A Young Professional’s Guide to Workplace Influence

 

Starting a new job can be exciting, and perhaps a little intimidating, especially if you’re fresh out of school or younger than most of your colleagues. The workplace can feel like a jungle sometimes, and older generations don’t always jump at the chance to embrace fresh perspectives. Despite that, it’s still possible to be a force for positive change, even as a new hire. This isn’t about pushing your way to the top; it’s about building relationships and subtly influencing how things work, for the better.

So, let’s move past the abstract and get right into some practical strategies. Some may fit your situation, and some may not. Take what you can use, and leave the rest.

1. Building Your Reputation

First impressions matter. Demonstrate you’re serious, capable, and worth listening to.

• Do Your Research: Before you bring something forward, research the organization. Understand its history, culture, what makes it tick, and what challenges it’s facing. You can’t just do this by memorizing the annual report. It’s easy enough to learn the written rules and policies; gaining an appreciation for the unwritten “way things are done” takes time, patience, and guidance. Take time to listen so that you know the context and can contribute meaningful insights rather than just throwing out random suggestions.
• Find a Mentor: Mentorship is invaluable, especially in the early days of a job or career. A good rule of thumb is to seek out someone whose work style you admire or who has expertise in an area you’d like to develop. Asking them for a simple coffee chat can be a great starting point.
• Deliver Results: Actions speak louder than words. Focus on early successes. Even small wins reflect competence and commitment. This builds trust and gets you noticed. When you consistently meet deadlines and produce high-quality work, people will start to take you seriously.

2. Suggesting Improvements With Thoughtful Advocacy

You probably have some great ideas, like new technologies or streamlined processes. However, not everyone is going to embrace your vision right away.

• Understand the Existing System: Take the time to understand why things are done the way they are. This shows respect for the organization and prevents you from unintentionally stepping on toes. Try to see things from the perspective of those who have been doing it for years. Learn the history. It’s possible that what seems obvious to you has been tried before and didn’t work. This doesn’t mean a good idea should never be tried again; exploring why it failed previously can provide guidance on how to improve it.
• Frame it: Present new ideas as enhancements, not replacements. Focus on how they can improve existing workflows rather than suggesting a complete overhaul. Highlight the benefits to the team or the organization, not just the features. One method is to suggest pilot programs to test new ideas on a smaller scale before a full-scale rollout. This minimizes risk and shows that you’re not just pushing for radical changes without considering the potential impacts.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Use data to back up your proposal. Research and case studies are powerful tools. If you can prove that your idea has been successful in similar contexts, it’s much more convincing than just giving an opinion. Embrace evidence-based arguments right away and make it a habit. This approach will gain respect quickly.

3. Bridging the Gap with Resistant Colleagues

Some people are resistant to change. This is common if they have been doing things a certain way for a long time.

• Empathy is Vital: Building consensus requires putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and understanding how they feel. In other words, empathy. Appreciate their concerns. Acknowledge their experience and validate their feelings, especially if you are asking people to step outside of their comfort zone. Active listening is a valuable tool here. Paraphrase their thoughts back to them to show that you understand them (“So what I’m hearing you say is…”). People are more receptive to change when they feel heard and understood.
• Collaborate, Don’t Dictate: Start a conversation, not a lecture. Ask for their input and actively listen to their feedback. Involving them in the process will make them feel like partners instead of passive recipients of your brilliant ideas. Look for areas of agreement and overlap. Build relationships with colleagues who are open to change and use their support to influence others. Having people on your side boosts your credibility and demonstrates that you’re a team player.
• Show, Don’t Tell (Again!): Share success stories from other organizations that have adopted similar changes. Real-world examples are far more persuasive than abstract arguments. You might be most persuasive when speaking about your generation’s preferences and attitudes, and then use data (surveys, polls, etc.) to validate your case. For example, if you have a product idea that you believe will appeal to younger generations, use your unique perspective and then reinforce it by showing where it has already been successful.

4. Communicating Technological Change Clearly

Technology can be intimidating for some. Make sure your communication is accessible to everyone, and assume that everyone is starting from a beginner level when it comes to their knowledge base.

• Plain Language: Avoid jargon. Use clear, simple language that anyone can understand, regardless of their technical expertise. You may need to explain more about what things do than simply listing tools or software in your plans.
• Show, Don’t Tell (One More Time!): Use visuals, diagrams, or demonstrations. A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when explaining complex technical concepts. Sometimes your audience may not understand until they see it in action. Lead training sessions to help people feel comfortable with new tools and processes. Hands-on training is the best way to alleviate fears and build confidence.
• Gather Feedback: Create channels for feedback. Ask for suggestions and address any concerns promptly and openly. This shows that you value their input, prioritize transparency in the process, and are committed to making the transition smooth.

5. Meaningful Change vs. Change for Change’s Sake

Not all change is good change. Make sure your suggestions are worthwhile.

• Clear Goals: Ensure that any proposed change serves the organization’s goals. This creates a shared understanding of why the change is necessary and makes it easier to get buy-in.
• Analyze the Impact: How will the change improve efficiency or performance? What problems will it solve? Clearly articulating the benefits makes your case much stronger.
• Reflect and Refine: After implementing a change, assess its effectiveness. What worked? What didn’t? Use feedback to improve your future proposals. Remember that the change is secondary to the mission of the organization, so the priority is ensuring that the change serves the correct purpose.

6. Navigating and Building Relationships Across Generations

Building relationships across generations is crucial. Celebrate the unique contributions of each generation to create a sense of teamwork and mutual respect. And, most importantly, be adaptable.

• Flexibility: Communication styles differ both between generations as well as within them. Some people prefer face-to-face conversations; others prefer email or instant messaging. To connect with your audience, find out how they would rather communicate, and make sure to use those channels to reach them.
• Communicate to Be Heard: Communication styles vary across generations. Take note of how someone from another generation may communicate or interpret your communication compared to a peer. Be mindful of body language, tone, and formality. For example, younger generations may feel that a period at the end of a text is angry or passive aggressive, but older generations tend to consider it proper grammar.
• Value Diverse Perspectives: Create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their opinions. This fosters mutual respect and understanding. Everyone has something valuable to teach you. Approach conversations with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Don’t think that you have to have all the answers, and, at the same time, have the confidence to know that you have something to offer to others.

An example:

Imagine a young employee at a tech company who notices a lack of diversity in hiring. They take the initiative to research best practices, present data on how diversity positively impacts performance, and organize workshops to raise awareness. Additionally, they use research from respected organizations to show the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to Generation Z. Through persistence and well-formed, well-researched arguments, they gain the support of decision-makers and implement changes that significantly increase diversity within the company. This shows how a single person’s initiative can create widespread positive change.

Continuous Self-Improvement

Finally, influencing your workplace is an ongoing process. While you advocate to improve your organization, commit to continuous learning and improvement for yourself as well. Regularly ask for feedback from colleagues and supervisors. This helps you identify areas for improvement and refine your approach. Attend workshops, webinars, or courses to enhance your skills and knowledge. Join industry organizations to discover opportunities and get access to trainings, and ask your coworkers for recommendations on email lists and set up news alerts to stay up to date. Also, seek out local networking groups, such as industry-specific organizations, young professional associations, or even your local chamber of commerce.

Gaining influence at work and becoming a changemaker is a journey, not a sprint. It takes patience, strategic thinking, respect, effective communication, and a genuine commitment to building strong relationships. One important thing you can do now is to share tips like these and find other ways to connect with your peer colleagues. Don’t only focus on appealing to the top brass; the bonds that you build now can be crucial to your success in the future. Your enthusiasm and dedication can be a powerful force for positive change in your organization.

When have you successfully implemented a change within your organization? Or, have you struggled to get your colleagues on board with your ideas?

Leave a comment below, send us an email, or follow us on LinkedIn.

Exploring the CHCI Leadership Development Program: Empowering Future Leaders

 In an ever-changing world, the demand for visionary leaders capable of navigating complexity and instigating positive change has reached unprecedented heights. The CHCI has responded to this need by launching a groundbreaking Leadership Development Program aimed at shaping the trajectory of leadership for the digital era.

Unpacking the CHCI Leadership Development Program:

The CHCI Leadership Development Program serves as a beacon of excellence, nurturing leaders who not only excel in their fields but also possess the skills and mindset required to confront the challenges of today's dynamic landscape. This program reflects CHCI's commitment to fostering leadership that transcends traditional boundaries.

Key Features of the Program:

1. Interdisciplinary Approach:

   Embracing an interdisciplinary ethos, the CHCI Leadership Development Program recognizes the interconnected nature of global challenges. Participants delve into a diverse array of topics, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of leadership across various contexts.

2. Cutting-edge Research and Innovation:

   Participants are exposed to the forefront of research and innovation in human-computer interaction, ensuring they stay at the forefront of developments and cultivate a mindset of continual learning and adaptability.

3. Mentorship and Networking:

   Acknowledging the potency of mentorship, CHCI facilitates personalized one-on-one mentorship relationships between participants and seasoned leaders in the field. This guidance serves as a navigational tool through the complexities of leadership.

4. Experiential Learning:

   Beyond theoretical knowledge, the program emphasizes experiential learning. Through real-world projects, participants apply their skills in practical scenarios, refining their ability to translate knowledge into actionable strategies.

5. Global Perspective:

   CHCI recognizes the importance of a global outlook for effective leaders. The program incorporates international experiences and collaborations, exposing participants to diverse cultures and perspectives.

Impact on Participants:

Graduates of the CHCI Leadership Development Program not only emerge as experts in human-computer interaction but also as well-rounded leaders with a profound understanding of the broader implications of their work. The program equips them with the skills to navigate ambiguity, communicate effectively, and inspire teams toward a shared vision.

Conclusion:

In the face of unprecedented challenges, the demand for leaders with a multifaceted skill set is more evident than ever. The CHCI Leadership Development Program is a pioneering initiative, shaping leaders who will drive positive change in human-computer interaction and beyond. Through its commitment to interdisciplinary learning, cutting-edge research, mentorship, and global perspectives, CHCI is shaping leaders and cultivating a community of changemakers poised to leave a lasting impact on the world.

Embracing Value-Based Leadership for Organizational Resilience

In today’s post-pandemic business world, organizations are steering through novel challenges. Amid this climate, the critical role of effective leadership is paramount. One effective approach is value-based leadership, which is a model of using a fundamental system of organizational core values to govern operations, rather than just meeting deadlines or hitting targets.

In this blog, we outline the six reasons why value-based leadership is crucial in today’s volatile business environment and provide actionable advice on implementing these principles in your organization.

1.  Building Trust through Authenticity

Trust, earned through consistent and transparent conduct, plays a pivotal role in fostering commitment and loyalty among teams, boosting organizational credibility, and resonating with the public.

Actionable Advice: Keep communications transparent and hold regular, open meetings. Reflect your words in your actions, and when you falter, acknowledge and learn from your mistakes.

2.  Offering Clear Direction

Leaders who resolutely uphold their organizational core values provide their teams with a clear path and maintain focus on shared organizational objectives, even amid external distractions or pressures.

Actionable Advice: Clearly define your organization’s goals and frequently communicate them to ensure team members understand their roles in achieving them.

3.  Fostering Resilience and Adaptability

Value-based leaders demonstrate a blend of adaptability and resilience, crucial traits in positioning an organization for survival and long-term success.

Actionable Advice: Encourage a growth mindset by promoting a culture that sees challenges as learning opportunities. One practical starting point could be a mentorship program that connects seasoned team members with newcomers.

4.  Inspiring Employee Engagement

Leaders who prioritize their team’s well-being and align with the broader organizational mission motivate and engage employees, enhancing productivity, even in challenging situations.

Actionable Advice: Regularly acknowledge your team’s efforts and recognize instances where they’ve displayed the company’s core values. This validation can have a powerful motivating effect.

5.  Championing Ethical Decision-Making

Turbulent times often bring ethical dilemmas into sharp focus. Leaders anchored in strong values can more effectively navigate these challenges, ensuring their decisions align with the best interests of their team and the organization.

Actionable Advice: Develop an organizational code of ethics reflecting your core values to serve as a decision-making guide. This code should clearly state your mission, values, and the expected conduct within the organization. Regularly hold discussions around hypothetical ethical scenarios, using the code as a guide for responses. By doing so, you embed the importance of ethical alignment in daily decision-making.

6.  Encouraging a Long-Term Perspective

Organizations often find themselves in a tug-of-war between short-term objectives and long-term, sustainable growth. While immediate gains might be appealing, it’s crucial to keep sight of the bigger picture.

Actionable Advice: Integrate value-aligned goals into your strategic planning, balancing immediate targets with long-term aspirations. Emphasize the concept of sustainability, which refers not just to environmental considerations, but also to the capacity for enduring success. The idea is to strive for decisions that contribute positively to your organization’s future trajectory, not just for short-term gains.

Transitioning toward value-based leadership demands commitment, patience, and courage, yet the benefits are substantial. By fostering resilience, prioritizing ethical decision-making, and maintaining a long-term perspective, leaders can prepare for any challenges ahead, transforming them into opportunities for growth.

As we navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic landscape, value-based leadership evolves from being a tool to a vital strategy. We invite you to share your experiences, insights, or queries about value-based leadership. How have you incorporated value-based leadership in your organization? How has it impacted your decision-making and strategic planning during these uncertain times? Leave a comment below, send us an email, or connect with us on Twitter. 

4 Steps to Maintain Organizational Culture with Freelancers

 

Organizational culture is crucial in creating a workplace where employees can work together as a team and contribute to furthering the company’s values and vision. Maintaining that culture in a shared office space is one thing…but when your freelance employees are scattered all over the country, maybe even the globe, that’s a different story. This management challenge is what I like to call “The Big Whopper.”

What do I mean about the “Big Whopper”? First, take a look at the following common scenario as it relates to freelance workers and organizational culture.

CHALLENGE: THE FREELANCE EMPLOYEE DOES NOT FIT IN WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.

Freelancer’s Perspective: I freelance for a large corporation in Midtown Manhattan. They invited me to a party to celebrate a company milestone (I have no idea what it was) so I thought I should at least pop by for a few minutes. When I walked in, everyone was in corporate attire. I’d been running errands all day in my jeans and a bulky sweater, and was carrying a few shopping bags. No one was engaging me in conversation, so I just had a few cocktails, made some jokes with the Intern (he’s the only one I really communicate with there) and took off. Those people really need to lighten up!    

Manager’s Perspective: We sent out a company-wide invitation to celebrate an important moment in our corporate history. We’d finally broken ground to build a water purification plant for a community that had been drinking increasingly contaminated river water. As an organization, we take our work seriously and believe that if we work as a team with integrity, we can change the world. When my freelance employee, Rebecca, showed up to our celebration honoring six years of hard work coming to fruition, she was not dressed appropriately. She seemed to only come by to have a drink, gossip with our intern, and head out to finish her shopping. The fact that her attitude and behavior didn’t mesh with our organizational culture really stood out. Did I hire the right person?

How could the scenario have been prevented with effective management? Here are four steps that will help maintain organizational culture with freelance workers.

Maintain Organizational Culture When Managing

Freelance Employees with These 4 Steps

Step 1: Organizational Culture Starts with You

Like many management challenges, maintaining organizational culture with freelance employees starts with you. You have to model the desired culture through your actions, behavior and communication style. Make sure that you are dialed in to the organization’s values and vision, and use that as a backbone for all of your freelance worker interactions. If you don’t know what your company stands for, how will your freelancers know?

Step 2: Keep Organizational Culture in Mind During the Hiring Process

When going through the hiring process, always keep your company’s vision and values in mind. If your organization values teamwork, hiring a very independent freelancer may not be a good fit. When looking at potential freelance candidates, don’t just look for matching skills and experience. Be sure to include questions that will gauge if they are a good cultural fit as well.

Step 3: Take Time to Integrate Your Freelance Employee into the Organization

Just because your freelance worker isn’t physically in the office does not mean that they don’t need the same thoughtful onboarding that you give in-house employees. Since freelancers work remotely, you can’t shuttle them around from introduction to introduction with an orientation packet in their hands; however, there are other things you can do.

• Pair your freelancer with a seasoned employee who embodies your organizational culture. After an initial introduction, tell your freelancer that they can turn to this employee with any questions they may have.
• Create a photo and bio sheet to distribute to freelance workers. This allows them to take a virtual walk through the office by putting faces to names. This also helps identify the roles of fellow in-house employees, which will help in collaborative projects.
• If possible, invite your freelance workers to the office. Let them experience first hand what your culture looks and feels like.

Step 4: Make Your Freelance Worker Feel Part of Your Team

Have you ever felt like a complete outsider at work? It’s not very motivating. Often, that’s how freelancers feel. It takes effort to make them feel they are part of a team that they rarely, if ever, see. Here are some ways you can do so:

• Keep your freelance employee informed about “what they are part of.” For example, if they have to create a massive Excel spreadsheet of film festivals in Chicago, let them know why. If the freelancer knew that the company produced a transformational documentary on the water crisis and that the spreadsheet would help market the film, she would feel more aligned with the company’s mission.
• Create large goals that remind freelancers who the company is and where it is going. Using the scenario above, an example of a large goal might be, “Provide clean drinking water to every human being in South America by 2017.” With that goal stated and reiterated, it is easier for in-house and freelance employees to feel part of the company’s mission.
• Be open with your freelancers about achievements and failures alike. When a freelancer works hard on a project and never hears if it had any impact on the company goals, it’s difficult for her to feel part of the team.
• If you send company holiday cards or host holiday parties, don’t forget to include your freelance employees.

Now, let’s revisit the scenario above and examine how the problem could have been avoided.

SOLUTION: If Rebecca’s manager had embodied the company culture in their previous interactions, Rebecca would have known what to expect at the event. If, during the interview process, Rebecca’s manager had spoken to her about her interest in community and the environment, she would have a better idea if Rebecca was a good fit for an organization that values those things. Additionally, by having Rebecca primarily communicate with the intern (obviously not a seasoned member of the organization), she didn’t have a chance to be integrated into the company culture. So while Rebecca’s manager did include her in the company event, it ended up being an unpleasant experience for both of them.

Organizational culture is dynamic. As the centerpiece of culture among your organization’s workforce, you can make a tremendous impact. Start with yourself and take time in selecting and nurturing your freelance workforce. Above all else—remember that talent is not expendable, in-house or not.

Now that we’ve talked about communication challenges with freelance workers, how to facilitate effective collaborations between in-house and freelance teams, and explored ways to increase the likelihood of freelance employees meeting goals and making deadlines, do you feel confident you could successfully manage freelance employees? What challenges are you most wary of?

Tell us about it with a comment below, in an email, or on Twitter. Let’s get ready for the future of work together.

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Communicating Culture with Positive Reinforcement

 

A lot of big words for a simple theory. Or as Boyd so eloquently puts it in the recent Fast Company article, “People want to be inspired, not lectured. They tend to respond better to humor and gentle reminders than they do to dictates or presumptions of guilt before innocence.” In essence, people don’t respond as well to control as they do to subtle encouragement.

Many people think of organizational culture as a ‘soft’ skill, yet culture is directly related to the execution of your organization’s strategy. What is the ultimate goal within your company? What type of work do you want your employees to create? What type of attitude and atmosphere are you trying to construct? If you know where you want to take your company, then define the behaviors, values and attitudes that you want your employees to emulate as they execute your company’s strategy.

XPLANE’s Culture Map, Courtesy of Dave Gray

For example, one organization I work with values ‘customer service’. Yet customer service can be defined 100 different ways to 100 different people. It’s up to the leadership team to define what customer service actually means in practice in your organization. What’s the behavior and attitude that reflects excellent customer service? Is it a smile upon meeting? Always saying hello first? Do the employees have the authority to do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy, up to a certain dollar amount? These are the type of questions that need to be answered so the team can create the culture that is needed to execute your strategy.

Once your organizational values, behaviors and attitudes are defined, how do you enforce those cultural standards? While the strategy might be compelling, the article mentions using positive reinforcement to increase or maintain a certain type of behavior. Positive reinforcement refers to the behavioral and reinforcement theories developed by B.F. Skinner, in which positive reinforcement is the addition of an appetitive stimulus.

Again, a lot of big words for a simple, effective idea. What does this mean? Provide affirmative incentives. Incentives don’t necessarily need to be tangible, as we’ll discuss in the next post. Intangible are often best. In the case of Burning Man, reinforcement is provided with the use of humor. Humor in unexpected places is a nice surprise and reprieve from what could come across as a dry dictate; it helps employees to want to pay attention.

That’s what it boils down to. To foster a positive, productive, enjoyable culture, with happy employees producing superb results – take care to provide positive feedback where culture has been embraced or in areas you are trying to build up and develop. The result? Employees are inspired to take part and contribute to the organizational culture as they execute their daily tasks.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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Why Purpose at Work is More Important Than Ever

 

The radical changes happening in the United States workforce are impacting organizations. If organizations don’t plan to make changes now, they are at risk of losing relevance in tomorrow’s workforce, which will look and function differently than today’s workforce.

In particular, leaders are watching as every 8.5 seconds another Baby Boomer turns 50, leading to the reality that 75 million Baby Boomers will retire in the next 10-15 years. Losing 45% of the workforce is alarming. Who is going to take their place? Now that the Millennial generation has superseded the Baby Boomers as the largest living generation, leaders must look to them in order to fill the many job vacancies created when Boomers finally hang up their hats.

But Millennial workers don’t fit neatly into the roles Boomers left behind. For one, 58% of them expect to leave their jobs in three years or less. In addition, 52% of Millennials think the corporate environment is outdated and that true success comes from carving one’s own path. So you can see why 54% of hiring managers say they have a difficult time finding and retaining Millennials.

Let’s add another layer to up the ante—employee engagement. The United States workforce is suffering from a lack of engagement. According to research, 45% of employees in the U.S. are not engaged, and 26% are actively disengaged. Disinterested employees are more than disgruntled; they also directly affect the bottom line. $11 billion is lost annually due to employee turnover; companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202%.

So what’s the bottom line? A huge swath of the workforce starting to head out the door into some version of retirement, a generation with different needs pouring in to fill the vacancies in companies they may not believe in, and a whole lot of employees with far away looks in their eyes, feeling uninterested and unfulfilled. Can we agree that something needs to be done?

Start at the Core: Purpose

If you’re going to make the internal shifts needed to survive and thrive in the next decade, you might as well start at the core: purpose at work.

What sets a company with purpose apart from one without? Imperative says there are three core elements for experiencing purpose: positive impact on others, personal development, and delivery of work through strong relationships. A purpose-driven company fosters these experiences for its employees, and has a stated and measured reason and mission for being. This mission should be something that every employee knows.

You may be thinking that “purpose” at work sounds like one of the many buzzwords that have no practical application. That’s not true. Purpose does make a difference, and it’s an actionable concept. Integrating purpose into the workplace will increase employee engagement, performance, and profit. This is shown clearly by the results of LinkedIn and Imperative’s global survey*, Purpose at Work, of 26,151 LinkedIn members in 40 different countries. Let’s take a look at some of the results.

In virtually every country and industry studied, the correlation of satisfaction at work and purpose orientation was consistent. 73% of purpose-oriented workers are satisfied in their jobs, and 37% of LinkedIn members globally (40% in the U.S.) are purpose-oriented. What does it mean to be purpose-oriented? It means that you prioritize work that matters to you, your company, and the world.

A purpose-oriented professional doesn’t need to be caring for orphan orangutans to find purpose in their work. In fact, purpose can be found in every job and industry.

Of course some job functions naturally attract more purpose-oriented people. The top five most purpose-oriented job functions are community and social services, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare services and research. On the low end we have operations, support, finance, purchasing and accounting.

Purpose + Performance

One of the key issues with disengagement is how it impacts performance at work. To show the correlation between purpose and performance, Imperative worked with New York University to conduct research on purpose-oriented talent in the U.S. The results show that purpose-oriented employees score higher than non purpose-oriented employees on every measure. For example, they were 50% more likely to be in leadership positions and 47% more likely to be promoters of their employers. 64% of those surveyed reported higher levels of fulfillment in their work as well.

The study also found that 39% of the purpose-oriented people were likely to stay at their company for 3+ years. In fact, 73% reported being satisfied with their jobs. That’s no small number!

There’s no shortage of information on how to make the Millennial worker happy, but when it comes to purpose, they aren’t the only ones who need it. The truth is, they are the least purpose-oriented generation at only 30%, as opposed to the 47% of Baby Boomers and the 38% of Gen X’ers who are purpose-oriented.

This is likely a “stage not age” scenario, where young adults are focused on different things due to their stage in life. German psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, identified a shift in identity between the ages of 18-35 and 35-36. The young adults (Millennials) are more focused on relationships at that stage, and the older adults shift to associating their identity with their contribution to society.

Purpose + Profit

Let’s not forget the correlation between purpose and profit. Research from the E.Y. Beacon Institute and Harvard Business School shows purpose-driven companies are more likely to be profitable. From 2013 to now, 58% of companies with clearly articulated and defined purpose experienced growth of 10%, while only 42% of companies not prioritizing purpose experienced growth. Further, 42% of non-purpose led companies showed a drop in revenue, while 85% of companies led by purpose showed positive growth.

All of these statistics point to one thing: purpose is integral to success in the future of work. Here are three tips to get you started in your effort to become a purpose-driven organization that attracts purpose-oriented candidates.

Ready to be Purpose-Driven? Three Tips to Get You Started

1.     Find Purpose-Oriented Employees By Seeking Passive Candidates

If you want to foster a purpose-oriented organization, you’d be wise to seek candidates who are themselves purpose-oriented. These people are still the minority however, which means recruiting passive candidates (candidates not actively looking for work.) Actually, as 69% of purpose-oriented employees report—they are more likely to be passive, probably because they are invested in their current positions. To grab their interest, focus on your mission, vision, products and services more than perks and benefits. Also, check out Red 5 Studios innovative strategy for recruiting passive candidates here; it’s one of our favorites.

2.     Brand with Purpose

From a more macro view, incorporate your purpose directly into your branding efforts. Do the images on your website, recruiting materials and social media channels reflect an organization that values a positive impact on others, personal development and strong relationships? One common misstep is organizations that value diversity yet publish materials with pictures that don’t represent diverse populations. Look at your visual images, evaluate the language used, and align all your branding and communications with your purpose.

3.     Don’t be Afraid to Start From Square One

If your organization doesn’t have its purpose clearly defined, you’ve got some serious, and very rewarding, work to do. Where can you get started? On a basic level, leaders can first define their personal values, then, move on to clarifying the values and purpose of their organization, and finally look at the organization as a whole through this lens of attracting, hiring and retaining their talent. Leaders must make purpose a fundamental piece of each step of their own, and their team’s, talent life cycle.

The massive shifts happening in the U.S. workforce are forcing organizations to take a closer look at what matters most: their talent. This closer look leads to the importance of purpose, for both their own survival as a company, and for the engagement, productivity and fulfillment of their employees. A massive shift towards purpose will benefit the economy, and the people who fuel it.

I’d love to hear your experiences with organizations with clearly defined purposes and ones without any purpose at all. What was it like to work with them?

 

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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