Jennifer McClure`

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Written by Jennifer McClure

How to Make Work Suck Less By Making It Fun with Jeff Harry

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 067

These days, every workplace expert and futurist worth their salt is talking about The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, burnout, and dwindling employee engagement levels.

Some are even offering solutions to these problems, including showing more empathy, focusing on improving access to mental health benefits, offering more workplace flexibility, and suggesting increased communication from leadership.

But I’ve not heard anyone suggesting that we can address these issues through introducing more play and fun in the workplace – until I met today’s guest, Jeff Harry of Rediscover Your Play.

Jeff is passionate about making work suck less, and he does this by assisting leaders in building a workplace where individuals learn how to tap into their true selves, to feel their happiest and most fulfilled–all through play!

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

  • The two questions to ask your leaders to understand your company culture.
  • The difference between forced fun, and introducing play in the workplace.
  • Why allowing yourself to get bored is the key to unlocking creativity and innovation.
  • How to address quiet quitting through play.
  • Why psychological safety is required before introducing fun or play into the workplace.
  • The reason why meetings suck, and what you can do to fix it.
  • How what drove you back when you were a kid can really answer  questions like “How do you  want to show up in the world?”
  • How can you cultivate the next great idea?
  • How to add more play to your grown-up life.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 67

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“What is the worst behavior you are currently tolerating [in your workplace]? Because that sets the tone, that sets the culture.” ~ @Jeff Harry

“Allow yourself to get bored the way you got bored as a kid. And then, when you get bored and…you’re not being inundated by information or not looking at information, then just see what ideas start to come up.” ~ @Jeff Harry

“Challenge the status quo because clearly it’s not working for a majority of people if we have such high disengagement, such high absenteeism and, such a movement around like anti-work or Quiet Quitting.” ~ @Jeff Harry

People & Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Workplace from Meta

Rediscover Your Play 

Jeff Harry LinkedIn 

Play-Well TEKnologies – Teaching Engineering to Kids

Gary Ware – Breakthrough Play

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 67: Building a Culture of Mindfulness and Supporting Employee Mental Health with Headspace CPO Désirée Pascual

Braver Angels

harkness.ai

Lauren Yee – Cultivator of Curiosity

Show Sponsor:

This episode of the Impact Makers Podcast is sponsored by Workplace from Meta.

Everybody’s talking about the metaverse these days, but Workplace from Meta is different – I mean, the clue’s in the name, right?

Workplace is a business communication tool that uses features like instant messaging and video calls to help people share information. Think Facebook, but for your company.

It’s part of Meta’s vision for the future of work – a future in which your job isn’t just something you do, but something you EXPERIENCE. A future in which we’ll all feel more present, connected, and productive.

Start your journey into the future of work at workplace.com/future.

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Employee Engagement, Leadership, Podcast
Posted on October 20, 2022

Written by Jennifer McClure

Building a Culture of Mindfulness and Supporting Employee Mental Health with Headspace CPO Désirée Pascual

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 066

Whether the topic is the increased demand for flexible work, the Great Resignation, or something called Quiet Quitting, the common theme in all of these areas impacting the workplace today is a need to increase our focus on supporting employee well-being and mental health.

The question is “how”?

In this episode, I’m joined by Désirée Pascual, the Chief People Officer at Headspace Health, a digital mental health company. As a trained psychologist, she specializes in organizational and group dynamics focusing on communication and conflict resolution.

Informed by human-centered design principles and data-driven inquiry, Désirée is committed to curating joyful and resilient workplace cultures where employees are empowered to do their best work.

Désirée shares great insights and practical action steps we can take as leaders to support our own mental health, and that of our employees.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

  • The importance of creating psychological safety in the workplace to allow people to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work.
  • How leaders can address and prevent burnout – for themselves, and also for their team members.
  • Steps we can all take to create a more mindful culture in our companies.
  • How diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts link to mental health in the workplace.
  • What leaders can do to destigmatize use of mental health benefits.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 65

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“One of the things that we really have to focus on as leaders and as organizations is to create the psychological safety for people to bring as much of who they really are into the workplace.” ~ @Désirée Pascual

“When we accomplish moving closer to that goal post of people feeling safe bringing their whole selves to work, the result will be deeper conversations, stronger relationships–not just among coworkers, but also as it relates how you serve your members or your clients as an organization.” ~ @Désirée Pascual

“As leaders we are really called to model what healthy looks like, what safe looks like, and that includes being open about needing mental health support or mental health days off.” ~ @Désirée Pascual

People & Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Meta from Workplace

Désirée Pascual on LinkedIn

Headspace Health

Headspace for Work

Leadership Workshop Series from Headspace Health

Workforce Attitudes Toward Mental Health Annual Report from Headspace Health

Show Sponsor:

This episode of the Impact Makers Podcast is sponsored by Workplace from Meta.

Everybody’s talking about the metaverse these days, but Workplace from Meta is different – I mean, the clue’s in the name, right?

Workplace is a business communication tool that uses features like instant messaging and video calls to help people share information. Think Facebook, but for your company.

It’s part of Meta’s vision for the future of work – a future in which your job isn’t just something you do, but something you EXPERIENCE. A future in which we’ll all feel more present, connected, and productive.

Start your journey into the future of work at workplace.com/future.

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Personal Development, Podcast
Posted on October 6, 2022

Written by Jennifer McClure

Leaders Can Drive Employee Engagement, the Pandemic Showed Us How

Group of engaged employeesI don’t know if you’re like me, but I still find it hard to believe the world changed completely for all of us just over two and half years ago.

My business as a professional speaker and trainer went from “best-year-ever!” status to a big fat zero over three weeks. But I had friends and colleagues whose businesses thrived. Some even achieved their best year ever. Those who did were successful because they pivoted quickly to meet new demands and address new customer needs.

Many business leaders I’ve spoken with have learned valuable lessons over these years. They’ve learned about resilience, their ability to do and achieve hard things, and the importance of connecting people with a shared purpose in their work, even if only to survive and to keep moving forward another day.

So, as leaders, what can we learn from the recent past to prepare us – and our teams – for the dynamic future ahead?

Reflect on what went right, what went wrong, and celebrate too

One exercise I suggest is to take the time to review what went right – and what went wrong – in terms of how your organization responded when the World Health Organization declared the global pandemic on March 11, 2020.

That was a Wednesday. Your workplace probably looked very different by Monday morning. Just four days later, you were either working from home, or masked and gloved if your workplace was deemed an essential service.

Of course, none of this process went smoothly. But whether it took a few days, weeks (or even months), your organization figured out how to navigate the “new normal.”

Since then, we’ve all been through a lot. But I hope you also take the time to celebrate what you and your teams were able to accomplish, even if it wasn’t pretty or ideal.

What surprised me most but made perfect sense

One of the things I found most interesting about the world of work during the “new normal” was the bump in employee engagement that followed the shutdown.

Organizations like Energage, the research arm behind the nation’s Top Workplaces program, reported engagement among award-winning companies (and those that aspire to be) jumped to 71 percent following several stagnant months in the low to mid-60s.

(If those engagement numbers sound high to begin with, they are. That’s because Top Workplaces typically achieve engagement levels double the national average.)

Read More: Employees Did Plenty of Soul-Searching in 2021

What caused the engagement jump amid chaos

There are many theories as to why employee engagement made a positive leap during a decidedly not positive time. Energage research revealed the primary contributor: increased frequency and quality of communication.

If you think back to those unprecedented times, I’m willing to bet this was probably true for your workplace too. Leaders were holding frequent meetings via Zoom or Teams to share what they knew to be true that day and what plans were for tomorrow.

They checked in on employees more frequently to ensure they had the resources to do their jobs – and to ask if they were okay. Leaders were also more available to answer employee questions. We found creative ways to stay connected. Employees felt appreciated. They felt valued.

Am I right?

In other words, as leaders, we were more visible and accessible during the crisis than ever before. That’s what brought people together in the workplace. More than ever before.

But then engagement slipped away … again

Unfortunately, there was little time for celebrating those record-high engagement numbers. According to Energage, employee engagement numbers dropped back to pre-pandemic levels by September 2020. And they’ve remained there ever since.

Ugh, what happened?

Many things, including the George Floyd killing in May 2020 and the resulting tensions related to racial injustice felt worldwide. Add to that increased layoffs, closed businesses, hope followed by disappointment, plus increasing fatigue from stress and change.

Employee (and leader) burnout was – and is – real. As companies struggle with how to deal with burnout, its effects are wreaking havoc as we continue through the Great Resignation and Great Reset.

All of this resulted in leaders communicating less with their employees than in the beginning months of the pandemic. Unfortunately, as employee communication reverted to pre-pandemic “normal,” so did employee engagement.

Maybe you had a similar experience. Communication increased, employees felt well-informed, people pulled in the same direction. But as new routines emerged, energy dissipated, communication waned, and check-ins became less frequent. And so did the sense of connection.

If this sounds familiar, consider the actions you can take to improve employee engagement. We did it once and we can do it again.

Why leaders should care about employee engagement in first place

Employee engagement is essential for a variety of reasons. Generally, employee engagement drives performance and retention. When employees are engaged, they want to stay with the company and give their best every day to help achieve company goals. They’re also willing to recommend and refer others to your organization. And a lack of engagement is one of the reasons why employees quit.

Read more: What Is Employee Engagement, and Why Is It Important?

As we proceed through 2022, many companies struggle to keep their best people and attract top talent. Taking steps to improve employee engagement is a worthy investment. It makes good business sense. You’ll make a positive impact on your culture as well as your company’s bottom line. Not to mention, employee engagement is one of the qualities of a great workplace. Remember when I said Top Workplaces achieve engagement levels that are double the national average?

The pandemic taught us two ways to improve employee engagement

Don’t forget: Visibility + Accessibility = Engagement

Combining research and firsthand experience we gained from the pandemic, here are two action steps you can take – starting now – to make a positive impact on employee engagement:

1. Reinvest in meaningful communication and connection

In the early days of the pandemic, many leaders were more visible and accessible to their employees than ever before, which was a factor in increased employee engagement. It’s important to think beyond weekly or monthly team meetings and to look for ways to check in on your people individually. Yes, even if you have a large team.

Look at your calendar and set aside time for formal and informal team and individual communication, even if it’s just to ask how people are doing and if they need any support or resources in their work or life.

Remote and hybrid work environments require leaders to initiate communications since there are fewer opportunities for hallway conversations, impromptu chats after meetings, or the occasional drop-ins to ask a quick question.

Read More: Remote Employee Engagement – Challenges, Activities, & Ideas

2. Make employee appreciation and recognition part of your culture

Challenge yourself to recognize and appreciate your team members more often. I know, I know. You think you’re doing a great job with that already. Most of us do. But most of us are wrong.

Consider these stats:

  • Only 67 percent believe the people who deserve recognition actually receive it. That suggests a huge gap between who we’re recognizing and what employees want to see. (Energage)
  • 29 percent say they’d willingly give up a week’s worth of pay for more recognition from their employer. (Bonusly)
  • When employee recognition isn’t prioritized, many employees (61 percent) feel underappreciated. (Energage)
  • Employees who feel appreciated are 5x more connected to their workplace culture. (Workhuman)

Early in my leadership journey, one of my team members took the time to give me some valuable feedback when turning in her resignation. She was leaving because she didn’t feel like I knew what she did in her day-to-day work.

After being initially confused by that statement – I mean, I assigned her the work, so I assumed it meant I knew what she was doing – I asked her to tell me more. It turns out that what she really meant was that she didn’t feel appreciated for the work that she was doing.

At that time, my leadership style was similar to how I liked to be managed: When we agree on what needs to be accomplished, you can leave me alone, and I’ll get it done. If I need you, I know where to find you.

Thankfully, this person took the time to teach me a valuable lesson as a leader. Not everyone wants to be managed like me. And EVERYONE wants to feel valued and appreciated.

As a result of our conversation, I set a personal goal to become more intentional about showing appreciation for my team. I asked about the projects they were working on and offered my support, even if they didn’t ask. I put time blocks on my calendar to connect informally with each team member each week for this very reason.

Setting a goal and planning to recognize and appreciate my team members ensured that it happened. As the saying goes, what gets scheduled, gets done. Don’t leave employee recognition and appreciation to chance. It can and does make a difference.

We’ve got this

A lot has happened in our lives and the workplace over the past couple of years. But if we can learn from what worked – and what didn’t – we can ensure that this difficult period in our history helped us to grow and do better as leaders for our people.

Categories: Effective Communication, Employee Engagement, Leadership
Posted on August 29, 2022

Written by Jennifer McClure

Two Action Steps You Can Take as a Leader to Increase Employee Engagement

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 059

Quick question: when was the last time you asked each of your team members how they’re doing – like how are they REALLY doing?

You never really know how that ONE question can create a massive impact on your company.

As a leader, you want to be able to prepare yourself and your team for this dynamic future of work. And one of the key metrics that you need to invest in is employee engagement.

A Gallup study found that while employee engagement increased in May 2020, it was followed by a significant drop the next month, and a 2022 survey by Bonusly revealed that 63% of workers feel unappreciated by their employer on a daily basis, and 59% of people felt that they have NEVER had a boss who “truly appreciates” their work.

The good news is that the world is ever-changing, and so is the future of work.

In this episode, I’m sharing two Action Steps that you can implement immediately to make a positive impact, and likely affect the engagement levels of your team.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:​​

  • Reviewing your response to when the global pandemic was declared
  • The Gallup reports on the “rise and fall” in employee engagement between May 2020 and June 2020
  • Ensuring visibility and accessibility in your team
  • Appreciating your team members consistently
  • Creative ways to be more intentional about recognizing your team members

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 059

People & Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Workplace from Meta

“Employee Engagement Continues Historic Rise Amid Coronavirus”

“Historic Drop in Employee Engagement Follows Record Rise”

Survey Says: Appreciation Matters More Than You Think

Energage

Lazlo Bock

Humu

Show Sponsor:

This episode of the Impact Makers Podcast is sponsored by Workplace from Meta.

Everybody’s talking about the metaverse these days, but Workplace from Meta is different – I mean, the clue’s in the name, right?

Workplace is a business communication tool that uses features like instant messaging and video calls to help people share information. Think Facebook, but for your company.

It’s part of Meta’s vision for the future of work – a future in which your job isn’t just something you do, but something you EXPERIENCE. A future in which we’ll all feel more present, connected, and productive.

Start your journey into the future of work at workplace.com/future.

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Categories: Podcast
Posted on August 16, 2022

Written by Jennifer McClure

The Greatest Story Ever Told, And What It Says About Leadership And Culture

I’m on a plane today, traveling to speak to Human Resources leaders at a conference about The Future of HR.

This is what I love to do, and I’m blessed to be able to have a career where my primary purpose is to encourage, equip, and inspire  business leaders of all kinds – not just HR – to embrace the future of work, and leverage their influence to create positive, lasting change.

I fully believe leaders have a tremendous opportunity to positively impact the lives of those that they lead and serve on a daily basis – not just through their actions, but also through establishing a culture where people can thrive, and use their gifts and talents in ways that move our businesses forward.

Company cultures are complex, multi-faceted, and ever evolving, but I’m a firm believer that you can learn a lot about a company’s culture, and their leadership, through the stories that employees tell. I agree with New York Times best-selling author, and marketing and customer service expert Jay Baer, when he says:

Everything great in marketing starts with great inside-out storytelling that values employees, because that is the hallmark of a strong organizational culture.

That’s why, when I came across this video today from the “HR Storytellers” series produced by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), I had to share it. It features my good friend and mentor Steve Browne, Executive Director of Human Resources at LaRosas, Inc., – a regional, family-owned pizzeria chain, and one of Cincinnati’s iconic and beloved brands.

I love this story.

I love that it’s representative of the leadership and culture at a company carrying the beliefs and actions of its iconic Founder into the future of work – and never losing sight of what makes their businesses unique and successful – their people, and their stories.

Your company’s stories can be a powerful tool in your recruiting and retention efforts, and they can radically affect employee engagement.

Please take 9 minutes to watch this video, and really listen to the story Steve tells. Then, think about your own company.

What stories can you tell?

Want to get more great stories from Steve, and learn how you can increase your effectiveness as a leader by focusing on the humans in your workplace? Get a copy of his first book HR on Purpose: Developing Deliberate People Passion. It’s available for order online through the SHRM Book Store. 

Categories: Effective Communication, Employee Engagement, Leadership
Posted on September 18, 2017

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