Ethical Hiring Practices
Ethical Hiring Practices: Building a Robust Workforce in the Modern Employment Era
By Staci Hegarty, M.Ed., COO
The job vacancy rate in the US is currently 5.4%, higher than the average of 3.55%. Unemployment is at a nearly 50 year low, at 3.7%, By 2030, all Baby Boomers will have reached the traditional retirement age of 65, leaving more job vacancies. Organizations are struggling to fill existing vacancies, especially in healthcare and technology https://www.bls.gov/ooh/most-new-jobs.htm. To fill critical roles, it may be tempting to rush through the hiring process or even cut corners to ensure adequate staffing levels.
Ethical hiring practices not only lead to increased job performance, but also to greater employee satisfaction and retention. Every company wants to believe that they are honest and transparent when hiring and onboarding a new employee, yet some employees feel that they were not provided with all the information they needed to make a good decision about accepting an offer.
Transparency
It starts with transparency. Over time, job descriptions and the actual job function may become very different. It is necessary to update job descriptions regularly, with a thorough evaluation prior to posting the job vacancy. If the role has been filled by a long-term employee, it is entirely possible that the former employee was doing a lot of tasks that are not outlined in the job description. Sometimes companies may determine that the role should now be split into two separate jobs, rather than trying to find someone new with a broader skill set. Letting a potential applicant know all the expectations will save time and frustration for everyone. Resist the urge to let the sentence “Miscellaneous duties as assigned” do too much heavy lifting in your job descriptions.
Recognize who is “missing from the table.” There is a lot of discussion now about “hiring quotas for diversity.” This is not the same thing as mindful hiring. Recognizing that certain voices are missing from your organization should not result in a quota mindset, but it may encourage your company to expand or change current recruiting practices to increase the diversity of the candidate pool.
Candidate Sourcing
Be proactive in your sourcing of candidates. It is tempting to let technology do the initial screening, and many organizations assume that AI will filter out any human biases. Research shows that because AI uses human input, those biases can remain. Decide at what point in the process humans will be involved in reviewing resumes. If you are looking for greater diversity, it may take a more hands-on effort that requires humans to be involved from the beginning.
Determine the urgency of each hire. Some roles play a more integral part in the day-to-day operations than others. Replacing a salesperson on a team of 50 may not have the same urgency as replacing a staff account on a team of three. This will help your talent acquisition department know where to focus their energies or even bring in an outside recruiting agency.
The Interview Process
Formalize your interview process. Use a standard set of questions for every candidate. Consider forming an interview panel that consists of people from different departments and roles. Make the panel as diverse as possible, not just in race, gender, and age, but also in time with company. Each person will bring their own lived experience to the interview, which will lead to greater insights for both the company and the candidate.
Share your timeline and keep the candidate updated on their status. Whether you are looking to hire in the next month or the next three months, it’s important to let the candidate know what to expect. Even if your projected start date is a few months out, that does not necessarily mean you will lose the candidate if you keep them updated on their status. If you tell the candidate you will be making a decision quickly, give them a date to expect a decision. Do not “ghost” a candidate if you do not plan to proceed with them! Most people would prefer an honest answer so that they can move on with other options. Honesty says a lot about your organization, even if the candidate is disappointed in the outcome of the interview.
Your company’s reputation is more than your marketing campaign. Your hiring process tells potential future employees, and possibly future customers, a lot about your organization. Honesty, transparency, and consistent communication are markers of integrity. A candidate may not get the job, but they will still tell people about the good experience they had during the process. Word of mouth can go a long way in building a reputation outside of your branding.
Contact Envision RISE for more information about how we can assist in building and maintaining efficient and ethical hiring practices and processes.
Our evolutionary platform helps companies create a powerful integration and understanding of the relationship between the organization and the workforce. Envision RISE empowers your people to drive continual change and innovation through effective strategy and transformation.
The Blueprint for Successful Mentorship Programs
The Blueprint for Successful Mentorship Programs in the Workplace
By Staci Hegarty, M.Ed.
Mentorship has long been touted as one of the most effective ways to not only improve employee retention and engagement, but also to create a diverse and expansive pool of internal candidates for future roles. Yet many organizations abandon their efforts at mentorship programs due to a perceived lack of positive outcomes. Giving up on mentorship tells employees that the company is either not invested in their growth and development or does not have the expertise to nurture employee development. In short, it tells employees they would rather hire someone from the outside than work to upskill their existing workforce. Here we outline a blueprint for mentorship to help guide the way.
Creating and executing a mentorship program requires planning and hands-on project management.
Too often it is assumed that the program can “run itself” because mentors are already proficient at their jobs and mentees have already shown high potential. Excelling at a specific job does not always translate into excelling at being part of a mentoring pair. That is like expecting the top salesperson to become a stellar sales manager without training.
It is critical that the desired outcomes and expectations for the mentorship program are clearly established from the beginning. These goals and aims should not come from one person or department, but from a cross-section of departments and roles across the organization. Once the desired outcomes are established, ensure that there are adequate resources available to achieve those goals. This is not just financial resources, but time and talent resources to start, monitor, and maintain the program. If no one is available to lead the program, consider obtaining assistance from a third party. Organizations such as Envision RISE have experts who can take on this responsibility instead of delegating the work internally.
Mindful Pairing: Building Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationships
Be mindful in how you pair mentors and mentees. Avoid pairing people who already have a reporting relationship, otherwise mentorship will devolve into mere training on departmental tasks. Mentorship is about providing professional growth, not remediation or creating an informal management role within a particular department. Leadership succession planning may include the idea of future promotion within the department and may be included as a specific learning opportunity for the mentee within the larger scope of the mentoring program.
Equipping Leaders for Effective Guidance
Train your mentors. Do not assume that someone knows how to be a mentor, even if they are already in a leadership role. Clearly delineate the scope of the program, expectations for time invested each week, and provide a roadmap for topics and deliverables.
Set expectations with the mentees. They need to be an active participant in the mentoring relationship. This may mean they need assistance in learning to clearly communicate their needs, accepting feedback, and building their skill set.
Consistent Progress Monitoring: The Key to Successful Mentorship Programs
Monitor progress frequently. Mentoring programs are not “set and forget”. It requires consistent monitoring and feedback. For example, it may become clear early on that a particular pairing is not working as intended. With open communication, this will be caught early and adjustments can be made to the pairing so that both the mentor and mentee have a good experience.
Stick to your timeline. The program should begin and end on specific dates. Allowing the formal mentoring relationship to drag on will result in complacency for both parties. Extensions to the program can be made if there are good reasons, such as one of the pair being out on extended leave.
Undertaking Mentorship Programs with Care
Continue to follow the mentee cohort throughout their tenure with the organization. When the formal mentoring ends, informal mentoring and sponsorship should take its place. Not every mentee will become a sponsee/protégé, which does not mean they are not an asset to the company. Tracking their career progression will provide data to help assess the effectiveness of the program.
Mentorship programs should not be undertaken lightly. When done well, these programs encourage growth and innovation, and may be a source of previously unrecognized potential. Envision RISE can help craft a mentorship program that fits the needs of your organization. For more information, contact Staci Hegarty at staci@envisionrise.com.
Adapting to Thrive: A Strategic Roadmap for Organizational Resilience in 2024
Adapting to Thrive
A Strategic Roadmap for Organizational Resilience in 2024
By Staci Hegarty, M.Ed.
In today’s dynamic business landscape, where constant change is the norm, organizations must adapt to stay competitive and relevant. However, 50% of change initiatives result in failure, with only a 34% success rate. The critical factor for their success lies in their ability to assess and manage change effectively. As we approach the end of the year, now is the time to complete a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s state in 2023 in order to craft a strategic roadmap for 2024. By examining a range of key components, we are able to determine whether the intended objectives were met and if any unexpected consequences occurred.
This assessment should encompass various critical dimensions and offer a strategic roadmap for tangible results:
Year-End Review
Gather Employee Feedback
Understanding the perceptions and concerns of employees who experienced the changes is vital. Asana shares a great article on gathering feedback through surveys, interviews, or focus groups offers insights into how employees have experienced and adapted to these changes. Envision RISE offers these services in-depth with an implementation plan.
Document Lessons Learned
Document lessons learned from the change management process. This provides invaluable insights into what went well and where improvements are needed and serves as a foundation for refining future change management strategies.
Review Communication Strategies
The clarity and frequency of communication regarding changes play a pivotal role in change management. Review internal communication channels and tools to help assess the effectiveness of keeping employees informed. This article shares the elements of effective employee communication.
Review Resources and Budget
Review the allocation of resources and budget for change management to ensure that adequate support is available for future change efforts.
Celebrate Successes
Last but not least, acknowledge and celebrate successes and milestones achieved through the change management efforts. This fosters a culture of appreciation and motivation.
A Strategic Roadmap for 2024
The data from the comprehensive assessment acts as the cornerstone for a strategic roadmap, encompassing employee feedback, lessons learned, and communication strategies for organizational adaptability and success. Subsequently, focusing on aligning changes with culture and values, gauging overall change readiness, and evaluating training effectiveness ensures a smooth transition. Future planning, technology assessment, legal compliance, and benchmarking contribute to a holistic approach in steering the organization towards its goals.
Culture and Values
Ensure that changes align with the organization’s culture and value to maintaining a harmonious workplace environment.
Change Readiness
It’s essential to understand the overall readiness of the organization for change. Identifying areas where additional assessments and preparations are needed ensures a smoother transition during future changes.
Training and Development
Evaluate the effectiveness of training and development programs for employees affected by changes so they have the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt successfully to the evolving organizational landscape. Envision RISE provides a series of online professional and personal development courses in the RISE Academy.
Future Planning
Develop a plan for strategic change for the upcoming year that involves identifying goals, assessing required change management efforts, and creating a roadmap for managing change. Consider a process and procedure review.
Technology and Tools
Evaluate the technology and tools used to support change initiatives. Consider upgrades or changes to better facilitate future changes.
Legal and Compliance
Confirm that changes comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Reviewing any legal challenges or compliance issues that arose during the year helps mitigate risks.
Benchmarking
Compare the organization’s efforts with industry best practices and benchmarks for identifying areas of improvement and maintaining a competitive edge. Indeed shares a thorough guide on benchmarking.
As the year concludes, it’s an opportune moment for a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s 2023 journey, deciphering key components for goal realization and uncovering unexpected consequences. This holistic evaluation lays the foundation for a strategic roadmap, encompassing crucial elements like employee feedback, lessons learned, and communication strategies. Ultimately, this assessment serves not just as a reflective tool but as a forward-looking roadmap, steering organizations through the evolving business landscape with adaptability and resilience in the face of change. For those seeking effective implementation, Envision RISE is a trusted partner to assist on this transformative journey.
Workforce Training: What is it and Why Does it Matter?
Workforce Training: What is it and Why Does it Matter?
Sara Skidmore, Envision RISE
Change and growth are a part of every organization. That is especially true today, where young employees are changing jobs more than their predecessors ever did and workforces are becoming increasingly more diverse. So how do organizations adapt to these changes and maintain a competitive advantage? The answer lies in well-designed and ongoing workforce training.
The Benefits of Workforce Training
There are numerous benefits of making workforce training an ongoing part of your organizational strategy. Below are just a few.
Talent Acquisition
Self-improvement is an important part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. We all need to feel that we are being challenged and reaching our potential. For most people, personal and professional development are distinct but intertwined experiences. When we are given opportunities for professional development, we usually grow personally as well.
Today’s employees are seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth. Acquiring new skills gives employees a sense of accomplishment and makes them feel confident in their roles. This, in turn, increases job satisfaction. Offering well-designed and ongoing training opportunities makes organizations attractive to job-seekers, giving them a distinct competitive advantage when it comes to talent acquisition.
Enhance Team Productivity and Collaboration
Among recent changes in workforce dynamics is an increased use of teams. The vast majority of employees today work in teams. Working in teams comes with numerous benefits, but it is not always easy. Team members must learn to communicate effectively, work with people who differ drastically from themselves, provide and receive feedback, and collaborate with one another to bolster creativity and innovation. Consistent workforce training can help.
Training benefits teams in several ways. It helps employees be on the same page when it comes to organizational policies, procedures, and strategic goals. If done correctly, training can improve workplace culture and climate and help build employee relationships. As a result, teams are able to communicate more effectively and resolve conflict. They become more engaged and collaborative. In other words, well-trained teams are effective teams.
Succession Planning
Organizations that don’t plan ahead suffer. An important part of strategic planning is identifying strategic goals and the roles that are needed to accomplish those goals. Effective succession planning ensures those roles will always be filled by competent employees. Preparing employees to have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to fill leadership roles should be an ongoing process in every organization. Workforce development and training programs equip current employees with knowledge and skills needed for successful leadership.
Sustained Organizational Change
Organizational change doesn’t happen overnight. A structured and consistent approach to change is more likely to have lasting results.
Workforce training is a way to get everyone – employees, teams, and managers – involved in the change process. It educates employees about the importance of the change, their role in making the change happen, and it helps them understand the organization’s vision. When employees understand these things, they become more engaged in the change process. An engaged workforce is more likely to bring about lasting change.
Implementing Ongoing Training in Your Organization
Organizational problems are inevitable. Don’t assume your workforce is already equipped with the knowledge needed to manage these problems. Get ahead of the problem. Prepare your workforce to face problems head-on by implementing a well-designed and ongoing training program.
Hiring workforce development professionals is a good place to start. Workforce development professionals work with organizations to develop organizational goals and objectives and come up with tailored training plans to help accomplish those goals. They can help prepare workforces to grow professionally, work effectively on teams, manage problems, and acquire leadership potential. Contact Envision RISE for more information on how to help your organization implement training programs that result in lasting change. Visit our Training page to learn about the RISE Academy, which makes learning accessible and impactful by bringing together exclusive industry certifications and accredited courseware under one innovative platform with self-assessments, self-reflection exercises, course workbooks, and training progress report cards.
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/workplace-diversity-retention-recruitment-race-ethnicity-age/
https://emeritus.org/blog/benefits-of-team-training-in-the-workplace/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/change-management-training
Beyond Awareness: Harnessing the Benefits of a Neurodiverse Workforce
Beyond Awareness: Harnessing the Benefits of a Neurodiverse Workforce
Sara Skidmore, Envision RISE
American organizations are facing unprecedented changes in employee demographics. Within these demographic changes is an increase in employees with neurodivergent conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, social anxiety, and others. Given that 15-20% of individuals have neurodivergent conditions, it should come as no surprise that organizations are becoming increasingly more neurodiverse.
Benefits of Neurodiversity
There are numerous organizational benefits of a neurodiverse workforce. One benefit is that it drives innovation. From Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to Emma Watson and Tim Burton, some of the world’s best innovators have neurodivergent conditions. Having a workforce with diverse ways of processing information reduces groupthink and drives innovation, giving neurodiverse organizations a competitive advantage over their competitors.
Another benefit is that neurodiverse-inclusive policies and practices can boost company culture. In a Microsoft study of 31,000 employees in 31 countries, employees rated having a “positive culture” as one of the most important factors they look for in a job. Organizations that want to attract and retain top talent must foster cultures of inclusivity for all employees, including those in the neurodivergent community.
Promoting Neurodiverse Inclusiveness
So, how can you promote inclusiveness in your workplace so that you can harness the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce? Below are a few ways to ensure neurodiversity initiatives are a key part of your organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
- Begin with examining current neurodiverse inclusivity practices. Understanding your current baseline can guide neurodiversity objectives and goals.
- Consider nontraditional selection practices. For example, non-conventional interview settings and specific (as opposed to general) cognitive ability tests can help organizations identify qualified candidates with neurodiverse conditions.
- Incorporate accommodations for neurodiverse individuals. These can include flexible work hours, breaks between meetings, and areas with reduced noise and lighting.
- Hold training sessions that help managers and employees understand their role in promoting inclusivity.
Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever. Understanding how to harness the benefits of a diverse workforce is a necessary component of thriving organizations. Prioritizing neurodiversity is just one way organizations can harness those benefits and gain a competitive advantage. Contact Envision RISE for information on how to make neurodiversity initiatives a key part of your DEI practices.
Travis Shumake to Honor Father's Upset Win with Tribute Car at Auto Club Finals
TRAVIS SHUMAKE TO HONOR FATHER’S UPSET WIN WITH TRIBUTE CAR AT AUTO CLUB FINALS
NEW YORK, NY (November 7, 2022) — 40 years after his father Tripp’s upset Funny Car win at the 1982 World Finals, Travis Shumake will return to southern California with the same goal. In 1982, the elder Shumake was brought in by Funny Car legend Billy Meyer as a “blocker” to defeat championship contenders Don Prudhomme & Frank Hawley. The single-race deal and Cinderella story ended with Shumake in the finals against Kenny Bernstein after taking out both Hawley and Prudhomme earlier in the day at what would be the last World Finals held at the famed Orange County International Raceway. This weekend at the Auto Club NHRA Finals, Shumake wraps up a successful debut season racing the Randy Meyers owned and tuned Top Alcohol Dragster with the support of Envision RISE, an evolutionary platform that utilizes Organizational Change Management (OCM), Human Resource Management (HRM), and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) to create a powerful integration and understanding between organizations and their workforce.
“Our partnership with Travis has created a direct path for us to connect in a unique way with the NHRA fan base and our clients,” said Envision RISE’s founder and CEO, Joseph Anderson. “Travis has been a huge supporter of our mission and has worked hard to demonstrate his commitment to becoming a top NHRA driver and an advocate for opportunity derived from hard work and respect.”
The second-generation driver will be channeling the spirit of his popular father and the surprise success of his 1982 win with a throwback paint scheme, helmet, and crew uniforms.
“I grew up watching a VHS of my dad’s magical day at World Finals. I still watch it. Regularly. I’m just as proud of his other wins and accomplishments like being in both the Cragar Five-Second Club and the 250 MPH Club but having the TV coverage and interviews make this race special. He’s been gone 23 years this Sunday and his finish line interview with Steve Evans is the only place I can go to hear his voice. I get to hear him, see him, and now I’m hoping my own finish line interview with Amanda Busick. Makes the hairs stand up on my neck.”
“I’m not just here to honor my dad, I’m here to win and wouldn’t mind facing off with one of the drivers in the hunt for the championship. We’ve got the car. Between me, Hunter (Green), Fiona (Crisp), and Matt (Sackman), this Randy Meyer “team B” car has been turning on win lights all season long. If the points stayed with the car this beast would be deep in the points battle.
Shumake grabbed a top 3 qualifying spot in Charlotte and posting a career best semi-final finish at historic Maple Grove Raceway where he won the first two rounds on impressive hole shots. This weekend’s Auto Club Finals will be his 4th national event and a chance for the New York City resident to close out his season on a high note and carry momentum into the off-season as he looks to expand his racing schedule in 2023.
“I’m chasing funding for 2023 just like everyone else but am starting to get excited about the future.” Said Shumake. “Right now I’m just enjoying the opportunity to learn from Randy and drive alongside Julie (Naatas). Add all the marketing help I’ve gotten from Megan (Meyer) into that mix, and you quickly realize I’ve been training under the best in the business all season long. I hope bringing big names like Sheetz and Envision Rise into the sport shows folks I am serious, committed, and certainly no flash in the pan.”
Shumake and the Envision RISE Top Alcohol Dragster will be on track twice on Thursday, November 10, running at 1:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and teams will get a final qualifying run Friday at 2 p.m. Saturday will begin Shumake’s quest for victory with the first round of eliminations at 10:15 a.m.
About Envision RISE
Envision RISE was founded as a modern workforce development platform to create a non-divisive integration and understanding of the relationship between the needs of an organization and the requirements of the actual workforce. The platform provides a voice to the individual and a framework critical to long-term business sustainability.