Happy New Year! Many companies perform annual employee reviews at the beginning of the year, so for the month of December, we polled people in our Wondering Wednesday series on LinkedIn to learn more about how and when employees receive feedback from their managers. Be sure to check out our tips below before you sit down in the next few weeks with your direct reports to provide feedback.

Real-Time Feedback Is Great! But…

Overwhelmingly, respondents reported that they receive feedback from their managers regularly. This is great news; it tells us that companies and managers are doing a better job of giving real-time feedback than they did in the past, when feedback was typically only delivered in annual reviews. Times have changed, and workers are much happier with this cadence of feedback than in the past.  

However, the majority of the feedback managers give on a regular basis is positive — and difficult conversations need to occur regularly, too.

Nearly half of our survey respondents reported feeling caught off-guard at their annual review by unanticipated feedback they wished they’d heard earlier in the year. This seems counterintuitive: employees are receiving more real-time feedback than ever before, and yet they’re still finding themselves caught off-guard during annual reviews. 

Three factors may be at play here:

1. Managers may think they are being direct when they are actually beating around the bush. Consider: Have you clearly and directly told your direct report that they’ve made a mistake that needs fixing? Have you brainstormed with them how to handle this type of situation differently next time? You should be clear with your employee that you have a concern that is important — it shouldn’t come across as a “by the way” at the end of your one-to-one meeting. 
2. Employees may not be hearing the information the way you intended. Consider: Have you presented the feedback both verbally and in a written follow-up email? Have you explained what the employee needs to do to improve? Did you provide sufficient information for them to understand the issue, including examples to demonstrate how their conduct or behavior affected the work, other employees, or the customer or client? 
3. Managers may feel uncomfortable giving difficult feedback (this part of the job is never fun!), so they may opt for giving frequent positive feedback and saving the difficult conversations for the annual assessment. Less confrontation + less overall stress = an easier day-to-day working relationship. Right? Well… not necessarily. It is important to give frequent feedback, but saving feedback on problem areas for an annual review may result in the employee not trusting the positive feedback they’re receiving throughout the year; it also ultimately deprives the employee from an opportunity to improve in real-time when an issue arises. After all, if you don’t know what’s wrong, you don’t know you should fix it.

Should Managers Give Feedback Early or Late in the Day?

Given all of that, what time of day is best to give feedback, especially if there are areas of improvement to discuss? 

Receiving difficult feedback at the beginning of the day might ruin the employee’s day and distract them from their work; on the other hand, they might feel sharpest in the morning and be better able to tap into their capacity to absorb and act on the information. This could give them the best opportunity to correct their mistakes, contributing to their general satisfaction with their own job performance. 

Receiving difficult feedback at the end of the day may give the employee the chance to go home and process their feelings without being distracted by work or having to act like nothing is wrong if they are upset; on the other hand, they might be too tired by the end of the day to self-regulate their feelings and to fully process what they’ve heard, lessening the impact of the feedback. The timing of the feedback may also create an unintended consequence of disrupting the employee’s work/life balance if they are still processing what they heard after they’ve clocked out for the day (i.e., they are unable to “leave work at work”). 

So how is a manager to know when to give feedback? In agreement with a 2016 study from researchers at the University of Toronto, respondents to our survey overwhelmingly said they prefer to receive feedback, especially difficult feedback, at the beginning of the day rather than the end of the day. Note that these answers may be hugely dependent on the individual’s personality, on their manager, and/or on the industry, so managers should remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. 

Our advice? Ask your employees what they would prefer. We guarantee they’ll be grateful that you considered their preferences.

Want to participate in the conversation or see the results for yourself? Head on over to the HR Solutions At Work LinkedIn page, where we post a new poll every Wednesday!

Radio stations have been playing holiday songs for months, but now that we’re nearing the end of the year, the holiday season is officially upon us. For the month of November, we polled people in our Wondering Wednesday series on LinkedIn to learn more about how employees want their organizations to handle the holidays. Annual party? Department lunch? Group outing? Make sure your company is ready for the holiday season this year – we think some of the results might surprise you. 

Say Goodbye to Traditional Holiday Parties

Your company may have already planned this year’s holiday party, but you might want to consider foregoing the party in future years. From our polling results, only 9% of respondents wanted a holiday party; put another way, 91% of respondents want their company to celebrate the holidays with something that is not a holiday party. If you do still hold an annual holiday party, the consensus is clear that this should be held during business hours – workers want to spend their evenings and weekends with their friends and family rather than attending an extra (if not required, often “strongly encouraged”) work event.

So what do employees want? In a word: connection. The number one thing workers reported valuing in the workplace is their colleagues – so employers should consider options that foster these relationships.

Opt for Potluck or Department Lunches

Rather than a large gathering, which can often feel impersonal (particularly for companies with hundreds of employees), workers are increasingly preferring a company-sponsored lunch, whether it’s a company potluck or smaller department lunch. A potluck lunch feels more personal, not only within a team but also company-wide, because it allows people to try their coworkers’ favorite home-cooked or store-bought foods, strike up a conversation about why the dish may be special to them, maybe even exchange recipes (unless, of course, it’s a secret family recipe – but even that is a great conversation starter!). It’s more of a give-and-take opportunity than a more formal, corporate event with catered food and small talk, and a potluck builds on the feeling of sharing and collaboration to increase employee engagement and job satisfaction. The company can provide funds for ingredients or even provide prizes for the most popular dishes.

Department lunches have a similar element of connection. Rather than being company-wide, which could include people you hardly interact with, a department lunch involves only the core group of people you interact with the most – the people you most want and need to build relationships with. These lunches can be a nice way to celebrate the team’s achievements over the past year and to celebrate the coming year with the people you work most closely with. A good rule of thumb is to limit any work talk to opening remarks about the team’s successes and to otherwise encourage workers to get to know each other outside of work roles and responsibilities. Prepared icebreakers can help prevent lulls in the conversation. 

Field Trips

Vying for the top spot in our poll results, another option for an end-of-the-year event is a group activity everyone can do together. This can still feel like a more organized “event,” if that’s what your organization prefers, but without the formality of, say, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Some popular ideas include things like bowling or renting out a suite at a professional sports game arena. Some off-the-beaten-path ideas can include ice skating and hot chocolate, a private cooking/baking class, or doing an escape room together. Be sure to focus on things everyone can do, regardless of ability. 

Give (Good) Employee Appreciation Gifts

Finally, when we asked participants what they would like to see companies do more of around the holiday season, the clear winner was staff appreciation gifts. Companies don’t need to do something lavish to show their appreciation to their employees (although reallocating funds otherwise spent on a holiday party is one idea). End-of-year appreciation gifts can be given by individual managers, by departments, or by the company leadership, and they should be higher-quality items that make it clear this is not just a “check the box” gesture (which is the opposite of what you’re aiming for!). 

Some suggestions of gifts employees love are fleece jackets, gift cards to local restaurants, and even portable speakers, while mouse pads, stress balls, and t-shirts are passé. 

Want to participate in the conversation or see the results for yourself? Head on over to the HR Solutions At Work LinkedIn page, where we post a new poll every Wednesday!

It’s the time of year when employers are putting together new benefit packages and employees are electing benefits for the coming year. For the month of October, we polled people in our Wondering Wednesday series on LinkedIn to learn more about the benefits employees prioritize when considering potential employers. Employers, take note: some of these results may surprise you.

Mental Health Benefits

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to employers that mental health benefits are an important consideration. The 2023 American Psychological Association Work in America survey found that 92% of workers said it’s important to them to work for an organization that provides support for employee mental health, but 57% are unsatisfied with the mental health and well-being support offered by their employer. In other words: employers can do better.

There are many ways employers can support employee mental health, but our results show that workers prefer an allowance they can use as they choose rather than a limited selection of specific services (e.g., mindfulness apps, Employee Assistance Programs, online therapy). Wellness allowances or stipends allow employees to choose how to allocate monthly mental health funds provided by their employer; they may choose to use these funds for things such as the aforementioned mindfulness apps or online therapy, but their mental health may also benefit from gym memberships, wellness retreats, nutritionist visits, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and more.

Flexibility, Flexibility, Flexibility

As we found in last month’s Wondering Wednesday roundup, employees overwhelmingly prioritize flexibility over high-caliber benefit packages — and this month’s results again leave no room for doubt that having options makes employers attractive to workers.

In recent years, we’ve seen more businesses embracing the potential for a four-day workweek, whether it’s year-round or only over the summer. We’ve written before about the importance of flexible schedules in helping to mitigate employee burnout, which can have serious consequences such as clinical depression and heart disease. Shortened workweeks may not be feasible for all companies or positions, but they are definitely worth exploring for employers looking to increase employee retention and satisfaction. You may be surprised by the types of companies that have successfully integrated four-day workweeks for eligible positions, including well-known businesses like Microsoft and Lamborghini. 

Another option growing in popularity is sabbatical leave, an extended break from work that allows employees to focus on personal growth, study, or travel. Sabbatical leaves can be paid or unpaid and typically last from one month to one year, depending on the business or industry. Whether paid or unpaid, the guaranteed reinstatement at the end of the leave of absence makes sabbaticals an attractive benefit. Although once reserved for professors at universities, sabbaticals have become more common in a variety of industries from medicine to finance.

Fringe Benefits

Many employers are focused on unique fringe benefits such as pet insurance or legal services, but overwhelmingly, our survey found that what employees really want is assistance with managing their everyday responsibilities. If you’re looking for a perk that will set your company’s benefit package apart from others, consider offering your employees house-cleaning services.

One option for offering cleaning services is for employers to contract with a chosen cleaning agency to provide services at a flat rate and to give employees “cleaning credits” they can use with allocated funds for weekly to monthly cleaning services. Perks like this can increase employee satisfaction and engagement, in addition to being a powerful recruiting tool.

Pre-Tax Benefits

Finally, as most companies have found, when it comes to pre-tax benefits, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are the clear winner. Do employees still want Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)? Absolutely. But more than twice as many people prefer to put their pre-tax dollars toward a savings account not only aimed toward offsetting healthcare costs but also with funds that will roll over into the next year. The uncertainty of knowing how much to set aside for an FSA (which is typically a “use it or lose it” account) makes an HSA that much more appealing, and with workers now being advised to save close to $170,000 for medical expenses in retirement, an HSA starts to feel more like a necessity than a perk. Keep in mind, though, that employers need to offer, and employees need to elect, a high-deductible plan in order to be able to use an HSA.

Want to participate in the conversation or see the results for yourself? Head on over to the HR Solutions At Work LinkedIn page, where we post a new poll every Wednesday!

We recently started a series of weekly questions on our LinkedIn page called Wondering Wednesday. These questions take the form of anonymous polls to encourage honest participation and allow us to gain varied insights into the employee/employer experience.

For the month of September, we focused on the hiring process for both prospective candidates and hiring managers. No matter which side of the table you’re on, both interviewer and interviewee should factor these insights into your interviewing and hiring process.

The #1 Thing Job Candidates Should Avoid Doing

When we asked companies about red flags for them in the interviewing process, the overwhelming response was when a candidate has no questions. This was ranked higher even than a candidate being late to their own interview; it seems that tardiness is more forgivable than a lack of demonstrated interest. Job candidates should be sure to put a lot of thought and effort into coming up with good questions. Not sure where to start? Research the company you’re interviewing with and use that information as a starting point. You can tailor your questions accordingly to find out more about what their day-to-day work looks like, how the hiring manager sees your role fitting into that picture, what growth opportunities there might be, and so on. Make sure you have questions for each person you interview with, and customize your questions based on their role. Remember that you’re interviewing them while they’re interviewing you!

The #1 Thing Hiring Managers Should Avoid Doing

On the flip side, for job candidates, the biggest red flag is an interview process that takes 3+ hours. Such lengthy interviews can lead to a poor candidate experience in which they’re answering repetitive questions, growing fatigued, and investing a good chunk of time into a position they may not even land. Employers should therefore find ways to streamline the interview process and be thoughtful about how much time they’re taking up for the candidate. A good rule of thumb is that the length of an interview should be commensurate with the role being interviewed for – for example, an entry-level job should have a much shorter interview process than a VP-level job. To shorten the interview process, you could consider doing panel-style interviews, which allow you to include more people in the process while taking less time. 

The Best Way to Attract Job Candidates

When we asked candidates what they prioritized when considering job opportunities, they overwhelmingly chose flexibility over an excellent benefits package. This feels particularly relevant in today’s post-Covid landscape in which companies are pushing employees to return to working in the office. Employers should put careful thought into where and how they can add flexibility for their employees, not only  to attract but also to retain talent. Even if your employees return to the office, think about what could be a reasonable amount of flexibility within that framework to help set you apart from other employers. For example, if you require 2-3 days per week in the office, you can still provide  flexibility by allowing employees to shift their hours earlier or later or to choose which days of the week they go into the office.

The Win-Win

Finally, we found that the majority of companies that are actively hiring are notifying applicants within 1 week of application if they’re not a fit and will not be considered for an interview, but some companies are lagging behind or not notifying applicants at all. Hiring managers should ensure timely responses to applicants in order to allow candidates to focus their job-hunting efforts elsewhere. This means setting aside time to review applications right away, even if you haven’t had a chance yet to set up interviews with your top candidates. This can feel overwhelming – particularly for a job ad that receives hundreds of applications – but luckily, there are many hiring websites and software options that allow you to set up automated responses so that when you mark a candidate as not qualified, it will automatically notify them. Make sure you leverage existing tools that make your life as a hiring manager easier; it’s a time-saver for you, and it’s a relief for job applicants.

Want to participate in the conversation or see the results for yourself? Head on over to the HR Solutions At Work LinkedIn page, where we post a new poll every Wednesday!

February is American Heart Month, a time when the US Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention encourages people—especially women—to focus on their cardiovascular health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women across nearly all racial and ethnic groups in the US, and improving cardiovascular health is just one facet of wellness employers can help employees achieve.

With that in mind, we asked our staff members what they regularly do to keep their hearts healthy, and we got a variety of answers, such as: taking long walks, attending fitness classes, relaxing through painting or knitting, and hiking with their dogs. We’ve included some photos here of our employees’ adorable pups getting their hearts healthy (along with their owners), as well as a painting by one of our talented employees.

Of course, we can and should focus on our health and wellness all year long! Here are some ideas employers can implement to encourage wellness:  

• Include heart-healthy food in your cafeteria or vending machines so employees are able to make healthier choices.
• Install bicycle racks to encourage employees to bike to work.
• Put signs by the elevators encouraging people to take the stairs.
• Hold healthy recipe contests – for example, you could host a potluck and let employees vote on their favorite recipe – and reward the winner with a small prize, such as a gift card for fitness equipment. It’s a win-win!
• Reimburse your employees for a fitness membership and/or fitness tracker to help them stay on target with their health goals.
• Encourage employees to challenge each other with fitness challenges – they can meet the challenges individually, or you can have department or company goals, with proceeds going toward a charity of your choice, such as the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.
• Rent a blood pressure monitor for employees to have easy access to health metrics.
• Give employees a discount code to use on their first order of a healthy meal subscription service.

When designing a wellness program, it is important to be inclusive. Inclusive programs provide incentives for participating rather than penalties for not participating, and they incorporate activities and goals everyone can achieve (i.e., not just fitness-focused people). Also, think about including programs for emotional wellness as well as nutritional and physical wellness.

We would love to hear what your organization does to motivate employees’ heart health and overall wellness. Do you have a brilliant idea we haven’t thought of? If you have questions about how to begin a wellness program, or what legal issues to consider, please contact us!