It’s important to recognise that leadership differs from management in many ways. The main difference is that leadership is about motivating and encouraging employees, while management is about ensuring tasks are completed as intended.

Whether you are a leader, manager or employee, it’s useful to understand the different types of leadership and how these can shape and change an organisation. This article explains six common leadership styles and the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as which leadership style is considered the most effective.

What are the Different Styles of Leadership?

There are many different styles of leadership and various theories, with some overlap between these. Leaders frequently adopt a range of leadership styles and an effective leader will understand how to adapt their style depending on the situation. However, they will often have one particular leadership style that they use most of the time. 

We will be covering six common types of leadership here, though there are numerous others:

• Coaching Leadership
• Transformational Leadership
• Servant Leadership
• Democratic Leadership
• Authoritative Leadership
• Autocratic Leadership

Coaching Leadership

Coaching leadership focuses on the needs of the team by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of individual members and the overall team. This provides individuals with direction to work to their strengths and develop themselves in weaker areas. Coaching leaders are committed to getting the best from each individual in their team through clear direction and support. The leader works with individuals to help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to understand how they can improve.

The leader must support their team with their development and provide each member with constructive feedback to improve performance. They should encourage the team to consider solutions to problems they encounter by asking prompting questions, rather than the leader making all the decisions. In doing so, team members feel included and listened to and will develop their ability to find solutions themselves.

Advantages of coaching leadership include:

• Objectives are clear and team members understand what is expected of them.
• Team members enjoy working as part of a group towards a shared outcome. 
• Effective communication and collaboration is encouraged.
• Weaknesses are addressed and individuals are supported to improve.
• Team members feel trusted and empowered, resulting in them being motivated and productive.
• Organisations develop talent, creating a skilled workforce.

Disadvantages of coaching leadership include:

• It can be time consuming to successfully implement because it includes one-on-one time with all team members.
• The leader must have the necessary skills and experience. They must be an effective communicator to ensure they deliver feedback in an appropriate way so that team members feel encouraged to improve, rather than criticised and unmotivated.
• Some teams may not want to work together in this way or want this type of leader. Individuals may resist attempts at coaching leadership and be uncooperative which can cause problems for the wider team.

Want to Learn More?

Our Coaching and Mentoring online training course is designed to give you the practical tools and techniques needed to get started with successful coaching and mentoring. We also offer a range of articles on the topic, including How to Develop Coaching and Mentoring Skills and Coaching vs. Mentoring: What’s the Difference?

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Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is characterised by leaders who take control and influence others through emphasising change and transformation within people and organisations. They engage others by recognising their needs, motivating them to succeed and developing a relationship of trust and participation. This type of leadership involves strong communication to encourage team members to feel invested in a shared vision. As with coaching leadership, there is a focus on people, with each individual’s potential recognised and leaders working with them to achieve this.

Advantages of transformational leadership include:

• The organisation innovates and changes for the better. People are guided by the leader to adapt to change and the challenges that may come with it.
• Team members feel motivated and have a sense of purpose. They understand and believe in a clear vision established by the leader and the part they play in achieving it.
• Individuals are supported to develop and grow professionally, increasing their skills and capabilities.
• Relationships within teams and across organisations are strong due to the trust placed in the leader.
• As a result, performance and productivity often improves.

Disadvantages of transformational leadership include:

• Individuals may experience burnout and feel overworked due to the perceived pressure to perform. If a leader is highly committed to an organisation, team members may feel as though they need to display the same level of commitment by working unreasonable hours.
• Individuals may feel under appreciated if they aren’t motivated or the leader fails to recognise their achievements.
• Some team members may require more structure and support than being led by example.
• Unless the leader provides clarity on the tasks that need to be completed, team members may be confused about responsibilities. This can result in a decrease in productivity.
• Team members may not raise concerns. As transformational leadership involves promoting a shared mindset, issues or different approaches may not be recognised or raised. Individuals may not feel comfortable with raising concerns if these could be interpreted as going against the shared mindset.
• For the leader, maintaining a high level of enthusiasm and engagement can become time-consuming and emotionally draining. 

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Servant Leadership

This type of leadership originates from the idea that leaders serve their team. Instead of exercising all power themselves, the servant leader shares this power with others, putting their needs first and supporting them to develop and perform well. The growth and well-being of the team is at the forefront of decisions.

Successful servant leaders must have the ability to listen, empathise and be self-aware. Servant leaders lead by example and are willing to carry out any task that needs doing in order to help their team. They strive to include all team members in decisions, ensuring that everyone feels heard, and make decisions that benefit those involved.

Advantages of servant leadership include:

• Team members are encouraged to be creative and empowered to share their ideas, resulting in more effective processes and greater investment in the organisation.
• It creates strong working relationships within teams and a productive working environment.
• Teams are inspired by the example set by the leader and feel motivated to do their best.
• Communication is effective. Leaders take the time to listen to their team and take action with this in consideration.
• When combined, these advantages establish a people-oriented culture which results in a decrease in employee turnover.

Disadvantages of servant leadership include:

• As the main focus is on ensuring team members are happy and included, leaders may be less demanding which could result in targets not being achieved.
• Some individuals may need a leader who holds them to account in order to work most effectively.
• The leader may be perceived as weak and lacking authority, particularly by those who are used to a more traditional style of leadership.
• For the leader, the role can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort to succeed in.
• Decisions and progress may be slow due to the required input of many people.
• In larger teams or organisations, it’s difficult to have frequent, effective direct contact with every team member.

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Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership is where team members play a participative role in decision-making. The leader makes or approves the final decision, but everyone is encouraged to participate by contributing their opinions during discussions. All team members have the opportunity to share their input, knowing they play an important role in the decision-making process.

As well as overseeing the final decision, the leader must direct and guide the team to ensure that they don’t dedicate time to planning decisions that aren’t feasible and stray from the objective. Leaders should facilitate these conversations and support the team to reach a joint decision.

Advantages of democratic leadership include:

• Individuals are empowered to contribute to the decision-making process and feel engaged. This can increase their job satisfaction.
• Employees have confidence in themselves and their capabilities and aren’t afraid to share their ideas.
• More suggestions are put forward which leads to greater innovation and creativity.
• Teams learn to listen to one another and respect their one another’s valuable input. This creates mutual respect and fosters more effective teamwork.
• Productivity increases when individuals are motivated and involved.

Disadvantages of democratic leadership include:

• Involving more people in decision-making can slow the process down and cause delays.
• If there are differing options within a team, it can be challenging to reach a consensus that everyone is happy with.
• Some members of the group may not have the knowledge required to contribute to decision-making discussions.
• It can be difficult to maintain a clear focus if many different ideas are put forward for discussion. This can lead to confusion unless the leader is able to steer the team in the right direction.
• Leaders have a lot of responsibility which can result in them feeling overwhelmed.
• Team members may become frustrated if a decision is made which they believe isn’t the best option or they don’t feel as though their ideas are given enough consideration.
• Employees may expect to be involved in all decisions. This could lead to conflict if they don’t understand why they aren’t included in some decision-making processes.

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Authoritative Leadership

Authoritative leadership is a hands-on style which involves the leader establishing targets and processes and overseeing them to completion. Instead of simply giving orders, they explain their thinking and manage expectations. If successful, an authoritative leader makes quick decisions that deliver effective results.

This type of leader is seen as a mentor who guides and inspires team members and encourages them to follow them to successfully achieve common goals. By getting to know each team member well, the leader can provide them with tailored guidance and support to motivate them to succeed.

Advantages of authoritative leadership include:

• Fewer mistakes are made because the processes and rules are clearly defined by the leader.
• Clear processes and structure improves productivity.
• Leaders can look ahead and present an actionable vision.
• Employees feel motivated to succeed and perform well as a result.
• Difficult decisions can be made quickly without the input of the whole team.
• Team members feel supported and recognised by the leader.
• It’s an effective leadership style if an organisation is undergoing significant change or uncertainty.

Disadvantages of authoritative leadership include:

• There is a risk of leaders micromanaging their team which can cause individuals to feel as though they aren’t trusted or fearful of doing something wrong.
• Leaders may become overbearing, causing teams to disengage with their work and lose enthusiasm for the vision. 
• Extreme pressure may be put on the leader if they have to always be seen as leading by example.
• Failures in projects or processes are the responsibility of the leader who must accept accountability.

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Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian, follows a top-down approach to decision-making processes. The leader makes decisions based on their thoughts and ideas, with limited involvement from others in the organisation. It is expected that team members will follow instructions given to them by the autocratic leader and there is limited room for discussion. Power is held by the leader and isn’t distributed in any way to the team members.

This type of leadership is used less frequently in organisations today, though it may be suitable in some situations. For example, if a critical decision needs to be made immediately.

Advantages of autocratic leadership include:

• Team members are given clear instructions and understand how to complete tasks.
• Results are delivered on time and to a high standard. 
• Work environments are highly structured with everyone knowing what is expected of them and others.
• For team members, pressure can be relieved in stressful situations.
• The leader provides clear direction to the organisation.

Disadvantages of autocratic leadership include:

• Team members are discouraged from sharing their ideas and lack a voice in decisions.
• Morale can be low across the team and wider organisation. Some may be fearful about speaking out about poor leadership practices.
• Creativity and innovation are suppressed. Individuals can feel as though they aren’t valued or able to grow professionally. New perspectives and ideas which could hugely benefit the business aren’t shared.
• The leader may be under immense pressure as they feel responsible for everything.
• There may be tension and conflict in the workplace. 
• Morale can be low. If team members don’t feel satisfied at work, they may disengage and underperform, or seek employment elsewhere.

What is the Best Leadership Style?

Research by Kurt Lewin and his team in 1939 established three core leadership styles – autocratic (authoritarian), democratic (participative) and delegative (laissez-faire). Lewin’s study identified democratic leadership as typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders encourage input from team members, while giving guidance and having the final say in decisions. This empowers and encourages team members to contribute creative ideas and play a key part in processes, often resulting in individuals with higher job satisfaction.

Today, most theorists argue that it’s important to recognise that there isn’t one leadership style that works the best in all organisations and situations. Instead, a strong leader will know how to adapt their leadership style accordingly and incorporate different skills to ensure the best outcome for the team and task. This is called ‘situational leadership’. Situational leaders are able to identify and meet individual needs, adapt between different leadership styles successfully, gain their teams’ trust, analyse problems and guide towards a solution and know how to support individuals with feedback.

However, in some environments, a certain type of leadership style will likely be more successful than others. If you work as a teacher in a school, you may find that transformational leadership style is the most well-received. Using this style, you can encourage and inspire your students to achieve their full potential. While, for army conflicts, an autocratic leader may be the most appropriate type to relieve pressure in stressful situations.

To find out which leadership style you should adopt, you need to consider what you want to achieve and the organisational circumstances in which you operate within. You should also consider your personality and how you currently lead teams. With this in mind, you could determine which leadership style you currently use and what you want to change and improve on. As there are numerous leadership styles and none are superior, you can experiment and see which delivers the best results for you, your team and your organisation.

Recognising which leadership style is right for you will enable you to develop your skills further and become the most effective leader possible. You must understand which style is appropriate and actively seek out constructive feedback from those you lead to understand what works well and how you could improve. As well as providing successes for the organisation, effective leaders develop and improve their teams to achieve their potential too.

Further Resources:

• Leadership & Management Training Online Course
• Leadership and Management Quiz
• 10 Development Areas for Managers

The post 6 Types of Leadership: Which Leadership Style is Right For Me? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and comfortable in their workplace. People thrive in work environments where they feel respected and trust their colleagues. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a growing issue in society and, in particular, in the workplace. In 2019, a government questionnaire received 4,215 responses, with 54% of people reporting that they had experienced sexual harassment at work.

Despite this enquiry highlighting the need for better protection for employees from sexual harassment at work, a more recent survey from 2023 showed that women, in particular, were still experiencing this behaviour. Results showed that 58% of the women participants had experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work. 

As an employer, manager or supervisor, you have a responsibility to protect your employees from harassment. In this article, we will explain what sexual harassment is, how to recognise when it is happening and how to prevent it from happening in your workplace.

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What Constitutes Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?

Anybody who experiences unwanted sexual behaviour, whether this be verbal or physical, is a victim of sexual harassment. There is a vast array of behaviours that can be classed as sexual harassment, from unwanted closeness, touching, or asking personal questions to verbal abuse or sexual assault. 

The key thing to remember is that if a person feels uncomfortable as a result of any sexualised behaviour made towards them, then it constitutes sexual harassment. In some cases, a person may say they didn’t mean to cause offence or make someone feel uncomfortable, but this doesn’t make it acceptable. It is also important to ensure that sexual harassment is never passed off as ‘banter’ or a joke, and no one should ever be made to feel that they are wrong for feeling uncomfortable.

Need a course?

Our Sexual Harassment Training Course for Managers and Supervisors explains what sexual harassment is in more detail, and outlines ways to prevent it in your workplace. 

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Examples of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

As stated previously, sexual harassment can present itself in many forms, and you should always be vigilant and observe the behaviours of your employees. The people you manage or supervise will want to know they can trust you to intervene appropriately should you notice any signs of sexual harassment.

Some examples to look out for include:

• Comments or ‘jokes’ of a sexual nature.
• Inappropriate remarks or personal, sexual questions. For example, asking another person how many sexual partners they’ve had.
• Sexual propositions or bribes, such as offering to help a colleague at work in return for going out for a drink or on a date.
• Emails or messages of a sexual nature or that include sexual content. 
• Posting inappropriate comments on social media, such as commenting about a person’s appearance in a picture they’ve shared. 
• Inappropriate hand gestures or facial expressions.
• Unwanted physical contact, including touching, hugging, unwelcome sexual advances and all forms of sexual assault.

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What are the Effects of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace? 

Despite everyone having the right to feel safe and comfortable in their workplace, sexual harassment in the workplace is still a prevalent issue. Experiencing sexual harassment at work has significant effects on the victim but also the wider organisation.

Potential effects can include: 

• Poor mental health and wellbeing. Nobody should experience sexual harassment. Those who do are likely to experience issues such as worry, anxiety and depression. These emotions can be exhausting and easily transfer into all aspects of their life, meaning their wellbeing is seriously affected. The importance of mental health and how to promote positivity at work is discussed in our article here.
• Damaged working relationships. This not only goes for the relationship between the individual who is being harassed and the person harassing them, but also other working relationships across the organisation. If others notice this behaviour is happening and not being addressed or challenged, they will lose trust in the ethos and values present. Also, if the victim does not feel listened to or as though any issues they raise have been taken seriously, this can lead to them losing faith or trust in their colleagues or management.
• Reduced productivity. If a person is dealing with sexual harassment, it will likely take up a lot of their focus. They may feel unable to concentrate at work and are much less likely to feel motivated.
• Absenteeism. In some cases, victims of sexual harassment may feel unable to attend work. This has huge implications for an organisation’s functionality and reflects extremely poorly on the culture that has been created. Reducing absenteeism is discussed in our article here.

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How to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employer Responsibilities

Anybody who manages or leads people should be mindful of the wellbeing of their employees and aim to create a positive culture in the workplace that promotes respectful and professional behaviours. 

Below are five tips that can help you to do this and hopefully prevent sexual harassment in your organisation:

1. Educate Your Employees

You should educate all your employees about sexual harassment. They need to know the definition of sexual harassment, behaviours that are included in this definition, and what steps they should take if they’re being harassed. You should also tell them what to do if they notice that someone else is a victim of harassment or if someone else has disclosed information to them.

Provide your employees with examples of sexual harassment and how they may look in real life contexts. It may be the case that people are unaware they’re engaging in sexually harassing behaviour until you provide them with examples.  They may believe their behaviour could be seen as a ‘joke’; however, once they see that their behaviour is inappropriate, they will be compelled to reconsider.

Educating your workforce doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Online sexual harassment training courses give your staff the opportunity to train at their own pace whilst not disrupting their usual activities.

2. Educate Senior Members of Staff

Just as you’d educate your workforce, it’s just as important that you educate your senior members of staff. Everybody has a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment and report it if they witness it. Additionally, everyone needs to know what constitutes sexual harassment and understand that it must always be addressed and challenged.

3. Develop a Thorough Sexual Harassment Policy

Employers have a legal responsibility to protect employees from sexual harassment under The Equality Act 2010. All workplaces are expected to have a sexual harassment policy in place. This should contain:

• An opening statement detailing your zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment.
• The definition of sexual harassment alongside examples of what constitutes sexual harassment so that all employees are clearly informed. 
• Details of how employees can report instances of sexual harassment.
• Details of how sexual harassment will be dealt with. 
• An explanation of disciplinary procedures for those who engage in sexual harassment. 

Your policy must be relevant to all employees at all levels and should be reviewed and updated frequently.

4. Design a Thorough Reporting Procedure

It’s essential that you design a thorough procedure for reporting any cases of sexual harassment, and it must be simple and easy. You should communicate the procedure to all employees and have it somewhere they can easily access it, such as in the staff handbook or on a company intranet.

Your reporting procedure must be fair and transparent. Under no circumstances must you treat someone differently because they’ve made a complaint. You should also keep all cases confidential unless you have an adequate reason for not doing so, such as calling the police.

Respond to any sexual harassment claims quickly and without delay. When you take immediate action, you show employees that you react to these situations seriously and won’t tolerate them. Moreover, if your reaction is delayed, the harasser may continue with the behaviour.

5. Create a Positive Work Culture

Having a positive workplace culture means you have an environment where people feel respected and valued, where you recognise and appreciate their work, and where there is a sense of community. Having a workplace of this kind dramatically reduces the risk of sexual harassment.

You should ensure that everyone in your business knows your values, and you should communicate this to everyone. Encourage team-building activities, arrange social events that everyone can participate in and celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams. You should also encourage positive communication across the entire organisation.

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As an employer, manager, or supervisor, you are responsible for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Creating a safe and secure environment where your organisation’s values and culture are respected should be a priority, and your employees should feel safe and secure at work. You must develop a policy that clarifies that any form of harassment won’t be tolerated, and employees should be encouraged to report any instances. This will result in a happy and productive workforce.

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What to Read Next:

• Bullying and Harassment Quiz
• Am I Being Bullied at Work? 12 Signs of Bullying in the Workplace
• Sexual Harassment Training for Employees
• Sexual Harassment Training for Managers and Supervisors
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: What Is It and How Do I Report It?
• Importance of Respect in the Workplace

The post Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employer Responsibilities appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will explain what a business plan is and why you need one if you’re looking to start an event management company. We will also cover what you should include in a business plan for events management and provide you with a free, downloadable template that you can adapt and use for starting your business.

What is a Business Plan?

When first looking into how to start an event management company, it’s very likely that you were advised to write a business plan.

A business plan is simply a short document that sets out your event management company’s objectives. It helps you and your potential investors to clearly see what the business’ aims are (both financial and non-financial) and details how you’re going to ensure you achieve these goals.

What is Event Management?

Event management involves planning and organising a wide range of events, from a brand’s new product launch, to a client’s birthday party. Rather than planning an event themselves, an individual, corporation, organisation or brand will hire an event management business to take on this responsibility for them. That business will then manage every aspect of the event, from planning to execution and evaluation. 

Some of the key responsibilities involved in managing an event are: 

• Learning about the client and what they want from their event. 
• Identifying the target audience. 
• Coming up with an event concept or theme. 
• Organising guest lists, menus, seating and transport. 
• Organising a venue based on the client’s needs. 
• Hiring staff, including hospitality and entertainment.
• Arranging guests, such as guest speakers.
• Creating event schedules. 

Event managers must be excellent communicators, with lots of creativity, as well as having organisation and problem solving skills to ensure events run smoothly and exceed the client’s expectations.

Looking to Learn More?

Our Starting a Business course explains how to successfully start your own business. It teaches you how to write a professional business plan and familiarises you with the legalities and regulations associated with starting a business. text.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan?

Any new business needs funding, staff and publicity to get off the ground and stand out from the competition. Writing up a business plan is a fundamental step toward achieving this. 

A business plan will clearly set out to potential investors why your business is going to be successful and, ultimately, why they should invest in you. The more they invest, the more staff you can hire to help build your business.

Additionally, event management companies need lots of resources to make events run smoothly, such as technology and transport, and these should all be factored into the business plan.

You may also decide at this point to specify what kind of events you want your business to plan, the types of client you will be working with and exactly what services your business will offer. By being specific, you are communicating to investors that you have a clear view of what you think your business will achieve. This can also help you determine branding and marketing strategies to appeal to your target market. 

It’s important to outline your marketing strategy in your business plan. Event management is a highly competitive industry, meaning you need to optimise marketing and publicity as quickly as possible in order to create publicity and distinguish yourself from your competitors. 

Most importantly, having a business plan will keep you on track. When you’re starting out with a new business, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with all the possible directions you could take your business in. Your business plan will help focus your direction and ensure that you stay on track with your business goals, helping you avoid wasting valuable time and money.

What to Include in a Business Plan for Event Management

A business plan doesn’t need to be a long or complicated document. For a small event planning company, a side or two of A4 paper will suffice. Your aim is simply to write down all the key information about your business in a clear, logical order. 

The topics to include in your event management company business plan are: 

• The name, address and contact details for your business.
• Information on the management of the business.
• Your company’s Mission Statement: a sentence summarising the overall aim of your company. 
• Your start-up costs: do you need to buy any equipment or hire transport? Do you need to pay anyone a wage? Have you got insurance? 
• Your business objectives: what will you sell and who is your target customer? 
• The everyday costs of the business: how much will you spend on a weekly or monthly basis? Include all overheads and outgoing costs, such as wages and petrol. 
• Funding and financial projections: where do you plan to get the money from to start the business? What are your projected profits/losses for the next month, year, two years, etc.? How will you maintain the cash flow? 
• Where you will operate from: include where you will be based, plus information on any overhead costs associated with the business premises. 
• What will be the business’ operating hours? Will you work on the business full-time? What will your working hours be? 
• Does your business have any local competition? What is your unique selling point (USP) that makes you stand out from the crowd? 
• Your pricing strategy: what are you going to charge for your service? Will you charge per event or per head?
• How will you be paid for your service? Do you plan to issue invoices, ask for a deposit or ask people to pay in full upfront?

Download an Event Management Business Plan PDF Template

To get started, simply download our free, one page business plan template using the button below. This template is just a guide, so feel free to add your own headings on a second page to ensure that all information relevant to your business is recorded in one place. 

Starting up any new business will come with challenges but by having a clear and concise business plan in place from the start, you are putting yourself in the best position to achieve future success for your events management business.

Further Resources:

• Starting a Business With No Money: Making Things Work Without A* Finances
• What’s the Difference Between Trade Marks, Copyrights, Patents and Trade Secrets? 
• 10 Elements to Consider When Organising a Corporate Event
• 42 Tips for Producing a Memorable Small Business Event
• Project Management Quiz
• Business Essentials Courses

The post How to Start an Event Management Company: Business Plan Template appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

• What is Greenwashing?
• Environmental Awareness For Kids Quiz
• Making Environmental Awareness a Priority in Your Workplace
• The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility for Your Business
• What are Green Jobs & Why are They Important?
• How to Implement Corporate Social Responsibility in Your Small Business
• Environmental Awareness Training

The post Environmental Awareness Quiz appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will explain some of the reasons why employees should return to the office, suggest some advice on how to encourage your workforce to return to non-remote work, and provide tips for employees heading back to the office to ensure a smooth transition.

Why Should Employees Return to the Office?

Although there were a myriad of studies released during the coronavirus pandemic that sang the praises of remote or hybrid work, suggesting that this form of working created happier, more productive employees, newer research from today’s post-pandemic world is starting to demonstrate that the opposite may actually be true. 

Whilst immediate results of changing to a more remote form of working may have seemed positive, we’re now starting to see the more long-term effects which paint an altogether different picture. To get a glimpse of how employees felt about home-working during the pandemic, read our article on the challenges and benefits of working from home, here.

Does Working from Home Decrease Productivity?

As we’ve had time to collect and monitor data from employees working from home over the past few years, more accurate insights into their productivity are now coming forth, and these show some interesting results. 

One example of this is a working paper published by two doctoral students from Harvard who, during 2020, found an 8% increase in the number of calls handled per hour by employees of an online retailer that had made the move to home working. Upon revising their study with more precise data in 2023, however, they found that this initial increase had actually become a 4% decline in productivity, with fewer calls being answered than in the office as well as lower quality interactions. So, what factors of remote working contribute most to this loss in productivity? 

Less Efficient Communication

We’ve all gotten used to dealing with the complexities of virtual meetings, and whilst it can seem nice to interact with colleagues among their pets and plants, with their favourite mug in hand, there’s no denying that speaking through a screen and at the mercy of your internet connection has its difficulties. 

Remote work strips colleague communication of the subtle non-verbal cues and natural flow of discussion that makes up the bulk of normal conversation. In fact, inevitable time lags and the inability to hear multiple people talk at once on virtual calls, makes truly effective collaboration nigh on impossible.

Difficulty Building and Maintaining Professional Relationships 

As well as decreasing the efficiency of communication, home working removes any spontaneity from workplace conversations. Whereas in an office it’s common to overhear and jump into conversations on impulse, remote conversations are mainly meticulously planned and are invite only. This makes it difficult to build solid professional relationships, as communication with employees outside of your team becomes sporadic if not scheduled in. Additionally, online meetings with strict agendas restrict the personal aspects of conversation that can help to build and strengthen workplace relationships. 

Inhibition of Innovation

Whilst online work inhibits relationship-building, it can prevent employees from being truly innovative. This is due to a restriction in focus, a key element of innovation. Constant work notifications, such as messages on slack, and distractions from family at home can make it hard to truly focus on one task and get the creative juices flowing. Without innovation, however, employees can feel like they’re running in circles and lacking in motivation. 

Decrease in Mental Health

The common consensus is that remote working has improved mental health by restoring workers’ work-life balance and giving employees more time to get outside, spend time with family, and exercise. In many cases, however, this may not be the reality. To start with, blurring the lines between work and home can make it difficult for many employees to ‘switch-off’. This lack of boundaries has been found to increase stress in home workers, with one study finding that 41% of remote workers felt stressed compared to only 25% of those continuing to work from an office.

Furthermore, it can be isolating to work from home in comparison to an office filled with people to communicate and connect with daily. As a result, remote working can increase feelings of loneliness, which can considerably impact mental health. 

Slower Development 

It’s generally agreed that regular feedback and advice is essential for growth and development, but home-workers are shown to receive significantly less feedback than those in offices. As a result, those working remotely are likely to progress in their professional development far slower. 

One recent study found that remote workers spend 25% less time on career development than their office counterparts. It’s also been noted that many skills, particularly soft skills such as leadership, are mainly learnt through observation. With home-workers being isolated from their colleagues, they’re less able to learn from their peers. 

How to Encourage Employees to Return to the Office

Although there are disadvantages to remote working, 82% of people say that they prefer working from home to going back to the office. Therefore, it’s evident that employees may need to be provided with motivation to return. 

Ultimately, many workers are reluctant to return to the office as they’re worried it’ll mean giving up the perks of remote working. Encouraging employees to return to the office is therefore mainly a case of outlining the benefits of an office environment, and adapting your workplace so that it proves a worthy rival to people’s own homes. 

Communicate Clearly and Honestly

Firstly, it’s essential to clearly communicate why you’d like employees to return to the office. Transparency is key to employee engagement, and therefore being totally honest about your reasons for making this change is likely to receive the best response. 

Use Factual Evidence and Statistics

As the quote goes, ‘you can’t argue with facts’. Using hard evidence for asking employees to return to the office will strengthen your case, particularly if some of your statistics are taken from your employees themselves; Why not create a survey for employees to complete and use the results in your line of reasoning. 

For example, being able to firmly declare that ‘X% of our team has shared that they feel lonely at home’, or that ‘X% of our team find collaboration easier in the office’ makes a compelling argument for returning to non-remote work. Including your employees’ own opinions within your decision will also help them to feel involved, rather than merely instructed. To find other methods of effectively motivating your team, read our article here.

Introduce New Benefits

Understandably, employees may be reluctant to give up the benefits of home-working without receiving any compensation or alternative advantages. Introducing new benefits such as a transportation or child care stipend may help to make office work more manageable for those who have gotten used to saving money in these areas by working from home. 

Additionally, creating new ways to make the office more enticing, such as social events, provided lunches or pet-friendly areas, may incentivise more workers to swap the perks of home-work for those of being in the office. Introducing regular team-building activities will help to strengthen bonds within teams and help to create a company culture that your employees want to experience in-person daily. You can find some ideas for team building activities which could help to incentivise employees in our article, here.

Optimise Your Office Space 

Returning to working in a closed office cubicle isn’t going to be an exciting prospect for anyone. Instead, to encourage employees to return to the office, it’s a good idea to ensure it’s an inviting space that people want to be in. 

Consider redesigning your office to maximise both productivity and fun. One idea is to separate your office into different areas designed specifically for various activities. For example, having designated deep-work sections, huddle areas, standing desks, social areas including games and comfy seating, and more. 

Create a Hybrid Work Schedule 

Asking every employee to immediately return to the office full time may be a difficult transition for many. Instead, try to phase in a return to the office and offer structured flexibility for those that need it. 

You could try a hot-desking system where employees sign up to work in the office on certain days, can book office space, and see which other employees will also be in the office at the same time as them. This encourages teams to coordinate their office time to get the benefits of collaboration and team-building on office days, whilst also reaping the benefits of sometimes still working from home.

Tips for Returning to the Office

It’s important to remember that returning to the office will seem like a big change for some, particularly as some newer employees may never have worked in an office environment before. With this in mind, here are a few tips for ensuring everyone is prepared to return to the workplace and are comfortable when doing so. 

Ease into the New Routine

Having to commute to an office involves more time management and preparation than having your workspace within your home. As such, it’s important to consider the extra time it will take to commute to work once you return to the office and slowly adapt to waking up earlier so that it’s not a shock to the system when you have to suddenly factor that extra time into your day. 

Additionally, it’s important to think about mealtimes at the office, as you may not have a full kitchen and your favourite ingredients readily available there as you would at home. It may be wise to plan what you will pack for your lunches and do some food preparation at the start of the week to avoid this becoming an added stress in your day.

Decorate Your Workspace

It’s easier to work in a space that you feel comfortable in, so don’t be shy in decorating your desk within the office to really make it your own. Bringing in a few home comforts such as plants and photos can help to make your workspace feel more joyous and motivational, and make the transition between working from home and at the office less of a leap.

Take Enough Rest Breaks

It can feel intimidating to take regular breaks whilst working in an office, as you’re constantly surrounded by other people who seem hard at work. But taking frequent breaks to relax and stretch your legs is just as vital in the office as it is at home, if not more so. 

To learn more about the importance of rest breaks and the regulations surrounding them in the workplace, read our article here. For employers, it’s essential to ensure that the office break room has everything that employees will need, such as comfortable seating and facilities to make drinks or snacks. 

Learn Methods to Help Manage Stress and Anxiety

Change is always scary, and therefore making the move back into the workplace from home-working may create or compound feelings of stress and anxiety. Although these feelings may seem overwhelming or unmanageable, there are a number of methods you can try to help deal with these emotions and avoid them from impacting your daily life. 

Want to Learn More?

To discover some suggested ways of dealing with difficult emotions, read our articles on coping with stress or anxiety at work. Additionally, you can discover more ways to promote positive mental health in the workplace, here.

One of the major downsides of remote working is that it restricts effective communication. If you’re making a return to office work, now is your chance to make the most of being able to discuss things face to face with your colleagues at any time. Getting to know the other employees in your company and widening your network of support will only enrich your working experience, make coming to work more enjoyable, and provide further opportunities for growth and development. 

If you have any concerns about returning to the office or have any suggestions for how to improve the workspace, you should voice these to the relevant person so that they can get resolved as soon as possible. 

There are many merits of working from an office that, if we’re being honest, just can’t be properly replicated when working remotely. As such, it’s time to start thinking about encouraging employees to return to the office. It’s important to do this correctly though, and ensure that employees are motivated and can benefit from this change. Remember, an immediate return to office-work full time may be infeasible for some, so consider taking a soft approach such as implementing hybrid or flexible working schemes. 

Further Resources:

• Weekly Working From Home Structure: Free Schedule Template
• Health & Safety For Home Workers
• Business Essentials Courses

The post How to Get Employees Excited About Returning to the Office appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

The cost of presenteeism is high, as not only does it cause productivity to drop, costing employers money, but it also adversely impacts workplace morale, health and safety and the wellbeing of employees. 

In this article we’ll cover what presenteeism is and what can cause it, as well as the financial and human costs it creates. We’ll also explain some of the things you can do to reduce presenteeism in your organisation.

What is Presenteeism?

Presenteeism is defined as reduced productivity at work due to health problems. It occurs when someone attends work despite being either physically or mentally unwell. Although, in most cases, they will be trying to work as hard as usual, their productivity and quality of work suffers because of how they’re feeling. 

This creates a ‘productivity gap’ between how productive they would usually be and what they can achieve while unwell. Presenteeism is costly for employers who are paying the same amount for lower quality or less work, as well as harmful to the person doing it and potentially those around them. 

Identifying and measuring presenteeism is challenging. Employers may not recognise that it’s happening because employees still show up to work and may hide any symptoms of being unwell. Or, they may not know what presenteeism is or be inclined to ignore it, thinking that the more their employees work, the better.

However, you can measure the impact of presenteeism on employee productivity using the Stanford Presenteeism Scale.

Presenteeism in Remote Workers

The increase in hybrid and remote working has made identifying presenteeism more difficult. Many peoples’ homes have become their workspace and, while working from home can offer freedom and flexibility, it can also cause the line between work and life to blur. 

This can mean that some remote workers struggle to ‘switch off’ and will work from home when they wouldn’t have gone to work otherwise. For example, if a remote worker is unwell, they may be more likely than a non-remote worker to still attend work as they don’t have to leave the house and won’t infect other people. 

There’s also less risk of their coworkers or managers realising they’re unwell or working at a reduced capacity when they’re only communicating through screens. They may even feel more obligated to attend work while sick because of the flexibility remote working affords them and this is just one of the reasons why presenteeism is on the rise.

Presenteeism Vs Absenteeism

While presenteeism involves an employee attending work when they shouldn’t because they are unwell, absenteeism is the opposite and occurs when an employee repeatedly does not come to work, without good reason. 

It may come as a surprise, but presenteeism is actually a bigger drain on workplace productivity than absenteeism. This is because people who take time off work can rest and recover, while those who attend work unwell can prolong their illness and, in turn, the time they spend in the productivity gap. The overall cost of presenteeism can end up being more than if they had just taken a day off. 

Leavisim is another workplace occurrence that drains productivity. This is when employees use their annual leave either to recover from sickness instead of taking a sick day, or to catch up on work at home. 

You may think that leaveism would benefit employers by increasing the hours employees work, without increasing pay. In actual fact, like presenteeism, leaveism stops employees from taking a well-needed break from work which can reduce their overall productivity and eventually result in burnout or brownout.

Burnout is where a person becomes completely overwhelmed, primarily by overworking or work-related stress, and has a physical or mental collapse. It can result from presenteeism.

Brownout is a form of presenteeism where a person comes to work but is tired, withdrawn, disinterested and discontent with their role or workplace, leading to reduced motivation and unproductiveness. You can learn about managing stress at work here. 

These phenomena are all detrimental to workplace productivity and all stem from flaws in an organisation’s culture and policies. 

Causes of Presenteeism

Presenteeism can happen in any kind of workplace but is more common in offices rather than settings that measure productivity based on physical acts, such as a construction site.

Presenteeism is also common among workers who feel responsible for others in their role, such as health or social care workers. However, there are lots of other factors involved in why someone might choose to come into work while unwell, including: 

• A lack of job security and/ or fear or seeming dispensable. 
• Fear of being reprimanded or perceived as not working hard enough. 
• Worrying they have taken too much time off already. 
• Feeling obligated to work remotely.
• Being unable to afford a sick day and/or a lack of paid sick leave. 
• Thinking they are the only person who can perform their role in a company or that others will be impacted if they are absent, particularly if there are staff shortages.
• Not wanting to miss a deadline or having a heavy workload. 
• Company loyalty and desire to be reliable. 
• Perceived pressure from management. 
• Unwillingness to disclose the reason for absence or feeling it isn’t ‘good enough’, for example, worrying that disclosing a mental health condition will lead to stigma or lose them opportunities. 

Effects of Presenteeism in the Workplace

Whilst presenteeism can cause your business to lose money and valuable working days, the real cost of presenteeism is a more human one. Alongside the impact it has on the UK economy, presenteeism also causes the following problems:

• An unhealthy workplace – if an employee comes to work with a contagious illness, they can easily pass this illness on to the people they work with, causing them to become unwell, too. This can lead to increased absence rates and even more presenteeism. 
• Employee’s aren’t able to recover – if an employee repeatedly comes into work while unwell, particularly if they are suffering from a mental health issue, they won’t get the time they need to rest and recover which could prolong or worsen their illness. If they are unable to work at their usual capacity or quality they may miss targets or deadlines which can cause a great deal of stress. 
• Lower workplace morale – working alongside a team-mate who is unmotivated, unhappy or disinterested can be an emotional drain on all members of the team and affect relationships. This can negatively impact morale and the workplace atmosphere, reducing motivation and productivity all round.
• Unsafe working – employees who come to work while unwell are more likely to have and/or cause workplace accidents as they are less focussed on performing tasks properly and safely. This puts both them and others at risk. 
• Lack of progress – presenteeism can cause a lack of personal and professional progress. If people aren’t giving tasks their full commitment then they’re unlikely to develop their skills and, if they’re not feeling great, may be less interested in developing themselves. What’s more, a lack of progress can cause roadblocks for other colleagues who may be waiting for the sick employee to get back to full health before assigning them tasks or waiting for them to get on top of their to-do list. 
• Reduced quality of work – even if someone is producing the same quantity of work while unwell, it’s likely that the quality will suffer and they may make mistakes that cost time and money. This can have a ripple effect, impacting other people’s work if they are relying on this person or working as a team.

Need a Course?

Our Resilience Training Course will help workers to build on their own levels of personal resilience and understand why it is important. To do this, it provides actionable steps for developing the five pillars of resilience: emotional wellbeing, inner drive, future focus, relationships and physical health.

Presenteeism Statistics in the UK

Presenteeism is becoming more and more common in UK workplaces, particularly among remote workers, and it’s an issue that employers, managers and supervisors literally cannot afford to ignore. The following statistics show the true cost of presenteeism in the UK: 

• Presenteeism costs UK employers up to £29bn a year, with presenteeism due to mental health having a more detrimental effect than staff absence.
• The cost of poor mental health of employees is estimated to be between £42bn and £45bn per annum, of which £29.3bn is due to presenteeism.
• 65% of HR staff report observing presenteeism in the workplace, while 81% report observing it among those who work from home.
• Almost half of workers (46%) admit to working despite not feeling physically or mentally well enough to perform their role.
• In 2022, employees lost 20.2% working hours from being unproductive, the equivalent of 51 productive days per employee, per year.

How to Reduce Presenteeism in Your Workplace

As an employer you need to look at whether some of the causes of presenteeism we listed earlier may be at play in your workplace. If so, there are some changes you can make to encourage healthier working among your employees, including: 

• Promoting a wellness culture – your organisational culture should promote the mental and physical wellbeing of everyone working there. You could introduce health promoting benefits, such as a cycle to work scheme, discounted gym memberships, subscriptions to mental wellbeing apps or private healthcare.
• Establish and communicate a strong sickness policy – you must communicate to employees that taking time off to recover when they’re unwell is important, encouraged and will not have negative consequences. Managers must also follow this policy to set a good example.
• Providing job security – if you can, offer guaranteed hours of work for employees rather than zero hour contracts and provide sick pay. This will give employees confidence that they can take time off for sickness without facing any negative repercussions.
• Improving communication – one problem with remote working can be a lack of regular communication. When line managers regularly check in with employees, they can identify if a worker is unwell or struggling with their workload and needs support. Managers should be trained to recognise the signs of physical and mental health problems and know how to provide support. You can learn about supporting mental health at work here. 

Mental Health Awareness

To increase your understanding of mental health and wellbeing, including how to support others suffering with their mental health and initiate conversations about mental health, you can take a look at our Mental Health Awareness course.

• Review absence policies – having a strict absence policy can drastically increase presenteeism. To make your absence policy less threatening to employees, make trigger points after certain lengths of absence positive rather than negative. For example, rather than giving a ‘warning’ after a length of absence, offer a wellness discussion to determine any issues and potential support you can provide to help them get healthy and back to work.
• Consult your staff – to get to the root cause of presenteeism in your workplace, you need to know what your staff think. You can put out an anonymous survey to staff to find out if there is anything that would put them off taking a sick day, such as an excessive workload or pressure from management. This will help to identify where changes need to be made in your organisation. 

When people don’t feel well, they can’t do their best work or be their best selves. If you want to create an organisation where employees are motivated, engaged and productive, you must accept that absences will happen, within reason. It’s your responsibility as an employer to promote wellbeing to reduce presenteeism, but also to make sure your employees feel they can take a day off when they need it.

Further Resources:

• How to Promote Positive Mental Health for Healthcare Workers 
• Managing Mental Health & Wellbeing in Hospitality 
• Work Related Stress: Your Responsibilities as an Employer
• Resilience in the Workplace: What are the Benefits and How Can Businesses Develop It?
• 6 Types of Leadership: Which Leadership Style is Right For Me?
• Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course 

The post The Cost of Presenteeism in the Workplace & Why it’s Not Just About Money appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Any disciplinary process needs to be fair and transparent at all times. Communication is key and at no point should you spring news of dismissal upon an employee – unless, of course, the employee is being dismissed for gross misconduct.

This article will help employers, managers, supervisors, and members of HR understand how to go about conducting a fair and appropriate disciplinary hearing. We will reference employers as the overarching term for those leading the disciplinary process.

What is the Purpose of Disciplinary Procedures in the Workplace?

The purpose of a disciplinary procedure in the workplace is to set out how employee misconduct will be dealt with. This procedure is usually outlined within a policy and should be available for all employees to access and detail what behaviours or performance issues could lead to disciplinary action. Having disciplinary procedures in place helps to ensure a consistent, transparent and fair process for all.

However, not all workplace issues require such formal action to be taken. It may be appropriate, in the first instance, to have an informal chat about an issue. The aim of this would be to discuss how the problem can be resolved going forwards and highlight any support the employee may require. Communication skills are a vital element of our working relationships.

This could include further training that’s needed, more effective one-to-ones, or any other support both you and the employee feel may help support a change in their performance or behaviour.

It depends on your workplace’s policies and procedures, but an informal discussion like this wouldn’t always require the employer to put it on record – unless they deemed it necessary. If, or course, the issue continues, it would then be appropriate to consider a more formal disciplinary action.

A standard disciplinary process follows several steps, with different potential outcomes possible at the end. 

Disciplinary Procedure Steps

A formal disciplinary procedure should include the following steps:

An investigation – if it is decided that an investigation is required, this should involve the employer gathering as much information as possible regarding the employee’s alleged misconduct.

Any disciplinary action that is taken must be justified; therefore, finding out the facts and establishing evidence to inform any decision that’s to be made is a key part of the procedure. All information regarding the investigation should be accurately recorded.

A hearing – should the investigation find evidence to show an employee’s misconduct, they should then be invited to attend a hearing. This disciplinary meeting involves all the evidence being heard so that a final decision can be made regarding the appropriate course of disciplinary action to take, if any.

An outcome decision – having considered the findings of the investigation and hearing, a fair and justifiable decision should be made on the most appropriate course of action. That possible outcomes in place within your organisation should be outlined within the disciplinary policy.

For a decision to be reached, it may require further discussion between appropriate parties before a decision is reached, such as HR, legal representatives or other senior leaders. This will vary between organisations and the nature of the misconduct.

An opportunity to appeal the decision – the employee should be offered the right to appeal if they disagree with the outcome.

The next section will look in greater detail at what is involved in a disciplinary hearing, how to prepare for one and what to expect during and after the meeting.

Need a Course?

Our Disciplinary & Grievance Procedures Training is designed to help managers and employers ensure that they have a fair and consistent disciplinary procedure in their workplace. This and further useful training resources can be found within our Business Essentials course catalogue.

How to Conduct a Disciplinary Hearing

Remember, a disciplinary hearing is a formal action and one that should be completed in-line with company policies and procedures. It should be carried out fairly, with all steps taken to ensure all parties rights are met and that all proceedings are accurately recorded and documented throughout.

Preparing for a Disciplinary Hearing

As part of the preparation for the hearing, the employer should put certain information in writing to the employee, so they are fully aware of the following:

• Details of their alleged misconduct.
• The evidence that supports the employer’s claim.
• Their right to bring their own supporting evidence.
• The possible outcomes of the hearing.
• Their right to representation. 
• When and where the hearing will take place.

It is important to understand the rights of the employee, as failing to comply with these could lead to an unfair process. For example, if the disciplinary procedure is outlined within an employee’s contract and as the employer you have failed to adhere to, you could be held liable for a breach of contract and unfair dismissal.

It is also good practice to deal with all stages of a disciplinary process in good time and without any unnecessary delays.

What Happens at a Disciplinary Meeting?

During the meeting, both the employer and the employee will have the opportunity to speak and share evidence. In disciplinary cases, emotions and tensions may be running high, so it is important to have a clearly set out structure to the meeting and to allow everyone their turn to speak, uninterrupted.

Being skilled in conflict resolution can be hugely beneficial when it comes to bringing constructive outcomes from difficult situations.

The employer will begin by explaining the alleged misconduct, talking through and showing any supporting evidence they may have, including witnesses. All of this should have been provided to the employee in advance of the hearing, so they understand what to expect and also have the time to prepare their own case.

For the hearing to be fair, it is important that the employee gets to explain their case, respond to the allegations and provide their own evidence, including witnesses. They should also be given the chance to ask any questions they may have.

Notes should be taken throughout the disciplinary hearing and every effort should be made to ensure the employee attends the meeting. An employee may request to bring someone with them and they have the right to bring, a colleague, a union representative, or an official employed by a trade union.

If the employee requests to bring anyone else, this would be at the employer’s discretion and they do not have to accommodate the request.

What Happens After a Disciplinary Hearing?

Once the meeting is drawing to a close, it is important to clarify the next steps so that the employee knows when to expect a decision and what steps they can take if they disagree with the outcome. The type of disciplinary action taken will depend on the severity of the misconduct.

The potential disciplinary actions that may be taken are:

No action – it may be found that a misconduct has not taken place, in which case it should be made clear to the employee that the case has been dropped and they should be supported to positively continue their employment.

Verbal warning – also known as an informal warning. As mentioned previously, this is where an issue was found to be small and one that can be resolved with an informal discussion and perhaps additional support to rectify the problem. Having gone through the disciplinary procedures, the employer may choose to make a note of this warning for future reference, despite it being ‘informal’.

First written warning – this is a formal warning and is one that is usually the first action taken if it is shown misconduct has taken place. At this stage, the employer may give the employee a timescale, to either show improvement (in the case of poor performance), or within which they must not repeat the misconduct.

Final written warning – this can take place if the employee did not meet the requirements set out within the first written warning, or the misconduct were more severe in nature and met the companies requirements to skip the first written warning and action the final warning instead.

Dismissal – if, following a final written warning, the employee either does not improve or repeats unwanted behaviour, then the employer may have no choice but to move to a dismissal. If an employee acts in a way that falls under ‘gross misconduct’, the employer may move to dismissal without any verbal or written warning being required.

Regardless of the outcome decided, it is important that the employee understands their right to appeal. It must be clearly explained how to do so, and any information they need to be able to make their appeal should be provided.

They should set out in writing what grounds they have for making the appeal – with the employer responding with when and where the appeal hearing will take place.

Disciplinary Meeting Tips for Employers

The most effective way of approaching disciplinary processes and meetings is to ensure they are fair, reasonable and respectful. It can be a highly emotive time for all involved and it is important that a calm, professional manner is adopted at all times.

Always act in-line with your company’s policies and procedures, making sure the process is one that aims to support positive change to staff’s behaviour and performance where appropriate.

There will be times when staff do not attend meetings. This may be because they fail to turn up or are absent due to sick leave. As an employer you should make every effort to ensure staff have the information and support they require to attend.

Rescheduled appointments should be made for those that fail to attend.

If a failure to attend scheduled meetings continues to occur, there are several options that could be taken. It may be beneficial to involve occupational health or HR, as they may be best placed to decide if any reasonable adjustments could be made to help the employee attend, or they may determine that they are too unwell and attendance at that time is not appropriate.

After further investigation, the decision could be taken to postpone the meeting until their return from sick leave, that submitting their case in writing would be the best course of action, or that they should engage a representative instead.

It could also be determined that the employee is failing to attend on purpose, in such a case it may be necessary to decide the outcome of disciplinary action in their absence.

Always communicate how and why a particular decision was reached clearly and in writing.

Further Resources:

• Disciplinary & Grievance Procedures Training
• How to Conduct a Grievance Hearing: Tips for Employers
• Understanding the Different Types of Group Conflict: A Guide for Managers
• How to Use Key Phrases in Performance Reviews & Appraisals
• Signs of Conflict in the Workplace
• Managing Conflict in the Workplace: A Guide for Line Managers
• Importance of Respect in the Workplace

The post Disciplinary Procedures in the Workplace: Guide for Employers appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article provides advice for employers, leaders and anyone else looking to interview virtually within their workplace about how to conduct a video interview smoothly and successfully.

What is a Video Interview?

A video interview, also known as a virtual interview, is a great way for you to interview candidates from afar. As more and more companies extend their talent search further afield, video interviews offer you a meaningful way to interact with potential hires who are located outside of your workplace’s immediate catchment area, and without the hassle that can come with a face-to-face interview.

Top Tip

These days, as people increasingly turn to roles that involve remote working or hybrid working, a video interview can be an invaluable tool for reaching the best candidates, no matter where in the world they’re located.

Benefits of Virtual interviews

There are many benefits to video interviewing, some of which include:

• It’s less likely that the candidate will need to take time off work to attend the interview, as they take up far less time than conventional face-to-face interviews
• You can host the interview at any time, including outside of normal working hours, at a time best suited to each candidate.
• You can record virtual interviews and replay them later. Never underestimate what you can learn from a second look.
• No one has to pay travel or hotel expenses.
• Unlike a phone interview, you can read body language and facial cues when watching the candidates on screen.

Disadvantages of Virtual Interviews

However, there are also some obstacles you may need to overcome when interviewing virtually:

• Both you and the candidate need a reliable internet connection, webcam and microphone. Ahead of the interview, make sure that each candidate has access to the technology and software they need to attend the interview, so they’re not at a disadvantage.
• Unexpected internet connectivity problems could cause delays or make it hard to communicate.
• Distractions such as bad lighting, cluttered surroundings, noise and other people in the room can detract from the video interview and what is being said.

Types of Virtual Interviews

There are two main types of virtual interviews that you can choose between: one-way interviews and two-way interviews.

One-way Interview

A one-way video interview, or ‘pre-recorded’ interview, is where the interviewer isn’t present on screen. In this scenario, the interviewer gives the candidate a series of set questions in advance and the candidate responds by recording and submitting their answers. The candidate can have multiple takes at recording their answers before sending them to you. 

As an employer, a one-way interview can be useful because it means you’re able to review each candidate’s answers in your own time. You don’t need to schedule a specific time slot to speak to the interviewees and can attain answers to some of the more general questions (such as ‘why did you apply for this role?’) before arranging a more formal face-to-face interview. One-way video interviews are useful for pre-screening multiple candidates during the selection process.

Two-way Video Interview 

A two-way video interview, or a ‘live’ interview, is where the interviewer and candidate are ‘face-to-face’ and can see each other on a platform such as Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom. Two-way interviews are more common than one-way interviews.

In a two-way interview, both the interviewer and interviewee log in to the same video call and the questions are asked and answered on the spot. There’s no chance for the candidate to redo their answers and it often requires them to think on their feet, just as they would if the interview was in person.

Need a Course?

Our Interview Skills Training for Managers has been designed to help managers increase their confidence when hiring by detailing the recruitment process from start to finish.

Virtual Interview Tips for Employers

There are many rules that apply to virtual interviews the same as face-to-face, for example, you still need to dress professionally and prepare your questions in advance. With a video interview, however, there are various other elements to consider that you may not have thought about before. A few of these are listed below:

1. Pick a quiet, well-lit location
This reduces the chance of distractions and ensures that what your candidate can see behind you looks welcoming and professional. You may have to move furniture around to create a backdrop that looks appealing on screen – aim for somewhere plain and with good lighting, without distracting clutter or people.

2. Prepare the environment
Candidates will be assessing your business from what they can see so, to create a good impression of your business: 

• Avoid empty meeting rooms as they will create an echo. Plants and soft furnishings absorb sound and will stop echoes from happening.
• Inform your colleagues when the interview is going on and where so that they don’t interrupt.
• When you set up the webcam, make sure it’s an arm’s length away from where you’ll be sitting and at eye level. The candidate only needs to see your head and shoulders.

3. Figure out your tech
Before the interview, practise the call with a colleague to make sure everything works. Test your video call software, camera, microphone and background and make adjustments where needed. Avoid using a tablet or phone for the interview if possible as they don’t have the capabilities of a computer or laptop.

4. Turn off distracting or noisy background apps
Whether the computer you’re using for the interview is your personal or work one, make sure that any applications with alert noises are switched off, so they don’t interrupt your virtual interview or cause a distraction.

5. Dress appropriately
Even though the candidate might not be able to see all of you, you should still dress as if the interview were face-to-face. This means dressing appropriately and professionally.

6. Speak clearly
Speak slowly, loudly and clearly when doing a virtual interview as connection problems and background noise can sometimes make communication harder. Try to focus on your screen rather than on your notes, too, so that the candidate can see your facial expressions. It can help to have another person present to take notes so that you’re not trying to multitask.

7. During the interview, sit still
Figure out before the interview if you’re going to sit or stand. Equally, make sure you have everything you need so you’re not reaching around or disappearing off screen. Have the candidate’s job description, your questions and their CV on the table in front of you.

8. Sort out a backup plan
Things do go wrong, so make sure you have the candidate’s phone number to hand during the video chat so that you can call them if you need to.

Conducting interviews through video can be a great change of pace and open up opportunities for all sorts of candidates. As with all interview styles, there are pros and cons, so it’s important to get your video interviews set up and running right to ensure you get the most out of the process.

What to Read Next:

• Making the Right Hire: Interview Assessment Template for Employers
• Interviewing Skills Quiz
• Should You Really “Hire For Attitude, Train For Skill”?
• How to Stand Out in a Virtual Interview: Preparation Tips

The post How to Conduct a Successful Video Interview appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we’ll provide advice on how to gain the most out of an upcoming interview, particularly if it’s to be held online via video chat, so that you can stand out from the crowd.

What is a Virtual Interview?

A virtual interview, also known as a video interview, is a way for companies to interact with potential job candidates from afar. Virtual interviews are becoming increasingly popular, especially as we all move towards a world of remote working and hybrid working, where it’s no longer a requirement of the role to live in the same town or city as your employer.

Benefits of Virtual Interviews

Attending a virtual interview has many benefits for both you and your prospective employer, including:

• Video interviews can be more convenient, as you’re less likely to need time off work to attend the interview or can schedule it for a time of day that suits you best.
• Unlike a simple phone interview, a video interview allows you to see the person or people you’ll be working with. Not only does this offer you a friendly face, but it means you can read body language and make eye contact, just like a face-to-face conversation.
• There are no travel costs incurred or overnight hotel stays needed, as you can attend the interview from your own home.

Disadvantages of Virtual Interviews

As with anything, however, virtual interviews do also have their disadvantages, such as:

• You need to ensure you have the right technology, such as a laptop or a desktop computer with a webcam and microphone, to be able to attend the video interview.
• Video interviews rely on you and your interviewer both having a reliable internet connection that won’t disconnect or break up during the call.
• You’ll need to find a suitable location to put your computer where you won’t be disturbed and where you can ensure a professional background to your video call. Aim for somewhere plain without distracting clutter, pets or people.

Video Interview Preparation

Before attending a virtual interview it’s important that you prepare. This means preparing yourself, your location and your technology ready for the big moment – the last thing you need is login problems, being stuck on mute or a pet jumping onto the desk in front of you. A few areas of preparation to consider include the following:

Video Interview Software

Before attending your virtual interview, make sure you have the right software installed on your laptop or desktop computer. Your interviewer should be able to tell you which platform they are using for the call if you don’t have this information to hand. For example, are you meeting on Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Skype? Be sure to download the relevant application ahead of time and ensure you can login successfully to avoid any last minute panic.

Video Interview Practice

Have you rehearsed your interview technique or are you planning to improvise on the day? To be well prepared, it’s a good idea to simulate a virtual interview environment with a family member or friend before the main event, so that you can practise answering questions and test out your technology. We’ll cover the types of questions you might need to prepare for later in this article.

Video Interview Dress Code

First impressions count, so make sure you choose a suitable outfit for your video interview ahead of time. Treat the virtual interview the same as you would a face-to-face interview and dress modestly and professionally, even if the interviewer can only see your head and shoulders. Dressing the part shows you’re serious about the role and will give you a boost of inner confidence. 

Video Interview Questions

As part of your virtual interview preparation, it’s always a good idea to research potential interview questions related to your particular industry. If the role you’re applying for requires home working or hybrid working, then you may also encounter questions about remote working best practices, and these could be questions you’ve not had to answer before when applying for a role with a set working location.

Top Tip

Video interview questions often focus on certain key skills: communication, productivity, time management, initiative and motivation. Be sure to come up with examples of each of these areas ahead of your virtual interview.

Below are 15 examples of video interview questions related to remote working and working from home that you may want to prepare for:

1. How would you minimise distractions when working at home?
2. What does your home office space look like?
3. How do you prioritise work when working alone?
4. How do you stay organised when working from home?
5. Tell me about what you do to manage your time, do you have any specific methods?
6. How do you stay motivated when working from home?
7. What’s your preferred way to communicate with colleagues?
8. How would you reach out to a colleague if you needed help?
9. Are you comfortable working alone and managing your own schedule?
10. What do you see as your biggest challenge when it comes to remote working?
11. Give me an example of a time you’ve had to collaborate with others remotely.
12. Give me an example of a time when you’ve had a problem and how you handled it whilst working remotely.
13. Give me an example of a time when you’ve had to use your initiative.
14. Give me an example of how you manage your work-life balance.
15. Give me an example of something you’ve done in the past to successfully bond with remote colleagues.

If you’re interviewing for a role in a specific industry, visit one of the links below to see further interview questions and how to prepare for them:

• Interview Questions for Care Workers
• Interview Questions for Teachers
• Interview Questions for Hospitality Staff 
• Interview Questions for Bartenders
• Interview Questions for Chefs
• Interview Questions for Waiting Staff 

Virtual Interview Questions to Ask the Employer

At the end of an interview, you’re usually given the chance to ask any questions you have. Asking your interviewer questions shows you are genuinely interested in the role and the company you’re interviewing for. If all of your questions have already been answered during the interview process, then tell your interviewer what you would have asked if you’d needed to. This shows to them that you’ve prepared – not that you just can’t think of anything to ask.

Top Tip

Aim for up to 3 questions at the end of your virtual interview based around the role, the company or the people – but avoid questions about salary, working hours or benefits, which are better directed at the HR team.

Examples of good questions to ask at the end of a video interview are:

• What is the most challenging part of the role?
• What do you expect from me in this role?
• What does the perfect candidate for this role look like?
• What are the most important skills for a person in this role to have?
• What kind of tasks would I be expected to complete in my first month here?
• Can you tell me about the performance review process?
• What’s the best thing about working for this company, in your opinion?
• Can you tell me about what the company plans to achieve in the coming years?
• Are there any particular challenges facing the company right now?
• Is there any further information or evidence I can give you to enhance my application?
• Is there anything I’ve said that needs to be elaborated on?

Standing out in an interview is vital if you’re looking for a new job. We hope that this article has helped you understand how to best prepare for a video interview, and that the tips we’ve provided will help you on the path to success. If you have any further questions or wish to find out more information on the topics covered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at High Speed Training!

Further Resources: 

The post How to Stand Out in a Virtual Interview: Preparation Tips appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

Currently, 80% of people never set goals at all and, out of those that do, roughly 70% fail to achieve them. This is likely due to a lack of specificity when goal-setting. To help make your objectives more achievable, it can help to break them down into smaller steps that are clearly defined and realistic. This is where the SMART method for creating goals can really help. 

In this article, we’ll define what SMART goals are, why they are so important for development, and how to set good SMART goals to help advance your career. We’ll also share some examples as inspiration to help you get started with your own goal setting.

What are SMART Goals?

SMART is an acronym that can help to guide your goal setting. It stands for:

• Specific.
• Measurable.
• Achievable.
• Relevant.
• Time-bound. 

When creating a personal or professional development goal, you can follow the SMART method by ensuring that your objectives adhere to each of these parameters. This helps to ensure that your goals are realistic, have a clear timeline, and that your progress can be tracked. 

Too often, goal setting gets side-lined within a business, but both employees and managers have a responsibility to set goals regularly. Using SMART goals, employees and their line managers can create an actionable plan together which ensures that they continue to grow and develop within their roles. It can also improve performance, increase productivity, and contribute towards company objectives. 

Why are SMART Goals Important?

SMART is an effective method of goal-setting as it provides the clarity, focus, and motivation needed to achieve the objectives you set for yourself. Additionally, it’s an easy method that anyone can use without needing additional training or specialist tools. Some of the greatest benefits of using the SMART method to create goals are:

• It provides direction.
• It evaluates your strengths and weaknesses so you’re better aware of which areas you need to improve most.
• It provides motivation.
• It encourages you to take action and directs you out of your comfort zone, which is often where the most progress happens.
• It retains your focus on the end-goal.
• It elicits a continuous sense of achievement by creating regular milestones.
• It allows you to monitor your progress.
• It avoids wasting time on activities that aren’t goal-oriented.

Another reason why SMART goals are important is that they help to foster a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief in your ability to develop your knowledge and learn new skills through determination and practise. Once developed, it can help you to overcome challenges and embrace opportunities. 

Using SMART goals can help to nurture your growth mindset by ensuring that you achieve frequent milestones, which increases your confidence in your abilities. Additionally, the SMART method allows you to create a clear vision of success, which helps with maintaining motivation – a key aspect of a growth mindset. To learn more about how to develop and maintain a growth mindset in the workplace, read our article on the subject here.

Looking to Learn More?

Knowing how to set good SMART goals is an essential business skill, and one that will be invaluable to anyone in, or hoping to take on, a leadership role. To further enhance these skills, check out our Business Essentials courses. In particular, we highly recommend our Communication Skills and Leadership and Management training.

How to Set SMART Goals

The first step in setting a SMART goal is to think of something you’d like to accomplish in the future. This could be a vague goal to start with, for example: ‘I will increase my sales’. Once you have an end-goal in mind, you can build on it using the SMART acronym to make it more attainable and quantifiable. 

Specific 

Goals that are specific have a higher chance of being achieved. To make a goal more specific, you can use questions to help narrow down your objective, such as:

• Who is involved in your goal?
• What exactly do you want to accomplish?
• What steps are needed to achieve it?

Using these considerations, we can turn our generic goal of ‘I will increase sales’ to something far more specific such as: ‘I will learn a new sales technique to increase my number of weekly sales.’

Measurable

To allow you to keep track of your goal, it must have set criteria for measuring progress. Without this, you’ll have no way of identifying how near or far you are from achieving your goal. This usually involves setting a numerical target that you’d like to reach or exceed. 

For example, we can improve our example goal from: ‘I will learn a new sales technique to increase my number of weekly sales’ to: ‘I will learn a new sales technique to increase my number of weekly sales by 10%.’

Achievable

After specifying your goal and evaluating how you will measure it, it’s time to consider how achievable your current goal is or whether you may need to adjust it. Some things to think about are whether you have the resources needed to achieve your goal, and if not what are you missing? It’s important to strike the right balance of making your goal challenging enough to make it an accomplishment without it being too difficult to complete successfully. 

To make your goal more achievable, you could always reduce the measurable aspect that you added in the previous step. For example, rather than looking to ‘increase my number of weekly sales by 10%’, you could reduce this to 5% instead if necessary.

Relevant 

Here, you need to consider whether the goal you’ve set for yourself is in line with what your company or team as a whole aspires to achieve. If your goal doesn’t contribute towards company targets, you may successfully deliver your objective but it won’t have an impact on the overall performance of the business. It helps to add a section to the end of your SMART goal clarifying how your personal target will play a part in bigger company aspirations. 

For example, we can justify our objective of increasing sales by adding to the SMART goal as so:  ‘I will learn a new sales technique to increase my number of weekly sales by 10%. This will contribute more towards team revenue and help to increase monthly profits.’

Time-bound

Finally, to be able to effectively measure success, you must place a time limit on your goal so that you have a deadline to work towards. This can help ensure that you stay on track to achieving your target, and will motivate you to make progress faster. Without a deadline, there is no pressure to make advancements towards your ultimate objective and thus it’s far easier to procrastinate. You can learn more about how to be productive at work in our article, here. 

Following this, we can complete our example goal by adding a time restriction such as: ‘I will learn a new sales technique to increase my number of weekly sales by 10% within Q2. This will contribute more towards team revenue and help to increase monthly profits.’ 

Now that you know how to create a good SMART goal, it’s time to form your own ideas of achievements you’d like to attain in the future, then use the SMART formula to turn them into actionable goals. 

Implementing SMART Goals

One way to find inspiration for your goals is to revisit your performance reviews, which you should have regularly with your employer or manager. Within a performance review, you’ll receive feedback that can help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know your potential areas of improvement, you can use these to set goals which aim to turn your current shortcomings into your future assets. To learn more about how to use performance reviews to your full advantage, read our article on the subject here.

Lastly, once you have your list of objectives for the future and have turned them into SMART goals, it’s important to format these into a personal development plan (PDP). This is a formalised template that helps you to keep track of where you are in your progress towards achieving each of your goals. Whereas the SMART formula helps you to create individual goals that are achievable and measurable, a PDP helps you to view all of your goals together and decide which to prioritise. It can also be used to monitor your personal growth over time. Need help getting started? Take a look at our free downloadable PDP guide and template.

Examples of SMART Goals for Employees

It can be hard to know where to start with setting goals, particularly ones that fit every part of the SMART formula. Here are a few examples of professional development goals that you could edit to fit your individual aspirations:

• Attend three industry events each month this year, and speak to five people at each to improve your networking.
• Complete an online course in the next month to improve your knowledge in a specific area and increase your level of efficiency within your role. (To help personalise this goal, why not visit our course library and browse one of our many training opportunities to find the right one for you.)
• Research a new competitor every two weeks to improve the knowledge of the market and identify areas of improvement in your company for the next quarter.
• Lead three team meetings within the next two months to build confidence in directing discussion and improve your presentation skills. (Our article on How to Speak up in Meetings is a great starting point for this goal.)
• Learn a new tool/software; XX, to build on your abilities and improve productivity by XX% by the end of the quarter.
• Dedicate 30 minutes per week to self-reflection to evaluate your performance and proactively seek areas for improvement until the end of the quarter. (As part of this self-reflection, you may want to consider ways to work on your emotional intelligence, as this is a vital skill in every workplace that can always be improved.) 

We hope you found this article on how to write SMART goals useful. Personal development is extremely important in driving career progression and ensuring that you stay motivated in your role. Using the SMART method to create personal development goals increases the likelihood that you’ll succeed in your aspirations, as they help to ensure that your objectives are realistic, measurable, and include a deadline to work towards. 

Further Resources:

• A Personal Development Plan (PDP) Guide & Template
• How to Develop a Growth Mindset in the Workplace
• How to Upskill Yourself
• Writing A Professional Development Plan – Example & Template
• Business Essentials Courses

The post How to Write SMART Goals for Employees appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.