Many companies have long known the benefits of hiring
interns. Benefits for the company
include finding bright, new talent to bring a fresh perspective to the
organization as well as a conduit for filling the talent pipeline in the
future. Benefits for the intern include
showcasing skills, gaining work experience, learning from others in the
organization, and testing out a potential full-time employer for the
future. The relationship is a “win win”
for both the company and the intern.
Here, at Learning Dynamics, we have been fortunate to have
hired more than 50 interns over the past 15 years. Because of our location, we have partnered
with professors from Quinnipiac University, in Hamden, CT, and University of
New Haven, in New Haven, CT, who have sourced intern talent for us. Because these programs have HR Management
and/or Industrial Organizational Psychology programs, our interns have gained
invaluable experience in learning and development to broaden their experience
and exposure to those disciplines. In
return, we have capitalized on the ideas and skills these interns have in
enhancing our learning and development tools and programs.
We are proud that many of our interns have gone on to successful
careers with such companies as GE, LinkedIn, Pepsi, Raytheon, Subway and Penguin
Publishing, to name just a few.
Interns are a valuable company resource. If you haven’t already, you might want to
consider hiring interns for summer employment.
It can prove to be a positive return on investment.
As 2021 fast approaches there has been consistent news of the high unemployment rate and what the job picture will look like in the New Year. Outplacement services have been offered to existing workers for the past 50 years. It evolved from high-touch support to high-tech support over the years. But, like all change, you take the best parts and make certain that users of outplacement services are supported to meet current challenges.
At Learning Dynamics, a Career Partners International firm, our “Respect and Support” Outplacement services are built on a foundation of “high-touch.” That has been a challenge this year, but services like Zoom and Webex have given our daily and weekly interactive sessions with outplacement candidates the ability to meet the needs for their job search.
One particular thing that is consistent in how we support our outplacement candidates is the use of “job interview role playing.” Without sharpening your interviewing skills, a person may be eliminated from final job offers. It is of paramount importance to be your best, and for Learning Dynamics it is a skill we look forward to working on with our outplacement candidates.
For more details about our “Respect and Support” Outplacement services please visit us here.
Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.
As we are approaching the six-month mark of the COVID crisis in the Northeast, it is appropriate to take stock of what has worked and what has not in our new, physically distanced, technology-dependent work environments. At Learning Dynamics, we have been collaborating closely with our clients to equip their supervisors and managers to be effective leading remote teams. While much has gone well for them, the experience has had its challenges. One of the greatest is the need to maintain organizational culture in a transformed workplace.
Culture is what makes every organization unique. As an example, we work with many banks and credit unions in the US, and it is arguable that they all provide nearly identical services. They take deposits, make loans, provide banking apps, and all the rest. While this is true, it is also true that each of these organizations has its own vibe, a feeling that is different from all the others.
How is it possible that so many companies doing similar work can be so different? Contributors include hiring standards, organizational mission, leadership styles of key people, community engagement, and many other factors. While each alone might seem small, combined they create a distinct environment that is palpable; customers and employees feel it. So, what happens when so many are working from home? Here are some points to consider.
When we all went home with our laptops in March, we knew what we needed to do. Because we each worked in our companies together, collaborating face-to-face for months, years, and even decades, we all brought the culture home with us. But culture can fade when it is not reinforced through regular interaction. What happens with new employees?
Employee turnover might be the greatest challenge to the long-term sustainability of a work-from-home environment. Where side-by-side learning was the norm, it is now the exception. Where people occupied the same spaces and picked up on the verbal and non-verbal cues of others, sensing the dynamic of the workplace, they are now sitting at small desks in the corners of their bedrooms. Culture formation suffers. Here are some ways to address this.
Collaborative Teams: When possible, match newer and more tenured people to work on projects and routine tasks together. These deliberate assignments will not only help accelerate knowledge transfer. They will enhance culture transfer. A well-chosen, experienced employee can become a mentor, guiding the new person about how things are done in the organization.
Think Mission and Values: We see this executed at varying degrees across client companies. When the mission is top of mind and leaders use language aligned to drive this message, all employees develop their knowledge and embrace the culture of the organization more quickly. Those companies that are not as focused get different results and, of course, a different cultural atmosphere.
Hire and Coach for Culture: This complements the previous point. If we have clear mission and cultural standards, we can hire people who will fit in well. Of course, we should also be coaching for cultural competence, a skill that is just as important as technical competence for the employee’s long-term success in the organization. We never want to lose a good person because we did not make the effort to coach that person to fit and feel valued.
Use the Language: We all spend a lot of time on
conference calls and videoconferences. We are Zoomed out. But knowing this is
part of our new normal (for now, anyway), encourage all supervisors and managers
to make the company’s language theirs, especially in these remote communication
environments. This is not about indoctrination; it is about building a differentiated
team that knows its mission and values. The team and its members must know why they
are there for the customer.
The remote work environment presents its challenges. Learning and development efforts can be hindered, but it is possible to build culture from a distance. By being purposeful, managers can make progress and teams can excel. We have seen Learning Dynamics clients do it well, and your team can too.
Learning Dynamics has been helping many clients navigate the COVID-19 environment. We are committed to your success. Please contact us today to learn more about our learning and development options so your organization can maximize employee engagement and productivity despite distance challenges.
Meetings are a part of the fabric of every working person’s life. Oftentimes, however, people feel that meetings are unnecessary, are too long yielding no results, or are ineffective, in general. With the right tools, managers and supervisors can lead meetings effectively, and lead meetings to drive results, thereby creating a win-win scenario for both supervisors and employees alike.
Here are some general effective meeting guidelines.
Ensure that the meeting has a clear purpose with intended outcomes. When calling a meeting, it is important that you and all attendees understand that there is a clear purpose and that you have intended outcomes for the meeting. When attendees see these elements in every meeting you lead, they will more likely be engaged and participative.
Prepare and distribute a well-structured agenda ahead of time.Meeting attendees want to know ahead of time what the meeting will entail. This enables them to think about the topics in advance and how they might contribute during the meeting itself.
Begin and end the meeting on time. There is nothing more frustrating to employees than starting meetings late and extending them well beyond the allotted time. Punctuality shows everyone that time is valuable and garners the respect of others. Since you are leading the meeting, you have control over the duration. Adhering to the time allotment shows good time management.
Ensure that all attendees arrive prepared for the meeting. This characteristic may be out of your control as a supervisor, at least at the outset. This can be something that happens over time, particularly if you utilize these effective meeting tools, and are prepared to facilitate an engaging meeting discussion.
Provide an opportunity for attendees to share their perspectives. Employees want to feel that they are contributing to the discussion. It is important for managers to welcome feedback from all employees and ensure that they are open to such feedback, even if they might not agree with some of it. If employees feel they are being heard, they will be encouraged to contribute.
Ensure that the meeting leads to decisions and/or actions. This goes back to proper meeting preparation with a stated, clear purpose and intended outcomes.
These are just a few general guidelines to help managers and supervisors lead effective and impactful meetings that drive results. Your team will recognize and appreciate your efforts and enable you to glean the maximum contribution from each of your team members.
Looking to get started with leading effective meetings? Here’s a look at our successful “Meetings that Drive Results” learning solution:
Description: Meetings that Drive Results teaches supervisors, managers and senior leaders how to plan for powerful, results-focused meetings and conference calls that get work done. It also offers insight into when you should not have a meeting. Practical tools for planning, following up, and evaluating meetings are part of the program. Your leaders will run better meetings when they apply what they learn.
Topics Covered: • Characteristics of Effective Meetings • Planning: It’s in the Details • Handling Challenging Personalities • Engaging Participants • Assignments & Follow Up • When Not to Have a Meeting • Post-Meeting Assessments
Other Program Details: Length: Half Day; Lunch-Time Learning Sessions
Audience: Supervisors & Managers
Methodology: Group Discussions, Exercises, Video, Lecturettes, Self-Assessment and Workbook
Did you know that current research indicates that the No. 1
leadership skill most managers lack is communication with empathy?
The need to “create a communication-friendly environment” was the first choice
listed on the top 10 skills and qualities of leaders by Officevibe,
a fast-growing web-based tool for human resource and business leaders. And in
2015, an Interact/Harris
Poll of approximately 1,000 U.S. workers illustrated the importance of
opening those communication lines with empathy. In the poll, 91% of employees reported
that communication is an area where executives need to improve, and a closer
look at the results reveals a striking need for more empathy in the workplace.
A failure to recognize employee achievements was cited by 63% of respondents,
topping the list of specific communication issues. That list also included refusing
to talk to subordinates (51%) and taking credit for others’ ideas (47%). Some
in the survey even complained of bullying by management.
All employees are entitled to a respectful work environment,
but communication with empathy can impact more than that. As it raises team
morale, it also can improve the bottom line.
According to Gallup’s 2015
State of the American Manager, disengaged employees cost up to $500 billion
in lost productivity per year – with poor managers responsible for at least 70%
of that employee disengagement. Liz Ryan, HR professional and author of the
book Reinvention Roadmap, says the
No. 1 skill these managers need is what she calls “perspective-taking.” In her column
on that subject for Forbes.com, Ryan spells out a “working” definition of
communication with empathy. “The more often you consciously step out of your
own perspective to take someone else’s view, the more powerful you will become,”
Ryan says.
So if you are trying to narrow the focus of any leadership
training and development efforts you may be considering in the near term, this
is one you may want to prioritize for anyone who manages people.
Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.
Customer-centric banks have systems that support, not impede, their customers’ experience with them.
Starting with their core system, banks must ensure that
their core system provider remains state-of-the-art and not “user-hostile.”
Often, every 5-7 years, a bank’s contract with its core service provider comes
up for renewal. Many banks, because of their employees’ comfort with the
system, will automatically renew, rather than determining whether there is a
more state-of-the-art digital system available that enhances the customer
experience.
The bank’s core system, coupled with its internal systems and procedures, will impact customer service. Take opening accounts, for example. This should not be a cumbersome process for the customer, or the bank employee, where it takes a half hour to open an account. We know of several banks where opening an account is so laborious that branch staff suggest customers or prospective customers set up appointments to do so.
A core system should also be evaluated on the ease of use
and intuitiveness of back office, loan, and sales functions as well. Can it
support ancillary systems, such as mortgage and loan origination? Does it
incorporate the latest compliance and security measures?
With fewer customers coming into the bank, online banking
needs to be easy to use. At one bank, the online banking system is so
complicated, that branch staff hesitate to bring it up as an option to
customers, for fear that the customer will ask for a demonstration by the
employees, who will likely struggle with it!
Other internal systems, such as General Ledger, should be
reviewed periodically for ways to streamline them.
A bank should also update its policies and procedures, and
have them readily accessible for customer-facing employees. As previously
noted, procedures using the Playscript format are easier to write and follow,
as opposed to ones written as a lengthy paragraph narrative.
Blunder Bank
At Blunder Bank, the same core system has been used for
decades. The system is outdated and difficult to use. Customer-facing employees
even develop their own “work around” so that customers are not inconvenienced
by it.
Better Bank
At Better Bank, senior management asks, “How can this
enhance the customer experience?” when designing, revamping, or purchasing
systems. The bank ensures that employees receive timely training on their
systems and maintain up-to-date, easy-to-follow documentation.
Coaching Tip
When working with an employee who is struggling to use a new
system, which can impede service to your customers, remember that everyone has
their own learning style. It may be that the struggling employee is a visual
learner, and needs to spend more time navigating the system to better
comprehend it.
Question for
Reflection
Do your employees receive timely training on
your internal systems?
Is there up-to-date documentation for all of
your systems?
Does your core processing system enhance or
impede the customer experience?
Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.
A recent
Learning Dynamics training workshop with managers of a healthcare organization
served as a reminder of the importance of listening at every level of the
organization. The program, Leadership Communication,
includes a discussion and exercise on active listening, and it was one of the
most productive parts of the day’s effort.
Nearly
everyone has heard the term “active listening,” but how many of us use the
skill regularly? In Leadership Communication
and other communication-themed programs, we highlight the value of asking
questions, listening without interrupting, paraphrasing, and confirming
understanding. We know that many people don’t use active listening techniques
often; rather, they frequently are just waiting for their turn to talk.
On this
day, we asked the participants to pair off and ask a simple question: “What can
I do to help you be more successful in your job?” These were not people who
reported to each other. They were managers who lead their respective work
centers, so this is not a question they frequently present to each other. The
results were thought-provoking.
Within
minutes, one of the participants said, “This is great! We never have a chance
to speak like this.” After several minutes of productive conversation using
intelligent questions and active listening skills, all came away with ideas to
help each other move the organization forward. The total invested time was ten
minutes.
So, what
can leaders take from this exercise? Here are some ideas:
Encourage
idea-sharing vertically and horizontally within the organization. Schedule some
high-value business partnership time to allow for activities like that
described above.
Ask
questions at all levels. Then listen. Employees in customer-facing and
production roles likely have ideas to share. After all, they are the ones
executing on management’s direction. What might they teach leaders who are
willing to listen?
Managers
don’t always have the best answers. Paraphrasing Steve Jobs, we hire smart
people, so shouldn’t we listen to them?
Finally,
employees become more engaged when they feel heard. A key engagement question
concerns one’s ideas and opinions carrying weight. What better way to show an
employee that her opinions count than by asking questions and actively
listening?
It is not
always easy to just listen. The potential benefits – new ideas, better team
work, and more committed employees, to name a few – make it worth the effort.
Be a better leader and listen.
= = =
Learning Dynamics offers several instructor-led, webinar-based, and digitally-delivered learning and development solutions to help your team members become better communicators. Contact us today to discuss your priorities.
Age diversity and inclusion are essential for success in today’s complex workplace. Most employers today recognize the need for diversity, making sure that people of different ethnicities, nationalities, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability status and age are critical to the future of an organization.
The argument for age diversity and inclusion is unrefuted and new research supports that premise. Currently 5 different generations are part of the workforce.
Age diversity improves performance and productivity in the workplace. Companies need to be aware that age is a number not a credential and outdated stereotypes still influence perceptions of age. Comments such as. “He’s too old to master a software program”. Or “she’s too young to…” only serve to dismiss their value. An employee’s knowledge and experience increases with age and a young person with strong skill sets should not be held back.
Research clearly demonstrates how age diversity improves an organization’s performance. Studies find that the productivity of both older and younger workers is higher in companies with mixed age work teams. More specifically, age diversity in teams is positively related to performance when groups tackle complex decision making tasks. Lastly, age diversity leads to greater engagement, teamwork and innovation.
The following are some practices to boost age diversity and inter-generational understanding:
Open apprenticeships for workers of all age.
Programs to help workers re-enter workforce after a long absence.
Facilitation of cross generational mentoring programs.
Raising awareness of inter generation differences through training and education.
Organizing employee resource groups for support.
Actively recruit talent across all ages.
Companies that adhere to these practices will certainly reap the benefits of age diversity and inclusion.
Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.
“What did you learn today?” It was a question I was often asked at the end of school days. It was a question I heard often in my corporate years, after completing training or implementing a new process. It has become a central question for me in undertaking any new endeavor, personal or professional. It’s a key question to ask oneself when faced with successes or failures, achievements, or disappointments. “What did you learn?” implies identification of what worked and what didn’t and defines the path forward.
The need to learn is a given. Without learning, say goodbye to growth, evolution, personal and professional development, and constant improvement. More importantly, say goodbye to your business if learning is not a constant.
Learning is a strategic initiative, and arguably the most critical component for a company’s growth and success. And it can never stop. Employee training and development is essential, but if training doesn’t result in demonstrated learning, it’s just lip service. For a company or an individual, learning must be greater than or equal to the rate of change.
Educator Neil Postman stated that “children enter school as question marks and leave as periods.” In many instances, the same can be said for adults entering the corporate world. It is imperative to keep the question marks on the forefront.
So how does one go about making sure that employees are learning, learning, and learning without cessation? This is where training comes in. Training must be meaningful to the employee, not a formalistic exercise to satisfy a regulation or required hours.
All training programs have learning objectives, but every training program ever designed and conducted must include this objective: To generate thought. Thought leads to understanding and awareness, which leads to paradigm shifts and inevitable growth. Growth is the greatest ROI there is for an individual or a company. Think about the difference between a degree and an education. Getting a degree means attending classes, obtaining the required credits, and passing tests. Obtaining an education requires critical thinking and understanding. Author Wallace Wattles stated: “There is no labor from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work in the world.”
In educating people on content, trainers must never lose sight of the intent, which is to generate thought and increase learning. Learning needs to be integrated into all processes and outcomes. Too often, training and subsequent learning is in reaction to something that failed. If a valued customer is lost due to poor customer service, it’s easy to mandate customer service training . . but it’s also too late.
At Learning Dynamics, we customize each learning solution to ensure that participants are challenged to think, learn, and grow. Our goal is to have them answer a key question: “What did you learn today?”
Almost everyone today is familiar with the term “customer experience.” According to Gartner, a leading research and advisory company, 80 percent of businesses compete on the basis of customer experience. But new research shows that customer experience alone is not enough. Progressive companies are now focusing on “employee experience” as the newest competitive edge.
So, what is “employee experience?” It is the sum of everything an employee experiences throughout his or her connection to that organization – from recruiting to the end of their employment. It is not perks, parties, employment branding or employee engagement. Mark Levy, former head of Airbnb, defines it as “anything that sets employees up for success and improves our culture.” Those companies investing heavily in employee experience often find themselves on the Best Places to Work lists and also have improved profitability as well as two times the average revenue. With social media commentary available to all, prospective employees review comments made about employee experiences in selecting which companies they wish to apply to.
So, in looking for a new competitive edge for your company, ask yourself how you can enhance and elevate the employee experience in your company. What processes and practices are in place that set employees up for success and ensure an improved culture? It’s worth the time to ask.
Learning Dynamics offers training, organization development and coaching services that can help your organization grow and excel. Contact us today, call 203.265.7499 or email jdemaio@learningdynamics.com.
