Catherine Mattice's Blog, page 25

How to Deal with Workplace Harassment Effectively

Workplace harassment doesn’t just make you feel uncomfortable. It also makes you feel unsafe. At times, harassment at work can be so severe that you may want to quit your job. It can affect your career, well being, and self esteem.

When someone famous is held responsible for harassment at work or simply caught in the act, it gets everyone’s attention. But, most workplace harassment stories are merely pushed under the carpet. It’s partly because workers do not understand their rights or do not know who they should turn to for help when they experience verbal or physical badgering at work due to their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc.

Be it unsolicited comments, abusive behavior, name calling, insults, offensive jokes, intimidation, threats or any other conduct that compromises your physical or mental well being at work, you should know that you have rights. You shouldn’t be paralyzed with fear or forced to think that the only way to stop workplace harassment is to simply exit the situation! You should fight back. You should know how to tactfully deal with workplace harassment and if necessary, make the harasser pay for their actions.  Here in this post, we will discuss exactly that.

Let Them Know the Behavior Is Unwelcome

You may want to address the problem directly with the bully. Let them know that their behavior is not appropriate or not professional. Depending upon how comfortable you are in communicating with the harasser, you can pass on the message in-person or write them an email. At times, a carefully crafted text message can do the trick. For example, if a colleague has been passing lewd comments at work or sharing inappropriate videos and pictures, you can politely ask them to back off during lunch.

When workplace harassment is of serious nature or if you have attempted to resolve the recurring problem to no avail, it’s time you talk to someone else about it.

File an Internal Complaint

Do you want to report the misconduct? First things first, go through your company’s employee handbook. Chances are that your company’s human resources department has laid out a procedure for employees to file internal complaints. Companies that understand the cost of bad behavior also employ full-time equal employment opportunity officers who investigate complaints related to workplace harassment.

Even when there is no well-established complaint procedure or dedicated officer who looks after workplace harassment complaints at your company, you can still submit a formal complaint in writing to your supervisor, HR manager, or employer.

Keep a copy of the written complaint to prove that the company management was aware of workplace harassment. Even when you report workplace harassment during a meeting, be sure to follow up on this with a written summary.

Write It Down

If things escalate, or when legal consequences emerge, the most effective tool that you can use to protect your job and yourself is a written documentation. So, do not rely on your memory. When you have to deal with any conduct that amounts to harassment, make sure that you write down the details of exactly what happened. Do not just write down a general overview of what happened. You need to be very specific. Develop a written description of workplace harassment that captures the following details –

DatesPlacesTimeWitnesses

When you submit a written complaint, write down –

Who did you submit the report toHow did that person respondWhat happened in response to your workplace harassment complaint

In case your supervisor or the HR department fails to properly investigate your report or take necessary action, these written records may serve as crucial evidence when you decide to pursue a workplace harassment claim. This is especially important when you are at the receiving end of severe harassment (e.g. sexual harassment) and are planning to seek legal counsel. So, try to keep these written records as objective & accurate as possible.

It’s a good idea to keep such written records in a safe place. What if you are suddenly unable to access your workstation or locker at work?

Find Co-Workers Who Are Being Harassed at Work  

It’s a good idea to band together with colleagues who are at the receiving end of workplace harassment like you. They may not be willing to fight back because they fear losing their jobs or being denied incentives, career growth opportunities, better assignments, etc. But, you can still gather the necessary details and mention certain incidents in your report (without revealing the names). If you can get such co-workers to support your cause, it can be easy to put an end to workplace harassment.

Keep Your Job Performance Records Ready

When the harasser is a supervisor, chances are that they will simply deny the charges and attack your performance at work. Therefore, try to maintain a record of your performance at work. Letters, memos, emails, etc. that document your job performance can help you prepare detailed notes to prove that you have been discharging your professional duties with utmost dedication.

Approach the EEOC

If your supervisors, HR department, or company management continues to ignore workplace harassment, it’s time you consult an attorney and file a charge with the federal EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Filing a complaint with the EEOC is a necessary requirement if you intend to sue your employer at a later stage (if the need arises).

Final Words

Workplace harassment isn’t always easy to deal with. So, don’t hesitate to ask for support from co-workers, friends, and family. Most importantly, consult an employment law attorney who specializes in handling workplace discrimination cases. An experienced lawyer can help you understand your legal options better. You will know which legal recourse you may take, how you can get justice, and what kind of challenges lay ahead.

Do not allow anyone to harass you at work. Even if it seems harmless at first, workplace harassment can quickly get severe. Standing up to workplace harassment is the only way to stop it. 

Written by: Steven I. Azizi on 2.28.22

The post How to Deal with Workplace Harassment Effectively appeared first on Civility Partners.

Work-Life Balance? Or Work-Life Integration?

In 1866, the National Labor Union asked Congress to pass a law mandating an eight-hour workday. It was rejected, but 74 years later Congress finally limited the workweek to 40 hours when it amended the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1940.

So raise your hand if a 40-hour workweek describes you. Raise your hand again if you work eight-hours or less every day.

I’m going to guess that many of us have worked 10- or 12-hour days several times over the course of our careers, and many of us have worked during the weekends and while on vacation. 

What’s up with that?

For so long, we’ve been calling this struggle between work and life “work-life balance,” as if somehow an 8-hour workday would create balance in our lives. If we won the war, after the 8th hour we could walk through a physical and metaphorical door and, with work behind us, enjoy life for the rest of the night or weekend.

This myth is represented even in the way the phrase is written – work and life have a line between them as if there’s a line between work and life. Anyone who’s thought about work in the middle of the night, checked email while watching TV, or completed that one little task while coffee was brewing, knows that’s ridiculous.

And what about the friends we make at work? Tonight, for example, I’m headed to a work function but the people in the room are my dear friends. Is this a work event or a life event? I’m thinking it’s life –I’m going to grow personally and professionally, and gain support and love from my friends, all while talking about work… and life.

Then there’s technology. This wouldn’t be a good post about work-life balance if I didn’t mention technology. Yep, we can text and email our coworkers from home, making it even more clear that the line, or balance, between work and life is incredibly unclear.

Even before smart phones, though, it’s just not possible that our work life and our personal life were separated. Our careers, our professional accomplishments, and the stories we tell about work are a huge part of our self-concept and self-esteem. They’re a huge part of life.

Like it or not, work is part of our identity – intertwined and engrained in the stories we tell ourselves and others.

Now, employers are faced with the conundrum of a workforce who wants more flexible work. They want to work from home some days and spread their eight (or 10 or 12) hours over the course of the day. 

In other words, the workforce no longer seeks work-life balance. They seek work-life integration. They want to check emails before the kids get up, take a client call while at a doctor’s appointment, and finish up that report after they’ve had dinner and watched an episode of their latest Netflix binge.

Is that too much to ask? 

I think your workforce was already doing it. They just want your permission to do it, so they don’t feel sneaky and unethical about it. 

In the past it was necessary to push for eight hours and the myth of work-life life balance as a matter of physical safety and human dignity. But after all these years balance is still rarely achieved – because that would mean you spend the same amount of time in work-life as you spend in life-life.

There isn’t a scale to balance here, and work and life aren’t on opposite sides of it. 

Lean into flexible work and allow your team to flourish in a world of work-life integration that’s already existed for some time.

Work-life balance was always a myth.

It’s always just been life. 

For tips on creating flexible work for your workforce, check out my LinkedIn Learning course on the topic. 

Sincerely,

Catherine & The Civility Partners Team

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5 Questions to Ask Before Deciding Training is the Answer

Inquiries about our training services often start with vague details like, “we need civility training for 50 people,” or, “we need training for an employee with bad behavior.” 

Naturally, our first response is to get curious and dig deeper into what’s driving the request. Nine times out of ten, organizations are dealing with an egregious “bad actor” who is going to cost them in litigation one day, or they’re experiencing a full-blown culture issue that’s increasing turnover and ultimately hurting their bottom line.  

The organization’s proposed solution: Training. 

We see a recurring belief from potential clients that training is the secret weapon to catalyze change in their organization. While it’s possible, that only happens in the right context.

If the organization does not support the behavior changes being asked of employees in the training, then it will fail. Or, if employees see roadblocks to implementing change, such as a lack of accountability for bad actors, the concepts outlined in training are dead in the water.

In fact, employees will exit the training session feeling they just wasted valuable hours.

Here’s an example:

Employees attend training and learn how to identify negative behavior, such as a microaggression, so that they can step in and influence that scenario in a positive way. Two days later, Sam recognizes bad behavior in Alex, but Sam doesn’t believe speaking up will lead to any consequences for Alex because he’s observed Cheri’s pattern of bad behavior over the last three years. It’s never gotten better, so of course Sam surmises that the organization doesn’t care about it. So Sam doesn’t speak up, and Alex’s behavior continues. 

This is why the first step in culture healing is NOT training.

Before doing a one-off training around civility with your workforce, or putting an employee through training because it seems like what you’re supposed to do, consider how the organization will reinforce the learning that training provides.

Ask yourself the following questions:

How will the organization hold employees accountable for what they’ve learned? Is there enough psychological safety to ensure they will report bad behavior, now that they know how to identify it? Are managers equipped with the tools they need to set expectations, coach negative behavior into positive behavior, and hold people accountable?Are managers committed to solving incivility issues amongst their staff, before the behaviors escalate into behaviors like bullying and harassment?How will the organization perpetuate the learning, skills and behavior outlined in the training?

If you’re unsure about any of the answers, then you’ll want to develop some strategies to ensure you’re reinforcing training in meaningful ways. Remember that training is just a blip in time, and turning around toxic behavior and organizational culture is ongoing.

Don’t waste your time, energy and frankly money on a training that’s going to fade in people’s minds a week after they’ve completed it.

If you’re considering training, let us help you set yourself, your organization, and your employees up for success through proper planning.

After all, expectations without accountability… are only suggestions. 

Sincerely, 

Rebecca & The Civility Partners Team 

(AKA, your experts in implementing training and all the stuff that goes with it to make it impactful)

 

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6 Tips For Facilitating Psychological Safety in Emotionally-Charged Training Topics (Part lI)

Written by: Toni Herndon on 2/7/2022

The previous edition of our facilitating training topics that are emotional offered three tips – Be Aware, Take a Pause, and be Willing to Get Vulnerable.

As training facilitators who are providing content in topics that can ignite emotional reactions, we wanted to share some more of our expertise. Here are the next three tips that will help you show up as your best self for your participants:

Tip # 4) Be Patient.

Remember that your participants are learning and typically come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The topic you are training on, or the mindset required to do what you’re asking, may be very new for them and paying attention to the needs of the different learners will help everyone feel included.

It may take a while to build safety or rapport with participants in a training, so be sure to offer plenty of opportunities for people to trust you and each other. This could include ice breakers, small group work, and having groups select spokespersons to speak for their group.

Fine tune your active listening skills to be available to participants. This may feel time consuming in the moment, but when others see your calm and caring approach to the participant you are talking to, they will also feel calmer, more willing to be open, and more receptive to what you are sharing.

Tip # 5) Be Reflective.

Make space for this to appear spontaneously in the moment as participants are sharing interesting information that you may want to expound upon. When people share things, I often say, “What comes up for me as you say that is…” and this typically adds to a richer discussion around the topic at hand as people feel comfortable sharing what’s coming up for them.

Take time to reflect after the training by asking yourself questions like, “What went well? What was challenging? What did I learn from the participants? What would I change for the next time I teach this topic?”

Stay wildly curious about the participants in the room and what they have to offer. Don’t be the authority, as you can learn so much from your audience.

Tip # 6) Be flexible.

Be willing to entertain the tangents your participants bring up if they are relative to the topic and provide deeper learning in an area of interest expressed. Some of the deepest learning I’ve experienced in groups was when participants felt safe to take a temporary deeper dive into the topic being presented.

Follow the energy of the group and not just your agenda, take breaks when you sense the need.

When covering material, be willing to skip slides and circle back to better follow the flow of the interest of your participants. This actually facilitates better engagement and retention of material, versus sticking to your linear agenda.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when looking to build presence in one’s training. Overall, it will take awareness and practice to have these skills feel organic to both you and your participants.   

The post 6 Tips For Facilitating Psychological Safety in Emotionally-Charged Training Topics (Part lI) appeared first on Civility Partners.

6 Tips For Facilitating Psychological Safety in Emotionally-Charged Training Topics (Part l)

Written by: Toni Herndon on 1/31/2022

As trainers, of course we want the material from our learning objectives to be delivered.

But we also want to create a safe environment for learning where people feel seen and inspired to action – where the materials come to life. Certainly this goes beyond simply sharing any drafted curriculum.

Civility Partners’ is always training on topics that ignite a lot of emotion in our clients’ learners – harassment and bullying prevention, bystander intervention/allyship, equity and inclusion… to name a few (more information here).

Creating that psychologically safe space is of paramount importance in our world. Bringing the material to life in these sessions includes difficult and emotional conversations, and trainer presence must be strong to facilitate them.

One trick I use, for example, to get the safe space going is to start sessions off with an explanation that we are co-creating a container with everyone present in the physical or virtual room.

Below are three tips to building a psychologically safe space while facilitating training. They hold true whether your program is virtual or in-person.

 

Tip # 1) Be Hyper-Aware.

Check yourself and notice when your own triggers are appearing and where you might be showcasing defensiveness versus curiosity. Participants are tapped into how you respond to others when determining their own safety to speak up in a group setting.

Notice any judgements you have, and recognize any bias appearing on your side of the fence.

Be careful not to emotionally bypass people who are being vulnerable. It’s too easy to want to lighten things up quickly when difficult topics are discussed. Instead, attempt to validate your participant’s lived experience and gently bring them into the discussion. 

Be sure to model the leadership you hope to see in your participants and be aware of where your message may be incongruent from what you are showing in your own behavior.

 

Tip # 2) Take a Pause.

Encourage your participants to use reflective pauses before responding, so that they can go deeper into their thoughts, and also to allow extra time for introverted folks to offer their answers as well.

When you feel reactive, take a pause in the form of a breath or two before responding to participants.

Be aware that you may feel pressure to fill moments of silence, and yet in the rush to release some discomfort you might be silencing a powerful learning moment.

Build your patience in between your training sessions by adding a personal practice of mindfulness or other methods to slow down. Research shows that when calmness and reflection becomes a habit, it is easier to demonstrate in moments of higher stress.

 

Tip # 3) Get Vulnerable.

Be willing to share your own life experiences and lessons where appropriate. This helps participants see you as a real person and allows them to be more patient in their own learning process.

Model openness and encourage vulnerability in participants by validating their experiences. No-one feels safe if they feel like they are going to be told they’re wrong, or corrected in front of others.

To encourage a shift in perspective, first validate the learner by normalizing the experience. A well placed, “I used to think that too” or, “Yes, that’s how many of us were taught to respond.” After that, you can introduce new material in a way that does not sound dismissive or overly corrective.

Seek to increase safety wherever possible, and one good way to start the training off on the right foot is to set ground rules around confidentiality and asking questions openly. Give everyone permission to disagree with the training material and each other in a respectful way.

Keep an eye out for the next three tips! Meanwhile, enjoy the higher level of engagement and connection coming your way now that you’re following these tips.

The post 6 Tips For Facilitating Psychological Safety in Emotionally-Charged Training Topics (Part l) appeared first on Civility Partners.

Hang on! If you want them, keep them.

By Kathy Grey | January 26, 2022

It’s hard enough to find good employees, so keep them when you do!  With roughly 4.5 million American workers in a single month jumping on board the Great Resignation train, Senior leaders and HR are rethinking how to stop the exodus. 

It’s key for leaders to understand when corporate culture is addressed, employees are working in environments where they feel valued and that equates with positive business outcomes, including employee retention.

The Washington Post states that “the imbalance between available workers and job openings has given many workers more leverage than they’ve had in recent memory”. They are leaving jobs that don’t provide the opportunities and respect necessary for happiness and therefore, success.

Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, acknowledges that this generation of workers has a very different set of expectations than previous ones. They want jobs they love. According to Gallup, Gen Y and Gen Z now make up nearly half (46%) of the full-time workforce in the U.S. And right around the corner, 2025, 75 % of the workforce will be millennials. These workers Younger workers have stated they want to learn more on the job. They want to work for a company that cares about their wellbeing. 

We’ve got you on this one.

Create a civil work environment. It leads to a better bottom line, increases employee retention and fewer excuses for sick days. As we wrote about back in 2012, companies that openly promote civility among employees earn 30 % more revenue than competitors, are four times more likely to have highly engaged employees and are 20 % more likely to report reduced turnover.Our awesome team at Civility Partners will partner with you to determine why your employees might be disengaged and bolting out the door. We will conduct a climate assessment to understand exactly what is happening in your organization so we can strategize together to increase employee engagement. Build flexibility and trust. Many employees have been working fully remote or hybrid for a couple of years now. If that still works for your company, check in with your employees and ask what works for them. If you need an employee in the office part of the time, a simple adjustment to schedule can go a long way to show that their personal life is recognized and valued equal to their job.Provide opportunities for learning and growth. You will retain and keep employees motivated by allowing for personal growth and development. Create a growth plan by allowing employees to identify areas of skills, abilities, passions. It needs to be unique to individual employees. Ask your employees what they want and need. Again, we’ve got you on this. Build an inclusive workforce with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team. Check out our short video here. 

And if you’re looking for ideas on how to successfully re-onboard your workforce, check out Rebecca’s recent blog post here. 

Don’t wait until you lose employees, find out what they are experiencing, their needs and what will keep them engaged – and your bottom line improving. We’re here for you.

Sincerely,

Kathy, and The Civility Partners Team

 

Civility Partners has been recognized among the Top 10 California HR Outsourcing Companies in 2022 by DesignRush

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3 Easy Ways to Align our Fitness Goals with a Busy Work Schedule

It’s January – the month of resolutions and setting goals…fitness being top-of-mind for many. According to a 2021 Statistca study on resolutions, 50% of surveyed Americans resolved to improve their fitness. Yet, another Statistca study from 2018 found that only 4% of respondents fully followed through with their resolutions…yikes!

This leads us to ask – where does the disconnect lie, and why is it so difficult to form healthy habits? One of the simplest answers comes to where we are spending our time. On a workday, the average, middle-aged American spends:

8-9 hours at work (BLS)~1 hour round trip commuting (ABC News)~1 hour in the bathroom/getting ready (Studyfinds)67 minutes eating & drinking (USDA)*

*this is time spent primarily eating & drinking…an additional 23.5 min on average are spent eating & drinking, while multi-tasking

Given that the average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep (CDC), this leaves us with about 4 hours of “free time” per day. While this may seem like a fair amount, it does not account for meal prep, familial obligations, or many of the other daily tasks that demand our time.

Long story short…it is difficult to squeeze a new fitness routine into a full workday. So, here are 3 free ways to align our busy schedules with our fitness goals:

 

1. Turn your breaks into “energy sessions.” Anytime you take a break, commit to leaving your chair. Whether it’s going for a quick walk around the office, making some trips up and down the stairs, or just doing a standing stretch session, LEAVE YOUR CHAIR. This will get your blood flowing and ensure you’re staying mobile throughout the day.

 

2. Turn your tasks into a fitness game. Depending on your job, determine some recurring tasks or benchmarks and set a fitness trigger for each of them. Here are some examples to get you started:When you hang up a call, do 10 desk push-upsEvery 10 email responses = do 5 squatsGet creative with it! And treat it like a game…in addition to being more active, those mundane tasks might be a bit more fun.

 

3. Get your co-workers involved. Once your game plan is set, share it! Having others hold you accountable is one of the best ways to stay on track. Working these “energy sessions” and fitness games into your team is also a wonderful bonding opportunity!

 

With these 3 free, easy additions to your workday, you can become part of the 4% that stick to their resolutions.

Additionally, as a leader, it becomes increasingly important that your employees feel comfortable making these healthy changes. Make sure you foster an environment where these activities are welcomed and encouraged. One way to do this is to conduct a climate assessment so you can ensure your culture fosters open communication and encourages healthy habits.

Whether you’re an organizational leader, or an employee working from home, healthy habits don’t need to be time-consuming. So get working, get active, and get inspired for a healthier 2022!

Sincerely,

Sabrina and the Civility Partners Team

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4 Ways HR Has Evolved Since COVID (Have you evolved too?)

There’s no question HR has evolved tremendously over the past few years. The question is, have you evolved too?

Here are our predictions on where we’re at and where we’re headed, in four specific and important areas. 

 

The Great Rebranding of Human Resources

How many news stories have we seen that paint HR in a negative light? Susan Fowler’s infamous blog claimed HR knew about the culture of harassment and did nothing – a pattern seen in many articles since (and an employee perception we see in many of our clients).

HR’s also been fighting for a “seat at the table” for decades now. We’ve seen some progress with title shifts (e.g., HR Business Partner) and the relatively new role of Chief Human Resources Officers, for example, but I posit based on my experiences with clients that many leaders still see HR as a cost center focused on compliance.

Enter COVID and it’s changed everything. HR professionals are the heroes leading the world’s employers through an epic pandemic. Leaders are learning that HR is the crux of an organization’s survival and employees are learning that HR is focused on their safety, well-being, and need for flexibility.

Seize the moment, HR! Now is the time to secure our rebrand as trusted partners to leaders and employees, and a pillar of organizational success. 

 

The Great Resignation (AKA The Great Forcing Employers to Care About Culture)

As Simon Sinek points out in this 00:56 video, employers love to pin resignations on employees pursuing their dreams or holding out until unemployment benefits are gone. Yet we (and Simon) suspect that most people leave because the unknown feels like a better path than staying in a current situation where company culture sucks.

With The Great Resignation comes a lot of great data from your exit interviews. What have you been hearing? Are people really leaving to start a yoga studio, or are they talking about poor culture or their manager who doesn’t take feedback well?

Use the data you’ve collected from exit interviews to show leaders how important culture is to retaining employees. One way we accomplish this with our clients is to break the interview notes into themes, so that the data becomes digestible and actionable.

We also suggest a survey for the employees still hanging around, especially because, according to a recent SHRM survey, approximately 30% of them are struggling to get work done, feel less loyal to their organization, and feel lonelier. More than half are wondering if their pay is high enough.

Let us know if you need some help with your workplace survey. 

 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

In 2020, people found the courage to openly discuss the layers of systemic and societal norms that perpetuate racism, discrimination, bias, and privilege. Suddenly the old school mentality of DEI as a training program was unacceptable, if not repugnant. The world got a hard look at what DEI consultants have known for decades – there is a LOT of work to do, and every individual has a part to play in it. 

It’s important that we don’t lose sight of the progress we’ve made and we continue pushing the line with our 2022 business strategy and beyond. Within the next few years, every organization needs to have implemented a sustainable plan that integrates DEI into the business’ core functions, systems, products, and services. 

If your organization isn’t focusing on this, it will lose out on top talent with so many opportunities to work with companies who do focus on it. Candidates are going to ask questions like, “How did your organization respond to #BLM in 2020?” and, “What DEI programs do you have in place now and for the future?” If they don’t like your answers, they’ll move on. The opportunity to work remotely makes that even more likely.

If you haven’t already, consider hiring a DEI consultant to help you figure out where you’re at and where to go, asking a team of diverse panelists from your workforce to review your job postings and descriptions for exclusivity and bias, and ensuring promotions are approved through several channels before they’re granted.

 

HR Data and Analytics 

To secure your new reputation with leaders as a key component of organizational success you’ll need to measure things your leaders care about, and measure and prove the success of your “fluffy” HR initiatives.

An employee well-being initiative, for example, will require some metrics to prove the return on investment. Do participants in your stay interviews mention this initiative as a reason they stay? Does your employee survey show stress is decreasing?

Employer accountability for equal pay and equal opportunities continues to rise. Audits on pay, and leadership and training opportunities, are necessary moving forward. Transparency will also be key – do you publish the requirements for joining a leadership training program? Is it crystal clear how to move up in the organization and does a diverse group support those who want to move up? Is the workforce measured in their competencies related to inclusivity?  

And, COVID – and claiming your organization is inclusive – requires flexible work. As I mentioned in my LinkedIn Learning course on flexible work (which I am making free for the next 24-hours so you can watch it) research is showing that CEO’s are expecting people to return at some point while employees plan to hold tight to some version of flex work.

You’re going to need data to show leadership that flex work can work. We’ve got a whole bunch of ways to measure flex work’s success or failure here on our blog.

I also have a course on HR Metrics if you want to check it out. I’ll make it free too.

 

Buckle up, HR. We’ve been called to the front lines and there we’ll stay for at least another year. (Hopefully it’s only that long!)

Keep pushing forward and keep your eye on your rebrand while you do it. 

You are paramount to organizational success, HR. And we have the chance to change the game for our profession, and for society and its workplaces. 

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10 Ideas for Re-Onboarding Your Workforce

Well, we made it through 2021! On to 2022, and the chance to bring your employees back to the workplace.

Every organization’s return to work path is unique. Some organizations did not go remote, some went fully remote and plan to stay that way, and others are currently looking to bring their workforce back to the office. 

One of our clients will be moving to a hybrid work environment this coming January. As their keen and clever culture experts, we brainstormed some ways they can welcome employees back to the office throughout the first week (or even month), and we’re sharing it with you. Remember onboarding is more than just one day! 

The key is to treat your return to work as if you’re re-onboarding employees – because that’s what you’re doing. You’re bringing employees back into a culture that was disrupted, and likely left your workforce feeling isolated. 

And, you may have employees who joined your team remotely and will need to figure out how things are done around the worksite. They definitely need some true onboarding, especially if they’ve never met their coworkers in person. 

Get your entire workforce – from newbies to veterans – excited about returning to work by: 

Asking the CEO to write a personalized welcome back email to the entire workforce (even better if it’s a video). There’s nothing like having the head of the company take time out of their day to share a positive message.  Asking the leadership team to handwrite thank you notes to all of their staff. It’s been a challenging two years and you’d be surprised how far a small thank you can go. Making the first day back a celebration. Decorate the office with banners, streamers, balloons, and anything else that screams FUN. Then host lunch, happy hour, or some other sort of group activity to bring everyone back together.Conducting some ice breaker activities, to get everyone reacquainted and get newbies up to speed. Catering lunch for the first week, so employees don’t have to worry about bringing lunch or finding a place to eat. Creating opportunities for employees to connect. For example, host a lunch n learn, conduct an all-staff meeting, or encourage managers to meet with their team one-on-one throughout the week.  Asking employees take a “First Day of School” photo and posting them for everyone to see. Bonus points if you post the pictures on social media as a part of your employer branding strategy.  Establishing a new workweek tradition such as Bagel Mondays or Coffee Fridays. Involving employees in the decision making will increase their loyalty to your business a little, and so will the tradition itself.Hosting a friendly competition. Some examples include a desk makeover competition, a scavenger hunt around the office to get people reacquainted with the space, and employee bingo (each square has a fun fact about an employee, so to get bingo they have to learn about each other).Purchasing custom gifts for everyone. Depending on the gift you could send it prior to the first day (e.g., a custom coffee tumbler for the commute) or leave it on their desk for when they come in. The more creative the better! 

The last and perhaps most important step is to conduct a climate assessment so you have some data about how employees are feeling about the current organizational culture, coming back to work, and more. Include some questions around internal communication, engagement, job satisfaction, and return to work. 

The data will help you create a strategy for re-building and maintaining a positive workplace culture.

Let us know if you’d like some help with your survey.

Sincerely,

Rebecca, and The Civility Partners Team 

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Happy New Year from Civility Partners!

It’s the season of giving, celebration, and reflection of the year behind us…resolving what we’d like to change for the year to come. In the spirit of the season and a new year around the corner, the Civility Partners team thought we’d share some of our professional and personal highlights from 2021!

We also have a new team member, Sabrina, so we’re happy to introduce her by way of her share out too!

Catherine – CEO

As the CEO of Civility Partners, I am so proud of my team and all they accomplished. We had a set of stellar clients this year, and we continue to grow the team and touch the lives of more and more people by facilitating better workplace cultures.

Personally, despite all of the challenges the last two years have presented, I managed to stay positive (most of the time) and forge ahead. I am a stronger and better leader and mother because of what I’ve learned these past few years .

Rebecca – People & Culture Consultant

This year came with many opportunities to step out of my comfort zone professionally, including taking the lead of our training branch and running point on a few different key client accounts – officially earning me the title of People & Culture Consultant. 

I took on the adventure of starting life in a whole new state this year. It’s been 10 months now and a roller coaster of a journey…one I couldn’t have gotten through without the support of my Civility Partners team and my now fiancè (he popped the question in August so I guess I have two personal wins). 

Kathy – Culture Consultant

My professional win was simple – joining the awesome Civility Partners team!

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to kayak under the Golden Gate bridge, while keeping my eye on a huge sunfish that tracked me. It was a truly breathtaking experience!

Toni – Trainer

One of the key places I feel a point of pride professionally is in the warm responses and bravery exhibited from my workshop participants. This past year has showcased many challenging opportunities along the way where people felt safe to share their true selves, as well as having the courage to share their concerns, questions, and interests in front of their colleagues. The high level of vulnerability shared by others is my personal marker of professional excellence, and I am inspired to continue to deepen this level of connection with participants and clients in the year to come. 

How I’ve grown internally in this past year is something that I feel most connected to in answering this question. By connecting more with who I truly am, it has provided a foundation for me to have even deeper connections with others in my life. I’ve also made more time for self-care, meditation, time in nature, and self-reflection… all of which contribute to me being the best me I can be.

Sabrina – Executive Assistant

2021 was filled with change, as I moved across the country and pursued a new industry. I am thrilled to be part of a team that serves a greater purpose, and I look forward to the opportunity to grow with Civility Partners over the years!

My personal win was taking the jump and moving to San Diego, even in the midst of uncertainty. Originally from the West Coast, it felt like the right time to move closer to family and return to the sunshine…and it was definitely a winning decision!

While we are grateful for the professional and personal successes the past year brought us, we excitedly look ahead to 2022. We aim to constantly be in growth mode and set intentions throughout the year; but in the spirit of tradition, here are a few resolutions from the team:

Catherine is going with the ol’ cliche of staying more active. She already has a membership at a place just down the street – so no excuses!Rebecca – in true Civility Partners fashion – aims to embrace our core value of “Learn a Lot” by locating two graduate programs to apply for. She’s exploring the possibility of getting her MBA because being stagnant is not an option! (And of course, she also needs to plan a wedding…)Kathy ultimately wants to focus less on New Year’s Resolutions and more on consistent winning habits!Toni has started to learn the Internal Family Systems coaching method and has a desire to strengthen this modality within her coaching work and personal meditations.Sabrina intends to make 2022 a year of outward focus – placing gratitude at the core of her interactions, and finding ways to improve more lives in more ways!

As 2021 comes to a close, we urge you to reflect on what you’re grateful for! What habits can you form to make 2022 your BEST year yet? Regardless of what you choose, remember to stay kind, respectful, and *always* civil.

Happy New Year!!

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