Never Burn Your Bridges!

Never Burn Your Bridges!

Everyday we hear of stories of candidates leaving companies in acrimonious ways.

I always get concerned when candidates do not have previous employers as referees.  It is very disappointing to see long term, high performing employees leaving companies and in their last few hours departing acrimoniously.  

I so often say – leaving an organisation is often like a “divorce” and grief occurs. Often in a marriage collapsing you do see two normally caring individuals go nasty in the final hours, leading to a divorce. This is just like when you see previously well liked employees falling out in the final hours of their departure! It is always a sensitive and emotional time. This once again reinforces the old adage “Never burn your bridges

The employer often plays a big role in the departure and management of exiting employees and so often simple things like “farewell dos”and  exit interviews are forgotten and final remuneration payments for commissions/bonuses etc are delayed. This encourages negative memories and thoughts on behalf of the outgoing employee.

It is refreshing when we secure references of candidates who go the extra mile before their exit. One recent reference that I noted as memorable was when the employer noted that the departing employee left such a good handover for the new incumbent that the next 6 months of marketing plans were in place and a successor was appointed with ease into the role. Leaving with dignity can become part of your legacy in your career footprint.

So, actively champion the phrase “never burn your bridges” with your employment situations, as you never know when your paths will meet. Actively work as an employer to ensure that departing employees are treated with professionalism and dignity and as an exiting employee, never close the door or burn your bridges. Hand over your responsibilities and unfinished tasks with professionalism and clarity.

Burning your bridges will really take its toll in your career future!

Simone Allan

Director

Mondo Search Pty Ltd

www.mondocalibre.com.au

Mental As Anything

Mental illness is still a mystery in the modern day workforce… what is causing you pain? Unhappiness in the workplace?

If a team member gets physically sick you take action. If someone gets the flu – you do something – ban them from the office The workplace is more savvy today around physical wellness such as massage & corporate fitness training. Dieticians/ gym membership but what do you do to support good mental health?

So many employers disregard the impact of poor mental health and do nothing. The Australian Human Rights Commission has estimated that around 45% of Australians aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness at some point in their life. A total of 3.2 days per worker are lost each year through workplace stress. Mondo has recruited over 2700 people over the last 20 years and not once have we read a letter of offer, with a clause providing time for mental health leave – only sick leave is noted. Nor have I ever read clauses for support for mental health. I believe we need to make little steps and provide simple tools and assistance to support staff in the workplace.

It is often presumed that a worker’s mental illness develops outside of the workplace. However, an ‘unhealthy’ work environment or a workplace incident can cause considerable stress.

Grief is a process that all people will experience at many points in their life. Grief can be loss of a loved one, change of circumstance – (such a house move, demotion or divorce) or even grief for a change in a life stage. Repressed grief can also cause dysfunctional behaviour. Employers should be aware of employees experiencing grief and offer support to making a workplace more supportive.

Providing a healthy and safe workplace benefits all workers, including those with mental illness. It also makes good business sense. Stress-related workers’ compensation claims have doubled in recent years, costing over $10 billion each year. Australian businesses lose over $6.5 billion each year by failing to provide early intervention/treatment for employees with mental health conditions. Harvard Health Publications advise employees and employers to think of mental health care as an investment.

So, as employers let’s start to think of ways to provide support in the work force and talk openly about mental health. Some ways that we can do this are:

  • Provide and note time for mental health days and include these in sick leave entitlements on letters of offer
  • Make available mental health counselling
  • Supportive grief counselling and support
  • Link to the key available support services in your company intranet and in-house resource tools, such as Beyond Blue and RUOK websites
  • Simply talking openly about these services and be supportive
  • Encourage volunteer days supporting mental health
  • Get to know your staff wholistically
  • Build a “ Trusting culture” that improves productivity and wasted negativity – See Stephen MR Covey – Smart Trust 2011https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVCTVOBQSoI.

When it comes to mental health situations in the workplace – ignorance is not bliss!

Future Proofing Your Career

“Technological progress might allow a 15 hour work week and abundant leisure by 2030”
A famous and insightful vision by US Economist John Maynard Keynes 1930’s

Wow! This is now seems so possible!

What does this current age of influence mean for the future of work? From internships all the way up to senior executives, it is a revolution that is promising to alter the business world as we know it.

Demographics are reshaping. There are now 77 Million Millennials hitting the workforce, making up more than half the workforce. The work environment is becoming more mobile and a freelance economy. In the US 1 in 3 workers today are freelancers, a figure expected to grow by 40% by 2020.
The older generations are showing signs of working longer, well into their 70’s and even 80’s.

The Drinks industry is no different to most industries where many roles are being replaced by technology and many state based roles are being replaced by National Key account strategies and national cross functional teams.

So what to do?

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – think portfolio career – think how you can transfer more of your skills to new roles. For example – if you are a talented Sales leader and negotiator why not do a mediation and arbitration course, as the commercial world is screaming out for smart intermediaries to save the law fraternity.
If you are talented at multi -task management – why not do a project management course ?
If you are smart in logistics – why not upskill with knowledge across cross teams to work alongside new decision makers and pointy end negotiations? Hone your core/unique set of skills – keep agile and stay relevant.
Become tech-eloquent. Each season aim to learn a new commercial skill – keep reviewing top 100 apps in technology, latest research on best practice ways to go to market.
Say yes to new opportunities and maximise your spare time to invest in you and your commercial new knowledge.
Network with a sense of reciprocity – meet up with people to share something for them
Build a “ adaptability attitude “ understand resilience and managing ambiguity
What do you want to be remembered for? Make sure you reflect this in your
online presence – LinkedIn; write/post articles.

Stay Real and Relevant.

Recruiters Are Considered Scum!

I think I may be considered a stalwart now in the recruitment industry – having devoted 24 years of my life to the profession of recruiting. I still enjoy the opportunity to build company talent pools and help connect people’s careers yet …. Why do I think recruiters, used car salespeople & financial planners are lumped into the same box?

6 reasons:

1) Life Decisions
Jobs, cars, houses and finances are big life decisions that have a huge impact on your life and you do remember these big decisions and whether they were positive or negative. You will remember how you were treated when making one of these life decisions – you may not remember how you were treated when you bought you last lounge or fresh juice.

2) The Scurry of the Job Market
Running a recruitment assignment today can have many interjections – last minute hidden applicants, internal recommendations, changes of structural planning by the client and sometimes more than 150 applicants all wanting daily feedback. From a candidate perspective, it’s understandable that feedback on the day is so much sought, as it’s a tough time navigating the job search, yet so often as a recruiter to maintain feedback that is bespoke and timely is a challenge. So often the recruiter does not know themselves the client feedback as the client is delaying a decision. Is is sad to see today that job ads can say – if you are not successful you will not get feedback! That seems rude as there is a huge time investment by the applicant.

3) The Recruitment Industry Isn’t Regulated
There is not even a qualification to open a recruitment company. Even the real estate market has a license. You can hang up a shingle even without a Psychology or Human Resources Degree and start finding critical people assets for organisations! How ludicrous is that!

4) The Profession of Recruitment Has No Formal Training or Qualification in Australia
I fell into recruitment from a headhunt interview with a leading recruitment company at the time, who liked the fact I was in a national sales role and had qualifications in Psychology and Human Resources. The UK has recruitment degrees – they go to university and study recruitment as a profession. That is why you meet so many UK recruiters in Australia.

5) Transient Recruiters Thinking Short Term
Many transient UK recruiters pop over to Australia for a sabbatical and do recruitment for a moment – this has often had a detrimental impact on fast, non caring hiring processes – transient recruiters are not here for the long term, not leaving good impressions about the process.

6) The Tough Reality is Recruitment is More About Respectful Rejection Rather Than Recruitment
As only one person gets the role and up to 100+ invest their time for no outcome – people are not good at handling tough decisions at times. The crazy thing now is there is Artificial Intelligence technology (robots) that screen a resume and decide if the internal recruiter reviews a resume. There is even a product to screen all the rejection letters so applicants don’t have to open the “Dear John” rejection letters …ROBOTS TALKING TO ROBOTS ABOUT A HUMAN BEING EXPERIENCE!!

NO WONDER RECRUITERS ARE CONSIDERED SCUM! To experience the Mondo difference, please visit our website and contact one of our team members.

Getting the Right Team on the Bus in 2018

The wonderful pause at year end allows us to review, regroup, revitalise and reprogram direction ahead. The first few of January are like a white canvas, they’re yours to paint, as you desire. Companies can reflect on what worked and what needs fixing. It is a perfect time to review the distribution of workflow and analyse who is best to take the lead on key projects. It is the time to look for contractors to drive projects and to maximise smart workplace resourcing.

At the same time many executives have had time to contemplate their navels and may decide that they are not fulfilled in their workplace and decide to move on. This often results in unexpected New Year resignations and provides a chance for leaders to regroup and look at alternative structures for resourcing. This allows us to reset new goals for hiring and talent acquisition.

So, how to prepare yourself, your team, your company for a big 2018? Set your goals and break each goal into defined measurable tasks, delegate the tasks, define action plans by person with time frames and go for it! There are now some incredible project management tools online for free like Trello, Jira and Microsoft Project to support you with this.

Define each role with key position descriptions – list the key responsibilities and outcomes required. Make sure that those who do not meet the key criteria are not considered. Do not bend the person into the role. Define exactly what the role requires and make sure you find talent to ensure those goals are met. Ensure smooth onboarding is in place and people are best equipped to carry out the role.

Fail to plan and you will plan to fail! Go for 2018 with a clearly defined plan and you will have comfort that you are putting your best foot forward to tackle every step ahead.

For more information contact Simone Allan, Director at Mondo on 1300 737 917 or email simone@mondocalibre.com.au.

Generation “Slashie”

Gone are the days when we choose to stay in one role for an entire lifetime with the hope of a gold watch on retirement! People in the past were defined by what they did for crust. Today, there is a shift and “greetings questions” are more around what you stand for and what you are passionate about.

Average tenure in a role nowadays is less than 3.4 years, this is significantly lower than career tenures of the past. The contingent workforce is growing fast and many people prefer contract work rather than the fatigue of company politics and playing the corporate game. It is estimated that by 2020 5 million people in Australia will be categorised as a contingent or contract worker.

A new generation has emerged, and it’s one that is defining the millennials.The days of “Hi, I’m an Accountant” are slowly dissipating and are being replaced by “Hi, I’m an Accountant/Photographer/Entrepreneur” – Introducing The Slashie Generation. Slashies’ are a new generation worker: defined as – a group of people who have had multiple “slashes” in their title and multiple career projects/skills.

Many slashies’ are reluctant to define themselves by the job in which they’ve settled but by their myriad of talents and skills – they may prefer to introduce themselves as a part- time Actor with some other commitments in call centres and data management. Or a journalist with a portfolio career in childcare management and domestic cleaning. The world has birthed a myriad of multifaceted individuals who are also more agile and able to take and make change with speed and ease. Times for notice periods are reducing. Change is fast and furious.