Statistically, most of us will have a furry friend waiting for us at home; over half of UK adults and a whopping 66% of US households own a pet of some kind!

It’s very common for our pets to hold a special place in our heart, as they are considered just as important of a family member as anyone else. However, if an employee’s child were to fall ill or be in need, most employers would insist that they go and attend to them…but this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to pets.

There is a bit of a grey area around the sudden need to have to care for any animal, as they don’t quite fall into the same category as needing to care for a family member…from a technical perspective. But from an emotional perspective, most employees would want to be able to care for their animals’ wellbeing, but it’s more than likely they wouldn’t be afforded the same leniency with paid time off (PTO) to do this.

Until now?

A new bill has recently been proposed in New York which updates the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act to allow workers to use sick leave to care for certain animals. If the bill were to go through, employees would be able to take time off for a “companion or service animal that needs medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a physical illness, injury or health condition”.  

The proposition of this update stems from the fact that pets are able to significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as lower blood pressure. They can also provide emotional support and a sense of purpose, and so naturally if our pet were to become unwell, an owner would become distressed. This emotional strain can then easily begin to spill over into one’s working life, which will ultimately lead to an impact on focus, productivity, and general wellbeing.

However, there is some division when it comes to the popularity of introducing such a policy; People Management conducted a LinkedIn poll which found that 55% of respondents were in favor of this policy but 45% were opposed, highlighting a significant divide.

In some ways, it might be strange to consider offering PTO to care for pets in the UK when only recently was the Carer’s Leave Act introduced, allowing employees to take up to a week of unpaid leave off to care for a member of their family. If at the moment only unpaid leave is being offered to care for an elderly or unwell family member, than it may seem like a jump to be offering paid leave to attend to a pet.

Or is it simply time for employers to be offering paid leave for both? With some states like New York offering ‘Paid Family Leave’ to care for an elderly parent with a serious health condition, and considering offering PTO for the care of sickly pets, is New York leading the way in understanding what employees need and what would attract them to a workplace?

We will have to wait and see.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?
And how close have you come to achieving that dream?

If your answer is “nowhere near” you’re not alone! In fact, only one in ten Americans say they are working their ‘dream job’.

This reality gives rise to frequent “if only…” moments for employees. “If only I’d stuck with that course.” “If only I’d studied for a different degree.” “If only I’d chosen that career path instead of this one.” The list goes on.

Research has found that a whopping 94% of employees regularly think about these alternate paths, with only 6% claiming they never or almost never entertain these thoughts. Indeed 21% of workers reported that they have these “if only” thoughts “often” or “almost always”!

And this is having a direct impact on business performance, as these employees tend to be more distracted, daydream more frequently, take breaks and days off more often, are less engaged, and are more likely to be searching for other jobs.

In today’s world, it’s easy to fall victim to this spiral of thoughts due to the multitude of choices we constantly face. LinkedIn’s Easy Apply option, for example, makes speculative applications for a new role simple and undemanding.

This may be a great way for an individual to scratch their “if only” itch, but it has driven a surge in the ‘apply anyway’ trend, with a 2023 report finding 73% of recruiters reporting a lack of qualified applicants for roles as the biggest challenge in the hiring process.

Given all of the above, it crucial for employers to address and redirect these “if only” thoughts into creative and innovative outputs. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Recognition: Acknowledging employee contributions is essential for boosting engagement. Quantum Workplace conducted research which discovered that when employees believe management will recognize their efforts, they are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged.  By regularly reminding employees of their value to the company and demonstrating how their work directly contributes to the business’s success, employers can reaffirm that their job matters and the choices leading them there were meaningful.

• Role Flexibility: Creating opportunities for ‘job crafting’ is an effective way to diminish “if only” feelings. Allowing employees to innovate within their roles and incorporate personal passions fosters fulfillment. Managers should strive to understand their employees’ talents and interests, finding creative ways to integrate these elements into their work. This approach helps align an employee’s identity with their job, reigniting their engagement and commitment.

• Internal Locus of Control: In psychology, individuals with a high internal locus of control  believe they have significant control over their behavior and view outcomes as a result of their actions rather than external factors. Coaching employees to develop this mindset can help them respond productively to “if only” thinking. When employees feel empowered and responsible for their successes, they are less likely to be distracted by past choices and more focused on their current roles.

It’s natural for employees to occasionally wonder about alternate career paths. While harmless reflection can be beneficial, those who find themselves stuck in the past may need support to move forward. HR practitioners play a vital role in guiding employees through these thoughts and helping them find purpose and engagement in their current roles.

If you would like to discuss how we can help improve your employee engagement levels by optimizing the wonderment of “if only”, please get in touch with us.

Together, we can transform these reflections into productive and fulfilling experiences for your workforce.

OK, so what do you think the office is really for?

What was once seen as a logical and efficient way of working has now been brought into question by the “work-from-home” / “return-to-office” tug-of-war which has broken out between employees and business leaders in many organizations.

So, to work out where we’re going – we first need to rewind.

From the 15th-century scriptoriums of medieval monks to the modern skyscrapers dotting urban landscapes, the ‘office’ has always been in a shifting state with innovations like artificial light, telephones, typewriters, elevators, and computers progressively reshaping the working environment.

Then came the lockdown. An abrupt shift that turned traditional office dynamics upside down. Those able to work from home found their productivity and job satisfaction often increased. Today, nine in ten jobseekers say hybrid work is now as important as financial benefits.

This shift challenges employers to rethink how office spaces can boost productivity while supporting employee well-being in remote settings. The strategy for this transformation focuses on policy, place, and purposeful leadership:

• Policy: Clear and well-communicated hybrid and remote work policies are essential. Define when employees need to be in the office and when they have the flexibility to choose. Transparency in policy-making fosters trust and loyalty.
• Place: Office space must cater to diverse needs. Some employees may need a quiet workspace every day, while others might prefer the office for collaborative tasks only once a week. Whether it’s a Superdesk for collaboration or cubicles for concentration, the office should accommodate various working styles.
  But beware! There is no ‘best way’ to do it – a recent study found that actively trying to make creative office spaces could be stifling creativity, whilst another discovered that changing from cubicles to open-plan saw a 70% drop in face-to-face interactions!
• Purposeful Leaders: Leaders play a crucial role in implementing these policies and ensuring the office space delivers value. Effective leaders highlight the benefits of coming to the office, promoting collaboration, and enhancing company culture. This can transform the office from a chore to a place employees are excited to be.

Employers must recognize the benefits of hybrid and remote work, leveraging these models to optimize productivity rather than viewing them as obstacles. The purpose of the office is evolving, and it’s time to lead this change.

We are here to help you navigate this transformation, optimizing organizational effectiveness in hybrid work, crafting policies, and coaching leaders to meet your company’s unique needs and those of your workforce. So, to continue this conversation, you can either head over to our contact page, or reach out to me directly at andy@orgshakers.com

The HR world has been known to love a buzzword – ‘quiet quitting’ immediately springs to mind as one from the previous years that has loomed particularly large.

And whilst buzzwords are inherently designed to be catchy, memorable phrases, they also signify potential issues that employees are having and help guide employers in the direction of identifying the root cause of these issues and correcting them.

So, in that spirit, let’s take a look back at some of the new, popular buzzwords and phrases that emerged in the last year, and see which of these may still be something for employers to look out for as we head into the bulk of 2025:

• Hushed Hybrid – many companies were issuing return to office mandates over the course of 2024, and this consequently saw the emergence of ‘hushed hybrid’. This is when, despite company policy, managers would continue to quietly allow some employees to continue working from home or working flexibly. The debate between working from home and working in office has been ongoing ever since lockdown was lifted, so it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume that this topic may continue to be prevalent this year.
• Quiet Vacationing – 37% of millennial workers admitted to ‘quiet vacationing’ in 2024 – that is, taking time off work without telling their managers under the guise of working remotely. However, whilst this sounds like millennial workers slacking off from work and using the autonomy of remote working to do so, there may actually be a deeper reason behind the emergence of this trend. Most notable, millennial employees tend to be the ones who have school-aged children/elderly parents to care for, so is ‘quiet vacationing’ happening in response to a lack of flexible working arrangements being offered?
• Workation – in contrast to quiet vacationing, a workation acts as a combination of ‘work’ and ‘vacation’ and is defined as taking a break from the work environment but not the work itself. This has emerged as an innovative way to seize the benefits of remote working and the fluidity of working across time zones, as now employees can work remotely during the day and then enjoy the fruits of a vacation in the evening. However, does this work for all employers? And should employees have to disclose whether they are on a workation?
• Coffee Badging – it may sound a bit strange, but ‘coffee badging’ is when an employee comes into the office very briefly, taps in with their identity card, then grabs a coffee and mingles with colleagues for a short stint before leaving to work the rest of the day from home. It’s a presenteeism cheat sheet in the face of the increased return to office mandates, and further highlights (much like hushed hybrid!) that the conversation around in-office working and remote working is still very much an ongoing one.
• Resenteeism – a new term that has emerged which was coined by RotaCloud, ‘resenteeism’ describes an employee who remains in their current job despite being overtly unhappy there and resenting the environment they work in. This trend has emerged because of the cost-of-living crisis, as with the economic uncertainty that this has brought, employees have become less willing to sacrifice the security of their current job despite their rising resentment. 

As we can see, there is some clear overlap in the above buzzwords and what may have ignited their creation, and it is also clear that many of the catalysts for these catchy phrases are still issues that employers are grappling with today…so, if you would like to discuss the causes surrounding these trends and how we can help manage them, please get in touch with us today!

Or, if you would prefer to have a chat with one of our experienced HR professionals immediately, you can now book in an hour slot with an OrgShaker of your choosing to discuss anything and everything to do with HR, where we can offer you immediate advice and strategies right there and then. To find out more, head over to the OrgShakers CL!CK page on our website.

The New Year is always a time for reflection, and more often than not, this can lead to us reevaluating what things have been bringing us purpose in our life and where in our lives this purpose can be found. This is where The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization by Dan Pontefract comes into play.

Dan is a leadership and culture change strategist, a keynote speaker with over two decades of experience at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects, and an author to a number of bestselling books.

In his book The Purpose Effect, Dan combines his years of experience with swathes of research on employee engagement to create a work about the three crucial areas of purpose that result in the Purpose Effect: individual, workplace role, and organizational. 

Purpose-driven organizations focus on more than just profits. They align personal, organizational, and role-based purposes, benefiting both employees and society. When these elements align, employees feel fulfilled and engaged, contributing towards better work. If there is a mismatch between an employee’s personal purpose and the organization’s goals, it can ultimately lead to dissatisfaction.

This is where the Purpose Effect comes in, and it arises from three main factors:

1. Personal Sense of Purpose: Employees need to have a motivating purpose. This involves growth, defining life goals, and maintaining ethical behavior. Employees should be continually asking themselves how they are evolving and how they want to be perceived at work.
2. Organizational Purpose: This defines why the company exists. It reflects the company’s principles, ethics, culture, and commitment to fair practices. Fair compensation, performance management, and recognition are essential for aligning employees with a company’s purpose.
3. Role-Based Purpose: Each employee’s role must align with their personal and organizational purpose. When employees see their work as a ‘calling’, they are more likely to engage with said work.

Dan’s book teaches employers how they can find what he dubs the ‘sweet spot’ – this is the intersection of personal, organizational, and role purposes. By achieving this alignment, leaders will be able to foster a community spirit within the organization that will lead to a more productive, motivated workforce, as a company without a clear purpose may struggle to attract and retain top talent.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement the best strategies to achieve the Purpose Effect, please get in touch with us today!

In the meantime, be sure to grab a copy of The Purpose Effect – you can head over here for the US and here for the UK.

Last year, we asked the OrgShakers team what practices and ideologies they thought employers should be leaving behind as they ventured into the New Year.

Now, as another year comes to a close, we wanted to see what they believe should be left behind in 2024 in order to help propel sustainability and growth in the year to come:

• Our Founder David Fairhurst believes that the end of the year is a great time for HR leaders to be considering their key areas of focus for 2025, and this includes looking at what practices should be left behind in order to foster more innovative, inclusive, and employee-centric workplaces. This could be done by adopting outcome-centered models of managing performance, or placing a greater focus on strategic workforce planning to ensure the workforce is a future fit, or even looking into comprehensive wellbeing strategies to avoid employee burnout, to name a few. But what’s important to remember when looking at new practices is to be realistic, and this can be done by thinking of HR strategic objectives on three levels:
  • What are the basics that need to be maintained?
  • What are the areas that must continuously improve?
  • What are the big moves we need to focus on which will offer a transformative impact?
• Anya Clitheroe would like to stop hearing managers complaining about the Gen Z workforce! This year she has heard so many managers making the blanket statement that Gen Z have been spoilt and they don’t want to work hard or that they don’t show any initiative. Instead, Anya would like them to find a way to engage the younger workforce in a way that interests them. Have they clearly communicated ways of working expectations, and have they found out what does motivate them? At the very least, they need to see that not every Gen Z can be identical in their workstyle preferences!
• Speaking of leaders, Marty Belle believes that employers should leave behind rigidity and paternalistic leadership operating styles. These areas of inflexibility include enforcing Return to Work practices in cases where remote workers are more productive, or only offering fixed work schedules without taking into consideration some workers may not be morning people and would choose to work mid-day rather than early morning. Additionally, more flexible scheduling would accommodate childcare needs and parental involvement in their children’s extracurricular activities.
• Building on this, Lauren Kincaid believes that employers should be leaving behind a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to employment policies and employee benefits. The more personalized the employment experience, the more seen, heard and valued an employee feels, resulting in better employee engagement, loyalty and performance.
• Echoing Marty’s sentiment of rigidity, Sayid Hussein also believes employers should leave behind in 2024 a “9-to-5, in-office only” mentality. With advancements in technology and changing workforce dynamics, it’s time to embrace flexible working arrangements that prioritize outcomes over hours. Trusting employees to manage their time fosters creativity, improves retention, and acknowledges the diverse realities of modern life.
• Speaking of mindsets, Karen Cerrato believes that employers should be leaving behind short-term thinking. Whether at a corporate level or a management level, if we want longevity out of our employees, Kanen believes that need to start thinking strategically and long term. The days of people staying in a job for 10 yrs + “just because”, are long gone; we need to give them a reason to want to stay:  
  • Reactive decision-making: Shift toward proactive strategies that prioritize long-term growth and stability.
  • Underinvestment in talent: Invest in professional development and career growth opportunities for employees.
  • Top-down communication only: Foster two-way communication to engage employees and encourage innovation.
• Amanda Holland believes that employers need to be conducting their final Covid pandemic clean up: it’s time to finish assessing any processes or procedures developed specifically during the pandemic. Operationalize any efficiencies your company will be keeping by ensuring the language is up-to-date and free from pandemic references. Eliminate those policies, processes, and procedures that are no longer needed or applicable.
• Ken Merritt believes that employers should be leaving behind ‘reluctance’. Several companies have been slow to hire and fast to retire because there has been a ‘cloud of reluctance’ hanging over the economy since 2022 – it’s time for employers to be leaving that behind for good in 2024.
• Therese Procter knows that 2024 has been a very challenging year, with the key topics of remote working, political uncertainty, and the skills gap taking many of the highlight spots. But an area that she believes is often pushed down the agenda (whether this be due to the amount of effort and/or cost it requires) is mental and financial wellbeing. That’s why she believes that employers should be leaving behind poor and ineffective mental health support strategies and programs that are outdated and not fit for purpose, and instead take on a fresh approach to wellbeing this new year that better supports mental and financial aspects of life.

If you would like to get in touch with us about any of the points raised by our team, or if you have a different concerns that you were hoping to leave in 2024 and need assistance in shedding it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!

Equally, if you want some on-demand advice and strategies, why not book in a 1-hour private consultation with one of our seasoned HR professionals? Take a look at our OrgShakers CL!CK service for more details!

From all of us at OrgShakers, we wish you a happy and prosperous New Year!

For a whole host of reasons, this time of year can be challenging for some. Because while most of us will be making merry, others will be experiencing a very different set of emotions.

One prominent issue is loneliness. The festive season, especially Christmas, emphasizes inclusiveness and togetherness, can be a stark reminder for some of their own lack of company.

For those with fractured family relationships or who have lost loved ones, the holidays symbolize family, making it hard not to feel isolated. Research conducted by Mind confirms this, with over one-third of people (36%) being too embarrassed to admit they are lonely at Christmas time.

Others may struggle with religious trauma. This time of year can be challenging for those who have been brought up in strict religious households but have been on a journey of faith deconstruction into their adulthood. Being forced to take part in religious-based traditions in order to see their family can leave them feeling emotionally drained and can lead to them feeling the need to pull away during this time.

Overall, more than two in five people feel stressed during the holidays and, according to a YouGov survey, just over a quarter say that the Christmas season actually makes their mental health worse. These stresses inevitably affect working life.

So, how can employers offer extra support during the holiday season?

The most important thing is for leaders to actively listen to their people.

When in a managerial role, it can be very easy to fall into the habit of asking closed questions to staff, such as “Do you have any plans for Christmas?”. Nine times out of ten the answer will be ‘yes’ even if that is not the truth, so managers need to take it a step further. Follow up with, “Oh, what are you up to?” – this immediately signals that you are genuinely interested and want to listen, and therefore you are now more likely to receive an honest answer.

Supporting your employees’ wellbeing is challenging – but essential. Even without all the answers, showing you care by asking the right questions can make a significant difference. Taking accountability for your team and being aware of their struggles can create a supportive environment.

A simple gesture, such as sending out a group text or email on Christmas Day could make someone feel that little bit less lonely amongst the festivities – and could be the biggest gift you give to anyone this year.

If you would like to discuss these topics further, please get in touch with us.

With the holiday season now in full swing, many employers will be gearing up to host their holiday staff parties to celebrate a year of hard work and foster some team spirit. And whilst this will likely be a jolly celebration, from an employer’s perspective it requires careful planning and considerations to ensure that employees feel included, remain compliant with workplace policies, and (of course) have fun.

Therefore, we have put together a few Dos and Don’ts to help leaders ensure that they are striking that perfect balance between festive cheer and professionalism so to avoid any HR horror stories in the aftermath…

The Dos –

• Do Consider Inclusivity – while Christmas is widely celebrated, not all employees observe the holiday or share the same traditions, so make sure the event is inclusive of all cultures and beliefs (such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, which are also celebrated in December). If you’re planning a holiday-themed event, consider using terms like ‘festive’ or ‘end-of-year celebration’ rather than strictly ‘Christmas party’. Additionally, when thinking about catering options, ensure that there is a wide variety on offer to accommodate for dietary restrictions (alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, vegetarian, vegan and halal options, etc).
• Do Plan for Transportation – if alcohol will be served at the party, ensure that safe transportation options are on offer. Organizing taxis, ride-sharing services, or providing shuttle buses allows employees to enjoy the event without worrying about driving home afterward, and this helps to mitigate the risk of any drunk driving, reaffirming your company’s commitment to employee safety and well-being.
• Do Set Clear Expectations – be sure to make it known that the event is a social gathering, and therefore employees are expected to maintain a level of professionalism throughout. Set expectations on what is acceptable, especially around alcohol consumption, to avoid any awkward situations or inappropriate behavior.
• Do Recognize Employee Achievements – employees who feel recognized are more engaged and productive than those who don’t, and so a holiday party is an excellent time for employers to acknowledge the hard work of their staff over the last year. A fun way of doing this could be having a mock awards show with small prizes; a small, simple gesture that demonstrates how much they value their staff and what they do.

The Don’ts –

• Don’t Overlook Accessibility Needs – employers want everyone to feel comfortable attending a holiday party, and so it’s crucial that all employees, regardless of any physical or mental disabilities, are able to participate and enjoy the event. This means ensuring that the venue is accessible, with proper accommodations for those who may need them, as well as considering those employees who may have sensory sensitivities if your celebration involves loud music or party lighting.
• Don’t Over-Serve Alcohol – while alcohol can add to the festive atmosphere, it can also lead to problems if overconsumed. It can be a good idea to set a limit on the number of drinks provided or consider offering drink tickets to help control consumption. This helps to remind staff that the ultimate goal of the celebration is to have fun and relax rather than overindulge.
• Don’t Make it Mandatory – it can be tempting to host a big bash and expect everyone to attend, but it’s important to remember to respect employees’ personal lives. Make the event voluntary so that employees don’t feel pressured to attend if they have other commitments or simply don’t feel like socializing. Offering a ‘no-pressure’ environment ensures that people attend because they genuinely want to, not because they feel obligated.
• Don’t Tolerate Inappropriate Behavior – holiday parties can sometimes bring out behaviors that wouldn’t typically occur in the workplace, especially when alcohol is involved. As the host, it’s your responsibility to ensure that no one engages in offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate conduct – this includes addressing any inappropriate jokes, comments, or behaviors immediately.

Hosting a successful work Christmas party is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season and actively show appreciation for your employees. By keeping these dos and don’ts in mind, you can ensure that the event is enjoyable, safe, and inclusive for all employees without compromising company values.

If you would like to discuss how we can help support your HR teams when it comes to arranging a safe, inclusive, and fun holiday party (no matter the season), please get in touch with us today.

Companies that actively support and collaborate with charities are not only contributing positively to the wider community – they are also making a smart business move.

Research has found that those businesses that donate over 0.5% of turnover are twice as likely to experience enhancements in company reputation and are nearly 50% more likely to find it beneficial for recruiting and retaining staff.

Moreover, charity work fosters collaboration and cohesion among employees, breaking down social barriers by providing non-work-related topics for bonding.

Adopting a corporate social responsibility mindset enriches the ‘Social’ component of your ESG agenda and can also support Environmental strategies depending on the charities chosen.

To reap these benefits, employers must effectively engage their teams with the chosen cause.

How can employers achieve this?

Firstly, involve employees in choosing the charities to support. When the supported cause aligns with the company’s mission and values, as well as those of the team, it fosters immediate excitement and engagement. This could include supporting a charity for a cause that has personally impacted staff members. Identifying the mission is the first step, and encouraging employee involvement boosts enthusiasm.

Highlighting charity as a core value during recruitment and onboarding is also effective. This can include offering a set number of volunteer days in benefit packages, allowing employees to volunteer while still being compensated. Involvement in charitable projects during the initial weeks of onboarding can also serve as an icebreaker and assimilation tool.

And, importantly, find ways to make it enjoyable! Collaborate with charities to understand their fundraising methods, such as Race For Life or fun challenges like growing a mustache for Movember.  Whatever the cause – and whatever employees are doing – make an effort to sponsor some (or all!) of your team to take part to actively engage everyone and provide a change from the workplace.

Successfully engaging teams in fundraising and volunteer work provides access to numerous business benefits while contributing positively to society.

If you would like to discuss how we can support your engagement with charities and philanthropy, please get in touch with us today.

Grief is often linked directly to death. Our minds will picture someone who has lost a loved one, thus kickstarting the grief cycle – also known as the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance).

But grief is more insidious than many employers and employees realize. Humans can feel grief for a variety of different reasons; we may grieve after a breakup, the time we wasted,  even knowledge or a skill set that has become outdated.

Just as loss comes in many forms, so does grief, and there are many instances in the workplace that can trigger the grief cycle. For example:

• Loss of a Team Member – Employees today are much more mobile – especially with the mass adoption of remote working. Workers may find themselves grieving the loss of a valued team member who has moved on in their career. Or they may grieve the loss of comradery they experienced when they worked side by side rather than virtually.
• Loss of a Leader – When a company leader moves on or retires, the stages of grief can flare to life. Leaders have a significant impact on a company and on team members. When leaders leave, it can take time to adapt to the workplace without them and employees may experience intense grief. To further complicate the experience, employees may be grieving while simultaneously having to adapt to a new leader.
• Loss of Expertise – Individuals can experience acute grief when the work itself minimizes their hard-earned experience or expertise.  New technology can lead to new skills and knowledge, resulting in a previous expert becoming a novice overnight. Constantly changing mandates, policies, or procedures can also prompt the grief cycle when workers lose their standing as the resident expert or go-to resource in a given field, process, or system.
• Loss of a Role – In-house promotions or job changes can result in compounded grieving. The new role has new responsibilities and requirements, which can emphasize a loss of proficiency. Concurrently, the newly promoted is no longer the go-to person for their previous role. This can manifest grief in those employees who relied on them as a resource. Sometimes, employees will deny the loss by expecting the individual to perform portions of their old job as well as the new role.

Sound familiar? These are just a few examples of the low- to mid-level grief employees can experience in the workplace. And while employees are going through this loss, employers may see an effect on productivity, engagement, and wellbeing. These reactions to loss are rarely recognized as grief behaviors and therefore take longer to understand and process effectively.

Employers who intentionally equip their teams with the mindfulness tools they need to recognize, acknowledge, and process their low-level grief can help employees advance to the ‘acceptance’ stage more efficiently, increasing overall employee wellbeing and engagement. Grief management activities can range from offering workshops around change management and grief in all its forms to actively promoting self-care and emotional intelligence. It’s also important for employers to highlight where employees can voice their concerns, reaffirming the wellbeing support available to the workforce.

It can feel silly to use such a heavy word like grief when talking about grappling with seemingly minor loss and change, but feeling loss is a very normal and common feeling that can have long-term, significant negative impact. Knowing how to recognize and manage grief can be a game changer in the pressure-filled retention and engagement arena. It can be the difference between working through a rough patch and being disrupted by a major roadblock.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build grief management skills and mitigate the effects of loss in the workplace due to change, please get in touch with me at amanda@orgshakers.com

Remote working isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Since the pandemic forced companies to adapt their working styles to adhere to the strict conditions of lockdown, once we returned to normalcy, many employers opted to keep a remote or hybrid approach to work.

However, there have always been productivity concerns – especially from employers – around those employees who do work from home either full- or part-time. And there is some weight behind this concern; the Stanford analysis, which pooled the results of multiple studies, found a 10-20% reduction in productivity amongst those employees working from home.

There are many reasons for this, ranging from childcare demands, household duties, or simply just the ability to remain focused in an environment which was previously considered the antithesis of the workplace. As remote and hybrid working continues to remain popular amongst employees, it can be a great idea for employers who may be noticing a dip in productivity to promote some focus strategies for those working from home:

1. Create a Dedicated Workspace – when working from home, encourage employees to try utilizing a private space to operate from where possible. Whether this be a spare room, their own bedroom, or a different room in their home, it’s good to be able to have physical boundaries in place to distinguish to themselves and others they live with that in this space they are ‘at work’. This can also help prevent the lines between ‘work’ and ‘home’ from blurring too greatly, as it compartmentalizes these two things.
2. Don’t be Afraid to be Flexible – a great tip employers can promote is this idea of asynchronous work. When working from home, employees can be more flexible with their approach to their working hours (albeit within reason of being available for scheduled meetings and so on). This can help chunk the workday when operating remotely, allowing for time to tend to those distractions that may pop up when in the house.
3. Encourage Goal Setting – help employees stay on track by promoting short- and long-term goal setting. This enables tasks to be broken down into smaller, manageable chunks which can reduce the likelihood of procrastination and instead boost motivation.
4. Set Boundaries with Others – employees may be working from home with others in their home, such as a partner or roommates. Either way, the notion of working from home can sometimes be mistaken for ‘being at home’, mistakenly implying you are readily accessible for a chat or a task whenever needed. To avoid this, it’s important for staff to set boundaries with those they share a home workspace with, setting expectations by communicating that during these hours, they are unavailable as they will be working.
5. Foster Connections – 23% of remote workers reported to be suffering from loneliness. Whilst remote work has been received well overall, there are pros and cons to everything, and one major drawback of working remotely for some is the lack of social connection and camaraderie that it offers. This isolation can result in a lack of motivation, which has a domino effect on wellbeing and productivity. Employers can therefore encourage team collaboration through regular virtual meetings, peer check-ins, or accountability partnerships, as feeling connected to colleagues can help to increase engagement and focus and ward off those feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Working from home offers incredible flexibility and convenience, but it also demands intentional strategies to stay focused and productive. By promoting these tips and providing the right resources, employers can empower their remote employees to thrive.

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

1.6% of US adults identify as transgender or nonbinary – and 42% of US adults know somebody who is transgender. In the UK, 0.5% identified as having a gender identity  that differed from their sex registered at birth – around 262,000 individuals.

With such a sizable population, it’s so important for employers to be ensuring that they are building a workplace environment that is inclusive and welcoming of those gender nonconforming staff members. Especially considering McKinsey has discovered that more than half of transgender employees say they are not comfortable being out at work, with two-thirds remaining ‘in the closet’ in professional interactions outside of their own companies.

Transgender employees continue to face systemic barriers in the workplace, and employers must be breaking down these barriers and fostering an environment where trans and nonbinary employees feel safe and included. Here are some things to be considering when building a transgender-inclusive workplace:

• Gender Identity Inclusion Training – education is vital for fostering an inclusive culture. Many people may have questions or hold misconceptions about gender identity, and providing training can improve understanding and empathy across the organization, as well as equip employees with the tools they need to support an inclusive environment. Workshops could include topics such as how to use the correct gender terminology and the best way to approach, discuss, and correct pronouns.
• Establish Clear Policies – establish comprehensive policies that explicitly protect against discrimination based on gender identity and expression. While some companies have overarching anti-discrimination policies, transgender-specific protections may not always be included. Such policies communicate to all employees that the company values and upholds a clear commitment to inclusion.
• Inclusive Facilities – providing access to gender-neutral restrooms and changing facilities can make a significant difference for transgender employees. Where possible, workplaces should offer all-gender restrooms or allow employees to use facilities that align with their gender identity. In addition, ensure that dress codes are gender-neutral and allow all employees to dress comfortably in a way that reflects their identity.
• Trans-Inclusive Health Benefits – healthcare coverage is a critical component of transgender inclusion, as many transgender individuals face significant barriers to accessing gender-affirming care. When employers are designing or reviewing their benefit packages, they can work with insurers to ensure that coverage includes gender-affirming treatment such as hormone therapy and surgeries, as well as mental health services tailored to the needs of transgender individuals.
• Supporting Transitioning Employees – in the instance that an employee decides to begin their transition journey whilst in your employment, it’s important for employers to have a transition plan in place for supporting this employee to ensure the experience is as smooth as possible. This includes offering assistance in updating HR records, identification badges and other relevant information, as well as flexibility with time off or scheduling adjustments to allow for medical appointments and recovery time. It’s also important for employers to be prepared on how to support this employee with telling other colleagues about their transition.

A truly inclusive workplace doesn’t happen overnight, but the positive impact of cultivating such an environment is undeniable. And with the transgender and nonbinary population continuing to grow, it is more important than ever to be ensuring that your workplace is equipped with the tools is needs to support these employees and create a culture that is inclusive to all.

If you would like to discuss how we can help build these inclusion strategies into your business, please get in touch with us today.