There’s no denying 2020 was a year of unrelenting change. Businesses were upended, assessing everything from processes and procedures to fundamental operations, looking for ways to improve their effectiveness. However, out of adversity comes opportunity. By understanding and studying the past year, organizations can make more impactful decisions for the future.
We recently hosted a panel discussion on reimagining work. Moderated by Advanced Resources’ Brian Brooke, the panel featured:
- Tim McKean, CFO & VP of Finance at Morton Salt
- Bill Davidson, SVP & Global Head of HR at IAA
Our panel discussed several topics throughout the event. Here were three of our main takeaways:
Solicit Feedback & Listen to Your Employees
Feedback from your employees is crucial, in good times and bad. Bill’s team embraced this philosophy, continuously surveying the organization every month. Through this process they were able to determine the needs of their employees and adjust as needed along the way.
That’s the key: to be successful employee surveys should relay feedback and, most importantly, be actionable. According to a study, “38 percent of employees felt that when leaders dismiss their ideas without entertaining them, they tend to lack initiative.”
Bill’s efforts paid off. In the middle of their surveying process they were named a best place to work with scores higher than previous years. By gathering feedback and putting initiatives into action, employees truly felt heard and appreciated.
Rethink Your Hiring Process
Know someone that started a new job over the last few months? Chances are the process looked a little different, with virtual interviews and fewer opportunities to meet team members in person – if at all.
Turns out virtual recruiting is here to stay. According to a LinkedIn survey, 81% of talent professionals see virtual recruiting continuing post-COVID, with 70% predicting virtual recruiting will become the new standard.
Virtual hiring goes beyond streamlining recruiting processes. As Tim shared, this past year has caused the team to rethink their recruiting strategy and focus on what they really require out of the role. Virtual recruiting has several benefits, including improved diversity hiring and access to better talent by allowing the organization to expand into other geographies.
Read: How to Hire Remote EmployeesUpskill Your Team to Prepare for the Skills Gap
A 2019 survey found that only 29% of new hires have all the skills required for their current roles, let alone for future ones. With job roles changing faster than ever, skills needed for many roles are having an increasingly short shelf life. Instead of hiring for experience, consider hiring for potential.
At IAA they recognized employees were looking for growth opportunities and began developing an upskilling strategy. The key to their success has been developing training that makes sense for their organization, and ensuring the courses have long-term value.
Thank you to our panelists and attendees for another terrific event. If you'd like to discuss any workforce challenges you're facing now or in the future, Advanced Resources is here to help. Reach out to our team to learn how we can work together.
