Keeping Up with the Changing Engagement Needs of Employees

Keeping Up with the Changing Engagement Needs of Employees National Employee Motivation Day is taking place this month (Thursday 25 February), so how can employers get an accurate idea of how motivated their employees are, and also gauge if existing engagement practices are still meeting the needs of a changing workforce? Running for the second year, the creation of a National Employee Motivation Day, run by Argos for Business, was prompted by a 2015 survey which showed that over half of the UK’s employees regularly felt demotivated at work. The aim of the day is to help businesses to understand the power of incentivising those who matter most, the staff. At Pure we champion employee engagement because we want to help businesses create and evolve workplace cultures which attract and retain the best people. We’ve just held our latest employee engagement seminar, which included over 100 local business leaders, and one of the key themes to come out of the event was the importance of understanding the changing needs of employees and establishing what really motivates people as individuals. This is because we are moving into an era where it is increasingly common to find four different generations of people working alongside each other. By 2025, the latest generation, known as ‘Millennials’ will make up 75 per cent of the UK’s workforce. However, numerous HR surveys have shown that traditional employee engagement methods are not always as effective when it comes to motivating this particular generation. How can employers keep up with changing trends, and be ready to evolve their workplace culture if needed? Annual staff survey There is still very much a place for the annual staff survey in helping to understand employee motivation levels and to identify any areas for improvement. This message was reinforced at our employee engagement event, when guest speaker Sharron Pommells, head of operations at Virgin Management, described the results of the Virgin staff surveys as being ‘as important as balance sheets’ when it comes to gathering information on employee engagement. To ensure good participation levels, and gain honest, valuable feedback it’s important to ensure that employees don’t find the survey too predictable or irrelevant to them. Employers should also make sure that the questions are specifically tailored to capture exactly what they want to establish, in line with the organisation’s business objectives. There is external support available to help businesses if needed. For example through our Best Employers Eastern Region initiative we offer local organisations a completely free employee survey which provides feedback on the company’s culture and values, the impact this has on engagement levels, and a tailored action plan for development. ‘Pulse’ surveys The annual staff survey provides an excellent overview, but we are now seeing a growing trend for using short, ‘pulse’ surveys throughout the year. At a time when the needs of a workforce are changing quickly, a year is a long time to wait for the next staff survey results to roll round. It can put employers on the back foot when it comes to spotting any changing trends which could impact on productivity. Pulse surveys are short and very specific, and provide a quick and effective way for employers to capture immediate feedback on particular issues. They work really well as just one question with multiple choice or score ranking answers. Discover individual motivations   While there have been many studies into the different working styles and preferences of different generations, sometimes generational stereotypes can be just that, a stereotype. Don’t assume that people from certain generations will all want the same thing. It’s important to understand what motivates people as individuals. Including some considered questions within an employee survey can be a good way to track and manage the varying needs within the organisation. Ask them what they want from their professional lives. What motivates them? How do they like to communicate? Discover where they are in their lives and what their needs are at the moment. Act on results However you decide to gather staff feedback, the most important thing is to make sure that you act upon the information you gather. The worst thing employers can do is to encourage staff to express their views and not follow them up. To build a company where people want to come to work every day, employees need to feel that they have not only have a say in the business, but also that their views are acted upon. Share key findings and trends from staff surveys and provide regular updates on actions which are being taken, linking them back to the original feedback given. This transparency will help employees to feel valued and enable them to see the role they are playing in shaping and improving the organisation.

How to Write a CV and Resume - Tips For Effective Job Writing

How to Write a CV and Resume - Tips For Effective Job WritingWhen you are looking for a job, the one thing that every employer looks for is your CV and resume. And the test is whether it makes you look like a bright person. A CV or resume looks at a more holistic view of a person. It gives an overview of your skills, experiences and so on.In fact, most people today would have a CV in their possession. This is because they would usually send it out to any and all companies for any kind of employment. But do you know that CV has grown so much? There are several points that you need to consider when writing a CV.The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you capture the applicant's details correctly. This will also help you to write your own CV. It will show the employer that you have an eye for detail. Also, the CV should clearly state the candidate's education and qualifications. If you have made a mistake in this area, then you have to fix it before sending it out for c onsideration.A CV is not only limited to professional work history. Also, it includes any awards, achievements, and even personal achievements. Make sure that you include all these things in your CV.You may have heard that the employers are seeking a diverse range of candidates, and therefore you should sample the CV and resume of different companies before submitting it to them. This would give you an opportunity to hone and improve your CV. This is also a good way to make your CV unique.Do not be satisfied with a CV that consists of just one or two strong points. You have to include other things like the previous work experience and any specific skills. Thiswill also help you stand out from the crowd. And the CVs that contain these features will stand a greater chance of being chosen by the employer.Lastly, you need to include in your CV the reasons why you are applying for the job of a potential employer. The way that you use these can help you be selected as well. This is often where CV has grown.One last thing to remember is that the CV is something that you will always have in your hand. It is something that you can have a copy of and refer to it whenever you get stuck in between jobs.

How to Have the Best Valentines Day Ever

How to Have the Best Valentine’s Day Ever With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, married couples and singles alike are busy planning how they will spend the most romantic night of the year. Studies have shown that  50% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day, regardless of their relationship status. Whether you’ve been married for a while and are looking to spice up your love life or you are wondering if he is  going to pop the question  on February 14, here some ideas on how to make this Valentine’s Day one to remember. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone While a romantic candlelit dinner is a time-honored tradition on Valentine’s Day, often times it can be a bit archaic. If you share many meals with your honey, then a nice meal in a restaurant might feel like less of a treat and more of a chore.  Try cooking something new together instead. There are many resources online for cuisines that you might not have heard of, and the discovery of new ingredients will keep you both thinking about spicing things up long after the dishes are cleared. Try Something New in Bed There is a plethora of articles on the internet with tips and tricks on keeping your sex life interesting. Often including items such as roleplaying, bondage, and strawberries. But often just a simple change in routine can make things more exciting. Instead of sneaking off to bed at the end of the night, engage your partner in the morning, just after breakfast. A change in scenery and routine will allow you to make fun new memories. If you still need some help, ask to watch  while they engage with a toy. Just being watched can be enough to get their blood flowing. Go Big or Go… Home More often than not,  making time to simply enjoy each other  and their company is enough to make a perfect evening. Cleaning up the house before they get home from work is a sure fire way to impress them. Then, rent a silly movie and snuggle up on the couch, giving each other the space to laugh and make jokes. Spending quality time together is the best way to show your partner that you care. Try out a new board game, or read to each other from your favorite books. Building trust through intimacy will allow you to cherish each other and the ways that you better each other’s lives.

How to start something that scares you (and Im Twittering)

How to start something that scares you (and Im Twittering) I started using Twitter, after thinking about starting for at least six months. Its very scary to start something new and have no idea what Im doing. But I also know that all the excitement in my career has come from my willingness to try stuff that is scarybecause I dont know if I will be good at it and also because I dont know if it will pan out. So, here are five steps I took to overcome the scariness of trying something new. (And until I get Twitter onto my blog sidebar, here is where you can find my Twitter feed.) 1. Trust the buzz on whats worth a try. Many people in my life think Twitter is totally stupid. So for months and months, every time I said something out loud about how much I would like twittering, a cacophony of naysayers would send me in the other direction. Then Guy Kawasaki told me I should Twitter. And Laura Fitton. And I told them both that I was too busy and I thought they were too busy too. And they told me Twitter is an amazing way to connect with people and Id love it if I just tried it. They told me that nonstop, over dinner. And every time I tried to steer the conversation to our sex lives, they would steer it back to Twitter. After dinner, I went to twitter.alltop.com and started clicking on peoples feeds. To be honest, they all looked stupid. Even Guys. I didnt understand Twitter at all. But I knew that if Guy and Laura were both telling me Id like it, I needed to try it. 2. Dont hide the lame stuff. When I started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing, and Dennis Yang walked me through each first step. I asked things like, Can I list columns that I wrote before I started blogging? Dennis said, Yeah, that would be cool. I remember him saying those exact words, because I thought it was nuts. I didnt understand the rules of blogging and in print media, that would have been totally insane. But I did it. And then I spent a month trying to figure out what to blog about. I wrote very short pieces and I tried to be funny and clever. But gradually I started writing longer and trying less hard to be clever. And I found that when I was back to writing a regular column, just with a lot of links, I was writing my best. Being my true self was writing my best. Its so hard to find our true selves in a public forum, but really, thats what we do offline every day when we leave our house. 3. Get mentors. Social media changes peoples lives. So anyone who is blogging or twittering or uploading photos to flickr would be happy to help because that is what mentors do, they are enthusiastic to help you with what they love. I know this because I am so willing to help someone else start blogging, and I should not have been surprised when Laura (read her Ode to Twitter) spent a whole morning emailing back and forth with me about how to get started on Twitter. 4. Just start doing it. I was touched that Lauras final email to me that morning was so similar to the advice I give people who spend months emailing me questions about blogging: Enough. Just get started. You cannot learn about social media by talking about it. You have to do it. So heres the advice I give to you, and to myself when I worry that Im doing Twitter the wrong way: There are no mistakes. There are just ways that make good connections and ways that dont. Experiment to find the ways that do. And all time is well spent when you are searching for ways to express yourself and make connections. After all, what are we doing here, on earth, if not that? And in this respect, I love Twitter already.

Writing a Resume on Word

Writing a Resume on WordWriting a resume on Word is not so difficult as many people think it is. I will try to give you a few tips that will help you.The first thing you need to do is open up your Word document and set the look and feel. You can do this by going to File, Options, and then Page Layout. This will allow you to choose the fonts and colors that you like. Then, from there, you will have all the freedom that you want to create your resume in Word.The next thing you need to do is actually write your resume in Word. Remember that when you are writing a resume on Word, you do not need to sit and learn the layout of the font. All you need to do is pick the colors and the fonts that you like and use them to write the content of your resume.Next, put your name on the top left hand corner, followed by your contact information, and lastly, a date. Make sure that you spell everything correctly. If you cannot spell, then you should hire someone to spell it for you.Writing a resume on Word can be very easy. Now, let's discuss some other things that you should know. What happens if you are not happy with your resume? You can redo it.No, it is not a bad idea to do that. By doing that, you are giving yourself more time to get a second opinion. What if you don't have another copy of your resume that you can use. You could still come up with a new resume for yourself.As an example, you might think that you don't want to do another one but after doing it once, you really like it is a great idea. This is something that you should consider before you are done.After all, you will not know what you are going to say until you start writing the resume. So, if you are done writing it, you should sit down and edit it yourself, then, if you find something you don't like, you can redo it.

Free Help With Resume Writing - How to Get This Service

Free Help With Resume Writing - How to Get This ServiceFor anyone looking for ways to get free help with resume writing, there are resources available all over the Internet. For example, for college students, there are colleges that offer graduate programs in resume writing.A good resume can open doors to a whole host of career opportunities. Whether you want to be a teacher, a paralegal, or a forensic psychologist, resume writing can be one of the best ways to start out in your career.This is especially true if you have found yourself unemployed and just beginning your job search. It is easy to become discouraged when you begin your job search. However, your resume is your key to breaking through the clutter.If you do not know how to write a resume, then you should find a company that can help you do this. They will provide you with an outline that you can use to create your resume. However, these companies also provide other services as well. This is great because you will be able to know what services you need before you decide to hire them.There are many benefits to hiring a resume writing company. They can help you identify all of the information you need to include on your resume. This will help you make sure that you are providing all of the necessary details to get your resume on the right track.Resume writing services also have professional resume writers that can tailor the information you give them to fit your specific needs. You will be able to focus on what is most important to you. This way, you will be able to focus on the things that make you special and your potential employer will be able to get the full picture.As you prepare to start your job search, it is very important that you prepare your resume. The more detailed your resume is, the better your chances are of getting an interview. Therefore, if you do not know how to write a resume, find a service that can help you.As long as you hire a professional, they will be able to tailor your res ume to exactly what you are looking for. This way, you can be sure that the information you provide is the most relevant and correct. In the end, you will be very happy that you hired the help with resume writing.

Video How to Use Danas Career Law of Threes During Your Job Search

Video How to Use Danas Career Law of Threes During Your Job Search Hopefully, you have already learned about my Law of Threes as a major recommendation to help you through your job search. If not: In all of your written and verbal communications around your job search, and with every encounter, remember and utilize The Law of Threes. It will save you. So what is the law? Say three things and STOP. When talking, say three short things and STOP talking. Yes, three points then shut up. When writing, focus the cover letter, e-mail, follow-up letter or thank you note on three things. Then close. Now, here is how to utilize The Law of Threes during your specific steps of your job search For interviews, have your three points written down and well-rehearsed for the most commonly asked interview questions. Think in bullet points, not sentences. Even three key words will get you prepared. Example: What are your strengths? Well, Nancy, there are three that Id like to highlight today: First, I am detail-oriented. Second, I excel at managing others, directly or virtually and, three, I like to find creative solutions to problems. Then STOP talking! Smile. The interviewer will probe further if they want more information. They may ask you for examples of how you demonstrated these strengths. Do the same for weaknesses and all common interview questions. During network meetings, prepare three things you want to learn about and tell them up front that you have prepared three questions. Make each of the three things bite-size pieces such as Do you know anybody at these 3 companies? or What are three things I need to know before going in to interview with Boeing or Can I review my job goal with you and get your feedback? Cover letters with job applications: After the opening, say There are three key reasons why I believe I am a top candidate for your position. Then bullet points You are looking for a self-motivated, independent marketing assistant and I have three years in marketing communications for (company) and do not need training or supervision. The position requires a very high attention to detail and accuracy. My prior boss, who you can speak to, gave me the most important, detailed tasks since I proofed my analysis very well. Your company is launching three products in the next 6 months and I have worked on 5 product launches and am prepared for the challenge. Danas Career Law of Threes will help you when asking for a promotion, job-seeking within your company, describing your career goal and much more. They key is to practice it until it becomes (and stays) natural. It will help you personally and professionally. Best of luck!

You Are Home

You Are Home live from your heart, uploaded by Deb Did It, found via kind over matter March 29, 2010 Dear Michelle, Its your first day as a full-time entrepreneur! Well, technically its your 6th day, but since last week was Soul Week this is your first official day. Doesnt it feel warm? Doesnt it feel special? Doesnt it feel peaceful right? Cant you get a glimpse of what your life will be like from now on (hint: you call the shots plan your day around your values intentions!)? Youre already off to a great start, having showered, gotten dressed, enjoyed a cup of coffee a bowl of cereal some time with your Google Reader. Heck, you even returned some emails crossed some stuff off your To Do List but you eased into it slowly. And here it is, only 9:30a youre already honoring the Me Time you want to have in each work day. I know it still seems like youre on vacation. But isnt that telling a vacation to you is full of coaching work!? Thats how you know that this is It. This is For Real. This is Your Life, your career is wrapped tight within it. Its always felt like a separate entity work life. When have they cohabitated, ever? When you were performing, probably the summer stock, regional cruise ship gigs where you didnt have any other job but to get on stage a few times a week. Did that seem as seamless as this, though? If it did, I dont remember it well. Coaching, being your own boss, just seems to flow as a soulful, true part of your life, doesnt it? Its not even a piece or part of your life, because it doesnt feel like its a separate entity from life itself. Its really, really nice. Youre worrying about money, though. I can tell. However, is worry the right word? Youre not stressed or anxious about it, which is nice. Still, its there, looming, that one black cloud thats threatening to hide the sunshine thats invaded your world. You look at your client list , while as robust as it could have been with the day job, you now think, Its not enough. Youre allowing yourself to imagine that worst case scenario, which, thankfully, isnt too too terrible just another day job. Part-time, even. But acknowledging that Plan B calms you, makes you smile, lets you think, Thats it? Thats the worst case scenario? I could deal with that if I had to. Thats not failing. Thats coping, dealing with cards that I might be dealt in the best way I could possibly deal em. I could live through that, even be proud of it. Easy breezy. Youre going to be OK. No scratch that. Youre going to thrive. Because even if Plan B becomes Plan Right Now, youre still in the right place the place that honors your grown-up life all the goodness that comes with it. You got yourself there, I couldnt be more excited for you. You are home. Love, Future Michelle