The Talent Agenda

The world of work continues to shift and finally, organizations and recognizing that culture can be a source of enduring advantage in the talent marketplace. LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Survey 2022 shows that work-life balance is the number one factor professionals focus on while picking a new job, rated higher than compensation and benefits. It also revealed that employees who are satisfied with time/location flexibility are 2.6X more likely to report being happy. Care and compassion are important elements. And 66% of Gen Z employees feel that investments in mental health is key to improving culture.

What’s also interesting is that companies are responding to this moment. An analysis of job postings is showing that the number of jobs with mentions of terms like hybrid work, flexible work, remote work, diversity, equity & inclusion etc. is going through the roof. Hopefully, this is going beyond lip service. Organizations are focusing on creating dedicated firepower to focus on these themes. Plus, this provides a signal to the organization, employees and candidates that these are top-of-mind agenda items.

I came across another interesting piece of research on flexibility and more specifically, on the practice of having designated meeting-free days at work. It turns out that having meeting-free days has a positive impact on employees’ productivity, engagement, satisfaction, stress etc.

Working Better

How do you become more happier in your career? Money is a motivator, but is trumped by meaning, opportunities to lear, grow and be recognized. Having clear principles about what you stand for helps you make better career choices. Clayon Christensen (of The Innovator’s Dilemma fame) penned the timeless article How Will You Measure Your Life. It’s a brilliant reflection on how we can apply management thinking to our life and make the most of it. In a nutshell, his advice is:

• It is easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 99% of the time.

• You can build self-esteem by helping and building others up.

• It is imperative to make your family an enduring source of happiness.

• Measure your success by the lives you touch.

A Productive Workout

A workout is a great way to create mindspace for processing and learning new ideas. And it primes you for creative thinking. For your next walk, run or workout session, take along Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft for an inspirational talk on organizational purpose, culture, empathy and leading by example. He says, "Don’t wait for your next job to do your best work. Think about every job you get as the most important job."

Tiny Thought

If you want to create better outcomes in life, build better habits. Motivation alone is inadequate.