This is a tale of two companies.
You could call it a cautionary tale. It’s about two companies that are Twin Cities clients of mine. (But the truth is, I’ve seen this story play out so many times this year that I think there’s a lesson here for all of us.)
In February, both of these organizations had much in common: both were (and still are) respected brands, run by highly competent, caring leaders. Both were on the cusp of launching executive searches to fill critical leadership roles.
One short year ago, we published our “Earth Day Workplace Challenge.” We were feeling pretty celebratory because we’d made several Earth-friendly changes to our workplace and our workday habits and we were excited to share them.
Make a Positive, Lasting Impression at Your Next Job Interview
The holiday season is traditionally the time when productivity takes a nosedive as your employees are distracted by endless occasions to party. For Minnesota employers, keeping them motivated through this period can be a challenge, but here’s what might just work:
Staff who are traveling over the holiday season will welcome the opportunity to work remotely. Flexible working allows for easier childcare arrangements and the opportunity to attend various social professional and family events while staying up to date on projects. If this feels like a step too far, monitor productivity and connectivity by requiring employees to log in to your server during working hours.
If there is one career cliché that is overdue for retirement it is that of the corporate ladder. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a powerful image. I like the idea of always reaching higher in my work. If we aim high, stay focused and keep climbing, we rise, right? But ladders are also narrow, unstable and unforgivingly linear. Try to step sideways on the ladder and you’re going down – with a crash.
Here’s How to Find, Recruit, and Hire Today’s Top Candidates
In your job search, you’ve likely visited your share of employer websites. If you’ve been at it for a while, you’ve also probably applied for jobs online. In other words, you have endured the seemingly endless procession of screens, asking you increasingly private and confidential questions. It’s part of the process. And if you want to be considered for the job, you accept that you need to answer them. After all, “it’s policy.”
Each year we carve some time out of our busy schedules to take care of a stretch of highway in our community that we have adopted through the MN Department of Transportation's Adopt a Highway program. If you've been looking for ways your company can make a contribution to a cleaner environment, this is a great program to look into.
