No need to panic I’m not going to burst into song just yet but how familiar are you with: Quiet Quitting & Quite Cutting…Two separate areas of major concern for me but all coming down to issues with communication with businesses! Quiet Quitting
Quiet Cutting
The fact that both of these have been given the word ‘quiet’ in front demonstrates that there is a concern that businesses and individuals are not communicating let alone potentially doing the legal, morale, ethical and generally right thing! Two-way communication has been bounded about as long as I can remember as a pivotal role within a business, the information goes up, down and sideways in a business hierarchy but what has potentially changed?
What are the risks? Whilst they are multiple and I’m not going to attempt to cover them all here are a few that really spring to mind!
What can be done about this? That’s simple in my mind. Mind you it may cost more initially but it will save you money in the long run! Quiet Quitting
Quiet Cutting
And of course bring back communication!!!If this article resonates with you then please do make sure you contact Apiary Solutions as we can assist you to be as noisy as possible, but again without singing! That’s not our forte!
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As we’ve survived pancake day and are now all about love we wanted to look at romance in the workplace… well we’ve decided this would cover:
Any of these can bring their own challenges to the working environment as all HR professionals will have experienced when it comes to untangled the “web of wooing”. The majority of individuals spend most of their time within a working environment so its only natural that this can be a breeding ground for romance however this does come with a few words of warning for the wise. The words not only fall for those in the relationship but also leaders / business owners! reporting lines & power dynamicsConsider the hierarchy of the relationship, are those in the relationship on the same level or reporting into each other. Best practice would be to separate those in the relationship so that leadership, expectations and fairness remain consistent for all employees. Imagine either working for your partner on a good day or after a full on barny on the way to work! Also what about when one of the people in the relationship ask for ‘favours’ to leave early – do other team members get the same treatment? How does this impact the rest of the team in terms of their engagement, productivity and willingness to go the extra mile? BrandIf the relationship is new, whether its long term or short – what will the impact be to their personal brand? Will colleagues be positive, will they gossip, will the professional relationships change? It is likely that there will be an impact and as a leader or business owner, how will you address that? confidentialityIs there a conflict when it comes to confidentiality and this is something that I have witnessed again and again when having to protect the data and decisions within the business. Within any relationship there may be that time when ‘pillow talk’ focusses on work / their roles etc what is the risk that confidential information maybe shared during that time? Do you need to have a conversation with both individuals to remind them of their obligations to their employer? what happens if it goes wrong?Whilst no one wants to consider this, what will be the impact to their roles / employment should it go wrong? It could be that the impact is:
Consider how you will navigate the business or team through these times, as it can really impact the business. Of course you have the added challenge that if it does go wrong there will be an impact to the team dynamics as well as gossip / personal brand and so on! what can you do?TO SUPPORT YOURSELF? YOUR TEAM? YOUR BUSINESS?
In conclusion there is often a delicate balance between the workplace and relationships however by making sure you have the right awareness, processes and communication in place it can really take the ‘heat’ out of the moment! Also working with your HR partner can really help you when navigating the web of wooing and the chances are we will have dealt with something similar in the past so if you need us we are here. Feel free to book a free 30 minute consultation with us through emailing enquiries@beyouconsultancy.co.uk As the new year is coming up and we start looking towards the future and what we’ve achieved this year it got me thinking about my own achievements. This year my biggest achievement by far was becoming a Chartered Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, otherwise known as the CIPD. Why? Well this is something that has been a life long dream, well maybe not lifelong but certainly something that I’ve worked towards since starting my career in HR. As I sit here still marveling in my achievement it does make me wonder... WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR QUALIFICATIONS & MASTERY ACCREDIDATIONSThis year we have seen Rishi Sunak state that there will be changes to the apprenticeships and more exams in schools to ensure everyone has the same base qualifications. However, is this where the world of business is heading towards or away from? If we consider the Forbes article on the top ten HR trends for 2023 it anticipates that in 2026 companies will focus on people having:
How does that correlate with the increase in exams and set qualifications and as a business, where are you at ensuring your business strategy and workforce are also working towards this? If we look back at the pandemic businesses really felt a shift in the power of relationships, being able to interact with customers or other employees, the importance of the relationships and how those human skills are a necessity. We are continuing on that journey and empowering those skills further in the future. So whilst this is great, what does that mean? Your customers: Will look for an expert or a subject matter expert in their field. They will seek the in-depth human relationship with you and your company and seek reassurance from your expertise. Your employees: Whilst cross training staff to be more productive and responsive can be a real benefit to teams and businesses, do you continue to have subject matter experts who can be relied upon to provide the added value of the service your business offers? You: How can you ensure that you are meeting your customer expectations, being the expert in what you do. Will you sharing your achievements, and what achievements are considered worthwhile sharing? What about sharing the achievements of your team? It could be if you work in customer services that you look to become ITIL qualified so that you understand the importance of the ‘flow’ of the business and customer experience, or as a project manager so you become Prince Qualified and complete a Six Sigma course? Only you will be able to identify what is right for you. Afterall human connections and relationships can’t be added into a CRM or automated, although some may argue that they can, for a successful future we will need to ensure that we all have these skills and abilities going forward. So where does that leave me? Well whilst I’ve reached my expertise in Human Resource, I will now start my journey to increase my mastery in coaching and work to become accredited by the International Coaching Federation. As they say, every day is a school day! As this week comes to a close and after celebrating achieving a Diploma in Corporate Coaching and becoming a Fellow of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development), I came across an article from People Management magazine which is produced by the CIPD regarding the final days of the dreaded CV. CVs or Curriculum Vitae / Resumes I believe are a dreaded part of the process when going for promotion, or looking for a new role as all of a sudden we have to spend time collating our skills, experience and qualifications to make sure that we can be assessed by a piece of paper.
As an HR Practitioner, I have always said that a CV is worth its weight on paper, whilst it's great to see someone’s achievements, interests and their career journey that’s all it tells me. It doesn’t tell me about who they are, what skills they have and how they can flex their style to be adaptable to meet the needs of the role, their team or the business. The other challenges I am always aware of with CVs are that:
So what is the answer? To me the answer is straightforward however, the concept of ‘doing’ can be more complex. It is about skill-based assessments and questions. The interview or assessment should be focussed on what is required for the role and the practicalities rather than a piece of paper and a 30-minute conversation to see if ‘you like them’ or if they are a 'good fit'. After all do we not tend to add in unconscious bias in these situations, where we like people who are like us? Forbes Leadership identified that by 2026 businesses will be hiring candidates based on the below additional skills:
As the world of work drives further flexibility and adaptability businesses need to ensure they are hiring the right talent for the right reasons. By skills-based assessments, you are also driving inclusivity further within the business. Consider a candidate who is going to be a tradesperson, you need to see their skill rather than them providing a technical insight into a kit or talking through the repairing of equipment, that they might have just read or watched on the internet. The concept of the ‘doing’ I consider to be more complex purely because you need to find time to review what it is you are looking for in their skill and how you will be able to assess it. You need to continue to ensure that you are being fair and offering reasonable adjustments where possible but it could be simple assessments such as:
By doing this, you may be able to get an insight into their customer service skills, their actual skill and the level of knowledge they have. All of this will then enable you to decide whether they are the right person for the role and therefore will have a positive impact on your business. My ask is that you take time out to consider your interview process, how you feel about CVs and whether you need to adapt your processes. The suggestion is that this is done before the next time you need to hire, the reason for this is so that it doesn’t delay your recruitment time and cause an impact on your business. If you need support with this then of course, please contact Be You. We are here to empower success through people solutions. Julie Marsh Chartered Fellow CIPD
Did you know journaling can help you achieve your goals? Journaling is a great way to empower reflection time within your daily, weekly or monthly routine. There are so many different options to journaling and if you find another way that works for you then that is fantastic! Just make sure you share it with others so they can benefit from your knowledge too! What’s the point? In todays’ world we spend so much time focussing on the next action, the next deadline and rushing to achieve the majority of individuals have mislaid their routine in reflecting on the day, week or month without the intention of doing so. Remember (for some) those days where you left your computer at work, as it was attached to the desk and there was no Facebook, google or meta verse whilst that whole concept makes me feel quite old, the majority of people were able to disconnect because there was no mobile connection. That enabled people to take the time to think about their day, what went well, what didn’t, what could be changed, what we wanted to achieve. These days the majority of us are constantly connected and because we react to the connect we don’t get that downtime. Therefore for me journaling because a necessity as we proactively plan time to reflect, a way to consider what we are doing and why we are doing it What are they different ways to journal?
But Why? Well as mentioned it’s a great way to ensure you reflect whether that is on your emotions, relationships, experiences, skills or all you see, hear and do. After all every day we are having new experiences which shape how we see and understand the world around us. As quoted in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming): The map is not the territory If you find journaling or reflecting a challenge, keep with it as it can take time to form a new habit, just the same as when you sign up at the gym - if you don’t keep going you lose the pace and slowly find yourself stopping! At Be You Consultancy & Coaching we can support you by developing a coaching or mentoring program tailored to your needs, after all its your journey! If this is something of interest then please contact us to find out more! Do you...“adapt your leadership style based on the situation”. If you consider that traditionally leaders/managers were ‘one style fits all’ and the employees had to flex to meet their leaders style rather than the other way round this is quite a change. For some leaders situational leadership will be a ‘new world’ approach. I imagine traditional managers could find a transition to this ‘new world’ a challenge. Situational leadership was developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in their 1969 book Management of Organisational Behaviour, initially, it was called the “life cycle theory of leadership” then during the mid-1970s it was renamed to “Situational Leadership Theory”. It was then adapted further when Hersey and Blanchard went on to create their own models; Hersey created the “Situational Leadership Theory” Blanchard et al created the “Situational Leadership II Model’. The fundamentals of the models were that
After reading the above you may be thinking... if it was introduced in 1969 initially why isn’t this necessarily a common practice amongst leaders? Good Question!!! My thoughts are that for leaders to adopt this style they need to be confident in their abilities and have the necessary skills to adapt. It takes a leap of faith to be able to adapt your style, going from what you have experienced yourself and how you can transition and apply your learnings, knowledge and leadership to any situation. What are the pros and cons?
What skills are required? According to Martin Luenendonk situational leaders require the:
How do you decide which leadership style is the best for the situation? Your decision will likely be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to:
Did you know that Be You Consultancy and Coaching offers a program to individuals including leaders on situational coaching. The purpose of this is to develop a mindset around situations, and to prepare the client to get the most out of each situation! If this sounds like something that could be of benefit to you then please contact us. Are you missing out on some amazing people as they aren’t your ‘normal hire?’ Returning Workers.. Who are they? These amazing individuals are people who have decided that they are either returning to work or coming to work for the first time, but they aren’t 16-30. These are people that potentially:
WILDCARD = Wild card refers in a sporting context including "underdog", "long shot", and "outlier". Have you ever interviewed someone who was in your ‘wildcard’ pile of applications, and it turn out to be the best decision you have made? I know that this used to be a regular experience for me, in fact until I ended up making the decision that I would always interview from that pile at least 1-2 individuals. Why? Well, those individuals may not meet the written requirements or set expectations that you have in your mind whether that is conscious or unconscious but they may bring more to the table than you think in terms of skills and experience. Let us break down the possibilities and of course, this blog is all hypothetical, but we know that we have an ageing workforce and a skills shortage, so maybe putting these two together can help resolve some of that! They don’t have the right skill
They don’t ‘fit’
They are nervous at the interview
They are far too experienced!
A true leader does not have to be the most qualified I hope I am getting you thinking! What else might you need to consider?
If you feel you need any support, guidance or training in order to review or implement strategies to benefit your business then please contact me and book a discovery call. Watching your business grow and develop is an amazing experience, after all a lot of time, emotion, and hard work will have been put into your business by you, your family and your friends over the weeks, months and years in order for today to be what today is. I ask that you take a moment to reflect on the power of what you’ve achieved. Is your business at a point where you need to start partnering with a HR company, that can offer you support, guidance and additional development growth? It’s always a challenging investment in terms of balancing the need against the cost. At Be You Consultancy we want to ensure that you have the best information to make an informed choice after all your business is our business. HR Considerations Number of Employees.
Paperwork / Systems
Reassurance / Support.
Whilst it is never my intention to worry you, it is important that you are covered within these areas. That way it’s another risk that is being managed by the professionals who know what they are doing. What else might you want to consider? The Partnership.
Services
Time
You may also need to consider the length of the contract being offered, the experience of the team you are working with and then their insurance/indemnity cover. Why am I sharing my thoughts with you? There are some fantastic local HR companies that are available for partnering with and Be You Consultancy & Coaching is one of them, of course! At Be You, we provide HR consultancy, training and coaching and for our retainer customers they have the option within their contract to choose how they wish their hours to be used, it may be that they just want to opt for consultancy and general HR support, or it could be that they want to run a management course or offer coaching to their teams! It is important to us that you and your teams have the options and freedom to flex when needed. Applying over 24 years of HR experience, 15 of leadership and over 9 years as a senior leader responsible for the UK as part of an international company there isn’t much that I haven’t come across but always up for a challenge and my aim is to support local businesses to support them to meet their goals by applying my experience to create an unstoppable partnership! We also offer a range of services depending on your business need, length of the contract as well as the option to carry forward some of the services month on month for the length of the contract - the aim is to provide as much flexibility as possible to our customers as we appreciate some months will be busier than others, no matter what service you provide! Below is the breakdown and for costs please contact me. Is networking your idea or heaven or hell? Before I began Be You Consultancy & Coaching I had the firm belief that I didn’t need to network and didn’t have time to sit and ‘have coffee’ with people - I had work to do and that was the most important action of my day…. On reflection how wrong I was! So if you are already in this mindset that is amazing and I challenge you to get more people to realise the power of their ‘NET’. Why the change in mindset? The change of my mindset began during COVID when, like many, I realised that whilst I knew my team and colleagues I didn’t know my community or my surroundings. I felt alone. I wanted to get to know more about the area I was living in and had lived in for years but also who my neighbours were and what they did for their careers / lives - what made them tick. When I started in business I had some very wise words given to me which was to: Network, Network, Network. After all you are your brand and if no-one knows you how can they know your brand? This, as you can imagine resonated with me and I networked with vengeance! The Art of Networking Remembering that “art is in the eye of the beholder” according to E.A Bucchineri Where can we start with networking? I once read “Networking for People who hate Networking” by Devora Zack which should give a good overview as to where I was in my mindset! The aim should be to talk to new people and ask them questions about their business and their role so that you build rapport with them and a relationship flourishes however, the majority of people who network have the habit of talking to their friends, people they’ve known for years and having a good gossip - whilst I could ask here whether that action is good for their business or brand it is more important to ask, what is their aim of attending the networking? Was it to catch up with a contact and talk shop or was it go out and market their business? People attend these sessions for so many different reasons, it could even be that they just wanted to get out of the house for a bit or thought the subject that was being discussed sounded interesting - but what is important is that we don’t assume people are all going for the same reason! So why do you network? Do you know what your end goal is? Here are some of my tips for networking Aim
Then start again!!! Meeting new people can be hard for some of us (me included!) as an introvert I find it tiring, it doesn’t give me the energy as if I was an extrovert however, the more I do it the more enjoyable it is. I find arriving early and finding a ‘job’ really helps takes my nerves away and if I can’t do that I ‘act as if’. That means that I just pretend I’m super confident and eventually that will come true! If you want to work on your strategies for networking, growing your confidence or another area then please contact me. Be You can empower you through our Coaching Programme making sure that you have all the strategies you need to Be You! As business owners, it’s really important that we all stay relevant within our field to ensure that we are able to run with the larger companies and offer our customers the best solutions but… How do you keep relevant and find the time? Let’s tackle the elephant in the room first, THE TIME! That for me is the biggest challenge. - being a small business it’s another action on the ‘to-do list’ but it’s important to remember how critical it is to business success. If I’m not up to date on employment law, the economy, and business challenges when I’m offering solutions to customers how can I be sure they are the best options? If I’m not sure, then how will that come across to the business will I be confident in my approach and how will I fair against other competitors who are tendering for business? Years ago, I had the privilege of working for a very successful businessman who gave me some wise snippets that I have always held onto, one was; Everyone has a shelf-life For me, whilst employed by him it used to concern me in terms of our conversations, I would always have in the back of my mind “is he telling me that I’ve reached my shelf life” though thankfully he wasn’t! On the positive side though it did make me realise that we always need to remain relevant and that I’ve carried forward since that day. How do I make time work for me? I look for quick wins and multi-tasking! I always ask myself how can I get most out of the time I have. After all time is limited isn’t it, when you are taking on the world! Being relevant Have you ever thought about it? Or is it something you just do or maybe you don’t? I’ve always advised teams, and business owners to try to keep a set time for learning in their diaries each week, whether that is 60 mins., 45 or 30 mins! If you think about all your interactions, if you remain curious then you are learning and keeping relevant all the time. Where I tend to struggle is if I’m studying for a qualification and there is a lot of learning to do in order to achieve it. I’m currently studying for several diplomas and the time needed to study can be a challenge! Each week I review my diary and then try to work around business and personal needs / appointments to then add in studying time. I find that if I allocate time then I am more committed to studying rather than getting distracted by something else! I also find that colour coding my diary helps me see how my diary is planned for the week - it is split into 3 colours, studying, work and personal but it’s a great visual check! Quick Wins I find these options work well:
My challenge / ask of you is to take 5 minutes over a cuppa and consider how you keep yourself relevant.
It would be great to hear from you on what other ways you keep relevant! Remember, stay curious and everyone has a shelf life you’ve just got to make sure you are always in date! Can Be You support you? Yes of course. This support and empowerment would come through the form of coaching. After all the service we offer to our customers is based on what they want, their needs and therefore enabling our customers to be themselves. How can I find out more? Please <contact me>. |
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April 2024
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