
Tag: hr


With the ever-growing rate of persons infected with the coronavirus, there is a great need for the workplace to implement best health practices.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is
an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
With it first identified in 2019
in Wuhan, China, it has since spread globally and declared a pandemic
by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The common symptoms associated with the COVID-19 includes:
- fever,
- cough,
- shortness of breath,
- Muscle pain,
- Sputum production
- Sore throat.
While the majority of cases result in mild
symptoms, some progress to severe pneumonia and multi-organ
failure.
The infection is typically spread from one person
to another via respiratory droplets produced during coughing and
sneezing.
CORONAVIRUS AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE WORKPLACE

When global health emergencies take place, they often bring to light breach within the workplace. It is pertinent that organizations can identify them and make improvements to protect their employees in the event of another global health occurrence.
According to Forbes; in 2016, the flu season was estimated to cost $5.8 billion in health care and lost productivity costs, while the swine flu in 2009 had an estimated economic loss range from 0.5 to 1.5% of GDP (gross domestic product) on affected countries.
It is therefore imperative that we share ways in which coronavirus (Covid-19) might impact the future of the workforce and how organizations can build a successful, healthy and productive organization.
TELECOMMUTING

While
some economies have embraced the idea of telecommuting, some are yet to adopt
this system. Flexjobs notes that 91% of
remote work has grown over the last decade and with how delicate the situation
is, more organizations will be forced to embrace this means.
Most
large organizations make remote work an easy option because they have the
infrastructure to support it, and providing this option makes it easy for them
to attract top talent. It is therefore imperative to build the organization’s
capability to offer remote work and there are also advantages to this option;
- When employees should request the need or prefer to work from home, they usually appreciate the opportunity.
- Reduced costs for the employer employees often provide their means of getting the job done eg( Telephone, Laptops, Internet).
- The employer also saves on the cost of office space.
- It provides the employer with the ability to employ individuals who through disability are unable to travel to a workplace.
Other means of communication to get work done in and out of office include:
1. Asana
Asana is arguably the best when it comes to task and project management. The project management tool is great for teams as one can be able to seamlessly create project workflows and create tasks which can be assigned to members within your team.
With the added benefit of being able to add notes, upload files, and set deadlines for tasks.
2. Zoom
Zoom is an enterprise-level, all-in-one collaboration tool with a small business price tag. It offers video and web conferencing solutions as well as a cross-platform instant messaging and file-sharing features.
Zoom lets users hold all types of online meetings, such as one-on-one video conferences, town hall meetings, training, webinars and marketing events. The service can be used on desktops, mobile devices, and your company’s video and conference room systems. A developer platform is available to integrate Zoom features – such as video, voice and screen sharing – with apps your business already uses.
3. GoToMeeting
If you need a basic, easy-to-use web conferencing solution, GoToMeeting can get you started immediately. Its one-click meeting feature enables to quickly schedule meetings straight from Outlook or Google Calendar. In addition to HD videoconferencing, GoToMeeting comes with dozens of useful tools to make your meetings more productive and interactive. These include screen sharing, web audio, a dial-in conference line, drawing tools and the ability to record meetings.
5. Slack
Slack brings all types of communication of an organization together — project or topic-specific conversations, collaboration, file sharing, and more. It also easily integrates with all other tools that you may be already using, making it a versatile and seamless experience for the team.
6. Clockify
Clockify is
an accurate productivity software tool on the market that can be used to
track the number of time an employee is spending on specific tasks and
projects. It’s a simple time tracker and timesheet app that
lets you and your team track work hours across projects.
WORKPLACE
MEASURES
For organizations whose countries are less affected or with a record of low cases, protective measures must be put in place to ensure the environment is safe and tidy and prevalence of the virus is minimal.

- Make sure your workplaces are clean and hygienic
- Surfaces (e.g. desks and tables)
- objects (e.g. telephones, keyboards) need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly because contamination on surfaces touched by employees and customers is one of the main ways that COVID-19 spreads
- Promote regular and thorough hand-washing by employees, contractors and customers. (60 seconds recommended)
- Put sanitizing hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace, and ensure these dispensers are regularly refilled
- Promote good respiratory hygiene in the workplace
- Ensure that face masks and/or paper tissues are available at your workplaces, for those who develop a runny nose or cough at work, alongside closed bins for hygienically disposing of them
- Anyone with even a mild cough or low-grade fever (37.3 C or more) needs to stay at home. Encourage work from home if they have had to take simple medications, such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection
- Encourage employees to wash their hands regularly and stay at least one meter away from people who are coughing or sneezing
- Develop a contingency and business continuity plan for an outbreak in the communities where your business operates. The plan will help prepare your organization for the possibility of an outbreak of COVID-19 in its workplaces or community. It may also be valid for other health emergencies
UNLIMITED SICK LEAVE
Before the coronavirus outbreak, data suggests
that 90% of employees have admitted to coming to work when ill. These
sick employees are reported to be less productive than engaged and healthy
employees.
Organizations should update their sick leave policy to accommodate the health needs of your employees. Create a plan that extends sick leave based upon the severity, or, offer only unlimited sick days and stick with your current paid time off plan; because healthy employees lead to a healthy business.

The business environment is just one of many
institutions that are not creating an environment that supports their employees
taking space to heal when they face illness.
Now is
the time to prepare for COVID-19. Simple precautions and planning can make a
big difference in protecting your employees and growing your business.

An employee workplace can be said to be an environment where employees go to work to get paid.
However, an employee-focused workplace is an environment where employees are honoured and taken care of that they can, in turn, take care of customers and clients.
An employee workplace should not be about attracting new employees and making the office facility look great from an outwards aesthetic perspective, but about guaranteeing a harmonious workplace in the long term.
It should be customer-centric that is, doing business in a way that focuses on providing a positive customer experience to drive profit and gain competitive advantage.
In this article, we would be sharing how organizations can make the workplace employee-centric.
Workplace Culture

Creating an employee-centric workplace does not have to be complicated, however, it should be based off data-driven observations and assumptions. As it not only addresses the needs of employees, it also highlights the fact that optimal customer experiences are directly related to the organisational environment and culture.
Workplace culture not only encourages employees to interact based on embedded attitudes and traditions, but it also considers the space where work is performed.
A company’s culture is directly tied to the employee experience; a positive workplace culture is directly tied to the other components of an employee-centric workplace, including working productivity, turnover, and general wellness or absenteeism. It is no surprise that employee wellness is one of the leading concerns for employers.
The right workplace impacts wellness; studies have proven that access to natural light, environmental control technologies that adjust temperatures and lightning, and physical wellness spaces create a healthier environment that improves employee productivity and well-being.
Strategy

To set up an action plan to create an employee-centric work environment, employee engagement needs to be measured and metrics gotten from the exercise need to be analysed.
A feedback tool or suggestion box should be provided for need to know that there are shortcomings within the workplace.
When common patterns and issues start to crop up across the departments, whether in terms of a process or workflow; strategies should be employed to ensure that issues are addressed promptly.
A company can improve by listening, taking action, and letting their employees be people.
Processes or procedures should be improved on. Take a look at best practices within other organisations and check if it is a good fit for theirs. This shows employees that the management is proactive and cares about their employees.
Provide a Sense of Purpose
Every organization mission and vision must define what it does and help in communicating the values of the organisation. The mission statement typically describes the short term goals and advantage and reason being in business, while the vision statement describes its long term goal.
The mission should be less about “what a company does,” and more about “how we all achieve it together.”

Employees should be united by the common objective of finding meaning in their work. This is the single most crucial factor in creating and maintaining a positive employee culture.
Purpose is a top priority for most employees – not money and schedule flexibility. Make employees feel their job has a positive impact on others.
Be Positive and Build Employees Up
Maintain a positive attitude and build employees up. Be mindful of the moods of your employees. Positive emotions, like gratitude, joy and pride, allow you to think more creatively and work more collaboratively.
Avoid negative conversations and gossip to maintain a positive atmosphere. And if an employee’s performance is not up to par, try to find a positive solution together.

Employees are the backbone of every business, but keeping them around can be a challenge. The key to sustenance is to create an environment that employees look forward to working in and a culture where they feel valued.
Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of employees acquainting themselves with roles, policies and culture of the organization.
It entails the creation of an environment in which the employee is made comfortable enough to interact and establish social relationships.
Employees learn what the organization needs from them in terms of skills, communication, style, and attitude.
We will be sharing with you some tips which could be useful to make employees feel welcome.

- CONTACT THEM AHEAD: It can be a phone call, an email or a text message. In the same vein, reminding them that you look forward to their arrival and being part of your team.
- PREPARE THEIR WORKSPACE: Make employee’s desk a blank canvas; Make tools for work readily available. Therefore, allowing them to modify it with personal touches like pictures or small potted plants.
- CREATE A WELCOME PACK: A folder containing pieces of information like an ID card and company-branded materials; in addition to onboarding forms, a pen and notepad that should be given upon arrival. As a result, help them identify as part of the company from the first day.
- TAKE THEM ON A TOUR: Take a tour around the office and facility. This would let new employees become familiar with the office environment. Show them essentials like the restrooms, meeting spaces, lunchrooms so as to avoid them getting lost in their first week.
- GIVE THEM A TASK: Give employees tasks in order to enable them to settle into work with ease. Inform them that skills are valued. The task should be thoughtful and important but not crucial or needed immediately.
- CONNECT WITH THEM OUTSIDE OF WORK: Add your new team members to your office groups on social media; inviting them out to bond outside the workplace.
- ASK FOR FEEDBACK: Ask them how their first week has gone. Consequently, if they have any contributions or suggestions about their orientation, be positive and welcoming of contributions.
The success of employee onboarding depends on the efficiency of the onboarding program. Employees should be empowered to do their jobs; as a result, they are likely to become valuable and productive members of the organization.
In conclusion, onboarding is not just Human Resources’s job. It is the responsibility of the managers; who familiarizes the employees with roles in the company, their performance expectations, and the workplace culture.

Curriculum Vitae

According to Wikipedia, Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a written overview of someone’s life’s work. It is a comprehensive collection of your personal details, educational qualification and acquired skills attained overtime.
A curriculum vitae (CV)often aims to be a complete record of someone’s career and oftentimes extensive. They differ from a résumé, which typically is a brief one-two (1–2) page summary of qualifications and work experience. This is for the purposes of employment, and often only presents recent highlights.
Job seekers frequently send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or applications for employment as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers and explain their suitability for the desired positions.
Employers are in search for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters; and used as a method of screening out applicants who are not sufficient in the positions or lack the necessary basic skills.

The DOs and DONT’s of a C.V
- Choose an appropriate format with good spacing technique and arrangement.
- State your name, address (email/home) and phone number.
- Have a proper construction of sentences in order to make your CV readable.
- Ensure that your words are either written in bold letters, underlined or in bigger fonts to indicate that they are headings.
- Ensure to list your work experiences as well as your key achievements
- Develop your education section correctly by including your field of study, university and honours you graduated with.
- Ensure to always attach a cover letter together with your CV.
- Do not state your age, state of origin, sex and religion or any form of personal pictures in order to prevent discrimination. However, it should be available upon request
- Information such as your hobbies and what you dislike should not be included in a CV
- Do not use various bullet points in listing out items in your CV. If you begin with the good old numbering, stick with that rather than switching to bullet points in the middle.
- Avoid unnecessary spacing lines between your sentences and word clustering.
- Do not bold between your sentences unless making reference to a very important factor: your CGPA.
- Avoid making your CV lengthy. Only put in important information.

SPECIALIZED TRAINING WORKSHOP



So we shared with you, some tips on how to boost employee engagement in the workplace and we decided to share even more!!!
So let us get to it.
Hire people who want to be a part of your Journey
Employee engagement starts with the hiring process. Hiring individuals to work as part of a team and the organization as a whole should be an experience. If your new hires are not going to contribute enough or take to the culture, then it is important not to hire such a candidate.

Let the ideas flow free
Fascinating ideas can sink into oblivion if they are not spoken out. Ideas are the reason behind every organization and what it eventually becomes. The workplace dynamics could potentially solve a nagging issue, save an organization from a huge loss, and turn a small business into a billion-dollar enterprise. Thus important to make sure that employee engagement is taking place in the workplace.

Take your employees’ pulse
Annual workplace review survey should not be the only way organizations get feedback. Pulse surveys are used to replace difficult survey systems. They are to be done once in weeks. This is another form of employee engagement in the workplaceInvest in learning and career development
People want a workplace where they can learn, enhance their skills, and reach their full potential. In the rising search for talent, will it be enough to provide the bare minimum and hope employees stay? Your employees should believe that you’ve invested in them and care about their growth. It is your responsibility to make them feel that there are new opportunities awaiting every day.

How do you manage employee engagement in your workplace?
Share your suggestions and also subscribe to get job updates.
Employee Engagement

“ Is my employee engagement level top-notch?”
“Are my employees giving 100%?”
“Are my employees committed to their jobs?”
I am sure you are wondering why this is important. If you’re a manager, HR staff, or a CEO heading an organization, these are probably the important questions on your mind.
These questions are obvious, but the answers are more complex. What do you think it is that keeps employees motivated? We shall be sharing some tips on how to boost employee engagement

- Make them a part of your story: Every business is built to satisfy a need. What’s yours? Is the mission of your organization clear enough to your employee(s)? Do your employee(s) know what is expected of them in their roles? If your employees are not sure of what they have to achieve, then there’s no way to measure success. Clarify what you expect of them, their roles and responsibilities, from day one.
- Practice what you preach because Culture matters – A company’s culture cannot be built overnight, but it can be consciously moulded into what you want through employee engagement.
- Level up on your performance evaluation process – Traditional annual employee engagement performance appraisals can leave managers and employees with loads of subjective comments, but no accurate data about a full year’s performance of the employee. Monthly, quarterly employee engagement or once every few weeks fosters a continuous feedback system.
- Work hard, play harder, and crush the numbers; Gamify your workplace – Gamification is a relatively new concept that converts those mundane, tedious tasks to a fun-driven activity. Gamification is one of those employee engagement activities that can be both fun and rewarding to an employee.

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