As people leaders, we often think the world of our teams, and rightfully so. After all, we get to hand-pick our talent and select the highest-performing individuals to join our teams. 

These are colleagues we become personally invested in, helping them grow and develop and empowering them to deliver the best possible work.

It’s natural for us to think of all of our people as being high potential, but are they really? According to the Talent Management Institute, “Most companies report that the top 3-5% of their staff are HiPos.” Further, this small, elite class of colleagues is estimated to provide 91 percent more value to your organization than their non-HiPo counterparts!  

This shows that 1) the bar for what constitutes high potential may be set higher than we sometimes realize and 2) as leaders, it’s incumbent upon us to do everything within our power to identify, develop and retain our high-potential talent.  

In this article I’ll take you through:

• What is high-potential talent? 
• How to identify high-potential talent 
• How to develop high-potential talent

What is high-potential talent?

In the simplest sense, HiPo talent means individuals that consistently provide significantly higher value/output than their role requires, and have the capability and desire to do more. These are individuals with a track record of driving results today and ascending to higher levels of the organization to tackle the business challenges of tomorrow.  

While you can and should align on what it means to be a high-potential future leader at your organization, there’s been extensive research that you can lean on identify the traits of high potential employees.

One of my favorites is the A3 Model, popularized by Aon Human Capital Solutions. This model focuses on three essential traits of high potentials: ability, agility and aspiration.

Per Aon, 

“Ability holds up a lens to an employee’s skill sets along with cognitive and emotional abilities.

Agility analyses an individual’s adaptability and change readiness/flexibility—a critical factor in today’s rapidly evolving business environment powered by technology.

Aspiration, perhaps the most overlooked factor, assesses an individual’s drive and desire to take on increasingly high profile/ responsibility roles.”

This simple, yet highly effective, model helps organizations build a common language around what it means to be high potential.

It’s also essential to remember that our high-potential talent meets all criteria of this model, not just one or two aspects. The unique combination of Ability, Agility and Aspiration is what sets apart that elite 3-5% of your employees from the rest.

Why is it important to identify and develop HiPo talent?  

Identifying high potential talent is a critical part of your overall talent strategy. As leaders of people, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that our talent strategies are directly aligned to what we need to accomplish as a business. 

Identifying HiPo talent allows us to aggressively develop the next wave of talent who will be required to execute on our business priorities. This is especially critical in the talent market organizations are currently facing. The battle for external talent is nothing short of ruthless! 

Your ability to grow talent in-house vs shopping externally can boost colleague retention, employee engagement, accelerate outcomes, and save costs, all while ensuring you have both quantity and quality of talent needed for the current and future needs of your business.   

Beyond this, high-potential talent is contagious. HiPos set the bar for the organization. With high potential performance expectations comes a culture where your employees can collaborate and learn, while continuing to impact your bottom line by focusing on increasingly complex and innovative work.

How to identify high potential talent

There’s a multitude of approaches that can be taken to identify HiPo talent. Let’s explore a couple of popular approaches as well as some pitfalls to avoid as you build out your high-potential strategy.  

Organizational Talent Review 

One of the most prevalent and approachable ways to identify high-potential talent is through a formal organizational talent review process. This process is usually managed in partnership between your Human Resources/Talent Development team and your business leaders.

Many organizations conduct their organizational talent review on an annual basis. You’ll need to figure out what works best for your company, but my recommendation would be to conduct regular talent conversations—minimally quarterly—to supplement your annual process.  

A well-designed talent review process will help your organization answer a couple of key questions:

1. What are the talent needs of your organization: what critical work do we need to accomplish? Do our employees have the requisite competencies and skills for this work? What gaps do we have that you’ll need to either ‘buy’ talent to fill or upskill colleagues on?
2. Who are our high-performing employees? Who has the leadership potential to do more within our organization? How soon will they be ready to take on new opportunities?  
3. For critical roles—including all leadership positions—who can succeed the current incumbent and take their role if the current leader vacated the position? How soon would they be ready to jump into that role?
4. For critical talent, what level of risk do we have that they’ll leave the organization?  
5. Lastly, do we have the right talent in our roles? If not, how can we reposition high-potential individuals to provide the most value to our organization?

There are many approaches you can take to formulate your talent review process, however, one of the most prominent tools organizations use is the 9 – Box.

This allows HR and leadership to rate colleagues based on their performance and potential. High-performing, high-potential individuals become the critical talent that we include in our succession planning efforts to develop, mentor and sponsor. 

Critical skill assessments 

Another common way of assessing high-potential talent is via critical skills assessments. These assessments are designed to allow your organization to understand what skills you have today, what skills you need to be successful in the future, and what gaps you have from a talent perspective.  

Getting a deeper understanding of your overall talent pool helps you to identify your high-potential leadership talent who have the skills needed to bring your organization into the future.  

There are many mechanisms you can leverage to conduct an assessment.  

• A simple approach is to use a survey tool to collect employee and manager assessments of where your employees’ subject matter expertise lies against your company’s critical future skills needs (or competencies).  
• Tools like talent marketplaces offer the ability for employees to assess their personal strengths and identify their development opportunities.
• If you don’t have the capacity to do the work in-house, consulting services like Deloitte offer workforce assessment approaches that help you assess your talent and gain insights to guide the direction of your business strategy.

Ideally, critical skills assessments are completed iteratively over time. Your employees’ competencies and skills are never static and continued assessment helps ensure you have an accurate depreciation of your current talent pool.

Avoid common pitfalls

Identifying HiPo talent is potentially one of the most difficult, but likewise one of the most important tasks faced by leaders of people.

As leaders, we naturally become both highly invested and highly protective of the people we have the privilege of leading. But identifying high-potential talent requires us to put aside our biases and objectively look at our talent with a critical eye.  

One of the best ways to ensure you are truly identifying your HiPo talent is to reflect on the common pitfalls leaders face when identifying potential.  

Lacking a clear definition of high potential 

It’s very hard to make headway in the HiPo space if you don’t have an agreed upon, and properly communicated, definition of what it means to be high potential at your organization.

Beyond this, it’s hard for colleagues to move internally if they don’t understand what leadership is looking for regarding promotability and potential.  

Ensuring that all colleagues and leaders understand how you define potential can unlock talent mobility and ensure your top talent is developing in the right way to become ready now for their next opportunity. 

Whether it’s the A3 model, or a different model your company prefers, it’s essential that you provide your employees and leaders with transparency into what your organization values and expects of future leaders.  thoroughly communicated definition 

Confusing high performance with high potential

The connection between performance and potential is worth double clicking into. While there is a positive correlation between being high potential and also being a high performer, the inverse is not true: being a high performer does not correlate to automatically being high potential.  

One of the most common downfalls that leaders face in identifying potential is to mistakenly assume that performance in a current role equates to the potential to do more and succeed in more senior management roles.  

This is where it becomes so important to make sure that your colleagues exhibit all components of what it means to be HiPo (ability, agility, aspiration, etc.).  

Overlooking Aspirations

Often as leaders we see the potential in others. However, that potential cannot be realized if it’s not matched to the individual’s aspirations.  

A simple example of this is managerial positions. Regardless of someone’s potential, some employees just aren’t interested in moving into a people leadership role. 

I often see this in technology spaces when leaders push their top technologist into a leadership position. Being a high-performing technologist is never going to equate to being a great leader if that’s not the aspiration of the employee. 

So how do you know what someone’s aspirations are? Keep it simple—ask them. And once you know, you can use the tools below to help develop them to realize their aspirations.  

How to develop high potential talent

Individual Development Plans (IDPs)

Individual Development Plans, usually referred to as IDP, are documents created collaboratively between a team member and their manager that provide a roadmap to achieving the team member’s short and long-term career goals.

IDPs are tools for enabling your high potentials to collaborate with their leader to formalize an approach to rapidly developing their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Ideally, all identified HiPos at your organization should have an action IDP to help them work on their opportunity areas and bring their strengths to new highs.

Mentoring

Social learning like mentoring, coaching, and networking plays an important role in the development of high-potential employees.  

Mentorship, in particular, can help ensure that your best and brightest future talent is actively being groomed by more senior leaders. 

This helps ensure that your leaders are imparting crucial knowledge, skills, feedback, and advice to the next wave of talent.  

Stretch Assignments 

As adult learners, experiential learning is essential to how we grow and develop. Stretch assignments, job shadowing and other experience-based learnings are essential to the development of your HiPos, plus why wouldn’t you want to put your best and your brightest people into places where they can shine?

Stretch assignments give your high potentials the benefit of growing and developing themselves while simultaneously contributing to your organization’s success.

High potential leadership development programs 

Lastly, HiPo “emerging leader” or “leadership development” type programs can be highly beneficial if you have the infrastructure to support these types of programs. 

Cohort-based programs give your HiPos the ability to learn together and create a network of other future leaders across your organization. 

When done right, these types of experiences can rapidly create a leadership pipeline, while simultaneously driving the engagement and retention of your top talent.

Related read: 10 Best Leadership Development Programs to Grow Future Leaders in 2022

Final Thoughts

One final consideration is how transparent you should be with your high potential colleagues about how you view them.  

While there‘re arguments both ways, my preference is to be as transparent as possible. Letting employees know that you see them as critical talent is a great way to help them understand that they’re appreciated and that you see them being highly successful now and into the future.  

This can help drive retention, so long as you continue to act on your promises and provide them with visibility into their career path and new role opportunities. 

Lastly, publicly recognizing your HiPos also helps others see what the standard is for talent at your organization.

This helps raise the bar and build a company culture where all employees know what it takes to ascend to higher levels and are empowered to develop themselves to get there. 

For more on how to develop high-potential talent and build happy, productive organizations, subscribe to the People Managing People Newsletter.

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In the opening scene of one of my favourite movies, “Margin Call”, Stanley Tucci’s character is unceremoniously fired from his investment banking job of 20 years.

The news is delivered quickly and unemotionally. The poker-faced executives provide him with details about his benefits and severance package, inform him that his pass card and phone will be disabled immediately after the meeting, and have security escort him to his desk and then out of the building. He’s shocked, surprised, angry, and confused.

As someone who’s had to fire employees myself, I know that it’s one of the hardest, most emotional, and most stressful responsibilities leaders and small business owners can have. 

Most people’s livelihoods depend on their jobs. When we terminate someone’s employment, we need to remember the massive impact it can have on them, their families, and the team members they leave behind. 

Depending on the circumstances, ending someone’s employment can also be a complex situation. Taking the right steps when firing someone can create the best possible outcome for you as the employer, while still enabling the employee to feel they’ve been treated with respect and leave with some level of dignity.

The goal of this article is to demystify the employee termination process and minimize stress and trauma for everyone. 

Must-Do #1: Avoid using the word “fired”

Despite the title of this article, I personally don’t like using the words “fired” or “terminated” when I talk about ending someone’s employment. While they get high marks for clarity, they’re harsh and show a lack of respect and empathy toward the people being affected.

On the other hand, if you get too vague, there’s a chance the employee could be left wondering what exactly their employment status is. For example, a “layoff” actually occurs when there isn’t enough work for the employee at that time, but they actually continue to be employed by the company. And being “let go” makes it sound like it was the employee’s decision to leave, and you just… let them go?

Personally, I prefer saying that someone’s employment has “ended”, which is clear, but not as unpleasant as “terminated”.

Must-Do #2: Be certain firing is the BEST option

If you’re reading this article, hopefully it’s because you’ve explored every other option available to you and decided that ending your team member’s employment is the best option.

There are many reasons that might have brought you to this point, whether it’s continued poor performance, misalignment with the organization’s vision and values, or they’re just not the right personality “fit” with you or your team. Whatever the reason, in these cases be sure to ask yourself some of the following questions before jumping to firing someone:

• Have I put a reasonable effort into correcting poor performance?
• Have I implemented a performance improvement plan?
• Have I conducted regular performance reviews and 1:1 check-ins?
• Is there another position within the organization they might be better suited for?
• Have I checked my observations with other team members and managers?
• Will this be a complete surprise to this employee and to their co-workers?

Of course, in the case where there are more serious or even illegal issues at play, such as fraud, theft, sexual harassment, or violence, the decision to end someone’s employment may be much easier.

Must-Do #3: Dot your i’s and cross your legal t’s

Once you’ve made the decision to terminate employment, you need to be aware of the following legal and policy issues as they relate to firing someone:

1. Company termination policies, whether they’re written in an employee handbook or simply common company practices;
2. Employment agreements, which contractually govern the employer / employee relationship, and often include termination clauses;
3. Basic human rights protecting people against things like discrimination e.g. the Canadian Human Rights Act;
4. Employment laws, whether they’re state, provincial (e.g. the British Columbia Employment Standards Act), or federal (e.g. the Canada Labour Code); and
5. Common law practices, which, according to the Canadian Department of Justice, are “laws that are not written down as legislation, but have evolved into a system of rules based on precedent.”

If you have a human resources leader or an employment lawyer, they can help you avoid common pitfalls around legal issues such as probationary periods, at-will employment, and termination for cause vs. without cause. They can also answer common questions such as:

• How much termination notice or severance pay should I give?
• Does the termination notice or severance pay depend on the reason?
• Can I terminate an employee for any reason at any time?
• Can I just demote an employee or cut their pay and hope they quit?

For example, in British Columbia, employees are most commonly fired “without cause”, which means their employment can be terminated with no reason given for the termination.

However, if the employee is past their probationary period, they will be entitled to some form of notice or severance. These terminations are different from those “with cause”, which are usually tied to clear, blatant, and serious violations of societal laws or company policies.

Must-Do #4: Draft the termination letter

Once you’ve made the decision to fire someone and checked in with human resources or your employment lawyer, there are many activities that need to happen before the termination meeting.

These need to be done quietly and confidentially, and the only other people who must be involved or aware are your HR leader, your manager, and your IT leader. 

The termination letter is a written version of the messages you’ll be communicating during the termination meeting, and is given to the employee during that meeting.

The letter states only facts, and does not include any reasons behind the termination. It is polite, respectful, and concise, and contains the following information:

• Effective date of termination;
• Whether the termination was with or without cause;
• Severance package details (pay, benefits, health insurance, stock options, etc.);
• Termination benefits the employee may be entitled to e.g. career counselling;
• Post-employment information e.g. official Record of Employment, return of company property; and
• Contact name and information for any questions.
• Warm sign-off sincerely wishing the employee luck in their future endeavours.

NOTE: In some cases where extra severance is being offered, you may request in exchange that the employee sign a release letter by a certain date (often within one week).

Must-Do #5: Prepare communication to the team

It can be a shock to co-workers to see an employee go, especially if they weren’t aware of the employee’s performance or other issues. 

Prepare email communication to be sent out to the team and / or organization (if it’s a smaller company) immediately after the termination meeting.

Make sure to also talk in person with individuals who are more affected by the employee’s departure, whether it’s because they were friends, worked closely together, or are suddenly going to be taking on more work and responsibility.

In all email and in-person conversations, remember to respect your former employee, avoid any disparaging remarks, and avoid sharing the reasons behind your decision.

Must-Do #6: Prepare a transition plan for the team

Any time an employee leaves, whether it’s voluntarily or involuntarily, there are many offboarding activities that need to take place. When someone gets fired, however, many of these activities may need to be arranged quietly. Some of these activities include:

• Contacting affected customers or suppliers.
• Transitioning responsibilities to other team members.
• Disabling facility, network, and other IT access. 

In some cases, you may also want to consider involving or hiring security to help escort the terminated employee off the premises. I only recommend this in cases where you’re concerned the employee might react aggressively or violently, or if there is a significant risk of theft or damage of company property.

Must-Do #7: Choose the right time and place (and have a witness)

Set yourself up for a smooth termination meeting by picking the right location, day, and time. Here are a few best practices that I’ve learned over the years:

Ensure privacy and quiet

Use a meeting room that doesn’t have windows, or has window coverings. Avoid public places like restaurants, and don’t use your office in order to avoid interruptions from the team. Turn off your phone so you can focus.

Avoid Fridays

Getting fired can be traumatizing, and support resources like counselors and therapists don’t often work weekends. Also, avoiding Fridays ensures you or your human resources leader are available the day after if your employee has questions.

Avoid vacations

Unless there’s a time-critical element to the termination, don’t end someone’s employment right before they go on a week-long tropical vacation, for example.

Pick a quieter time of day

Try to arrange the termination meeting to occur at a time when fewer people are around. For example, if the employee is often in the office early before all their co-workers, try to conduct the meeting then.

Meet face-to-face

Getting fired can be a traumatizing life event, so avoid doing it over email, text, or phone, and do it face-to-face.

If you’re in a hybrid workplace, try to conduct the meeting in person on a day when you know they’re in the office.

If you’re in a fully remote workplace, however, then do it virtually (they’ll think it’s weird to be called into the office for a “special meeting”).

Have a witness present

It’s important to have someone else in the room to minimize any legal debates around what was, or was not, said. Generally, this would be someone from human resources, but, if you’re in a smaller business, it might need to be an administrative assistant or other team member you trust.

Must-Do #8: Practice, practice, practice

Firing someone can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if it’s your first time. The outcome of the termination meeting will be heavily influenced by how you and your human resources leader conduct yourselves, so draft a script, role-play, and practice. That said, it’s important to be prepared for anything, including your script going off the rails. 

You can expect any number of emotions from the terminated employee. I’ve witnessed surprise and shock, even in cases where I had clearly communicated poor performance beforehand and warned the employee that their employment was in jeopardy. 

I’ve seen people get angry, cry, negotiate, or just sit there stone-faced and not talking. If you and your HR representative practice your roles and keep the meeting moving, however, you’ll be okay.

Must-Do #9: Break the bad news quickly and respectfully

It’s time to put your plans, preparation, and practice into action. Following are a series of steps I’ve taken for termination meetings in the past. Keep in mind, however, that every organization and situation is unique, so modify as you see fit.

Step 1: Escort the employee to the meeting room

This can often be a difficult and uncomfortable step for a couple of reasons. First, the meeting hasn’t been scheduled in the employee’s calendar, so you’re hoping they’re around and haven’t gone out for coffee or something. Sometimes you’ll just need to hang out and wait for them to return.

Once you connect, you’ll say something like the following: 

“[Employee name], I need you to join me for a quick meeting in the conference room.”

At this point they may suspect they’re about to be fired, and begin asking you questions. Just keep reiterating, “We’ll talk once we’re in the meeting room.”

Step 2: Get to the point and avoid small talk

As soon as your employee sees your human resources manager in the room with a serious look on their face, they’ll suspect something is up. Get seated as quickly as possible, avoid any small talk or idle conversation, and get to the point kindly but firmly. Here’s an example script for terminating someone without cause:

“[Employee name], I’m here to inform you that we’re ending your employment, without cause, effective today. [HR leader’s name] is here to walk you through the next steps, explain things like severance and benefits, and provide you with some resources to help you transition to your next job. [Employee name], I wish you every success in the future. Take care, and best of luck.”

At this point, ideally, you can stand and exit the room. However, your former employee may start asking questions, attempting to negotiate, or getting angry and accusatory. Just keep repeating the following:

‘[Employee name], I’ve provided you with all the information I can. At this point I recommend you let [HR leader’s name] walk you through everything, so you can focus on looking ahead to what’s next for you. Take care, and best of luck.” 

Step 3: Close the meeting

If you have an HR representative, they will often take care of this part. If not, it may be up to you. There are a few things to handle after breaking the bad news:

1. Paperwork: give them the termination letter, release letter (if applicable), and Record of Employment, and walk them through the details and what they mean.
2. Severance package: if they’ve been terminated without cause and are owed notice, explain how that works, what happens with health insurance and benefits, etc.
3. Security and property: collect any passes, fobs, phones, laptops, etc. that give them access to the property or network.

Step 4: Escort the employee out

Your HR representative can escort the employee to their desk to collect any personal belongings, car keys, etc. If they’ve accumulated 20 years worth of stuff, however, I recommend scheduling a time outside of working hours to allow them to collect it. They may try to chat with co-workers, but it’s best to curtail these conversations by saying:

“[Employee name] we really need you to collect your things and make your way out, but please by all means reach out to people after you’re home.”

Finally, escort the employee out of the office or building, but make sure they’re in a state where it’s safe for them to get home. If they’re distraught, for example, offer to call a taxi to get them home.

Must-Do #10: Execute your post-termination plans

Remember all the work you did preparing your communication to the team, getting your transition plans together, and having IT ready to shut down the employee’s network access? Well, immediately after the employee leaves the building it’s time to execute on those plans. 

As you probably noticed, while the termination meeting itself is important, much of the work is in the planning and preparation. By doing the right legwork in advance, you maximize your chances for a smooth transition of your employee out of the organization.

One Last Must-Do

Throughout the entire process of firing someone, remember that the employees they leave behind will be watching very closely how you handled the situation. Were you empathetic and respectful, or disparaging and thoughtless? 

Was it a major surprise to everyone, including the terminated employee, or did everyone see you making every effort to avoid taking such a drastic step? How you conduct yourself during these stressful situations can make or break your relationship with your team.

Chime in with your own stories, thoughts, or opinions in the comments below! Some more resources to help you as a manager:

• Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help As A New Manager (and How to Do It)
• How To Handle Awkward And Uncomfortable Conversations: What Every New Manager Should Know
• In Too Deep: How To Keep Calm & Carry On When You’re Overwhelmed As A New Manager
• People Management Tips For New And Experienced Managers
• Servant Leadership Examples & Characteristics
• 10 Best Leadership Development Programs to Grow Future Leaders in 2022

For regular expert advice on people management, subscribe to the People Managing People newsletter.

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The Pareto Principle states that 80% of your results can be traced back to 20% of your efforts. Put more colloquially, we might say it’s classic Murphy’s Law that the least important tasks tend to be the biggest time sucks.

No matter which way you slice it, the fact remains that delegating time consuming administrative tasks increases your efficacy at work by freeing you up to focus on what matters.

In this article, I’ll answer the question, “What is a payroll service?” and share how to find the best partner to suit your organization’s unique needs.

What is a Payroll Service?

Payroll services are third party providers that take over payroll functions on your behalf. Working with a payroll service provider allows companies to outsource payroll processing and the associated tasks.

This can be an enormous help for small businesses who have reached that awkward spot where they have too many employees for one person to manage payroll on their own, but don’t yet have a formal in-house payroll department.

A payroll service provider can assist you with the following tasks:

• Tax filing with the IRS, CRA, or local governing body
• Tax payment
• Worker’s compensation
• Bookkeeping
• Employee benefits
• Employment tax forms
• Running payroll reports
• Year-end reporting
• Employee attendance and time
• Direct deposits (biweekly or however your company chooses)
• Additional human resources functions

Types of Payroll Service Providers

Payroll service providers cater to a wide variety of needs. Some specialize in small businesses while others focus on enterprise. Some are primarily payroll companies, while others also have bookkeepers and accountants on staff.

Generally speaking, we can divide providers into two main categories:

Full service

As the term “full service” implies, these payroll service providers do all the work for you. You simply provide basic business and employee information, and they do the rest. 

DIY

With a DIY payroll provider, you’re required to perform some of the administrative tasks and the provider conducts the additional tasks of your choosing.

Example: maybe you’d like to keep track of employee hours and attendance while your provider conducts the actual payroll calculations and deductions.

Perhaps the biggest differentiator between the two types of payroll service providers is price. A full-service approach will cost more than a piecemeal, DIY approach.

How Can a Payroll Service Benefit Your Organization?

If you’ve conducted all your payroll tasks in-house up until now, you may be wondering why you need a payroll service provider. Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits of outsourcing your payroll.

1. Timely Deposits

Outsourcing payroll mitigates errors and ensures that employees are paid on time, every time. If you’re dealing with hourly and salary, full-time employees and contractors, and multiple schedules, rates, and pay periods, payroll can quickly become complicated and confusing. Outsourcing payroll to a third party will help you provide accurate calculations and timely deposits.

2. Compliance

Payroll service providers will calculate and deduct employment tax from every paycheck. They’ll ensure your tax compliance with both federal and state or provincial regulations. Not only does this take the time-consuming task of tax compliance off your hands, it also ensures that your employees aren’t confronted with any unexpected income tax bills at year end—and we can all get behind that.

3. Time Management

Often within small businesses, the payroll function falls to the human resources team. Beyond performing the expected HR functions, team members must expend additional time and energy to process payroll, input employee hours, and calculate tax withholding.

Once you outsource to a payroll service company, you can offload a variety of tasks, consolidate others into a central software application, and dramatically simplify the process of payroll overall. This way, more time can be spent on the tasks that pertain directly to your job description.

4. Monitor Schedules

The majority of payroll service companies offer self-service options that allow employees to directly input hours and submit paid time-off (PTO) requests. 

In placing the responsibility for reporting in the hands of the employees, you eliminate bottlenecks and increase the accuracy of time management records. With scheduling data now in a central location, it’s easy for you to monitor hours and track attendance.

What is the Difference Between Payroll Service and Payroll Software?

Working with a payroll service provider allows you to outsource your payroll to a third party, freeing up your time to focus on other tasks.

Working with payroll software you will still have to perform the business payroll yourself, but with the assistance of a software tool. You’ll have to manually input payroll data like insurance premiums, retirement plan deductions, social security, and other wage garnishments.

Small business owners will still find payroll software to be helpful, since the software will calculate payments and generate checks on your behalf. But working with software alone will not free up the time and energy that a payroll service provider can. 

How to Choose the Best Payroll Service 

To find the best payroll service provider, begin by asking the following questions:  

• What’s your budget?
• What’s your number of employees?
• What additional services (on top of payroll) would you like to see?

From there, look for payroll service providers who offer:

• A simple user interface that’s easy to navigate
• Training materials to simplify onboarding
• Integrations with other relevant tools your team is currently using
• Cost effective solutions with excellent value for the money

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that the payroll service company offers the following features:

• Direct deposit payments
• Payroll scheduling
• Self-service portal
• Tax compliance
• Tax filing
• Payroll reporting

Find the Right Partner Today

Working with a payroll service provider can streamline your payroll process and free up valuable time. If you’re looking for the right partner to suit your organization’s needs, check out our super handy list:

•  Best Payroll Companies to Modernize Your Payroll Processes

To stay informed about all the latest human resources trends and insights, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter. 

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The term blockchain has been used widely to describe various digital currencies, such as Bitcoin. However, it is not a clear-cut definition of what blockchain technology is. Instead, it is a theoretical concept that can be used to describe a technological innovation. It is essential to understand what blockchain technology is and how it is being used in the digital world.

As blockchain technology continues to grow, everyone must know what it is and how it can be used to improve their lives. This article will help explain the basics of blockchain and how it can be used to advance your career. In addition to being able to answer the question, “What is blockchain technology?” this article will also teach you about its importance and how it can be used to improve your career.

What Is Blockchain?

The concept of blockchain technology is a method of recording and preserving information that makes it incredibly hard to change or manipulate. It is a distributed ledger that allows people to copy and distribute transactions across a network of computers.

Blockchain technology is a type of storage that enables people to store and manage their transactions in databases. This type of storage is commonly referred to as a digital ledger. Each transaction in this system is authorized by the owner’s digital signature, which ensures that the information is secure and can be accessed only by authorized users.

How Does It Work?

The goal of blockchain technology is to allow people to store and distribute digital information. It does so by creating immutable records, which are records that can never be changed, deleted, or destroyed. This is the reason why blockchains are referred to as distributed ledger technology.

Types of Blockchains

There are four types of blockchains: public, private, hybrid/consortiums, and sidechains. A public blockchain is a type of distributed ledger that allows people to perform various transactions. It is open to everyone and can be accessed by anyone who wants to validate a transaction. Conversely, Private blockchains are typically not available and have restrictions on who can access them. These types of systems are usually governed by a single entity, which means they are centralized. 

A sidechain is a type of blockchain parallel to the main chain. It can be used to transfer digital assets between different blockchains. This type of system can improve efficiency and scalability by allowing users to move their assets between multiple blockchains.

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Why should you invest in employee development? Think about it like this:

Imagine you have two friendships: in one, your friend frequently checks in with you to see how you’re feeling, provides help and support, and even introduces you to new people and ideas when possible.

In the second relationship, your friend comes to you only when they need help. When you communicate something you’re struggling with, they quickly change the subject. Your conversations feel stagnant, always circling the same few topics.

Which friendship would make you feel more connected and loyal? Where would you prefer to invest your time? 

People are appreciating assets. Whether in our personal or professional lives, the more we give to those around us the more we receive. When organizations invest in employee development, they see benefits that significantly impact the bottom line.

In this article, I’ll share 6 big reasons to invest in employee development and ways you can do so. Let’s dive in.

What is Employee Development?

Employee development is a process in which time, resources, and energy are invested in an employee’s personal and professional development. It’s meant to help the employee learn new skills, make strategic decisions to streamline their career path, and take steps to improve in a variety of ways.

Employee development initiatives typically include things like:

• Mentorship
• Training programs
• Employee performance assessments
• Activities pertaining to company culture
• Day-to-day KPIs
• Soft skills development
• Technical skills development
• Leadership development (where applicable)

Successful career development initiatives are generally implemented by the human resources team and supervised by the individual’s manager or leader.

6 Reasons To Invest In Your Employee’s Development

Truly, there are countless reasons why talent development efforts lead to success. Nurturing great employees by presenting them with learning opportunities yields a multitude of benefits that extend across your work environment. 

But let’s take a look at a few of the most powerful reasons to invest in employee development: 

1. Increases Proficiency

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of employee development is that it has the potential to turn good employees into great employees. In helping people become better at their jobs, you instantly improve the company’s bottom line by enhancing the success of the initiatives that the employee touches.

In her “Inbound Bold Talk” entitled “Radical Candor”, Kim Scott recounts the time that Google offered to pay for her to work with a speech coach. As a result, Scott’s career path took a new turn, and her efforts for Google became even more successful.

2. Creates a Talent Pipeline 

Employee development future-proofs your business by creating a talent pipeline to see you through the succession process. When the time comes for your senior leadership to retire or move on, having invested in an employee development plan will enable you to have a roster of existing talent to pull from.

External new hires are 61% more likely to be fired from their jobs than internally promoted candidates, and they also cost 18 to 20% more to attract. Investing in internal talent development opportunities makes the succession planning process easier and more cost-effective.

3. Enhances Your Employer Value Proposition

Why should job seekers choose your company as their next place of employment? A recent LinkedIn survey indicated that for active candidates, the number one factor motivating them to switch jobs was the potential of improving their career opportunities.

Employee development programs demonstrate your company’s commitment to nurturing talent and taking team members where they want to go. This makes learning an essential part of your employer brand proposition, or what you offer to your people as an employer.

4. Turbocharges Onboarding

The employee development process doesn’t need to wait until a new hire becomes a veteran team member. The process can start as early as onboarding.

New employees need plenty of information on your company culture, day-to-day priorities, and how they can succeed in their new role. 

Onboarding presents a perfect opportunity to jumpstart the mentoring process and make connections between new and existing employees to develop both the soft skills and technical skills they’ll need on the job.

5. Improves Employee Retention

The fact is that top talent simply won’t stick around if there isn’t room to grow and progress on their career path. Employers who offer employee development programs have 34% higher rates of retention than competitors who don’t offer similar programs.

If you want to nurture your great employees and keep them around for years to come, give them the opportunity to grow and help them take the steps to get there. 

6. Increases Employee engagement

Similar to the numbers on employee retention, employers who offer employee training programs have 15% better engagement rates. Talent development sparks life into those who are simply coasting, and further motivates those who are eager to develop. 

Engaged employees go above and beyond in their job rather than doing the bare minimum. Since they enjoy their work and derive meaning and satisfaction from completing their tasks, their output improves in both quality and efficiency.

Ways to Invest in Employee Development

The question remains: How does a company go about investing in employee development? The options will vary widely based on your organization’s industry and scale. But some common methods include:

Dedicated Development Plans

Begin by sitting down with employees, assessing their current skills, and identifying any gaps. Ask them where they want to go in their career and make a plan to incrementally support them in that journey.

Leadership Development Programs

Leadership development programs provide curricula to enhance the skills of existing leaders and prepare future leaders for success. To find one that’s perfectly suited to your organization, check out our list of the best leadership development programs.

Mentoring

Pair up new hires with veteran employees in their field. Mentorship programs enhance team bonding while encouraging the growth and progression of younger employees. Even better, ensure mentorship is backed up with sponsorship.

Self-Led Development

Google famously encourages its employees to put 20% of their time towards self-directed learning. This initiative has led to huge innovations like Google News, AdSense, and Gmail. 

Budget for Training

If training is a priority for your organization, you’ll need to put your money where your mouth is. Set aside a dedicated budget for courses, books, and other resources so that team members are financially supported in their learning.

Academic Partnerships

One way to ensure that employee training is delivered to the highest standard is to partner with an academic institution such as a University (see Moderna’s efforts below).

Cross-Departmental Learning

Though two departments might have completely different functions, you might be surprised what they have to offer each other when it comes to employee development. 

Knowledge sharing across the organization tends to spark new ideas and bring different perspectives to solving problems.

Similarly, putting the systems in place to encourage internal mobility opens up further avenues for personal and career development.

Virtual Events

One of the most cost-effective options for employee development is to put on virtual events. Webinars, lunch-and-learns, and online workshops negate the need for travel expenses while offering valuable insight. 

Invest in the right tools

There are various tools out there to aid with employee development. One of the most popular is a learning management system (LMS).

These help you create, store learning, and disseminate learning content, create personalized learning plans, and track each team member’s learning progress.

To learn more about which tool is right for your team, check out our article on the best learning management systems for employee training.

Other tools include mentoring software, succession planning software, and some talent management systems.

Examples of big companies investing in their employee development

Though Google is always top of mind when it comes to employee value proposition and employee development, there are several other organizations that have notably invested in training pursuits.

One such example is biotech giant Moderna, who recently partnered with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to deliver an artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum. The program was tailor-made to suit the busy schedules of their workforce, and is accessed via an interactive educational platform. “Moderna University” students have the opportunity to connect with CMU faculty online and in-person while completing the program.

PMP’s Tim Reitsma recently sat down with Moderna University’s Vice President, Noah Rabinowitz, to discuss the learning culture at Moderna. You can listen to the full podcast episode here. 

Bottom Line: When Done Right, Investing in Employee Development is a Great Return on Investment

Successful implementation of employee development programs takes time and planning. But, with the right tools and team to execute your strategy, it’s one of very few “wins” that can be almost guaranteed in a business setting.

Investing in your employees is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

For more information on creating a learning development strategy, check out this article:

• How to Create a Learning and Development Strategy in 7 Steps

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Making your compensation package attractive is a major lever you can pull to attract and retain top talent. 

A great way to deepen our understanding as HR professionals and business leaders is take a compensation course. 

Why take a compensation course?

Fundamentally, taking a compensation course will provide you the skills to assess compensation needs, create a compensation philosophy aligned with your orgs values and employer value proposition, and articulate compensation factors to the wider org.

By taking one or more of these course, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of legislation and equity laws, pay structures, types of compensation and benefits, and how to assess the market to determine competitive salaries and overall packages.

After completion, you’ll be able to bring more value to your organization and maybe even make some connections along the way.

13 Best Compensation Courses

1. HRCI Compensation and Benefits

HRCI is one of the top credentialing organizations when it comes to human resource professional standards. They offer an introductory course on Compensation and Benefits ideal for business owners and HR professionals. Objectives include differentiating between compensation systems, identifying benefits that help workers achieve work-life balance, and developing a critical understanding of how compensation and benefits are tied to employee motivation. 

This self-paced course is offered online only and is perfect for independent learners and those looking to grow their professional development while at a current role or looking for a new one. This course is also available for for HRCI and SHRMI recertification.

• Price: $79
• Duration: Self-paced
• Exam Required: N/A
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: Self-paced
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

2. Cornell Online Compensation Certification

Online compensation courses are a great way to further your professional development while connecting with subject matter experts on compensation and benefits. Cornell’s online course is instructor-led in classroom sizes of 35 students, ideal for learners who thrive in group discussions and guidance. 

You’ll cover the fundamentals of total rewards and dive into the social science and efficacy of pay for performance practices. This will prepare you to build and support an organization with long-term goals as they relate to profit and human resource management.

• Price: $2,999
• Duration: 2 months
• Exam Required: Yes
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: 3-5 hrs / wk
• Eligibility Requirements: None

3. SHRM Foundations of Compensation

This course is perfect for any beginner to pay structures and systems. Offered both online and in-person, your beginning modules will cover key legislation such as equity laws and compensation requirements at the federal, state, and local levels.

You’ll also learn how to develop your organization’s rewards strategy, how to establish the value for certain roles, and how to communicate your compensation plans to managers. Learners in this course will apply their skills to real-time activities and discussions to exercise your own understanding.

• Price: SHRM members only
• Duration: 2-day in person / 4-wk virtual
• Exam Required: NA
• Online, In-Person, or both? Both
• How many hours of instruction: Varies
• Eligibility Requirements: SHRM member only

4. Coursera’s Compensation Management

Learn how to align your business strategy and talent management with your compensation system. Coursera’s online classes are self-paced and offered by the University of Minnesota. 

This course will help any HR professional or business leader looking to establish or refine their compensation program with financial and non-financial benefits, such as stock options, health benefits, and general salary structure. 

You’ll develop effective strategies like short-term incentives, bonuses, and be able to answer FAQs when it comes to compensation and benefits. This course also includes an in-depth study of U.S. regulations and fair payment policy.

• Price: TBD
• Duration: 4 weeks
• Exam Required: N/A
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: 16 hours
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

5. Human Resources Compensation and Benefits on Linkedin Learning

Linkedn Learning provides self-paced training courses for any HR leader or professional seeking to provide competitive compensation to retain and attract top talent in today’s labor market.

This basic course will help you develop your incentive plans and pay structure related to the performance review process. You’ll also learn about the enrollment process and provider FAQs to help you drive decisions for your employee compensation plan.

• Price: Varied Membership Pricing
• Duration: Self-paced
• Exam Required: Chapter quizzes
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: Varies
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

6. Udemy Compensation 101

Whether you’re an HR generalist looking for professional development opportunities or a business leader making new hires, Udemy’s 101 course will help you develop a holistic compensation strategy. 

Essentially, it’s an on-demand webinar that will help you understand categories of compensation and its components. You’ll come away with skills to develop a job listing, to conduct a job evaluation, to benchmark performance metrics, and to understand merit increases. This is perfect for anyone looking to refresh on the fundamentals.

• Price: $99.99
• Duration: 1 hour
• Exam Required: N/A
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: 1 hour
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

7. World at Work Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)

The World at Work CCP course is perfect for any mid-level compensation professionals with an interest in working with international corporations. You’ll develop a foundational understanding of benefits and compensation in terms of business strategy and finance. 

The syllabus also includes learning about U.S. laws and regulations, financial risks, essential accounting, and competitive pay analysis, among other lessons.

• Price: 10 courses ea x Members $1,350 / Non-Members: $1,929 USD
• Duration: Varies
• Exam Required: Yes
• Online, In-Person, or both? Both
• How many hours of instruction: Each course equals 2 days in-person
• Eligibility Requirements: Varies

8. AIHR Compensation & Benefits Certificate Program

The Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR) offers an online self-paced certificate program to help you learn the skills necessary to develop a total reward strategy for your organization. 

From sales compensation to pay principles (including cross-border workers), you’ll be able to develop your pay structure and have a deeper understanding of variable pay. 

Download the syllabus and see how you can make a difference in pay equity and create an effective compensation plan.

• Price: $1,650
• Duration: 10 weeks
• Exam Required: No but capstone project is required
• Online, In-Person, or both?
• How many hours of instruction: 3 hrs / wk
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

9. Wharton’s Executive Compensation Courses

If you’re focusing on executive compensation and leadership performance, Wharton’s online course provides the framework to align business targets and regulations with your key stakeholders’ work and expectations. Course materials are ideal for senior level HR professionals and executives as well as board members.

• Price: $2,600
• Duration: 6 weeks
• Exam Required: N/A
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: 4-6 hrs/wk
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

10. Certified Workers Compensation Professional (WCP) Designation Program

Learn more about the professional standards and practices from the American Society of Workers Comp Professionals Inc. (AMCOMP) and earn your Workers Compensation Professional (WCP) designation. 

The syllabus includes covering risk management, comp claims, cost containment, and more. This course is perfect for professionals in insurance and state agencies and is offered for online university or self-paced.

• Price: Varies
• Duration: Varies
• Exam Required: Yes
• Online, In-Person, or both? Online
• How many hours of instruction: 2.5 hrs/class
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

11. California Workers’ Compensation Specialist (WCS) Designation Package

California workers’ compensation is unique and this course offers a California Workers Compensation Specialist Designation (CAWCS). 

The syllabus includes an in-depth framework on distinct workers’ comp laws, workers’ compensation claims, and insurance as a whole and those specific to California. 

You’ll receive the most up-to-date information as you learn directly from insurance professionals and attorneys on compensation issues in California.

• Price: $695.00
• Duration: 10 hrs
• Exam Required: Yes
• Online, In-Person, or both?
• How many hours of instruction: Self-paced
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

12. Pace University HR Compensation Strategy Certificate

This course will prepare you to develop a compensation strategy for various company sizes and purposes (for- or non-profits) that will support your organization’s own goals. 

Following this course, you’ll be able to bring a critical eye to the challenges in developing and maintaining a compensation program, along with creating the process to develop base pay, variable compensation and more. The course is also available for recertification credits by HRCI and SHRM.

• Price: $595.00
• Duration: 6 modules
• Exam Required: N/A
• Online, In-Person, or both? Both
• How many hours of instruction: 1 day
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

13. HR Training Center Compensation Training & Certificate Program

Trusted by brands like Dell, Homedepot, and Microsoft, HR Training Center offers training and HR certification courses led by experienced instructors. The range of courses are offered on-demand, online, or in-person and along with payroll, they cover banking, insurance, safety, and more as you move throughout your career. Their specific compensation training course will help you evaluate effective compensation programs, cite various compensation programs like sales and incentive pay, and conduct survey data and perform market analysis. This course is available for SPHR recertification credit too.

• Price: $599
• Duration: Varies
• Exam Required: Yes
• Online, In-Person, or both?
• How many hours of instruction: Self-paced
• Eligibility Requirements: N/A

Are you ready to take a course?

Developing the skills to be able to take on initiatives related to compensation and build a successful compensation strategy will help set you and your organization apart.

One or more of the above courses is a great way to start, and here are some further resources to help you build confidence around compensation and other HR responsibilities:

• The 20 Best HR Certification Courses For 2022
• 17 Best HR Books You Should Read In 2022
• Top HR Podcasts Of 2022
• HR Automation: What Is It And How Can It Benefit Your Organization?
• How To Create A Learning And Development Strategy In 7 Steps

The post 13 Best Compensation Courses For HR, Business Owners And Managers 2023 appeared first on People Managing People.

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What springs to mind when you think of sustainability?

Maybe it’s consuming less, recycling, planting trees, solar panels, growing your own vegetables… wearing clothing made from hemp.

How about people?

While many associate sustainability with the environment, that’s only part of it.
So what does sustainability mean exactly?

The UN defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

It’s all about people and securing our continued survival on this planet!

The UN sustainable development goals cover everything from conservation to education to job creation to clean energy to protecting basic human rights.

Truth is, environmental sustainability cannot be achieved—or even worked towards—without social sustainability. Societies cannot develop properly without peace and prosperity.

So now we’ve got that out of the way, what does all this have to do with business? And why should you care?

Because…

1. Businesses have a crucial role to play in building our sustainable future
2. Becoming more sustainable is good for business.

On the one hand we can help solve issues by creating jobs, greening our operations or even developing new technologies.

On the other hand, organizations worldwide exploit people, communities, and the environment (our collective home)—all in the pursuit of an easy buck.

A lot of businesses forget that they couldn’t exist at all without the support of social and environmental services. By protecting these, you’re protecting your future.

Now you’re probably thinking “Yes, I know all this, but I’m not the CEO of a fossil fuel company or multinational clothing brand. What difference can I make?”.

The thing is that sustainability comes in many different shapes and sizes. It’s a mindset that affects how you treat your employees, suppliers, local communities and, yes, the environment.

Here I’ll take you through why being sustainable is good for your business and provide some ideas on how you can start being more sustainable today.

How is being sustainable good for your business?

As we’ve covered, sustainability is centred around our continued survival on this planet, so there is that.

From a business perspective, adopting a sustainable mindset will help you to:

Be more efficient.

That’s the bottom line. A lot of companies baulk at sustainable initiatives because they see them as costs. But really they’re investments.

An example:

Our recent podcast guest, Andy Alsop, runs what I’d call a sustainable business model. He calls it Employee Supremacy, but we won’t split hairs.

A quote from the podcast:

“We’re in the long game. This is about making decisions that aren’t just going to impact this quarter, they’re going to impact the next year, or the next decade… leaders are focused on the needs of the employee and community that surrounds us.“

He gives an example of finding an error in one of his salespeople’s commission checks. Upon finding it, they immediately called the employee to apologize and corrected the discrepancy. No trying to hide or wriggle out of it.

You can bet the salesperson was motivated to keep performing in subsequent quarters, and told their friends.

Andy’s company’s voluntary turnover rate in the last 7 years? 

1 person.

Recruitment is expensive. Efficiency realized. 

Related to efficiency, there are numerous examples that demonstrate how becoming more sustainable can foster innovation, make you less susceptible to risk, and win customer loyalty.

How to start building a sustainable company

Sustainability is, in its very nature, a long game. So what can you do today to start your sustainability journey?

Make sustainability a core value

Your company values are important, or at least they should be. They guide decision-making across all aspects of the business.

So, by making sustainability a core value, you’re putting it in everyone’s minds and weaving it into your company culture.

Do a sustainability audit

You’ve decided to make sustainability a core value. Nice!

The next step is taking a sustainability audit to find ways you can make your business more sustainable (and therefore more efficient, durable, etc).

If your business is more than a handful of people this will require a dedicated team, and the “how” is beyond the scope of this article. It’s likely you’ll need to bring in external consultants to help get the project off the ground.

If you do go it alone, then assessments such as B Corp are a good starting point. Even companies as large as Danone have used it.

While a full audit will help you turn a new microscope on your operations, here are a couple of easy wins that benefit team members and the planet:

• Cycle to work, public transport or carpooling schemes
• Help your employees be more sustainable when working from home e.g. incentivise a switch to a renewable energy supplier
• Provide healthy, vegetarian or vegan meals and snack choices
• Encourage employees to volunteer in local communities or take time to connect with nature à la Patagonia.

Tell everyone about it

You’ve done the hard work to become more sustainable and hopefully had some fun along the way.

Now spread the message! This will:

1. Help with your marketing and employer branding
2. Inspire others to follow suit
3. Make you and your team members feel good.

Publish your new values, any environmental accreditations you achieve, your ESG indicators e.g. carbon emissions, and work your employees may have undertaken in the community on your website, LinkedIn and other social channels.

As long as you’re authentic, you can’t go wrong.

Now is the time

Now is the time to think about how you, as a business person and global citizen, can be more sustainable.

In doing so you’ll create a better workplace and look after your future.

Further reading:

• How to lead with your core values
• Leading sustainably 
• The Triple Bottom Line

The post Yes, Sustainability Is About Your People Too appeared first on People Managing People.

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In our Office Snacks series we interview members of our community to delve into their varied buffets of experience and come away with juicy insights and ideas.

Join us in our next installment below as David James, Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning shares his insights with us.

Hi David! We’d love to get to know you better, where are you based?

I’m based in West Sussex, quite close to Brighton in the UK.

How’d you get to where you are today?

I entered into Learning & Development in the late 1990s when it was still Training & Development. I went on a training course and couldn’t believe that what the trainer was doing was an actual job!

It became my mission to learn all I could about it, so I went to evening classes to get certificated and applied to training roles. This was while working in a contact centre for Lloyds Bank. I then moved into a standalone training role at NatWest Bank and eventually made my way to Disney, where my career really took off.

At Disney’s EMEA head office, I ran the UK Learning & Development team before taking over Learning, Talent & OD for the EMEA region. 

I did that for a couple of years before seeing some learning tech that changed my life. When Ben Muzzell, one of the founders of Looop showed me the platform, I recognised then that I’d just seen the first piece of learning tech I would use for my own development.

That was quite a revelation, seeing as I’d been pushing elearning and learning management systems to reluctant audiences for over a decade and thought there was something wrong with them.

I then went from Looop’s biggest fan to its first employee. After 7 years, Looop was acquired by 360Learning.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Wow! Just one piece of advice? I’ll take two, if that’s OK? I took a risk in 2006 to accept a role at Disney on a 3 month contract rather than a full time role and that worked out pretty well. I ended up staying 8 years and learning both the UK L&D team and then the wider EMEA team. Thank you Nicola Allen!

Building on my previous answer, Nick Bradley from the Scale Up podcast encouraged me to start my podcast and that has changed my life. So that would be some great advice. 

How does your typical day look, do you have a set routine you stick to?

My role requires me to have an internal focus, working with many of the teams within 360Learning to help refine the product, use cases, marketing and other areas, as well as an external focus where I speak to the wider L&D community. 

So whilst I don’t have a typical day, I will often find myself meeting with a broad range of colleagues alongside planning and recording podcast episodes, webinars, conference sessions, and writing articles that we initiate at 360Learning and being a guest speaker on others’ episodes and events.

Nobody ever got hired or promoted for what they learned or what they know.

How do you describe your job to others?

As I mentioned above, my role is internal and external facing, so I apply my experience in Learning & Development to solve real problems for my colleagues, customers and my broader network. I do this with conversations: one-to-one, one-to-a-few, one-to-many, and sometimes a few-to-many.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love having conversations with L&D leaders who are making an actual difference. This could be on my podcast (The Learning & Development Podcast) or other events. 

When L&D professionals choose to do harder work for greater pay-off I’m in awe of them, and so having the chance to speak with them is the best part of my job.

What’s your biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge for me is the biggest challenge to the profession and that’s to keep going in the face of silly distractions. 

When I hear of a new silver bullet tech ‘solution’, or nonsense approaches to learning, I may feel momentary disillusionment followed quickly by the gusto to go again and share more of the good stuff that I know works—along with many allies and influencers across the world.

What do you think is the biggest misconception around L&D?

The biggest misconception is that it’s about learning. It’s not. It’s about better ‘doing’. Nobody ever got hired or promoted for what they learned or what they know. It’s what we do that gets results and so L&D need to be much more focused on achieving better performance (doing) and the improved KPIs of doing so.

But too much L&D stops at the delivery and provision of stuff. Data and evidence-based practice will help us achieve this because it relies on us seeking data to validate and understand the impact of any problem to be solved and the lived experience (evidence) of those we seek to influence.

How do you approach L&D in your organization?

At 360Learning, we place a great deal of emphasis on upskilling from within, which means helping employees to assimilate and grow based on what their successful colleagues know and do.

We believe that our culture—like any culture—has a major impact on peoples’ ability to perform, and so L&D links culture and technical development with bespoke resources and regular conversations. All aimed at addressing core employee concerns and organisational priorities.

How has technology impacted L&D?

Technology has been misapplied in L&D because for too long it’s been used to scale what L&D deliver.

Elearning that is universally loathed; LMS that are actively resisted; and virtual classrooms that achieve nothing but wasting time. The problem is that the buyer is not the user, so L&D teams buy all these new and novel ways of delivering content without knowing what the end-user is trying to achieve or what help they need.

This is why so much money is wasted on content libraries that nearly nobody uses. If the end-user was in charge, then they’d be seeking tech support to help them more specifically as they need it in the context of their working day.

The future of learning tech is getting closer to actual points of need and friction and guiding and supporting employees to the actual work they’re doing.

Which are your most-loved tools that help you with your job?

Google is my favourite tool for finding out and helping me to do things I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. Alongside that, my iPhone and iPad for convenience. I also really value LinkedIn and Twitter for connecting and conversing with many people I admire in Learning and Development and being inspired by new people and ideas.

What’s been your most successful initiative to date and why?

The Learning & Development Podcast. I started it to have the conversations I wanted hear, in a podcast with people who are making a planned and demonstrable difference in their L&D, but it’s gone on to inspire others. 

I’ve had guests on who’ve told me they’d adapted their approach following conversations I’d published, and they themselves are not making a planned and demonstrable difference in their organisations and reaping the rewards.

My number one piece advice of advice for L&D is to always aim directly to affect performance (how the work is actually done).

What do you think is the biggest challenge companies face in the current labour market?

Finding, upskilling, reskilling and keeping talented people. The deal between employers and employees is constantly changing and good people are hard to find and harder to keep, if you’re not giving them what they expect.

When you do hire the best people they expect to fulfill their potential and will go elsewhere if this isn’t realised. Companies need to invest in actual capability development rather than delivering programs and providing content if they are to benefit from hiring the best people.

What’s your number one piece of advice for companies starting out with L&D?

My number one piece advice of advice for L&D is to always aim directly to affect performance (how the work is actually done).

Too much L&D is aimed at affecting ‘learning’ with neither an understanding of the work context they seek to affect or the actual friction experienced by the employees we seek to influence. 

Without this information, L&D will inevitably waste money, time and credibility. The only way to predictably affect performance is to understand the current status of the same performance and what employees are trying to to and not able to do easily or effectively. 

Those who are performance-oriented don’t wonder if they’re making an impact. They know they are and are able to objectively demonstrate that impact to stakeholders.

Lastly, and most importantly, what’s your favourite office snack?

My favourite snack is Mini Cheddars and I’ll eat them at the office, at home and on the go.

What’s your favorite office snack?

Work in People and Culture? Want to share your ideas?

Applications to be interviewed are open to anyone (yes anyone!) so don’t hesitate to fill in the form for an opportunity to share your knowledge and ideas.

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Looking for HR conferences to attend next year? Look no further… we’ve compiled a list of the best upcoming conferences that we think are a MUST attend for the year 2023. 

See below for conference information, dates and pricing… be sure to snag the early bird tickets before they’re gone!

1. HRPA 2020

Date: February 22-24 2023
Where: The Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida
Cost: $1,970 with early bird and member pricing available

The HRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show brings together the people and companies redefining human resources to offer the industry’s boldest and brightest ideas, innovations, solutions, tools, resources and best practices.

Featuring 8 world-renowned keynote speakers, 75+ HR professional development sessions, tons of networking opportunities, and over 250 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge HR products and services, the HRPA2020 Annual Conference & Trade Show is Canada’s most influential event for HR leaders & professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve.

2. HR Transform

Date: March 27-29 2023
Where: MGM Grand Las Vegas
Cost: Early Bird Register $1,395.00 with early bird pricing available

Transform 2023 aims to bring together technology and people leaders to shape the future of the workforce. With hands-on learning experiences, interactive discussions, 300 diverse speakers, and innovative HR tech at display, this HR conference is perfect for entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to understand market insights and meet like-minded individuals.

3. SHRM Executive Network Conference

Date: June 2023 (dates and location yet to be announced)
Where: To be announced
Price: $3,590.00 with early bird and membership pricing available

The SHRM annual conference is intended for senior HR leaders with 15+ years of HR experience who are responsible for planning the strategic direction of their organizations. By bringing together the best and the brightest, the program provides HR leaders with a powerful and practical learning experience.

4. HR Healthcare

Date: October 2023
Where: Yet to be announced
Price $1,599.00 – Early Bird Registration available

HR Healthcare is specifically designed for HR professionals at the nation’s health systems and hospitals. Here, you’ll discover the tools, insights, innovations, and cutting-edge solutions needed to evolve your hiring strategies in an ever-changing healthcare industry.

5. Talent Acquisition Week 2023

Date: Jan 31-Feb 2, 203
Where: Loews Coronado Bay Resort, CA
Price: $1295-2670

This conference is a great opportunity for HR and business leaders to learn about the future of recruiting. TA Week offers a chance for in-person networking and will give you access to sourcing, recruiting, and employer branding best practices. You must attend this conference to supercharge your talent acquisition and employee engagement strategies.

6. InspireHR West

Date: March 6-7 2023
Where: Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland
Price: $99.00 for first 500 registrants or until January 16

The InspireHR West Conference is where you go to find out the latest trends in HR, issues, challenges, and solutions. With 15 sponsored sessions, 24 roundtables, and 2 keynotes, this conference is a great opportunity for HR professionals to take a deep dive into the HR hot topics. The event is immediately followed by the EmpowerHR Tech Americas, an HR technology conference to discuss how HR technologies can make a human resource professional’s life easier. 

7. Responsive Conference 

Date: Yet to be announced
Where: To be announced
Price: $520.20 – Earlybird Price

Speakers at the responsive conference are HR industry leaders with impressive track records of making their organizations responsive, agile, and lean—and therefore equipped to take on new challenges quickly and efficiently. 

These thought leaders will speak to timely topics, including: experience design, organization design, training/learning, leadership development, inclusion and diversity, performance management, engagement, productivity, and innovation.

9. i4cp 2023 Next Practices Now Conference

When: March 27-30, 2023
Where: Fairmont Scottsdale, AZ
Price: $3195 for members and $2395 for non-members

Senior HR leaders must attend this #1-rated HR conference. This expo promotes networking with peers, discovering the next best practices in human resource management, and navigating today’s challenges to capitalize on future human capital. 

Attending this conference will give you a chance to connect with 500+ CHROs without distractions (and sales pitches) and learn how you can improve employee experience, retention and, by extension, the workplace culture.

10. Workhuman Live 2023

When: April 17-20, 2023
Where: San Diego Convention Center
Price: $895-$1895

This atypical California HR conference brings industry leaders and HR managers together to share their unfiltered thoughts and tackle the workforce’s biggest challenges post the pandemic. This leadership conference aims to reinvent talent management with its extensive sessions, keynotes, workshops, and special events. 

You can still get tips from the experts without having to attend a conference! Listen to our People Managing People podcast, or one of these HR podcasts from one of these leaders in the field.

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Most people in competitive fields believe that the only way to achieve their goals is to work incredibly hard and have no life outside of the office. However, this is not the case for everyone. Many people suffer from burnout due to the formula that they follow.

Some people are unsatisfied with their current state and work tirelessly to achieve their goals. They are individuals who are super humans and have a passion for something that drives them beyond their limits.

Many experts believe that people who are not satisfied with their current state of ending up working tirelessly to achieve their goals are prone to burnout. Several strategies can help you achieve a high-end job without getting burnt out.

Establish a Self-Care Routine

Getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising are some of the most important factors people can consider when maintaining their health and sanity. These three pillars will give them more energy and improve their performance.

Celebrate Your Accomplishments

We tend to get carried away by what we must focus on next. As a result, we forget about the small achievements we have been working so hard to accomplish. Instead of rushing onto the next big ones, take some time to celebrate the small wins that you have been able to accomplish. These small wins can help boost your energy and make you feel better.

Set Mini-Goals

Instead of chasing after a massive goal, set small goals that will allow you to reach closer to your end goal. This strategy will help you celebrate the small victories that you have been able to accomplish. Mini-goals are a great way to motivate yourself to keep pushing yourself to the finish line. Although it can be hard to maintain a job and raise a family, accomplishing these goals is still possible.

Find a Mentor

 One of the most critical factors you should consider when it comes to avoiding burnout is finding inspiration – or a mentor. A mentor is a great way to learn about the industry, including the most significant risks one will face. This preparation can help you both mentally and physically. Ideally, one should look outside their current company to find a mentor, though any trusted mentor will do. 

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