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      How Startups Can Create an Unbeatable Culture

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      It’s undeniable that there are many benefits of great work culture, although they can be difficult to pin down as each organization has its own unique mission, history, and personality. Albeit extensive, it’s almost impossible to create a ‘one size fits all’ list.
      A strong team is the driving force of success. In the early days, attracting talented individuals and aligning them all with your company’s ideals is crucial. But just as important as finding a great team is holding onto that talent. There is no point in onboarding a team of great people to just lose them around the corner.
      Almost 40% of job hunters say that a “positive working culture” matters to them, so nurture one, and shout about it.
      According to PwC’s 2021 Global Culture Survey, 72% of business leaders say that culture helps successful business initiatives, and 67% argue that culture is more important than strategy and operations.
      Providing a great working culture and an environment, whether it’s remote, hybrid, or in-person, that staff genuinely want to be part of will make them think twice about looking elsewhere. Being a great place to work is a powerful tool for plucky young companies competing with more established businesses with the capital to offer bigger salaries. It boosts morale, productivity and, perhaps most importantly, builds trust. All of this naturally leads to longer, more fruitful tenures.
      Become unbeatable
      Today’s startups come in all shapes and sizes. Businesses born in the pandemic may have continued with remote working, transitioned to hybrid, or maybe back in office right now. Almost 40% of people now work from home at least once a week, and as the demand grows, startups will have to adapt.
      For remote startups, providing time for people to get together is a great way to break free of work-related Zoom and Teams calls and kick-start real interactions.
      In-person get-togethers naturally build relationships in ways that aren’t always possible virtually. Even though there are costs involved with getting these events together, the bonds forged are priceless, and it still costs much less than having a permanent office space.
      Re-imagining work perks
      Everyone enjoys a work perk, but it’s time to provide benefits that are meaningful. We organized a study asking for the most desirable bonuses people think about when looking for a job or deciding whether to stay in their current role. The results showed that fewer people valued typical new-age perks, such as games rooms and pool tables, beer on tap, and sleeping pods.
      We found that:

      70% of people valued the option to work remote/hybrid
      33% said free lunches reigned supreme
      33% also wanted to be involved in employee share schemes

      Share schemes are a great way to get people literally invested in the success of the company beyond just their day-to-day job. By offering bespoke schemes that have different vesting schedules, the required time or performance can be adapted for specific conditions.
      Employee share schemes have been around for a while, yet their benefits are only just being noticed. In fact, the number of companies with an employee share scheme has gone up by 80% in the last decade.
      For startups, having a large cash pool to dole out flashy rewards, hefty bonuses, or invest in pay rises is not realistic. So it’s important to instead be creative. And while everyone may love a day in lieu of heading out for lunch, these don’t foster an unforgettable culture.
      Instead, startups can capitalize on what they do have and give employees skin in the game. Not only does this give a deeper sense of commitment from the company but can also be a great, and often very tax-efficient way to give congratulations to the whole body of a business, creating a sense of unity. Providing a gift which, with their continued hard work, and granted the company is successful, could amount to a life-changing sum.
      Adobe’s recent acquisition of Figma for £20bn means that those employees with a 0.1% share could be banking more than $20,000,000. Although those numbers are rare for such a young company, Figma was only founded in 2016, demonstrating a high-level example of the potential returns from success.
      What we did
      I truly believe that retention begins at the recruitment stage. In competitive sectors, the reality is that applicants will have interviews with multiple businesses simultaneously. For cash-strapped startups, a great culture can be their secret weapon.
      Interview stages are just as much about the candidate liking you as you liking them, so, we prioritize honesty and transparency over expectations. I also ensure I personally meet all final-stage applicants to ensure that they are a good fit culturally for the team. And that the people we onboard are aligned with the ethos and mission at Vestd.
      Establishing this trust leads to more fruitful relationships between colleagues at all levels. Startups benefit from less obvious hierarchies, but the fact that ideas from lower down have fewer hoops to jump through doesn’t always mean that they will filter up. By providing safe spaces, through catch-ups and one-to-ones, startups can quickly nurture an open culture where people feel free to contribute.
      At Vestd we also have invested in twice-yearly in-person meetups. As a remote business, our company retreats are a time for team building and connecting with one another on a human level. On top of this, it shows our staff that we are willing to invest in experiences and their self-development, as well as performance.
      And, of course, we give equity to all our employees.
      For startups, tight on cash and time, getting the most from building a good culture can make all the difference. Implementing an equity scheme is a great way to not only supplement liquid cash for incentives but also incentivize staff to make the most of longer tenures, resulting in unbeatable work culture.
      By Ifty Nasir, founder and CEO of Vestd.
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      4 Trends Shaping Learning & Development for Multinational Companies

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      The pandemic and the economic downturn in recent months has forced many business leaders to reconsider their approach to Learning and Development. A report by TalentLMS reveals that 67% of HR managers have an increased L&D budget in 2022 while LinkedIn’s 2022 Workplace Learning report states that L&D leaders are twice as likely to have a seat at the C-suite table today, compared with during pre-pandemic times. With international talent management being one of the most challenging areas in the post-pandemic era, there are four trends that can help L&D pros reframe this new pressure.
      1. Upskill & Reskill
      The pandemic has pushed forward digital transformation across many industries. In the public sector alone, 34% of jobs are expected to be replaced by automation by the early 2030s. Companies willing to keep up with the rapidly evolving digitalization while also keeping down their recruitment costs need to focus on upskilling the employees they already have. Building in-house upskilling and reskilling programs might thus be a great investment in helping your business grow sustainably. Many prominent MNCs like IBM or DHL have already launched such programs to make sure they have all the skills they need in the future within their company.
      2. Create Ecosystems
      Given the pace of digitalization mentioned above, organizations should rethink the ways to encourage their employees across different regions to acquire new skills more actively than before. An effective and easy-to-use learning ecosystem could be a great help in engaging the staff in new learning programs. At Milengo we define a learning ecosystem as a digital environment that brings together three training content, learning analytics, and feedback tools, and is available to all the employees regardless of their geographical location. Fortunately for L&D managers, there are plenty of companies providing ready-to-use non-code solutions for creating a learning ecosystem, such as Leapsome, 360Learning, and many more.
      3. Emphasize Video Content
      CIPD research says that the usage of video content has increased over pandemic, and continues to be the most successful and engaging format of corporate learning, followed by curated content, and microlearning. This is definitely a reason to consider making multimedia content a cornerstone of your employee learning strategy. However, video content has longer production cycles and higher costs compared to traditional text formats. This might be an even greater problem for multinational teams that need to deliver their L&D materials in multiple languages and adjust the content to multiple markets. So, make sure you maximize the use of automation tools for video creation, editing, summarizing, and transcription to optimize your production cycles.
      4. Localize L&D Materials
      With cultural and language barriers being a big challenge for many remote multicultural teams, standardizing all your L&D materials in English might not always be a way out. Depending on the industry you are in, your employees might not all master English well enough to complete an upskill or learning course. Also, there’s evidence that using English as a shared language between non-native speakers may lead to “invisible errors”: situations when both the speaker and the hearer misunderstand each other but neither of them realizes that they get something wrong. At the same time, employees who are addressed in their native language have more resources to identify and resolve misunderstandings. If you are following the pathway of multilingual learning content production in your company, services like AI Voiceover might save you time and costs on localization and editing of your learning materials.
      The fact that L&D is gaining more attention from organizational leaders is great news, considering the number of tasks L&D managers are facing in 2022. Now L&D leaders should ensure they are using their time and budgets in the most effective way with a good deal of outsourcing, automation, and upskilling themselves.
      By Julia Staszak, Head of People and Finance at Milengo.
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      Why the Best Leaders are Also the Most Authentic

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      I attribute the positive impact I’ve been able to have on the teams I work with and the business itself on leading from a place of authenticity. Being openly gay in the workplace is an important part of that.
      The concept of authenticity, and bringing your true self to work, has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. There is often a fear of showing vulnerability in leadership, leading many to feel as if they cannot be honest about who they truly are.
      I have been fortunate to experience the opposite effect – being my authentic self has helped me feel less vulnerable and more impactful at work. As an openly gay man, I experienced the difficulty and immense reward that can come from this, particularly as a leader.
      The stress around ‘authenticity’
      Staying true to oneself in the workplace is not always easy and I’ve found it has often been a tough climb. When I was hired as a consultant by McKinsey out of university, I was thrilled to have my dream job. But I was then faced with the decision of whether I should be openly out in the workplace or do what many have done and refrain from being myself to avoid the judgment of others.
      Remaining in the closet throughout my time as a student had taken its toll on me. Everyday life felt high-risk. Not knowing if I could discuss the life that I shared with my partner at the time made it difficult to truly connect with those around me. Casual Monday morning conversations left me unsure as to whether it was appropriate to bring up my personal life with my partner if, for example, we’d gone away for the weekend. The lies and vulnerability placed immense stress on my soul.
      Leading with courage and integrity
      My experience at university and the problems caused by being closeted led to me making a personal pact to be truly open about myself at McKinsey from day one. I became the firm’s first openly gay consultant in Germany when I joined in 1993. This experience of being able to be a truer version of myself in the workplace has been an undeniably positive one as my honesty meant I was able to truly feel connected to others around me, instead of feeling like a fraud.
      The direct link between my own honesty and successful leadership is clear to me. Inspiring others to follow you and having a clear view of how to shape the future are key ingredients of leadership, and by being open about your identity, you encourage honest connection with your team which helps build a strong foundation. I truly believe that people are quick to spot leaders who try to represent themselves as something they’re not, and that lack of authenticity can lead to toxic workplace culture.
      In my own situation, I found that being genuine about my life to my team members and colleagues led to them seeing me as someone with courage and integrity – qualities that are invaluable in leaders. Whatever their views on homosexuality may have been, everyone saw me as both real and relatable.
      A leadership challenge for everyone
      Regardless of your sexuality, exhibiting authenticity can be challenging for any leader. Our goals at the C-suite level may well feel at odds with being vulnerable about our authentic selves. To the skeptics, I’ll offer that the points of commonality that openness facilitates can generate real business value.
      While working with a client’s CFO, I noticed a rainbow flag on the wall behind her chair. The mutual respect we quickly felt resulted in a successful partnership, which may not have been solely due to her allyship, but it was a shared bond that helped make negotiations more productive.
      I won’t pretend that this process has always been easy. Due to my sexuality, I’ve faced my fair share of setbacks. For example, I once reported to a boss whose homophobia created a lot of problems. I eventually found a way to report to a different executive, choosing to focus on areas in which I could succeed, rather than getting caught up with forces I couldn’t change. But it was tough having to deal with a person who did not accept who I was as a person.
      On the other hand, I’ve been fortunate to have had some amazing moments too, where it was clear to me that authenticity was the right choice in the grand scheme of things. On a visit to a delivery center, I noticed a cubicle decorated for a wedding and offered my congratulations to the associate. Unaware of who I was, he proudly showed me the photo of himself and his husband, saying, “we have this CFO who is out, and it sends a wonderful message.”
      More often, rewards are smaller in nature. Employees who see open and authentic leadership feel more comfortable bringing forward both the bad news and the good, which can improve buy-in for programs and strategies. Not only this, but it encourages a positive workplace culture, one built on empathy and understanding.
      The bottom line is faking it doesn’t cut it – and it can even interfere with the ability to lead. Authenticity isn’t the only quality that helps leaders make a difference. Integrity, fairness, commitment, and being approachable and able to share all help us to have a greater impact. My experience has shown me that my team members and other colleagues have concluded “I can work with this guy because I know who he is” and that’s truly the highest praise a leader can get.
      By Jan Siegmund, Chief Financial Officer at Cognizant.
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      The Pros and Cons of Quiet Quitting for Employees and Job Seekers

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      If you have read any business website or career publication lately, you have likely heard about “quiet quitting.” This ubiquitous hashtag that originated on TikTok features employees proudly touting their rejection of the hustle-culture mentality that blurs the lines between work and personal life. The online community quickly found its new cause to champion, and the next viral trend was born.
      For years, these employees were simply known as “disengaged,” not willing to cater to employers that demanded far more than the duties printed on job descriptions. But add an alliterative name and a little hashtag heroism and suddenly, hundreds of videos and millions of views are generated by those willing to put employers on blast for trying to squeeze a few extra drops of productivity at employees’ expense.
      Deprioritizing work/life balance in order to maximize profits is nothing new. Additionally, the pandemic normalized remote work, and where work life had once occasionally bled into home life, it began hemorrhaging. Quiet quitting is simply the next step in the post-pandemic work evolution, riding the Great Reshuffle’s coattails.
      While the benefits of quiet quitting are more predictable, the drawbacks are less frequently mentioned, particularly with regard to future job prospects. Once the trendy buzz wears off, what’s in store for employees and job seekers? Let’s look at both sides.
      The Pros
      Two more topics that have taken center stage since the pandemic are burnout and mental health, both prompted in part by employee overwork and fatigue. For years, we’ve looked to the startup culture of Silicon Valley as the pinnacle of success. We’ve heard about the 130-hour workweeks and watched 20-somethings become billionaires after dropping out of college. We’ve heard stories of young professionals literally being worked to death only to say, “Well, I guess that’s the price of success.”
      But it took a worldwide pandemic to realize the ridiculousness of it all. No amount of success is worth sacrificing one’s physical and mental health, family, friends, personal time, etc. Unfortunately, some employers have yet to realize this, and workers are now pushing back. It’s a relevant topic that’s been a long time coming, and it took a short-form video app to bring it to light. As the trending hashtag racks up more views and expands to other platforms, perhaps these employers will finally give some thought to work/life balance.
      The Cons
      One thing social media has taught us over the past decade is that the internet doesn’t forget. Old posts will come back to haunt you, no matter how much you regret them and try to wipe the slate clean. Social media has also become a powerful recruiting tool, with 70% of employers researching candidate profiles during the hiring process. What kind of message does quiet quitting send to prospective employers?
      Nobody knows what the future holds. Quiet quitters may get laid off, or simply decide to change jobs as their career progresses. When employers view the quitters’ viral posts, their first impression will be what these candidates are NOT willing to do rather than what they are to help the company succeed. As mentioned earlier, quiet quitting originated from employers pushing boundaries, but not all employers are guilty. Some are sensitive to employee needs and provide a supportive culture with plenty of work/life balance. The chances are slim of any employer extending a job offer to a candidate who makes a bad first impression. Perhaps the boundary-setting rants should be postponed until after an offer is received, a work schedule is established and a two-way conversation can be had.
      Social media trends are like pop songs – there’s always a new one about to be released that will take the attention away from the last. But every few years, buried among the dangerous challenges and choreographed dances, a trend surfaces that actually brings attention to a worthy cause. #Quietquitting has accomplished this, but time will tell if it inspires positive change. Until then, it’s a candidate’s market, and job seekers have more choices than they have in years. A little due diligence on employer review sites and company social media pages can help them find the work/life balance they seek while sending a strong message to employers still unwilling to provide it.
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      What Candidates Want Most, According to New Research

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      The labor market continues to favor candidates. With more than 11.4 million job openings and two positions for each unemployed person, according to the latest BLS data, most organizations are scrambling to keep up with the rapid volume of hiring. Workers are leveraging this power to secure new jobs, higher wages, and better benefits. According to Employ’s 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report, 45% of workers are actively looking for a new job within the next year and one-third feel comfortable quitting a job without having another lined up.
      With worker confidence at an all-time high, companies continue to see significant turnover and face a tight labor market in acquiring new talent to fill those open roles. Forty percent of workers have reported high employee turnover at their organization and the same number report increasing workloads as a result and higher rates of burnout.
      Employers must adapt quickly to this reality and align their workplaces with the expectations and preferences of job applicants today. Or they may struggle to attract top talent for their business going forward. According to Employ’s latest report, here’s what candidates want most from employers today.
      Higher Compensation
      Job seekers are well-informed and know what they want from employers. At the top of their priority list is higher compensation, with half believing they could make more simply by switching jobs. Applicants also want more transparency during the hiring process, so be open about the salary or hourly pay for a role. A whopping 82% of candidates reported that they wanted compensation listed in a job description. For companies that can’t compete on salary, stay competitive by competing on speed, transparency, and responsiveness.
      Remote Work & Flexibility
      The shift in the job market has shown that most candidates want the option to perform their jobs remotely, with 65% believing it’s important in their decision to accept or reject a job. The report also found that nearly half of workers are willing to accept a lower salary to work remotely, and 30% said their ideal workplace setup is 100% remote.
      Although there’s an increased desire for more workplace flexibility, company culture also remains critical. More than half of workers believe that culture is just as important in an increasingly remote work environment, and one-third of workers who left a job in the first 90 days said it was due to poor company culture.
      Overall, it’s essential to set the expectations for remote work policies at the beginning of the hiring process and reiterate them during each step—this helps to inform candidates to make the best decision for their needs.
      A Positive Candidate Experience
      High-quality talent is increasingly difficult to find, and it is even more challenging to convert top candidates into applicants. That’s why a seamless, positive candidate experience in every interaction is key to attracting and converting top talent. Candidates want an easy, fast, intuitive application process, and they want technology that will match them to the right roles and answer their questions throughout the recruitment process.
      According to Employ’s report, 35% said the most frustrating part of the job search was dealing with non-responsive employers and hiring managers. They also want recruiters to focus less on cover letters, resume gaps, and their social media pages, and work to shorten the feedback loop.
      In addition, candidates want an honest look at the daily responsibilities of the role, what the company culture is like, and how much the position pays. Increased transparency during the hiring process helps accurately manage expectations and can help more quickly find the right candidate for the role.
      Companies that fail to be transparent during the hiring process may struggle to retain talent. The latest Employ report revealed that one-third of new hires surveyed leave jobs within the first 90 days due to misaligned expectations, poor onboarding experiences, and bad company culture.
      Mental Health Support
      While the pandemic inspired 63% of workers to focus more on their mental health, employers have been scaling back on making these resources and benefits available to workers. In fact, only 40% of workers say that their employer provides mental health benefits or resources—the lowest level in the past three years.
      The need for mental health resources has never been greater. Increased workloads for employees, especially if they do not receive the compensation to reflect additional work, is taking a toll on workers. Companies must ensure they prioritize mental health resources and leverage them as a competitive differentiator as part of their talent acquisition efforts.
      Change Is the Constant
      In a labor market that’s constantly changing, it’s important to stay nimble, especially when it comes to attracting, nurturing, and connecting with candidates. And while adapting to this state of constant flux should come as no surprise, it can still feel daunting. The best organizations will continue to rise to the occasion by meeting the needs of candidates based on their own terms. Make sure to stay current on what workers are looking for, or risk losing out on top talent who will bolster the organization’s performance for the short and long term.
      By: Allie Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer, Employ Inc.
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      How Supporting Diversity Gives Your Business a Head Start

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      Many organizations claim they support diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). Some, however, have yet to grasp that ensuring DEI is part of the hiring process is one of the keys to success.
      What is DEI?
      Effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies involve taking active steps to ensure that people with different ethnicities, genders, abilities, cultures, and personalities have representation, opportunity, and support in the face of historical and structural bias. DEI isn’t about box-ticking.
      It’s about delivering transparent and meaningful change that embraces all workers and makes them feel they’re an essential part of an organization.
      The Skills Gap
      Back in April, we released part 1 of our multipart “Future of Work” survey into the growing challenge of finding the right candidates.  Undertaken in conjunction with independent research firm Dynata, the survey revealed that UK hiring plans are up while skill shortages are greater. 87% of UK companies said they’re finding it hard to fill positions, with a third believing that the skills gap is widening. Companies across the UK told us that recruiters have to search harder and wider for talent, unlocking the untapped potential to fill the skills gap.
      It makes good business sense, therefore, to ensure all candidates, irrespective of race, gender, or other characteristics are fully considered in the recruitment process. Today, DEI isn’t an optional extra but a crucial part of being a modern business. In the second part of our “Future of Work” survey, we asked over 3,000 recruitment, talent acquisition, and HR professionals about their views on the importance of embracing difference in order to attract talent.
      Embracing Difference
      40% of organizations who took part in the survey said that candidates expect more than ever to learn about a company’s plans to become more diverse, while 70% expect companies to be open about the diversity of their workforce. Recruiters increasingly recognize that DEI is a factor in attracting the right talent – and that the talent wants to know about a company’s DEI efforts. 45% of employers believe that building a diverse workforce is a priority to retain existing talent and attract new employees.  And perhaps surprisingly, we found that nearly two-thirds of employees (62%) would reject a job offer from an organization with a culture that didn’t support diversity.
      The world of recruitment, like the rest of society, has faced a reckoning in recent years with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) pushed to the fore. Our survey found that nearly a quarter of organizations already include diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruitment practices. In addition, 30% are seeking to encourage greater diversity in leadership positions.
      However, diversity isn’t what you say; it’s about what you do – so it’s encouraging to see that 40% of businesses are building DEI into recruitment processes and strategies. It isn’t just the right thing to do ethically – it benefits the company, the workforce, and the communities we operate in. It’s an ongoing task, and companies recognize they have more to do. it’s concerning, however,  that just 19% of employers have strategies to engage the neurodiverse. It’s an area that needs focus and action for employers, or they risk missing out on those with unique talents.
      Organizations are beginning to understand that differences are not necessarily negatives and are starting to value a diverse range of views and voices, from people with disabilities of whom only half are in work, including neurodiverse people (for example autism – only 22% of autistic adults in the UK are in any kind of employment), says the report.
      Good Communication is Vital
      Many organizations are now ensuring they communicate HR policies on inclusiveness so that applicants can understand the culture of a potential new workplace even before they consider applying for a role. According to the research, globally, 86% of employees consider diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) critically important. And employers are taking the hint, with 45% believing that building a diverse workforce is a priority to retain existing talent and attract new employees.
      The survey found that organizations that prioritize DEI use this as a mechanism to attract talent and fill the skills gap. However, only 8% of employers say DEI initiatives are in the top three changes they are making to attract new employees, although this may also reflect that they feel they already have robust processes in place.
      Recommendations based on the report
      Monster recommends that to create an open and welcoming workplace for neurodivergent workers organizations should:

      Take time to understand any specific needs. During your recruit’s induction week, take time to sit down and find out what their needs and difficulties are. Treat these as a benefit, not a burden.
      Apply to the “Access to Work” scheme. Employers can access grant funding to support disabled people starting or staying at work.
      Be flexible and ready to adapt. Employers who are flexible and prepared to adapt are more likely to experience the benefits of a neurodiverse workforce.

      Monster’s Top Tips for making DEI a priority in recruitment are:-

      Start by looking inward: listen to your staff and learn from their experiences. Use data to spot trends, but don’t stop there. Use the lived experience of colleagues to help you shape DEI policies and set priorities.
      Create more inclusive job descriptions: writing job adverts that focus on skills, attitude, and approach is critical to engaging talent. Don’t revert to cliché, but create job descriptions that engage and inspire applications from those with the skills to succeed.
      Highlight commitment to DEI: if you’re doing great things, let people know. Your stance on DEI is a source of competitive advantage, so use it. Publicize benefits, policies, and processes that show what you’re doing.
      Be transparent: employees want to know you’re making progress, so be transparent with successes and highlight challenges. Every organization can – and should – do more.
      Audit the hiring process: diversity isn’t what you say but what you do – so ensure inclusive hiring processes are embedded at every level. From the application to the interview, your staff should recognize and respect differences.
      Revitalize the talent pipeline: engage with new groups, advertise in new places, or work with experts to find candidates with the skills you need.
      Don’t stop at inclusive hiring: companies serious about DEI ensure there’s support at every step for new hires and existing staff. Leadership and development programs support underrepresented talent from early career entrants to the boardroom. Staff should be free to share their views, and employers must listen to their voices.

      Overall, we’re encouraged to see employers making changes to create a positive working environment that recognizes and rewards differences, because, in the end, we all benefit. Our survey shows that an open and accepting culture, and the policies to back it up, are critical to attracting the best talent.
      By Claire Barnes, Chief Human Capital Officer at Monster and Global HR Lead, Randstad Enterprise Group. 
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      6 Reasons Why You Need to Take a Workation

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      If you are a professional that works from your home office, you may need to spice things up a bit. Take a good look around your office and ask yourself if you need a change of scenery. Do you find the walls of your home office closing in on you as you repeat the same daily routine over and over again? It might be time to finally take a vacation.
      But what if you’re booked up for the foreseeable future and your company needs you for at least a few hours every day? Work-life balance issues aside, in order to work around it, you can go on a work vacation—or “workation”—to kill two birds with one stone.
      If you have the wanderlust and want to go out and explore the world while making some money in the meantime, take some time off for a workation. In this guide, we’ll give you six reasons why you should hop on a plane and spend your workation in an unfamiliar destination.
      How to Take a Workation
      Although a workation sounds like an immediate solution to a stagnant lifestyle, you can’t just drive to the airport tomorrow and get out of town without notice. It’s important that you always inform your manager that you plan to take a workation and see if that works with their schedule.
      Just like taking a normal vacation, you should always schedule your workation in advance and go through the proper channels to ensure that everybody is on the same page. Of course, workcations are also mostly compatible with work-from-home jobs.
      A workation is still a vacation, after all, so be sure to explain to your boss that, while you may be working, you still need to enjoy yourself and your vacation. To do this, ask your manager and other higher-ups if you can work half days for the duration of your trip. There’s no point in taking a workation if you’ll be cooped up in a hotel all day.
      Now that you know what a workation is and how to schedule one properly with your workplace, it’s time to dive into the benefits of workations and how they can change your life for the better. Here are our six reasons to take that workation:
      1. Can Increase Productivity
      Workations can greatly benefit your mental health and, in turn, increase your productivity at your workplace. By getting out of your house or apartment, you can explore new places and climates in your downtime. If you get bogged down by gray winters, then a workation in a subtropical climate may increase your capacity to work.
      2. Improves Creativity
      By visiting different cities, climates, landscapes, and cultures, you are opening the door to boost your creativity. Every employer should value encouraging creativity at work, and being able to explore some new places will definitely help you get a new worldview and inspire your work process.
      3. Explore New Places
      If you have a wandering heart, a workcation is the right option for you. Exploring new places isn’t just for digital nomads in 2022, it’s also ideal for the modern work-from-home professional.
      4. More Flexible Schedule
      Workcations can allow you to create your own schedule on your own time while you enjoy far-off destinations. Allow yourself time to relax every day of your trip and set core hours for yourself. Make sure that you are adamant about turning off your email and instant messages at the end of your workday so you can truly unplug.
      5. Support Local Businesses
      When you’re practicing flexible hours on your workation, why not branch out and get a taste of the local cuisine. Spend your mornings working from a local coffee shop or popular breakfast restaurant. Take a productive lunch break at a cafe in downtown Winter Park or stay in a Gulf Shores beach rental. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how you spend your days.
      6. Better Work-Life Balance
      By taking a workcation, you are sending a message to your employer that you cherish your work-life balance. This balance is essential to maintaining healthy relationships in both the personal and professional sectors of your life.
      Now that you know how to take a workation and the benefits of them, why not start planning? Treat yourself to the vacation you deserve so you can achieve a proper work-life balance.

      David Timm is a copy editor at Siege Media. He currently lives in Omaha, Nebraska with his partner, two cats, one dog, and eleven fish.
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      How to Amplify Your DEI Initiatives in 2022

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      Talent acquisition teams are no stranger to the importance of creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplace for all employees. According to the newly-released 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report, 38% of workers would turn down a job offer if the company lacked diversity in its workforce or had no clear goals for improving diversity in hiring. Below are ways companies can amplify DEI initiatives in 2022.
      Take Meaningful First Steps
      Many talent teams are dedicating considerable time and resources to DEI, including increasing investing budget resources to expand their efforts. In fact, 68% of recruiters reported that they believe improving DEI in their organization will be a top priority in the next year.
      Teams can take small steps by measuring key recruiting metrics in the process and continuing to analyze areas of improvement as changes are made. Here’s how:

      Understand the current workforce: This is a crucial step to help measure diversity of representation among an existing employee base. Evaluate the demographics across the organization, and within departments.
      Create a more diverse candidate pool: You’ve got to start somewhere, and there are several free tools and resources that can help you make sure you, and your company, are putting your best foot forward. Make small improvements to be more inclusive in recruiting practices by using free tools to help write more inclusive job descriptions and attract a wider variety of candidates.
      Develop inclusive content: Use existing social media channels and the company’s career website to tell employee stories within the organization. By leveraging this original content, your team can further convey how employees of differing backgrounds, ethnicities, races, genders, and abilities feel a sense of belonging. This is also a great medium to share current efforts and commitments for improving DEI. Think like a marketer – track the data related to interactions with your posts, understand what messages perform well, and determine what messages your audience wants to hear more about.

      Align Hiring Teams on Candidate Requirements
      Hiring team members can get stuck on the notion of the “ideal candidate.” This mindset can limit the diversity of talent pools by having too many requirements listed when they may not all be necessary. In today’s competitive labor market, this will cost your organization time, which inevitably will cost you top candidates.
      Grow a Diverse Talent Pipeline
      Today’s labor market is incredibly tight, and candidates expect a culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. Avoid limiting the talent pool by requiring specific skills and experience that are not dealbreakers. Build programs to attract, engage, and hire historically marginalized communities through strategic audience planning and develop programs to make everyone feel welcome.
      Talent teams must work hard to expand their talent networks and source diverse candidates, which can be done in the following ways:

      Interact on social media: Keep in touch with potential applicants, passive talent, and past candidates on social media. Share what’s going on in the company, tell employee stories, answer questions, post job openings, and give info on referral programs to the network.
      Attend recruiting events: Virtual and in-person recruiting events can be great places to help you build your talent network. Focus on hiring events that bring together a niche audience that is centered around diversity. These events are a great way to connect with job seekers and broadcast the message that the company is hiring.
      Work with local organizations: Find local diversity groups and work with them to source candidates for open positions. Building a relationship with these organizations can help long-term network growth.

      Leverage tools needed to enhance DEI initiatives
      Automation and AI tools can help further supplement DEI initiatives, streamline hiring  processes, and eliminate manual tasks in the following ways:

      Automated intelligent sourcing: Sourcing candidates can be the most time-consuming process in recruiting. Automated intelligent sourcing can help find candidates that fit open roles and invite them to apply. It can also reach top candidates while keeping the pool diverse.
      AI candidate skill-matching: Skill matching automatically screens applicants for role requirements, which is helpful for specialized roles that benefit from diverse candidates, such as engineers, healthcare workers, or machine operators. Integrating automated skill-matching tools with applicant tracking systems (ATS) eliminates the strain of managing multiple candidate databases in different places and helps find qualified talent more quickly. Leveraging technology to screen for skills can also help reduce bias in your hiring processes.

      Start Investing in DEI Today
      The time to prioritize DEI is now. In today’s challenging labor market, those who prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion will find more qualified candidates, which can turn into new hires. Talent teams can improve the diversity of their candidate slates by taking charge and applying the right strategies throughout the hiring process, including sourcing, relationship management, workforce planning, and audience planning.
      The investment in DEI goes far beyond cash – employers can invest time in telling the organization’s story, setting expectations, and aligning teams, which often yields the highest return on investment. It’s critical to lead DEI initiatives with empathy, compassion, and dedication, and to be relentless in driving change.
      By: Corey Berkey, Senior Vice President, People & Talent, Employ Inc. 
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