SkyWater Blog

Far from being the buzzword du jour, empathy is the transformative – but often undervalued - force that influences your ability to recruit, retain, and yes, revolutionize talented teams.

When Star Tribune business reporter, Catherine Roberts recently wrote about the Star Tribune’s 2023 Top Workplaces, she mentioned the dramatic challenges and changes that employers have undergone since the pandemic. She then noted that, based on the survey answers received this year, the companies on the 2023 list “are likely to be more successful adapting to the new reality...”

Try this simple set of steps to guide your team toward clarity and inclusion.

In every organization, communication is the glue that holds the team together. But what happens when that communication becomes mired in jargon, the constant use of hyper-technical acronyms, and other cringe-worthy esoteric language - when plain words would work better? You know what happens: confusion spreads, morale plummets, and the overall employee experience is negatively impacted.

As our nation commemorates Independence Day, all of us at SkyWater Search Partners wish you, your families, and your neighbors a happy and peaceful 4^th of July.

Happy Father's Day!

Being a parent stretches us all to find talents we never knew we had. These are valuable skills that are often overlooked and underappreciated. We polled the SkyWater dads to see what job titles and skills need to be added to their credentials on this very special fathers Day.

Here's what they had to share...

2023 is set to see an increase in employee turnover with at least three-quarters of the American workforce actively pursuing alternative employment. It’s a trend that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, but as a candidate, how do you know when it’s time for a change?

These are some of the reasons we hear most frequently at SkyWater in no particular order (and it’s not all about the money):

Happy Mother's Day!

Being a parent stretches us all to find talents we never knew we had. These are valuable skills that are often overlooked or under-appreciated in the business world. We polled the SkyWater moms to see what job titles and skills need to be added to their credentials on this very special Mother's Day.

Here's what they had to share...

It’s a question most of us – whether we’re employers or employees - have tackled at some point over the past three years: how important is in-person face time with the boss? Is it essential to achieving long-term maximum performance? Or is it just an old habit we cling to, based more on a fear of change than any conclusive evidence?  

While it may be too early to know the answers to those questions, here’s what we do know:  pre-pandemic, remote, and hybrid work arrangements were clearly shown to organizations, teams, supervisors, and employees.

Instead of quitting, try smart negotiating

In her recent Forbes article, writer Caroline Castrillon offers an 11-step process for building a win-win work-from-home arrangement to which you and your boss can agree. Her process is smart, clear, and effective. I’ve paraphrased and consolidated her steps here:

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.