SkyWater Blog

A new study finds that an astonishing majority of managers worry that remote workers aren't actually working.

It's called Productivity Paranoia.  Here's why you can't afford to go there - and what you can do, instead.

In January 2020, a mere 5% of full-time professionals worked remotely, under arrangements that were largely seen – and supervised – as exceptions to “normal” employment. Three months later, that number spiked to nearly 60% and continued to climb, shaking up the workplace as we knew it. It was a painful, abrupt transition, fraught with unknowns and steep learning curves. But it also opened up a whole new world of possibilities for working professionals.

As we approach Thanksgiving this year, it would be difficult (and probably unwise) to ignore the possible changes and uncertainties that lie ahead. While inflation is slowing and fears of a recession are cooling, for many people, there are lingering worries that the economy may take a while to fully bounce back.

Have You Checked Your Own Perceptions of “Military Skills” Lately?

In a recent report for CBS News, Norah O’Donnell and Olivia Rinaldi highlighted an issue that has confounded me for years: the underemployment of our nation’s military veterans.  Even as employers struggle to attract and hire talent, these extraordinarily qualified individuals continue to be overlooked.

For years, the military, veteran organizations, and multiple large employers have invested in veteran employment programming. These are important and helpful programs.

According to Gallup, only one-third of managers are engaged at work.

You’ve heard the term by now, but the phrase “Quiet Quitting” is a pretty confusing name for an alarming trend, one that every employer of white-collar professionals needs to understand – and get ahead of quickly. To solve the problem, employers must first fully grasp what quiet quitting looks like, what causes it, and who is most vulnerable. The concept is better captured by another phrase that has emerged lately: "Act your wage."

“The biggest challenge businesses face in their adoption of digital technologies is lack of capable talent…” KPMG Global Tech, September 2022  

If you're a tech employer – and today, just about every company is a tech employer - you know the drill: you pour countless hours and endless effort into recruiting and onboarding the best and brightest talent, only to watch them exit through a revolving door that seems to be spinning out of control. It's a vicious cycle, one that's becoming difficult to break. Yet, the stakes couldn’t be higher for organizations coming off a two-year big spend on new technology and infrastructure. Intended to improve agility, security, collaboration, and market growth, these investments now sit largely underused, their potential not nearly actualized, simply due to a dearth of skilled talent.

What if the scariest thing spooking your candidates is you?

Welcome to every job candidate’s nightmare.

For most hiring managers, filling an open role has become a frightening proposition. Finding, vetting, and interviewing candidates can feel like you’re trapped in a house of mirrors, filled with illusions, distortions, and endless dead ends. Why do the best candidates keep disappearing, just when you thought you were closing in on them?   

You’re right to feel frustrated and very, very afraid. But before you blame it all on today’s horrifying market or flighty talent, consider this:

It might be you.

3 reasons every developer and engineer should be paying attention to those executive recruiter messages.

A few weeks ago, I was a guest on Hayden Wade’s Zero Plus One Podcast to talk about today’s still-hot IT and engineering job market.

 We get into the details on trends I’m seeing right now, the hiring manager mistakes that most often turn candidates off, when job seekers should work with a recruiter (and when to go it alone), and some very specific tips to help hiring managers and candidates edge out the competition. I hope you’ll listen to the conversation. But I'd like to highlight some of the most surprising and time-sensitive topics we covered. Here, I detail my answer to the question I still get from engineering candidates:

Over the course of a career, most of us will endure a bumpy patch here or there: moments of feeling overworked, unchallenged, underappreciated, disappointed, badly bossed – or just plain bored. They’re awful. But they’re usually brief.

Finding and hiring the best talent is a high-stakes challenge for every organization. Whether you’re running a start-up, making your first serious management hire, or you’re a corporate recruiter, working on multiple open positions every week, filling an open job is not only time-consuming. It can be expensive, frustrating, and unpredictable.

Yet, every open job represents the future of your organization. Will this new person add long-term value – without too much short-term upheaval? Do they have the aptitude, attitude, and work style to gel with the rest of your team? By adding them now, do you move your organization closer to your vision?

Rest, Reflect, and Recognize

Sure, your calendar says that the last day of summer is September 22nd. But if you’re like most of us in the United States, you know when summer really ends: Labor Day.  For most American workers – and their school-age children – the first Monday in September is a moment of transition. Monday is our last full day of the summertime slow, lazy mornings, and reduced pressures. Come Tuesday, it’s back to the business of higher expectations and a markedly faster pace.