Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom The Coolest New Trend in Office Space

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom The Coolest New Trend in Office Space The pond is cool and still. The trees sway gently. The walking paths curve invitingly over rolling green hills. Every now and then, some form of wildlife peaks out to catch some sun. No, it’s not a nature preserve. It’s the grounds of your average suburban corporate headquarters. And chances are, there are no people milling about. The place is completely deserted because the employees are hiding out in the sterile, overly air-conditioned office buildings. What is wrong here? At NeoCon, the annual contract furniture industry exposition in Chicago, someone recently dared to ask: Why don’t developers make better use of the premium outdoor space that surrounds their properties? As Elijah Brumback, a reporter for Michigan Business, writes, “Over the years, companies have concentrated on how work is accomplished within an office. But while they’ve provided new office designs to accommodate the mobile workforce, they haven’t paid the same attention to spaces outside the office buildings.” Furniture and industrial designers, however, are now illustrating the value of outdoor office space. Instead of treating it as an afterthought, they are considering what kind of work can be done outdoors and how products can meet the needs of a workforce that is increasingly diverse, digitized and on-the-go. Well Design’s Workaway outdoor pod, for instance, offers an alternative to the cramped cubicle with a cut-out cubic design that can be positioned in parks, plazas and anywhere in between. It features a built-in seat, a work surface and shade, is equipped with WiFi, and can be reserved ahead of time by checking in on a smartphone app. Outdoor workspace offers the fresh air and change of scenery known for helping humans be more productive. It sounds appealing, but is it right for your company? Before hopping on this latest trend, think through the pros and cons as discussed over at the AMEX Open Forum.

How to Keep Your Remote Workers Close

How to Keep Your Remote Workers Close Work-life balance, or flexibility, is a highly desired work option for millennials. So, if you want to extract from this valuable talent pool, offering them telecommuting can be a great recruiting tool. But what happens after you’ve recruited your ideal candidate and they’ve settled into their new jobs at a remote locations? Unfortunately, for some companies remote becomes “out-of-sight and out-of-mind”.  Unless you require frequent on site visits, remote employees can easily become “those guys that work from home”. A lot has been written aimed at telecommuting workers to help them maintain their visibility when working off site. It is a common concern of remote workers that telecommuting will cause them to be overlooked for promotions or bonuses, or to be excluded from important team decisions. They struggle to find ways to keep themselves in their employers minds so that telecommuting doesnt result in career suicide. It is important for telecommuters to make efforts to stay connected. But it’s only fair that employers accept some responsibility for helping them stay connected, as well. It can be easy to think that allowing employees to telecommute is gratifying enough for them, and then forget that they have the same needs your on-site employees have (for recognition, for community, etc.) If this is the case, dont be surprised if you see a decline in morale and loyalty from your remote workers. Why not ask yourself the following questions: Do I reward my on-site staff for exceptional performance? Do I create activities to help my on site employees feeling like they are a team? Do I make myself readily available to my on site employees when they need me? Then why would I do any thing less for my virtual or remote employees? True, managing remote staff does come with unique challenges. Obviously remote workers cant gather in the lunch room or around the water cooler to exchange ideas and small talk. Further, depending on just how remote in location they are, virtual staff may not even be able to attend a company holiday party. However, there are ways you can ensure that your remote workers stay closely connected and feel they are part of the “we” in a team: 1) What can I do for you? For starters, ask remote workers what it is they need. Do they need more communication with you? Although one of the requirements for working remotely usually is the ability to work independently, virtual workers still need human instruction and reassurance from time to time. Make it possible for them to get this, either through a special e-mail or online group that they know you will check at a specified time each day or week. Or, perhaps you could give them weekly scheduled phone time or Skype chat. 2) “A” for effort: Virtual workers are humans who need encouragement and feedback. Note their progress throughout the process of their work as well as the end results. Welcome updates on projects so that they feel noticed. You dont want to make them to feel like youre scrutinizing them, but let them know that you acknowledge they are working hard even when a project isnt yet completed. RELATED:  How to Set AND Achieve Your Personal  Goals 3) It’s a special day! Remember important occasions. A birthday card sent via snail mail is rare these days, even with close friends. Yet this is an inexpensive and very meaningful way to give remote workers a huge boost. How about a congratulatory e-mail noting the anniversary of their employment with the company? And that holiday party they cant attend? Then a gift, a bonus, and a voice message will go a long way in helping them feel a part of the celebration. 4) Is anybody out there? Are your virtual workers able to regularly connect with on-site employees? Investing in video conferencing tools is no longer a luxury, its a must. Communicating with their peers solely by e-mail not only lends to crossed signals, but it is inefficient. Make it possible for all your staff to get together at one time, regardless of their locations. Conclusions: So, you might ask, what do I get out of nurturing my remote employees? Besides remote work being better for your bottom line, you’ll have staff who feel valued and love their jobs. That means you’ll have employees who perform well not only for a paycheck, but because they care about what they do and for whom they do it. You cant ask for a better team than that. What initiatives have you taken to help your remote employees feel connected and part of the team? Author: Pamela La Gioia works for  www.teleworkrecruiting.com?  and  has been researching telecommuting and remote work issues since 1993, before the concept was even cool.

What Do Candidates Expect in the Recruiting Process

What Do Candidates Expect in the Recruiting Process A lot of focus is placed on the performance of the candidate in the job search process, but what about that of the hiring companies? In order to attract the top talent, businesses need to create a good experience for the applicants, but what exactly do talent want from their job hunt? LinkedIn conducted a study of over 20,000 professionals around the world to find out what they look for and how they go about their job search. 1) Talent find their opportunities from connections. When professionals begin their job search, they are most likely to ask around their existing contacts to find out if anyone they know can point them in the direction of any current vacancies. Social media is also a great place for seeking out opportunities  from their networks, as well as company websites. 2) Candidates want recruiters to be clear. 80% of professionals are open to hearing from recruiters, even when not actively looking for a new role as it is always good to know what opportunities are out there. However, when they are contacted about a role they want recruiters to cut to the chase, or they are likely to lose interest or trust. In the initial message they want to know what the role is, what the main responsibilities are, why they are right for the job and what  the estimated salary for the role is. 3) Candidates make important judgements about a company in the interview. A job interview is equally as important for the company as it is for the candidate, as 9 out of 10 professionals said a good interview could change their mind about a company they had doubts about before. The top factors that candidates care about in a job interview are getting specific questions about the business answered, having a conversation with the management of the company and receiving feedback. 4) It might surprise you what attracts talent to a role. A job title is not the be all and end all when it comes to applying for or accepting a new job. In fact only 6% of professionals would take a job for a better job title. Factors such as a good company culture, room for professional  development and finding a role that suits them as an individual are some of the most popular reasons for accepting a job and of course a decent salary helps. Find out more below.