Work Environment Archives - Groupe Insearch

How Administrative Professionals Effectively Work from Home

By Groupe InsearchIndustry TrendsNo Comments

As the world moves toward remote work being normal, the demand for Administrative and Executive Assistants has skyrocketed. Administrative and Executive Assistants serve high-level officials (C-suite) such as a company’s CEO. They maintain project schedules, work in alignment with the company’s goals, and provide daily developments and frequent updates to the higher-ups.

Due to a shift towards remote assistance, administrative professionals can no longer sit outside the CEOs’ office or quickly step in for an update. The dynamics have changed quite drastically.

While working remotely can be challenging at times, here are some ways administrative professionals manage to work from home effectively.

Define Work-From-Home Hours

It’s easy for remote employees to lose track of time when working from the comfort of their homes. This is especially applicable to Executive Assistants working with busy CEOs who often work beyond office hours.

However, a professional work commitment demands prior settlement of working hours. That is why Executive Assistants define working hours and set availability and response times in advance.

Set-Up Regular One-on-Ones

CEOs usually don’t have time for daily one-on-ones. However, effective Administrative Assistants still set up quick daily huddles every morning to go over the day’s calendar and ask any questions they have. They may also schedule bi-weekly video calls to discuss the overall progress and updates.

Decide Communication Modes

Although email and messaging apps such as Slack and Zoom can fulfill basic communication needs, they may not always be effective in every scenario. For urgent needs, Administrative or Executive assistants set predefined modes of communication in order of priority and stick to them.

Computer-Savvy and Using the Right Tools

An ideal Administrative Assistant has a Bachelor’s degree and is well-versed in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and calendar management. They may also use Trello, Basecamp, and Asana to organize, designate, and monitor tasks.

Executive Assistants deal with people who are constantly working on various projects daily. Therefore it’s also essential for an Administrative or an Executive Assistant to have project management skills to excel in their fields.

Dedicated Workspace

Working from home may provide flexibility, but it can compromise your focus and productivity. A vast majority of remote assistants have designated workspaces at home, allowing them to give undivided attention to work and focus on the tasks at hand without interruptions.

A successful career as a remote Administrative Assistant starts with finding the right recruiting agency. A seasoned recruiting agency provides excellent resources for Executive Assistant interview preparation and matches you with companies that align with your personal and professional goals.

January 20, 2022

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

Adapting to Executives Facing Upcoming Retirement

By Groupe InsearchCareer Guidance, Corporate Culture, LeadershipNo Comments

Retirement is something that impacts small, mid-size, and big businesses alike. It can be difficult for some leaders to give up control over something they’ve worked so hard to build. Approximately 12 million Baby Boomers also happen to be executives and business owners, and most of them will be eligible for retirement in the foreseeable future. Yet, close to half of CEOs still don’t have transition plans for when they leave. Below are some potential exit strategies that can help businesses maintain value and adapt to executives facing retirement.

Develop a Plan

Perhaps this is the best advice that executive recruiters can offer to owners and leaders considering retirement. Rather than continue working in the business, start working on it by focusing on other responsibilities that can help grow it, like marketing. The decision to either sell the business or transfer ownership to current employees gets more accessible when the right employees are hired and appropriately trained. Then, organizations should model a plan similar to this for managing the wave of retiring workers.

Decide organizational goals. Surveys and focus groups are effective ways to discover what the needs of employees and the company are.
Determine what you want from employees. Do you want to promote internally for C-suite positions or recruit external candidates? Even though external candidates tend to have more experience, employment data suggests that they are more likely to be fired than those hired from within.
Aggressively promote the succession plan. Ensure that employees understand eligibility by holding educational meetings.

Recruit Successors Earlier

It’s easier for organizations to prepare for retirements than other forms of turnover because they can usually predict the who and when. Multilevel succession plans can help small businesses develop talent to hedge against executives retiring. Alternatively, companies can partner with C-level recruiters to hire a successor as soon as possible to shadow the outgoing executive and gain knowledge transfer.

To Retire or Not to Retire

For those executives unsure if now is the right time to exit the workforce, some red flags can help. For instance, retirement might be the best option if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing or don’t feel challenged anymore. Other people opt for retirement for personal reasons such as health, family obligations, etc. Some industries are evolving so rapidly that businesses could benefit from fresh leadership.

A strong succession plan is the best way for businesses to overcome the wave of retiring executives. It should combine transparent retirement policies and internal successor development programs. Otherwise, recruiters are yet another valuable resource that can help you adapt.

August 18, 2021

Why Managers Should Never Eat Alone

By Groupe InsearchCareer Guidance, Corporate Culture, LeadershipNo Comments

As a leader, you want your employees to know that you value their opinions and see them as people. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate this is to have lunch with them regularly. Managers who eat with their team members receive various potential benefits, such as higher employee retention and improved performance. Lunchtime is also one of the best times to build your network. This is especially true in the C-suite, where relationship-building is extremely important.

Improve Retention

Not liking their manager is one of the most common reasons people quit jobs. Taking the time to talk with your employees and demonstrate you empathize with them and care about their success will instantly make you a likable leader. This is why you should never eat alone. Eating lunch with your team members is an excellent opportunity to socialize with them and get to know them on a more personal level. Build a connection with your team so they will want to work for you.

Improve Team Performance

Employees who feel a connection to their team and to their managers are more driven to succeed. When team members eat alongside their managers, they feel seen. By connecting with your team on their level and in an informal setting, you will build trust and loyalty. Eating lunch as a group makes sure everyone feels included, which makes people want to do better and contribute to the group’s success.

Build Your Network

Eating lunch with others is also a great way to grow your professional network. Networking is most successful when it is based on authentic relationship building and isn’t just networking for the sake of networking. Most networking nowadays has moved online, yet nothing is as powerful as face-to-face conversations. When you eat together, you form relationships built on genuine camaraderie and respect. The relationships you create at the lunch table are much more meaningful than ones limited to online communication.

Enhance Your Mood

Another reason you should never eat alone is that it is simply more enjoyable to eat in the company of others. Eating in a large group enhances mood and makes people feel happier. If you always eat alone, you may eventually start to feel lonely and excluded. Even managers need to take a break from constantly thinking about work. Lunch breaks are a chance to give your brain a rest from work stress and to let loose. This can be a lifesaver when it comes to mental health.

While many managers are in the habit of eating lunch alone, a lot of good can come from making a point never to eat alone. On the one hand, this habit will help you build a connection with your team, improving employee retention and team performance. On the other hand, it can help you grow your network while enhancing your mood and reducing stress.

August 11, 2021

Your Company Culture Impacts Employee Well-Being

By Groupe InsearchCareer Guidance, Corporate CultureNo Comments

A company’s culture affects the stress levels of its employees. It also influences employee engagement and satisfaction. With this in mind, an organization’s culture can lead to changes in your team members’ mental and physical health.

How Company Culture Affects Well-Being

What creates a toxic company culture? Low compensation, poor management, ineffective leadership, understaffing, and conflict among team members are just a few things that can create a negative company culture. One thing all of these factors have in common is they cause unnecessary stress to employees. Constant work stress can lead to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and insomnia. Stress can also have physical symptoms like frequent headaches and stomachaches. In contrast, company cultures that prioritize work-life balance policies, anti-bullying policies, mindfulness programs, and other policies and programs that target stress can positively affect its employees’ mental and physical well-being.

What Benefits Come from a Culture of Well-Being

Promoting the mental and physical well-being of your team members can come with many essential benefits. Employees who are healthy work more productively:

They take fewer sick days.
They focus better.
They have more motivation.

A culture of well-being sees higher team participation, higher rates of retention, widespread support systems between peers, and more. Ultimately, when a company bolsters the mental health of its employees, the company shows its employees that it supports them and values them as people while enabling them to engage in their work and motivating them to perform at their highest capacity. This improved productivity has additional benefits to the organization, such as higher profits and better business outcomes.

What You Can Do to Foster a Culture of Well-Being

If, as an organization, you want to foster a culture of well-being, the first step is to evaluate your company’s current culture. It’s helpful if you have a comprehensive understanding of how your company’s policies, practices, values, and interactions positively and negatively impact the well-being of your team. The best way to accomplish this is to listen to your employees. By having conversations with individual team members, conducting anonymous surveys, and seeking honest feedback, you can develop a clear picture of how supportive the work environment is. As you assess your organization’s culture, consider factors like compensation, workload, vacation time, and leadership. These all significantly affect stress levels. The next step is to develop policies and programs for your organization specifically designed to improve employee well-being. It is crucial to involve employees in the process. You will ensure the programs accurately reflect the team’s needs and give them the sense of inclusion they need to feel supported. To foster a culture of well-being, incorporate more opportunities for socialization and team bonding. Socializing enhances mood and decreases stress.

In recent years, work cultures have become increasingly stressful as people have started working longer hours and seeing their work-life balance decrease. Companies have begun to realize that company culture can have a significant impact on the well-being of their employees. Cultivating a culture of well-being can reduce the stress of your team members while improving retention, employee satisfaction, and productivity.

August 4, 2021