In meeting with clients, I’m hearing more concern about the “softer” skills critical to leadership and business development. The impression individuals make when interacting with colleagues, managers, and clients can greatly accelerate their career success…or leave them stalled or sidelined in the workplace. That’s where tailored coaching comes in.
Every April 1, the annual application process for H-1B visas begins. This year, many companies are concerned about the new administration’s focus on curbing visa programs. In light of a potential new executive order that could significantly curtail recruitment of highly skilled foreign employees, HR leaders are doubling down on efforts to retain their current H-1B employees. Research has shown employee development to be a valuable tool in increasing employee commitment and retention:
HR should look beyond the out-of-pocket costs to understand the real ROI of training in the form of employee retention and reduced burden on HR staff.
As forward-thinking organizations deepen their commitment to cultures of diversity and inclusion (D&I), their human resources and management leaders are turning to a related, but less well-understood topic: unconscious bias (UB). Also referred to as implicit bias, UB has emerged as a major issue in the news, and a key theme in discussions ranging from politics and policing to campus culture and social behaviors.
Building a Strategic Follow-up to Year-end Reviews
In today’s increasingly competitive talent market, many companies are talking about abandoning annual performance reviews in favor of continuous performance feedback (CPF).
For many companies, the midyear period is a time for employee evaluation and goal-setting, typically resulting in a “from-now-to-year-end” roadmap. Ideally, managers and human resource leaders work together to establish an open-dialog environment in which employees are actively encouraged to share thoughts on their progress, challenges, and goals…and how they see the rest of the year unfolding. Managers, advisers, and HR staff should all come away from these conversations asking--
Last week I had a catch-up meeting with Beatrice, a former coaching client in town for a short visit to corporate headquarters. This rock star, high-performing employee had recently taken over a global office, all on her own, with just two years’ tenure at her firm. She wanted to talk about how the year was going, and how she hoped to continue improving. What a positive scenario – she’d essentially become a director of global operations, taking on a significant leadership role in a very short period of time, and was excited about her professional development and future with her company!
For many companies, the midyear period is a time for employee evaluation and goal-setting, typically resulting in a “from-now-to-year-end” roadmap. Ideally, managers and human resource leaders work together to establish an open-dialog environment in which employees are actively encouraged to share thoughts on their progress, challenges, and goals…and how they see the rest of the year unfolding. Managers, advisers, and HR staff should all come away from these conversations asking--