In the last several years, the world of work has changed dramatically. There was the pandemic, the resultant ongoing mental health crisis, a reassessment of what is important in work and in life, the rise of remote work, and the Great Resignation. There is growing awareness of the realities of the workplace— toxic culture and poor management practices, leading to such coping strategies as “acting your wage” or quiet quitting. Employee productivity is no longer a given. Recognizing and managing underperforming employees requires a manager to have the right skills, strategies, and level of emotional intelligence. However, great leaders focus…
Author: Datavalley
In the cold glow of your computer screen, there’s a realm where the boundary between real and artificial blurs. Driven by algorithms and data, it’s a world where machines (that humans have created) start to take on a life of their own. Often with terrifying consequences. Welcome to “Digital nightmares: Haunting tales of Artificial Intelligence.” In this chilling scAIry story collection, right in the heart of the Halloween season, we venture into the shadows of cyberspace to uncover stories that will make your heart race and your mind question the future of AI in the workplace. From malevolent chatbots to…
Picture this: You’re standing with your colleagues in a circle, ready to participate in the all-time-classic exercise for building trust. The trust fall. This scenario plays out in many workplace team-building activities. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and fall backward, trusting your peers to catch you. This moment of ultimate vulnerability and exhilaration might seem like a quick path to building trust and teamwork. But in reality, it’s more complex. Trust falls and similar activities are entertaining and work well as icebreakers. However, are they enough to create lasting trust and teamwork within an organization? True trust…
Right in the heart of New York City, Ross faced an intriguing challenge at the Museum of Natural History: onboarding two paleontologists. Sarah would be responsible for hosting museum tours, while Phill would be responsible for updating the website with interesting articles and facts. What was the challenge? Even though the two new hires started on the same date, had the same background, and needed to get training on the same information, they couldn’t be onboarded at the same time, in the same place. Sarah was in New York, but Phill would work remotely from his place in Sydney. Until…
When it comes to delivering targeted training, there’s a blueprint in place for most skills in the workplace. And subject matter experts (SMEs) on hand to offer advice and instruction. Take your sales team, for instance. Let’s say you wanted to assess how competent your reps are at using your CRM. (After all, it’s a crucial tool for optimizing processes and cultivating better customer relationships.) The managers in your sales team will all be familiar with the platform and its purpose. And they will already have a list of key activities associated with this. For example, data entry and compliance,…
Ever wonder how to present e-learning course ideas to your customers? I had a conversation the other day with someone who was presented with a somewhat boring course project. We chatted about ways to make it less boring. During the conversation, the person was concerned that the customer would never go for a different idea and only wanted the tried and true, click-and-read course. This is a common challenge because the easiest course to build is the linear, explainer type course with information and next buttons. It’s also what many customers are used to, so trying to get them to…
In today’s rapidly evolving job market, retaining top talent is a major concern for employers. They recognize the importance of nurturing employees’ skills. And of creating an environment of growth and development. Employees need opportunities for career advancement to grow. However, the traditional focus on vertical promotions often limits those opportunities. It’s time to reevaluate traditional notions of career progression. A seismic shift is occurring in the world of talent management. Employers who want dedicated and loyal employees know that employee mobility goes beyond just moving up the corporate ladder. Embracing a broader perspective on your employee mobility strategy can…
In a world where the boundaries between work and life are becoming increasingly blurred, the idea of a 4-day workweek has received a lot of buzz. It promises an enticing proposition: more time for leisure, reduced stress, and improved work-life balance. The idea of a 4-day workweek gained traction through a combination of historical labor movements, societal changes, and technological advancements. Plus, a growing body of research supports the benefits of reduced working hours. Our own poll shows that the majority of employees (86%) are willing to give it a try. As companies and individuals continue to explore this model,…
Navigating the turbulent waters of the modern job landscape is a challenge that both individuals and companies deal with. The rapid changes in required skills often leave conventional talent acquisition and development methods hard to keep up with. Enter the skills taxonomy framework. Think of it as your guide in this ever-shifting terrain. It effectively helps organizations categorize, map, and prioritize the crucial skills needed by the current job market. This framework isn’t just about surviving; it’s about thriving. It empowers individuals and businesses to adapt, aligning their expertise with the latest industry trends. Plus, it’s not just about managing…
Picture this: Ron, the sales director of a company that produces cutting-edge productivity tools, just landed a partnership with a tech giant. This promised the company a significant rise in demand. But there’s a catch: They needed to double the size of their sales team in less than a month to address this new demand. It was like trying to build an airplane mid-flight. With turbulence all around and the risk of either skyrocketing to new heights or crashing to the ground… Ron had to find the perfect balance between speed and precision. Meaning, scouting top talent while preserving the…