Search Life Science Suppliers

International Day of Education: One Immediate Thing We Need to Change in Our Primary Education Model

Tue, 25 Jan 2022

How to engage in healthy debate at work: Top do’s and don’ts

When people work together in a group its not uncommon to have disagreements In a workplace the trick is learning how to productively work through disagreements to arrive at an optimal solution in other words learning how to engage in healthy debateLeaders may be tempted to shrink from the idea of debate or what we perceive as difficult conversations with employeeshttpswwwinsperitycomblogdifficult-conversations-with-employees because most people dislike conflict It can be awkward and uncomfortable But as great as it sounds harmony all the time just isnt realistic Its inevitable that different people with diverse backgrounds experiences and viewpoints will hold varying and sometimes strong opinionsDifferences are a good thing Unless you want groupthinkhttpswwwinsperitycombloggroupthink or a culture in which people feel silenced debate should be an anticipated part of the workplace Its positive for people to be engaged and passionate and to willingly exchange ideas People should be exposed to new perspectives and opportunities to reshape how they think thats how your company becomes innovative and how people grow personally and professionallyThe debate just has to be approached in the right wayWhat makes for a healthy workplace debateElements of a healthy debate in the workplace- The conversation happens for a positive and productive business purpose to solve a problem or move an idea forward for example- Trust existshttpswwwinsperitycomblogtrust-and-respect-in-the-workplace between the participants- Participants walk away feeling heard respected and that they all arrived at a consensus much like they should after engaging in a negotiationhttpswwwinsperitycombloghow-to-negotiate-at-work-to-get-what-you-want-and-be-happier- The solution reached aims to serve the company bestParticipants in these debates could include- Leaders among each other- Employees among each other- Managers and their teamsTopics that people commonly debate about in the workplace- How to go about executing a project- Differing opinions about project outcomes- Disagreements on creative direction- Setting or changing a policy- Solving a specific problemThese types of conversations shouldnt be confused with contentious emotionally charged conversations that can happen in the workplace such as discussions around disciplinary issues performance issues or concerns about unethical or illegal behavior Instead healthy debate is more about colleagues helping each other navigate conversations around innovative ideas and new processes for the companyWhat to do and not to do in a workplace debate DONT Let a negative or toxic culture fester DO Encourage an open speak-up cultureIf youre a business leader think about the type of workplace culture that enables healthy debate long before you encounter the need for a debate To build that workplace culture you want to- Establish a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable and safe engaging with each other- Adopt company values that everyone can rally around even if individual opinions on various issues differ- Foster an open transparent speak-up culture in which people are willing to provide honest input- Demonstrate enthusiasm for and consideration of new ideas there shouldnt be a status quo- Train managers to be humble and willing to change their minds in light of new facts and evidence Ideas shouldnt be shut down just because of hierarchy and seniority aloneThese qualities go hand in hand with a positive workplace culturehttpswwwinsperitycomblog6-ways-to-promote-a-positive-workplace-culture-at-your-company in general If you do these things proactively and have a good culture to start with youll have fewer problems when debates happenIf you let negativity linger in your workplace culture then toxicity will spill over into debates and result in more problems Examples- People dont want to speak up for fear of criticism mockery or retaliation or they know theyll just be ignored and dont care to put in the effort- Leaders pull rank without any objective basis for their decision- Conversations dissolve into arguments or personal attacks because employees dont get alonghttpswwwinsperitycomblogemployees-who-dont-get-along or work well together and internal resentments have built up- People feel pressure to agree for the sake of agreeing and are dominated and bullied by their colleagues- Employees say whatever they think their manager wants to hearDONT Rush into a conversation DO Take time to prepareAt times debates will come up naturally in meetings Other times they can be encouraged prematurely For example dont immediately gather your team together and demand ideas on the spot in response to an issue or problemKnow your audience and all the personalities on your teamNot everyone likes to jump into brainstorming sessions or troubleshooting conversations spontaneously Some of your peers or team members might need and appreciate an adequate period of time to fully ponder an issue and their position on it before they engage in discussion Maybe they want to perform some research It can be a good idea to schedule a meeting in advance to discuss an issueAlso set expectations and parameters for any debate in advance Make these ideas clear- People must be thoughtful and respectful toward one another- Everyone is working together on the same team with shared values to find an ideal solution There are no adversaries or competitors- Its not about individual wins its about a team and company win- Everyone is equal- All viewpoints are welcome and will be evaluatedDONT Engage in personal attacks DO Stay objective and therefore productiveNothing can derail a debate faster than incivility between colleagueshttpswwwinsperitycomblogworkplace-incivility These behaviors include- Eye-rolling- Interrupting or talking over someone- Flaring tempers- Delivering insults or judgmental comments How could you possibly think that or That is the stupidest idea Ive ever heard- Name-callingWhen this behavior happens productive communication shuts down and the fight between the colleagues overtakes the original purpose of the discussionA workplace debate is about a business issue or problem nothing more While these types of issues are important for the companys success dont blow them out of proportion and escalate them to a level of personal animosity thats not necessary or warrantedDuring a workplace debate no one should feel like theyre being personally attacked if you keep emotions out of it Healthy workplace debates are about challenging ideas not peopleDuring a debate at work- Set aside your personal feelings about any co-worker- Understand the difference between facts and opinion Stick to facts- Dont veer off track and allow opinions of someone elses working style habits or decision-making history to wade into the discussion These are not effective or relevant ways of supporting a position- Remember your companys core valueshttpswwwinsperitycomblogcompany-core-values which should include respect and integrity- Behave with professionalismhttpswwwinsperitycomblogprofessionalism-in-the-workplace at all timesDONT Seek to win DO Seek the best idea not necessarily your ideaIt can be tempting to think of a workplace debate as an opportunity to impress someone else whether thats a boss your direct reports or your peers with whom you see yourself in competition for promotions But thats the wrong attitude to bringWhen you take on this attitude theres an implication that you have all the answers and that youre always right You come across as wanting to show off your knowledge and experience rather than actively listening to what other people are sayingInstead leave your ego at the door This process isnt about you getting your way- Be humble- Identify the best solution for the group- Listen to everyone and demonstrate respect- Be intellectually curious ask questions- Dont brush off evidence that undercuts your ideas or assumptions- Accept that some people may have better ideas be more objective or see an issue through a different lens- Be willing to change your mind and admit when someone else makes a good point- Try not to take any criticism of your ideas personallyDONT Let a few people dominate the discussion DO Give everyone an opportunity to contributeWhen youre in a leadership position or facilitating a discussion making sure that everyone contributes is especially important Youll get the best solutions with everyones involvement You also want to make sure that other people dont feel dominated or as though they cant get a word inThere may be some people on your team who have dominant personalities But being vocal and passionate doesnt automatically make those people right or the only one worth listening toSo you dont miss the viewpoints of those who are more reserved or introvertedhttpswwwinsperitycomblogmanaging-introverts allow everyone to voice their perspective Encourage those who are being quiet to share their thoughts if necessaryDONT Resist getting on board with a decision once its been made DO Accept the decision and move forwardOnce a group consensus forms and leadership approves the decision its important for everyone to come together and move forward toward the common goal Set this expectation early on in the process Arguments cannot continue indefinitely once the conversation is done that will only lead to a fractured negative workplaceNo one should be working to undermine the decision just to prove a point or make themselves look goodYou also dont want people to carry lingering resentments about how they were treated or the decision that was made This could lead to disengagementhttpswwwinsperitycomblogincrease-employee-engagement and ultimately retention problemshttpswwwinsperitycomblogemployee-retention-strategiesDONT Forget to check the pulse of the group after the conversation ends DO Check in with peopleFor the reasons described above dont assume that everyone is fine once the discussion concludes even if you think everyones in agreement If youre a manager you have a responsibility to check in with the members of your team and confirm that you read the room accuratelyThis should be a one-on-one face-to-face interaction either in person or via videoconference so you can see their facial expressions and gestures to pick up on cuesTell each team member something like Hey I know that conversation was a little passionate and heated at times Just checking in to make sure were all on the same page or if theres anything else you think we didnt discuss adequately This gives employees an opportunity to air any lingering concerns so you can address them and help that person move forwardEmotional IQhttpswwwinsperitycombloghow-emotional-intelligence-can-make-you-a-better-leader is a critical leadership skill know your team members and stay attuned to signs of anger frustration or discomfortSumming it all upRegardless of your role in an organization understanding how to engage in healthy debate in the workplace will serve you and your company well Debate itself can be a desirable productive activity and can lead to positive outcomes It also means people are engaged passionate and open to sharing new ideas with each other However the way in which debate happens needs to be approached carefully Most of the dos come down to practicing respect and consideration for others being open to others perspectives and being a team playerAre you a business leader looking to facilitate healthier debates among colleagues To learn more about guiding your team through conflict and disagreement download our free magazine The Insperity guide to leadership and managementhttpswwwinsperitycommagazinethe-insperity-guide-to-leadership-and-managementKS1httpswwwinsperitycommsoanchor1Would be typically do double headers here

Tue, 25 Jan 2022

What is employee recognition? Your complete guide to recognition

Click here to read this bloghttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-recognition-guideEmployee recognition is the key to retaining your most talented team members and keeping them engaged Employees today rightfully value themselves and their talents If their employer doesnt show appreciation for what they bring to the table theyre more than willing to look for a new opportunity where theyll receive the recognition they deserveCreating an exceptional employee recognition program starts with understanding what recognition is and how it can transform the employee experienceBuild a business case for employee recognitionhttpswwwachieverscomresourcese-booksthe-case-for-employee-recognitionWhat is employee recognitionEmployee recognition includes any type of appreciation related to work from a quick thank you in the hallway to an email from the CEO publicly recognizing a team members success Recognition shows employees that your organization values their hard work and appreciates their contributions Ultimately employee recognition reinforces your companys core values fostering cultural alignment increasing engagement and boosting your bottom lineRecognition often happens spontaneously but making it a key part of your culture takes more than relying on occasional moments of appreciationhttpswwwachieverscomblogrecognition-appreciation-ideas-examples Your organization needs to develop an employee recognition program that lets all team members show appreciation whenever and wherever they prefer Doing this is easier said than done but adopting a mobile-friendly centralized recognition platform makes it much simplerOnce everyone at your company can easily provide social and monetary recognition the latter in the form of reward points that are fun to accumulate award and redeem youre on your way to a happy motivated workforceWhy does employee recognition matterWhen employees feel appreciated your organization thrives Here are just a few ways investing in employee recognition can benefit your organizationhttpswwwachieverscomblogwhy-employee-recognition-important-benefitsHigher employee engagementEmployee recognition keeps team members engaged and motivates them to work harder by providing a sense of accomplishment Companies that rate their culture of recognition highly are over twice as likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-business-impact-of-inclusive-and-frequent-recognition to see increased employee engagement while 72 of executiveshttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-impact-of-employee-engagement-on-performance-by-harvard-business-review-analytic-services say that recognition has a significant impact on employee engagement And employees agreehttpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papers2020-engagement-retention-report with 90 saying that receiving recognition motivates them to work harder Its simple when employees feel respected and appreciated they redouble their effortsIncreased employee retentionRetaining the best talent can be the difference between organizational failure and success But your most skilled employees need to know that they matter or you could lose them to the competitionEmployees are more likely to remain with a company where they feel their efforts are valued Recognition was the top reason 21 of employees surveyed in 2021httpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papersworkforce-institute-2021-engagement-and-retention-report chose to stay in their current position ranking behind only work-life balance as a retention factor And an earlier surveyhttpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papers2020-engagement-retention-report found that lack of recognition was one of the most common reasons employees gave for leaving their employerLearn about the state of employee engagement and retention in 2021httpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papersworkforce-institute-2021-engagement-and-retention-reportImproved employer brandA reputation for valuing your employees does wonders for your organizations brand Companies with highly rated cultures of recognition are also 79 more likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-business-impact-of-inclusive-and-frequent-recognition to rate their employer brands highlyWhen your team members feel recognized theyll provide better customer service further boosting your companys reputation Meijer a family-owned superstore based in the US Midwest found that increasing recognition from twice a month to twice a week led to a 5 increase in customer satisfaction scoreshttpswwwachieverscomresourcescase-studiesmeijer-customer-success-story And organizations that invest in social recognition are twice as likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightbuilding-a-business-case-for-social-recognition to see improved net promoter scoresBetter employee performanceWhen your employees are more engaged improved performance follows Keeping recognition specific is a key part of realizing this benefit as showing appreciation for positive actions makes it more likely that employees will repeat themhttpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papers2020-engagement-retention-report Social recognition is again key to realizing this benefit companies that invest in social recognition are twice as likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightbuilding-a-business-case-for-social-recognition to see better individual employee performancesDiscover the 8 steps to better employee performance and productivityhttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-performance-productivity-workWho should give employee recognitionEmployees expect recognition from managers with 28 citing appreciation managers showed themhttpswwwgallupcomworkplace236441employee-recognition-low-cost-high-impactaspx as the most memorable more than any other type of recognition Recognition from managers to direct reports validates employees who want to impress their superiors get a raise or job promotionBut managers arent the only team members who should provide recognition When done right employee recognition is a team effort where everyone participates and contributes to the appreciation cycle Team members respect the opinion of their peers so a work environment that encourages peer-to-peer recognition creates a sense of communityFind out how to foster peer-to-peer recognition at your organizationhttpswwwachieverscomblogpeer-to-peer-recognitionRecognition from executives and other company leadership unsurprisingly is incredibly impactful Twenty-four percent of employeeshttpswwwgallupcomworkplace236441employee-recognition-low-cost-high-impactaspx say recognition from high-level leaders is the most memorable behind only managers Leadership serves as an example for everyone else at the organization as well If team members see the C-suite championing recognition theyll see that your company practices what it preaches and theyll follow suitRemember that managers and other leaders need praise too Your company will benefit from bottom-up recognition where managers and executives receive positive feedback from their staff Up to 53 of senior managers and executiveshttpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papers2020-culture-report want more recognition and including them in the cycle of recognition helps ensure theyll keep acting as examples across the organization So the next time you receive recognition from your manager or another leader consider returning the favorCreating a winning employee recognition programFollow these best practices to develop a high-performing employee recognition programhttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-recognition-programProvide both social recognition and meaningful rewardsEveryone loves more money a culture of recognition goes far beyond raises and bonuses Employees value social recognitionhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightbuilding-a-business-case-for-social-recognition as much or more than monetary rewardsOf course pairing social recognition together with rewards only boosts its impact and its easy to combine the two when using a points-based reward system Instead of guessing at what reward a specific employee might like or worse providing a forgettable cookie-cutter reward like yet another branded mug or t-shirt give employees an allowance of reward points they can then award to othersA modern employee recognition solutionhttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-recognition-software both streamlines the process of awarding points and allows employees to include messages of appreciationhttpswwwachieverscomblogrecognition-letter when they give points to a coworker They can even customize these messages with fun images gifs and moreStart building a business case for social recognition at your organizationhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightbuilding-a-business-case-for-social-recognitionMake recognition specific to employee actionsReward actions that represent the values and ethics you want team members to represent This approach is one of the best ways to change your culture for the betterhttpswwwachieverscomblogchanging-organizational-culture-cultural-change as 92 of employeeshttpswwwachieverscomresourceswhite-papers2020-engagement-retention-report indicate they are more likely to repeat behavior theyre recognized for Give performance-based recognition when employees perform actions that lead to business success or reflect your organizations core valueshttpswwwachieverscomblogcompany-core-value-examplesGive recognition frequentlyEmployee recognition isnt a one-and-done deal at least not if you want to establish a true ongoing cycle of recognition Employees want to be recognized frequently and in real-time The longer it takes for employees to receive appreciation after theyve achieved a milestone or a business win the less impactful that recognition isFrequent timely recognition is also an important part of creating a true culture of recognition Organizations with highly rated cultures of recognition were 225 times more likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-business-impact-of-inclusive-and-frequent-recognition to give frequent recognition When providing recognition becomes a daily occurrence employees take notice and theyll make showing appreciation part of their own work routinesSee how frequent employee recognition can transform your businesshttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-business-impact-of-inclusive-and-frequent-recognitionUse an employee recognition platformA successful employee recognition program has a lot of moving pieces but choosing the right employee recognition software can simplify administration and boost impact When evaluating potential platforms ask yourself these questions- Does it integrate with other HR tools- Can it support both monetary and social recognition- Does it offer real-time reporting capabilities- Are points-based rewards built into the platform- Does it include features to make recognition engaging for employees like commenting capabilities and the ability to award additional points to others recognitions- Are robust security features included to protect your employees dataIf the answer to these questions is yes youre on the right trackSelect the best employee recognition platform for your company with these 11 tipshttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-recognition-softwareMeasure the impact of your recognition programYour recognition program should start with the needs of your team What do they value How do you want to celebrate your success Gather feedbackhttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-engagement-survey-results-action-plans in real time as you launch and further develop your recognition program to ensure youre recognizing employees the way they want to be recognized Implementing an employee survey platform lets you gather feedback anonymously using tools like pulse surveys and intelligent HR chatbots You can then track the impact of recognition on other key parts of the employee experience like culture engagement and moreApart from employee feedback measure the success of your recognition program by identifying key performance indicators KPIs that align with your organizations recognition goals These may include activation rates the number of recognitions sent and received and the number of participating team membersMeasure the success of your employee recognition program with these five key metricshttpswwwachieverscomblogmeasurable-criteria-employee-recognitionReal-world examples of employee recognitionEmployee recognition looks different at every organization Here are a couple examples of companies that are getting it rightThe Kellogg CompanyFor over 100 years the Kellogg Company has committed to fueling families worldwide But with more than 31000 workers worldwide it was becoming harder to maintain connections between team members After a company survey revealed that only around half of employees felt they received enough recognition they knew they had to do somethingWith the help of a new employee recognition platform Kellogg gave all team members the ability to recognize their employees and peers no matter their location They also used the platform to reward the winners of internal contests to engage employees further As a result Kellogg saw a double-digit increase in the number of employees who agreed with the statement I regularly receive appropriate recognition when I do a good job Kellogg even leveraged their recognition platform to boost employee connection during the pandemic providing all employees points to award to colleagues who were personally helping them stay connectedTake a deep dive into Kelloggs winning recognition programhttpswwwachieverscomresourcescase-studieskelloggs-customer-success-storyCHRISTUS HealthCHRISTUS Health is a non-profit healthcare system that includes more than 600 centers and 45000 physicians At one point each hospital within CHRISTUS Health had their own separate recognition strategy CHRISTUS needed a unified platform to better fulfill their program goals of engaging associates standardizing the experience and celebrating the moments that matterCHRISTUS centralized its recognition program using a modern employee recognition solution Following the success of a pilot program that saw improved engagement and reduced turnover CHRISTUS rolled out its new platform to all its US hospitals Now 90 of CHRISTUS Health Associates are active participants and more than half engage in peer-to-peer recognition on a monthly basisCHRISTUS was even able to leverage its recognition program to increase the rate at which its Associates reported near-misses incidents that were prevented but that otherwise had the potential to harm patients By providing additional points to Associates who filed reports CHRISTUS saw a six times rise in reporting helping patients stay even saferLearn more about how CHRISTUS Health built its employee recognition programhttpswwwachieverscomresourcescase-studieschristus-health-customer-success-storyBuild a culture of recognition with AchieversWhat do both CHRISTUS Health and Kellogg have in common along with other brands like General Motors and McDonalds They all use Achievers Recognizehttpswwwachieverscomplatformrecognize a science-backed easy-to-use recognition solution Achievers Recognize is mobile-friendly so employees can provide social recognition backed with reward points anywhere anytime It even integrates with Achievers Listenhttpswwwachieverscomplatformlisten an employee engagement solution that enables employee voice and makes it easy to gather feedback in real timeWith Achievers team of experts standing by to assist your company can drive meaningful frequent recognition by adopting Recognize as the foundation of its employee recognition program Theres a reason Achievers can boast 98 customer satisfaction and 95 customer retentionhttpswwwachieverscomplatformrecognize and why Achievers customers are 25 times more likelyhttpswwwachieverscomresourcesanalyst-insightthe-business-impact-of-inclusive-and-frequent-recognition to see increased employee retention and 36 more likely to see an increase in employee engagementhttpswwwachieverscomdemoThe post What is employee recognition Your complete guide to recognitionhttpswwwachieverscomblogemployee-recognition-guide appeared first on Engage Bloghttpswwwachieverscomblog

Tue, 25 Jan 2022

88% of Singapore employees surveyed support a four-day workweek with the same pay

In fact 47 would continue to work on the same job but for fewer hours if money was not an issue

Tue, 25 Jan 2022