How Allowing Employees Creative Freedom Can Boost Engagement

How Allowing Employees Creative Freedom Can Boost Engagement We all know that employers want to foster employee engagement and we’d all prefer to enjoy our work. Employees who are micro-managed and not trusted to work independently are likely to be less motivated; studies show that flexibility at work improves productivity, whereas ‘presenteeism’ stifles creativity. When we are trusted to work to a high standard, without intrusive supervision, we deliver optimum results. The problem is that, as a 2014 Economist article pointed out “Because knowledge workers have few metrics for output, the time people spend at their desks is often seen as a sign of productivity and loyalty.” If leaders want to encourage innovation and creativity, then designing a workplace that caters for the preference for autonomy and flexibility that employees value, leads to real engagement throughout the organisation. ”You’re not your job” A quote from the film Fight Club. More and more of us work as freelancers, contractors and consultants and there are obvious advantages to working this way. Contractors pick up new ideas and inspiration from each work environment and from a range of work groups and professional contacts. This negates the risk of becoming typecast in a particular role or bored to distraction through the repetition of similar projects. Encouraging staff to explore and experiment pays dividends for the same reasons. Some large companies allow employees to spend time working on projects that are outside the scope of their assigned role; these initiatives are used to attract high quality applicants, and to encourage innovation. Sometimes described as bootlegging, 3M Corporation’s policy is to allow employees to spend 15% of their time working on their own ideas. I prefer the term ‘daylighting’ by which an organisation encourages employees to choose some of their own projects to work on. Freeing time for staff to work on side projects autonomously, offers the opportunity to explore, to learn and to be creative, with the hoped-for aim of improving morale and increasing work output. Dan Pink says that motivating employees with new ways of working are well worth considering: The old motivational techniques have run their course. Weve oversold the carrot-and-stick and undersold quieter forms of motivation, he says. Daylighting is about zoning out and exploring the possibilities, ultimately creativity and innovation arise from what Mary Catherine Bateson describes as “weaving fine threads of novelty” into the fabric of life. Broadening the scope of our work affords the opportunity to re-examine assumptions, to reinvent procedures and reimagine potential, thereby enhancing our capacity to adapt by exploring novelty and serendipity. Project management is a key skill When employees have the freedom to choose their own projects and design their own work then they need to be accountable for their productivity and personal project management, with leadership providing the necessary tools and encouragement. Jonathan Feinstein, professor at the Yale School of Management says: I think its a good idea in general to give people that opportunity to explore a personal interest, with the thought that, eventually, it will intersect back with things that the organization is interested in. In essence by encouraging “daylighting” in working hours, organisations make an investment in well-rounded employees, whose growing knowledge and experience increases their value to the employer. Obviously, daylighting needs to be transparent in terms of team responsibilities, there remains an obligation to meet and exceed the expectations of the job description. Off-piste projects should not be pursued at the expense of other responsibilities, ideally they should interest the individual while meeting organisational objectives in the long run. Tobias van Schneider, designs and builds new products for Spotify and he suggests these non-work projects work best when people give themselves permission to “think simple, to change their minds, to fail basically, to not take them too seriously,” he thinks that if you don’t put too much structure around it, you can enjoy different types of success. Changing the way you think about failure is important for successful side projects. If you don’t depend on the outcome, if they are outside the scope of your job description, you have the luxury of failing; you can call ‘time’ or start over when things aren’t going so well, or re-envision the whole project without recrimination. We all know that we learn from failure, at least as much, as we learn from success. Key to working this way is to focus on the work for its own sake, not the end-product. It works because we liberate ourselves from the constraints of the day job and consider things from an oblique standpoint that, hopefully, opens new horizons. Non-work projects are meant to be low-pressure; work that you do because you love the work, to satisfy your curiosity or to experiment, not to meet a deadline.

How Im Creating My Social Media Plan For 2018 - Classy Career Girl

How Im Creating My Social Media Plan For 2018 As we approach 2018, I feel called to shift the content of the blog ever so slightly to more of what I love in the new year. I wrote a few weeks ago about how I feel about blogging right now and my goal for 2018 is to write more consistently. The most important part of writing is to write about something you are passionate about.  Its only normal that if youve had a blog for seven years, your passions change! One of my passions is career and entrepreneurship so you can rest assured that I will always be blogging about business and career stuff here. But, I’m going to be adding more posts about other things Ive become really passionate about over the last few years which is health, balance and wellness. My personal journey of trying to become a mom has taken me on quite a ride over the last 7 years since I started this blog. Running a business and having a stressful career can really affect your balance and health. I’ve realized this in a big way which is why I want to share more of my health journey with you and how I stay balanced. Ive learned that one of the keys to my success is not to work more. But instead, to put more time and focus into my health. My business and career always grows when I am working out and eating healthy because I am happier and more fulfilled. Note: Im definitely not perfect so theres also an accountability component for me as well similar to my networking challenge I started in 2011. Ive found that in the past, when you blog about a topic, you feel the weight of your readers to be at your best. Ill also be letting my creativity out more and blog more about another hidden passion of mine, office fashion. Dont worry this is not a fashion blog and I have no intentions to model for you. I mean fashion for your office like office supplies, cute journals, planners, books, mugs, water bottles and the cutest pink pens you can find because Im a sucker for pretty office supplies. Some of our most popular blog posts are about office supplies, books and planners, so I know you are going to love it too. My content plan really took shape while I took a month off in New Zealand. By the end of the trip, I realized that every time I got to a new city in New Zealand, there were two things I would hunt for: Cute shops with office supplies, magazines and books.  Health shops with green juices and smoothies. This was my ah-ha moment. When it comes to my passions, these are my passions!  My goal with Classy Career Girl in 2018 is to provide you with the fuel to love what you do.  In order to find complete fulfillment and happiness, I’ve found not only do you need to be doing work you love, you also need to be living a healthy and inspiring life. And, you need to be surrounded by an inspiring work environment. All these things are what Classy Career Girl is committed to providing you in 2018. Heres our content plan for 2018: YouTube: One weekly how-to tutorial coming out on Wednesdays. As Ive started to create the tech companion for our Corporate Rescue Plan membership site this year, I realized theres a lot of tech stuff I know and I love to teach which is why Ill be treating it like a class every week. So every week I am going to film a how-to tutorial to teach you how to do something you probably dont know.  Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel here.   Podcast: In January, Ill be coming out with one weekly podcast every Thursday and will be putting much more care and thought into each episode since I normally do three per week. Each week I will bring you an inspiring lesson to help you find career fulfillment, work-life balance and happiness so you are ready for the incredible impact that you can make on this world. Im improving the podcast, giving my podcast equipment a revamp and have an exciting lineup of guests for 2018 too! Make sure you are subscribed to the podcast on iTunes. Ill be positioning it more like a class. You can learn more about where to find our podcast here.   Blog: Im committed to write a blog post daily which means youll likely see 7 posts from me on the blog each week! We are only going to publish on weekdays so that gives you times to catch up on the weekends if you missed anything. We will also be posting three guest contributor articles each week so if you are interested in joining me writing content for CCG, you can learn more here. NEW: New in 2018, Im creating a newsletter with fuel to love what you do. Details will be coming soon for how you can sign up for my newsletter for exclusive, additional content every week! Heres our social media plan for 2018: Last year, our strategy was all Pinterest. In this post I shared how Pinterest should be your #1 growth strategy in 2017. And now a year later, the social media experts like Amy Porterfield and Gary Vaynerchuk are coming out saying Pinterest is the thing to do. I feel like we have a pretty good Pinterest strategy down and Im on Pinterest still at least 20 minutes everyday pouring into the community. It does send the most traffic to our website and I wont be stopping anytime soon. In 2018 though Pinterest isnt my focus, Instagram is. Im not taking my eye off of Pinterest of course but I think the real future for building a brand is on Instagram. Whats the last social media platform you use before going to bed? For me and millions of other women, its Instagram.  Right now I have four Instagram accounts and my goal is to post on each of the accounts daily while putting a lot more emphasis on our @classycareergirl account to post up to 4 times per day and spend at least 30 minutes per day networking with Instagram community. One of the major things that is making this social media plan possible is that while in New Zealand I decided to reduce our launches in 2018. Instead of 4 big launches for our membership sites, I decreased it to 2.  Yes, this could impact our sales slightly but I dont care. Ive done a lot of launching in 2017 and Im worn out. 2018 is for building a brand. 2018 is about thinking about 2023 and what I want my brand to look like then. Preparing my brand to meet that vision. Im not about selling you something right now or automating my entire business to grow my income this year which is what you are seeing a lot of online right now.  Its a long term strategy to build a brand that can withstand the changes that are coming to the social media landscape and continue steady growth to impact millions of women around the world. Weve steadily grown for the past 7 years oftentimes in the background without a lot of drama and we dont plan on stopping anytime soon. ?? Id love for you to leave a comment and lets open up a dialogue about what Im sharing in the new year. I can’t wait to see what unfolds in the new year Let’s do it!

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese If You Dont Understand Your Companys Strategy, Youre Not Alone

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese If You Don't Understand Your Company's Strategy, You're Not Alone Two-thirds of executivessaythat their organizations dont have the capabilities to support their strategies, with 80% admitting that their overall strategy is not well understood, even within their own organization. The first question, of course, is why is this is happening? The second obvious question is: How to fix it? Thats at the heart of a new book, Strategy: How Winning Companies Close the Strategy-to-Execution Gap byPaul Leinwand,Cesare MainardiandArt Kleiner. They say that the key is focusing on unconventional leadership, which includes what they call committing to an identity. But at a time when markets are moving so fast and new competition seems to pop up every day, does that mean a company has to decide what it does best and stick to it? Leaders are told: Beagile. Be responsive. Go where the opportunities are. But unless those opportunities fit with the capabilities and value proposition you already have, they lead to incoherence. Incoherent companies fall behind, the authors say. Being agile sounds appealing, but the truth is that most organizations cant turn on a dime, and instantly move their business model to new opportunities, they say. The companies thatmanage changebest recognize that they have a responsibility to create their own demand, creating the change that will benefit them, rather than defensively adjusting to market disruption, they say, citing companies such as Apple, Frito-Lay, Starbucks and Inditex (Zara). They have all overcomedisruptionin spectacular ways, but not by becoming more agile. They do it by taking advantage of the prowess, perspective and creativity inherent in their own distinctive capabilities, the authors say. At the same time, they caution organizations that committing to an identity does not mean stagnation and organizations cant just ignore whats happening in the marketplace. Instead, companies must be deliberate about what they do and make changes that will build on existing strengths. For example, Amazon got into cloud computing in a way that builds on its existing capabilities (read more here)

Womens Role in the Finance Industry How Is It Changing - Classy Career Girl

Women’s Role in the Finance Industry How Is It Changing Historically, the world of finance has always been a male-dominated industry. However, there are now signs that this is beginning to change. The past decade has seen a number of women get leading jobs in the finance industry. However, few sit at the top, and there’s still undoubtedly work to do. Lets review how womens role in the finance industry is changing and how it might evolve in the future. Women’s Role in the Finance Industry: How Is It Changing? Many people are surprised to learn that more women start out in finance than men. However, as they progress through a career in finance, the majority fall out; especially when they get to middle-management level. In a  report conducted in 32 countries, it said that there is significant progress of women joining the finance industry. The increase in number, though, are not as fast or evident as the number of men working in the industry. It’s easy to see why, too. For example, only 50% of women (compared with 70% of men) believe that they have an equal opportunity to advance in their finance career, regardless of their personal qualities and circumstances. Empirical evidence backs this, too. Only 23% of boards of directors are women and only 14% of people on executive committees are female. Although these figures are undoubtedly still too low, progress has been made over the course of the past decade. In many ways, the world of finance is not completely different to a number of different professions, and it simply mirrors the really that very few professions have a 50/50 gender split. For example, there are only 20 women chief executives among the SP 500 companies. This is down from 24 in 2015. At these companies, only 14.2% of the top five leadership positions were held by women at these companies. What Will it Look like in the Future? As a result, it is clear that urgent attention is required by financial leaders. If women are unable to make it as far as the higher echelons of the finance world, we’ll struggle to recruit them and have the world of finance reflect the wider population. A number of products, such as stocks and shares ISAs, are available to sell in an entry level finance career, not enough is done at the middle to top level to convince women to stay in the finance world. It’s clear that most women believe that unless they believe they have access to higher levels of their career, that they will look elsewhere. Although barriers are now being removed, over the next decade, companies must ensure that women stand a good chance of getting to the top jobs. Otherwise, the finance world may lose some of the best and brightest minds. The challenge that women are facing today is not just that of high expectations from peers and family members. One of these challenges include being able to work full time in the role as a financial expert while managing family life and personal interests. Most often, these things seem easily achieved by men (from an opinionated perspective). A Bloomberg article stated that there are fewer women in the senior positions of finance. It further explained that it may be because there are fewer women that actually apply for jobs in the financial role. Other than that, the article also reiterated that companies have observed a great deal of positive results when there are women working within. If this was so, then expectations would be that there will be more open positions in the coming years for women in the finance industry. Despite hearing and reading news on the decline of the number of women working in the finance industry, many companies still believe that they are valuable assets to be considered for roles in finance. As to why the progress is slow or why women are outnumbered in the industry, there is no specific culprit. It is clear that women have cut through every industry that once were only dominated by men.  Women are hitting it hard in the business world, creating self-made businesses that have grown to become empires. Lets see what we can do! Remember, the most important thing we can do is support each other. When women support each other, incredible things happen.

Guide to Become a Successful Freelancer CareerMetis.com

Guide to Become a Successful Freelancer Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comEveryone nowadaysneeds extra some extra cash. Ever spiraling food cost, need to frequently buy newer gadgets, medical inflation are some reasons why a single salary is insufficient.For those unemployed, mere survival willbe threatened without an additional source of income. Hence, freelancing provides the best and possibly only solutions for such individuals.What is freelancing?evalEveryone speaks of freelancing in broad reference to journalism. However, this is not entirely true. Freelance journalists came into limelight because several movies have been made on this profession.Freelancing is often called moonlighting.evalThe term moonlighting denotes people who work beyond office hours, generally during evenings and late nights. Usually, moonlighters operate from home and perform tasks for another employer. Often, such work is on the sly.Meaning, the main employer is unaware about such work. In exceptional cases, an employer may permit a worker to render services to another company or individual.Difference between freelancingandmoonlightingRemember, freelancing and moonlighting are two different ways of earning money. There are a few similarities between the two. Hence there is confusion over the two terms.However, let us understand the differences.Freelancers are not employed on payrolls of any employer and work anytime. Moonlighters are usually employees offering services outside office hours.Freelancers are free to offer their services to anyone. Moonlighters cannot work for direct competitors of their employers unless explicitly permitted.Freelancers look for buyers of their services. Moonlighters already have a buyer for their services.Freelancers can be fresh graduates and inexperienced people. Moonlighters usually are highly skilled professionals.Basic requirementsIn order to work as freelancer or moonlighter, you need these specific characteristics.Your skills are in great demand.Willingness to exert extra effort.Possess own equipment required for the work, such as computer.Ability to adapt and improvise skills and services at short notice.Proficiency in a variety of skills.Sufficient savings to survive between payments.Therefore, anyone who meets the above criterion can qualify as freelancer or moonlighter.Skills in demandevalGenerally speaking, almost every skill is in demand nowadays. However, you can select the type of freelance or moonlight work you wish to do.Traditionally, freelancers and moonlighters are required in these industries:Outdoor catering: As service crew and kitchen helpers for large events and parties.Accountancy firms: To maintain complex books of the firm’s clientele.News media: Providing news reports, book and movie reviews and feature stories.Social media: For marketing products and services, customer relations.Insurers: Reaching out to prospective customers to buy home, life, health and other policies.Sales and marketing: While launching new product or creating better brand awareness.Market research: Surveys about anything conducted among random population.Photography/ video: Coverage of large events, weddings, parties.Musicians: Perform as a substitute for some band member temporarily.Coaching: Teaching any skill or sport or educational topic on demand from groups or individuals.evalFinding freelance jobsNowadays, high unemployment rates and need for extra income has caused a flood of freelancers and moonlighters in the market. However, this need not deter you from seeking work as freelancer.Remember, if you have the required skills, it is easy to find buyers. Fortunately, dozens of websites that specifically offer jobs for freelancers and moonlighters are online. You can register at some of these websites.evalHowever, you need to specify the nature of work you are interested in. Sometimes, you may also have to quote how much you will charge for your work.You can also offer services on social media by creating a special Facebook page. Such a page shou ld highlight your capabilities and skills as well as experience if any. Get as many ‘likes’ from friends for this page.Alternatively, you can post a small ad at community halls, churches, clubs and other high footfall places, advertising your skills and services.CVs for freelancers and moonlighters?Often, this can prove difficult if you do not have sufficient experience in your field. Writing a great CV as freelancer is not really difficult. Mention explicitly if you are a fresh graduate. However, make a strong point about why an employer should hire your services, albeit for limited time or a single task.If you are skilled, you would definitely have to explain reasons for working as freelancer or moonlighter. It would be fair enough to mention that you are looking for extra work to bolster your income.Alternatively, mention genuine reasons why you favor freelancing or moonlighting despite having experience but are unemployed.Explicitly mention the resources you own or can acces s easily for doing a freelance/ moonlight job. An employer will not provide these resources. And where such resources are provided, the payment can be lower.ReferencesarevitalRegardless whether you are a fresh graduate looking for freelance jobs or a skilled executive wanting extra income, references are extremely important.You can cite your teachers, coaches or community leaders as references if you are a fresh entrant into freelancing. If you have sufficient work experience, give names of people for whom you have done work in past.Pricing your workeval?Understandably, this can be a tricky job to set your freelance rates. Most people fear the price they quote can sound high. Therefore, you may end up quoting low and landing with more work than you can handle. Alternatively, you can quote low. This too means you will work too much for lesser returns.Therefore, it would serve well for you to first survey the market. Find out the prevailing rates for the nature of work you are offerin g. Later, weigh it against your expertise and experience to arrive at a realistic figure.Remember, freelance and moonlight jobs are generally time bound. Meaning, they have to be completed before the deadline set by your customer.Realistic deadlinesIronically, employers know how much time it would actually take to finish a particular task. Yet, they will provide shorter deadlines to freelancers and moonlighters. They are not being unfair.Usually, an employer or customer will have no control over you by means of a service contract. Invariably, the hirer’s work will suffer should you decide to back out at the last moment. Further, any client will require some modifications or corrections done to your work before it is approved. Hence, you will get shorter deadlines.evalHowever, this need not scare you. Place any objections you may have over a given deadline to your employer. If reasonable, you can get it extended slightly.Updates are importantOnce you have got a freelance or moonlig ht assignment, keep your client updated frequently about completed work. If necessary, send a daily progress report.Further, ask for comments and suggestions from the client. This enables both to make corrections or additions/ amendments to the assignment, if required. Consequently, everyone saves time and your services are better appreciated for quality and timely delivery.Provide for payment blackoutsMost importantly, provide sufficient funds to sustain yourself before getting paid for your assignment. Very often, payments to freelancers and moonlighters can encounter delays for various reasons.For example, your employer may have run out of the budget that particular month but will pay you in the next. Or, the firm may have a payment schedule for freelancers. Meaning, they will pay you- say- 90 days after completing the work.Remember, freelance and moonlight work entails you to spend first. You will be paid for the work only after it is complete. Of course, you can negotiate payme nt schedules with the client. A lot of freelancers and moonlighters flop because they run out of money before completing work.Use banks to get paymentsImportantly, ask every employer to make your payments by remitting directly to your bank. This has several inherent advantages. For one, it helps you provide proof that you have worked for someone and received that particular amount as payment.Secondly, employers will never pay from an office kitty for freelance or moonlight work. They need proper records for auditors and accounting purposes.

Your Interview Look The Details Count

Your Interview Look The Details Count A few weeks ago I sat down with Ilona Vanderwoude, a professional resume writer and image consultant to hear her interview dress for success tips. There is more to a polished interview look than just a great suit. Heres what Ilona recommends.    Shoes. Shoes really put the finishing touch on an outfit. A few tips: the heavier the shoe, the more casual it is. Platform shoes belong in the 70s; strappy, sling back, and otherwise sexy shoes belong in Victorias Secret. A classic pump with a high heel thats not Tina Turner high will do well in an interview setting. No peep-toe, but closed-toed shoes. Also, be wary of too much toe cleavage. And if you stick to a neutral color (black, brown, charcoal), you can never go wrong. For a more casual/business casual look, loafers are great with skirts and pants. Whatever shoe you end up choosing, go for quality.Hair.  Hair should be neat; for women with long hair, a pony tail or some kind of simple updo usually works well. Or, if your hair is smo oth and stays into place well, having it down can work.Make-up.  Make-up should be used to create a polished, professional look-to bring out your best features. Not wearing any make-up can make you look tired and less sophisticated or too casual. Of course, too much make-up is not a good idea either. If you have no clue about make-up, head to a Sephora or a department store near you and ask one of the make-up artists to apply it on you and show you how to do it yourself. A few basic tips: be careful with foundation-never buy it too dark. If you are very fair skinned and you want to darken your complexion, add some color by using blush on your cheekbones, your temples, along your jaw line, and even a small amount on your nose. Lip liners: dont use them, or if you must, use one that is truly the color of your lipstick. At all times, avoid those dark lines surrounding your mouth with a much lighter lipstick on your lips. Eyes should be emphasized with light eye shadow, some eyeliner, a nd mascara. Tip: mascara is a womans best friend! If you had to choose one make-up product, mascara would be a great choice as it can instantly make you look less tired by opening up your eyes. A close second (or toss up with mascara) is foundation to even out your complexion. And a very close third: lipstick or lip gloss.Perfume. Be careful with the perfume bottle. Its difficult to gauge how much you are wearing as you dont always smell your own perfume accurately. When in doubt, it is better to omit the perfume.Hosiery.  Yes! No matter how high the temperature, hosiery says Im a professional. Not wearing stockings takes your outfit down a few notches, making it more casual.Stay tuned! We will back with dress for success tips for men shortly.

Writing a Resume Proposal That Will Stand Out

Writing a Resume Proposal That Will Stand OutWriting a resume proposal is something that every professional needs to do when they are out looking for a job. The question is how do you go about writing it and what should be included? There are some basic ideas you can use to help you come up with your own design. Following these basic tips will help you write a resume proposal that stands out above the rest.Include the qualifications that they are currently seeking in your proposal. Your goal is to create a strong statement about yourself that will grab their attention. You should also include what you have done that will provide benefits to the company. Make sure that your resume is complete and cover all of the information required.Remember that most people are going to need at least a two page minimum to give them enough information. One-page resumes are often called for in today's competitive market and are good to use as well. A little imagination will go a long way.Think about i ncluding your first and last name. You want to make sure that the person reading your proposal knows exactly who you are and what you do. Use your real name or a nickname if you wish. This gives them a better idea of who you are and what you do so that they can feel comfortable asking you any questions.Personalities and activities should be included as well as your personal hobbies. Include things like why you were raised, your educational background, work experience, education, and other issues that are relevant to the job. Be sure to list all of the relevant aspects.To make your proposal more impressive, you should include a summary of your career including the areas you worked in and why you were hired, who were the companies that you worked for, and any other related topics. To make your resume proposal standout you should provide a one or two page proposal and an overall resume. This makes the person reading it focuses on your qualities and not all of the general facts.Keep the information short and to the point. You should keep the main points as concise as possible. Even if you know a little about the company you are submitting your resume to, you should always leave enough room for the human resource person to ask questions if they so desire.Writing a resume proposal is an essential part of getting a job. Not only should you include all of the important information but you should also use your imagination to make the proposal stand out from the rest. You can use some of the following ideas and examples as a starting point to write a resume proposal that will get you noticed.