With Cybersecurity Awareness Month in full swing, it’s the perfect time to examine a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of an organization’s cybersecurity strategy: culture.

While technical solutions and security protocols are essential, the human element—how people think, act, and interact with technology—can make or break an organization’s defences.

This is where Human Resources comes in.

HR has a unique role in shaping company culture, and when it comes to cybersecurity, fostering a security-conscious mindset among employees is just as crucial as implementing firewalls and encryption.

Here’s how HR can play a pivotal role in building and sustaining a culture of cybersecurity:

1. Embed Cybersecurity in Company Values

Organizational values are more than just words on a website—they define how employees interact, collaborate, and behave within the company. To create a culture of cybersecurity, HR should ensure that data protection and security consciousness are embedded into these values from the start.

When security becomes a part of the company’s DNA, employees are more likely to take personal responsibility for safeguarding both their own information and the company’s digital assets. This can start as early as the onboarding process, where cybersecurity awareness is introduced not as an additional task, but as a core company value that’s integrated into everything employees do.

2. Train Beyond Compliance: Develop a Cyber-Savvy Workforce

Too often, cybersecurity training is treated as a compliance requirement—a once-a-year online module that employees rush through. This checkbox mentality does little to build awareness or change behavior. Instead, HR can advocate for dynamic and continuous cybersecurity training that keeps employees engaged and informed.

Here are a few effective training strategies to consider:

• Regular Training: Move beyond annual training. Implement shorter, more frequent cybersecurity sessions that focus on current threats like phishing, ransomware, and social engineering. These can be paired with real-world examples or recent security breaches to drive home the importance of vigilance.
• Role-Specific Education: Not all employees face the same risks. Tailor cybersecurity training to different departments (for instance, finance and HR staff may require more detailed guidance on handling sensitive personal data, while marketing teams may benefit from training on securing customer information).
• Interactive Learning: Consider gamified learning platforms or interactive cybersecurity workshops. Simulations, such as phishing tests, can challenge employees to spot real-time threats and reward them for successful avoidance.

By transforming cybersecurity training into a dynamic, engaging, and ongoing experience, HR can help employees feel personally invested in protecting both company and personal data.

3. Reward Security-Conscious Behavior

One of the most effective ways to change behavior within an organization is through positive reinforcement. When employees demonstrate strong cybersecurity practices—such as identifying phishing attempts, reporting suspicious activity, or implementing secure password protocols—HR should recognize and reward those behaviors.

Creating a security recognition program or incorporating cybersecurity metrics into performance reviews can incentivize employees to stay vigilant. This positive reinforcement not only motivates employees but also demonstrates that the organization takes cybersecurity seriously at every level. This helps to shift the perception of cybersecurity from a set of rules employees must follow to instead making employees play an active role they play in the company’s success and safety.

4. Make Cybersecurity a Leadership Priority

A strong culture of cybersecurity starts at the top. HR can work closely with leadership to ensure that the importance of cybersecurity is frequently communicated and demonstrated. When executives and managers model good security behaviors—such as using strong, unique passwords or quickly reporting suspicious emails—it sets a standard for the entire organization.

HR can support this by facilitating cybersecurity briefings for leadership, ensuring they are well-versed in the current threat landscape and the impact that a potential breach could have on the organization. When leaders are informed and engaged, it helps to foster a trickle-down effect that influences employees across all levels.

5. Cybersecurity in Offboarding: Don’t Leave a Door Open

While most companies understand the need to secure new hires with proper onboarding training, the offboarding process is equally critical in protecting against cyber threats. Former employees who retain access to company systems, even unintentionally, can become significant security risks.

HR plays a central role in ensuring that cybersecurity protocols are closely followed when employees exit the company. This includes working with IT to:

• Immediately revoke access to all systems and accounts.
• Retrieve company-owned devices, ensuring they are wiped of sensitive data before reuse.
• Remind exiting employees of their ongoing obligations regarding company information security, even after they leave.

A structured, secure offboarding process prevents any gaps that could be exploited by malicious actors or inadvertently lead to data leaks.

6. Foster a Culture of Reporting Without Fear

Many employees hesitate to report cybersecurity concerns, fearing they might face reprimand or be seen as negligent. HR can help address this by fostering an environment where reporting suspected security incidents is encouraged and celebrated.

To do this, HR can work with IT to create a clear, anonymous reporting system that allows employees to easily and safely report suspicious emails, potential breaches, or unusual activity without fear of blame or punishment.

HR are in a unique position to be cybersecurity champions by fostering a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility, not just the IT department’s. Through thoughtful training, positive reinforcement, and secure processes, HR can influence behaviors that make a lasting impact on the company’s overall security posture.

In today’s digital world, an organization’s strength lies not just in its technical defences but in its people. By cultivating a culture of cybersecurity, HR can protect both the organization and the employees who help it thrive.

As we celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s remember that cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and encryption—it’s about people. And HR holds the key to making every employee a vigilant defender of the company’s digital assets.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build cybersecurity into the culture of your organization, get in touch with me at sayid@orgshakers.com

Menopause impacts half of the population at a certain point in their lives – in fact, by 2025, over 1 billion people globally will be in menopause.

Unlike many other conditions, menopause is something that is guaranteed to affect a vast majority of people. And considering that most women will undergo menopause during their working years, it is so important for employers to be building an inclusive and supportive workplace where those going through menopause can continue to thrive.

Menopause can have a huge impact on someone’s life – so much so that guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission says that symptoms of menopause can be considered a disability if they have a long-term and substantial impact on a woman’s ability to carry out-day-day activities. And the data proves this – 23% of employees going through menopause considered resigning due to its impact, and 14% said they were planning to hand in their notice, according to research from the end of last year from SimplyHealth.

And it’s not just having effects on turnover, but productivity too. Recent studies reveal that the economic impact of menopause in the US is over $26 billion, with $1.8 billion specifically attributed to the loss of productivity due to debilitating symptoms. Therefore, those employers who are designing and implementing tailored support strategies for menopausal staff will be best equipped to mitigate the negative ripple effects it can have on their business, all the while showcasing a genuine care for the health and wellbeing of their workforce.

So, what are the key components needed to create a menopause-inclusive workforce?

• Flexibility – menopause can commonly cause symptoms such as hot flushes and physical discomfort, and when this happens during work it can really affect someone’s ability to engage and be productive. Therefore, offering those staff members some flexibility – such as relaxed dress codes or the use of handheld fans – can be so helpful for regulating these symptoms and making them feel comfortable whilst at work.
• Awareness – menopause has been a taboo subject for a long time, and only now are we starting to be educated around it. It’s therefore important for employers to be committed to furthering this education, offering staff access to learning resources and/or hosting training workshops to create a working environment that encourages this topic to be openly discussed so that it can be better understood.
• Support Networks – having Employee Resource Groups where employees can seek advice around menopause, share experiences, and learn through their peers can be such a great way of highlighting a specified safe space to talk freely and openly without fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed. This can also really help those employees feel valued by their employer, as there is a dedicated resource available for them to seek support as and when needed.
• Preparation – discussions around menopause should be proactive just as much as they are reactive. For those younger female employees, it’s important for them to be aware of what to expect later in life when menopause starts, as this can help to demystify the process and reduce that sense of anxiety associated with something that is ambiguous and unknown.

By implementing these components into the fabric of your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, employers will be able to foster a workplace that challenges the long-standing taboos around menopause and instead invites open and honest dialogue which can help employees better understand the support available to them. If you would like to discuss how we can help build these support policies, please get in touch with me at therese@orgshakers.com

For new employees, the elation of coming to the end of the hiring process and being offered a job can be such a rewarding feeling. Out of all the candidates that applied, they were the one who made it to the finish line.

However, this elation can quickly fizzle out if they come to discover that they were not the first-choice candidate. It’s not uncommon for employers to offer a job to their top candidate only for that candidate to decline, and so naturally they will present the offer to the next best candidate.

While this is a common occurrence, it can be tricky for employers if this new hire discovers they were not the initial pick. This notion is proven by a recent study conducted by Harvard Business Review, which discovered that those employees who knew or believed they were an alternate choice were less socially integrated and less likely to seek feedback than their peers.

In other words, this knowledge can have a real effect on morale, confidence, and overall job satisfaction for the new employee, as well as open up the door for imposter syndrome to creep in.

So, when this situation arises, how should employers handle this to ensure the relationship with the new hire remains positive and productivity remains unaffected?

1. Acknowledge the Situation with Transparency

Honesty and transparency are the foundation of a good working relationship. If a new hire confronts the fact that they weren’t the first choice, the worst thing an employer can do is deny or downplay the situation. Instead, acknowledge it openly, but add a positive spin to it – “we had a number of strong candidates, and it was a difficult decision. However, we’re confident that you bring the right skills, experience, and attitude to succeed in this role“. The key thing here is to focus on the value the new hire brings to the team, which should hopefully mitigate any potential hurt feelings.

2. Reaffirm the Candidate’s Strengths and Value

When someone discovers they were the second choice, it’s natural for them to feel a bit insecure, so reaffirming their strengths is a crucial step in managing this reaction. Ensure to reiterate the reasons they were chosen and emphasize the qualities that set them apart. By highlighting their unique contributions, you reinforce their confidence and show that they weren’t just a fallback option but a candidate with real potential.

3. Focus on the Future, Not the Past

Once the issue has been addressed, it’s important to shift the focus from the hiring process to the future. After all, what matters most is how the new hire performs in their role, not the order which they were selected in. This forward-looking approach helps the employee move past the “second choice” label and concentrate on their own success.

4. Create a Supportive Work Environment

Once the conversation is over, employers should ensure that the new hire feels welcomed and supported in their role. A positive onboarding experience, continuous feedback, and professional development opportunities can all help boost the new hire’s confidence and solidify their commitment to the company. In addition, regular check-ins during the onboarding process can provide the new hire with a platform to voice concerns and give them an opportunity to receive constructive feedback – which as highlighted by Harvard’s study above, can be a real issue!

5. Don’t Let the “Second Choice” Label Stick

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that the “second choice” label should not define the employee’s experience. Managers must ensure that this detail doesn’t follow the employee throughout their time at the company, as at the end of the day, the candidate who was ultimately selected for the job is the best fit for the organization, regardless of the hiring order.

Discovering that you were the second choice in the hiring process can be a delicate moment for any new employee. However, how employers respond to this situation can make all the difference in preserving, and even strengthening, the relationship with the new hire.

By handling the situation with transparency, focusing on the new hire’s strengths, and creating a supportive work environment, employers can turn a potentially negative discovery into a positive and affirming experience.

If you would like to discuss the training we offer around creating an inclusive working environment, please get in touch with us today.

You can do a lot in sixty minutes.

In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright marked the dawn of aviation with FOUR successful powered flights in the space of just one hour!

In 2020 Mo Farah set a world record by running 21,330 meters in 60 minutes. That’s an average speed of over 13 mph, which is faster than most of us can run if we sprint just 100 meters. He just maintained that pace for a whole hour – try that on your next fun run!

Alternatively, you could make yourself a delicious meal of Beef Tacos with Homemade Guacamole. Our favorite recipe takes about an hour from ‘fridge to fork’.

What we see here is that while sixty minutes might not seem that long – the length of a team meeting, a workout at the gym, or an episode of your favorite podcast – it can also be incredibly productive and even transformative.

At OrgShakers, we believe in The Power of the Hour … 60-minutes where leaders can bounce around ideas, receive expert advice, or get the objective feedback they need to start something incredible. After all, every successful business we’ve come to know started with an idea – and someone who was willing to listen.

That’s why we’re excited to introduce our new consulting service: OrgShakers CL!CK.

OrgShakers CL!CK offers a one-hour, private and confidential online consultation with one of our experienced HR professionals. It’s perfect for those moments when you need advice to tackle a new challenge, to test and refine your HR strategy, or simply to try out new ideas to see what resonates.

With extensive global corporate experience, our team is equipped to provide guidance on any HR-related question, whether you’re dealing with everyday tactical issues or complex strategic concerns.

If you would like to learn more about this service and book in time with one of our team members, head over to https://orgshakers.com/orgshakers-click/

Mental health support has become a staple offering from employers in the contemporary world of work. This shift was greatly influenced by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, leading to more employees being granted access to Employee Assistance Programs and subscriptions to wellbeing apps as part of their benefit packages.

However, despite this rising popularity, research finds that 85% of employees are not using their mental health benefits – with the primary reason for this being confusion over how to access them, as well as a lack of understanding about what they actually are.

This drives me to pose the question: what if we rebranded ‘mental health’?

The term ‘mental health’ is concise in its nature – it focuses on the health of someone’s mental state. But using these two words together, ‘mental’ and ‘health’, has given it clinical connotations that can sometimes result in employees not taking advantage of these benefits as they feel it is less applicable to them. It inadvertently promotes the misconception that only those employees who have a formally diagnosed mental health disorder can use mental health support from their employer. In reality, mental health support is as much about the upkeep and maintenance of a healthy mind as it is about helping to heal a struggling one.

So, what would happen if companies started dubbing their mental health benefits as ‘self-care benefits’?  

This would have employers market their mental health support around self-care and self-improvement strategies, helping staff foster healthy habits for the upkeep of their physical and mental wellbeing. Imagine concise, easy to access resources that all employees are aware of and where they can be used without having to go through the more formal processes of using an EAP (unless this is needed!). For the most part, this rebrand centres around improving employee accessibility to resources that will improve their brain health. By adopting a shift in the language being used, these support strategies can feel relevant to all employees.

Intentional shifting from being reactive to mental health issues to being proactive about the promotion of good mental wellbeing can make the difference between a rarely used resource and an effective tool that sees daily use. Ultimately, the shift can lead to an overall happier and healthier workforce, and employers will likely see an overall increase in engagement and decrease in absences.

It’s important to note this rebranding by no means replaces the need for mental health support for serious mental health disorders or workplace burnout. Rather it is about employers providing clear messages that separate mental health support from self-care and mental sustainability so employees can realize the benefits of nurturing a healthy mind, and employers can reap the byproduct of increased productivity.

If you would like to discuss how we can help take your mental health strategies from reactive to proactive, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of popular social media platform LinkedIn, recently made the prediction that by 2034, the 9-to-5 job will be extinct.

Hoffman is famed for his grand predictions; most notably, he predicted the mass rise of social media back in 1997 – something which has definitely come to fruition. Now, as we see the world of work continuously change and evolve as it keeps in pace with new generations of workers, new technological advancements, and the rise of the 4-day work week, it’s not such a jump to consider that Henry Ford’s 9-to-5 model – which came into practice in the early 1900s – might be on its way out.

To get a better idea, we asked the OrgShakers team whether they think Reid Hoffman’s prediction is accurate, and if so, what they believe the 9-to-5 will be replaced with:

• David Fairhurst – I agree with Hoffman’s prediction of the 9-to-5 becoming extinct, as it lines up perfectly with my own predicted that HR professionals and businesses need to be preparing for the end of jobs altogether. The ‘job’ – defined as a set of responsibilities assigned to an individual employee – has been the fundamental building block of organizations for millennia.

However, we have seen that the pace of this organizational change has been rapidly accelerated by the influx of new technologies paired with the evaporation of the boundaries of time and geography. Therefore, I believe that a more flexible and responsive methodology is needed in order to keep up with this new pace of change through companies increasingly adopting a skills-based approach to managing work and workers. 

• Therese Procter – With the rise of the gig economy, remote work, and automation, more people are going to choose to work on their own terms, selecting projects and clients that align with their skills and interests. AI and automation will likely free humans from mundane and repetitive tasks, paving the way for more creative and high-value work. This shift could lead to a fundamental change in how we approach work, possibly making the traditional 9-to-5 schedule redundant. So, I agree with the prediction, however, it’s essential to note that this prediction might not apply universally. Certain industries, such as healthcare, education, and retail, will still require more traditional schedules.

As we move forward, it’s crucial for individuals, companies, and governments to adapt to these changes and create new systems that support this evolving workforce. This might involve rethinking education, training, and social safety nets to ensure that everyone can thrive in this new environment.

• Clare Parkes –  I don’t know that 9-5 will be extinct per se, but I do agree that there will be a more significant mix in the workplace of different employment terms. Given, amongst many trends, the shift towards skill-based job design, greater flexibility post-Covid, and a need to refine the non-office-based teams’ terms and conditions towards the increasing consumer demand of 24/7, then it is inevitable that the way we employ people will change, with an increased mix of employment agreements and ways of working as a result.

• Ken Merrit – I agree with the thesis that the 9 to 5 workday will be extinct in the next 20 years. The following 2 trends are driving us to this inevitable outcome:

• Changing of the Guard:  As Boomers & Gen X descend and Millennials & Gen Z ascend as business leaders, traditional business model operating rules will change accordingly. I believe that means we will have more open work rules and far fewer rigid structures that were born prior to today’s workforce engagement preferences and the digital age.
  • Future of Virtual Work: More technology and broader geographies have already ushered in more virtual work through Zoom, Teams, etc.  Businesses, Education, and Not-for-Profit models are all getting more comfortable with working across time zones and timelines. As tools like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality become more adopted, it will enable even more flexibility for the future of work.

• Cindy Strong – According to Reid Hoffman the traditional 9-5 will become a thing of the past, claiming AI and the gig economy will continue to be disruptors and change agents in the way work is done. Although the key contributors he outlines are already being felt by the modern workforce, I don’t agree it is likely all traditional ways of working will be extinct. Rather we will require new skills to adapt to the advances in technology and flexibility in the way work is done. It is not a new experience for technology, inventions and world events to be a catalyst to require a workforce to be resilient to change. The encouragement is we have insights from leaders like Mr. Hoffman to prepare our resilience on the horizon of uncertainty.

• Sayid Hussein – I agree with Reid Hoffman’s prediction that the traditional 9-to-5 job could be extinct by 2034. The rise of remote work, flexible schedules, and the gig economy have already begun to shift the workforce away from rigid time structures. In place of the 9-to-5, I believe we will see a more fluid work environment where individuals manage their own hours, driven by project-based work or outcomes rather than clocking in and out at specific times. This change will be fuelled by advances in technology, such as AI and automation, which will enable people to work from anywhere at any time, making the concept of a fixed workday increasingly obsolete.

• Anju Jain – I agree with Reid Hoffman’s prediction that the 9-to-5 job could become obsolete by 2034, largely driven by the ongoing transformation in how we work. The acceleration of remote work, advancements in automation, blurring geographies, seeking skills vs degrees, and the rise of the gig economy are already challenging the traditional workday structure. In this evolving situation, work is likely to become more fluid and project-based, with a focus on results rather than hours logged. We may see a model where employees have the freedom to choose their work, working hours, and locations, thereby increasing their productivity and work-life balance. Individuals are likely to quickly shift between being an employee, freelancer or an entrepreneur.   

However, this shift would also require substantial changes in labor policies, employee benefits, and management practices. Companies will need to rethink how they hire, measure performance, or compensate people. Traditional models of health insurance and retirement plans will have to be redefined. The challenge will be to balance the benefits of this new work structure with the potential risks of increased worker isolation and burnout – a significant concern for the individual, the organization, and society as a whole.

If you would like to discuss any of these topics in greater detail, you can get in touch directly through our website, or book in a private and confidential one-hour consultation with one of our team members through our OrgShakers CL!CK service.

The benefits that a company offers to their prospective employees play a huge role in attracting and retaining talent. But as we know, different generations are drawn to different types of benefits, and as Gen Z enter into the workforce in full force, we are starting to see the emergence of new, innovative benefits being offered in order to attract this fresh new talent.

The latest new benefit? Gushcloud International – an IP management and licensing company – have recently started offering their employees ‘Tinder Leave’. The company has partnered with well-known dating app Tinder to offer their employees sponsored Tinder subscriptions and an additional paid day of leave for their staff to actively go on dates and seek out new connections in the hopes of improving their wellbeing outside of work.

Dating apps have become a very popular tool for fostering romantic relationships, especially amongst the younger generations. And there is a growing body of research to suggest that employees who are in happy, healthy relationships outside of work tend to be better, more productive workers. One study even found that married men were less likely to report workplace burnout and, as their marital satisfaction increased, burnout likelihood decreased.

From this perspective, companies that consider offering Tinder Leave could be paving the way for employee satisfaction to increase as their personal lives become socially and romantically nourished.

So, is Tinder Leave something that more companies should consider?

There are a lot of interesting benefits that could come from offering this type of perk to employees. For one thing, it’s an innovative way of highlighting a company’s care and commitment to social wellbeing. It also signifies that a business values work-life balance, through actively encouraging employees to take the time to build these connections.

However, there are some potential drawbacks that employers will need to consider, too. For instance, offering Tinder subscriptions could actually prove to be a distraction at work, as employees may be more tempted to be checking their phone and swiping through potential matches. So, when looking at this as a potential offering to employees, it’s important for employers to consider all the factors.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you design and implement innovative wellbeing strategies to improve work-life balance, please swipe right to get in touch with us today.

A new trend has seemingly emerged amongst younger employees, and it’s being dubbed the ‘Great Detachment’.

Taking inspiration for its name from the Great Resignation that happened post-pandemic, the Great Detachment is seeing increasing numbers of staff remaining in jobs that they don’t feel fulfilled or engaged by. Gallup’s State of the Workplace 2024 report discovered that only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work – which means a whopping 77% of them are disengaged.

With the disengagement number so high, it’s no wonder we are seeing a rise to this new trend. And with a market that continues to become increasingly competitive, employees are remaining in their current roles despite their rising disengagement and dissatisfaction.

Being fulfilled in one’s job is an important thing – after all, on average we spend one third of our entire lives at work, so it’s not a huge leap to assume that we want this job to be engaging and fulfilling. However, the reality is that not many people end up working their ‘dream job’ either. In fact, one survey found that only 7% of Americans stated they were in their dream career, and another found that only a quarter of adults in the UK have landed the job they dreamed of having as a child.

So the Great Detachment may not be a new phenomenon – but with a new generation flooding into the workforce, bringing with them carpe diem mentalities that have been forged in the fires of lockdown living, the idea of ‘settling’ in a job they don’t love is unappealing – and it’s resulting in a lack of engagement and a hit on productivity levels.

So, what can employers do to ‘reattach’ their employees?

One technique to consider is creating some ‘squiggle room’. This is the idea of employers actively creating the space for employees to job craft. By encouraging workers to craft their personality and passions into what they do, they will be able to bring a little bit of their dream into their current role. This not only helps to re-engage those staff that are falling victim to the Great Detachment trend, but it also encourages the use of innovation and varied ways of thinking, which can ultimately lead to new and exciting ideas for the business.

Flexibility has become a swaying factor when it comes to employee attraction and retention, and ‘squiggle room’ is rooted in the idea of embracing the fluidity of work. The goals and vision that a company has are set, but the route to achieving those things offers ample opportunity for innovation and flexibility – and those employers that embrace this are the ones who are going to have the most engaged workforce.

If you would like to discuss how we can help with your employee engagement strategies, please get in touch with us today!

Black History Month creates space for all to reflect on the struggle of Black Americans and Black people across the world to get to where they are today. Battling through constant, overt oppression to be able to have the same rights that were automatically extended to their white counterparts has made it possible for Black people to gain access to many more opportunities than were previously within their reach.

However, racism runs deep; while activists such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Rosa Parks paved a path for a better future, there is still work to be done now to continue to eradicate the oppression that black people face across the globe.

Just as the world has modernized, so has racism. What was once brashly overt has now evolved into more subtle, micro-aggressive tendencies.  The disconnect occurs because these microaggressions are broadly considered ‘less racist’ than things were fifty years ago, so it’s not seen as racism at all – which gives these behaviors the power to continue.

The workplace is a prime example. Many companies are more intentional about creating hiring targets to diversify their workforces – and this is great – but we’re also seeing that they are significantly pulling funding on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. It seems that just as the workplace begins to take a step forward, it takes two steps back. Without a comprehensive DEI change initiative and commitment to link the initiative to the mission, vision, and values of the company, this creates an environment where microaggressions will emerge and those employees of color will not truly feel that they are valued members of the team.  

Microaggressions are indirect, subtle, or unintentional discriminatory actions against members of a marginalized group. Some examples of these behaviors are not introducing specific people in a meeting, praising an idea from one person and ignoring the same idea when presented by another, speaking with a condescending tone, consistently mispronouncing someone’s name, confusing a person of a certain ethnicity with another person of that same ethnicity…the list goes on. A recent study even discovered that 25% of black women have been sent home from work because of their hair. These actions may seem small if you do not regularly experience them yourself, but the racial undertones that they hold are problematic and create a tense and unproductive culture.

For example, Dr. Claudine Gay was the first black woman to be selected the president of Harvard University by the Harvard Corporation – comprised of 12 board members responsible for university affairs and three members of the second-highest governing Board of Overseers –  and yet not even a year later and she has been forced to resign due to incessant plagiarism claims from her academic dissertation from 1997. Upon further exploration, most of the “errors” that have been identified are pedantic. Additionally, the few that have been raised as cause for concerns were not only deemed understandable by those she quoted, they were also completely missed by the institution under which she wrote it, along with the Harvard PhD committee who failed to highlight these when awarding her the Toppan prize for the best political science dissertation in 1998. Regardless, Dr. Gay has come under fire, and the microaggressions in this situation are rampant; after all, we haven’t seen any other Harvard presidents be picked apart for their academic writings from two decades ago.

If this situation was copy and pasted onto a white man, it is very likely that the outcome would be entirely different, and it’s these systemic barriers that employers need to recognize and challenge to truly further the progress of the many Black transformational leaders who fought for civil rights and equality for all Americans. 

The first step to challenging these inequities is acknowledging that they exist in the first place. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of Black employees experienced racism in 2021, and this number is only going to begin to decrease if companies can successfully identify these microaggressions and uproot them. We know that diverse companies are more profitable, but in order for employers to unlock these benefits they have to successfully foster a safe and inclusive environment. This starts by acknowledging that racism is still an open wound in the world of work, and that putting a band aid on it doesn’t help it heal. They must clean it out, and slowly begin to sew it up – which requires organizations to break the habit of assuming that the wound has already healed.

If you would like to discuss how we can help further your DEI strategy and help foster a culture that unlocks the best out of all your people, please get in touch with me at marty@orgshakers.com

This article was first published on 2^nd February to mark the start of Black History Month 2024 in the U.S.

We are all familiar with the idea that a happy employee is a more productive one.

Smart employers are always taking into consideration rising trends, to ensure that their people are feeling valued and recognized – and one new component to improving employee happiness seems to be rising fast: voluntary benefits.

Voluntary benefits – also known as supplemental benefits or employee wellbeing benefits – are offerings that employees can choose to purchase in addition to their core benefits package. These will often include a range of options, such as life insurance, dental and vision coverage, disability insurance, wellness programs, legal services, and even pet insurance.

Their appeal is rooted in their flexibility – employees can pick and choose what best suits their lifestyle and their financial context, making them more uniquely tailored to an individual’s needs.

In this way, voluntary benefits are a fantastic tool for making your employees feel valued, as they offer the opportunity for personalization that standard benefits packages don’t.

Because of this, 86% of employers now consider voluntary benefits crucial to their overall wellbeing strategy. And with  63% of employees saying they would consider changing jobs for better voluntary benefits, choosing the right ones to make available is now more important then ever. So, here are some key voluntary benefits employers should be considering in order to keep their employees happy, healthy, and productive for the year to come:

• Legal Services – this would see employers provide access to legal advice and services, which can prove to be invaluable when dealing with personal legal matters. Additionally, employers can look at offering identity theft protection to help workers protect their personal information (especially with cybersecurity threats continuously rising).
• Supplemental Health Benefits – this has typically taken the form of dental and vision insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance, but now some employers are expanding this scope to also offer supplementary mental health benefits too. This also encompasses physical health benefits such as subsidized gym memberships or nutrition counselling.
• Pet Insurance – the significant rise in pet adoptions during the pandemic has now made offering pet insurance as a voluntary benefit a very attractive one for a lot of employees.
• Educational Assistance – while 80% of working adults are interested in going to school, only 40% know their employers offer a tuition reimbursement assistance program. This can be a great voluntary benefit to consider as it is applicable across generations and ultimately strengthens the skills and knowledge of the employee you are investing in.
• Life and Disability Insurance – the interest in term-life insurance and disability insurance continues to grow amongst employees, and so this would prove to be a popular offering for many as a voluntary benefit.

In the evolving landscape of employee benefits, voluntary benefits stand out as a key differentiator—one that can set your organization apart in the quest to enhance employee happiness whilst at the same time attract, retain, and motivate top talent. If you would like to discuss the support we can offer in helping design and select your benefit packages, please get in touch with us via our website.  

We all enjoy a bit of retail therapy from time to time.

But, while retail therapy is fine in moderation, a more alarming trend seems to be emerging amongst younger workers: “Doom Spending”.

Doom Spending describes an anxiety-fuelled purchasing trend whereby a person has become so stressed about their finances that they are spending money to alleviate that stress – thereby feeding a vicious cycle.

A recent survey discovered that 43% of Millennials and 35% of Gen Zers use Doom Spending to make themselves feel better, in spite of the fact that this bad habit will ultimately worsen their financial worries.

However, despite the counter-productiveness of Doom Spending, it does raise red flags for employers and HR professionals about how financial stress is a persistent issue. Seven in ten (68%) HR professionals noticed a rise in requests for financial support or education in the past year, and in a different study by PwC, 57% of employees cited finances as the top cause for stress in their lives.

Whilst Doom Spending is definitely not making this problem any better, it does signify a call to action for employers: the need for financial wellbeing support.

Managing money can be hard, especially for those younger workers who have less experience in doing so. Pair this with the rise of flexible credit financial services which allow people to spread the cost of purchases over a few months, and it’s no wonder that managing finances has become more difficult.

We now live in a world where the average person can have anything they want, when they want it – at a price. But it can be hard to resist the temptation when things that were once very expensive have now become accessible through monthly payments. There is also the element of tailored advertisements on social media, using subliminal messaging techniques that are constantly piquing our interest and reminding us that we want – and can have – MORE.

That’s why having financial wellbeing support available to workers can be such an effective workplace benefit. Not only will it help employees feel more confident in managing their finances and correcting their spending habits, it also helps to reduce employee stress, which in turn leads to better productivity and engagement.

In addition to this, those companies offering financial wellbeing tools (such as access to Wagestream) are going to be more attractive to those looking for work. The above research from PwC confirms this, as it also discovered that 73% of financially stressed employees said they would be attracted to another employer who cares more about their financial wellbeing.

So, if you would like to discuss how we can help design and implement financial wellbeing strategies for your organization to increase your talent attraction and reduce financial stress, please get in touch with us today.                                 

Up to 70% of companies with flexible work schedules are planning to increase the days employees must work in the office by 2025. However, with many major companies – including Disney, Apple, Google, and Zoom – issuing ‘Return To Office’ (RTO) mandates this year, there has been a significant rise in the latest ‘quiet’ rebellion … ‘hushed hybrid’ working.

‘Hushed hybrid’ working is when, contrary to company policy, managers quietly allow some employees to work from home or work flexibly. According to a survey by Owl Labs, 70% of managers have allowed team members to work from home despite an official company policy mandating otherwise.

The rise in this trend signifies a strong disconnect between executives and middle managers that could result in unwanted ripple effects if this gap were to widen.

As first point of contact between employees and the wider organization, it’s important that middle managers feel able to communicate employee feedback to the company’s leadership. However, the rise of this trend suggests that many middle managers believe senior leaders are not prepared to listen to employee’s views on hybrid work, preferring instead to stand behind their RTO mandates.

But whilst ‘hushed hybrid’ working may provide middle managers and their teams with a convenient workaround, it is an ultimately unsustainable solution that could damage the wider culture of the organization.

For one thing, managers letting some if their team quietly work from home whilst others are required to come into the office will inevitably create tension between employees. Pair this with the element of secrecy that is rooted in ‘hushed hybrid’, and you create a recipe that could result in a workplace culture which becomes ‘toxic’.

In addition to this, ‘hushed hybrid’ also plays a role in the widening the gap between policy and practice, which should be a huge ‘red flag’ for HR as, if RTO policies are not being followed by managers, it raises alarms of what other policies are being flouted or simply ignored.

All of this risks a collapse of trust across the organization.

Instead, middle managers need to feel that they can openly and honestly communicate with their leaders to give feedback on policies that don’t seem to be working well.

We have all seen the problems with the rise of these ‘quiet’ trends since the pandemic ended, so it’s important for employers to break the cycle of these hushed practices by fostering a culture of openness and honesty so that they can enhance their workplace culture and become an employer of choice.

If you would like to discuss how we can help coach your leaders in communication, as well as foster a culture of openness in your workplace, please get in touch with us today, or book in an hour with one of our experienced HR practitioners through our confidential online consultation service OrgShakers CL!CK.