The pandemic brought up a global acceleration in technology adoption as well as the needs of flexible but consistent integration schemes (integration between long- and short-term strategies, integration of business channels and acumens, global and local approaches).
The New Normal is about adjusting the future right now. It’s a temporary trend that pulls future outcomes on current needs. From now on, there will always be a new kind of “new normal,” with a different level of complexity, that both employees and companies will have to deal with.
How should companies support people’s future helping them gain the skills for the next scenario?
In order to embrace transformation and business evolution, people management should be about strategic skills-mapping and a careful workforce plan. The workforce assessment opens the opportunity to quantify long-term talent requirements by assessing successions needs and roles competencies. Particularly, development plans and talent management are part of the circular strategy ensuring company vitality.
How are companies facing transformation?
Replacing people or firing them is definitely not a long-term solution. Excellent companies are setting up dedicated Talent Development programs towards upskilling and reskilling projects. Running upskilling programs means to strive for people in the adoption of new skills for covering their current positions. Competitive companies that are focusing on re-building the organization frames are running reskilling programs for enabling people to pick up new skills for a completely different job. Reskilling and upskilling culture is successful if leadership promotes a learning culture and if HR processes, such as talent management and performance assessment, are aligned with the business company strategy. Competitive companies encourage employees to adopt a continuous-growth mindset.
Companies that have yet to revise or build their Talent Management strategy are leaving employees on a self-directed approach, holding more traditional options or random skills development solutions.
Nowadays, Talent or Employer value proposition is not only a matter of Why, “Why should an employee choose to work in your company instead of another one?”, but it is also a matter of “main features” in terms of What, “What should your company have for attracting employees?” Thinking about future situations in which people can maximize their performance could bring up the same advice from the most important Organizational Development Theories:
Company Culture: it creates the conditions to thrive Talent
Excellent Leaders: coaches and facilitators with strong ethic Values, with the abilities to motivate, enable, and integrate a group of people towards common goals.
Sustainability: global attention to the impact of the company.
Long-term Strategy: integrated with an agile approach.
Transparency: creating the environment for more fluid feedback conversations between leadership and employees.
Consistent Competencies Models: ensure meritocracy and trust.
Listed above are HR strategies and decisions that, of course, cannot solely run on Excel spreadsheets. People are not file records: they act and react, choose, think, feel and communicate. Employees’ behavior is not 100% predictable and leaders should take into consideration people’s unique qualities and mannerisms. HR foundation skills are about creating a big picture of the environment, consistently communicating, translating old procedures into on-line and digital tools, analyzing data, and thinking prospectively. It is also important to point out one of the most strategic HR features: a strong cross-functional collaboration.
The inspirational and visionary value that a new HR style could bring is collaborating with marketing in terms of reputation and communication: “One of the most important company customers are its own employees”. With HR being a business function, the operative value could be strictly collaborating with the finance department as well as interpreting reports and complex data towards the market needs.
Leaders, in general, should take into consideration their actions and responses. Poor decisions in people management could result in varied employee reactions that could cost reputation, trust and money. A weak HR vision could beget huge risks and costs for organizations.
Nowadays, investing in young people should not just be a slogan, but the best strategy companies should adopt to grow, innovate and gain competitive advantages over their competitors. Regarding Consea Head Hunting's experience in managing recruitment processes with the younger generation, a certain rigidity shown by candidates is emerging, expressed especially in terms of demands related to hybrid working opportunities, career plans and business ethics. As a result, there is often a significant lack of motivation and engagement when faced with an offer that fails to detail or satisfy these aspects.
WHAT CAN ORGANIZATIONS DO?
To make themselves more attractive to the younger generation, companies should first of all understand what is actually being sought, and in this regard, there is an increasing emergence of the importance for young people being able to identify with company values in terms of sustainability (environmental, valuing diversity, inclusive approach and equity), ethics, training (with an important focus on soft skills, skills that can become an asset to the individual and not just a direct benefit to the company as is the case with technical skills), policies for investing in resources and sharing the expected goals and their consequent development plans envisaged not only in terms of vertical growth, but also about involvement in initiatives, task forces and projects aimed at the well-being of the internal community. Equally important seems to be the attention paid to the work-life balance, flexibility and wellbeing policies within the organization.
In terms of attraction and retention, an important role is played by the organization's external communication as the new generations put great importance to the company's website and its presence on social networks as well as, in general, its web reputation.
COMPANY AS COMMUNITY
This focus is symptomatic of the fact that nowadays the company is no longer considered a mere workplace, on the contrary, it increasingly constitutes a real community for new generations, who can appreciate opportunities of involvement that can allow them to come closer and share experiences with other employees belonging not only to different areas or functions, but also to different generations; of this a significant example could be reverse mentoring.
BETRAYAL OR OPENNESS TO CHANGE?
In conclusion, we can highlight one more peculiarity: increasingly, new generations are experiencing change as a development opportunity to enrich their skills and, therefore, the decision to leave one company for another should not be experienced as a betrayal; on the contrary, it would be much more functional for the organization to maintain relations with the resource who has changed reality by opting for a new context. This attitude could generate future opportunities for a new encounter and possible opportunities to reintegrate the resource, enriched by the new experiences gained in the meantime.
Authors:
Sara Ruffinatti – Senior Consultant & Executive Coach
Marzia Pio – Junior Consultant at Consea Executive Search
The current digital context that our global society is facing has a significant impact on the development of new business and management models for organizations. The changes are taking place so quickly that the survival of many companies and businesses is at stake if they do not join the digital age. The change is taking place both in social and personal relationships as well as in our consumers, in our public of interest and in the collaborators of the organizations.
Digital transformation is the combination of business strategy and operations with technological innovation, as well as the design of new services (or the redesign of existing ones) to rapidly increase productivity and growth in the value chain: business models , products, customer experience and operations. . .
Similarly, the attraction and retention of talent is a great challenge in this process for organizations. People are increasingly digital, therefore, digital skills are becoming the core of the needs of all organizations and sectors.
It is essential to understand and know how to analyze the situation in which we currently live. The skill lies in being close to our target audience to give them exactly what they need. Personalization, simplicity and immediacy are some of the keys to face this new stage.
Products and services have undergone a true revolution, and value-added services that take advantage of new technologies to generate a direct impact on the customer experience will continue to appear. The optimization of channels and processes as well as the change of the internal culture of companies is a priority in this dizzying digital age.
There are many opportunities and threats that this new scenario poses for companies, for this reason, most organizations are turning to new skills and leadership to successfully drive this transition.
It is due to this accelerated transition that at Consea Group we carefully study and analyze our opportunities for the implementation of new technologies, which have allowed us to facilitate and streamline the development of our processes, migrating a large percentage of face-to-face work to remote, innovating and positively adapting to this new organizational culture, which as a result has streamlined and strengthened contact and experience with colleagues, clients and candidates (local and global).
Authors:
Enríque Pedroza - Business Development Manager, Consultor Senior & Headhunter
Satisfaction in the workplace: How does work affect our happiness?
A good atmosphere in the workplace, satisfying salary and interesting challenges undoubtedly affect the attractiveness of our professional life. But is it only professional?
Work is an inseparable part of our life and has a huge impact on it. Our frequent profession defines us as a person. When asked "who are you?" we usually immediately mention our job title.
Duties, relationships with employees, successes, but also failures penetrate into our private lives. It's hard to completely cut yourself off from what's going on in the workplace. That is why it is so important that what we do professionally gives us a sense of fulfillment and provides financial security.
How to achieve "wellbeing" in the workplace?
"Wellbeing" is defined as a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment of an employee. It is related to providing them with opportunities for development and safe working conditions. Additional benefits are an added value, but they will not replace the appropriate organizational culture of the company.
How to provide employees with comfort of work?
First of all, monitor their satisfaction and create an environment in which every employee will feel free to say what bothers them. Surveys or individual conversations of employees with the HR Manager can help with this.
The next step is to implement appropriate action: these can be platforms providing consultations with a psychologist, organizing fitness classes (e.g. yoga) – activities, which can help the employee take their thoughts off the multitude of duties.
Every company and its needs are different. Especially after the pandemic, which made the hybrid model a permanent feature of many organizations. It is important to match the right tool and use it to create a workplace that will make the employee satisfied.
Generation Y and Z – can they enjoy their work?
Rocketjobs.pl conducted research in Poland to check the importance of work in the respondent's life and whether it is also their passion.
52% of people declared that working is an important part of their lives, while 30% say that there are other more important things they focus on.
The results are the same when it comes to perception of the profession as a passion – 52% treat their work in this way, and 30% of respondents do not include their job as a hobby.
6 out of 10 people say they are happy at work. While 1 out of 5 people feel – quite the opposite.
The survey has also shown which aspects of working life are important for Generation Y and Z.
The most important factors turned out to be: salary, flexible working time, development prospects, the possibility of remote work, work dynamics, prestige of work, and good relations with co-workers.
It turns out that 51% of respondents from generation Z and 3 out of 5 respondents from generation Y are very satisfied with their level of salary.
The younger the respondents, the more they valued flexible working hours and development prospects. Work dynamics, prestige of the profession and relationships with colleagues are equally important for the respondents – regardless of their age.
The employees were also asked about the reason for choosing a job and the most important thing for them is still the salary. Nowadays, this should not surprise us at all: inflation makes people want to feel financially secured. Additional benefits take a back seat – employees definitely prefer a larger payment than a gym membership. However, this does not mean, that other things – such as a good atmosphere and appropriate organizational culture – should be neglected. If they are at a low level, the employee without remorse will go to the competition.
What is "gainful employment"?
"Gainful employment" is a situation in which the employee is materially self-sufficient thanks to their earnings. They are able to cover all needs (paying for housing, food, healthcare, but also education, culture, etc.), and thus derive full satisfaction from life.
In order for an employee to strive for such a state, they should have access to:
Courses and education – having skills that are in demand in the labor market will allow one to develop professionally and, as a result, receive a promotion.
Professional experience – this includes apprenticeships, internships, volunteering, i.e. everything that will allow someone to learn new things.
Network of contacts – being active in social media and participating in fairs, conferences, interesting events.
CV – an up-to-date document that presents our current skills. Before the recruitment interview, it is also good to get to know employer's profile.
Job search "out of the box" – it is nice sometimes to get out of the comfort zone and in addition to the standard application on the Internet, make direct contact with recruiters using LinkedIn.
Summary
One’s profession does not have to be life’s greatest passion, but it is important to approach one’s duties with a motivation.
This is important, not only from the point of view of the employee themself, but also for the employer. A company that provides its people with appropriate development conditions and attractive salary has a better chance of keeping a good employee for a long time.
However, research has shown that not everyone feels happy in the workplace – this is important information for many organizations in the labor market. Employers can reliably check whether their employees feel good and implement the necessary solutions.
It turns out that it is the youngest, (generation Z), that forces employers to make the most changes. Representatives of this generation are confident and openly signal what they disagree. They suggest to employers what they would like to improve or achieve. If they don't get it, they change jobs without any regrets. Gen Z doesn't want to waste time on something that doesn't bring them satisfaction. They also emphasize the so-called „work-life balance” – a sense of peace and disconnection from professional matters after working hours is extremely important to Generation Z.
Every person strives to achieve happiness - for everyone it has a different meaning but work is an inseparable element of everyone’s lifes and it is important to take care of fulfillment there also.
Follow Consea Group on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest news about well-being in the workplace.
Authors:
Iga Paszkiewicz - Recruitment Consultant Consea Executive Search, Poland
Read the article in Polish:
Jak praca wpływa na nasze poczucie szczęścia?
Dobra atmosfera w miejscu pracy, satysfakcjonujące wynagrodzenie oraz ciekawe wyzwania niewątpliwie wpływają na atrakcyjność naszego życia zawodowego. Ale czy tylko zawodowego?
Praca jest nieodłączną częścią naszego życia i ma na nie ogromny wpływ. Często wykonywany przez nas zawód definiuje nas jako osobę. Na pytanie „kim jesteś?” zazwyczaj od razu wspominamy o naszej profesji. Dopiero potem pojawiają się kolejne elementy i cechy, które nas opisują.
Obowiązki, relacje z pracownikami, sukcesy, ale i porażki przenikają do naszego prywatnego życia. Ciężko jest całkowicie odciąć się od tego, co dzieje się w miejscu pracy. Dlatego tak ważne jest, by to, co robimy sprawiało nam przyjemność, poczucie spełnienia oraz zapewniało bezpieczeństwo finansowe.
Jak osiągnąć „wellbeing” w miejscu pracy?
„Wellbeing” definiujemy jako poczucie zadowolenia i spełnienia pracownika. Jest ono związane z zapewnieniem mu możliwości rozwoju oraz bezpiecznych warunków pracy.
Dodatkowe benefity czy tzw. „owocowe czwartki” to wartość dodana, ale nie zastąpią pracownikowi odpowiedniej kultury organizacyjnej firmy.
Jak zapewnić pracownikom komfort pracy?
Przede wszystkim monitorować jego zadowolenie oraz kreować środowisko, w którym każdy zatrudniony będzie czuł się swobodnie, by powiedzieć, co mu nie odpowiada. Mogą w tym pomóc ankiety, badania lub indywidualne rozmowy pracowników z HR Managerem.
Następnym krokiem jest wdrożenie odpowiedniego działania: mogą to być platformy zapewniające konsultacje z psychologiem, zorganizowanie krótkich zajęć (np. joga), które pomogą pracownikowi oderwać swoje myśli od natłoku obowiązków.
Każda firma i jej potrzeby są inne. Zwłaszcza po pandemii, która sprawiła, że model hybrydowy zagościł na stałe w wielu organizacjach. Ważne, by dopasować odpowiednie narzędzie i za jego pomocą kreować miejsce pracy, które sprawi, że pracownik będzie czuł się w nim spełniony.
Pokolenie Y i Z – czy potrafią cieszyć się z pracy?
Rocketjobs.pl przeprowadziło badania, które miały na celu sprawdzić, jak ważna jest praca w życiu respondenta i czy jest ona również jego pasją.
52% osób zadeklarowało, że praca stanowi istotną część ich życia, 30% twierdzi, że są inne ważniejsze rzeczy, na których się skupiają.
Podobnie było w kwestii postrzegania zawodu jako pasji – 52% właśnie w taki sposób traktuje swoją pracę, a 30% ankietowanych nie zalicza swojej profesji do hobby.
6 z 10 osób twierdzi, że jest w pracy szczęśliwa. 1 z 5 osób – wręcz odwrotnie.
W badaniach zbadano również, jakie aspekty związane z życiem zawodowym są ważne dla przedstawicieli generacji Y i Z.
Najważniejsze okazały się: poziom wynagrodzenia, elastyczny czas pracy, perspektywy rozwoju, możliwość pracy zdalnej, odpowiadająca dynamika pracy, prestiż wykonywanej pracy, dobre relacje ze współpracownikami.
Okazuje się, że 51% ankietowych z pokolenia Z oraz 3 z 5 badanych z pokolenia Y jest bardzo zadowolonych z poziomu wynagrodzenia.
Im młodsi są ankietowani, tym bardziej cenią sobie elastyczny czas pracy oraz perspektywy rozwoju. Dynamika pracy, prestiż wykonywanego zawodu oraz relacje ze współpracownikami są ważne w podobnym stopniu dla badanych osób – niezależnie od ich wieku.
Badanych pytano również o powód wyboru pracy i najważniejsza dla nich jest nadal wysokość wynagrodzenia. W obecnych czasach absolutnie nie powinno nas to dziwić. Inflacja powoduje, że każdy z nas chciałby czuć się zabezpieczony finansowo. Dodatkowe benefity schodzą wtedy na drugi plan – pracownicy zdecydowanie bardziej wolą większą wypłatę niż karnet sportowy. Nie oznacza to jednak, że inne kwestie – takie, jak dobra atmosfera oraz odpowiednia kultura organizacyjna powinny być zaniedbane. Jeśli są one na niskim poziomie, pracownik bez wyrzutów sumienia przejdzie do konkurencji.
Czym jest „gainfull employment”?
„Gainfull employment” to sytuacja, w której pracownik dzięki swoim zarobkom jest samowystarczalny materialnie. Jest on w stanie pokryć wszystkie potrzeby (opłacenie mieszkania, żywności, opieki zdrowotnej, ale i edukacji, kultury), a co za tym idzie czerpać pełną satysfakcję z życia.
Aby pracownik dążył do takiego stanu, powinien mieć dostęp do:
Kursów i edukacji – posiadanie umiejętności, które są pożądane na rynku pracy pozwolą na rozwój zawodowy, a w rezultacie otrzymanie awansu.
Doświadczenie zawodowe – zaliczamy do tego praktyki, staż, wolontariat, czyli wszystko, co pozwoli nam na naukę nowych rzeczy.
Sieć kontaktów – bycie aktywnym w social mediach oraz uczestniczenie w targach, konferencjach, ciekawych eventach.
Odpowiednie CV – aktualny dokument, który przedstawia nasze dotychczasowe umiejętności. Przed rozmową rekrutacyjną warto również zapoznać się z profilem pracodawcy.
Poszukiwanie pracy „out of the box” – warto czasami wyjść ze strefy komfortu i oprócz standardowego aplikowania w Internecie, można zadbać o bezpośredni kontakt z rekruterami za pomocą LinkedIn.
Wnioski
Nasz zawód nie musi być naszą największą pasją, ale ważne, by z chęcią i dużą dawką motywacji podchodzić do swoich obowiązków.
Jest to ważne nie tylko z punktu widzenia samego pracownika, ale też pracodawcy. Firma, która zapewnia swoim ludziom odpowiednie warunki rozwoju, atrakcyjne wynagrodzenie oraz poczucie sprawczości na danym stanowisku, ma większą szansę na zatrzymanie u siebie dobrego pracownika.
Badania pokazały jednak, że nie wszyscy odczuwają szczęście w miejscu zatrudnienia. To ważna informacja dla wielu organizacji na rynku pracy. Mogą one w rzetelny sposób sprawdzić czy ich pracownicy czują się dobrze i wdrożyć niezbędne rozwiązania, gdyby badania okazały się być mało optymistyczne.
Okazuje się, że to najmłodsi, czyli generacja Z wymusza na pracodawcach najwięcej zmian. Przedstawiciele tej generacji są pewni siebie i otwarcie sygnalizują to, z czym się nie zgadzają. Sugerują pracodawcom to, co chcieliby usprawnić lub uzyskać. Jeśli tego nie otrzymują, bez mrugnięcia okiem zmieniają pracę. Nie chcą tracić czasu na coś, co nie przynosi im satysfakcji. Podkreślają również tzw. work-life balance – poczucie spokoju i odcięcia się od spraw zawodowych po godzinach pracy jest dla nich niezwykle ważne.
Podsumowując, każdy człowiek dąży do osiągnięcia szczęścia. Dla każdego z nas ma ono inną definicję, ale praca to nieodłączny element naszego życia i warto, by zadbać o nasze spełnienie również tam.
Leverage the Role of Talent Development for Overcoming Acceleration
The pandemic brought up a global acceleration in technology adoption as well as the needs of flexible but consistent integration schemes (integration between long- and short-term strategies, integration of business channels and acumens, global and local approaches).
The New Normal is about adjusting the future right now. It’s a temporary trend that pulls future outcomes on current needs. From now on, there will always be a new kind of “new normal,” with a different level of complexity, that both employees and companies will have to deal with.
How should companies support people’s future helping them gain the skills for the next scenario?
In order to embrace transformation and business evolution, people management should be about strategic skills-mapping and a careful workforce plan. The workforce assessment opens the opportunity to quantify long-term talent requirements by assessing successions needs and roles competencies. Particularly, development plans and talent management are part of the circular strategy ensuring company vitality.
How are companies facing transformation?
Replacing people or firing them is definitely not a long-term solution. Excellent companies are setting up dedicated Talent Development programs towards upskilling and reskilling projects. Running upskilling programs means to strive for people in the adoption of new skills for covering their current positions. Competitive companies that are focusing on re-building the organization frames are running reskilling programs for enabling people to pick up new skills for a completely different job. Reskilling and upskilling culture is successful if leadership promotes a learning culture and if HR processes, such as talent management and performance assessment, are aligned with the business company strategy. Competitive companies encourage employees to adopt a continuous-growth mindset.
Companies that have yet to revise or build their Talent Management strategy are leaving employees on a self-directed approach, holding more traditional options or random skills development solutions.
Nowadays, Talent or Employer value proposition is not only a matter of Why, “Why should an employee choose to work in your company instead of another one?”, but it is also a matter of “main features” in terms of What, “What should your company have for attracting employees?” Thinking about future situations in which people can maximize their performance could bring up the same advice from the most important Organizational Development Theories:
Company Culture: it creates the conditions to thrive Talent
Excellent Leaders: coaches and facilitators with strong ethic Values, with the abilities to motivate, enable, and integrate a group of people towards common goals.
Sustainability: global attention to the impact of the company.
Long-term Strategy: integrated with an agile approach.
Transparency: creating the environment for more fluid feedback conversations between leadership and employees.
Consistent Competencies Models: ensure meritocracy and trust.
Listed above are HR strategies and decisions that, of course, cannot solely run on Excel spreadsheets. People are not file records: they act and react, choose, think, feel and communicate. Employees’ behavior is not 100% predictable and leaders should take into consideration people’s unique qualities and mannerisms. HR foundation skills are about creating a big picture of the environment, consistently communicating, translating old procedures into on-line and digital tools, analyzing data, and thinking prospectively. It is also important to point out one of the most strategic HR features: a strong cross-functional collaboration.
The inspirational and visionary value that a new HR style could bring is collaborating with marketing in terms of reputation and communication: “One of the most important company customers are its own employees”. With HR being a business function, the operative value could be strictly collaborating with the finance department as well as interpreting reports and complex data towards the market needs.
Leaders, in general, should take into consideration their actions and responses. Poor decisions in people management could result in varied employee reactions that could cost reputation, trust and money. A weak HR vision could beget huge risks and costs for organizations.
Portrait of the leader in 2023: six dimensions of effective leadership.
The complexity of today's global challenges requires a renewed focus on what makes an effective leader. For the past 53 years, the World Economic Forum has brought together many public and private sector leaders to collaborate on strategies and solutions.
Leaders today face multiple and interconnected challenges, from economic uncertainty to geopolitical fragmentation to the climate crisis. The complexity of these problems requires the training of certain distinctive traits that help make an effective leader.
Having had the opportunity to meet and observe a fair number of leaders in recent years, we have developed our own simple and practical definition of the key dimensions of effective leadership, identifying 6 distinctive qualities.
Soul: clarity of purpose
Leaders need a clear direction, whatever they choose to do. The driving force behind this purpose may come from deep convictions or values they aspire to live by, or it may come from an ambitious vision they seek to achieve.
Purpose encapsulates the dreams of a leader's life, and its fulfillment helps them define their legacy and leave a positive impact on the world.
Brain: professionalism
Leadership requires the competence and ability to operate successfully to achieve goals. Contextual intelligence is also essential, especially today when we live in a rapidly changing environment.
Leaders must develop the ability to think about systems to see the big picture and connect the dots.
Heart: passion and compassion
The emotional strength behind actions is important. Success can often be difficult to achieve because obstacles can exclude some opportunities. But with passion for their work and their potential impact, as well as compassion for others, leaders can engage individuals, communities, and institutions in a compelling commitment to a common goal.
Muscles: perseverance in translating ideas into action
Effective leaders provide teams and organizations with the energy they need to deliver results and achieve impact.
Purpose, professionalism, and passion can only go so far, if leaders do not also have the strength and perseverance to implement their ideas and bring them to fruition.
Nerves: positive mindset
All leaders encounter adversity, disruptions and many other sources of stress.
Resilience and a positive mindset are key to mastering these situations and emerging even stronger. "Mens sana in corpore sano," a Latin phrase meaning "a healthy mind in a healthy body," is probably the best recipe for resilience, as it emphasizes the power of maintaining a healthy balance in life-mentally, physically and emotionally.
Emotional Intelligence
In conclusion, there are two elements of fundamental focus in being a good leader, an effective leader capable of realizing his or her best vision for self, teams, and the organization:
- the ability to manage one's emotions even and especially when they are consequent to high stress, staying focused on the goal, without allowing unconstructive or negative emotions to distract us;
- the ability to tune in emotionally with one's team members as well, taking charge of the dynamics present and depowering the destructive aspects.
This can all be encapsulated in one expression: emotional intelligence.
All six dimensions of leadership are necessary to successfully deal with the complexity of today's challenges, and through Consea Human Capital Consulting's Executive Coaching we can support executives in their growth process, coaching them to develop role-specific skills as well as their personal leadership.
Today more than ever we need to lead with soul, brain, heart, muscle and nerves!
Authors:
Gabriella Carello – General Manager Consea Human Capital Consulting
A new strategic partnership for Human Capital Consulting
Press release
Consea America and Cometa Coaching Announce Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Human Resources Solutions in North America.
Chicago, March 19th, 2024
In response to the market's ever-evolving demands, Consea America and Cometa Coaching (“Cometa”) are proud to announce their strategic partnership to reshape Human Capital strategies in the US market for Italian and European companies.
This partnership combines Consea America's extensive global experience in talent acquisition and recruitment with Cometa’s prowess in designing and implementing coaching, training and change management programs for individuals and teams. It promises a unique and tailor-made approach to talent management at every lifecycle stage, from recruitment, to development and retention.
"At Consea America, we understand the critical importance of talents in driving organizational success," said Antonella Cerabona, CEO of Consea America. "By joining forces with Cometa Coaching, we are excited to offer our clients a holistic solution that combines recruitment expertise with cutting-edge coaching, communication, and training programs. This offering seamlessly integrates with our established Human Capital Consulting division in Italy, uniting our efforts to expand into the North American market."
Founded on the principles of partnership, integrity, and uniqueness, the value proposition of Consea America and Cometa's collaboration is clear:
Partnership: We believe in partnering with our clients in their talent management projects, offering more than just advisory services. By sharing competencies, resources, and expertise, we work towards a common goal of success.
Integrity: Our commitment to operating from a position of integrity means we listen to our clients, understand their needs, and provide transparent and honest support throughout our engagement.
Uniqueness: We recognize the unique dynamics of each work environment and collaborate with our clients to design and implement talent solutions tailored to their specific needs, considering the cultural differences and main challenges Italian and European companies have when operating in the US Market.
With Consea's 50 years of experience in executive search and Cometa's founder Mariateresa Romeo's two decades of expertise in executive coaching and organizational behavior, clients can trust the depth of knowledge and the breadth of experience this partnership brings.
"Cometa Coaching is dedicated to supporting driven professionals and dynamic organizations in their transformational journeys, unlocking individuals and teams' full potential, and creating nurturing work environments. With Consea America, we share the same belief that people and their contributions are at the heart of any organization," said Mariateresa Romeo, founder of Cometa Coaching. “Through this partnership, we are excited to expand our reach and offer comprehensive solutions that drive lasting organizational impact."
For more information about Consea America and Cometa's strategic partnership and the services they offer, visit www.consea-group.com.
About Consea:
Consea America is part of Consea Group, a global executive search firm with offices in the US and around the world. With 50 years of experience, Consea has supported thousands of small, medium, and large-sized companies in attracting and retaining top managerial talent through a team of experts and consultants.
About Cometa Coaching:
Cometa Coaching, founded by Mariateresa Romeo, an experienced executive coach and organizational behavior professional, is a Leadership Consulting Company. It supports leaders and their teams in navigating professional challenges, improving performance, and creating a work environment that vibrates with sharing, understanding, and collaboration.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Antonella Cerabona, CEO of Consea America - a.cerabona@consea-group.com
Mariateresa Romeo, Founder of Cometa Coaching - mt@cometacoaching.com
Unlocking the Gen Z Code: How Companies Can Attract and Retain Tomorrow’s Talent
In today's rapidly evolving job market, companies are increasingly turning their attention towards attracting and retaining Gen Z candidates. Born into a world of constant connectivity and technological innovation, Gen Z brings a unique set of skills, preferences, and expectations to the table. Understanding what makes this generation tick and embedding it in the employer brand and value proposition is critical for companies looking to thrive in tomorrow's competitive landscape.
Tech-Savvy from Birth
Gen Z is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. Since day one, technology has been an integral part of their lives, from smartphones to social media. As a result, Gen Z is inherently tech-savvy, effortlessly navigating digital tools and platforms for communication, learning, and productivity. For companies looking to appeal to Gen Z candidates, a solid digital presence and innovative use of technology in the workplace are non-negotiables.
The attitude towards new technologies is the field where the clash between generations occurs most often. Except for start-ups and cutting-edge digital companies, most organizations across industries need to create work environments where the older generations, typically in senior and leadership positions, can sustain and adequately address the Gen Zers' optimism and attitude towards using technologies if they want to engage and retain those talents.
Shared Values and Meaningful Work
Gen Zers are more diverse in race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation than any other generation. They prioritize researching inclusive work environments and are sensitive and committed to global topics such as social justice and climate change.
As consumers and employees, Gen Zers choose brands that align with their values. They want to work for companies with a clear social commitment and mission that goes beyond profit. They select a job not only because it meets their financial needs but also because it makes them feel proud and fulfills their purpose.
Creating a corporate culture that reflects the company's mission and values is essential to engaging Gen Z employees. They demand accountability and integrity and tend to abandon workplaces where the declared commitment to inclusion or sustainability, for example, is not encountered in the daily practices and expected behaviors.
Embracing Entrepreneurialism
Unlike previous generations, Gen Z has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Fueled by a desire for independence, creativity, and impact, many Gen Zers are eschewing traditional career paths to forge their way. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder, they are pursuing passion projects and side hustles, leveraging their skills and interests to create meaningful work on their terms. Companies that offer autonomy, creativity, and impact opportunities are more likely to attract and retain Gen Z talent.
To this extent, innovation labs, internal contests to promote problem resolutions, and employee-led initiatives are excellent examples of allowing Gen Z workers to fulfill their aspirations and needs and simultaneously impact the company's success. In addition, new generations seek out organizations that allow employees to have side jobs to pursue their passions, explore their entrepreneurship ideas, and manage them through clear "moonlighting policies" and open communication.
Flexible Work Arrangements
The need for independence of the newest generations of employees also arises in their approach to the work arrangement. Work-life balance is a top priority for Gen Z. They value flexibility and autonomy in their work schedules, preferring hybrid or remote work arrangements that allow them to effectively balance their professional and personal lives. For Gen Z, productivity goals take precedence overclocking in hours at the office. Companies that embrace flexible work policies and prioritize outcomes over input are better positioned to attract and retain top Gen Z talent.
Gen Z workers don't love routines. They appreciate the autonomy of managing their schedule and the opportunity to work from anywhere and in any time zone. They don't appreciate mandatory days in the office and similar prescriptions, as they consider the virtual work environment as effective as the in-person one. However, contrary to what the older generations sometimes believe, Gen Z values face-to-face conversations and the connection created by working in the same room with others as long as they understand the benefit and don't perceive it as an attachment to old working patterns.
Investing in Continuous Learning
In a world where industries constantly evolve and new technologies emerge rapidly, continuous learning is essential for staying competitive. Gen Z recognizes the importance of upskilling and adapting to industry trends and technologies. Companies that invest in employee development and offer opportunities for growth and advancement are more likely to retain Gen Z talent in the long run. They are also more keen to reskill and have the chance to redesign their career path to follow their curiosity and interests. The idea of doing the same type of job or growing in a single direction through their career is not appealing to them; as mentioned before, Gen Z workers seek opportunities to prove themselves and are more open to questioning their choices if they are not in line with their values and needs, than the previous generations.
Whether through training programs, mentorship opportunities, or access to educational resources, companies prioritizing learning and development and offering multiple chances for career paths will stand out in the eyes of Gen Z candidates.
Conclusion
As Gen Z enters the workforce more significantly, companies must adapt their recruitment and retention strategies to meet this generation's unique needs and preferences. To this extent, they must enhance the company's reputation and image as an employer (i.e., employer brand) and communicate internally and externally the benefits, opportunities, and rewards that the company offers and what it expects to have in return from its employees (i.e., employer value proposition) in a way that includes the aspects mentioned above.
This approach is fundamental for a talent strategy that attracts and retains top Gen Z resources, ensuring the company's success in tomorrow's competitive job market.
By partnering with Consea and Cometa Coaching, your organization can receive comprehensive executive coaching, training programs, and advisory services that will equip you to successfully navigate the challenges of managing and engaging a Gen Z workforce.
Authors
Antonella Cerabona, CEO of Consea America
Mariateresa Romeo, Founder of Cometa Coaching
Post-Vacation Stress or #Stresstember – How To Survive Returning To Work After Vacation
Returning to the office in September post-vacation may be a huge shock for many people. Relaxed after a summer rest, they cannot find themselves in their daily routine and are unable to work at full capacity; they have to catch up, meet new responsibilities and prepare for possible changes. Moreover, the weather changes and colder days keep coming! All of this causes enormous stress – employees are depressed, distracted, and deprived of energy and motivation. This year, an additional stress factor is also the ubiquitous coronavirus pandemicand related restrictions, which significantly affect the work environment and everyday life.
In order to overcome September stress, it is worth introducing a few small changes to your everyday life that will positively affect the quality of your work and well-being.
Here are a few of them:
1. Plan your time skillfully and set a priority list
Organize yourself in different areas of life – get an organizer, calendar or application for saving tasks and events and try to update them on regular basis. Prioritize your tasks and consider postponing or even cancelling events. Scheduling duties will help you avoid unnecessary stress and improve your quality of life.
2. Focus on one task
During your work, try to concentrate fully on one task and finish it before starting the next one. Many people consider multitasking to be a very desirable trait by which success can be achieved much easier and faster, however, this belief is wrong – many studies show that multitasking has more disadvantages than advantages. Multitaskers, while performing multiple tasks simultaneously, waste time on trivial things and the efficiency of their work decreases. Thus, they do not save their precious time – they distract faster and make mistakes more often.
3. Be assertive and do not take too much on yourself
Set your limits and do not be afraid to say no. Do not take on too many tasks and activities – try to maintain a balance between work and private life. You can also ask your colleagues for help at any time. You need to give yourself time to get back to your daily routine!
4. Think about the positive aspects of your job
Focus on the positive sides of your work – what values this job brings, what you learn, and which opportunities you have for personal self–development. You work in a great, well–coordinated team and you like what you do? Appreciate it and try to be positive!
5. Take care of your health
Taking care of your health will positively affect your productivity. Eat nutritionally rich meals, do not skip breakfast and avoid junk food! The better we eat, the more efficient and energetic we are. Be sure to get adequate rest, as well – try to sleep at least 7 hours and mantain the same daily bedtime. Also, remember to exercise – choose a sport you like and include it in your schedule. Physical activity releases endorphins that help fight stress and eliminate anxiety.
6. Take time to relax
You cannot forget about time for yourself! If your schedule is very tight, even a few minutes of meditation, a short walk, or a morning coffee within peace and quiet is enough to regenerate your body and mind and get away from your everyday life.
It is very difficult for people working remotely to maintain a work-life balance. As many as 39% of employees admitted that their mental health has suffered as a result of the pandemic (research conducted by Devire).
The biggest problems for employees are the feeling of isolation, monotony, uncertainty, stress. A big shock was the complete change in the mode of work – suddenly we stopped going to offices and were locked in houses (often in a small space that had to become our workplace).
Problems related to remote work
What bothered us most often? Definitely, the lack of work-life balance. It was difficult for the employees to organize their day in an effective way. The responsibilities related to the house took up our time and as a result there were tasks that we had to catch up after "leaving work" (in this case, leaving the room where we put the desk).
Communication between employees was also difficult. As many as 35% did not have the opportunity to exchange knowledge with a colleague. There is also disinformation (35%), and 20% of respondents point to the lack of efficient flow of information with the boss.
Isolation and loneliness
A sense of seclusion is another important aspect. Locked in the house, we were not able to change the environment. The only way was to go for a walk with the dog (which at one point was the ONLY LEGAL possibility to leave the apartment).
Nor can we forget that workers have been isolated from the rest of society together with their families, and this has also been tiring in the long run. Constant attempts to adapt their schedules (meetings) to children's online classes gave rise to conflicts – especially during the first weeks of lockdown.
All this caused a lot of emotions that were difficult to cope with. Each of us faced uncertainty. Every day we asked ourselves questions:
What's next?
How long will it take?
Will my position not be abolished?
2 out of 5 employees admitted that their mental health had been significantly affected – 49% of women and 32% of men. They were mainly young people (18-25 years old). Employees over 55 years of age, thanks to their many years of experience, have coped much better with the effects of the pandemic.
How to take care of employees’ motivation?
The most important thing is to pay attention to the differences between employees. Each of us has different needs, and this is often due to our age range. Generational difference is an important aspect that managers need to pay attention to.
For example, younger people pay attention to the company's profile. For baby boomers and X generation stability is the most important.
Employees’ mental health
The productivity of each employee is largely due to mental balance, which as a result of the pandemic has unfortunately been severely disturbed. The task of the team leader is to detect the problem, build a strategy and try to eliminate it.
For each of us, discipline and clearly set goals are important at work. On the other hand, it is important to have freedom in action and the trust of our boss. In a tricky situation, the employee should know who to go to for help and advice.
The organization should also create a culture that emphasizes the preservation of the already mentioned work-life balance. It is important that employees are taught to organize their work well – as a result, they will not have to spend the night to finish an important project. Each stage of the task will have its own deadline.
Motivation means also benefits – not only financial ones. The attractiveness of a given position and company itself is influenced by the possibility of development (interesting offers of trainings and workshops). Employees are always looking for a way to gain knowledge, and a good leader should provide them with the best possible access to acquire new skills.
Another important aspect is building an integrated community and this is possible – even when working remotely. "Virtual coffees" are a good way to get to know your team members better and a nice way to spend time while working.
What is going to happen next?
The restrictions have long been lifted – even though the virus is still in the air. Many companies have not returned to the traditional mode of work and there are many indications that remote work will stay with us for good.
Saving on renting office space is one thing. The second reason is the lack of enthusiasm of employees at the news of the return to stationary mode of work. As many as 61% of respondents want to work from home! We got used to not rushing in the morning to make it to the bus. We do not have to deal with the traffic.
Consea and its Consulting Department aim to lead companies and help them implement a culture of attention to issues such as work-life balance or promoting DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies. We strongly believe that this goal has such a positive impact on the high level of motivation and productivity of employees working for organizations that have trusted us.
Authors:
Iga Paszkiewicz - Recruitment Consultant w Consea Executive Search
HR China: 5 steps to supporting employees during organizational changes
Geopolitical challenges, tightening of China-US relationship, and China’s Zero Covid Policy have disrupted the current economic environment, reshaping supply chain and driving changes on businesses. Indeed, many companies are rebuilding their organization structure on operational level – hybrid work model - and on structural level – mergers & acquisitions, split-off or closure of business.
Changes in the business model have an impact on the overall operations of the company and on its employees, redesigning workflow, potentially affecting employees’ roles, scope of responsibilities, location, and in worst-case scenario, laying off people.
In a scenario where disruptions and changes are the agenda, Human Resources are central and critical in designing internal organization restructures, developing, and implementing action plan, and ultimately but most importantly in supporting employees in adapting to changes.
How to support employees in adapting to changes?
We, Consea Group, have highlight 5 key elements for you. (add hyperlink of Consea homepage)
Understand the change
First and foremost, understanding changes is fundamental. Why are we changing, what needs to be done, how do we move from point A to point B, are key questions you need to have answers to. Without knowing the whys, it is difficult to believe and drive the changes.
Effective communication
Once identified the whys, action plan and how, take time to communicate and explain it to your employees. Consistency and clear communication are essential. Do not limit to simply informing them, rather make sure they understand the reasons behind and be present for their doubts and concerns.
Remember the intangible
Organization changes have impact on the personal level too! Remember the emotional and intangible elements. Have the leadership to speak first. Ask them to share with the team how they interpret the changes, what are their thoughts. Create connection and a support system where employees feel safe to share their own experiences, by letting leaders showing up first.
Un-learn and Re-learn
Often, changes are seen as threaten to an already established and functioning system. It is human to show resistance and refusal to changes as it is mining what is familiar to step into the unknown. Thus, it is important first to un-learn behaviors, patterns, and systems in order to re-learn during time of changes and building resilience.
Involve, collaborate, co-create in times of changes
To facilitate the transition, involving, collaborating, and co-creating with employees during and after the changes give employees ownership in the change, consequently becoming more likely to support said change. Moreover, it helps to find synergies and eliminate/limit complexities.
Changes can be intimidating, but with the right combination of knowledge, communication, leadership and environment, HR and companies can support their employees and ensure a smoother transition during changes.
Authors:
Valentina Meng – Recruitment Consultant & China Social Media Manager
Chiara Altomonte – General Manager and Head of the Fashion & Retail division
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