2020 started a worldwide tsunami of turmoil with 2021 continuing the havoc of a pandemic and the insurmountable issues that accompany it. In this mix is the current state of the workforce and the toll the turmoil has taken on employers and employees. 

Many employees have been forced to relocate their workspaces into areas previously used as home space. This along with the isolation of working remotely and adjusting to a new “normal” has taken a toll on many people. With this in mind, employers need to step up and be supportive in ways that may not have been a priority in the past. 

Health and wellness has come to light as a priority and with that technologies that support in this way have been called upon to up their game with advanced ways of accessing health and wellness assistance. This uptick in demand has drawn the attention of employers and forced them to re-evaluate their current wellness benefits in lieu of advanced technology and more encompassing wellness programs. 

In general, women have had insurmountable obstacles to hurdle in the workplace, and the current state of the world has only added more challenges. 

According to the 2020 McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace report, researchers discovered that working women fared poorly under the challenges of Covid-19. They further report that women of color fared the worst of all, suffering from layoffs and furloughs. In addition, they followed the trend of female mobility in the workplace, and based on their findings, upward mobility for women was no better in 2020 than in 2015. 

The bigger picture here is that lack of upward mobility, equal pay, which is still an issue when compared to male counterparts, suppression to be allowed a strong voice, and inflexibility to recognize the need for diverse opinions are all major factors in employee retention. 

In addition to many working individuals and families still figuring out childcare during a pandemic, another serious issue has arisen. As the U.S. life expectancy rises, more and more people face caring for an aging relative and balancing childcare needs while working as full-time employees. 

According to an article in HR Executive, "61% of working caregivers said helping loved ones has impacted their employment situation, and 53% reported going in late, leaving early, or taking time off to accommodate care." This means that over half of the working population struggles to work while providing care to loved ones. The mental stress and added duties take their toll, with some people leaving the workforce entirely to be an elder caregiver. 

Emotional intelligence sounds like a buzzword, but it's far from that. It's a critical skill that lays the foundation for other important skills like empathy, kindness, listening, communicating, connecting, and influencing to be present and fully used with intentional purpose. When it comes to leadership, emotional intelligence is taking center stage, with many organizations, as a major consideration at hiring and promotion times. Going hand-in-hand with emotional intelligence is the ability to show presentism. 

Presentism opens the mind and allows one to focus on the immediate situation and people in the moment. It's an ability to focus on one's own emotions, reactions, and moods, along with recognizing these traits in others. So, basically, by learning and practicing emotional intelligence, we learn to be good observers of our own surroundings and the people we come into contact with every day. 

The world of work is rapidly changing. Employment laws and what constitutes a "gig" or on-demand worker are a work in process, as is how the workforce is pivoting to integrate on-demand workers into their hiring and workflows. Benefits, worker protection and wages are under scrutiny but are likewise an acceptable trade-off for many on-demand workers given the flexible and desirable nature of gig work. 

One of the factors leading to why the nature of the gig worker remains clearly undefined is that it lacks a firm definition. This gray area means that employers cannot set forth well-defined policies and protections when hiring gig workers. Given the rise in demand for gig workers, lawmakers are working with employers on a local and national level to define and qualify what constitutes an on-demand worker and what employers also need to know to protect themselves from litigation. However, conclusive data about the on-demand workforce, mostly at the state level, remains undefined.

According to the US Chamber of Commerce, introverts have skills and behaviors that make them a great business owner. They possess good listening skills, pay attention to details with greater concern, and are thoughtful before speaking with their opinions. They also have a reputation for being strong leaders because of their ability to really listen and to bestow credit where it belongs. 

In the business world, they blend well into online communication venues such as chats and groups where people share opinions and offer advice. They mesh best with more outgoing people than themselves, and when introverts and extroverts collaborate, the results are generally good because the results gain the benefits of both sides' strengths. 

Today I’m welcoming Ed Thompson, CEO / Founder, Uptimize to talk about an aspect of diversity in the workforce we probably need to focus on a lot more — and that’s neurodiversity. Whatever workplace you’re in, it’s more than likely you’ve got a whole range of different thinking styles on your teams. But too often, they’re not all appreciated — let alone recognized. We do know, however, that diverse teams are far more effective and innovative — and diversity of thought is a big component in that. We’ll be talking about how neurodiversity enhances your teams and your work styles — and why it’s time to embrace the fact that we’re all wired differently — and find ways to best support that. 

The world of job search and recruiting has been turned upside down. What was, generally, expected from employers and job seekers has taken a turn and not for the best. Companies have laid off people and jobs are scarcer now due to the recession of a pandemic 2020. However, business still needs to keep moving forward, which means having people continuing day-to-day duties and atypical fashion. 

Evermore necessary is the skill of possessing great communication skills. Being able to interview virtually has taken on a new role. At one time, it was something done by large enterprise companies who had the budget to purchase this technology. This is no longer the case, as most companies now must rely on technology to assess candidates, hire, and onboard these individuals into the company. Being able to rely on technology that is well connected and intersects with other technologies, coupled with excellent communication capabilities, is essential for any organization and is quickly becoming the standard practice for talent acquisition. 

For job seekers and candidates, getting comfortable with using technology for job search and interviewing is no longer an option, but is a must. Developing a comfort level using technology will be one of the factors recruiters will use to assess someone's job candidacy, along with the customary historical items. Coming prepared to the interview with good questions and insights, showing an ability to communicate as though you were sitting face-to-face, will fall into the assessment bucket. 

If anyone believes that incorporating play into the workplace culture is a waste of time, the research shows us differently. Child's play in the workplace actually enhances the culture of the work environment. It creates greater camaraderie, builds trust, opens up conversations that may not be broached due to fear of retribution, and develops a workplace where transparency is the norm. 

From the employer's perspective, they can expect higher productivity levels, greater concern and care for the business's success, better engagement with customers, increased employee referrals (one of the highest compliments a brand can get), and overall feelings of goodwill from employees. 

For most people, searching for a new job has never been easy. Add to this, the difficulties the current pandemic brings and now job seekers have to double up their efforts to find work. Some of the practices that have always been a part of the job search process haven't changed though. 

Conducting proper research and doing your due diligence to vet companies that are a good match for your skill sets and personality type is still true. The difference here is that many organizations are not hiring, and further, they are reducing the number of people working in their business. This is where the roadblock begins for some job seekers. Also, the preparation and execution of how you present yourself during an interview are complicated by the fact that most interviews are being conducted via virtual platforms powered by technology. Some people don't feel comfortable speaking in front of a computer screen. This adds another dimension to the preparation. Job seekers now need to practice how to get comfortable with a virtual interview. 

And the use of social media has become even more important. It has now become a major networking vehicle for most people. Ensuring your social profiles present you in the best light is essential in these times. 

It may seem like a herculean task to find a new job during the pandemic or in times when one is unemployed. The fact is companies are still hiring and unemployed people are hirable. The advent of remote work is a fact of life for most companies. In the past, some companies, though desirable, may not have been considered because of geography, but this has now changed. The world of work has opened up many more opportunities for job seekers, so finding work in places not previously considered is no longer a job search factor. 

Additionally, the rules and customs of looking for work are still in place. Job seekers need to be organized and use their network to help them identify opportunities. Resumes need to be targeted to the job you want and easy to read by recruiters and hiring managers. 

Ultimately, there are pros and cons, so tenacity and a strong desire for your dream job still count. 

The job candidate experience is a topic gaining momentum as younger generations enter the workforce. In modern times and with the advent of advanced technologies, people have access to more information than ever before in our history. This ability to access information has led people to seek out potential employers' inner workings and delve into what comprises their culture, how they follow the company mission if they live up to the values, and how they aspire to the vision. These self-purported statements made by brands are under scrutiny by the public and most certainly by job seekers. Today's job seekers are not just looking for a source of income. They seek out employers whose approach to conducting business and views on human interaction are well aligned with their own approach. Many also consider how well an organization co-exists in society and if what they give back is equal to what they take. Research has produced mounds of information to support these actions by job seekers which has led companies to revisit their interviewing techniques and subsequent interactions with job candidates.

Today I’m welcoming Quincy Valencia, Vice President - Product Innovation at Alexander Mann Solutions. We’ll be talking about the importance of providing a great candidate experience not just to any employer, but to hourly employers, who often get short shrift in that department. We’re going to lay out the central factors in a positive hiring experience for hourly candidates, and look at an innovative solution in hiring that transforms the journey, end to end. Alexander Mann’s Hourly is a platform that locates the entire hiring process within mobile, providing more communication, more connection, more interaction, and smarter and more effective ways to run assessments that really engage the candidate. It brings a sense of dignity and respect to the hiring journey, making hourly candidates feel valued. These days, that’s more important — to both the employee and the employer —  than ever.

Today I’m welcoming LaFawn Davis, Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Indeed to look at best practices for cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels like they belong. It’s not enough to aim to improve diversity or inclusion on its own — it’s when you strategically focus on all three factors that you can really transform your workplace. We’ll also look at some common mistakes leaders, managers and HR teams make when trying to address diversity and inclusion in their workforces and why they don’t work. And we’re going to lay out what to do instead.

Blending personal and professional goals into a comfortable mix is gaining ground. As more and more people seek gratification in their personal lives, finding satisfaction in one's career is equally important, if not more important, than some aspects within a person's personal life. According to a research study conducted by a team of academicians at Purdue University, they discovered that some people considered their employment more important than their marriage. Ultimately, though, most people's goal is to find the intersection where happiness lies at the crossroads of their personal life and work life. 

Attempting to create strict boundaries between one's personal life and work often meets with disappointment. Given that we live in a world where communications travel fast and people are easily reachable, distancing oneself from personal life when at work and work when on downtime is becoming increasingly difficult, but not unacceptable. In actuality, it is possible to blend personal time and work hours into a finely balanced lifestyle. However, with some concerted effort, people can find ways to balance satisfying personal and work goals. 

The pandemic state of 2020 has taken its toll on everyone, everywhere, and for many, it has thrust them into working conditions they did not anticipate. Millions of people who were once driving to work and being in an environment where collaboration and face-to-face contact was a common practice are, for the most part, no longer doing this. So now that we are working from home and cannot lean over the cubicle with a quick question or ask for assistance and feedback, how can we effectively put ourselves in a position to get what we need and maintain our productivity levels along with the need to be heard? Simply, honing and using finely tuned communication skills. 

According to many pundits on this topic, our ability to communicate any time, especially now during the pandemic, is our best way to stay actively engaged with our business associates. Some experts take it further and encourage people to be over communicators, especially when engaging with their supervisors. This action will help people set the stage for what they need and how their new work-life balance has changed. For productivity to be maintained, both employees and leaders must understand how the new work-life balance will affect workloads and prepare themselves accordingly. 

Today I’m welcoming Dawn Mitchell, Vice President, Human Resources, Appian

to look at effective strategies for supporting your workforce and their mental health during and beyond the pandemic. Appian was a fully in-house, open-door, come-together work culture that found a way to take that work culture remote — and also make sure its employees get the support and help they need. And that includes mental health: we’ve all seen anxiety levels jump over the past 9 months. The key is to acknowledge it, and find ways to discreetly remind employees they have access to help.

Corporate integrity is not just a buzz phrase; it sits at the core of an organization's business dealings and how the organization conducts itself, both inside and outside the company. Corporate integrity applies to all organizations, whether it be a non-profit or profit-gaining business. It's like doing the right thing when no one is looking and knowing that the right thing is the most integrity filled way of conducting business. Companies that conduct themselves using intentional integrity and do so for the greater good of the organization and its employees, are leading the way in revolutionizing how smart companies are changing the landscape of business. However, outside (and sometimes inside) unforeseen forces can lead companies astray. 

Enter the pandemic of 2020. If ever there were a time when corruption could rear its ugly head, it would be now. Given the confusion, lack of face-to-face contact, loosened controls, and opportunity for fraudulent activity, the time is ripe for integrity to take a nosedive. In fact, according to a 2020 survey conducted by EY, they discovered that 90% of employees believe that the pandemic puts their employer at risk for unethical business dealings. 

Today I’m welcoming Natalie Baumgartner, Chief Workforce Scientist, Achievers 

to talk about the challenge of alignment in workforces right now. Achievers’ Workforce Institute just put out the 2020 Culture report, based on their June survey of over 1100 people around the world. Culture alignment now is just as important as ever — but as with so many facets of working today, COVID-19 has had a profound effect. Culture alignment plays a key role in recognition as well as engagement. We’ll talk about the study, and the best strategies to promote alignment now.

Today I’m welcoming Brad Sutton, Strategic Accounts, EightfoldAI, to talk about how talent management — and talent acquisition as well —  are being transformed by AI. AI is changing the game in everything from recruiting to team building to succession planning, and proving a powerful ally in retention and engagement initiatives as well. 

Today I’m welcoming Dickens Aubourg, Paycom Director of Client Learning, to talk more about the power of reskilling, retraining and upskilling when it comes to engaging, retaining, and developing your talent, and why that’s a key business strategy right now. Developing from within is always a smart approach, but it makes even more sense in the context of remote workplaces — and the need to engage our people and motivate our top performers.

Today I’m welcoming Chris Wakely, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, Benify, to #WorkTrends to talk about benefits in general. We mean everything besides compensation — the perks, culture, health plans and other offerings that the employer offers. The best way to deliver them all is via a digital platform that meets the needs of employees today.

Today I’m welcoming Guibert Englebienne, the Chief Technology Officer & Cofounder of Globant, to talk about the power of AI-driven collaboration. This is absolutely on the leading edge of how we work, and how we manage and engage our people — using data and AI-driven tools to boost collaboration between teams and foster company culture, and enabling us to work together efficiently and creatively from anywhere in the world.

Love them or hate them. Job descriptions are a fact of business life. The problem with many job descriptions is that they are boring, lack the essential information a job seeker needs to assess a company's workplace culture and are, all too often, written to benefit the hiring company and not the person considering the job. 

Information such as "a day in the life" is rarely provided, nor is enough information about the position and team or department where the new hire will be working. In essence, they are static, one-sided statements that create a challenge for engaging job seekers. This neither benefits the employer nor the job applicant. It potentially increases the risk of applications from unqualified candidates, along with confusing job applicants with poorly written descriptions. But thoughtful companies are making strides to improve their job descriptions by writing them to attract and engage interested, qualified job seekers.

Today I’m welcoming Liz King, the CMO of gThankYou, LLC, to talk about the importance of workplace gratitude. Sharing gratitude with employees and peers may actually be the special sauce of workplace culture. We’re going to hear about the science behind gratitude, and how it transforms the workplace. We’ll talk about how to shape a whole culture of gratitude, and what to do for the holidays that will make everyone smile.