Work Archives - Page 5 of 15 - MY EXPERIENCE | MY EXPERTISE
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MY EXPERIENCE | MY EXPERTISE

Category: Work

  • Working From Home | All About Work Ethics

    Working From Home | All About Work Ethics

    There was this reel on Facebook showing what people think of working from home. It became viral because the CEO of a company said that working from home makes you dumber. It received a lot of backlash and negative comments. People did not like it. Well, I was not affected but it made me wonder when a person I know posted something related to it.

    “To those that believe WFH breeds complacency and laziness, it’s nothing but a reflection of your own work ethic.”

    Operations Director of Fintech Company

    (I opt to cite the person anonymously for now until that person gives me permission to cite his/her name).

    Does working from home make us dumber? Do we become complacent and lazy because we are in the comfort of our homes? Is it just about our work ethics so no matter where we work, it does not have an impact on what we produce? Or, is there some truth to what the CEO said and working from home is not really beneficial for us and for the company we work for?

    Here is what I think.

    Working Frome Home – what really happens

    Working from home is a benefit a lot of us have enjoyed and learned to like. While this setup has existed before, it has become more mainstream during the pandemic when people were asked to be confined in the comforts of their own homes and stay away from being in contact with others.

    With this setup, a lot of distractions became prevalent which affected how people work. Some of these, maybe, could have triggered the comment of “making people dumber”. With these distractions, and additionally the environment setting, it could have affected the way we think during work and ultimately affected our output.

    A comfortable setup made us lazy. The sofa, the bed, the TV, the kitchen. Everything is readily available. It is easy to lie down, grab the remote, and watch TV while binging on some snacks when we are at home. Instead of doing the work, when we feel a bit stressed at work, we use that as an excuse to stop, take a break, and do what we usually do on the weekends, binge-watching. Before we knew it, our shift was almost over, and we had not completed anything.

    No one knows. This falls under credibility. Being physically present in the office means being visible to people, especially our boss. This is the opposite of being at home. No one can see you. No one can know what you are doing at the moment. So, either you are really working or just doing something else. For those working from 9-5 every day, in the comfort of their homes, are they really at their desks, working, for the entire 8 hours?

    Communication delays. The advent of online communication such as email, chat, and video calls impacted any face-to-face interactions. Even in the office, people used to get up from their desks and walk to the person they wanted to talk to. Now, when we shift work to our homes, online tools have become indispensable for communication. However, our response time became part of our performance that is measured. At home, since nobody was looking, the delay in response became longer from 5 minutes to 24 hours. This created notion that people are not at their desks or doing something else that is not related to work.

    Work Ethics At Home

    The three things I mentioned above are not unique to those working at home. These are also prevalent in the office. These things did not happen when people started working from home. It just became more visible. Thus, if we think people became lazy or dumber when they worked from home, well, they might have been from the very start, and the setting just aggravated it.

    Our work ethics is important. If it is strong enough, the location where we work won’t matter. It doesn’t matter if we are in the office, at home, or somewhere else looking at the beach. Our internal drive overcomes any environmental settings placed on us.

    Now, there is some truth to people working from home makes them dumber. Take note of the “er”. Means they are dumb to begin with. Their work ethics are already poor from the very start and the home setting just made it worse. This may be the reason why companies are now asking people to come to work at the office. It is simply a matter of matter of removing them from an environment that does not help them work.

    Summary

    For a lot of us, working from home, or remotely anywhere, is a true blessing. The type of work we do can be done anywhere in the world as long as it has a good internet connection for our laptops and a place where we can work and focus. That being a blessing is often abused by pretending to work, doing something else, or just doing mediocre results. Without someone constantly watching us, we tend to do veer away from our work and delay it.

    Not everyone is blessed to have this setup. Depending on the industry your company is in, it is not applicable to everyone. Therefore, in comparison to others, those of us who are working from the comforts of our own homes should be grateful and not take it for granted. We can all do this by having the integrity of doing the work even if no one is looking.

    Working from home can make us dumb. Well, in a sense that is true only if we let it. Instilling and following a good work ethic can prevent that. At the end of the day, it is not the setup or setting that makes us dumb. But it is our own approach and actions that make it so.

    In relation to this, maybe this podcast about distraction can help you have a better work ethic.

  • Interviews Are a Waste of Time

    Interviews Are a Waste of Time

    Interviews Are a Waste of Time: How to Hire the Right Person for the Job

    Have you ever hired someone who seemed perfect for the job, but turned out to be a disaster? Have you ever wasted hours of your time interviewing candidates who didn’t meet your expectations? Have you ever regretted making a hiring decision based on a superficial impression?

    If you have, you’re not alone. Many employers today rely on interviews as the main method of selecting the best candidates for their positions. But interviews are not enough to decide how a person is fit for the role. In fact, interviews are often misleading, biased, and ineffective.

    Why? Because interviews are based on our perception and who we are. We have the tendency to like someone who is like us, and to dislike someone who is different. We also have the tendency to judge someone based on their appearance, their personality, their communication skills, or their confidence. We also have the tendency to be influenced by our mood, our expectations, or our stereotypes.

    But these factors are not relevant to the job performance. They are not indicators of how a person will perform in the role, how they will fit in the team, or how they will contribute to the organization. They are just distractions that prevent us from seeing the true potential of the candidates.

    So, what is the solution? How can we hire the right person for the job, without relying on interviews?

    The solution is simple: have a test run.

    A test run is a way of hiring someone based on their actual work performance, rather than their interview performance. It involves having the candidate work for a period of time, paid of course, and evaluating them based on their results, their skills, their attitude, and their fit. If the candidate does well, then they get hired permanently. If not, then they don’t.

    A test run has many benefits over interviews. It allows you to:

    • See the candidate in action, rather than in theory
    • Assess the candidate’s abilities, rather than their claims
    • Observe the candidate’s behavior, rather than their impression
    • Measure the candidate’s outcomes, rather than their inputs
    • Compare the candidate’s performance, rather than their potential

    A test run also has benefits for the candidates. It allows them to:

    • Show their work, rather than their words
    • Demonstrate their skills, rather than their credentials
    • Prove their value, rather than their price
    • Experience the work, rather than the description
    • Choose the job, rather than the offer

    A test run is the best way to see if a person is fit for the role, without wasting time and money on interviews. It is also the best way to avoid hiring mistakes, and to ensure that you hire the right person for the job.

    But, is a test run feasible? Is it legal? Is it ethical?

    The answer is yes, yes, and yes.

    A test run is feasible, especially in today’s gig economy and remote work environment. You can easily find and hire candidates online, and have them work remotely for a short period of time. You can also use platforms and tools that can help you manage and monitor the work of the candidates, and pay them accordingly.

    A test run is legal, as long as you follow the labor laws and regulations of your country and state. You need to make sure that you have a clear and written agreement with the candidates, that you pay them fairly and timely, and that you respect their rights and privacy.

    A test run is ethical, as long as you treat the candidates with respect and dignity. You need to make sure that you communicate clearly and honestly with the candidates, that you provide them with constructive feedback and guidance, and that you appreciate their efforts and contributions.

    Summary

    Interviews are not enough to decide how a person is fit for the role. They are often misleading, biased, and ineffective. They can also lead to hiring mistakes, and cost you time and money.

    The best way to hire the right person for the job is to have a test run. A test run is a way of hiring someone based on their actual work performance, rather than their interview performance. It allows you to see the true potential of the candidates, and to avoid hiring mistakes.

    A test run is feasible, legal, and ethical, as long as you follow the best practices and the guidelines. It is also beneficial for both you and the candidates, as it allows you to find the best match for the role and the organization.

    Sources

  • Overconfidence Bias | You Are Not As Good As You Think You Are

    Overconfidence Bias | You Are Not As Good As You Think You Are

    You Are Not As Good As You Think You Are

    Have you ever felt like you are smarter, more talented, or more attractive than most people? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Many of us have a tendency to overestimate our abilities and qualities, especially when we compare ourselves to others. This is called overconfidence bias, and it can have serious consequences for our personal and professional lives.

    Overconfidence bias is a cognitive illusion that makes us believe that we are more capable or knowledgeable than we actually are. It can affect our judgments, decisions, and actions in various domains, such as education, work, sports, health, and relationships. For example, overconfidence bias can make us:

    Overconfidence bias can also affect how we perceive and interact with other people. It can make us:

    • Assume that we know what others think or feel
    • Overlook or underestimate the strengths or contributions of others
    • Be arrogant, rude, or disrespectful to others
    • Reject or criticize the opinions or perspectives of others
    • Be less open-minded or curious about new or different ideas
    • Be less cooperative or collaborative with others

    As you can see, overconfidence bias can have negative impacts on our performance, well-being, and relationships. It can also prevent us from achieving our full potential and reaching our goals. So, how can we overcome this bias and become more realistic and humble?

    How to Overcome Overconfidence Bias

    The first step to overcome overconfidence bias is to recognize and acknowledge it. We need to be aware of our own limitations and blind spots, and accept that we are not always right or better than others. We also need to be willing to challenge our own assumptions and beliefs, and seek out evidence or information that can contradict or disconfirm them.

    The second step is to seek and embrace feedback. We need to be open to the opinions and perspectives of others, especially those who have more experience or expertise than us. We also need to be receptive to constructive criticism and suggestions that can help us improve our skills or performance. We should not take feedback personally or defensively, but rather as an opportunity to learn and grow.

    The third step is to compare ourselves to objective standards or benchmarks, rather than to other people. We need to measure our abilities or qualities against realistic and relevant criteria, such as our past performance, our goals, or our expectations. We also need to consider the context and the situation, and adjust our confidence accordingly. For example, we may be confident in our ability to speak a foreign language in a classroom setting, but less confident in a real-life conversation with a native speaker.

    The fourth step is to practice and prepare. We need to invest time and effort to develop and enhance our abilities or qualities, and to acquire new knowledge or skills. We also need to plan and prepare for the challenges or tasks that we face, and anticipate the potential risks or difficulties that we may encounter. We should not rely on our intuition or luck, but rather on our hard work and preparation.

    The fifth step is to celebrate our successes and learn from our failures. We need to acknowledge and appreciate our achievements and accomplishments, and recognize the factors or people that contributed to them. We also need to accept and analyze our failures and mistakes, and identify the areas or aspects that we need to improve or change. We should not be too harsh or too lenient with ourselves, but rather be balanced and realistic.

    Summary

    Overconfidence bias is a common and pervasive phenomenon that can affect our judgments, decisions, and actions in various domains of life. It can also affect how we perceive and interact with other people. Overconfidence bias can have negative impacts on our performance, well-being, and relationships, and prevent us from achieving our full potential and reaching our goals.

    However, we can overcome overconfidence bias by following these five steps:

    • Recognize and acknowledge it
    • Seek and embrace feedback
    • Compare ourselves to objective standards or benchmarks
    • Practice and prepare
    • Celebrate our successes and learn from our failures

    By doing so, we can become more realistic and humble, and improve our abilities and qualities. We can also become more respectful and appreciative of others, and enhance our relationships. We can also achieve more satisfaction and fulfillment in our personal and professional lives.

    If you want to learn more about overconfidence bias and how to overcome it, you can check out these related topics:

  • Dreading Mondays | Stop This Nonsense

    Dreading Mondays | Stop This Nonsense

    Dreading Mondays. A lot of us say that the weekend had passed too quickly. We say that it is Monday again. It is back to reality. We dread the start of the week to work and always look forward to that weekend to rest. By Friday, we are excited to get home and we say to ourselves that before we know it, it is Monday again. The cycle starts again.

    Let’s just take a pause and expound on this matter for a bit. Because we might be forgetting that working brings a lot of benefits for us compared to doing nothing and just doing leisure activities.

    The Monday Dread

    A lot of posts on social media speak of this Monday dread. It expresses an emotion that we don’t want to go back to work just yet. We do not want to be back in the office (or login at work from from those working from home) as we feel we did not get enough rest.

    Our weekend had passed in the blink of an eye. On Friday, we look forward to the weekend. We are excited to be not working and just lounging, binging, or doing any other activities that are non-work related. Some just want to sleep the whole day and do nothing. This is in the hope that we are resetting and have the energy to work again on Monday.

    And when the day comes, we secretly hate it. Although a lot of us feel the same way and make a joke about it, we still come to work because we need to. If we do not work, we lose the income that we need to support ourselves and the people around us. So even if we do not want to, the need comes first and we push through. The joke became accepted and while the underlying meaning that we feel tired is there, we just move forward and forget.

    The impact of hating Mondays

    Thinking about hating the dreadful Mondays has a negative impact on how we deal with work. We are not aware of this but when you take a pause and look back, whenever we think that we fear, or hate Mondays, we are not as productive and effective as we want to. Work is delayed and more breaks happen. Unnecessary chitchat with co-workers occurs too. Endless scrolling on social media takes place instead of workflow. By the end of the week, we have not accomplished anything.

    When we tell ourselves we hate, or fear something, our brains start a self-preservation mode. Of course, if it is a threat to us, then we take necessary actions so that it would not endanger us. By dreading Mondays, we create a dangerous environment in our heads. In effect, we take each external stimulus as dangerous and either do a fight, flight, or freeze response. We tend to get irritated easily (fight), procrastinate (flight), or ignore (freeze) as a response to events at work. Thus, we end up not finishing anything or at least a mediocre job.

    Working is a part of life. For us the working class, it is a means to finance and support the lifestyle we want and support our loved ones. We endure hardships at work because if we don’t and we stop, we all end up with nothing. Continuing to dread Mondays makes us feel tired and unpurposeful. We start seeing that what we are doing is not important and we start to hate it. It becomes a sacrifice we must make because of the income and always look forward to that retirement and rest. However, doing nothing or less is not very good for us either.

    Working is beneficial for a longer life

    The excerpt above is from a dystopian book entitled Brave New World written by Aldous Huxley published in the 1930s. A very interesting book that depicts a dystopian future where, aside from the science of creating humans, social classes are accepted and must exist for the benefit of all. Without one, chaos arises. Each and everyone has a role to play to ensure civilization thrives. Which by now, although social classes still exist, there is a a hidden cry about how the rich are taking advantage of the middle class and the poor. The rich get richer. The poor gets poorer.

    There is also a call to reduce the working hours. From a 40-hour work week to a 4-day work week. This has been tested in Europe and worked fine. Fewer hours make people more productive and happier. I personally like this but, what could this bring to us? Does working fewer hours really a solution to keep people happy?

    When we dread Mondays, we program our heads not to work. But that is not right. If we are not working, we get bored. And boredom sucks the joy out of life. That’s why we need to do something, create not just leisurely enjoying our lives, to live a happy life.

    Create instead of reacting

    Dreading Mondays might be caused by the feeling that we are not creating anything. The probable reason that makes us dread Mondays is that we do not really create something with our work. Come to think of it. Pause for a bit. What activities at work comprise most of your time? Meetings? Answering emails and chats? Talking to people? What does that produce? What have you created? What have you really accomplished by being in constant communication with everyone, or anyone?

    Maybe this is the cause of being stressed at work. We get anxious without seeing any result with most of what we do. By answering emails, chatting with people, attending an hour-long meeting, and talking to people, we just attended and reacted to external stimuli without creating anything real, or at least visible at the time. Maybe it is time to look at how we attack our work.

    Having a focus time at work is not a new idea. Blocking time for yourself to complete tasks without any disturbance can help you be productive. The question is what do you do in that focus time? Answer emails? Maybe it is important to use that time to create something instead of just attending to someone else’s need.

    Summary

    Dreading Mondays can have a negative impact when we tackle work. We psychologically tell ourselves something we do not want to do leading to stress, mistakes, mediocre work, and unfulfilled life. We need to stop dreading Mondays and program ourselves to like it. We also need to look at what we do at work and ensure we are creating something instead of just going to meetings and talking to people without any real-world output.

    By focusing and allotting time at work to create instead of going through the day attending to everyone’s concerns, we can better feel fulfilled with what we do. It is not just about why we work. It is also about what we produce at work.

  • Working Long Hours | The Benefits From It

    Working Long Hours | The Benefits From It

    Working long hours without getting paid is a thing of the past. Company loyalty has diminished over the past years. The new generation of workers now are more focused on living a good life instead of spending time at work.

    There are advantages and disadvantages to this mentality towards work. It will be up to each individual what to consider relative to his personal goal. (I am using the pronoun for male as a general pronoun for everyone and this does not mean anything. Just to make it simple.)

    Advantages of working long hours

    Let’s get straight to the point. Here are the advantages of working long hours:

    More time to complete a task. Let us all admit it. Work will never stop. It will always come. Some would be easy and can be completed in five minutes and some will take hours, even days, to complete. When a deadline is looming, the 8 hours a day to work would not be enough. We’ll need more time. And where do we get it? We just put in more hours in a day. Instead of 8, we do 12 or even 16 hours just to complete it. This gives us more time to complete it and beat that deadline.

    Extending hours in the office (Don’t be confused. By “in the office” I also mean those working from home.) provides us the time we need to finish out deliverables. Instead of watching on our mobile phones, chatting with co-workers, or scrolling through social media, we can use those hours to work. A good use of time to complete a task.

    Exposure or presence at work. To be noticed at work, people need to feel your presence. The people who decide who gets promoted need to have a good impression of those who are supposed to be next in line. One of the ways to do this is by putting in more hours at work. The more hours you are working, the more presence and viability you create. Thus, people notices you over others.

    Being known by people who make decisions is a crucial step in climbing up the corporate ladder. Truthfully, it is not just about performance seen on a scorecard. The numbers help but the subjective input of people about you helps your case to be promoted. Extending long hours creates that familiarity of you. It makes other people remember you when the time comes for performance reviews and promotion decisions.

    Growth in skills and knowledge. The time you spend working enables you to learn more. With more hours, you get to fail a lot of times and learn from it. You get to hone your skills and apply them the next time creating a better output. This I would say is the best advantage you’ll ever get in working long hours. By spending more time, you get to experience more, and in effect, gain knowledge in the process through the best teacher, experience.

    Leveling up your skills and knowing more about the job you do can take you places. No one climbs up the corporate ladder with just a basic set of skills. (Of course, being a suck-up is a different story. There is no real and true worth in there.) No one can be a manager if one is still doing the same thing and knows the same thing when he started. A good grasp and more knowledge are required to be even considered as someone with potential. Thus, by spending more time honing your skills can be beneficial in the long-run.

    Disadvantages of working long hours

    We are all aware of this but for let’s just list it down for those who are just starting out their careers.

    Negative impact on health. Working long hours uses our minds and bodies more than it is capable of handling. This gives us stress that eventually gets to us. We get sick. We get very tired. We get overwhelmed and at some point, we just want to quit. By spending more hours, we overuse our biological makeup and it takes a toll.

    If you really want (or need) to work long hours, have regular breaks. A pause at every regular and consistent interval, like every hour for 15 or 30 minutes, will help the mind and body reset. The break gives the mind and body to recuperate. It is just like working out. To build muscles, rest every other day is recommended to give the muscles enough time to heal and repair the muscles that were destroyed during workout.

    More mistakes that result in rework. Just get it over with. That is the feeling we get when we are working for so long and are feeling tired. Especially when everyone is about to end their day, or the deadline is fast approaching, we want to get the work done as soon as possible. With us being tired, we get into a state where we want to just to finish it. This results in mistakes which eventually lead to rework, or at least a mediocre work.

    If you really need to spend more time at work, one thing to do to avoid mistakes is to do focus work. What usually happens when we work more than what is expected is that we are juggling multiple tasks at the same time, or simply put multi-tasking. If we use those extended hours for one task only and focus on it, we avoid mistakes and produce more than a mediocre results.

    Lost time for family, friends, and self. When we use our time for one thing, we can not use the same time for another. Spending more time at work just means we lose time with our family, friends, and ourselves. We may say that regardless of whether we work long hours, we still are able to attend special occasions, school events, and annual celebrations however, this does not help in the long run. Not to mention that most of us are on our phones answering emails and chats while we are supposed to use that time for non-work related activities.

    We may say that quality is more important than quantity. Okay. If that is the case then make sure you are present during the time you are spending with your loved ones. Put away that phone. Talk to them. Play with your kids. If you really need to work long hours, then focus on having quality time with them. Be present in mind and body. Don’t be elsewhere.

    Summary

    It is a choice. No one should say which one is better. It is a matter of what is more important for us and which one we put in more time. If we are really aiming to pursue and progress in our careers then working long hours would help (not the only way but definitely helps). If we are good with where we are in our careers and want to spend more (quantity not quality) time with our loved ones, then we use our time with them.

    We just need to keep that in mind. We all get lost in the hustle and bustle of work that we tend to forget other aspects of our lives. By keeping what is important to us at the center of our lives, we can use our time when it matters the most (for us).

  • Multiple Bosses | Who To Follow

    Multiple Bosses | Who To Follow

    Have you experienced reporting to, or at least, working for, multiple bosses? That one says one thing while the other says another and you do not know which one to follow? Or even both of them asking for something important, let alone urgent, and you don’t know which one to do first?

    Well, with the current trend in organizational structure of any business, this may be something that most of us have gone through. (Or, you may be going through right now and are lost at what to do).

    Evolution of organizational structure

    Before we dwell on the problem of reporting to too many bosses, let’s take a quick look at organizational structure and how it come to be.

    This is not a history lesson but rather to give you a quick understanding of why organizational structures are designed as such and differently between companies. The reason why we need to understand this is because whatever the structure is, it affects the chain of command one has to follow. In effect, it could become challenging and results to reporting to at least two bosses.

    Big organizations or companies deals with a lot of tasks. Departments are created to work on these such as financials, logistics, employees’ well-being, and operations. No one person can do everything and simultaneously run a smooth business. Therefore, departments are created that focus on these specific tasks to ensure nothing is missed.

    As the business grows, more departments or more hierarchies are created. More employees around are needed and more supervisors and managers are hired or promoted to oversee the work. Departments split into sub-departments to create a more dedicated focus on more subtasks.

    The organizational structure expands either vertically, horizontally, both, or even interconnected-type. You may be aware of the first two where one reports to one boss. The third one, interconnected or a network map, is a type wherein each person can be assigned to multiple departments, multiple bosses, and work on multiple projects at the same time. It shows how one person’s work is connected to someone else’s and who is ultimately responsible and accountable for the work.

    And this type of structure is what is subtly happening in the workplace right now.

    Multiple bosses

    In one of the companies I worked for, I was reporting directly to a boss that oversees my work and performance. We talk and coordinate on a daily basis, almost every hour, to tackle daily issues and ensure our work is done both mine and the rest of my team. Our daily interactions involves chats and calls, not to mention emails, which made tasks and projects move and progress as we want them to.

    While I am directly reporting to this person, I am also “dottedly” aligned to another person. With this other person, we work together to ensure other tasks are moving and hitting deadlines. Our interaction is not as much compared to the person I am directly reporting to. However, there would be times when the work they both endorsed to me was important and urgent, and sometimes conflicting. This is when things become confusing.

    It is easy to say that to solve this issue, one must prioritize and consider which work, or which boss, should be dealt with first before the other. That is easier said than done. In reality, even if you have this figured out, the nagging feeling will still be there that there is another work that you need to accomplish. In effect, you rush the work to get it out of your plate so you can deal with the other one. Or you start your day very early and put in more time than usual to get everything done thinking this will help you. But, tomorrow will still be the same.

    You would also think that prioritization is the key. That is true. Identifying which work or boss is more important could help you navigate a pile of tasks. It can be done. But, as a fair warning, the reality of the workplace is that prioritization is subjective. What you may think is a priority may not be the same for your bosses. Of course, they would always think that what they ask for takes precedence over anything else. They may agree with you but at the back of their mind, they will expect you to complete what they ask from you in the shortest possible time.

    Communicate clearly the work

    First and foremost, we all need to understand and accept this fact. There will always be cases when we need to report to multiple bosses. This is done because creating a new department for just one task is not financially viable, let alone efficient for the company. Thus, for this, dotted lines at created.

    Second, the work from each boss will only coincide because of timing and deadlines. This, if you would notice, happens every end or start of the month, quarterly or annually. There would be some urgent tasks that will also occur but, that does not happen every day. If that is the case, then it is a result of poor managerial skills and work management.

    Third, one of the ways to ensure that we can manage reporting to multiple bosses without getting stressed out is to communicate the work. Communicating means discussing with both of them the work you have for each other so they can help you prioritize when you are at a loss. Each of those bosses will have a different perspective than you. They could see the bigger picture considering they know something that you don’t. By discussing with them which one to prioritize and setting a clear deadline, you can better manage your work.

    Fourth, and I think we all fall prey to not doing, is sticking to your daily deliverables. This means working on each item regularly on a daily basis so it progresses one bit at a time. This follows the saying “You’ll never know when will life get you.” A regular day would always be simple so make sure that regular deliverables and long-term projects are touched on and worked on each and every day. So, when the time comes that urgent and priorities are at your door, you can manage it with fitness.

    Contradicting directions

    Well, it happens. One boss wants to do one thing while the other one wants to go in a different direction. This is not something new. I bet we all experience this. Fear sets in. We get confused about which one to follow. In the end, we just do what the higher-ranking boss told us and just explain later. Sometimes, we just do both to be sure we are covered. However, doing this creates unnecessary stress and duplicate work.

    As mentioned above, to resolve this, we must communicate. Speak about the situation to both bosses and get clear guidance. Tell them that the direction is contradicting and you only have time to do one, not both. It will be confusing in the beginning but it will help you in the long run. By doing so, you set boundaries that both bosses understand and eventually will manage the workload being given to you.

    Summary

    Having multiple bosses is not something new. With the modern structure of how companies are set up, there will always be that “dotted” line in where we report to someone else aside from the person we directly report to.

    Establishing good communication between the two fosters a good relationship and creates a balance between multiple works. By making them understand, we are able to prioritize and put our focus on what matters the most.

  • How to Lose Your Best Employees: The Mistake of Ignoring Their Aspirations

    How to Lose Your Best Employees: The Mistake of Ignoring Their Aspirations

    Do you know what your employees want from their careers? Do you help them achieve their goals and dreams? Do you align their development with the needs of your business? If you answered no to any of these questions, you are making a big mistake. You are ignoring the aspirations of your employees, and you are risking losing them to your competitors.

    Why You Should Care About Your Employees’ Aspirations

    Your employees are not just workers, but human beings. They have their own aspirations, which are the hopes, dreams, and goals that they have for their personal and professional lives. These aspirations can vary from person to person, and can change over time. Some examples of common aspirations are:

    As an employer, you should care about your employees’ aspirations, and actively assist their development. This shows that you value them as human beings, not just workers. This can have many benefits for your business, such as:

    Increasing employee engagement and satisfaction. Employees who feel that their aspirations are understood and supported are more likely to be motivated, committed, and happy at work. They are also more likely to stay with your company, and recommend it to others. According to a Gallup study, employees who strongly agree that their manager knows what their goals are are 4.6 times more likely to be engaged than those who don’t.

    Improving employee performance and productivity. Employees who have the opportunity to pursue their aspirations are more likely to perform well, deliver quality work, and meet or exceed expectations. They are also more likely to be innovative, creative, and adaptable to changing needs and demands. According to a LinkedIn study, employees who spend time learning at work are 74% more likely to know where they want to go in their career than those who don’t.

    Enhancing employee retention and loyalty. Employees who have a clear career path, and receive guidance and support to achieve their aspirations, are more likely to feel loyal to your company, and less likely to leave. They are also more likely to be advocates for your company, and attract new talent. According to a Deloitte study, employees who have a positive learning culture are 3.3 times more likely to stay with their company than those who don’t.

    How to Understand and Assist the Development of Your Employees

    Understanding and assisting the development of your employees is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires planning, execution, and evaluation. Here are some steps you can take to understand and assist the development of your employees effectively:

    Assess the aspirations and needs of your employees. Start by understanding the aspirations and needs of your employees, both individually and collectively. You can use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, assessments, or performance reviews, to gather this information. You can also use tools, such as SWOT analysis, SMART goals, or career maps, to help your employees identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals.

    Design and deliver relevant and engaging development opportunities. Based on the aspirations and needs of your employees, design and deliver development opportunities that are relevant, engaging, and effective. You can use various formats, such as online courses, webinars, podcasts, videos, or articles, to provide content that is accessible, convenient, and flexible. You can also use various methods, such as instructor-led training, peer-to-peer learning, project-based learning, or gamification, to provide interaction, feedback, and motivation. You can also use various sources, such as internal experts, external partners, or online platforms, to provide diversity, quality, and credibility.

    Evaluate and improve the outcomes and impact of your development initiatives. After delivering the development opportunities, evaluate and improve the outcomes and impact of your development initiatives. You can use various metrics, such as completion rates, satisfaction scores, knowledge tests, skill demonstrations, or business results, to measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and value of your development initiatives. You can also use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations, to collect feedback, suggestions, and testimonials from your employees. You can also use various tools, such as dashboards, reports, or analytics, to analyze, visualize, and communicate your findings and recommendations.

    How to Align the Needs of Your Business with the Aspirations of Your Employees

    Aligning the needs of your business with the aspirations of your employees is not a trade-off, but a synergy. It means finding the optimal balance between what your business needs from your employees, and what your employees need from your business. It means creating a win-win situation, where both parties benefit from each other’s growth and success. Here are some tips on how to align the needs of your business with the aspirations of your employees:

    Communicate your vision, mission, and values. Communicate your vision, mission, and values to your employees, and explain how they relate to their aspirations and development. Show them how their work contributes to the bigger picture, and how their goals align with the company’s goals. Inspire them to share your vision, mission, and values, and to embrace them as their own.

    Involve your employees in decision making. Involve your employees in decision making, and solicit their input, feedback, and suggestions. Show them that you value their opinions, and that you trust their judgment. Empower them to make decisions that affect their work, and to take ownership of their outcomes. Encourage them to be proactive, and to take initiative.

    Recognize and reward your employees. Recognize and reward your employees for their achievements, efforts, and contributions. Show them that you appreciate their work, and that you care about their success. Provide them with positive and constructive feedback, and celebrate their milestones. Offer them incentives, such as bonuses, promotions, or recognition, that are aligned with their aspirations and development.

    Summary

    Understanding and assisting the development of your employees is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have for any successful business. It means understanding their aspirations and actively assisting their development. This shows care for employees as human beings, not just workers.

    It can have many benefits for your business, such as increasing employee engagement and satisfaction, improving employee performance and productivity, and enhancing employee retention and loyalty. It can also give you a competitive edge, and foster a learning culture.

    Moreover, this is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires planning, execution, and evaluation. It can also be aligned with the needs of your business, and create a win-win situation for both parties.

    If you want to learn more about understanding and assisting the development of your employees, and how to align it with the needs of your business, check out these related topics:

  • Data-driven Decisions | Dangers Of Not Knowing

    Data-driven Decisions | Dangers Of Not Knowing

    Data-driven decisions means that all actions are based on collected data that are interpreted and gives insights to what had happened and what could potentially happen. Decisions made based on data is the current strategy of modern business world.

    He said “should be” and “I think”. The groundless, optimistic observation made me angry. – Dr Akiu played by Naohito Fujiki in the Japanese drama entitled Innocence, Fight Against False Charges

    The excerpt above is from the Japanese TV show Innocence. Of course, the show is in the Japanese language and the line is translated shown in the subtitle. Reading it made me think about our predispositions which are most of the time based on what is available to us and consider it to be true, even if data does not support it.

    And data is a powerful tool in making decisions.

    Data-driven insights

    In a BPO company, numbers are all over the place. Almost everything is based on numbers. Some examples of these are key performance indicators like service levels, average handle time, quality scores, and attendance. These indicators tell how the company, or just an individual team or person, is performing. Decisions are made based on these numbers. It can result in financial rewards such as incentives or salary increases, or at worst, an individual being terminated due to failing numbers.

    Data is very useful in determining the state of the business and coming up with a strategy to make it better. For example, in a BPO setting, the most common metric is average handle time or AHT for short. This is basically telling the management team how fast each calls are handled from the time the customer and an agent engage in a conversation up to the time either party hangs up. Usually, a customer service call lasts for five minutes while a technical call lasts for about 20 minutes. If the average goes beyond this, it is worth taking a look and understanding the reason behind it. New process? Technical glitches? New people? From here, a plan is devised and implemented to bring it back to its level before.

    The example I provided may seem simple but there could also be some real-world events that are not so easy to decipher. Financials can be grueling data when analyzed. It is not just about a quick understanding of where the money comes from or going but it will branch out to other metrics like sales, retention efforts, customer service, IT infrastructures, and so on. With these in mind, data-driven insights are not just about the numbers. Experience is also needed to explain the numbers.

    Background knowledge

    For you who have not worked in the BPO industry, the concept of AHT may be something that is new to you. Maybe that is something that you just encountered now and does not really fully comprehend it. But for those like us who have been in the industry our entire careers, AHT is an everyday metric for us. It is something we look at daily. It is in our blood.

    And since we are so exposed to this metric, it is easy for us to start looking for the causes of the change. Just like what was mentioned above, new processes that were implemented can affect it making calls longer. New agents can also make it spike since they are still familiarizing themselves with the system and the type of conversations and issues they encounter. Even the implementation of new technological tools can hamper the speed in handling calls as the tool may not be fast enough or familiarization may be required.

    Knowledge of what the numbers are showing is then important and a key requirement to interpret the data. Without such, it would be impossible, or at least very difficult, to understand, get insights, and create actions from what the data is telling us. Thus, making decisions that are data-driven is not just about math and data visualization. It requires exposure and experience to the world where the data was from or happening, at least a a general knowledge of it.

    Dangers of Data-driven Decisions

    Using data to make decisions and actionable insights can also backfire if the data is not carefully understood, if data is made to show something that is directed to an action already assumed before seeing the numbers, and if data is presented in a way that conceals something for the purpose of showing good or bad numbers.

    Data not carefully understood. Think about investments especially stocks. Most people buy stocks of companies that are earning at the moment. When we see a stock gained 20-25% from yesterday, we think and consider that as a good stock to invest. And for those that are showing prices gone down in the current year compared to the previous one, we consider it as not a good investment. This is where we go blind.

    If we only consider the data that is immediately in front of us, it is easy to make mistakes. Data-driven decisions require us to scrutinize the dat and look at other datasets for comparison. The example of stocks investments above may mean that the company is not doing well this year because of economic conditions (happened to most companies during pandemic), but has a track record of more than 50 years of an average growth year on year by 10-20%. And comparing that company to others in the same industry it is in would give us a better view if the company is worth investing.

    Assumed action before data. People fall prey on this especially in business. We have a solution in mind ready to implement and we make the data say it to justify our preconceived solutions. Doing this is a poor decision-making strategy as we manipulate the data to implement an approach that may or may not work because it is based on real data.

    Taking AHT for example, when we see it going up and assumed that agents are having a hard time, the data can be manipulated to show that the cause of it would be high talk time. This would trigger coaching and training of the agents to make them more efficient in handling the calls. But what if it is not about handling the call but a new system implemented that is slower than what was used before? This could cause agents to wait for customer information to pull up delaying the service provided to the customers who calls.

    Concealing the real story. When data is manipulated to show good numbers for the purpose of having a good trend or story, it could have a very detrimental effect to the company.

    Let’s stick to the AHT scenario as an example. If it is shown as month-on-month trend, or even week-on-week, it may show static changes of maybe about a few seconds. This would mean that AHT is stable and there is nothing to do about it. However, if it shown on a daily basis, aberrant data can be spotted. In a typical scenario, Mondays are always high. This is because most customers call on a Monday and high number of calls lead to high AHT. Missing this out would cause solutions not to be implemented. Maybe more people are needed every Monday. Or maybe, opening operations every weekend could help alleviate the volume on a Monday. Maybe there is something else that can be done. But essentially missing it out could hurt the decision and the business in the long run.

    Data-driven decisions is not easy

    Using data to make decisions is not that easy as it seems. Other articles and training around it may look and may sound simple but it is not. The work of getting, processing, and manipulating the data to create a story takes time and effort. Additionally, the knowledge is important to ensure the correct data is used to see the current state and create analytics around it.

    Being aware of the dangers of using data to make decisions helps to better analyze it and design approaches that would solve any challenges that are presented. It could also help anticipate future issues and implement a plan to prevent them. Having a good understanding of basic math can help while knowledge in statistics can go a long way.

    In a nutshell, data-driven decisions remove the “should-be” and “I think” way of thinking. Facts are laid out. Performance is measured. Reality is shown. Applying data before making decisions and creating a base from it is a more realistic approach. It removes the anecdotal comments that are affected by bias and aberrant events. By using data, there is a stronger foundation for making decisions compared to simply thinking about what it “should-be” or “I think”.

  • Hybrid Work | Separate Stress At Home

    Hybrid Work | Separate Stress At Home

    Hybrid work is a type of work setup where one can work at certain amount of days or hours in the office, at home or anywhere.

    I recently met up with my former colleagues at work. We had worked between 2-3 years together in our field – Workforce Management. More than a decade had passed since we parted and gone our separate ways chasing our own dreams. Along the way, we all learned a lot and had progressed very significantly in our careers.

    One of my them became a VP for a division in his company. I will not say where he works or what his projects are. The fact that I do not fully understand it makes me reluctant to discuss it. Aside from that, well, there might be some company secret that I could not divulge.

    Anyway, during the course of our conversation, he mentioned that his work setup is hybrid. He works in the office three times a week while the remaining two days are done at home. He setup a small office in their house to get away from any noise and distractions. He also said that he has a place sort of zen where he goes to chill and destress.

    But, this is when it confused me. On the days he works at home, he said that for major and heavy meetings, he stays in his home office. For the light ones, he goes to his place of zen or have the meeting while eating.

    This I totally disagree. I had said my piece to him.

    Hybrid Work May Not Be Effective

    Hybrid work is a work setup that provides one to work either in the office, at home, or anywhere for a certain amount of days or hours. This is done with following a line of thinking that meeting people personally or face-to-face helps form and solidify relationships. Thus, it is also encouraged by many businesses and companies to foster good working relationship and boost productivity and effectiveness.

    However, this setup does not apply to all.

    One of the former colleagues I met up with said he gets more work done when he is in the office. I asked him why is that the case given that there a lot of people in the office that would go to him, get his attention, and distract him. He said that there are more distractions at home than in the office. In the office, there are very few people since they are on hybrid so they do not see each other at the same time or day. At home, his family is there constantly moving and speaking. This is not to mention that access to things like TV and food takes his attention too. In effect, he is more distracted at home and he is not able to complete what he needed to.

    This is a typical setup here in the Philippines. Since most of us live with our immediate families (parents and siblings or even extended family) our household is usually busy. With our close family ties culture, our homes are a bustling noise and love of people we care about. This is good for anyone, but not for work.

    Therefore, some prefer to work in the office to get away from the distractions at home. With the now sometimes half-empty offices, there is less noise and bustle which creates a better environment for focus work.

    Hybrid work didn’t work for me.

    Working from home

    It is said that to work effectively at home, a separation of workplace and others things should be created. One can create a home office in an empty or unused room or even just an area in the house where no one, or at least minimal, can disturb you. Here in the Philippines where most remote work is done at night because we are the center of the BPO industry, working from home at night while everybody sleeps already creates that separation.

    For my former colleague who mixes up his work with his zen place, while he said it works for him, it does not for everyone. I told him to stop doing that because the brain needs time to reset and make new connections (neuroplasticity). If he continues to do the same thing regardless of the location in the house or the intensity of the work, the brain is still bombarded by the same amount of stress. This is never good.

    What can be done, and this is what I do, is to really separate work. If it is time to take a break, take it and do something else. I take regular breaks and use that time to smoke, have coffee, and watch something on Netflix. By the time the break is over, new ideas are forming in my head that make me dive into the work immediately and do it.

    When I was doing hybrid work, whenever I went to the office, I felt it was a waste of my time. The idea behind going to the office is to meet people face-to-face. Surprisingly, since we have different schedules for going to the office, most of the people I work with are at home. So, work is still done online that can be done at home instead of the office. Even if we are all in the office, most of us are facing our laptops, back to each other, and still talking in chatrooms. I guess that is Gen Z culture.

    Make Hybrid Work For You

    The other colleague I met up with structured his scheduled days in the office when he knew there were a lot of things to accomplish. That makes him focus more and finish it. The other one stays at home so he doesn’t spend much time commuting and instead, uses that time to get more work done.

    I, on the other hand, went to the office whenever bosses were there. To me, it is just presence. As long as they regularly see me on site, that is enough for me. Anyway, our work is all remote so regardless of where I was, the work still progressed and completed.

    Hybrid work can work and it all depends on the person. How can one utilize it to his advantage and be more productive is up to him. It should not be treated as something that works for everyone. It is, just like any other, a flexible solution to the changing demand of the workplace

  • Tone On Chat Messages | Our Biases In Communication

    Tone On Chat Messages | Our Biases In Communication

    We usually place tone on chat messages. We all have our own biases that affect our understanding of text communication or the more popular, chat messages. If we like someone, there is nothing that person could say, post on social media, or tell us at work that could offend us. We will always take it positively and agree unless something happens that we do not agree with. Our beliefs shape how we perceive things. And this is pretty much apparent in how we put a tone on text communication.

    Judgments on chat messages

    You must have experienced this. While reading a chat message from a co-worker, you suddenly get irritated by the message. A reaction formed in your head. For example, a co-worker messaged you asking where could he see the report that shows the performance of his team for yesterday. Knowing that you publish it daily in a group chat by sending the link there, your initial reaction is that the person is not reading the chatroom.

    Another instance is when a co-worker asked for the reason behind a failing scorecard of her team. You, doing it daily and knowing the reason because you see it every day, again are prejudiced that she is not reading the report and maybe think she is stupid for not understanding it even if she reads the report.

    Both of these reactions are based on our own thinking, not based on what the message is. Both are simply asking questions and the reaction is already looking into the future without much context from the questioner. We formed the context in our head and jumped to conclusions that are most of the time negative. The simple reason is because, from these two scenarios, is that our expectation is for them to read the report being sent daily. If they do, there is no need to ask the questions. They can do it themselves. And thus, that made us irritated without any basis from other people but rather just our own conclusion.

    Placing a tone in chat messages

    In the example above, a person reading it could put a different tone to this message: “Why is my team failing their scorecards?” After reading this, from your own experience, you may have read this with a tone that the questioner is angry and questioning you about the failed scores. Or in another tone, it would sound like questioning and being somewhat demeaning to you who created the report. It could also sound like the sender was pleading and on the verge of begging you to do something to help her team pass.

    There is no tone in messages. It is just plain text. The reader is the one that gives it tone. The reason behind that is that our brain is trying to relate the real world to what we know so far. It is trying to create a relationship with our experiences and therefore, we create a tone to something we read. This is a survival instinct. When our brain does this, it puts us in flight-or-fight mode. Again, depending on what we encountered before, we put a tone on messages so we could react accordingly.

    However, by doing so, we only apply how we see things. We disregard what the sender of the message is really pertaining to. And this usually creates misunderstandings between the two parties. By placing a tone on messages, based on our own experiences, we forget the literal meaning of the message – what is the reason why her team is failing? It is a question to know the reason. Just simple as that. No other meaning behind it.

    Misunderstanding the message

    Knowing a lot of things is beneficial. It could help us apply different approaches to specific problems. We could develop solutions that would resolve a situation. Learning new things always gives us new perspectives on things and see them differently. This enables us to create something that will help us achieve our goals.

    But it has a disadvantage too. Well, not in the true sense of the word. We could maybe say a negative impact. Knowing more could sometimes backfire on us. This is because we apply our biases and experiences to what is presented to us. We assume things without asking questions. Sometimes, our line of questioning is directed toward confirming what we know. In turn, it becomes a paradox. Instead of understanding something different from what we know, we tend to seek affirmation of the knowledge we have.

    That is why we misunderstand chat messages. In the examples given above, as I have said, our reactions are based primarily on our beliefs and biases. With the knowledge and information that we have, we tend to misunderstand the message. In continuing the example above, if we reply with “Because your team is failing attendance.”, we assume that that is the problem. There are other possibilities that we did not consider such as the report may be wrong or the person asking forgot that there is a new target to hit and so on.

    By responding with the assumption that we know the cause of the problem, we tend to misunderstand the very nature and context of the message.

    Putting ourselves in others’ shoes

    We should put ourselves in the shoes of the person that sent the messages. By understanding where the person is coming from, we could minimize the effect of our biases when trying to understand the message. We could do this by asking questions and doing some research to gather more information and therefore, make a better response to the question.

    I saw a post on Facebook about the reasoning of someone who buys a lot of sports cars. The person was asked if it would be better to donate the money to those in need. The person’s response was buying sports cars is helping people in need as it helps an industry or business to make money and thus, this person is helping other people who are in need. I responded that building a foundation to help others would have the same effect. That is when I got bashed and a lot of negative comments were made towards me.

    In this example, all of the topics above that I mentioned showed. The people who gave me bad comments thought I was bashing the person. That is not true. I was simply saying what I thought. But everyone’s own biases kicked in. I just left and blocked that profile. I don’t need that kind of drama.

    We all have the tendency to understand things based on what we know. Only if we are conscious of our biases and exert the effort to understand new things and perspectives can we have a true and meaningful conversation.