Up until recently, for most people across the globe, a commute to work was something of a given, with the length, breadth and challenge of these commutes varying.

For some, your workplace could be your home, or a few streets away. For others, getting to work involves a stressful mix of trains, busses, car journeys & speedy walks in the rain, culminating in a multi-hour commute.

But in 2020, is this necessary? In the face of the recent global Covid-19 pandemic, businesses worldwide opened the floodgates for flexible working arrangements in multiple sectors, as the struggle to contain and delay the virus grew. Despite this, there is a chance that many of these businesses could revert to their old customs. Here’s why avoiding the rush hour commute could be positive for your business.
 
The Ever-Increasing Irish Commute
Irish workplace culture remains very much on a 9-5 basis, yet the commutes seem to grow increasingly worse.
1 in 10 Irish commuters spent an hour or more commuting to work in 2017, a 31 % increase in the 5 years previous. Meanwhile, AA found earlier this year that over half of Irish drivers spent longer commuting from work than they did in 2019.

While urban areas such as Dublin & Cork bear the brunt of Irish commuter woes, rural areas consistently suffer from poor transport connections, leading many people to overcrowd Ireland’s cities and only add to the increasing traffic pressures.

Something clearly must give – could it be your business’ working hours?

While our previous article delved into the possible pitfalls flexible working arrangements can present to your staff & business, flexi-time also provides the opportunity to calm the pressure on your commuting colleagues, leading to better performance & better work-life balance.
 
The Benefits & Necessity to Calm The Rush Hour Commute

1. Better Workplace Health

We’ve all been there. Started our early morning commute calm & collected, only to be met by burgeoning traffic delays, cancelled trains or the odd extreme weather element just to add into the mix. Arriving to work stressed to the hills is not a sign of a healthy, satisfied worker, but the opportunity for this stress to impact on your colleagues’ ability to work & your business’ performance as a result.

Introducing the opportunity to be flexible on working hours will allow colleagues to stagger their commutes, meaning less time in a car, bus or train, and more time in work, happy & ready for the day ahead.
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Meanwhile, for colleagues with personal dependents, flexi-time will give them the opportunity to get back home when they are needed, and not worried about the evening rush-hour commute ahead of them which could mean a missed swimming lesson, or a late departure from childcare.
 

1. Better Talent Retention

If your staff are unhappy with any aspect of their job, they could go walking. ‘Location, location, location’; where a workplace is relative to where you live is a vital part of any job. The shorter the commute, the more ‘me’ time you have left at home. In fact, 40% of Irish commuters claim they would take a pay cut if it meant being nearer to home.

By providing flexible working arrangements, this can ease staff stress around commuting, giving them back more time to be at home rather than travelling to and from work.

By doing so, you will most likely retain more talent and avoid the risk of a skills gap simply due to the location of your offices.
 
3. Better Business Performance
Psychologist Shawn Achor reflects: “Happiness inspires productivity” - the same can be said for your workers. Replacing the stress & pressure of the traditional rush hour commute with more flexible working hours will mean that your staff can enjoy shorter & less stressful commutes.

Coupled with the result of increased home time and a calmer start to the working day, your colleagues will be ready & willing to perform to a much greater capacity without the dreaded evening commute looming over them as the day wears on.

By taking this small step to changing the way your organisation & staff work, your business performance will increase - make flexible working arrangements beneficial & necessary for your business this year.

The tinsel is on the tree and the naff Christmas jumpers have been ordered. Over the coming weeks, employees will descend in their droves upon bars, restaurants and hotels across the country (and further afield in some scenarios) as the festive season kicks-in.
 
For the vast majority of employers, the Christmas parties is a chance to let your hair down, get to know your team at a more informal level and show thanks to everyone for their contribution they’ve made over the past year. However, it’s critical you ensure things don’t get out of hand.
We might not like to think about it, but the Christmas party is fraught with dangers that could severely impact employee relations and even lead to legal issues for your organisation. As such, it’s important a balance is struck between the seasonal merriment and clarifying that inappropriate behaviour, such as sexual harassment, will not be tolerated.
Guilty by Association
Many employers are not aware that their duty of care to staff extends beyond normal working hours to work-organised Christmas parties. The legal position on it, and other similar events outside the office, is that they are sufficiently related to work to warrant liability. This means that you, as an employer, are responsible for the wellbeing of staff over the course of the party.
Moreover, the law may also hold you responsible for the actions of your staff. As an employer you may be vicariously liable for any employee wrongdoings. Put simply, with the Christmas party deemed as a work event, should a member of your team act in appropriately – be it sexual harassment, verbal or physical abuse, and so forth – you could be found guilty by association.
 
In the #metoo era, where people are rightly more willing to share and denounce their experiences of sexual misconduct, employers too, have a responsibility to take measures to minimise the risk of such unacceptable behaviour.
Here are some measures you can take to limit your exposure and encourage a fun, respectful Christmas party:

• Put your policies in black and white

Do you have a Christmas party policy? If you don’t, you’re in the majority. Most employers feel their existing work/ alcohol and substance abuse policies are sufficient. The reality is that they just create ambiguity. A dedicated policy ensures there is no confusion among employers as to what is deemed inappropriate behaviour and the repercussions of disregarded in company’s position on such matters.

• Communicate clearly and concisely

There’s no point having a policy if no one knows about it. Email communications relating to the Christmas party, should contain more than the basics i.e. venue, time, etc. In addition to attaching your Christmas party policy, state clearly that this is a work-related event, outline the running order for the evening and highlight when the party will officially end

• Provide Transport

Remember you have a duty of care to staff. If the party is held away from the office, then you have a responsibility to ensure your employees get to and from it safely. The best way to do this is to arrange transport on their behalf. This again should be communicated prior to the party so everyone is aware of the where, when, who and how of what’s been organised.

• Disown the afterparty

Christmas party after-parties, where groups of employees may decide to keep the festivities going into the early hours, are not uncommon. As am employer you must make clear that anything employees arrange beyond the official Christmas party is not endorsed by the company, that it is outside the course of their employment and they are responsible for their own actions.

• Beware the free-flowing booze:

Very often, Christmas party behavioural issues can be directly linked to the amount of booze that’s been consumed. Alcohol reduces peoples’ inhibitions, leaving them more likely to act in ways they never would when sober.
To avoid such incidents don’t encourage mass consumption of alcohol. That generally means no free bar or some form of limit on the number of drinks per person. This will decrease the chances of accidents, fights and unsolicited sexual advances as a result of drinking. If needed, be prepared to tell individuals to stop drinking if they start to appear too drunk or rowdy.
Despite even the best laid plans, things can be said and done that need to be addressed. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, do not discipline any employees at the party itself as this could cause further issues on the evening. Send the person at fault home if necessary and deal with the incident when you are back at the office.
 
Most importantly, remember this is a time to show your appreciation to your employees and get to know them beyond their day-to-day office roles.

We are living in a world where we are encouraged to talk. Talk about our mental health, talk about private matters and talk about work related issues. All of this, in my opinion, is a positive, especially in business. Without knowing an employee’s circumstances in most aspects of their life (if they wish to share), it can be hard to comprehend the way they work or why they may be having trouble performing to the best of their ability.

However, one aspect of the working world that we still seem to have problems talking about is salary. Pay transparency has been praised as a way of potentially closing the gender pay gap, as well as encouraging employee engagement and less competition.

In a recent study by Blind, 60% of participants (mostly from the tech industry) answered ‘yes’ when questioned if they have been discouraged by HR from sharing their salary with fellow employees. The social networking app, which is popular amongst tech companies, also asked if professionals shared their salary with colleagues, to which 40% answered ‘no’. Closer to home, a survey carried out by CIPD showed that only 21% of Irish companies calculated their gender pay gap for employees.

This is quite a big problem in the modern climate, given that pay transparency has been championed and gender pay gap revelations are increasingly being reported in the media. The most recent figures published by Eurostat in 2016 reported that the gender pay gap in Ireland was 13.9%, which was lower than the EU average but still a long way off from where it should be. This has led to the Irish government presenting the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill to the Dail.
 

The Obligations
To address the issue, we can expect to see more regulations being enforced that require employers to show if there are any differences in gender renumeration and if so, to what extent.
Employers will be obliged to report the following information:

• the difference between the mean and median hourly remuneration of male and female employees
• the difference between the mean and bonus remuneration of male and female employees
• the difference between the mean and median remuneration of part-time male and female employees
• the proportions of men and women receiving bonuses and benefits-in-kind

If there are considerable differences, the organisation will then have to publish statements explaining the reasons why there are such gaps, as well as the measures that have been/will be taken to eliminate these differences.

With all of this in mind, we have included a few pointers below to encourage employers to increase salary transparency in their organisation.
 

Research Industry Compensation
If you wish to encourage pay transparency in your organisation, it is important to research pay ranges in your industry. A quick online search will provide information on salary and additional compensation in numerous industries, which are quite often broken down by roles and geographical areas. Websites like glassdoor.com, salary.com and indeed.com will provide information you need to ensure your business is within the same range as your competitors so you can start a transparency conversation with your workforce.
 

Audit Current Employee Salaries
You can’t look forward without knowing where you currently stand. Have an in-depth look at what your employees are currently earning, why certain staff members are earning more than others and how this can be amended to be more in line with overall industry salaries. Consider added bonuses and benefits that individual employees may have compared to others and look at the reasons behind this. Based on your findings, examine company finances and the best way to close the pay gap.
 

Assess Your Workforce 
Whilst you may be on board with transparency, not all staff members will feel the same. You need to decide, overall, if your workforce will embrace the proposed change. If your employees aren’t happy with pay transparency, then the plan may fall flat or even lead to an increase in staff demotivation and turnover.
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It is natural for there to be some resistance from certain members and groups, with some being more distracted than benefit from the change. As the expert in your business, you are best poised to determine the response to salary transparency, however if you are unsure of the reaction you may receive, then simply ask your staff what their thoughts are. If you decide to go ahead then make sure you are equipped to deal with kickback.
 

Train & Educate Management
For any changes to work, you need to gain the support of your executives and key people who will be engaging with your employees directly. Managers and supervisors are often front-line communicators and are the first people your employees will go to if they have an issue or any questions and so you need to guarantee your managerial team are on board with the plan and will positively reinforce information.

Ensure your managers know which information is being shared with employees, how quickly it will be shared and what the benefits are to the change. Supervisors need to be trained in dealing with tough and complex conversations so you and they are confident they have the skills to answer any questions that might arise. Brainstorming and feedback sessions are vital to prepare for every aspect.
 

Start Being Transparent
Once you have decided the best course of action and wish to be transparent, let all your employees know what each of them are earning and encourage meetings with staff members who may have issues with the current situation. Initial confusion will most likely arise but try to think long term - social sharing start up, Buffer, made all their staff earnings public online in 2013, and as a result, applications from qualified workforce went up by 50% in the next month.
 

Eliminate Salary Negotiation Going Forward
Eliminating pay negotiations is a drastic approach, but for some companies is arguably seen as the simplest solution. In 2015, the American company, Salesforce, eliminated its negotiation policy in its 13 global offices across Europe. It is quite often stated that men are stronger negotiators than women, and so rather than encouraging more competition and back & forth at interview stage, it simply eliminates the practice of negotiating.

In addition to this, some Scandinavian companies have taken a two/three tier approach with all junior employees earning a set amount and all senior staff members going up a tier but still earning the same as colleagues on their level. This cuts out pay gaps and questions as to why someone might earn less than their counterpart.
 
With all of this in mind, it’s important to remember that there are different approaches and levels to salary transparency. Therefore, you need to look at what is best for your company and employees before proceeding with your chosen route.

Today’s employers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of employee morale to their company. Instead of ignoring issues with team members, they are implementing ways to enhance overall employee satisfaction. One of most popular tactics is promoting creativity in the workplace. Here are some ways to use creativity, amongst other methods, to ensure your team members are in it for the long run.  
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Encourage collaboration
As a leader you should always be looking for ways to increase communication in your company. Frequent interaction will give employees a chance to get to know each other, resulting in a positive working environment. Importantly, greater collaboration translates directly into greater creativity and better problem solving thanks to the multitude of ideas and perspectives available.
 
Give workers a voice
Most workers lose satisfaction because they are made to feel unimportant or their voices can get drowned by other more extrovert personalities. Some of your employees will have ideas they don’t feel confident enough to share. Encouraging them will bring those ideas to the surface and some of them may be revolutionary to your company. One of the main reasons for lack of creativity is because it isn’t heard, so listen up.
 
Organise work stations so that your team are in close proximity, allowing them to converse. Creating a party for each employee on their birthday or milestone in their life such as an anniversary or engagement celebrations will be appreciated by your workforce. Don’t forget to arrange out of office events, including after work drinks, networking events or volunteering programmes.
 
Promote health and wellbeing
Bad health will negatively affect your workers motivation, denting your company culture. Start by educating employees on the importance of maintaining good health, provide books or organise talks.
 
Ensure your office is fully equipped with a fully running kitchen, have a microwave and fridge so that workers can bring in ready prepared lunches. Add a touch of creativity by organising health company competitions, for example have employees aim to lose a certain amount of weight and whoever loses the most wins a prize.
 
Don’t only focus on physical health, highlight the importance of mental health as well. Organise a weekly company counsellor to employees that may be highly stressed either in their work or personal life. Offer a discount for the local gym, exercise releases endorphins that helps both physically and mentally. This is important, a healthy employee equals a healthy working environment.  
 
Offer Flexitime
Flexible working hours and working from home options will accommodate all workers who each have different situations. Allowing a flexible schedule will increase overall productivity and gives increased job satisfaction, as it allows employees to get their work-life balance organised in a way that suits their lifestyle.
 
Allow regular breaks
Giving employees the freedom to take breaks will boost their productivity levels. Adding breaks into your work culture helps workers approach tasks in a calmer, but productive way. They can take five minutes out when feeling stressed about a looming deadline or project, which will help get their creative juices flowing again. 
 
Having a creative team is important for your company, so if you want to have a productive, motivated and insightful team of workers, follow these tips to ensure everyone is at their creative peak.

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​A few days ago, I came across a very interesting Q&A with Cathy Fraser, CHRO of Mayo Clinic. The exclusive interview, which centred on “The Employee as a Consumer”, really resonated with me and so I wanted to share my thoughts on why businesses should ensure they are treating employees in a similar way to their consumers.

The first step companies need to take, is to look at how much time and what resources are put into creating client preference. The world of retail, for example, constantly competes for consumer time and attention, more often than not with identical products and services. Millions each year is spent on customer engagement, advertising and research. Now consider how much is invested into attracting, engaging and retaining the right employees…

Whatever the industry, one rule always stands:

Staff members are the most influential factor when it comes to delivering a strong and positive customer experience.

Therefore, it is imperative that businesses stop to consider how they might ensure they are offering their employees a strong and positive experience in the workplace. At every step of the recruitment process and employment, a staff member should understand their importance and role in delivering the brand.

Let’s take it back a step, and consider why employees are more like consumers, so we can better understand the necessary change to company HR.

1. A shift in attitude to work and needs: it’s becoming increasingly common for consumers to associate themselves with a particular brand. Apple springs to mind, where buyers will have an iPhone, Apple watch, Mac and iPad because they believe in the brand and wouldn’t dare buy from Samsung. Employees are very similar in that they don’t just want a job, but also a vocation that aligns with their organisational beliefs, even if it might mean being paid less.
2. An increase in growing an employment portfolio: it’s now rare for a staff member to be with one company for their whole life. Instead, employees are constantly thinking ahead to building a strong CV for future positions. This aligns with the housing market where buyers consider location and the potential value of the property if they decide to sell in the future.
3. Individual brand preferences: following on from point two, an employee will always consider how working for a particular company will look on their CV, for when the time comes to move on. Just like many people wear certain brands of clothing or like to drive a particular make of car as a status symbol, they see particular company logos on their CV as a way of portraying their personal brand.
4. Minimal obstacles to switching jobs: LinkedIn has changed the game when it comes to recruiting. Employees and potential employers can find each other mush more easily through “social recruiting”. Employees who may be happy in their current role could see an advertised job while casually scrolling through a website and decide to apply on a whim.
5. Skills shortage: we have seen an increase in skills shortage in recent years and it has made companies more aggressive with poaching staff. Companies who are on the ball are willing to invest in talent to grow their business. They know who they want and they make it happen.

Keeping the above in mind, companies need to question how they are engaging with the needs of their employees and what changes they have to make to attract and retain the right kind of staff members.

1. Target recruitment to those who are fundamentally motivated by what the company does: once talent has been identified, segmentation should occur to ensure that potential employees share the values and common purpose to drive the business forward.
2. See employees as individuals: no one likes to be mass marketed to. It’s the quickest way for a business to be ignored by potential customers. Employees are no different and so companies should take genuine interest in each of their staff members to refrain from using a “one size fits all” approach to HR and their wellbeing.
3. Ensure strategies impact employees daily: staff bonuses, initiatives and targets should be measured over the short term. Employees will lose focus sooner if they have to work to quarterly or annual goals. It is important for companies to consider how many major initiatives in the last few years have really provided value to their employees.
4. Measure employee satisfaction: just like businesses measure consumer fulfilment in their products or service, employee satisfaction should also be measured. When internal contentment is measured, strengths in staff experience can be celebrated whilst also prioritising which areas may need to be improved.
5. Managers are employees too: businesses often promote staff members to a managerial position when they may not yet have the skill set or experience. They are often left to manage a team but then are rarely included in developing strategies to enact with the employees. Companies should look to managers at the early stage of the recruitment/employee satisfaction process, as they often have a better idea of what team members want or need to positively change the organisation.

Businesses never stop evolving, and although much research has been done on how to approach consumers through sales and marketing, we now need to listen and understand employees to the same effect. As consumers, we only pay attention to messages that are individually relevant to us – does your company approach capture the attention of your employees?

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Last week the UK’s HMRC (the equivalent of our Revenue) named, shamed and hundreds British businesses – 360 to be exact – for failing to pay minimum wage to their employees. Not only is this against the law, it has the potential to greatly damage a companies’ reputation, not to mention the morale of its workers.

This is the largest ever UK clamp down on companies not paying minimum wage, resulting in offending employers being forced to cough up more than £2 million in fines and back pay. It seems only logical that steps will soon be taken to investigate Irish companies who may be cheating their staff out of the minimum living wage of €9.25.

Of course there are clear measures which can be taken to ensure companies are abiding by the legal requirement of paying employees minimum wage. Ensuring tips are not considered part of an income, not bankrolling the office Christmas party through staff wages and work uniforms not coming out of employee pay packets are all obvious ways of maintaining compliance with the law on minimum wage.

However, all of this seems to miss a crucial point. Businesses must value and treat their minimum wage staff with respect in order to get the best out of them. Nothing belittles a staff member quiet like actively breaking the law in order to pay them less. Furthermore, given that, according to the OECD in 2014, 25.1% of the Irish working population fell into the ‘low pay’ category; we are not talking about a small proportion of the workforce.
 
So, here are 3 ways to show respect towards, and make the most of, your least costly members of staff (other than remembering to at least pay them minimum wage)!

Communicate

We aren’t talking about office chitchat here. While a yarn is nice every once in a while, it is imperative that employers understand the worries and queries of their staff through open lines of communication. More often than not, the concerns of middle management/senior executives are prioritised and minimum/low wage workers are all but forgotten. Try to keep everyone in mind in order to avoid low wage workers feeling demoralised and undervalued. Taking a bottom-up approach by addressing the issues of the lowest paid members of staff sets a good precedent throughout the rest of the business.
 
Delegate (where possible) 
The feeling that you are simply a small cog in a big wheel is a common symptom for a low wage worker. The best way to combat this, as an employer, is to delegate tasks as fairly and evenly as possible. By being given more responsibilities, lower wage workers will be more effective and feel respected rather than dejected.
 
Incentivise  
Minimum wage is minimum wage. Most of us have been there before and we are aware of the hardships it can bring. One way to encourage low wage workers is to offer incentives and, no, they don’t always have to be financial. While tips and bonuses are a nice way to supplement an income, not all businesses benefit from them and often more inventive incentives work better. Whether it be booze, a bike or a bungee jump – get creative with your rewards and you may find your workers go that extra mile for you.  As they say, it’s the little things.
 
 
The old mantra that a happy worker is a productive worker applies to all employees – even those at the bottom. There is no doubt low wage workers are the bedrock of any business. Without them many businesses would cease to function properly.
 
Therefore if a company, no matter how big or small, is failing to meet the needs of its minimum wage workers, automatically the credibility of the rest of the business is called into question. So, pay your workers what they deserve and treat them with respect. In return, not only will you avoid hefty fines for non-compliance on minimum wage and prevent potentially ruining your reputation, you might get a more productive workforce with scorns replaced by smiles.

Five Metrics for Measuring Company Culture3/2/2017
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Vicki hangs out beside the desk of her owner, Mike Ahamadi at Autodesk Photograph by Lucas Oleniuk — Getty Images
‘Company culture’ is a term that has been bandied about for decades now. Unfortunately, over the years it picked up a reputation for being a bit of a fluffy subject to keep HR professionals occupied when things were a little quiet. However, in recent years, with the talent pool getting smaller, it’s come into the mainstream, as organisations focus on talent acquisition and retention. However, effectively measuring company culture and aligning it with corporate objectives remains a challenge.

So how do you measure this increasingly important set of beliefs, behaviours and actions that define how things get done in your company? While there is no set formula for doing so, by assessing companies with a consistent track record for success, we begin to see a number of shared qualities that can be used as metrics to gauge where the impact culture is having on your organisation.

1.  Communication
Effective communication is perhaps the most glaringly obvious trait among the best companies. In these corporations communication is a two-way street, where employees are encouraged to communicate their ideas and concerns to their bosses, while management clearly communicates any essential information to staff. Analyse your existing communications channels to see how well information is being sent, received and interpreted throughout the company.

2. Innovation
An organisation’s level of innovation can tell you a lot. It tells you how creative the company is; how dynamic it is; how open it is to new ideas and how those ideas are made a reality. Innovation shouldn’t be the prerogative of zany creatives and cool tech start-ups. Innovation is about thinking up ways to do things better, leveraging resources to improve productivity, establishing processes that make the workplace better, identifying new markets to target and a whole lot more. Take a close look at your business and ask just how innovative you are; are you open to new ideas; in what ways do you show your innovativeness.  

3. Wellness
As the saying goes, a happy worker is a good worker, and a healthy employee is productive one. Employee wellness is about investing in your employees’ mental and physical wellbeing. Workplace wellness encompasses the mental and physical health of employees. Multiple studies have shown that companies that run a dedicated employee wellness programme are more productive, have greater employee satisfaction and report fewer sick days. For more information on employee wellness, checkout these 5 Reasons Why Employers Should Promote a Healthy Workforce.

4. Collaboration
As is the case with effective communication and innovation, strong collaboration between employees, teams and departments is a common trait amongst the best companies in the world. The benefits of collaboration are manifold. It helps give workers a better understanding of the role their colleagues play. It may reveal opportunities for them to cross-sell one another’s services/ products. It ensures plans and processes are considered from many different perspectives.  Look to see how much, where and why your teams are collaborating. If the results aren’t great, invest the time in encouraging a more collaborative environment.

5. Responsibility
Believe it or not but many employees want more responsibility. They want to feel that the work they do matters and to take ownership of that function. Greater autonomy also has been shown to speed up decision making processes and streamline company activities, all resulting in greater productivity. Measuring this might seem a bit tricky but it can be done. Look at the ways in which your company promotes autonomy and encourages employees to take more responsibility. Make this part of your performance policy to ensure everyone works towards it.

So there you have it, five metrics to help you start measuring and monitoring your company's culture.

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0 Comments5 Reasons to Promote a Healthy Workforce2/2/2017
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It’s January and no doubt the gyms are packed with New Year heroes, determined to start 2017 on the right foot and stick to their new year’s resolution. Despite their best intentions, research has shown that almost two thirds of people fail to keep the promise they made to themselves, with almost half (43%) of them giving up in the first month.

​As employers, it may be worth supporting your workers’ commitments to getting fitter, losing weight or living a healthier lifestyle. Here are five of the biggest benefits of having healthy workers.

Reduced Absenteeism
Healthy employees, who have a balanced diet and exercise regularly, are less likely to become ill or suffer an injury. In other words, promoting a healthy lifestyle to your workers can help cut absenteeism. That should mean higher productivity, reduced stress and a happier workplace.

Focus
Healthy eating isn’t just about the long-term goals. The nutritional properties of many fruit and nuts can give your employees a boost to get them through the mid-afternoon slump. That extra energy will help them maintain focus, make less mistakes and get work done.

Engagement
Team sports, like 5-aside football, run clubs not only keep your staff fit but also promote team work, loyalty and enthusiasm. Workplace yoga sessions are becoming increasingly popular. Encouraging your staff to get up from their desks and stretch out offers huge social, cultural and wellbeing benefits.

Mental Wellbeing
Your staff should be healthy in body and mind. Along with back pain, workplace stress, anxiety and depression related illness are the most common reasons for employee absenteeism. As an employer, you have a duty to look after all aspects of your employees’ wellbeing; that means their mental and emotional health as well as their physical.

Employee Recognition
With the talent pool shrinking, employers are looking for new ways to attract workers to their businesses. Gym memberships, healthy snacks and regular campaigns all help to build moral within your existing team are all great perks that will help you stand out from the crowd and demonstrate your appreciation for your staff.

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‘Company culture’ is a term that has been bandied about for decades now. Unfortunately, over the years it picked up a reputation for being a bit of a fluffy subject to keep HR professionals occupied when things were a little quiet. However, in recent years, with the talent pool getting smaller, it’s come into the mainstream, as organisations focus on talent acquisition and retention. However, effectively measuring company culture and aligning it with corporate objectives remains a challenge.

So how do you measure this increasingly important set of beliefs, behaviours and actions that define how things get done in your company? While there is no set formula for doing so, by assessing companies with a consistent track record for success, we begin to see a number of shared qualities that can be used as metrics to gauge where the impact culture is having on your organisation.

1.  Communication
Effective communication is perhaps the most glaringly obvious trait among the best companies. In these corporations communication is a two-way street, where employees are encouraged to communicate their ideas and concerns to their bosses, while management clearly communicates any essential information to staff. Analyse your existing communications channels to see how well information is being sent, received and interpreted throughout the company.

2. Innovation
An organisation’s level of innovation can tell you a lot. It tells you how creative the company is; how dynamic it is; how open it is to new ideas and how those ideas are made a reality. Innovation shouldn’t be the prerogative of zany creatives and cool tech start-ups. Innovation is about thinking up ways to do things better, leveraging resources to improve productivity, establishing processes that make the workplace better, identifying new markets to target and a whole lot more. Take a close look at your business and ask just how innovative you are; are you open to new ideas; in what ways do you show your innovativeness.  

3. Wellness
As the saying goes, a happy worker is a good worker, and a healthy employee is productive one. Employee wellness is about investing in your employees’ mental and physical wellbeing. Workplace wellness encompasses the mental and physical health of employees. Multiple studies have shown that companies that run a dedicated employee wellness programme are more productive, have greater employee satisfaction and report fewer sick days. For more information on employee wellness, checkout these 5 Reasons Why Employers Should Promote a Healthy Workforce.

4. Collaboration
As is the case with effective communication and innovation, strong collaboration between employees, teams and departments is a common trait amongst the best companies in the world. The benefits of collaboration are manifold. It helps give workers a better understanding of the role their colleagues play. It may reveal opportunities for them to cross-sell one another’s services/ products. It ensures plans and processes are considered from many different perspectives.  Look to see how much, where and why your teams are collaborating. If the results aren’t great, invest the time in encouraging a more collaborative environment.

5. Responsibility
Believe it or not but many employees want more responsibility. They want to feel that the work they do matters and to take ownership of that function. Greater autonomy also has been shown to speed up decision making processes and streamline company activities, all resulting in greater productivity. Measuring this might seem a bit tricky but it can be done. Look at the ways in which your company promotes autonomy and encourages employees to take more responsibility. Make this part of your performance policy to ensure everyone works towards it.

So there you have it, five metrics to help you start measuring and monitoring your company's culture.

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As Bob Dylan once wrote ‘the times they are a changing’. Much like hit comedy Anchorman’s protagonist Ron Burgundy, there’s a good chance that many Millennials have never heard that song. But in terms of talent management and acquisition the words are as true today as they were in 60s.
We’ve received numerous enquiries from business owners and HR managers frustrated with their Millennial employees. They seem disengaged. They’re overly opinionated. They’re self-absorbed. The list goes on. Often, what appears to be the problem is a misinterpretation of the situation.
There’s no doubt that the expectations of Millennials are different to those of their parents and grandparents. Their values must align with the company they work for. They crave variety and they’re more concerned with striking a better work/ life balance than money.
If you can understand their motivations and needs, then Millennials can be a powerful addition to your workforce, bringing vibrance and a fresh way of thinking to your organisation. Here are five things you need to understand about Millennials to get the most out of them.

#1. Look at your culture
As I mentioned Millennials are far more selective about the type of company they work for. Like anyone, they want to work for an organisation they can be proud of. Unlike previous decades, however, this may have nothing to do with size or turnover. Rather they may want to work with an organisation that values diversity or collaboration or corporate social responsibility. These are cultural elements and employers having to look long and hard at what they stand for in order to attract the right kind of talent.

#2. Offer a clear career path
In an age of immediate gratification and answers at the tip of their finger, Millennials aren’t used to standing around and guessing what the outcome is going to be. When it comes to their career they want to know what is expected of them, how they will progress through your organisation and what the limitations will be.
By offering a clear career path, with milestones and expectations, you can entice the most talented to join your company. Just be sure you can back-up whatever you agree to.
 
#3. Give them structure
Following on from my second point, structure is an essential part of managing Millennials. Through school and university, looking at tasks on a project-by-project basis has become the norm for them. Adapting your management processes to reflect this can make a huge difference to engaging your Millennial workers.
Clearly define assignments and success factors. Make sure reports have set due dates and that meetings have agendas and minutes.
Having a list of tasks that can be ticked off, as opposed to one vague goal, feeds into the Millennial need for instant gratification.
 
#4. Acknowledge their efforts and opinions
This is often an element older generations of employers struggle with. If your attitude is that employers are paid to do a job and they should be glad of it, then you’re probably not going to get far with your Millennial staff.
A challenge of their need for instant gratification is that they almost expect to be acknowledged for the work before they do it. However, showing them how the work they do adds value to your business and recognising their efforts through various incentives – not necessarily financial but perhaps in terms of social rewards or time in lieu – can go a long way.
Equally, this generation has grown up in a world of collaboration. Schools, teams, societies, and universities emphasise the value of team work and that a strong team is more effective than any one individual. As such, Millennials are used to sharing their thoughts and opinions with their seniors just as much as with their peers.
Accept that they are not intentionally acting out of turn and they will value your constructive criticism as much as they appreciate your giving their opinions genuine consideration.
 
#5. Avoid boredom
Millennials are used to doing a 101 things at the same time. From sending an email while on the phone, to networking face-to-face and social media all at the same time, they’re the ultimate multi-taskers.
If you’re not challenging them, they will quickly get bored; and a bored Millennial is a disengaged worker; and a disengaged worker can be more harmful to your operation than anything else.
Meet with them regularly to ensure they are happy with the workload; that they find it challenging and interesting and that they see the purpose of what they’re doing.
 
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It appears that bad bosses are EVERYWHERE. Indeed, a recent survey from Approved Index found that almost half (42%) of workers have left a job because of a bad boss. Reading this now, you may recall a nightmare experience of your own.

When you consider the countless number of reasons someone might be considered an awful boss, this shouldn’t come as too big a surprise. For a lot of people, a dislike of a boss might come down to something very personal, not reflecting their effectiveness in their role at all. Afterall you’re never going to please everyone.
However, there are some particular traits almost guaranteed to infuriate all your employees.
Here are five traits of horrible bosses:

#1. They’ve No Vision
While they might seem a million miles apart, the office environment and nature have a lot in common. I recently wrote a blog on the HR lessons we can learn from The Jungle Book. One of those lessons was about leadership.
Just like any wolf pack or pride of lions, employees look to their bosses for guidance and leadership. A good boss always has a clear vision of where she is leading her team – in line with the company’s mission - and how they’ll get there.

A clear vision gives purpose to the work your staff do and instils confidence in the direction the company is taking. A boss without a vision is likely to encounter resistance from his employees, which can quickly turn into apathy and then attrition.

#2. They’re Poor Communicators
Communication is key to any good relationship, and the relationship between boss and employee is no different. Managers who fail to communicate regularly and clearly with their employees are headed for trouble.
Worse than that, when they do decide to communicate with their workers, truly awful bosses tend to be negative and very seldom provide any sort of constructive criticism. This can be poisonous for productivity and staff morale. Such behaviour only knocks employees’ self-esteem and builds a sense of resentment for the work they do and the people they do it for. Moreover, it may lead to claims of bullying, which is very bad for business.

In contrast, good managers provide clear, unambiguous instructions to their teams, ensuring each member knows what part they play in any given project. When it comes to giving feedback, they do it in a positive and constructive manner. This isn’t to say that when someone needs to be reprimanded they’re not up to the job. It more so means that they know how to communicate with their workers in any given situation.

#3. They Blame Others
Following on from point #2, bad bosses tend to be quick to point the finger at others when things go wrong. Despite the fact that the issue most likely arose because of their inability to give clear direction, they see it as a problem caused by their subordinates.

As the boss, the buck really stops with you. As the leader of the team your duty is to do what is best for the team. When things go wrong you need to take it on the chin, identify what could have been better and learn from the mistake. That won’t happen if you keep using team members as scapegoats.

#4. They Steal the Limelight
The only thing worse than a boss who blames others when things go wrong is one who also takes all the credit when things go right. Again, you have a duty to the team and that duty involves acknowledging and rewarding the hard work your employees do. It costs nothing to share the glory but it can yield a huge amount of loyalty and respect from your staff.

 #5. Their Way or Nothing at all
Bosses are bosses for a reason. They have (or at least should have) worked hard to get to where they are, garnering the necessary experience and skills to fulfil their role. While the best bosses demonstrate strong leadership and vision, they also realise the importance of listening to and considering the suggestions of their team. They value the perspective of others and know it can be useful in making more informed decisions, that ultimately benefit the team and the business.

Conversely, horrible bosses tend to opt for the ‘my way or the highway’ approach. This tunnel vision isolates them from their team, preventing them from identifying errors in their judgement until it’s too late.

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St. Patrick’s Day, our beloved national holiday, is upon us once again. For some employers it’s a chance to have a little fun and engage with staff. For others it’s an excuse to throw on the garish green cords their wife bought last Christmas. For most it’s a lottery, wondering which employee will be the first to ring-in sick the next day.
Here are some of my top tips on how to embrace the day, what to avoid and measures you can take to limit absenteeism the day after.
The Fun

• Go Green

Encourage everyone in the office to wear something green to work. It’ll also make for a cool team pic.

• Host a Traditional Lunch

And no I don’t mean handing out cans of Guinness to everyone. Why not give your staff a taste of some traditional Irish dishes such:

• Irish stew or Guinness Beef Stew – both are good
• Coddle – a type of sausage and bacon stew from Dublin
• Vegetable soup with a thick slice of brown bread and a knob of real butter
• Boxty – a bread made using potatoes and flour
• Colcannon – mashed spuds with kale and a heap of butter

• Spotifyrish

Compile a playlist of some of the best Irish music. They great thing about Ireland is that we’ve a huge selection to choose from, from The Corrs to U2.

• Freshen Things Up

Why not dress the communal areas in your office with fresh flowers and plants. Tulips come in a wide range of colours – ideal for getting an Irish theme going. Plants have been shown to boost staff morale and productivity too.

• Slainte

Why not make it a staff get-together? Most employees will be joining friends later that evening anyway. Arrange a St. Patrick’s Day tipple at the local so you can toast our snake banishing hero as a team.
 
The Bad

• Curb the Patriotism

Unless you work in Temple Bar, there’s no reason to have the Wolfetones and the Dubliners on full blast. It may be the 1916 Centenary but let’s not get overly patriotic.

• Costumes Are Not Cool

Wearing something green to work can be a bit of fun but you need to toe the line somewhere. Staff dressing up in complete costumes may come across as unprofessional or inappropriate.

• Everything in Moderation

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with staff after work is fine but remember, you have a duty of care to them while they’re out with you. When drink is involved any number of things can go wrong, from harassment to assault to personal injury. In short, enjoy the evening but make sure it’s in moderation and have a finishing time for the staff outing.
The Tardy
A survey carried out in 2014 revealed that almost a third of employers in Ireland expected some of their staff to call in sick on 18th March, and almost all Irish employers feared productivity would be down that day thanks to ‘Irish-flu’. I imagine that those figures have changed little in the past two years.
Here are some tips to reduce deter staff from bunking off work:

• Plan the week ahead. Setting strict deadlines for tasks to be completed.
• Remind those working on the 18th that you’ll need them on top form that day as you need to meet the deadlines set.
• Incentivise them by attaching rewards to the completion of certain goals. If they’re working towards something other than ticking another box, then there’s a better chance they’ll not let the St. Patrick’s Day revelry affect them.
• Be flexible – If it is feasible, offer the option of flexi-time to your staff, where they can start and finish an hour later.
• Where a heavier stance needs to be made, refer back to your company’s staff handbook and issue a notice to employees outlining what is deemed acceptable behaviour and what is no, along with information on sick leave entitlements for uncertified illness. The idea of not getting paid might be the motivation they need to drag themselves out of bed on Thursday morning.

 
Wishing you a very happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
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David Bell is Managing Director of The HR Department, outsourced human resources specialists for Irish SMEs.