(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 22nd July 2024
Photo by Tyler Franta on Unsplash
Millennials - how they became the generational mediators of the workplace
Workplaces are seeing a generational dynamic with, at times, clashes which can see a millennial stuck in the middle.
Why? The youngest working generation, Gen Z, have different working requirements from previous generations, expecting more in-terms of work-life balance, salary transparency and open discussions around mental health. This often results in communication breakdowns with those at the opposite end of the age spectrum (Gen X and boomers).
Having worked for Gen X and boomer bosses and experienced pre and post-pandemic environments, many millennials find themselves stepping in as mediators.
“Millennials are the ultimate workplace diplomats, they’ve seen it all — from dial-up Internet to TikTok. Having experienced evolving work environments, millennials are great mediators for balancing traditional work values with modern, tech-savvy methods,” said Eva Chan, a career advisor at Resume Genius.
Many older generations value longer working hours and dedication, not a main priority for Gen Z. According to EY, 40% of Gen Z have millennial managers, making it up to them to mediate between what is expected and what is wanted.
It’s also worth noting that it’s not just Gen Z that have different ideologies to their older counterparts. Millennials themselves are seeking work that aligns with their values and makes a positive impact, and if these generations aren’t getting what they want, they’re not afraid to find better opportunities.
Read the whole story in Worklife.
How HR tech can improve workplace teams’ collaboration
New research from the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp)suggests an average working team could improve their productivity by as much as 40% through improved collaboration.
With larger, more diverse and transient teams, old assumptions about team performance such as meeting in person and being ‘nice’ rather than ‘dependable’, are no longer relevant.
According to i4cp, 80% of teams are failing to reach their productivity potential due to limited collaboration. Most commonly, this dysfunction was seen as priority overload, lack of trust and insufficient leadership.
Enter tech and AI – Katheryn Brekken, the senior research analyst for i4cp, says that HR tech plays a role in boosting collaboration, but HR leaders must avoid placing too much stock in a new tool or platform.
“It’s less about the tools, but the patterns of use.”
This is because progress was due to changes in HOW work was completed rather than thetech itself.
In their study, i4cp identified two examples of the successful use of tech in high-performing teams.
1. Edward Jones – the financial services firm uses people analytics software to assess performance and collect data through individual, leadership and experience surveys.
2. Microsoft – the tech firm uses HR tech, talent marketplace, to support their teams by giving visibility into their employees capabilities. Rob Cross, senior vice president of research at i4cp says
“the technology enabled the visibility of the capability, but what mobilized that capability was [a broad] network.”
The research goes on to suggest HR tech can have the most impact of onboarding, as research shows the best teams quickly integrate newcomers, enabling them to deliver results and perform well.
Tech is proving to enhance workplace teams, when integrated well with human skills. Brekken says
“Networks are going to be even more integral to getting the work done as we continually adopt more technology.”
Read the whole story in HR Executive
The (PR) Summer Slowdown - How to take advantage of it
The summer holidays are upon us - as many of us are preparing to down-tools, go away for a holiday and/or juggle childcare, it may leave you wondering what this means for PR activity, and specifically, sending out a news release.
Paired with our own expertise, we’ve chatted with an award-winning HR journalist to bring you insider advice on how best to approach your PR this summer.
Read the article on our website.
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