The Future of Leadership is Inspiring Others to be Kind

Most of the world’s great leaders have used their power for good. They have spread their influence for the betterment of humanity and give a shining example to those who follow them. Some maintained prosperous reigns. A few wrote their names in history and remained heroes or role models for the future generation of leaders. Still, a few we’re remembered not for greatness but for the disasters they have bought upon humanity.

The Philosopher

Any Asian history book will contain a quote or more from the philosopher Confuscious.

The first teacher of China changed the lives of many when he made education available broadly. Beyond education, his moral, ethical, and social standards continued to be revered by modern people who look into Confucianism.

The Warrior

“A Song of Ice and Fire” and “Game of Thrones” character Robert Baratheon, a soldier and rebellion leader who became king, takes inspiration from real-life kings Henry IV and V. Both were fierce warriors who rose to leadership and proved to be terrible rulers.

The Economist and the Diplomat

Two days ago, we mourned the assassination of Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, who served for almost two decades until the decline of his health. The 67-year-old left a legacy of nurturing a love for the country and supporting local talent, which led to economic prosperity. He also fostered strong, mutually beneficial relationships with superpowers, neighbors, and former colonies. He was humble, kind, brave, and wise. Even our own Justin Trudeau laments his passing and honors him as a friend. 

The Womanjustin 

Another great leader who leads through kindness is Jacinda Ardern. The New Zealand Prime Minister believes that political leaders can be empathetic and strong. During the Covid pandemic, New Zealand’s elimination strategy and early and strong action proved one of the best responses. Indeed most countries that managed the pandemic successfully were led by women.

The Future of Leadership is Kindness

What is it about work that makes some people feel like they have to use power and toughness as a tool when in other areas of their life, they actively try to remove themselves from toxic relationships? 

The more empathetic, compassionate, and genuine you become, the more people gravitate towards the outcome you’re working towards.

Doing good deeds, being pleasant, or being well-liked does not mean that will not respect you. These are outdated ideas with no factual evidence to support them.

A 2019 US study found that 57 percent of employees left their jobs because of their boss. Another 14 percent had left multiple jobs because of their managers and an additional 32 per cent had seriously considered leaving because of their manager.

Companies may be searching for opportunities to attract, retain, and grow talent in the wrong places. This could mean they miss out on key opportunities to improve their workforce.

Human Relationships Matter

A new study by Gallup finds that US workers who receive compliments, recognition, and praise at work feel more fulfilled, have higher self-esteem, and experience positive emotions. The study suggests that these benefits lead to increased productivity in teams.

A Google study titled Project Aristotle showed that forming bonds with others is just as important at work as in any other area of life.

“The behaviors that create psychological safety — conversational turn-taking and empathy — are part of the same unwritten rules we often turn to, as individuals, when we need to establish a bond,” the study found. “And those human bonds matter as much at work as anywhere else. In fact, they sometimes matter more.”

Google’s intense data collection and number crunching have led it to the same conclusion that the best teams are those who take the time to listen to one another and show sensitivity to feelings and needs. 

A healthy, supportive, empathetic, and highly communicative environment is key to retaining employees, according to Gallup’s decades of data and interviews with 25 million employees. This is especially important now, as companies strive to maintain productivity during the pandemic and with an ongoing remote workforce.

Kindness must not be overlooked – this is what 21st-century leadership looks like.

Bold and Empathetic

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, is a powerful example of empathy and strength combined.

In Leading With Empathy, Ardern emphasizes her wish to lead with kindness and not be afraid to be driven by empathy.

“I think one of the sad things that I’ve seen in political leadership is – because we’ve placed over time so much emphasis on notions of assertiveness and strength – that we probably have assumed that it means you can’t have those other qualities of kindness and empathy,” she says.

“And yet, when you think about all the big challenges we face in the world, that’s probably the quality we need the most. We need our leaders to be able to empathize with the circumstances of others, to empathize with the next generation that we’re making decisions on behalf of. And if we focus only on being seen as the strongest, most powerful person in the room, then I think we lose what we’re meant to be here for.”

Authenticity and empathy are vital for dealing with difficult situations.

The same goes for business leaders. It’s essential to be compassionate. This doesn’t mean you have to be a pushover – you can still make tough decisions and trade-offs, but you should do so in a way that considers the needs of your team. We all have necessities like belonging, love, safety, and esteem, and it’s important to remember that when leading others.

In the McKinsey book CEO Excellence, which looks at how excellent CEOs align with the organization, it was noted all 67 CEOs featured in the book treated the soft stuff just like the hard stuff. They put equal rigor into handling topics like talent, culture, and organization design. They know that getting these things right is a source of competitive advantage.

A leader’s greatest strength is their ability to empower the people around them. Strong leaders are able to balance their own success with the success of others and use that as a driving force for growth.

In today’s modern world, leadership requires kindness to create a positive environment with three essential ingredients for successful teams: effective communication, psychological safety, and growth opportunities.

How to Hire IT Staff

 IT is critical in all business activities, from online banking to social media. Businesses and consumers need IT for work and convenience. As a result, there is a growing need for IT specialists. 

In the U.S. alone, IT jobs will grow 12% from 2018 to 2028. the spending on Information Technology is expected to hit $3.8 trillion. The figure will increase further the following year, reaching over $3.9 trillion — about $4 trillion will be spent on IT alone. 

Canada’s unemployment rate is at a record low of 5.1%, resulting in severe labor shortages. Open positions are more than 80% higher than they were pre-pandemic.

That being said, you need to be quick and strategic when hiring IT personnel. There is a high demand for IT experts, and employers are competing for top talents. The average time to fill a position is 42 days. During that span, top talent may accept an offer somewhere. If your company needs to hire IT staff, it’s best to get on it ASAP. 

Here’s a guide on How to Hire IT Staff for Your Company

Determine Your Business’ Specific IT Requirements

Determine the specialization and the level of expertise you need. 

The seven main IT specializations are:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Analytics
  • Network Administration
  • Software Development
  • Application Development
  • Digital Investigations
  • Information systems management

Also, decide on the level of expertise you need. Do you need a team member, a specialist, or an expert?

Decide on the Terms of the Contract

With 01 Staffing, there are three ways to get IT workforce.

Temporary Staffing

These are on-demand IT staff available on short notice to augment your current team or handle temporary assignments. 

Contract Staffing

You can hire specialists or experts for specific projects. They can be on your company’s payroll or will 01 Staffing. 

Employees

You can hire employees that will become an organic part of your organization. They form your company culture and will be the backbone of your organization to manage any additional workforce you hire. 

When hiring employees, it’s essential to do background checks and personality assessments to understand culture fit and culture add. 

An ideal hire should have a specialization and base knowledge of a few other IT domains so that they can help your organization in the long run. 

Create a List of Questions to Ask Candidates

There are a few sets of questions to ask future employees.

 

Job-Specific Questions to Ask Candidates

These questions relate to one or more of the seven main IT specializations. This helps you determine if applicants can do the stuff they said they can.

 

Working Style Questions

-Do they prefer working alone or working in a team?

-What is their ideal superior?

-Are they a specialist or a generalist?

-How do they see themselves five years from now.

 

Culture Fit Questions

These are questions unique to your organization. 

-Does your organization have monthly company parties? Ask applicants if they like to socialize with colleagues.

-Do you have sudden projects that need to be prioritized all of a sudden? Ask applicants how they handle multi-tasking.

 

Personal Preference Questions

-Ask the applicants where they live and whether they prefer working remotely or in the office. 

 

Read the Entire Resume

Scan the entire resume and highlight skills, experiences, and certificates that align with your opening. 

Also, look at how they present themselves professionally, organize information, and prioritize achievements related to your opening.

Look at their previous employments, what responsibilities they’ve taken on, and what their initiatives are to help the organization. 

Prioritize Candidates with a Stand out Resume

While some people are desperate to get jobs, others regard interviews as a two-way process. They are confident with their skills and use interviews to get to know your organization. 

Look for candidates with initiatives to help the organization. Where they able to:

-save money by introducing efficient systems

-introduce new technologies which benefit the organization

-fix bugs that threatened the system

-have been part of teams that produce profitable projects

Pay Attention to Each Candidate’s Certifications

Make a note of the system your and your clients are using and look for candidates with matching certifications.

Candidates who regularly get new certifications affirm their commitment to get ahead in the IT Industry. 

If your company relies on Microsoft products, prioritize Microsoft certifications. These include the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist and MS IT Professional certifications.

 

7 Valuable IT Certifications

-Project Management Professional

-Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect

-AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate

-Certified ScrumMaster

-AWS Certified Developer — Associate

-Certified Information Security Manager

-ITIL Foundation

 

Look into their Communication Skills

Perfect hires are hard to find. However, you can grow a well-balanced team with team members, experts, specialists, and a few people who can communicate well, foster understanding within the team, and cater to clients. 

To look into your applicant’s communication skills, try asking them to explain a previous project to a client. 

Look into Candidates with People Skills

A happy workplace inspires everyone to do their best.

Everyone should be able to conduct themselves professionally, initiate queries respectfully, and never insult a coworker on a personal level.

You’ll also need a few leaders who can foster collaborations seamlessly and encourage everyone else. 

Problem solvers and people with initiative make great hires. 

01 Staffing is a team of seasoned IT Experts that hires and assesses top talents in the seven main IT specializations, including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Network Administration, Software Development, Application Development, Digital Investigations, and Information systems management. Contact Us

 

Follow These Tips To Improve Your Career Development

Canada is back in business. The country’s economy added 39,800 jobs last month, with the surge in hiring full-time employees. The job market has slowly and steadily recovered.

Moreover, companies are eager to make their existing workforce happy and keep them from being snatched away by competitors. Companies like the Royal Bank of Canada are offering a 3% increase in base salaries.

What It Means For You 

As companies expand and new people come in, reorganization is bound to occur. If you’ve been in the company longer and have learned the ropes, you are well placed for promotions and other opportunities.

Here are the things to do to show responsiveness and become an employee who shines.

Understand Management Perspective

Currently, there is a discussion about working from home or returning to the office.

While some employers like the Canada Life Assurance Company have shown willingness to support both its people and a range of working styles, other companies like Tesla are dedicated to preserving its work culture and creating innovations through synergy — that means everyone has to be in the office.

You are very much entitled to your own opinion. However, as a prospective manager, you need to understand where the company stands and how various possibilities protect the interest of the company.

Display Enthusiasm for Work

Many Canadian employees are back in the office — and not everyone is happy about it.

The hybrid workplace setup has also led to some confusion and conflicts. LifeWorks revealed that 20% of Canadians had experienced increased conflict and aggression when dealing with the public or clients.

Show yourself worthy of corporate growth by returning to the office when you’re asked to and coming in with your best.

Set Regular Goals

As you become more experienced in your chosen field, ask your managers and coworkers for feedback so you can understand your strengths and improve on your weaknesses. Use performance review conversations to speak with your manager about your career development.

Get Feedback

Get in touch with your network.

Employees at many companies and organizations have access to various educational resources and learning opportunities to improve their skills. To advance your career within the company, your employer may offer management training programs.

Utilize the Company’s Resources

The best way to find a job is to network with people in your industry. Maintain long-term professional relationships, and stay up-to-date on industry trends. 

Take the Challenge

It takes time, motivation, and commitment to further your career. Master your area of expertise while developing timely skills that your organization needs. Go beyond your comfort zone and seek to learn from experts and new people. 

Keep Reading

Stay ahead of the game by knowing what your competitors are doing and what products are booming. Seek innovative ideas by keeping score of new technologies and learning from everyone. Listen to the news, read industry magazines, and attend events. Remember, learning can come in the most unlikely places too. 

Be Curious About Your Industry

Participate in workshops and training programs

Attend workshops, training programs, and community events relevant to your industry to learn, grow, and keep up-to-date with new resources and information.

Write Often

Expand your network as you grow in your industry by sharing your knowledge on different platforms such as LinkedIn Articles. It may connect you with the right people and find you strong new rookies to mentor. 

Get Organized

If you want to stay organized and achieve your career goals, create a regular schedule and track your progress over time. This will help you stay focused on your long-term goals.

Interested in a career in IT? Follow 01 Staffing on Facebook

 

Are You Exposing Clients To Cyber Breaches? Here’s How to Send Sensitive Information Via Email

The average customer-friendly John may ask for a client’s data with nothing but good intentions. But the creeps who hacked the system are just waiting to feed on customer data with malicious intent. 

In the digital world we live in, crimes have also gone cyber. It is a common misconception that emails are secure. If your company is asking for sensitive data through email, chances are, you are exposing clients to cyber breaches. So, here’s how to send sensitive information via email. 

Email Encryption is Not Enough

People feel safe sending information via email, believing that the content will be encrypted and protected from third parties. However, hackers can still access messages if they are sleazy enough.

Forbes data reveal that 83 percent of companies have undergone email data breaches — with compromises ranging from unauthorized access and disclosure to plain old human error. Ninety-five percent of IT leaders believe that sensitive client and corporate data is at risk of loss and unauthorized disclosure via email. 

However, companies, including banks, continue to ask for potentially sensitive documents or information over email for ease of transaction and customer convenience. This unnecessarily exposes customers to grave security breaches. These vulnerabilities could also trigger compliance considerations. Not only are cybersecurity issues detrimental to customer trust, but they could also land companies in turbulent legal waters, damaging the financial service provider’s profitability and reputation.

Asking for data? APIs are the Answer

API stands for Application Programming Interface. They are used to connect various computers and facilitate data exchange between them. They possess a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. API is the glue that holds the Internet together.

Companies are rediscovering API and are now investing in it to provide data to their customers. APIs provide a better, more reliable, and faster way of delivering data than other methods.

APIs allow business systems to share and synchronize sensitive financial data through programs. Along with productivity boost, they eliminate the frustrating back and forth of exchanging financial information via email.

In many countries, governments are starting to legislate to introduce programmatic data sharing.

Open Finance: The Key to Smarter Sharing?

Open Finance is a breakthrough concept aiming to provide financial data more transparently. It will enable the public to access the same information as financial firms and regulators, while allowing them to make changes or contribute content.

The idea must be supported by an underlying technology platform — an open-source software that provides its source code for free and allows users to modify it. This platform needs to be secure enough for people’s data, and equipped with tools necessary for analysis.

Open Finance allows small-medium businesses to harness data from important business systems like accounting, Point-of-Sale, and eCommerce platforms.

Finally, seamless connectivity between these systems has a powerful potential to reduce the administrative burden for small businesses – all while enhancing data integrity, security, andcustomer experience.

The combination of Open Finance and Open Banking presents local financial services providers with a valuable opportunity to further drive innovation through forming partnerships, joining API ecosystems and more closely engaging with customers in meaningful ways.

How to Send Sensitive Information Via Email

  • Use a secure form to collect the information so that it is only seen by those who need to see it. 
  • Organizations should have a clear privacy policy on their website so that customers know what they are signing up for when they give their information. 
  • If you are sending an email with sensitive information, you should use encryption and not just password protection.

How Universities Can Prepare the Tech Workforce for the Future

The future of the world relies on the IT Industry. As all businesses adopt automation, the demand for IT professionals continues on the upward trend, especially in Automation, Data Science, Blockchain, Software Programming, and Web Development. Companies are keen to snatch graduates from their universities, which play a vital role in shaping the industry by developing the tech workforce to fit opportunities.

Much is already underway. Post-secondary institutions are working to shift their educational offerings to meet real-world challenges.

Preparing the Tech Workforce

Develop the Technical skills

Transformational frontier technologies like Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence are in high demand. 

Companies are leaning on universities to introduce the latest technology platforms such as Hubspot and Tableau in the classroom to give fresh graduates a competitive advantage.

Foster the Soft Skills

Companies desire employees with problem-solving mindsets and entrepreneurial attitudes. Talents who are creative and comfortable with uncertainty will thrive in the fast-changing tech environment. Relationship builders who can collaborate across specializations can become valuable team members in huge-scale projects.

Not at the Expense of Social Science

Meanwhile, universities must continue to nurture researchers and scholars.

Invite Tech leaders Into the Classroom

Students will see the bigger picture if they regularly meet real-world experts, working professionals active in their fields of study. 

Create Talent and Tech Pathways from the Outset

There are many specializations within the Tech Industry, and some pathways are in high demand. Specializations in Data Engineering, Data Science, and Data Architecture will prepare students for high-value tasks. Activities like work-integrated learning, mentorships, and case competition give students exposure. 

Solve the Student Placement Challenge

Internships immerse students in the corporate environment. The experience can be enhance through an open discussion between companies and the academe on what skills to develop for students to be productive interns.

Explore a Curriculum Focus on Scale-ups

Start-ups and scale-ups require multiple skills and high levels of flexibility. In areas like British Columbia, where most companies are start-ups and scale-ups, students must be honed to handle challenges in these environments.

01 Staffing specializes in temporary and contract staffing solutions for employers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Our programmers and software and data engineers are not only good at what they do, they are also dedicated, hardworking, and can adapt to your organization very well.

Check out our section for employers in Canada.

6 Recruitment and Retention Challenges in the British Columbia IT Industry + Recruitment Strategies

The number of Information Technology talents in British Columbia is short of the desks needed to be filled by its IT Companies. Leaders are on the same page about the pain points in attracting and retaining tech talent. Here are the shared recruitment and retention challenges in the British Columbia IT Industry. And some recruitment strategies to improve the situation.

Recruitment and Retention Challenges

Brain Drain

British Columbia has a strong reputation for producing exceptional talent, but people leave to work elsewhere in Canada, the United States, or in other countries. The Covid situation has expanded this dilemma as people who still live in BC now work for companies outside the territory. 

Competitive Pay and Purchasing Power

The BC is often pitched as a great place to find cheap talent. However, the increase in demand for talent leads to upward pressure on wages. Multinationals can pay more, so it’s challenging to remain competitive for start-ups and scale-ups. 

Moreover, remote employees who used to live in Vancouver are setting their sights on BC as an affordable city. These movements increase the purchasing power and prices of goods and services in BC.

Evolving Nature of Work

Downtime during the pandemic has increased the appreciation for life among workers. Moms and dads enjoy spending more time with children, engaging in home projects, exercising, and gardening. They are not likely to give it up again. However, the BC business climate wasn’t built to accommodate flexibility.

Lack of Awareness

Tech companies in British Columbia are more laid back than their outside counterparts. As a result, they are unaware of the lucrative offerings that await software engineers and programmers elsewhere.

On the other hand, companies in Ontario and the US are becoming better at marketing themselves and creating a brand not just for customers but for employees as well. They have created reputations for massiveness and work-life balance that attract top talent. 

Getting to Scale

British Columbia companies lack the modern structure of an interwoven organization where initiatives can come from anywhere, and mentorship and employee development becomes a shared responsibility among managers from different departments.

Lack of Diversity

The local government has invested $15 million to train and develop women, BIPOC individuals, and persons with disabilities in IT. More can be done to nurture a diverse talent pool.

Recruitment Strategies

Faced with these challenges, here are some recruitment strategies.

•Consider Remote or Hybrid Work – Remote or hybrid work reduces employee stress. When done right, it need not reduce productivity. It also cuts costs on real estate and electricity costs. Moreover, remote work opens more possibilities for British Columbian companies to find talent somewhere else.

•Relying on Immigration to Fill in the Gap – Employers are looking internationally. Immigrants fill nearly one in three job vacancies in BC tech companies. Global talent programs are working very well.

•Working with Universities – Many employers build relationships with students early and develop them to be future employees.

Soft Skills Training for IT Professionals: Software Engineers, Programmers Miss Opportunities

Tech jobs are some of the most in-demand jobs in the world, but even the most skilled software engineers and programmers won’t get by on technical skills alone. Soft skills training for IT professionals is an urgent need for companies. 

Product development projects require large teams that act as well-oiled machines. Communication and collaboration lead to exemplary IT work. But some introverted guy who lives to code is left behind.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Out of 16 personalities in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), two personality types are likely to get into Information Technology, the INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging) and the INTP (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting).

These are introverts who are curious, analytical, rational, independent, and determined. On the other hand, they can be arrogant, dismissive of emotions, overly critical, socially clueless, impatient, highly competitive, and insensitive.

Soft Skills Training for IT Professionals

While the ability to manage software programs and analyze algorithms can get one started in the industry, major innovative projects by multinational brands need to bring several experts to the table, and they need to get along. This is where the IT person needs to develop empathy, let go of competitiveness, and seek to be a contribution.

While working with other IT personnel, sales, marketing, business development, and the like, the IT guy may need to develop patience in explaining technical matters to non-technical people and open-mindedness to see things from a financial and sales perspective.

Unfortunately, in a study by West Monroe Partners in 2018, 67% of HR professionals withheld a job offer from a talented IT candidate due to a lack of soft skills. Forty-three percent of regular employees said soft skills problems negatively impacted their working relationship with IT.

While a lack of empathy and communication skills is holding some tech professionals back from advancing in their workplace, and 98% of HR leaders say that soft skills are essential, HR isn’t offering more training to help the IT guy adjust.

7 Key Soft Skills

  • Creative Collaboration – the ability to acknowledge excellent ideas from others and add to them. The key concept is to view ideas as free spirits that can come from anywhere, including rookies.
  • Effective Communication – the skill of initiating friendly conversations on essential matters, offering suggestions from a place of kindness, remaining objective in high charged meetings, and explaining the technical matter to non-technical people
  • Adaptability – the ability to understand different perspectives, including that of finance and marketing
  • Emotional Intelligence – the ability to accept criticism and stay calm and objective in a highly charged atmosphere

No Technological Representation in Leadership

Moreover, there is a lack of technological representation in leadership–39% of firms lack someone with a technology background in their C-suite. This poses a significant threat as technological advancement equates to efficient systems and superior products in today’s business climate.

The most innovative companies have technologists in positions of power, able to defend investing in infrastructure, sticking to timelines, and not cutting costs on essential technologies. 

The Boeing Company

The Boeing Company is one example of an organization that failed to heed expert advice. 

In 1997, plane manufacturer Boeing acquired its longtime rival, McDonnell Douglas. Two of the most esteemed players in global aviation became a single tremendous titan. 

The cultural clash between Boeing’s engineers and McDonnell Douglas’s bean-counters led to a move away from expensive, ground-breaking engineering and toward a more cut-throat culture. The company devoted itself to keeping costs down and favoring upgrading older models at the expense of wholesale innovation. 

Twenty years later, two 737 Max jets crashed–resulting in the loss of 346 lives and the still-rising associated costs of around $10 billion.

01 Staffing specializes in temporary and contract staffing solutions for employers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Our programmers and software and data engineers are not only good at what they do, they are also dedicated, hardworking, and can adapt to your organization very well.

Check out our section for employers in Canada.

Mental Fitness: The Four Types of Stress and How to Manage Them

If you are experiencing pressure, worry, and anxiety, you are not alone. Everyone has their share of struggles. While tension is a sign of growth in small amounts, unmanaged stress leads to a lack of focus, productivity, and happiness. Here are the four types of stress and how to improve your mental fitness. 

Anticipatory Stress

You experience Anticipatory Stress when you anticipate bleak outcomes— such as the client not liking your proposal. You keep feeling something will go wrong. Anticipatory Stress can also be vague and undefined, such as an overall sense of dread about the future.

Mental Fitness Tips

  • Focus on the present. Take action on your proposal. Focus on two things: what the client needs and how can you fulfill it?
  • Develop self-confidence. Focus your energy on your strengths and keep nurturing them. Be honest with your flaws, and people will find you more relatable. Moreover, be daring despite your imperfections.
  • Employ the Law of Attraction. Create a dream board and visualize positive outcomes in your endeavors. Read “The Secret” to discover how the Law of Attraction brings forth abundance.
  • Gratitude. Appreciate small success. 

Situational Stress

Situational Stress occurs to you amidst difficulties when things are beyond your control, such as in conflict or losses. You may find yourself in an intense meeting, being laid off at work, or being embarrassed in front of everyone. Situational Stress may be sudden, and it can catch you off-guard. 

Mental Fitness Tips

  • Focus on the solutions that are within your means. Argue, accept, or compromise. 
  • Hone your problem-solving skills through leadership books or by learning from your seniors. Practice making quick decisions. Stay aligned with your goals and priorities during intense meetings. 
  • Calm yourself with food, music, or rest before making important decisions. 
  • Communicate better during stressful situations. Focus on the solution and avoid the blame game. 
  • Become more self-aware. 
  • Tell yourself, “these too shall pass.”
  • Start doing breathing exercises.
  • Sweat it out. Rest when you need it. Then, push yourself to go out for a walk. 

Encounter Stress 

Encounter stress occurs when you worry about coming across an unfriendly face — a critical officemate or a meddling aunt. Encounter stress can also occur amidst clients, especially if the company is not doing well.

Mental Fitness Tips

  • Increase self-awareness. If an officemate comes across as annoying, reflect on your triggers and assess whether your emotions are within reason.
  • Manage the situation like a champion. If an officemate acts like your boss, try being honest with them while remaining calm and amiable. Ask a neutral teammate for their opinion. If the team agrees with you, pull your bossy colleague aside and nicely tell them what the team thinks. Communicate from a place of concern. If all else fails, ask your boss to help. Stay polite and objective. 
  • Develop greater emotional intelligence. Understand where people are coming from. Some people may overreact to situations because they have traumas. A person who talks too loudly may be battling insecurity. 
  • Know your limit. Try taking a break when it’s too much.
  • If a customer overwhelms you, take a coffee break or talk to an office friend.
  • Foster camaraderie with officemates through social events. 

Time Stress

You experience Time Stress when you worry about time, or the lack thereof. The number of deliverables on the table can be overwhelming. Common examples of Time Stress include worrying about deadlines or rushing to avoid being late for a meeting.

Mental Fitness Tips

  • Get a planner. Make a to-do list. Prioritize high-value tasks — jobs that will help the company, team, or client more. 
  • Break down big tasks into small, doable tasks. 
  • Read Eat that Frog” by Brian Tracy
  • When given multiple tasks, ask your boss what to prioritize.
  • Set aside time for deep work. Avoid distractions, including social media. Manage your phone alerts. Go to your settings and turn off unimportant notifications. 
  • Learn to say no. 

Time Stressed? Don’t do all the work! Hire a remote worker today and improve your mental fitness! Explore our packages

 

How to Protect the Well-Being of Your Hybrid Workforce

When times change, it is the perfect moment to shape a culture. Companies that focus on employee well-being engagement are well-suited to attract the best talent in the generation of hybrid workforce. 

The challenge is understanding and supporting employees who have faced immense changes and stress in the past two years.

A 2020 study from Oracle found that “the COVID-19 pandemic has created the most stressful work year in people’s lives, negatively affecting the mental health of 78% of the global workforce.”

As you transition into hybrid work, be transparent to employees about the learning curve and encourage feedback to minimize stress for everyone. Take it slow and make progressive changes as we all face the unknown. 

Here are five essential components of a hybrid workforce:

Employee Confidence and Success

Lead with empathy and humanity. Bosses who shine are people’s champions and coaches — a leader that you can open up to and trust because they will protect you. 

MIT Sloan determines that the four aspects of leadership in the future are conductor, catalyst, coach, and champion. Their job is to support, remove roadblocks, and foster well-being. 

The traditional image of a manager as a slave driver is outdated. Companies have to choose leaders who inspire and cultivate trust — not managers who see burnout as a badge of honor. Long-term, quality work and consistent performance contribute better to company success.

Tip:

Create guidelines to support employee well-being with management training, support, and formal reviews that value work-life balance.

Well-Being

Learn what matters for your employees. The recent workplace changes have opened the room to negotiate employee benefits. 

Employee needs vary by gender, cohort, and several other factors. Millennials appreciate work and life balance, while Gen Zs are interested in higher monetary rewards.

In a research by SHRM, 60% of employees place importance on mental health in selecting their next employer. This comes after the pandemic-induced isolation has triggered loneliness, anxiety, and depression. 

This is especially true for single millennials and new hires who are yet to form relationships with coworkers. 

A hybrid work model reduces isolation. However, it takes more than this to cultivate a culture of openness and inclusion in the hybrid workplace. Encourage socialization at work through virtual events and use tools such as Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace to encourage collaboration. 

A streamlined, supportive onboarding program is helpful. Udemy for Business provides tools to upskill employees for digital collaboration. Recognize the importance of employee onboarding and psychological safety. Keep tabs on the well-being of your employees.

 

Make IT Support Easily Accessible

Removing roadblocks is one of the essential tasks of a manager. Help employees through technical difficulties, so they focus on the work that matters. Have your IT Staff set up Microsoft Teams or Google Workspace for collaboration. Centralize information through Cloud-sharing with Microsoft Azure, AWS Cloud, Google Cloud, or Oracle Cloud. Let them know who to contact if something isn’t right.

Explore long-term and on-demand IT Staffing options with 01 Staffing. 

https://www.01staffing.com/employers/

Organizational Culture and Structure

A recent McKinsey study found that “more than three-quarters of C-suite executives expect the typical ‘core’ employee to be back in the office three or more days a week while easing the transition.

Employees feel differently about returning to the office. Those with household responsibilities are more burdened by the commute and adjusting to regular business hours. The preferences of introverts and extroverts vary widely, and women are more likely than men to want to work from home.

Tips for Hybrid Work:

-The most popular hybrid work management plan assumes three days per week in the office and two days at home. But some do it monthly, assuming a certain number of days in the office and at home.

-Manage work and communications fairly. Avoid a two-tier system where employees in the office receive preferential treatment.

-Centralize information through Cloud-sharing. 

-Conduct all meetings online. Train employees on tools such as Google Workspace and Office 365, so they can share files, edit together, chat, and conduct business in one efficient virtual workspace.

Communications

In a hybrid workplace. Trust and accountability matter. Tools like Monday.com or Microsoft 365 let managers and teams assign tasks for better visibility. Everyone should know who’s working on what to establish accountability and request updates. 

Establishing tasks and asking for regular updates is more productive than conducting daily meetings that do not result in outputs.

Create group chats for different tasks to ensure that only people directly involved in the project are required in the meeting room.

Communicate company and department goals to everyone to encourage initiative and one-mindedness. 

4 Ways to Improve Communication 

-Leaders should communicate regularly, preferably weekly, to subordinates

-Set expectations and share information ahead 

-Meet on video once a week. Share detailed instructions on the email and use chat for quick updates. Attach supporting files on chat and emails. -Use the Microsoft 365 version of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint to edit files together and provide mentorship. 

-Everyone should know the vision of the company by heart. Encourage discussion of business trends and how it affects the company. Create safe spaces for sharing ideas.

 

Explore Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 options for Hybrid Work with 01 Remote.

https://www.01remote.com/managed-microsoft-365/

 

5 Great Mentors You Can Find While Working Remotely

Working in the office is easy. It’s a walk in the park — Jurassic Park. Seriously though, one of the more difficult challenges of working is keeping up with everyone. Even when you are new in the office, no one will wait for you to shape up. You have to learn the ropes and provide value to the team. Having great mentors makes a lot of difference. 

Traditionally, your boss is in charge of keeping you up to speed through coaching and counseling. Coaching is imparting technical knowledge and experience, while counseling is correcting errors, especially behavioral ones. 

Working from home has lots of benefits. It’s comfortable. It fosters a healthy, family-oriented lifestyle and makes work-life balance possible. However, one of the downsides of working from home is that it dilutes company culture and decreases mentorship opportunities. 

However, nothing is impossible for a gladiator in suit. If you want to maximize your potential and amplify your growth, seek mentorship. People are willing to help you. 

Here are five great mentors to learn from while working from home

Your Boss

Keeping your boss happy is one of your jobs as an employee. This is the hard truth. You need to be on your boss’ good side to gain positive evaluation and be recommended opportunities.

Telecommuting has made it more challenging for your boss to reach out to you and provide mentorship. However, you can re-establish this relationship by initiating communication. 

Whenever your share a report, always assure your boss that feedback is welcome and you look forward to it. Revising may increase your workload, but it will increase your value as an employee in the long run. 

List down things that you are in doubt about, and run them over when you get a chance to consult with your boss. If your boss is busy, summarize everything and present them as briefly as possible. Think of ideas and possible solutions to the problem and present them to your boss.

Your Top Salesman/ Industry’s Best Performer

In many cases, the formula for success has been tested and proven. Learn fast by learning from the best. Seek out your best salesman, your top engineer, your best chef, etc. Ask them for tips and apply them to your life immediately. 

Books

Use the time you saved from no longer traveling to immerse yourself in books. Alternate between books about self-development and books about your industry. Fiction helps for character building. 

Your Friends

One of the benefits of working from home is seeing your friends and family more often. This has made life more enjoyable for many of us. However, never underestimate the power of peer influences. It is human nature to mimic what you see around you. Seek out good company as much as possible. 

Moreover, be mindful of who you follow on social media. Follow artists, scientists, authors, coaches, millionaires, etc. You’ll be surprised how much value you can get from your feed in the morning.

Online Coaches and Learning Platforms

The internet is a great equalizer. Nowadays, knowledge is easily accessible online and you are a course away from developing a high-value skill that can advance you in your career. 

Here are some high-value skills. Take note, you don’t need to be an IT graduate to learn any of them.

  • Excel
  • Data Science
  • Foreign Languages
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Analytics
  • Machine Learning
  • UX Design
  • Web Design
  • Digital Asa

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