criteria that millennials seek out when they apply to jobs is their mental health.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and thus, a lot of millennials are not only looking for workplaces that offer physical wellness programs. They are also after emotional wellness programs for when they are working remotely and isolated.

Simply put, millennials are the workplace leaders of the future, and how happy you keep them is what determines the long-term survival of your business. As an employer, it is mandatory you ensure that your millennial employees are not only challenged but satisfied in all regards.

September 29, 2021

Tips for Onboarding Top C-Level Support

By Groupe InsearchCorporate CultureNo Comments

The fall in the rate of US unemployment tends to give employers headaches regarding recruiting hardworking and talented employees for their business. This is not because of the rigorous exercise of recruiting the best candidate for the job, but the low rate of unemployment which gives job applicants numerous options.

And since workers now have more options in the workforce, it is evident that an effective onboarding process is an essential factor in the recruitment process. Onboarding a Top C level support may look demanding, particularly with the status quo of the workforce.

But an effective onboarding process will help the employers hire a candidate that can uphold the organization’s values and promote the company’s brand. Effective onboarding will also guide employers to hire a high-functioning Top C level to accelerate the business team’s goals and objectives. Overall, we have simplified the tips that can help you onboard Top C level for your company.

Be Clear about the Responsibilities of the Role within Onboarding

Communication and information are two vital tools when onboarding an employee for a role in an organization.

The first duty of an employer is to state clearly the responsibilities or tasks of the job applicant. This will allow them to have better insight into what to expect when they accept your offer.

A company should also be apparent to the candidates about the company’s norms and policies. This is because some employees leave their new jobs after a few months when they find the working conditions of their new jobs unattractive.

Arrange a Meeting with Employees

Aside from discussing the roles and expectations of job candidates, facilitating an interactive session with the employees within the onboard process is also an essential factor. During the meet-and-greet session, the employers and the employees get to know each other.

The meeting also creates an avenue for employers to ask the employees some questions. This is an inquiry method that employers use to know some details about the personality traits of the job candidates. The inquiry also helps you evaluate the employees’ reputation to know if such workers will be committed to your organizational goals. This interactive session marks the beginning of the business partnership between the employees and the company.

Train Employees on How to Administer and Use the Organization’s Tools Responsibly

An effective onboarding process includes training the new team members to use the organization’s tools and resources to facilitate productivity, and how well team members can handle a company’s tools determines their job performance.

Thus, it should be a matter of utmost priority for employers to train their new team members to achieve their objectives. By training the employees how to use the tools and resources, you are helping them be productive and become influential members of the organization.

Assign the Employees a Mentor

The new team member must be assigned a training guide or mentor to navigate them through the complexities of their new job. This method creates an internal networking team between the new team member and the supervisor and helps the new employee have a professional relationship with the mentor.

As an employer, you have a lot of work to do in onboarding top C-level support employees. When you take the right step and make the proper preparation, you will get the best result possible for all parties involved.

September 22, 2021

How Much Does Your Reputation Matter to Candidates?

By Groupe InsearchCorporate CultureNo Comments

A company’s reputation is its image, which determines its position among its competitors. While your company needs to work towards having a good reputation, it is also necessary that you avoid any act that may soil your company’s prestige. This is because potential employees take time out to assess your company’s reputation before writing applications.

Studies have shown that the US unemployment rate has dropped to 5.2 percent in August 2021. This is the lowest rate since March 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic. This rate gives job candidates more options in the workforce than before. Thus, the decrease in the unemployment rate is a signal to employers to work on their company’s reputations to put them among potential employees’ options.

Why does reputation matter?

A good reputation promotes your company’s profile and creates an opportunity to hire influential and talented team members for your business. Human resources are the central drive of an organization.

In other words, these talented human resources are the wheels that drive the vehicle of your organization’s goals. Therefore, a company must work on these factors during the recruitment process.

Make your company appeal to tons of potential employees.
Ensure your job applicants find the recruitment process hitch-free and more attractive.
Your company features must be attractive to job candidates.
Create a safe atmosphere and good working conditions for the employees.

The above factors determine the profile of your company. And if you default in any, the effect will be evident in your company’s reputation. Potential employees may possibly rule out working with your company if they find out that your company has a poor reputation.

A company with a bad reputation will display one, if not all, of the following: poor leadership, poor customer service, ethical problems, and complaints from employees. Meanwhile, the few steps discussed below shall teach how to maintain a good reputation.

Display Professional Integrity

Any harmful act you display can have adverse effects on your company. In the business world, it is unethical for you to express actions that can affect the company’s brand, which will ultimately soil the company’s reputation.

Be Honest, Truthful, and Transparent

During the recruitment process, don’t excite the company’s image for the job candidates. It will be disappointing if an employee later finds out that you lied to them during the recruitment process.

Be truthful about the working conditions you are offering the job applicants. Ensure they have complete information about the benefits of the job and the resources available to them before they accept your offer.

Online Social Media Presence

This may sound trivial, but it is one of the ways your company can be attractive to potential employers, even your clients. Potential employees strive to work with a company with a vast client base on different social media networks. Favorable reviews of your company on social media will make your company appealing to job seekers.

Essentially, your employees want to work with you if your company has good testimonials from your workers and clients on different social media.

September 15, 2021

Traits of Transformational CEOs

By Groupe InsearchCorporate Culture, LeadershipNo Comments

In the search for a new CEO or another C-suite executive, many companies want to find a transformational leader. There are certain characteristics of a CEO that help the company move through a transformational process or major change.

Transformational leadership involves the leader working with teams outside of their immediate self-interests. This allows the leader to identify necessary changes and create a vision to guide the transformation with their influence and inspiration. Transformational CEOs will execute this change together with committed members of a group.

Even if your company doesn’t currently have any major changes planned, hiring a transformational CEO allows you to prepare for unexpected changes. It also allows for continuity of leadership. The following are traits of transformational CEOs to look for during the recruiting process.

Honesty

Transformational CEOs should be honest and have integrity. These traits allow them to get others to trust them immediately, encouraging others to follow their lead. This, in turn, means that team members naturally want to follow the CEO’s guidance during the change.

Innovation

Innovation is an essential part of any major change in a company, making this another essential trait for transformational CEOs. These executives also push their team to be innovative. Specifically, they push for smart innovations that focus on offering solutions to customers’ problems.

Curiosity

The innovation that drives transformational CEOs does not have to come purely from their intelligence. It is more important that they are curious than being the smartest person in the room. This curiosity allows them to inspire the greatest minds in the company.

Ability to View Complex Problems at Multiple Levels

Transformational CEOs work to guide the entire company through changes, which require them to view problems at every level. They need to have the ability to view complex problems from various perspectives. For example, they will evaluate an issue from their perspective as well as those of the competition, current and future employees, customers, and the board.

Modesty

The ability to have multiple perspectives is not just in the case of issues. Transformational CEOs can do this regularly. They can listen to customers and gain insights into their needs. This ability gives the company marketing advantages.

Being Go-to Sources

Because of their ability to gather multiple perspectives, transformational CEOs become go-to sources for anyone looking for insights. These include peers, competitors, customers, and even the media.

Having a Model for Success

Transformational CEOs have an established model for success. They have used this model in the past and can explain it in a way that makes it seem simple, even to those who are unfamiliar with it.

Spotting Great Talent

Transformational CEOs also have the ability to spot great talent. They can recognize the passion, talent, and skills in people they come across and know how to put that to use for the company. This reduces the number of new talent companies has to recruit during a transformational period

September 8, 2021

Improve Profitability by Hiring the Best

By Groupe InsearchCorporate Culture, Hiring Strategies, InterviewsNo Comments

Recruiting the top talent is an excellent method of increasing profitability. This is particularly true when hiring C-suite executives who can significantly affect company operations. Explore some of the ways that investing in top talent will likely increase your profit margins.

Top Performers Improve Vision and Clarity

With the top talent in your C-suite, you improve their ability to see various details and keep track of the overarching vision while doing so. This allows them to optimize projects better and accurately determine which tasks you should delegate.

Hiring the best support team for the C-suite, from executive assistants to chiefs of staff to other employees, further enhances this. It helps leadership delegate tasks with confidence, allowing them to focus on responsibilities that only they can handle.

Improve Your Brand As an Employer

When you hire a C-level executive who is the top in their field, this reflects well on your company overall and as an employer. It should attract top talent for other roles, whether entry-level, C-level, or somewhere in between. Talent will apply for your other positions because they will see that you prioritize hiring the best and cultivating opportunities. This makes working for you a great career choice, especially if they can expect to receive mentorship from talent in higher positions.

Decrease Your Hiring Time

Improving your brand as an employer not only helps you attract the top talent for other roles, but also reduces your hiring time. That happens for several reasons, including that top talent will apply to your company even when there is no opening. This means that you will have a list of potential recruits that you can contact as soon as there is a vacancy.

More Promotions from the Inside

When a company takes the perspective of hiring the best talent, it becomes easier to support internal promotions and advancements. New talent will feel supported, increasing their confidence and promoting their leadership skills.

Combining this with hiring the top talent for the C-suite takes it a step further. The executives will encourage that talent and potentially groom them as a replacement when they retire or move on.

You can leverage this support for internal advancement to help you recruit top talent in other roles as well. After all, most employees would prefer to work with a company that offers opportunities for advancement. This is just another way that hiring the top C-suite talent makes filling other roles in your company easier.

September 1, 2021

Essential Questions to Ask During a C-Level interview

By Groupe InsearchCareer Guidance, Corporate Culture, Hiring Strategies, Interviews, LeadershipNo Comments

A structured approach that focuses on research, networking, reference development, and rehearsal is the key to more successful C-level interviews. There are some differences in preparing for a C-level interview versus an entry-level one. In addition to showing your knowledge, skills, and experience, communicate your leadership style. Asking intelligent questions can also make you stand out. Executive recruiters recommend these, along with a few other tips.

What trends are you following that could influence this organization’s goals and priorities?
If I am hired as your executive assistant, what do you see as the most significant challenges in working to fulfill the goals of this organization?
What are some significant milestones that will be used to evaluate my performance?
Can you describe the work culture and environment here?
What are some of this company’s most significant achievements recently?
What leadership style wouldn’t be conducive to this company?
What would the typical workday be like for an executive assistant here?
What communication tools, professional development, etc., are available to employees?

Although this certainly isn’t a comprehensive list, it does represent some thoughtful questions that will help gain helpful insight regarding the expectations of these high-level positions. It’s a red flag when candidates don’t have any questions during an interview.

Research Industry Trends

Another effective way to connect with an interviewer and show that you are prepared to meet their organizational needs is by researching emerging trends from around the industry. Candidates are always encouraged to review annual reports, news articles, and videos when meeting with a hiring manager. Knowing about trends can also help you answer probing questions like why you want to work in this industry.

Reference Development

C-suite candidates have to be very selective when providing suitable references. Although any former colleague might work for an entry-level job, considerations need to be respected and relevant for executive-level managers. Only use people who can constructively describe your work ethic, leadership characteristics, strengths, and ability to work under pressure.

Although it’s still important to highlight your skills and experience, asking essential questions during a C-level interview is the best way to learn if it’s the right fit for you. Researching industry trends can help you create solid queries and respond to them intelligibly. Finally, focus on providing only trusted references you know could handle open-ended questions about your leadership qualifications.

August 25, 2021