Tag: New Century Dynamics Executive Search

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Top 10 HR Trends in 2023

We asked those at Flex HR which top HR trends they think we’ll see in 2023, and they had a lot to share about the ever-shifting workplace landscape. Take a look at the top 10 trends below.

1.  Outsourcing HR Services

One main trend that is on the rise is for businesses to outsource HR. There are many reasons for this, including that it saves a company valuable time, resources, and money, and can ensure the company is in compliance with laws and regulations.

It can be helpful to have a fresh, outside perspective, especially from a company that focuses on excelling in human resources.

 

  1. An Increase in Recruiting

As many workers have left the workplace or quit their jobs for more flexible opportunities with higher pay, many companies have lost a substantial number of workers.

This has also created a general labor shortage in certain industries such as durable goods manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, education, and health services.

In the new year, these industries will need to work hard to recruit to make up for these shortages; however, companies will need to get creative with their recruiting tactics to attract qualified candidates.

3.  Compensation Changes

Inflation has brought many economic challenges, especially for employers as they struggle to keep up. Employees need raises, but raising everyone’s salary at once will cause the business to suffer.

Businesses will need to create compensation plans in the new year which address inflation and economic challenges.

Another possible change to compensation will be whether businesses choose to pay employees more based on their performance. The 2022 Lattice survey found that “65% of employees ranked work performance as one of the most important factors they want to be tied into their compensation.” Many HR professionals are working with business leaders to create plans to do just that.

4.  The Need to Navigate Legal Complexities

As more states set up laws to override FLSA, to be exempt from pay thresholds, and add paid sick leave or disability pay requirements, businesses will need to plan financially to comply.

These new laws will pose unique challenges for multi-state employers, as they may need separate pay plans and structures in every state! This is yet another reason organizations are outsourcing to HR firms like Flex HR that understand these complex law changes.

5.  Combating the Great Resignation (Still!)

In an effort to retain employees and battle the continuing trend of resignation, HR departments and firms will need to focus on meeting the new expectations and needs of employees.

The pandemic brought the need for workplace flexibility to the forefront, and it has stayed there as organizations learn to manage and maintain a remote or hybrid workforce. Many employees transitioned to a completely different lifestyle working remotely and now resist the call from organizations to return to work.

The 2022 Lattice Report predicts that it won’t just be the great resignation affecting turnover. This next year, “limited resources and an uncertain economic outlook” will no doubt cause employees to question whether they can continue their job.

Recruiting is expensive, so it’s in the best interest of organizations to listen to HR leaders who advise that they take measures to focus on meeting the needs of their current employees.

Jim Cichanski, Founder & CHRO of Flex HR predicts that the rate of resignation “should slow down, but current and potential employees are all about “me.“ Companies are making a lot of changes in benefits and finding alternative approaches to flexible work schedules.”

6.  Using Automated Systems

These past years, we’ve seen more HR departments move toward “embracing automation to work smarter, not harder” shares Deirdré Huff, Sr. HR Manager of Operations at Flex HR.

Automation can be used for planning, regulating company compliance, hiring, making requests, and managing performance. As it saves time and can help streamline business practices, we anticipate it will continue to be used in these areas and more.

7.  Pay Transparency

Many new laws require employers to disclose salary information in their job postings or share how much employees make. Part of the movement toward this is to increase equity and decrease the chance of pay discrimination.

Of course, it is up to each company how transparent they will be with their employees, but the movement has already begun to gain traction.

8.  Revamping Training

As work is still hybrid, or fully remote at some workplaces, this continues to force organizations and HR firms to ask how to train employees without simply resorting to videos or video chats.

There is still a need to revamp the training process to meet the needs of different employees, and having a successful training program is more important than ever if businesses want to retain their employees.

9.  DE&I Initiatives

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is still top of the list in Human Resources. Companies still struggle to create appropriate policies to prevent and address discrimination and harassment. More than that, the focus is still on how to create an environment of inclusion to foster the well-being of all employees.

This will take the form of training programs and written policies, as well as be incorporated into company practices.

10.    Accessibility

In the same spirit as DE&I initiatives, HR departments and organizations are encouraging companies to include plans that make work and resources more accessible to all.

Though the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to discourage discriminatory hiring and business practices toward those with disabilities, there are still hurdles to climb in this area.

Companies need to create plans to include everyone and make sure they have the same opportunities, which means accommodating those with disabilities.

What should HR professionals prioritize to meet changing demands?

At Flex HR, we have to adapt to the changing workplace continuously. In the new year, we recommend you embrace the new workplace trends by prioritizing people over policies and be prepared to continue to tweak and change your policies (though you’ll have to create them first!).

Engage and Retain Employees

With the number of people leaving their jobs or the workplace in favor of a more accommodating lifestyle or higher-paying job, your first priority should be to keep your current employees.

Phil Davis, Senior Vice President at Flex HR, advises that one way to do this is by paying them a fair wage, “+/- 10% of the prevailing wage market. Being above market is your best defense against turnover due to wages.”

Other important factors that prevent turnover are creating a positive workplace and having competent, caring supervisors.

Jim Cichanski advises that HR departments focus on “providing resources and interventions for the mental, physical and financial needs of their employees while maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.” He says the best way to retain them is “by listening to their needs, creating a culture of company trust, and responding appropriately to requests and concerns.”

According to the 2023 Lattice Report, the big things that leaders have identified to make employees stay, aside from fair wages, include company leadership transparency and providing more feedback and more structured career paths.

Know and Adapt to the Changing Laws

Throughout this next year, organizations will need to work hard to keep on top of the new laws and regulations.

In terms of navigating the new laws in some states, Phil Davis recommends that you “engage a reputable and competent outside source to help maneuver the changing legal landscape.”

Similarly, Deirdré Huff, Sr. HR Manager of Operations at Flex HR emphasized the importance of “maintaining legal compliance as laws continue to change.”

Many changes are coming, so let us help you prepare! Consider consulting Flex HR to help with your human resources needs in the new year.

Contact us now to discuss your HR needs.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

 

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Another Breakthrough!

On September 26, I posted an article titled don’t become a hostage!  I spoke of two examples of managers being held hostage by troublesome employees.  I stated that one of the managers had an Epiphany that led to terminating the employee in question.  A new manager resolved the other situation last week.

Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to evaluate the situation correctly.

As you may recall, the lingering situation was in a big box retail store where an Assistant Manager created continual unrest.  Since my original post, a few exciting changes have occurred.  The first and most important was the resignation of the General Manager.  He left to take a job in a different industry sector.  A more experienced general manager replaced him.  These changes happened shortly after the publication of my article, almost exactly a month ago.  After a month of studying the situation in his new assignment, the new General Manager transferred the troublesome subordinate to another store.  She is now working under the General Manager who originally trained her.

So why did the new general manager act on the situation, whereas the former GM ignored it?

    1. Experience beyond this company
    2. External networks of competent employees
    3. He refused to be a hostage

The former GM was still learning the job while dealing with a dysfunctional team.  He was not fully competent and lacked confidence.  I suspect that his boss, the District Manager, was culpable as his direction for this GM was lacking.

On the other hand, the newly appointed General Manager is an accomplished GM.  He has significant prior General Management experience with another big box retail brand.  Competent and confident in his leadership abilities, he took a different approach to the situation.

A toxic employee can do significant damage to a work environment.  Team cohesion, morale, and eventually productivity and profitability will be affected.  Wise managers know to deal with the situation immediately.  They do not let them faster, to metastasize into an even bigger problem.  The situation question went on for far too long.  As I stated earlier, I lay the blame on the Regional Manager.  He had long known of the situation.  His strategy included a meeting where he told the team to “work out” their differences.  It is no surprise that the team could not resolve their issues by themselves.  A more experienced, decisive leader replaced the former GM.  It was only then that the problem was correctly identified and resolved.  I hold the regional manager responsible for the problems created by his inability to resolve the issue.

When this type of disciplinary issue arises, decisive intervention is required.  The resolution should include progressive discipline supported by the appropriate level of documentation.  The next-level manager must become involved when a  manager is not fully competent.  In this case, the fear of going through the holiday season shorthanded clouded management thinking.  They became hostages.  There is no justification for suffering under these circumstances, as there is always a solution.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, managers cannot avoid the need to discipline disruptive employees on a timely basis. Concerns about terminating a toxic employee because it may leave a hole in the management ranks are invalid. On the contrary, failure to address toxic behavior guarantees that the team will become shorthanded. The irony is that the best employees will leave first. They have options. The team that remains will be less competent, less functional, and less productive.  This is a concern that second and third-level managers must be tuned into.  The good news in my example case is that a new manager understood the need to act decisively. He found a way to eliminate the toxic employee. He did not allow himself to become a hostage to someone’s poor behavior.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

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Embrace Life-long Learning!

This past weekend I completed a two-day introduction to woodworking class at the local Woodcraft Retail Store. I must say, things have changed a lot since I took ‘Shop’ in High School. Most of what I learned this weekend was how to use a variety of machines I have never used. That part of the class was most useful as I am interested in buying one or more of those tools. That experience by itself was worth the cost of the class. The product of the class was a Shaker Style cabinet made of Poplar. It is the solution for a space in need.

I was one of five attendees, three women, and two men. I was the oldest as my classmates were in their late thirties or early forties. The two instructors were my age and older. I found the demographic composition most interesting. The maximum class size is six due to logistical constraints. Almost half of the room is occupied by tools and equipment, one limiting factor. The other is the queuing time to use the equipment. As our project required a specific sequence, a significant amount of time was spent waiting for your turn to use the required machine.

This class was an early birthday present from my wife, which I was pleased to receive for several reasons. I have projects around the house that challenge my carpentry skills. We are creating a 750-square-foot guest suite in the basement which requires framing skills and I am painting our Master Bathroom. The latter would not be much of a challenge except for the significant drywall repairs required. It seems that when we built our house, the builder did not properly prepare those walls before applying wallpaper. Those projects have stimulated my interest in learning more about carpentry and cabinet making.

The other benefit of taking this and future classes are related to supporting our Residential Construction Business. My wife started this business at about the same time that I left the Corporate World to become an Executive Recruiter. I am her CFO and principal consultant. Her business is doing so well that she needs me to become more involved in day-to-day operations. Sharpening my construction-related skills will help satisfy that need. It is a win-win proposition.

I have long believed in the value of life-long learning. Keeping one’s mind engaged is as important, if not more so, than the effort to maintain a healthy body. I find that if I keep my mind focused on achieving an important goal, my body will follow. My friend Faith is someone who has embraced life-long learning. A few years younger than me, she is an Account Executive with a major Health Insurance Company. She sharpens her edge by studying for additional college degrees on a part-time basis. Her employer has a tuition reimbursement program for coursework relevant to her job function. It is a win-win! She gets paid to improve her job skills and continues to exercise her mind in the process. She credits this strategy for keeping her at “the top of her game.”

The concept of life-long learning has been around for decades. I remember listening to my boss telling me how he encouraged his teenage daughters to learn new things just to hone their ability to learn. This included areas that were of little interest to them, like the mechanics of an automobile. That was over thirty years ago.

Our world is changing at a rapid pace. We are living longer. Job functions are changing or disappearing while new job functions are being created. It has often been said that today’s workers will likely have three or more careers during their lifetime. That requires the ability to change and adapt, to learn.

I find it interesting that at my age, I have little difficulty learning. It could be that much of what I am learning is additive to things I already know and understand. It could be the vast amount of training tools available that makes the process easier. YouTube, for example, is a treasure trove of resources. I admit, I may not be able to stay focused for as long as I was once, but frequent breaks and a cup of coffee help me stay on track. Motivation may be a contributing factor to my interest in continual learning. Probably because learning construction-related skills directly benefit our livelihood and our home. That is serious motivation.

Life is a learning experience. There is no growth without learning, including lessons learned from new experiences. Life is also about adapting to change. One cannot adapt if one is not open to learning. The ability to learn is a skill required for a successful life. We have often heard that one’s mind is like a muscle. It must be exercised to stay taught. My recommendation is to commit to becoming a life-long learner and enjoy a better life.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

 

 

 

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Don’t Become a Hostage!

Jim Weber – President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search

Recently, I have become aware of two situations where managers have become hostages to toxic employees. They are not being held at gunpoint by a criminal trying to negotiate an escape. However, the angst of the situation is similar. One is a female assistant manager for a big-box retailer. She does not work well with others and is actively working to undermine another manager. Not a team player, she creates unnecessary drama. My colleague, Stan, would call her a termite. Someone who destroys the foundation of the company. The other is a subcontractor with poor work habits who delivers an inconsistent product. Both have remained in position because management, facing a difficult labor market, has decided to live with these troublesome people, hoping to avoid the cost of losing them. However, one manager chose to act and found that his fears were unwarranted.

During my corporate career, workers were abundant, so the fear of being understaffed was not a consideration. At that time, the concern for turnover and overstaffing was our focus. Even so, I observed managers fail to discipline employees properly because they delivered outstanding revenue and profit performance. Those producers survived until their financial performance fell below standard. In the meantime, their peers complained about favoritism and unfair treatment by management. It was very frustrating to be a part of those teams. Overall morale suffered because management was held hostage by a flawed subordinate who happened to produce above-average financial results.

Today, we face a different, more difficult labor market. Baby Boomers are retiring, and fewer younger workers are available to replace them. Employers are finding it more challenging to achieve optimal staffing levels. Some managers overlook employee performance issues to minimize the risk of being short-staffed. That was the concern of my client. He was willing to put up with the poor performance of one sub-contractor to ensure that he completed his projects on time.

Nevertheless, I advised him to deal with the performance issue. I informed my client that the situation was sure to worsen. Eventually, he reached his limit when the cost of repairing the subcontractor’s shoddy work became unbearable. With a little bit of effort, he was able to find a suitable replacement. He refused to be a hostage.

It is not uncommon for managers to overestimate the cost of maintaining employee discipline and underestimate the benefit. Sometimes, it is easier to look the other way. They rationalize their decision to minimize the performance issues or ignore them entirely. Avoidance is a big mistake. The rest of the team is closely watching. They view the manager’s lack of action as favoritism and poor leadership. The team’s overall performance eventually suffers, and good employees leave for other jobs. The manager’s failure to deal with performance issues creates more significant problems with greater consequences.

So, what is one to do? First, don’t become a hostage to your employees! Enforce policy uniformly across the workforce. Don’t give a pass to employees who generate stellar results in some areas but fall short in others. Consistently enforced standards and appropriate disciplinary measures will go a long way toward creating a healthy, high-performance culture. This approach to discipline will help reduce turnover and attract better-quality employees.

Another viable strategy is to maintain an ongoing recruiting program. You may not need to step up the actual hiring, but you will know where to go to find good employees when you need them.

The two examples I presented at the beginning of this article make an interesting case study.  One client decided to face the performance issue head-on, resulting in the termination of the sub-contractor in question. My client replaced the subcontractor with a more appropriate hire. The client refused to be held hostage. The other situation has deteriorated further as the management refuses to take corrective action.

Maintaining organizational discipline is not optional. Success requires vigilant maintenance of systems, processes, and procedures. Maintaining discipline may be more difficult in trying times, but it is of greater importance. The stakes are higher, as is the risk of failure. Good employees will gravitate to the best employers, so become the preferred employer in your market. Build a healthy culture of success by enforcing policy in a consistent, firm, fair, and friendly manner. It is the best way I know to ensure long-term success.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me, so please leave a comment.

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Make Better Decisions!

Josh Sweeney Presentation on Culture First Hiring

Recently I observed a prospective client make a poor decision with far-reaching consequences.  Even now, having experienced the repercussions of this decision, he still defends his position.  The fundamental issue was about the deployment of his fleet.  The result was idled employees due to a lack of transportation.   His justification was the cost of gasoline and a driver to move workers to different job sites.  I could not have been more shocked having witnessed this situation.  Productivity and cash flow were lost or delayed.  More importantly, he created angst and resentment among his team members.  Not a good thing.

He decided to allow a vehicle to remain idle at a job site.  Its only purpose was to move people and their tools.  This truck was not available to transport other workers to active job sites.  The ultimate irony was that the vehicle in question had a flat tire.  It was out of service, creating additional problems at the end of the workday.  I can’t help but think that it was poetic justice.

Wrong decisions can take on a life of their own. They seem to spawn other unnecessary problems diverting management’s attention and in sub-optimal use of time and resources. Share on X

We all know people perpetually fighting problems big and small.  Personal and professional.  One person I know is always misplacing car keys and cell phones, among other things.  It would be an easy fix if she followed the “a place for everything and everything in its place maxim.” This weakness is a minor issue, but it’s only the beginning of more significant problems she creates for herself.  Yes, she is a victim of bad habits and more.  Her bad habits bleed over into her decision-making process, creating even more significant issues, which steal precious time and resources.  Poor decision-making habits result in lost productivity, profitability, and morale.

You should view this post as a wake-up call!  It is easy to fall into a pattern of casual decision-making, leading to suboptimal, or worse, disastrous results.  I do not mean to offer specific processes or tools, as ample information is available on how to make decisions for a wide range of situations.  I want to remind you to create a habit of using a structured decision-making process to achieve better outcomes.

Basic decision-making process

    1. Describe the situation
    2. List factors to consider
    3. Determine key constituents to be affected
    4. List and evaluate alternatives
    5. Select the best outcome
    6. Develop a plan of action, including a communications plan
    7. Execute
    8. Assess and evaluate results

Making good decisions is a habit!  Find a process that works for you and employ it consistently.  The above eight steps present a basic decision-making framework.  However, it does not list a “gut-check” as a part of the process.    I do not recommend making decisions based on “gut feel” alone; however, before making a call, check your gut.  This step has never let me down!  I like to include a gut check toward the end of my process.  It has forced me to review my process and reassess my assumptions.  Finally, always review to determine how you can improve the quality of your decisions.  For more on this subject, I suggest you refer to other articles I have written about developing helpful and productive habits.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my work is helping clients and colleagues improve their decision-making.  It stimulates my intellectual and creative abilities.  My interest in making better decisions is born from my early career as a financial analyst and strategic planning executive.  Today, my clients are eager to learn new techniques to improve their decision-making abilities.  They enjoy the satisfaction of better results from the successful execution of their decisions.  Create a decision-making habit for better results and a happier life.

For more information on making better decisions refer to the articles linked below.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-make-better-decisions

https://www.verywellmind.com/habits-for-better-decision-making-4153045?print

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_00.htm

 

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

 

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Keep Your Projections Realistic: How Small Business Owners Can Realistically Prepare Their Finances

Whether you are a seasoned small business owner or the founder of a startup company, you have a lot of decisions to make. Choosing how to fund your company is one of the first decisions to make. To fund your company and stabilize your financial health, business owners need a realistic financial projection. With a few tips from ITB Partners, you can learn how to create your projections.

Why Emphasize the Importance of Financial Projection

Without a financial projection, you may feel the burden of financial uncertainty. You are more likely to feel overwhelmed by unexpected costs. Accurate projections allow you to make strategic decisions. For example, a realistic idea of your financial situation allows you to know whether you can afford to hire or fire employees or invest in new products.

If you do not create a financial projection, you may not know your expected business income and cannot calculate your business’s taxes for the year. Many states require you to file an annual report every year. The annual report informs interested individuals about the financial successes and failures of public entities, non-profit organizations, and private corporations. The majority of states require you to file a report and pay taxes to remain compliant with local laws and to remain in good standing. In some instances, you could face penalties in the form of fees or business revocation if you do not follow the rules, so it’s best to get expert help when filing your annual report.

How to Create a Realistic Projection

To create a realistic projection, you may want to create a template. Your template should include the following documents:

    • Sales forecast
    • Payroll costs
    • Cash flow
    • Operating expenses
    • Income statements
    • Break-even analysis
    • Cost of goods
    • Balance sheet
    • Depreciation for your business

Instead of falling into the trap of being too optimistic or too cautious, create two scenarios. One scenario can be optimistic, while the other stays cautious. Give yourself the freedom to create multiple different scenarios. Do not guess the top-line number for your sales channel. Instead, outline each step of your process. Identify the market, estimate the percentage of the market you aim to meet through marketing and estimate how many will visit your business and make a purchase. Next, make an estimate of how much individuals may spend on average.

Your financial plan should not be static. Constant Contact suggests reviewing your plan at least once per year. You cannot always prepare for every situation, but you should reassess and take most events into consideration. If you plan to make a large purchase in the future, you may also want to reassess.

How to Simplify Your Financial Projection

A simplified projection includes a balance sheet. This is an overview of your company’s financial health. Include your assets, owner’s equity, and liabilities. You should split the balance sheet to have assets on one side and owner’s equity and liabilities on the other.

To make it simple, work with a professional who understands the industry. For instance, working with an accountant will help you realistically predict your expenses, profits, and sales. Utilize premade templates and software that allow you to input numbers and finish the projection seamlessly.

Using Accounting Software for More Accurate Projections

Creating projections can be a time-consuming and complicated process, especially if you don't have experience with bookkeeping or accounting. This is where accounting software can be a big help. Share on X For example, if you run a construction business, construction accounting software can automate many of the tasks involved in creating financial projections, saving you a lot of time and hassle. And because it can help you track your actual results against your projections, you can quickly identify any discrepancies and make necessary adjustments. This software also allows you to manage job costs and contractors.

When it comes to making financial decisions for your company, a realistic financial projection is critical. Make sure to understand its importance, think realistically, utilize accounting software, and simplify the process as much as possible.

Image via Pexels

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

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What do CEO’s Need? Velocity via Intelligent Business Processes

Brightwater Consulting

At Bright Water Consulting, LLC (Bright Water), we have worked with many CEOs over the years, and, in our experience, we have identified three key needs:

    1. Operational Excellence,
    2. Innovate with data, and
    3. Run and operate processes.

Bright Water helps companies achieve Operational Excellence by streamlining and automating processes.  The result of these efforts is increased business velocity while reducing cost.

The Bright Water Team helps businesses innovate with data.  The results of our efforts allow companies to glean deep insights from data so they can ask the right questions and get better results.

Bright Water has a deep expertise needed to help companies run and operate processes.  Our process efforts allow companies to focus on delivering the promise of their brand to their customers.

At Bright Water we know that: CEOs and senior leaders need three things: 1) business velocity and agility, 2) continuous cost reductions, and 3) business resilience.  In today’s fast-paced world, it is clear that all companies need to be technology companies and all CEOs need to be technology leaders. Companies that do not wisely drive their business processes with analytics and technology will suffer market losses at the hands of competitors who do.  At Bright Water, we have observed that companies who wisely leverage the application of analytics and technology understand those are the key differences between winning and losing.  We view the perspective of the Chief Information Analytics Officer as never more relevant for enabling the strategy and operation of the enterprise than it is today.

Velocity Matters.  Businesses are nothing more than an aggregation of business processes.  Processes take inputs and produce outputs.  If the output of a business is purchased at a profit, the business can continue its operations.  Otherwise, the business fails.  Anything that a business produces repetitively is the product of the process.  Sound processes allow output to be produced cost-effectively with quality and minimal variation from specifications.  Process matters.

In order to understand why Velocity matters, consider the steps in a typical decision process. A typical decision process can be characterized by the OODA loop. First, the decision-maker “O”bserves the environment.  Next, the decision-maker “O”rients to issues of concern in the environment.  The “D”ecision is made and, finally, an “A”ction is taken.  When action is taken the environment is changed as a result and this change impacts all actors in the environment (they must react to it).  The cycle then starts over again.  It is an endless OODA loop.

In order to demonstrate the value of the OODA loop, let’s imagine a business that completes a single cycle through the OODA loop in 12 units of time.  Let’s say 3 units of time are spent at each stage of the OODA loop.  Now compare this business to a competitor that completes a single cycle through the OODA loop in 6 units of time, spending 1.5 units of time at each stage.  After 6 units of time elapsed, the competitor is beginning to “O”bserve the new competitive environment, having just finished acting on their initial observations.  Meanwhile, the business that needs 3 units of time for each stage is “D”eciding what action to take.  The slower competitor will be basing their decision on an environment that no longer exists, since the faster competitor has already “A”cted, impacting, shaping, and changing the environment.  As the slower business starts to act (9 units of time have elapsed), the competitor is deciding what “A”ction to take, having just finished “O”rienting to the new environment and a particular issues area of concern.  The faster competitor will decide what action to take and actually complete the action.  The faster competitor has now completed the loop for a second time as the slower competitor completes the loop for the first time.  The slower business requiring 12 units of time to complete the loop will always be basing its action on an environment that no longer exists, so its actions will always be suboptimal.  It will never catch the faster competitor.  This is how the fast eat the slow.  This is why velocity matters.

CEOs need to increase the velocity and agility of their business because, if they do not, faster companies will adapt to the competitive environment and evolve more quickly, which puts the slower competitor at a competitive disadvantage that they cannot recover from.  In order to increase the velocity of their business, CEOs must increase the velocity of their business processes.  It is business processes that shape, determine, and produce the outputs that clients pay for.  If business processes are lethargic, the business will be too.

CEOs must ask: How do I increase the velocity of a business process?  There is only one way.  CEOs must automate and improve their business processes.  By doing so costs will reduce as labor is withdrawn and better business outcomes will result as processes execute at great velocity with more certainty and consistency.  Bright Water has the knowledge, experience, and skill sets needed to help companies achieve Velocity through intelligent business processes.

Similar to the OODA loop, Business Process Management (BPM) efforts are dynamic rather than static.  As companies cycle through the OODA loop they change the environment which forces the competition to be more efficient, remove friction and constantly improve business processes.

Business processes do not operate in a vacuum.  Therefore, it is helpful to think about business processes as a set of discrete, but connected, activities often involving a range of related stakeholders such as the business and the IT group.  Therefore, business processes must be specific to the stakeholder mission, tied to the larger organizational context, and current.  To effectively achieve this within an organization, BPM efforts will vary in size, scope, and complexity.

At Bright Water we typically engage with clients leveraging the following basic phases:

    1. MODEL: Identity, define, and create a representation of the complete process so it can be easily understood and communicated.
    2. EXECUTE: Based on the model, develop, and implement the process so that it can be repeatably performed. Apply automation when it makes sense and delivers good value to the organization.
    3. CONTROL: To ensure the process is consistently followed we help the client to set up proper control systems.
    4. MONITOR: Collect meaningful and measurable data to determine the effectiveness of the process in delivering the expected value and benefits.
    5. OPTIMIZE: Use the data collected through monitoring, and feedback into the modeling, to determine if further process improvements can be made.

Contact us directly at Bright Water for a discussion regarding improving your business velocity and agility, continuous improvement, and business resilience – info@brightwaterconsulting.com.

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Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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ITB Partners June Meeting via ZOOM

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Jim Weber is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

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Problems solved. Growth fueled. Goals reached.

Dave Roemer is our Presenter.  He will lead a discussion on Considerations and Processes for Franchising a Concept

 

ITB Partners is a Consortium of independent management consultants providing high value-added solutions to your problems. 
ITB Partners helps Business Managers solve their problems by connecting them with high-quality Independent Management Consultants.

Our consultants are experienced leaders, discipline experts, and project managers. Our clients are publicly and privately owned mid-caps;  private equity groups and their portfolio companies, start-ups, acquisitions, and turnarounds.

Our industry expertise ranges from consumer packaged goods and manufacturing to supply/chain,  logistics, and the service sector.   Additionally, we have depth in consumer services franchising, specifically restaurant, hospitality, and retail.

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Innovative Employee Benefits

Employers are in the business of attracting and retaining top talent. That’s why it is important for them to offer benefits that make their employees feel valued. However, many employers don’t realize that they have to work at keeping their employees happy by offering additional benefits, as well.

If you’re looking for some innovative ideas to do just that, you’ve come to the right place. In the article below, New Century Dynamics shares some excellent ways to offer appealing benefits to your team members.

Coaching Programs

Training Industry explains that a coaching program, such as the programs offered by New Century Dynamics, is an excellent way to offer support and resources to your employees. These programs are a good option for employers to give their employees the tools they need in order to be successful.

Coaching programs can be done in person or through a digital medium like Zoom, depending on the needs of the employee. If you’re having trouble getting your employees engaged in your efforts, try a business gamification platform to help get your team on board.

Continuing Education

Also, consider paying for employees’ education if the program is related to their job. For example, with a degree in business, employees can learn skills such as accounting and administration, which they can apply to their job. An online program gives employees the flexibility to balance work, family, and school.

Yoga Classes

When it comes to finding a way to keep your employees happy, consider offering them classes or sessions in yoga. Yoga is beneficial for many reasons:

    • It helps create a sense of community among employees.
    • It can be an outlet for stress relief because yoga encourages you to “let go” and just breathe.
    • Yoga can help improve physical strength, flexibility, and balance.
    • Yoga can help with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
    • Yoga can help reduce chronic pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, etc.
    • Poses in yoga have been found to help with things like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Wouldn’t you like to reap the benefits of more productive, happier team members? Yoga classes are a great place to start to make these things happen in your workplace. You can even create a relaxing, positive space in your office for people who wish to take a yoga break. Just be sure to keep this area clean and decluttered.

Employee Satisfaction Survey

Employee satisfaction surveys are a way to learn more about the issues your employees care about and make positive changes to accommodate them.

Qualtrics notes that conducting an employee satisfaction survey each year will help you get a better idea of how your staff feels about their work environment, company culture, benefits, etc. It can also give you a sense of what incentives your employees need to feel fulfilled.

You can also use these surveys as a way to motivate your team by giving them the chance to voice their opinions. This can lead to increased engagement and productivity.

By conducting an annual employee satisfaction survey, you will get important feedback that will help you improve your company culture and create a better work environment for your employees.

Nutrition Videos for Employees

In recent years, many companies have been offering their employees wellness programs to help them live healthier lives and feel more fulfilled. This can be as simple as providing a few healthy snacks in the break room or as involved as offering health coaching sessions and exercise classes for employees.

One of the most effective ways to improve your employees’ wellness is by providing them with nutrition videos that they can watch at their convenience. These videos address some of the most common eating issues people face, like craving sugar and food addiction, so it’s easier for them to make healthier choices throughout the day.

Daycare Services

Many employees struggle to cover daycare expenses, let alone find a reputable place to take their children every workday. You could give your team members more reason to grow with your company by lending a helping hand with daycare expenses and services.

Not only does offering benefits help retain the employees you already have, but doing so can help draw top-tier talent to your company. Share on X So, see what your employees need and try to accommodate their requests — your business may blossom as a result!

Image via Pexels

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Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

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The Psychology of Goal Setting

I’m not going to bore you with scientific and psychological mumbo jumbo, but I think you should understand the importance of creating SMART goals using the process I will outline in this chapter.  Understanding why something is important makes you more likely to follow the process diligently.  Remember, people don’t buy what you do or how you do it.  They buy why you do it.  The same principle follows here.

First, as logical human beings, we all understand that having something to aim for increases the chances of hitting it.  Jordan Peterson, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, says, “One of the things you can be virtually certain of in life is that you don’t hit something you don’t aim at.”[1] Seems pretty logical to me.  Robin Hood would never have split that arrow if he didn’t aim at it.

When you aim at a target and hit it, your brain releases a chemical called dopamine, which gives you a feeling of pleasure.  Dopamine is your body’s reward system.  Dopamine makes you feel good, and the fact that it is released immediately upon achieving a goal creates a solid behavioral association.  That makes you want to set and accomplish another goal to get that good feeling again.  It is also why setting short-term goals, as you will see later, is much more effective than only setting long-term goals.  The longer the wait between dopamine releases, the less effective it is as a reward.  Dopamine is the habit-forming chemical in your brain.   IT rewards you for completing tasks regularly at short intervals, motivating you to accomplish more.

Another vital tool for goal achievement is visualization, which has physiological and psychological elements.  By visualizing yourself succeeding, you fool your brain into thinking you’ve achieved your goal already, and it releases some dopamine.  Yes, it is tricky.

The psychological aspect works a bit differently.  Have you ever bought a new car and suddenly noticed the same make and model everywhere as you drive down the road?  Have you ever said to yourself after purchasing a Ford Taurus, for example, Wow, I never realized there were so many Taurus’ on the road?

Your reticular activating system or RAS is now focused on your new Taurus, and you notice every Taurus on the road.  Your RAS is a series of neurons in your brain that filter out unnecessary stuff, which allows you to focus only on what’s important.  When you buy a new car, you’re excited and think a lot about it as you drive down the road.  Your RAS filters out, unconsciously, of course, the cars around you and zeros in on the ones like yours.

Coaches teach athletes to visualize desired outcomes because it trains their RAS to filter out failure and focus on success.  Professional basketball players visualize their shot going in the basket.  Visualization increases the odds of making the point because it filters out all the noise and distractions created by the fans and other players designed to make them miss.  Golfers also visualize their shots going down the middle of the fairway or in the hole because it filters out everything else like water, sand, and the rough.

When I teach people how to set and achieve goals, one of the things I do is have them create goals boards.  As part of the preparation process, I have my boxes of old magazines and tell the attendees to bring as many magazines as they can find.  It doesn’t matter what it is.  Any magazine will do.  In this way, we always end up with an excellent assortment.  Everyone in the class gets a poster board, pair of scissors, and a glue stick.  As you’ll see later, this is a crucial step near the end of the goal-setting process.  Participants find pictures representing their goals in the magazines, cut them out, and paste them onto the poster board.  Each one, in turn, presents their board to the group to make a verbal commitment and increase their accountability.  The board then receives a prominent place in the office or home where it will often be seen, reinforcing that filter in the RAS.

Visualization is a powerful tool in the setting and achieving of goals. Share on X Jack Niklaus, arguably the greatest golfer who ever lived, has been quoted as saying, “I never hit a shot, even in practice, without having a very sharp in-focus picture of it in my head.” Here is what I know:

    1. Writing down my goals and having visual reminders that I see often have helped me achieve goals
    2. I have worked with clients who previously never set goals and have used visualization and the process I teach to achieve things they had never thought possible.

Whether or not there are statistics to support these facts is irrelevant.  I have seen the process work over and over with individuals and teams.  If you and your team want to begin reaching new heights of achievement and have fun in the process, this is how you do it.

[1] J. Peterson.  2018.  “How to Set Goals the Smart Way  .”www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WX9UEYZsR8&t=3s

Thank you for visiting our blog.

 

Jim Weber, Managing Partner – ITB Partners

Jim Weber – Managing Partner,  ITB Partners

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.