Looking back – what we’ve learnt in 2020

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We all know that this year has been unlike any other. It has been an incredibly tough year. All of us have faced different challenges with regards to providing for – and protecting – ourselves and our loved ones, whilst adapting to circumstances beyond our control.

However, if we can take anything positive from this year, it’s the things that we have learnt in terms of defining a better workplace for the future.

As 2020 thankfully draws to a close, here are some of my key take-aways from this year, which I would like to see continue into the new year and beyond:

We can work anywhere

For many of us, the traditional 9-5 office hours may be a thing of the past. With many companies forced to close their doors this year, workforces have had to adapt to working from home. From new tech and ergonomic workstations delivered to our door, to managing our home life around online meetings and deadlines, we have shown that we don’t have to be based in an office to get the job done. Only time will tell as to whether this ‘new normal’ will be a continuing code of practice for companies across the UK.

Adapting to new technologies

A year ago, some of us may have run a mile from having to take part in a video call or conference. Now, this is one of the easiest ways to create virtual face-to-face meetings and catch-ups. We’ve all had to get to grips with Zoom, Teams, or a hundred other software tools to stay connected with colleagues, customers and clients (as well as friends and family). With no end yet in sight to working from home for many of us, it’ll be fascinating to see what new forms of technology will be created and adapted to suit a largely home-based workforce.

The importance of valuing staff

With a greater emphasis on flexibility to accommodate a work life based at home, it’s never been more important to make staff feel valued. I have heard of, seen and experienced an increased level of kindness, tolerance and understanding between people, colleagues and their managers and CEOs. This is particularly true around accommodating people’s personal circumstances and family commitments during these uncertain and difficult times, and I hope that this always continues.

Whatever challenges the next year brings for us, if you or members of your team need assistance with tips on building resilience in the face of continued uncertainty and changing circumstances, get in touch to see how we can help.

Breaking up needn’t be hard to do

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As an HR professional, one of the most difficult conversations you will encounter in your working life is when you have to make someone’s role redundant.  Unfortunately, in the current climate, this is something too many of us are having to do on a too frequent basis. Although people from a logical point of view can often ‘see it coming’, and maybe even understand the reasons, the emotional viewpoint its very different.  Initial reactions to the news can vary from anger through to shock and disbelief, as well as sadness and frustration.  These are all natural emotions and are to be expected.  However, what happens next will be very dependent on how the redundancy issue is handled.

Finding the positives

If handled badly, negative emotions can escalate. This can cause harm to the individual, their colleagues and potentially even the organisation.  However, this doesn’t have to be the case. It is possible to turn a negative situation into a positive outcome.  To increase the chances of a positive outcome, you need to take a host of things into consideration and make sure you plan your approach carefully.  This is essential, not only to comply with employment legislation, but also to provide a positive experience for the individual, which will reflect positively on the company.

Think about how the news is delivered. Is there a clear explanation for why the redundancy is necessary, the selection process, the avenues for appeal and the next steps?  Also think about where the news is delivered. Are you somewhere private, where both you and the individual can talk freely without being overheard or on show? With many people currently working remotely, it might be necessary to deliver the message virtually. Although necessary, this has the potential to make the conversation even more difficult.

Outplacement options

In addition, you also need to understand what the package you are offering is.  It needs to comply with certain criteria, to ensure you are handling the redundancy legally and fairly. However, it should be more than a box-ticking exercise.  Any employee facing redundancy would benefit from some level of outplacement. Group outplacement can even be available, where a larger number of staff are under consultation.  If the individual is at a more senior level, you might find it beneficial to offer them individual outplacement.

As a third party, an outplacement consultant can deflect some of the negative emotions. They can work with individuals to see the positive opportunities that redundancy can provide.  They can also offer invaluable advice about career opportunities that are out there.  Things like transferable skills can be identified and avenues not immediately obvious can be explored. If the ‘break up’ is handled well, all parties can benefit from the positive experience.

In a changing landscape, what will restructuring look like?

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Business is getting back to normal for many of us, with offices beginning to encourage staff back to their desk, if ‘social distancing’ can be upheld. The world of work for many people, however, has changed and some companies are having to rethink their company structures. At any time, company restructures can be challenging – but in the present climate it is even more complicated. Redundancies and job losses cause untold upheaval and can cause stress and uncertainty for employees, who are unsure how the modifications will pan out.

Positive, constructive

It is obviously a difficult period for the whole company, but it can be doubly stressful for the HR professionals. Key members of the team will perhaps have to deal with the angst of employees throughout the organisation, while also having to deal with their own personal uncertainties too. It is worth considering the benefits of outsourcing some elements of the HR function during these transitional periods. By working with a business with a great deal of experience in helping and supporting the HR team during outplacement, managers can provide a strong foundation. In this way, challenges generated by the situation can be addressed in a positive, constructive way.

Professional support

Outplacement professionals can offer vast experience in managing these types of situations, but there are many other benefits to working with a third party too. One of these is the element of distance that your Consultant will have from the emotional turmoil that is potentially impacting on the internal team. Often affected employees find it easier to discuss how they feel and what their next steps might be with a relative stranger, rather than someone they are likely to run into in their everyday workplace or in meetings. Here a bit of distance can actually help find a resolution.

The heart of the process

Without the anchor of usual office life, restructuring has become more complicated, but also considerably more morale-sapping. The uncertainty of the lockdown, the uncertainty of furlough and of how busy businesses will be in the next few months is all uncharted territory. As well as supporting people exiting the business, a Consultant can work closely with the teams remaining to improve morale levels, address development needs and generally help throughout the transitional period. By keeping people at the heart of the process, you have the potential to turn a situation which could be damaging into something positive, both for the people who leave and the ones who remain.  Looking after your workforce in these uncertain times has never been more important.

Finding brilliance in resilience

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Since the beginning of lockdown, many aspects of our lives have been impacted by the effects of changes to our normal behaviour. Things like wearing masks in shops or on public transport, or working from home are starting to feel like they are the norm. How we deal with and adapt to these changes will depend upon how resilient we are.

Positive attitudes

Resilient people know bad things happen. They haven’t been singled out and they know the situation will eventually improve. When any business moves through a transitional period, managers throughout the company are tasked with dealing with the effects of these changes. Whether it’s having to tell someone their role is being made redundant, or addressing low workforce morale, it can be difficult for managers to remain resilient and stay positive. Having strong resilience to some of the emotions associated with change – and recognising their existence – can also positively impact on employees. Presenting a positive attitude will go a long way in helping to promote positive outcomes for everybody. This is especially important during these difficult times.

Bounce back to your best

Emerging stronger from a stressful experience – or an experience you don’t fully understand – can often be attributed to positive thinking. But this can be difficult to do in times of turmoil. Managers who can keep a positive attitude are likely to see the best outcomes, as their approach will encourage employees to channel that positivity and use it for their own personal and professional outcomes too. The term ‘bouncing back’ is often used to describe resilience and those with the most optimistic outlook and greater emotional strength will find it easiest to rebound from challenging times. Resilient people ask if what they are doing is helping or harming them. Recognising the impact negativity has on how we feel increases our powers of resilience.

Be an optimist

Resilient people are careful about what they choose to focus on. They see what they can change and accept what they cannot. Such optimistic, pragmatic approaches to management and communication will create a workforce that has strong good stamina and character. These are key to success in transitional periods. Resilience is based on the mindsets and relationships of the individuals in the team. Focusing on positives, or tuning into the ‘good’, makes us appreciate what we have already achieved.

A company with a positive vision provides employees with a strong forward drive. Managers with the optimism to guide employees will instil the business with a sense of direction. Working together during periods of transition allows everyone to feel valued and an important part of the company. If you help managers be resilient, the workforce will be too. Building resilience within your employees will lead to the workforce coming together to work in union, towards success.

Retaining and rebuilding confidence

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Confidence is needed, now more than ever. As the lockdown in some parts of the UK is eased, and the furlough scheme will soon be coming to an end, employers are having to make some difficult decisions about the future of their companies. The shape of business is changing. Offices will be very different spaces for the immediate future. Knowing that whatever you, your business and your sector face, you will be able to meet these myriad challenges head on, will make a big difference.

Stresses and strains

If the outcome for your firm is redundancy, it’s imperative for HR managers and professionals to help employees retain their confidence. Such changes can be a difficult, nerve-wracking time. Being made redundant is included in the ‘top 10’ most stressful events that could happen in a person’s life. Understandably it can knock someone’s confidence when it happens. However, on the flip-side, it can be seen as a very positive opportunity for those who acknowledge that change has many facets.

One step at a time

When an employee receives the news they are being made redundant, their emotional wellbeing must be considered. Managers should strive to keep their employees’ self-confidence buoyant. This includes supporting them at each stage of the redundancy process. Employees should be provided with someone to talk to and be supported in their search for a new career path and suitable replacement job. The jobs’ market is particularly competitive at the moment in many sectors – and will only become more so, as further restructuring takes place in certain sectors.

An emotional journey

Some people will have friends and family to emotionally support them. But for others redundancy can be a lonely, isolating time. This needs to be eased by providing as much support as possible. Their confidence must be considered and they must be kept informed in a sympathetic, positive way, which considers the impact it will have on them. A considered approach will also encourage employees to be confident and proactive in their new job search. We all know from experience, when someone finds themselves in a daunting situation, it can knock their confidence. Understanding the impact of the unknown will ensure they acknowledge they need to be as positive and confident as the situation demands. This is vital to the process.

Positive, confidence, next

Confidence can make a big difference to a person’s take on life. On how they are going to progress in the future to pursue their next set of challenges. A confident person is more likely to opt for the career path they have always wanted. It might entail some risks, but overall will be more rewarding in the long term. A person lacking in confidence may stay within their tried-and-tested comfort zone, and remain constrained by the parameters of ‘the safe option’. However, in the long-term this may lead to career dissatisfaction and general unhappiness.

Planning your next move

Good communication with an employee is effective in helping with their confidence. Outplacement experts such as Career Evolution can help anxious employees to cope with uncertainty. Having someone to talk to, to discuss their options, will allow them to gather their thoughts and understand what they really want from their career. This thought process alone can restore or instil confidence, and provide the employee with a more positive outlook as they prepare their next career move.

Managing to be successful

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Strong, defined leadership is vital to ensuring your team is onside and on-message.  When your team respects your decisions and your actions, it can make a huge difference overall to team morale. Management has had to adapt to some considerable, sudden changes to work in recent months. But the basics remain the same.

Our experts at Career Evolution have pulled together some informative tips, to help you become a more effective and respected manager, to take your team to the top.

Team spirit

Even in the era of widespread remote working, delegate wisely. Allowing members of the team to undertake and lead certain tasks or projects will not only enable you to focus on other things, but makes your team feel valued. Trust is a big part of working remotely for both employees and managers, so delegating tasks provides them with opportunities to develop and take on greater responsibility.

It’s also important to recognise and reward achievements. Always demonstrate recognition to any employee who has achieved something, whether in work or in their personal life. If it comes to your attention, then show your recognition and admiration.

Doing the right thing

Short-term solutions to work-related challenges may seem attractive, but usually are only a sticking plaster. Think about long-term problems that can be fixed permanently, ensuring that your employees know that you care about finding the right solution for them, for you and for the business as a whole.

It’s also well worth setting goals for employees and teams. Goals provide employees with direction and the motivation to achieve these targets. Incentivising them and rewarding them when they reach their goals is very effective – and even an informal verbal acknowledgement of achievement will be appreciated.

Make time to talk

Remember to communicate. Far too many managers communicate far too little, even in normal times in the office. At the moment, communication between managers and teams is more important than ever. However busy you are, make sure you have time set aside to communicate with your employees. Making sure they are kept in the loop on all matters in these uncertain times will ensure that they don’t feel like they are the ‘last to know’ and have their confidence undermined.

When it comes to employees, make time to show that you care about their opinions and ideas. Be open to speaking to them and understand their point of view.  This is especially important if they are having a difficult time and need someone to speak to.

Work is serious and important but learn to relax a bit too. Get to know your team on a social level and make sure that each one understands that you consider them to be an essential component of the team.

Thinking about these tips can help managers build strong relationships with their employees. This will allow them to feel valued and develop a strong work ethic embedded in the business.

Remote interviews – how to break through the barriers

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As the UK finally begins to ‘unlock’, people are tentatively venturing out. Meeting in person is beginning to be reintroduced, with family members able to reunite, albeit it socially-distanced. This is allowing people a certain degree of normality to return to their lives. However, in terms of a working environment, many companies are actively encouraging the ‘work from home’ ethic to continue. This is fine if you have become used to working from home, or sometimes worked from home as part of your job anyway. But what if you were in the course of looking for a new job, to transition into a new role in a new sector for example?

Preparation is everything

The landscape has changed immensely of how people are hired and inducted. Anyone applying for a job now is doing it remotely. It’s important then to think how to project your personality in a remote interview, to come across well. Somehow, you have to depict your personality, without being there in person. Play to your strengths and use your communication skills to convey your skillset. Before any remote interview, you need to give some thought to practicing and getting used to using remote video conferencing tools.

One answer could be a video CV. This is not a new concept and has been around for over a decade. However, in these present times, it might be a useful way of preparing for an interview, even if you don’t end up using the actual video CV. The more practice you get at this sort of media, the better you’ll become at it. It’s not appropriate for all sectors, but when it works it can be a useful tool.

Remember to be confident and plan what you need to say. This will stand you in good stead for the interview itself. Good preparation will allow you to get your personality across in a relaxed manner and perhaps most importantly, smile. Looking surly onscreen won’t ignite a potential employer’s enthusiasm. While a smiley countenance will always endear yourself to the viewer.

Remotely interesting

Once you have video CV you are satisfied with, you should also be more familiar with video conferencing and how to project yourself onscreen. You’ll have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. How to present yourself, and how to sit and act. Your posture onscreen will say as much about you as it would in person. Make sure you choose where you are going to sit carefully and check that your laptop or computer is at the right height for you to appear on screen properly.  It’s also well worth making an effort in your appearance. You will feel more confident if you are dressed as though you were attending the interview in person. Think about what a potential employer might ask you and rehearse some responses. Don’t gesticulate too wildly when you speak either.

It’s employers that are having to get used to this ‘new normal’ too. For example, they might feel uncomfortable about hiring a senior person in their company without seeing them face-to-face. However, they are having to accept it as the new norm. Posts will become vacant and will need to be filled and some sectors have been relatively unaffected by the lockdown, in terms of productivity and access. It has also made many people aware of the possibilities of global communication and perhaps their new work opportunity won’t even be in the UK. With the endless possibilities of technology, if you have internet access and a computer screen, you can communicate across the world.

10 signs your team would benefit from coaching

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Times are changing

Change is an inevitable part of life, especially within the working environment. But the changes we have seen in 2020 have been unlike anything we’ve experienced in our working lives before. Even in this lockdown period, changes to work methods and practices can lead employees to start feeling unable to keep up. Working remotely, for example, can seem very alien to someone who is only used to an office environment.

With the uncertainty surrounding the shape of what work and workplaces will look like next year, career transition may be forced on many people. It’s important that companies monitor their staff to look for tell-tale signs in these insecure times, particularly with more senior members of staff, who can become lost or even left behind by the pace of change. Coaching can help them, especially in the current economic climate.

Noticing the signs

Changes in a staff member’s behaviour can be a key sign that they are not coping well with company adjustments.

Here are 10 signs which could indicate that your staff are not managing effectively with change:

  1. Frustration – with themselves and their colleagues
  2. Stress – anxiety and general unhappiness
  3. Isolation – lack of conversing and reduced sociability
  4. Unprepared – looking or feeling lost and out of their depth
  5. Increased periods of time off – through illness, or an unwillingness to be in work
  6. Boredom – a reduced enthusiasm for their job
  7. Disputes with colleagues – becoming resistant or more argumentative
  8. Lack of confidence – in themselves and their work
  9. Punctuality – issues with continual lateness
  10. Procrastinating – being unwilling or unable to complete their tasks.

Inevitably, how well employees are able to deal with changes can strongly affect the business. At Career Evolution, we understand how crucial it is to help staff throughout the company cope.

A positive change

Through our expert coaching programme, designed to aid members of staff at all levels – including those at more advanced positions, such as senior managers and directors – our highly-qualified coaches will assist your staff to handle change effectively. This includes helping people before, during and after transition periods, offering bespoke support on a one-to-one and group basis.

Tailored specifically for how to best suit your employees’ needs, our coaching enables individuals to recognise their value, and most importantly, how they and their company can continue to succeed in the face of change.

Change for the better

The most effective method for your staff to deal with change is to embrace it as a positive element,  not as something to be feared and treated with scepticism and suspicion. Change is vital for businesses to adapt and survive in an uncertain environment, where many companies have already buckled under the pressure of not keeping up with the times. The other side of lockdown will be a testing time, economically and socially. Helping employees to take control of their changing role or situation, and formulate a plan for a future that will work for them, is the key to helping individuals thrive and prosper. It will aid both staff and the business forge ahead, and bring about positive change together.

The Human Touch

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Telling someone that they are being made redundant can unleash a great deal of emotion. After the initial shock, it can leave a person feeling scared and uncertain – or even angry. They’ve lost their security and need to find a way of rebuilding that assurance, both for themselves and their families. This is understandable, as it can be a daunting situation for anybody to be in – and a helping hand at the time can make all the difference.

Clearing the obstacles

In order to help employees cope during these windows of change, it’s important to look at redundancy on an emotional level, not just from a business perspective. Applying effort can help any employee adapt and ultimately, they will emerge from the experience with positives. Each individual reacts differently to change. Some resist, while others are more adaptable. It presents each individual with different obstacles and challenges. When this happens unexpectedly it can cause upsetting consequences. Providing an individual with a steadying hand, to comprehend what is next, can be very valuable.

Change for the better

Taking a holistic approach to this is beneficial. Some employees might not have updated their CVs in years, or considered obtaining further qualifications. It is important to make the time to find out what an employee wants to do next and establish what value-added skills they can offer. Do this before talking them through building a CV, interview practice and learning new skills, all of which can set them up to move on to their next role. As part of the career change, employees might take stock and decide to pursue a completely new career – something they have always dreamt about but have never had the chance to try. A bit of extra support to help them get there can make the world of difference.

Positive outcomes

Companies that look after employees facing redundancy until they define their new role will leave the employee with a good memory of the business and its practices. Just because it is the end of their employment, it doesn’t mean the relationships needs to end badly. It just takes a helping hand to ensure an employee knows they have that support in place to move forward.

Outplacement specialists such as Career Evolution can help make this difficult process easier.  They are run by industry experts, who are professional coaches and mentors. As a result, they have a great deal of experience and knowledge of how to approach employees who are undergoing periods of transition in their workplace, which are often not of their making.

Closing the loop

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Whatever the circumstances, keeping your staff informed should always be your first priority. Internal communications are the most vital link between managers and staff. This is particularly true during times of uncertainty and transition, such as during this prolonged lockdown period.

There are various types of internal communications that can be utilised to keep your staff engaged. For any changes or updates on the company, early engagement is essential. Presenting your message to all staff simultaneously and keeping them informed with a consistent voice and message throughout are vital in keeping them ‘in the loop’.

The art of conversation

Even in the digital age, there’s no substitute for conversation. Whether it’s during one-to-one or team meetings, or large-scale presentations, having an active dialogue is worth its weight in gold. In the present situation, such meetings can be carried out remotely, using platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Attaining the right balance between the various media is crucial, so that your important messages and news updates are not lost in a wall of noise.

A live and active spoken dialogue can also better ascertain the mood. It will help assess if more needs to be done to assure staff. After all, you can’t read someone’s body language and tone via an email. There really is no substitute for conversing, where matters can be resolved in ‘real time’, without the need for lengthy email trails. A quick chat can save time and get to the crux of the message, with little chance of misinterpretation.

Conveying the message

Internal communications are sometimes referred to as employee engagement, internal marketing and company communications. The channels used to communicate your messages to your audience, i.e. your staff, are varied. These days the most frequently used channel is electronic media – this works equally effectively if your staff are present in the office, working from home, or furloughed.

It’s important that the message is consistent, regardless of whether you staff are working from home, or in the office. There shouldn’t need to be a context or explanation to make the message clear. With electronic messaging, there’s a certain flexibility, both to how the message is delivered and how the message is accessed. A digital message can be accessed a number of ways, from a computer or laptop, by phone, tablet or other devices. Tone of voice is the reader’s own, so it must be clear what the message is trying to convey.

Lines of communication

For office-based and remote working staff, the most direct way to keep all your staff in the loop is by email. This is especially useful if you have a large staff, with many different departments. Emails can be distributed easily, quickly accessed and are environmentally-friendly. Newsletters or bulletins can be issued electronically, and internal communications can be distributed efficiently via the company’s intranet. Some companies distribute both a physical newsletter and an electronic one, with the identical design being developed for both.  The response is instant too – the recipient can ping back a reply as quickly as they can type it.

Physical media

For your wider staff, who may not have readily available email access outside of their own personal accounts, physical media remains important too. These include, for example, posters, printed newsletter and other ‘desk drops’, which will still be essential in a post-lockdown working environment. These can keep staff informed of developments in the business and what the changes mean to them, reinforcing the message already presented in face-to-face communications and keeping your staff informed. Whatever your message, and however you transmit it, nothing beats the personal connection.