Remote work

Work life balance is very poorly understood by many. What does it really mean and how could one achieve it, despite not compromising on productivity? Read on!

Everyone strives to attain steady growth in their career and simultaneously maintain a healthy body and great relations with family and friends. But that’s easier said than done. Most of us struggle in achieving a satisfactory work life balance.

On one side of the spectrum, there are some of us who invest too much time meeting our professional commitments, and on the other, that some of us feel too much of our time is consumed meeting personal responsibilities.

In this article, we will discuss the various work life balance strategies which you can adopt to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Also Read: Time blocking | An ultimate read for best results

What is work-life balance?

Before we proceed to discuss work-life balance tips, we need to understand what is work-life balance and what is the need for work-life balance? The answers to these two questions will eventually guide you to understand the methods for achieving work-life balance.

Work-life balance is a conscious attempt to maintain a healthy professional life devoid of excessive stress coupled with strong interpersonal relationships between family and friends not overruling personal interests.

The concept enables dividing an individual’s time between professional and personal commitments. A person capable of inculcating the habit of a healthy work-life balance can overcome any kind of mental and physical anxieties and worries.

The greatest advantage of work-life balance is satisfaction and an increase in the motivational level. The ultimate result is an improvement in work quality and efficiency. Both the individual professionals and the companies are benefitted enabling faster future growth.

Note: Before adopting and practicing the strategies that drive work-life balance, it is important to understand the concept and its positive impacts on your professional life.

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What is the need of work life balance?

The work-life balance must not be overlooked and avoided. Its importance is immense, preventing burnouts and eliminating negative health impacts like hypertension, pains, digestive issues, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Essentially work-life balance reduces depression and excessive mental stress. We are going to discuss various work-life balance strategies to assist individuals in understanding when to plug off from their work and switch to the personal life mode.

Also Read: Remote working tools | A comprehensive guide

9 Step guide to achieving work-life balance

Here is a 9 step guide to achieve work life balance,

1. Prioritize your work

Many of us possess a good habit of listing down the To-Do activities but we sometimes ignore the concept of prioritization. In your list, if you sit down and rank the tasks based on their importance, you save time and effort in dealing with each of them.

It even helps you to decide which one to focus on first, second, third, and so on. Based on the priority, your next action should be to allocate time for each of the tasks listed down. Prioritization never overburdens you with less important and non-value-adding jobs.

It assists you to concentrate on the tasks that need focused attention. You can switch off from your work as per the normal schedule and dedicate your time to pursuing your interests along with spending time with your near and dear ones.

Tip: Failing to understand the tasks which are of high priority is a risky action. It may result in wasting time and effort on a non-critical task, severely hampering your productivity and deadlines. It will eventually disturb work and life balance.

Hence it is advisable to receive guidance and support from your peers, managers, and mentors in analyzing the tasks and their significance to the company and its business.

2. Understand your bandwidth

Professionals, specifically those who work remotely, often tend to accept work more than their capacity or threshold limit. Some hesitate to say No to their supervisors and some feel performing more amount of work will lead to faster promotion, an increase in salary, and exponential growth in their future career.

But little do they realize that in due course, they would strain out their mind and body. They would not be able to continue their work at the same pace seamlessly. Their social connections will be lost. Their thinking power will considerably reduce, hampering their productivity and work quality. They will fail significantly in achieving work-life balance.

Therefore it is important to analyze your work bandwidth and brain capacity. Stressing your body and brain beyond the threshold limit will not only deprive you of your success but also severely affect your personal life.

Understand the complexity and priority of the work assigned to you. Chalk out the time you would need to finish the assigned tasks. Inform your supervisor or manager whenever you anticipate risks in completing assignments due to a lack of bandwidth. It is better to speak out rather than gulping everything and then suffer later.

Remember: It is good to be a careerist and ambitious but not for the sake of your health and leisure time. It may eventually ruin both your professional and personal lives leading to a bad work-life balance.

3. Practice healthy habits

We all know “Health is Wealth”. But do we religiously maintain healthy habits especially in our workspace? Remote professionals are mainly constrained in a chair or a couch inside their homes.

Staying at home does not necessarily imply working continuously without any breaks. If you feel working together at a long stretch saves your time and turns you to be super-efficient, then you are wrong.

Working continuously without investing time in exercises or any kind of sports activities like walking, running, swimming, hiking, biking, etc. is not a sign of a healthy mind. It shows your lethargy as well as ignorance of your wellness and care.

At the end of the day, you are eventually harming your body and mind slowly without realizing its severe impacts. Early morning walks or running and workouts are very good methods of energizing your body to remain active throughout the day.

Consuming a cup of green tea or a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning before breakfast detoxifies your body and increases your metabolism rate. Occasional breaks in between your normal work schedule are very much advisable.

Remote professionals can hop into a café for tea or coffee. They can venture outside for a walk with their pets or kids and play with them for a while. It pacifies your mind, relieving excessive stress leading to a healthy work and life balance.

4. Plan for Vacations

Vacations are considered efficient weapons to refresh your mind and body and spend fun-filled time with your family or friends. It is one of the best work-life balance tips that individuals can think of. Planning for vacations to travel out from your home town brings in with itself two very important advantages.

First and foremost, if you are traveling with your family or friends, you stay happy and delighted amongst their loving company. If you are traveling solo, you can fulfill your heart’s desires without any disruption.

The second benefit is, you come back from vacation rejuvenated and re-energized which significantly boosts up your potential and eagerness to work. The result is you can manage a steady work-life balance.

Tips: Vacations must not be just leisure out at home by watching TV or sleeping. They must be planned with care and utilized to their full limit. It is advisable to visit a place of interest and completely disconnect yourself from your work.

You must not open your laptop to check your office emails and drag yourself into it. This will ruin your vacation and the objective behind plugging off from your professional environment during the leave period.

5. Disconnect from digital addictions

Switching off social media applications during your scheduled hours of work prevents distractions and unnecessary disruptions to your workflow. Constant focusing on emails and smart devices is also a way of losing focus and attention.

You will fail to finish your tasks as per the stipulated time which may lead to unnecessary work burden, stress, tension, and burn-outs. It may impact your relationship with your manager and company, leading to a loss of trust and confidence.

It is therefore advisable to remove the social media applications or disable notifications from your digital devices during your work hours. Your concentration level will enhance leading to efficiency and effectiveness in the work quality.

Another common problem faced by professionals is constant exposure to the computer screen without resting their eyes. The eyes are the delicate part of human beings, constant exposure may lead to negative effects damaging the eyesight or exposure to other visual ailments. Hence reserve some breaks for your eyes or follow the eye-related exercises in between your work. 

While you are on vacation, stay away from official phone calls and meetings. A conventional method is to click photos with your cameras instead of mobile phones or iPads. It not only enhances your creativity and appreciation of the beauty around you but also prevents distractions from social media, emails, and chats.

6. Plan and organize your day

Organising your day is a great strategy for finding a good work-life balance. The planner must not be created on the day you start working. It should be completed either before the start of the week or the day before.

For remote professionals, the planner must not only focus on your professional activities but your commitments too like visiting a doctor, buying your groceries, attending to your kids, spending time with family and friends.

While penning down your tasks related to work, ensure those do not overlap your personal space. Allocate time judiciously to each task within your scheduled work hours. Set up your tasks in the planner and assign time for each, not intruding into the professional space. The planner must be followed religiously as a checklist for you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Tip: The remote professionals should display the planner in front of their desk so as not to miss out on the tasks. Having the planner in front of your eyes keeps you focused on the activities without paying attention to any diversions.

You can easily maintain a balance between your professional and personal activities, resulting in high motivation and satisfaction levels. Your company gains trust and your social and personal relations stay steady.

7. Sleep well

Overstretching your body and mind without adequate and proper sleep is a serious issue for many professionals. A person deprived of sleep is bound to be lethargic and undergoing chronic stress. Productivity and work quality are severely hampered leading to negative impacts on a person’s future career and the company’s reputation. 

To overcome the situation, it is recommended to finish your work as per the planner set. The threshold limit of a person should be respected by both the company and the individual. Personal life must never be ignored as all human brains need rest and recharge.

Regular 6 to 8 hours of sleep is mandatory. Once you are lethargic and tired, you will fail to invest time in your personal life. Your social connectivity will be seriously affected. Friends and family may not be able to connect with you well. The result is disturbed to work and life balance.

Many professionals tend to overburden themselves with more work beyond their capacity and ignore sleep. They forget the importance of sleep and feel their body can tolerate the extra hours of work. You need to remember and follow the medical journals and advice of doctors on the recommended hours of sleep.

Tip: If you feel you are not able to adjust your time for sleep, it is better to include the habit in your daily planner. Make it a habit to adhere to the time and steadily you will be inducted into the practice. Your body will feel rejuvenated and energized, resulting in the proper balance between work and personal space.

8. Design your workspace well

You may wonder how workspace design can affect your steady work-life balance? Well, unless your workspace is interesting and motivating, you won’t feel the zeal and enthusiasm to complete your work as per the schedule.

A dull workspace even tires your eyes and reduces your thinking ability. The result is a failure in meeting the deadlines, ultimately leading to overstress and unnecessary frustrations. Select a good ergonomic chair and desk.

Seek professional suggestions or google through various websites that provide consulting on the proper arrangement of your workspace. Prevent your body from wearing away due to continuous exposure to computer screens or sitting constantly at your desk.

If your supporting work equipment is efficient and comfortable, then your body and mind stay well and you can easily complete your tasks and activities as per the stipulated time. A person who can complete this work as per the schedule can dedicate time for personal commitments.

People will have time for vacations, spending time with family and friends, pursue his or her interests and hobbies. The ultimate result is an efficient and healthy balance of both professional and personal life.

9. Increase your professional and social network

Networking with like-minded people both professionally and socially is equally important for achieving and maintaining a work-life balance. For remote professionals, it is advisable to work sometimes in a co-working space.

You will be able to interact with professionals in similar fields of interest, engaging in an exchange of interesting ideas and conversations. These interactions often lead to additional knowledge and learnings which you may not be aware of or have not read about. Your professional horizon expands and enhances your future growth.

It also reduced the boredom of working alone and you feel encouraged to finish your tasks. The other good way to increase your professional connections is to attend various seminars and conferences where you can meet with several other individuals working freelance or with different organizations.

Similarly, you must strive to extend your social connections as well. You must not neglect attending parties and social events with your family or friends. It helps you in interacting with interesting people who may turn out to be good friends soon. You may meet people pursuing the same hobbies and interests which eventually turn out to be a boon.

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40 famous work life balance quotes

In this section, we will discuss 40 famous work life balance quotes. The quotes on work life balance will help you to understand what does work life balance means. Defined and pen down by eminent personalities, the work life quotes provide good guidance in defining work life balance and the intricacies of work life balance.

Great work life balance quotes

Two great work life balance quotes for us to remember while ensuring a proper professional environment at the office and good personal life at home,

1. “You can’t have everything you want, but you can have the things that really matter to you”, one of the best balance life quotes from Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo.
2. “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” – one of the divine quotes about jobs and life by Mother Teresa, saint and messenger of God Great quotes with incredible work life balance meaning.

Compelling work family quotes

Some compelling work family quotes as a guide to maintaining work life balance,

1. “The most successful people I know create superior results yet still maintain a balance among work, family and recreation in their lives.” – one of the inspiring work and life balance quotes from Jack Canfield, American author and motivational speaker.
2. “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”- an interesting quote on work life balance by Henry Ford.

Captivating work balancing life quotes

The two captivating work balancing life quotes for you to inspire from,

1. “A man should never neglect his family for business.” – one of the best work and family quotes by Walt Disney
2. “The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is good work.” – One of the famous work life balance quotes from Steve Jobs.

The above captivating quotes assist in understanding the work life balance definition.

Prominent quotations about work life balance

Here are some prominent quotations about work life balance,

1. “You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.” – a quote about work and life by Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker
2. “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – work to live quote by singer Dolly Parton

The above are prominent quotes providing accurate knowledge of work-life balance definition.

Inspirational quotes about work life balance

Here are some inspirational quotes about work life balance to spice up your day,

1. “You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles”- one of the best inspirational quotes about life balance by Zig Ziglar, American author, and motivational speaker
2. “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life” – One of the famous balancing work and family quotes by Dolly Parton, an American singer and songwriter

Above are inspirational quotes to be acquainted with worklife definition

Simple work balanced life quotes

If you want to refer to some simple balanced life quotes, then here is a list,

1. “You have to balance your passions, not your time” – one of the famous work life balance quotes from Lisa Sugar, editor-in-chief and co-founder of POPSUGAR.
2. “It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family” – One of the simplest quotations of work life balance by Philip Green, a British businessman

Above are simple quotes that act as guidance to understand work life balance definitions.

Motivating working life quotes

Enlisted below are some of the good motivating working life quotes,

1. “Always take some of the play, fun, freedom, and wonder of the weekend into your week and work” – one of the motivating quotes about balancing work life by Rasheed Ogunlaru, business, and corporate coach
2. “Most people chase success at work, thinking that will make them happy. The truth is that happiness at work will make you successful.” – a quote about life balance by Alexander Kjerulf, founder of Woohoo inc.

Above are motivating quotes that help to get work life balance defined.

Encouraging worklife quotes

Some encouraging worklife quotes for reference,

1. “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – a quote about work and play by Stephen Covey
2. “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – one of the work life balance quotations by Jim Rohn, an American entrepreneur and motivational speaker

Above are encouraging quote offering proper knowledge of work life definition

Working life quote by executives and sports personalities

A list of working life quote by executives and sports personalities,

1. “The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.” – one of the quotes about work and play by Lee Iacocca, American automobile executive
2. “Work life balance is not an entitlement or benefit. Your company cannot give it to you. You have to create it for yourself.” – one of the balancing life and working long hours quotes by Matthew Kelly, an Australian cricketer.

Finest quotes about work and life

Two of the finest quotes about work and life,

1. “Be steady and well-ordered in your life so that you can be fierce and original in your work” – one of the finest and inspirational quotes about balance by writer Gustave Flaubert
2. “You don’t have to make yourself miserable to be successful” – quote by Andrew Wilkinson, founder of MetaLab for best work life balance

Above are finest quotes that help in working life definition

Work life quote by entrepreneurs

A list of work life quote by entrepreneurs,

1. “You will never feel truly satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life.” – a quote on work and life balance by Heather Schuck
2. “Invest in your work life balance. Time with friends and family is as important as times at work. Getting that out of balance is a path toward unhappiness.” – a quote on life-work balance by Stephen Gillett

Best working too much quotes

Important working too much quotes mentioned below,

1. “Too much work and too much energy kill a man just as effectively as too much-assorted vice or too much drink” – one of the best work too much quotes by Rudyard Kipling
2. “Your business and your life are happening at the same time. Don’t separate them. Integrate them” – one of the interesting quotes about balancing life by David Taylor-Klaus

Phenomenal quotes about working too much

Some phenomenal quotes about working too much,

1. “Pause, breathe, and smile. Anything that adds to your stress is likely not worth pursuing.” – one of the work and life balance quotes by Majid Kazmi, CEO of Valu Ventures
2. “Taking breaks isn’t about cheating yourself, it’s about treating yourself.” – one of the quotations on work life balance by Curtis Tyrone Jones, coach and motivational speaker

Above are some phenomenal quotes focusing on understanding definitions of work life balance

Powerful working from home quotes

Here are two powerful working from home quotes,

1. “Success isn’t owned. It’s leased, and rent is due every day”- one of the powerful quotes about balancing life by J.J. Watt, an American football player
2. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant”- One of the quotations on work life balance by Robert Louis Stevenson

Amazing work and play quotes

Some amazing work and play quotes mentioned below,

1. “You can’t have everything you want, but you can have the things that really matters to you.” – quotation on work life balance by Marissa Mayer
2. “When in doubt choose the kids. There will be plenty of time later to choose work.”- one of the famous quotes about balance by author Anna Quindlen

Work to live not live to work quote

Work to live not live to work quote by,

1. Noel Gallagher, an English musician, stating “I don’t live to work, I work to live”; one of the work quotes to live by
2. Abraham Lincoln – “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle”; one of the good work to live quotes

Charming putting work before family quotes

Here are some putting work before family quotes, teaching us to understand the value of balance between work and life,

1. “A man should never neglect his family for business” – Walt Disney’s one of the finding balance in life quotes.
2. “Work hard, but make time for your love, family, and friends. Nobody remembers Powerpoint presentations on your final day.” – Chetan Bhagat’s one of the balance in life quotes

Engaging work at home quotes

Some of the engaging and famous work at home quotes,

1. “Remote work offers flexibility and I appreciate the work life balance that comes with that” – one of the engaging quotes about balance in life by Jess Scott
2. “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm” – definition of worklife balance as quoted by Winston Churchill

Fascinating choosing work over family quotes

Choosing work over family quotes from famous personalities,

1. “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” – a quote on work and life balance by Mother Teresa
2. “You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” – Charles Buxton’s quote on work and personal life balance

Love my work family quotes

Here are some motivating love my work family quotes for you to refer to,

1. “The most successful people I know create superior results yet still maintain a balance among work, family, and recreation in their lives.” – life and work balance quote by Jack Canfield, American author and motivational speaker
2. “Family is the most important thing in the world.” – a quote to balance work and life by Princess Diana

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How can working women find work life balance?

Working women are subjected to stress while maintaining a work-life balance. But now we are in a modern world and women have all the rights to possess a rewarding career and a happy family. So maintaining work life balance is crucial for them.

In this section we will talk about ways of work life balance women must try to focus on and answer the question of How can women find balance in their professional, education, and personal lives?

For women work life balance starts with setting priorities

For women work life balance starts with setting priorities both in professional and personal life. To achieve that, working women must question themselves on few vital aspects for balanced work life. For example, which activities are non-negotiable, which can be compromised, which are the important commitments for work family balance.

Working women and work life balance go hand in hand

Working women and work life balance can be twined accurately once they speak about their commitments openly to the managers. They should specify the flexibilities required and mode of working; thus paving a smooth work balance. Balancing life and work is essential for women but unless priorities are communicated openly, companies may struggle to cope up with them.

Work life balance for women demands boundaries

Work life balance for women necessitates drawing a line between work and home. So when you are thinking of how women work, the answer is to create boundaries. Do not attend a phone call from the office or send emails while spending time with your partner or kids. So women balancing work and family must leave their work at the office while attending home chores.

Woman balancing work life and the art of delegation

The art of delegation is a very important aspect to focus on for a woman balancing work life. Instead of overstressing on performing all the activities single-handedly, it is crucial to segregate the activities among the team. This reduces unnecessary stress, leading to better professional and personal life work balance.

To maintain work life balance woman needs space

To maintain work life balance woman needs space and some “Me” time for herself. It assists in unwinding yourself and focus on your improvements and personal desires. Besides it also helps to reduce work life balance issues. After all, you must not believe that life is work and only work. You have a life beyond that.

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Millennials work life balance

What do millennials want in life? Is it only work for millennials and work life balance is not their primary focus? Or Millennials job satisfaction is earned only by following a steady work life balance? In this section we will deep dive into millennials work life balance priorities and needs and if at all work life balance is their focal point.

How millennials want to work and live?

Work life balance statistics 2016 and beyond till 2020 have proved that 80% of the millennials workforce are interested in work-life balance jobs. Millennials and job satisfaction hence are in sync only if companies guide them to understand what is work life balance, preferably the definition of work life balance.

What do millennials want in the workplace?

What do millennials want in the workplace? or What do millennials want at work? For a healthy work life balance millennials prefer the following,

1. Companies with work life balance programs
2. Flexible work environment
3. Family-related benefits
4. Social events
5. Wellness programs for a proper work life balance

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Top 5 best work life balance jobs

Here is a list of the best work life balance jobs for your consideration,

1. Marketing Assistant earning USD ˜32K per year
2. Freelance Instructor or Teacher earning USD ˜65K per year
3. Research Technical Consultant earning USD ˜33K per year
4. Web Designer earning USD ˜37K per year
5. Software programmer or developer earning USD ˜46K per year
6. Content Manager earning USD ˜59K per year
7. Marketing Manager earning USD ˜69K per year
8. Data Analyst earning USD ˜73K per year
9. Civil Engineer earning USD ˜84K per year
10. Research Engineer earning USD ˜91K per year

These are the high potential jobs where you can achieve work life balance.

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Top 25 companies with best work life balance

In this section, we will list down the top 12 companies with best work life balance. These companies understand what is work-life balance, work life balance definition and have been offering a tremendous supportive work life balance during Covid situation that has hit worldwide. They are ranked and rated high in work life balance and are the best companies to work for work life balance.

The top 5 best companies for work life balance

The top 5 best companies for work life balance are,

1. SAS Institute
2. National Instruments
3. Slalom
4. Mitre
5. Orbitz Worldwide

All of these are top work life balance companies with flexible hours of work, different modes of employment and rating above 4 on a scale of 1 to 5.

The second best work life balance companies

The second best work life balance companies are,

1. Scottrade
2. Mentor Graphics – one of the tech companies with best work life balance
3. FactSet
4. Agilent Technologies
5. Nokia

The above are the top companies for work life balance with the good work culture. These are the companies with best work life balance when it comes to remote working and flexibility.

The next group of companies with the best work life balance

The next in ranking group of companies with the best work life balance and work/life balance rating as 4/5 are,

1. Mathworks
2. Autodesk
3. AOL
4. Citrix
5. GlobalLogic

These are the companies with great work life balance and conducts various work life balance programs.

Work life balance companies with a ranking as 3.9/5

Work life balance companies that have earned a ranking of 3.9 out of 5 and are listed among the top 25 companies with best work life balance are,

1. Yahoo – ranked high among best companies work life balance
2. TietoEVRY
3. Mastercard
4. Morningstar
5. Shell

These are the companies that promote work life balance and are some of the best work life balance companies to work for.

The last list of companies with good work life balance

The last list of companies with good work life balance,

1. Bosch – one of the best companies with work life balance
2. Chevron
3. REI Corp
4. STMicroelectronics
5. NetApp

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Conclusion on work life balance

Once your professional and social lives are steady, you will not feel alone or demotivated. Your work schedule will be completed on time leaving you with sufficient time to spend with your social connections. You will be able to achieve a healthy balance between your work life and your personal life.

We have discussed some of the very important tips and strategies for maintaining and achieving an interesting and healthy work-life balance. You need to be cautious to pay adequate attention to the time allocated for professional and personal lives else you may ruin both.

If the tips recommended are followed diligently then you will be able to pursue a good future, pursue your interests and hobbies while spending quality time with your friends and family.

Balancing your work and life will relieve your mind and body of overstress, tensions, worries, and anxieties which all professionals want to be devoid of for achieving a better future and better personal life.

A flexible work schedule gives a lot of freedom to the team. But what are the pros and cons? How to set up the right flexible hours in your workplace? Read on!

Flexible Hours

Flexible hours refer to the work schedule that allows employees to start and finish the workday at their own convenience. This means that there are no fixed work timings and employees do not have to come to work at any set time. This system is in contrast with the traditional work arrangements.

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What is flex shift?

What is Flexi shift? A Flexi shift is when an employee is required to work a fixed amount of hours during a particular time period at a shift of his/her own choosing. The shift working timings may depend on the employee’s availability and convenience.

What is flexible scheduling in the workplace?

Flexible scheduling in the workplace allows employees to choose their preferred working flexible hours that differ from the traditional schedules. Flexible scheduling at the workplace gives employees the power to make their own work schedule and find a work-life balance that suits them.

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Employer expectations from flex hours system

Before implementing a flexible hour policy, employers should know their expectations from the flex hours system. It is also important to make these expectations very clear to the employees in order to avoid any sort of misunderstanding. Flex schedule policy must be prepared in advance.

Minimum working hours criteria in flexi hour system

Employees working flex hours are expected to meet or exceed the minimum working hour criteria. Employers can fix the number of flexible hours required in a week from the employees for e.g, 40 hours/week.

Flexing hours policy require employees to work core hours

Few companies need employees to be present in the office during core hours and the rest of the work can be done during flexible hours. Flex hours policy should define these core hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as an example.

Meet deadlines during flex hours jobs

It doesn’t matter at what time the employee is working as long as the set deadlines are met. This is an important aspect of the flex hours policy. Employees working flexible hours are expected to finish work within the deadline. 

Flexible schedule requires employees to fulfill goals

Managers and employees should mutually agree on weekly and monthly goals to be achieved by the employee during the flex hours schedule. The employee is responsible to fulfill goals under the flexible hours’ policy. Employees in a flexible workplace are still responsible for performing their job efficiently.

Flexi working expects employees to be faithful

Employers extending flexible hours policy are putting their trust in the employees to work diligently. Employers expect employees working flex hours to make effective use of company time and resources in order to contribute towards the company’s growth. Misuse of the policy is unethical.

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Benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees

More and more people are looking for organizations that allow flexible hours of work. It makes employees feel that they are in control of their lives. Let us look into several other benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees that make it lucrative,

Flexi work allows work-life balance

Work-life balance is one of the main benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees. Employees can work at flexible hours that suit them and allows them to create a balance between both personal and professional relationships.

A flexible workweek allows fulfilling personal obligations

Amongst the several benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees, the opportunity to fulfill personal obligations is another winner. Some people prefer flexible hours for working due to personal reasons such as taking care of the elderly, kids, sick family members, etc.

Flexible work arrangement makes employees most productive

Benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees include the opportunity to work when they feel they are the most productive. Flexible hours consider the fact that not everyone can be productive during the traditional daytime working hours.

A flexible work environment help avoid rush hours

The benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees consist of avoiding rush hour traffic. Employees waste a large chunk of their valuable time stuck in traffic while commuting to the office. Flexible hours can help in avoiding this.

Rejection of traditional and unhealthy working style

Flexible hours help in employee retention and employee hiring by rejecting the traditional and unhealthy ways of working. The benefits of flexible working arrangements for employees have made the new generation to be more inclined towards a flexible system of working. 

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Disadvantages of flexi times to employers

Implementing flexi times might not always be a good idea. There are several complications and challenges that employers need to overcome in order to make the flexible hours model work effectively. Let us look into the different disadvantages of flextime that employers may face,

Flex shift makes it harder to keep track of work

Flexi times means managers will not be able to supervise their employees at all times. Few employees might be working remotely during flexible hours. This makes it harder for employers and supervisors to stay updated with their employee’s work progress. 

Flexible work hour lacks employer supervision

Employers may face the challenge of supervising their employees during Flexi times. Special provisions should be made prior to implementing a flexible hours policy in the workplace. Few employees get complacent in the absence of the manager’s supervision which might affect work productivity.

Flexibility working hours may lead to employee isolation

Employees working flexible hours may often feel isolated and lonely. Employers need to pay attention to such employees and involve them in day-to-day activities to keep them occupied. Flexi times employees should be made to feel like part of the team.

Flexi work hours can cause communication difficulties

Employers often face communication difficulties while dealing with employees working flexible hours. Since face-to-face communication is not possible all the time, managing flexi-time might pose challenges in front of the managers. Separate communication platforms are required to stay connected.

Few employees can misuse the flexi working hours benefit

Employees working flexi hours might take the wrong advantage and indulge in recreational activities during company time. Few employees find it difficult to work without supervision and struggle with flexible hours working. Misusing company resources is a serious issue faced by employers.

Also Read: Employee Handbook | Critical items that you must know!

Disadvantages of flexible hour job to employees

Flexible hour job shifts allow employees to pick their own working hours. Flexible hours of working might not always be in favor of the employees causing a lack of productivity. Here are some of the disadvantages of flexible work schedules faced by employees,

A flexible working hour means missing out on social lives

Flexible hour job shifts mean employees working at different flexible hours as per their convenience. This means they will miss out on the social aspect of a workplace as they are not in regular contact with their team members.

Flex working hours may lead to procrastination

Employees doing flexible hour job shifts may often get lazy and procrastinate their work due to a lack of fixed working hours and supervision. Procrastination due to flexible hours then leads to stress as employees create tighter deadlines for themselves by delaying their work.  

Flexibility working may lead to working overtime

Employees often lose track of time while working and mess up their work-life balance by working overtime. As there are flexible hours of work, managers often feel it completely alright to ping at unconventional hours that lead to flexible hour job overtime.

Flex work hours may give the wrong idea in the society

People working flexible hour job shifts might give the idea of having no work to society. Flexible hours are often done remotely from home which might give an impression to other people that the employee is free all the time.  

Flexible work arrangements might cause stress

Flexible hour job shifts often lead to unwanted stress amongst the employees when they are not able to manage time efficiently. Employees working flexible hours may observe low productivity and growth at the workplace that leads to an increase in stress.

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How to implement flexible schedules in the workplace?

Proper planning is needed to implement flexible schedules in the workplace. Blindly agreeing to give flexible hours of working to employees is not a very feasible option. Here are the different steps one can follow to implement an efficient flexible program in place.

Start working flexible hours as a pilot project

Flexible schedules in the workplace must be started on a pilot basis to check efficiency. The flexible hours’ facility might not be suited to your particular organization and a pilot project would also reveal loopholes in the system if any. 

Evaluate the outcome of flexible work

After implementing flexible schedules in the workplace for a month or a week, evaluate the results. Weigh out the pros and the cons to understand if flexible hours of working suit your company. Understand the problems faced and address the issues to make it a more workable model.

Implement flexibility schedule with good communication channels

A flexible schedule in the workplace needs a good communication medium to keep employees connected even when they are working flexible hours. Before implementing flexible work schedules, discuss with your employees about the different communication channels to see what suits them the best.

Train to manage employees with flexible schedules

Flexible schedules in the workplace are not common in many organizations, hence special training should be provided to the managers and team leaders. The special training must focus on training managers on managing a team working flexible hours. 

Plan flexible work environments for your organization

Flexible schedules in the workplace vary from company to company. There is no one plan that fits all hence planning out a system that works for your organizational needs is a very important step. Flexible hours must be systemized before agreeing to them. 

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Key components to be included in a flexible schedule policy

If you want to implement a successful flexible schedule policy, you need to ensure that you have included all the key components that are required to make it efficient. Flexible hours of working can go against you if you are not prepared.

Include clear work expectations in flex schedule policy

Before implementing a flexible schedule policy, make your expectations from the employees absolutely clear.  Convey your requirements and let them know the minimum amount of working flexible hours you are expecting. Avoid any miscommunication and keep the weekly and daily goals clear.

Flexi hours policy must include minimum working hours

While implementing a flexible schedule policy, employees often procrastinate the work due to the lack of supervision. To avoid such scenarios, managers and supervisors must communicate the minimum number of flexible hours expected from the employee dedicated to working.

Flexible work schedules and remote communication tools

A flexible schedule policy often faces communication challenges between the employees and the managers. Take the help of remote communication tools such as video conferencing apps, slack, zoom, skype, etc to stay connected with the employee during flexible hours of working.

Flexi working policy should come up with clear guidelines

Lay down the guidelines and rules in advance regarding the flexible schedule policy to avoid any misunderstandings at a later stage. Methods of tracking the flexible hours, what are the metrics for performance measurement, reporting methods, etc must be pre-defined.

A flexible workforce and constant feedback system

A flexible schedule policy at the workplace often leaves employees feeling lonely and isolated. Employees working flexible hours do not come in regular contact with the other team members. Ensure that they are given constant feedback on their work progress.

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What is the core hours policy?

What are core hours? Core hours are the fixed working hours when everyone has to be in the office. Core hours policy at the workplace demands the presence of employees in the office during core hours. The rest of the work can be done during flexible hours.  

What are the various types of flexible work schedules?

Let us see the different types of schedule flexibility that can be implemented in the workplace,

• Remote work allows employees to work from anywhere at their convenience.
• A part-time work schedule involves flexible hours for those who cannot work full-time.

Whether it is thinking of a new idea for work or finding the solution to a problem, the process of brainstorming techniques is not so easy. Read on!

Also, one might not be able to come up with new ideas instantly. The only option left at such a stage is to use the technique of brainstorming. Brainstorming is one of the most effective techniques for finding new ideas or solutions.

Companies use brainstorming techniques all the time to develop new ideas and solutions to any existing problem. But the question remains; What is brainstorming? In this article, we’ll learn about brainstorming, its uses, and the different brainstorming techniques used by both individuals and groups.

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What is brainstorming?

If we go by the definition of brainstorming in Merriam-Webster, it is a group problem-solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas from all members of the group. What it simply means is that brainstorming is a group process to find out new ideas.

In brainstorming, one or more individuals (in the case of group brainstorming) come together to share their ideas regarding a common goal. All these ideas are noted down during the session. And after the session is over, based on the value of the ideas, the best one is implemented. We can better understand brainstorming through these two examples,

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What is the purpose of brainstorming?

Many times, people tend to be reluctant to share their ideas. This is because they fear being judged by others. The primary purpose of brainstorming is to remove that fear. As every idea is noted down during a brainstorming session, that way team members tend to be more active and less frightened of judgment. It also increases the quantity of possible new ideas, whether they are suitable for implementation or not.

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Difference between individual & group brainstorming

As seen from the examples mentioned above, brainstorming techniques can be carried out by a group or a single person. When a single person uses brainstorming techniques to find new ideas, it is called individual brainstorming. On the other hand, when more than one person indulges in brainstorming activities, it is called group brainstorming.

Both of which have their own sets of pros and cons. For example, an individual can come up with more original ideas than a group. But, solving problems regarding those ideas becomes easier in a group than a single person.

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What are the different types of brainstorming techniques?

Brainstorming techniques are methods used by an individual or a group during a brainstorming session to come up with new ideas. There are several types of brainstorming techniques available for use.

The list of brainstorming techniques is a long one and can’t be covered in a single article. And for this purpose, we’ll be discussing the seven most effective brainstorming techniques,

1. Charrette method

This is one of the brainstorming techniques that divides the large group into smaller sub-groups. Each sub-group is given a topic to discuss and pass on to the next sub-group. After all the sub-groups have discussed the topic, the leading person collects all the ideas and evaluates them to find out the most suitable one. It is one of the most refined brainstorming techniques as the idea gets scrutinized several times before being implemented.

2. Round Robin brainstorming technique

Round robin is a popular brainstorming method. In this, each member of the group sits in a circle, and one after another writes or speaks aloud their ideas. The benefit of this brainstorming technique is that everyone takes an active part in the process. So, there are no bystanders during the session.

3. Starbursting brainstorming techniques

This brainstorming technique frequently used by companies to come up with new ideas. In this brainstorming method, the participants, instead of finding solutions, are asked to find questions relating to the topic. After they have covered all the possible questions about the given topic, they eventually start to answer them.

4. Step ladder brainstorming techniques

This process of brainstorming techniques has the least amount of bias. This is because, in this brainstorming technique, individuals have to come up with their original ideas before discussing them with others. It is done by asking two members to start the discussion on the given topic and then gradually adding more members to it one by one. Thus, there is less chance of members getting biased while coming up with the ideas.

5. Mind mapping brainstorming techniques

Mind mapping is both a creative and analytical brainstorming method. Here, the core idea is drawn in the middle of a page, and related subtopics are drawn around the core idea. The process is repeated, treating each subtopic as the core idea until all the elements are covered. Being both creative and analytical is more effective in finding a solution.

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6. Reverse brainstorming techniques

is one of the oldest and effective brainstorming techniques. Coming up with new ideas at the drop of a hat is quite tricky at times, and thus this brainstorming method becomes effective. In this method, the participants are asked to find problems related to the given topic. After listing all the issues associated with the topic, they start finding the opposite ideas to the problem. And thus, as a by-product, they find the required solution.

7. Online brainstorming techniques

Also called ‘virtual brainstorming’ or ‘electronic brainstorming’.  Here a group of people indulges in a brainstorming session over the internet. Unlike traditional brainstorming, here the members of the group don’t require to be present at the same place. They can be a part of the session for remote places.

One of the most common online brainstorming techniques is sharing ideas to collaborate over software like Google Docs, online whiteboards, or a virtual watercooler software, like unremot. Many people also use mind mapping software to create and share mind maps with the other participants over the internet.

8. Gap filling to brainstorm ideas

One of the different types of brainstorming techniques where you need to initiate your statement mentioning the state of where you are currently with the problem. Then mention a statement of what you want to achieve. The participants will brainstorm ideas to fill in the gap to reach the goal. Collect all the brainstorm possible solutions and organize them.

9. Drivers analysis brainstorming methods

One of the brainstorming methods or ideas generation methods to decipher the business drivers behind the problems. The drivers can be related to productivity, market intelligence, competition etc. Once you understand the drivers through the brainstorm exercises, it paves the way to create an acceptable solution.

10. SWOT Analysis for brainstorm exercise

A very popular brainstorm exercise and one of the best methods of brainstorming for identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a company or idea or a solution. It is a sort of perfect brainstorm process where you can potentially derive new ideas in each of the categories for a detailed analysis.

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11. The five whys for a brain storming exercise

One of the very popular and best brainstorming techniques used for a brainstorming exercise. The Five Whys guides in enhancing the thought processes. In this particular brainstorming activity, you need to ask questions starting with a “Why” and continue of deep dive to arrive at the root cause of the problem or issue.

12. Brain writing as a brainstorm method

A brainstorm method developed by Crawford, a renowned professor, in the 1920s. It is one of the interesting brainstorming activities for adults. Index cards are distributed where each participant anonymously writes down their ideas. The ideas are then randomly circulated across the other participants for adding or criticizing the ideas.

13. Collaborative brainwriting as a brainstorming method

It is one of the good group brainstorming strategies for generating ideas collaboratively. In this brainstorming method, the moderator writes the question or issue on a big piece of paper. The paper is then posted to all the participants for collating their ideas that can be done by forming groups.

14. Role storming idea generating technique

In this idea generating technique, the participants are asked to imagine themselves as a customer or a manager to whom the idea is related. The process of brainstorming involves enacting the roles, expressing the levels of satisfaction and acceptance of the solution. Discuss the expected outcomes and arrive at a creative brainstorming proposition.

15. Figure storming as ideas generation techniques

One of the unique brainstorming ideas generation techniques. In this brainstorming method, a familiar fictional or historical character is selected. The participants have to imagine how the person would have handled the particular problem and approached the solution. Quite an innovative examples of brainstorming techniques and brainstorming innovation method.

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16. Rapid ideation brainstorming processes

Rapid ideation is one of the useful and interesting brainstorming processes. These particular brainstorming techniques indulges the participants to write down fruitful ideas in a specified period. They need to share the ideas with the whole group aloud in the brain storming process; a way to collate and deliberate on the thoughts.

17. Trigger storming group brainstorming techniques

Trigger storming is one of the group brainstorming techniques where you can go ahead with effective brainstorming by dividing the participants into groups. Each group is provided with a trigger statement to start with that they need to complete as a way to resolve the problems in this particular brainstorming exercise.

18. What-if brainstorm techniques

What-If is one of the prominent brainstorm techniques followed by many companies worldwide. In this brainstorming process, you need to ask several What-if questions to arrive at the solution. It can be the best way to brainstorm creative and fun-filled ideas from the participants with different ways of thinking.

19. Six thinking hats as one of the brainstorming strategies

Six Thinking Hats is one of the interesting brainstorming strategies where the participants are encouraged to wear different types of hats. It can be of a customer, senior manager, an observer, etc. The hats assist in visualizing the issues through different angles and then resolving them appropriately in this particular idea generation technique.

20. Word banking group brainstorming techniques

Word Banking is an intelligent and intellectual-based group brainstorming techniques. List down some words and ideas related to the problems. Divide the participants into groups and share words that are relatable and ask them to define a topic with them. It is one of the creative brainstorming exercises for dividing the program or project into meaningful work packets.

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Top 5 brainstorming ideas

In this section, we will discuss the top 5 brainstorming ideas that will be in sync with the brainstorming techniques defined in the previous section. How do brainstorm ideas in the sessions to arrive at an acceptable solution? or What does brainstorming involve? Brainstorming companies must be aware that brainstorming is the basic technique of ideating solutions, as elaborated below.

Intellectual brainstorming session ideas

Here are some of the intellectual brainstorming session ideas to select and refer to,

• Select some random brainstorming alternatives ideas good or bad
• Analyze and deep dive into each through brainstorming facilitation techniques
• Finalize the best ones for the brainstorming solutions

Interesting brainstorm session ideas

Illustrated below are some of the interesting brainstorm session ideas for guidance,

• Invite a small group for the brain storming process
• Apply one of the popular methods of generating ideas within the group
• Select the brainstorming formats – online, written or verbal depending on the brainstorm methods
• Consult a brainstorming article, work on drawing different types of brainstorming charts and prepare a list of brainstorming question or questions.

Individual brainstorming ideas

Some brainstorming ideas that need individual attention and focus,

• Adopting the brainstorming techniques best suited for your company and the problems at hand
• Introduce some brainstorming creative games and activities
• Allow space for some brainstorming creativity thoughts and ideas
• Bring in good brainstorming for discussion and analysis

Fun-filled brainstorm meeting ideas

Brainstorm meeting ideas filled with fun or fun brainstorming activities are sure to boost up the interest level of the participants,

• You can ask the team to imagine themselves as cartoon fictional characters for the brainstorming prompts
• They can try to interpret the problems by putting the hat of those characters as an innovative brainstorming method

Structured brainstorming ideas

How do you brainstorm fruitfully and in a structured manner?

• Always defer judgment on the solutions at the end of the brainstorm workshop
• Suggest to focus on individuals and each of their brainstorm idea
• If in groups, allow the members to think collectively for better brainstorm facilitation

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Top 5 brain storming games

In the previous sections, we have gained considerable experience in the different brainstorming techniques and idea generation techniques as well. In this section, we will focus on prevalent brain storming games that can be conducted between the participants for fun-filled ways to brainstorm ideas. These are some of the effective ways to brainstorm solution and also go for an effective brainstorming design.

Non-judgemental brainstorming game

Considered to be a great brainstorming game where the participants are invited to share their ideas randomly. It is one of the effective brainstorming techniques for collecting a plethora of ideas to decide and analyze. Besides in this brainstorming methodology, you can organize a vote on the key ideas collected to arrive at a consensus.

News conference brainstorming games

One of the interesting brainstorming games and creative brainstorming techniques to play in pairs. You must prepare some brainstorm topics examples for the pairs to ponder upon. They are then invited to debate and argue with each other for firming their solution and ideas. Among the various types of brainstorming strategies, News Conference is considered to be an interesting one.

Create brainstorming list via The in-and-out game

In this particular brainstorming technique or game, you must create a brainstorming list of ideas and topics. From the brainstorming lists of ideas, ask the participants to hear out and do a thumbs up and thumbs down on each. One of the prominent brainstorm activities for adults to arrive at a relevant conclusion.

Persona brainstorm solutions and games

Persona brainstorm solutions and games are essentially a way to represent characters and enact their expectations. The persona can be of a customer or internal stakeholders of the company. You can also select an anti-persona character to create a counter outcome to the ideas. A typical brainstorming example can be a customer vs a competitor.

Team brainstorming via group sketching

If you are looking for a team brainstorming game, then group sketching is one of the ideal brainstorming techniques for groups. It can be in the form of brainstorming graphics online or handmade diagrams. One participant starts and then the drawing is further enhanced in sequence by the rest of the participants; a replica of the solution is thus invented through the brainstorming graphic images or drawings.

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Top 5 brainstorm activities

Let us now discuss some interesting and fun brainstorming activities for professionals. These activities will act as a guide for conducting different ways to brainstorm ideas and potential solutions. Be it brainstorming in business or a corporate, you can refer to the top 5 brainstorm activities or brainstorm techniques as a ready reckoner.

Pushy Salesperson brainstorm activity

If you are looking for ideas on brainstorming exercises for groups, the best is the pushy salesperson brainstorm activity. Divide into groups and ask each group to sell a product or service. You can derive the features that need to be present in the product or service depending on the convincing abilities; one of the interesting brainstorming techniques.

Zero draft method as an example of brainstorming activities

The zero draft method is one of the simplest examples of brainstorming activities wherein ideas are started afresh. The objective, expected outcome, ideas, and the stakeholders are all written down leveraging brainstormer online mechanisms or through brainstorming, help write-ups. This particular example of brainstorming activity is slow yet smooth and seamless.

Like or dislike brainstorming activities

Prepare a brainstorm list of potential ideas for the solution. Place it before the participants as you initiate the brainstorming activities. Each individual needs to like or dislike the contents in the list through idea brainstorming. It is one of the business brainstorming strategies to shortlist potential ideas.

Word association group brainstorming activities

Word association is one of the popular group brainstorming activities. The concept of this idea brainstorm technique is to break down the project or program into multiple tasks. Similar words are grouped to associate with each task to derive a solution by connecting ideas and thoughts.

Format game as one of the team brainstorming activities

Format game is one of the interesting team brainstorming activities. Brainstorming groups are provided with different content formats like checklist, glossary, infographic, podcast etc. Each participant pens down the ideas related to the content format. Well, one of the typical brainstorming activities for groups to ponder upon vivid ideas and arrive at prospective solutions.

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Interesting brain storming examples

The brain storming examples in this section will help you to conduct your brain storming sessions effectively and efficiently. You can ideate well since brainstorming is the basic technique for developing potential solutions to problems. And the brainstorming list example or examples mentioned in this section will be helpful.

Group based brainstorming examples

A company needs to launch an ad campaign for one of its new products. The creative team is required to come up with ideas for the campaign. All members of the creative team will sit and discuss various ideas that come to their minds.

Someone takes note of all the ideas during the session, then they evaluate them when the session is over. After the evaluation, the most relevant idea will be turned into an ad for the product. This group discussion is an example of brainstorming.

Imagery based brainstorm examples

A graphic designer is asked to design a logo for the client. First, they will gather information about the client and its nature. After that, they will try to find out imagery that suits the client and its environment the best.

When they find the perfect imagery, they will begin to work on designing the logo. In this case, the technique implemented, where they thought and looked for ideas to find the perfect imagery, to match the client’s needs can be called brainstorming.

Brainstorming ideas examples through efficient moderated sessions

One of the brainstorming ideas examples is to select the qualified moderator for the sessions. The moderator presents the problem to the group and initiates a discussion with the participants. In this brainstorming session example, the moderator plan and organizes the sessions, welcoming ideas from the participants to arrive at the required outcome.

Examples of brainstorming exercises and games

Brainstorming exercises, games, and fun-filled activities are the best examples of conducting a fruitful group brainstorm session. Brainstorming is the basic technique for developing new ideas by creating different types of brainstorming diagrams, playing interesting games of word shuffle, character imitations, etc.

Brainstorming sample for tutorials

It is good to refer to a brainstorming tutorial for conducting an effective session by following the popular brainstorming techniques. A typical brainstorming sample for such tutorials must comprise a template to collect data about the program, ideas and likes/dislikes template for shortlisting ideas.

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Rules to be followed while using brainstorming techniques

The brainstorming techniques are only as good as their implementation. How they have been carried out plays a significant role in the result. Thus, it is always advised to follow these general rules given below to make sure the brainstorming session is productive,

1. Judgment is one of the biggest hindrances to new ideas. Many times, people feel reluctant to share their ideas due to the fear of being judged. And hence, many great ideas don’t even get the chance to be discussed. Thus deferring any form of judgment is the key to find out the best idea.
2. Treating each idea as equal. Sometimes, some of the ideas may sound quite extreme or wild. But it is to be remembered that during brainstorming, every opinion counts. Also, these ideas force us to break out of our comfort zones and do something that is innovative. Something which is not possible to do while restricting ourselves to the boundaries of our comfort zone.
3. Encouraging everyone to have active participation. No matter which brainstorming technique is used, it all comes down to the active participation of all team members. The more they are included in it, the better the chances are of coming up with an innovative new idea.
4. Building on each others’ ideas is also something that improves the result of any brainstorming technique. Instead of refuting the idea of fellow participants, everyone should encourage ideas and add to it
5. One of the biggest problems of brainstorming is losing track of the goal. It is quite easy to lose track when multiple directions are being pursued during the session. However, keeping the goal in focus will not only save time but also help come up with better, useful, and relevant ideas.
6. As these brainstorming techniques produce dynamic ideas, it is always better to write down or draw out the ideas using a mind map or other visualization. This will make sure no idea is forgotten throughout the discussion.
7. Every participant needs to be attentive and listen to each other’s ideas. Generally what happens is, after a point in time, everyone starts talking on their own without listening to the other person. Thus, some might lose their attention. To avoid this, only one participant should be allowed to speak at a time without any interruptions from others.
8. Pay more attention to quantity than quality. Striving for quality is something that should be avoided during brainstorming. The sole purpose of this process is to accumulate many ideas. Analysis of the quality of the ideas can be done after the brainstorming session comes to an end. In that way, the number of views will not be limited.

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Advantages and disadvantages of brainstorming techniques

Here are some of the advantages of brainstorming,

1. All ideas from sessions can be used later, even if they are not suitable for implementation at the current moment.
2. The number of possible ideas increases due to the usage of brainstorming techniques.
3. Especially during group brainstorming, the creativity of multiple people helps to find an idea within a shorter period.
4. It allows the person or group of person to use the maximum level of creativity during the session.
5. The ideas coming out from brainstorming get refined due to being discussed by several people.

Here are some of the disadvantages of brainstorming,

1. Some ideas may be unrelated and unsuitable for the topic.
2. It is easy to lose sight of the goal.
3. There is a chance of ideas being biased.
4. Fear of judgment and peer pressure also can be faced especially by the shy participants.

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How to brainstorm effectively when in remote?

How to brain effectively while working with remote team members? Here are some of the steps to follow,

1. Select any of the well-defined brainstorming techniques like starbursting technique, round-robin brainstorming technique, etc.
2. Select a perfect moderator with experience in conducting sessions for ideas brainstorming
3. Refer to articles about brainstorming, brainstorming techniques ppt, self-learning videos, etc. for a better understanding of how to conduct the sessions especially with employees working in a remote environment
4. Leverage the idea of clicking brainstorming photo, drawing graphics, or creating images
5. Utilize online tools as an alternative to brainstorming traditional methods for better participation

Brainstorming techniques if implemented correctly, can help in finding innovative and quick solutions to problems. Thus, it is a valuable method for both individuals and groups when the need arises. All that’s required is to follow the guidelines and have a clear idea of the goal. That way, it is possible to reap the benefit of these techniques.

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What is an example of brainstorming?

Finding the right idea and direction for a new advertising campaign is an example of brainstorming.

Is brainstorming good or bad?

Like every other thing, the use of brainstorming techniques also has its pros and cons; But if used following the right methodology, It can help individuals and teams come up with new ideas for a task.

Can only groups use brainstorming techniques?

No, both groups and individuals can use brainstorming techniques to come up with new ideas or find solutions to problems.

Do you need to be present at the same place for brainstorming?

No, with the increasing use of the internet, even brainstorming doesn’t require everyone to be present at the same place for group brainstorming. They can easily do it remotely from different places in the world. All they require is an internet connection.

Is it difficult to brainstorm?

It becomes quite easy to brainstorm new ideas if the brainstorming techniques are followed properly.

Imparting the right training and development programs is utmost important need for employee growth in organizations. Learn how to set up a word class training system. Read on!

Training and Development

Training and development are educational activities conducted in companies to enhance the skill and knowledge levels of employees. The program provides information and instructions on how to perform a task more efficiently. You need to understand the difference between training and development. Training is a short-term process with specific goals and processes, while development is a continuous proactive process for career development.

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What is employee training and development?

Companies design their employee training and development programs to help employees learn specific knowledge or skills, to improve their performance in their assigned role. Employee development is more expansive and focuses on employee growth and development, and considers their future growth. Employee development applies to broader skills and is applied to a range of situations. It includes skills like decision-making, communicating, and leadership.

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People development definition

People development definitions are strategies and measures to implement the company goals through appropriate qualification of employees in technical and methodological terms. It helps employees manage and achieve their goals. Companies using people development programs understand the training need for specialists and executives. The development needs of different employees group such as executives, junior leaders, specialists, and high-performing employees, and the people development program need to be customized.

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Objectives of employee training

The main objective of the training and development program is not limited to increased productivity and efficiency. Markets today are demanding, and companies are looking to improve their market share. Companies must learn new skills to add to their existing skills-sets. We have listed the top five objectives of employee training,

Training employees for increased productivity

Productivity is essential if you want to increase your customer base. Slight disturbances can cause losses. One of the ways to tackle the growth is increasing productivity and reduces the cost of the product. Training employees can help increase the productivity of your staff and find effective ways to improve the same thing. Training can give a new outlook to your experienced staff.

Training development program for quality improvement

One of the objectives of the training development program is to improve quality. Customers are demanding and quality conscious. If they are dissatisfied with the quality of your product or service, they will look for alternatives. Companies demand a premium if it offers high-quality products or services.

Employee learning ensures safety

Part of your job description is to ensure the safety of your staff or customer. Employee learning can guarantee your staff, use the equipment correctly, and creates suitable products for the customer. Proper safety training can help you ascertain the employee handles equipment better.

Employee development training helps reducing labor turnover

Your business cannot prosper if you have a high labor turnover. It can result in decreased productivity. Lack of training reduces your employee’s self-confidence. Employee development training ensures your company reduces employee turnover because they feel secure and safe.

Training staff will help them updated with technology

We live in a world where technology is changing rapidly. Training staff will ensure your staff, know the latest technology, techniques, and processes. Training and development programs help to improve productivity and reduce time spent on labor-intensive processes.

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5 steps to create an extensive employees training plan

You want to create an extensive employee training plan to prepare for the future. Training and development program will ensure your staff can adopt new technologies and enter new markets. A badly executed training and development plan can sabotage your efforts and cause a loss in revenue. We have detailed the five crucial steps to develop an extensive employees training plan,

Find out what you need in the human resource training program

Before you begin a human resource training program, you need to understand what is required by your company. Those needs fall into three broad categories,

1. Skills of your current employees and what you need to teach recruits.
2. Skills employees must learn to improve efficiency
3. Skills that employees need to support new products.

Depending on the type of employee, you may need to modify your human resource training program.

Take an inventory of resource before your start staff training and development

You need to list your training needs to build your employee training plan. You need to know what resources you have, your budget, and the support you can provide your HR department. You may need to look at the following checklist,

1. Present training material available
2. Do you have in-house knowledge and resources?
3. Do you have a budget to hire trainers?
4. Do you have a dedicated classroom?
5. Can you use the material freely available online?
6. Are there commercial courses available?
7. How much time can your company and employees set aside for the training?

Ensure management is involved in the training and development plan

Most of your employees are already busy. They need to feel invested in the training and development plan. For employee training and development to work, you need help from their managers or team leader. Your employees should be encouraged to participate. You may have to arrange for funding the training program and convince other management members to invest.

Feedback after the employee seminar

Training programs evolve, you need to change and modify things when required. To identify loopholes after an employee seminar, you need to gather feedback from the stakeholders and learners. It may help you reevaluate the training and development program and revamp it when required.

Create a detailed personnel training program

The final step is to create a blueprint of the personnel training program. It should contain,

1. Detailed curriculum
2. Tools, resources, and support required
3. Content creation and if content can be reused.
4. Schedule with precise dates
5. Evaluation criteria and performance metrics.

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5 key ingredients of employee training policy

What should your training program look like? Many companies think that training and development programs are limited to new employees. They do not implement training modules for employees that help their staff hone existing skills and learn new ones.

A study by Association for Talent Development showed that companies that provide professional training and development have a 24% higher profit margin. We have listed five ingredients of an employee training policy,

Incorporate microlearning in the training and development programs

People have a short attention span of 8 seconds. Microlearning is a technique of having short content that can hold your employee’s interest. Most effective training and development programs have four key characteristics,

1. Lean – Can be delivered by a few trainers
2. Scalable – The solution is applicable to staff at multiple locations
3. Simple – It should be adaptable
4. Seamless – Solutions cannot rely on in-person training.

Multimedia content in professional training and development module

Text-based training material is considered old-fashioned. Effective professional training and development module must use multimedia tools. The multimedia content that is used in training and development are,

1. Video – It is an engaging medium to provide both visual and audio content
2. Interactive – the instructions give employees tasks to complete specific tasks.
3. Image- Photos, infographics, and diagrams.
4. Audio – Podcasts, audiobooks, etc.

Pre and post-training assessment by staff trainer

Assessment helps you determine what your employees learned, and how well they are using and retaining the training material. Pre-assessment will help the staff trainer ascertain the present knowledge levels of your staff, and what they need to learn.

Post assessments allow staff trainers to identify the segments in the training program that need modification and which employees benefited most from the training. Instead of using a questionnaire style to assess training, you can use gamification to access the effectiveness of training and development.

Easy delivery and access of the employee training program

Making the material easy to access and interact with is essential to an effective employee training program. You need to implement a learning management system (LMS) to deliver educational content. LMS has proven to be an effective technique to increase productivity through continued training and development. It also allows for the content released in a time-bound and cost-effective manner.

Learning paths for training for employees

A Gallop poll found that 87% of millennials saw career development as a vital part of their job. You need to ensure the training for employees provides prospects for professional development. Building on a defined learning path will help attract talent and improve employee satisfaction. You can use tools like LMS to create diverse learning paths or customized learning programs.

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5 must-have training modules for employees

Companies invest in training programs. Some training programs are exclusive for new or trainee employees, some are leadership programs that apply to senior staff, and some skill-based training modules apply to new and old employees. The skill-based training and development may need to be changed to cater to the skills of your staff. Here are the 5 must-have training modules for your employees

Employee training course for new hires

When you hire a new candidate, they need to be familiar with your company culture and processes. They cannot afford to miss out on your onboarding training. The employee training course needs to deliver consistent and engaging content. At the same time, you need to ensure the training and development should not overwhelm the new employee.

Training & development for compliance training

You provide compliance training is to ensure the employee follows the rules and regulations of your firm. Training and development as a part of compliance training are for new and old employees. New employees need to be introduced to the rules while existing employees need periodic reinforcements. Try to ensure the compliance training is not boring and keeps your staff engaged.

Product and service training in the workplace

Employees should be aware of the product and services you provide. This is especially true for your staff that works in the front-end, interacting with customers regularly. Training and development ensure you are not embarrassed when your employee is unable to address customer queries. You need to implement training in the workplace when you want to introduce a new product or service in the marketplace.

Software training as a part of staff development programme

Most organizations use software tools and applications for higher efficiency and productivity. Staff development programme ensures your staff learns how to use the software in a safe environment. It is also easier to roll out employee development programs to help staff get hands-on experience for their role.

Training and development courses for soft skills

Soft skills are essential in today’s business environment. Companies are focusing on training and development courses on leadership, communication, and time management. You need to ensure the human resource employee training program is consistent and aligned with your business goals. You should present the content in an engaging and easy to comprehend.

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3 recent trends and approaches in staff training practices

Organizations around the world want to create an efficient workforce. Employees are competitive, goal-oriented, and self-driven. As a business owner, make an effort to channel this energy towards productivity. Use the latest trends in staff training practices. Here are the three recent trends and approaches used in corporate training and development

Employee development programme with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is providing solutions for every industry. Using Artificial intelligence in your employee development programme would be more automation and personalization. AI-based learning programs can improve the learning experience of your staff. AI-based tools can provide tailor-made training programs and resources for individual employees.

Development training program while providing personalized training

A development training program should provide customized learning solutions. It aims to improve productivity. The development training program not only designs training modules but achieves milestones that your staff should achieve.

Give your employees the flexibility to map out strategies to achieve these goals. You base these personalized training programs on the employee’s skills, knowledge, and learning requirements. It focuses on overcoming the employee’s weakness.

Employee training programs with gamification

Gamification is using gaming techniques in employee training programs. Gaming usually involves competitive behavior. Companies create a competitive environment to encourage competition. Training and development programs can be gamified by introducing leaderboards, providing certificates for recognition, and introducing reward-based points when they complete a module. Training and development modules based on gamification result in increased engagement.

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3 grueling challenges faced in employee development programs

Whether you own a start-up or a well-established firm you need a well-run employee development program. The training program for the staff needs to address the training challenges your firm faces.

Even after careful planning and resource allocation companies, face challenges and hiccups during the implementation of the employee development program. The three top challenges faced are,

Engaging learners during training and development activities for employees

Training and development activities for employees can lack engagement on a cognitive, emotional, and behavioral level. Employees may feel the course is irrelevant and unnecessary, and training and development programs can be generic.

If you are unable to engage on the three levels, employees listen passively and have lower retention. They are unlikely to be interested in future employee training sessions.

Training program for staff that is consistent

When your company, is geographically or globally dispersed, it is difficult to design a training program for staff that is consistent. Consider the age, cultural, language barriers, and experience of your workforce. It may result in increased costs, translation issues, language barriers, and virtual training needs. Video conferences, webinars, and online forums have helped navigate the problem.

Incorporating feedback of the trained employees

Sometimes your expectation for training and development does not meet the expectation. There are times the trained employee feels unsupported. Unfortunately, problems in the training module cannot be solved, until after the program is over.

You can make adjustments and corrections only after training is over. You need to ask for employee feedback during the training program, especially the onboarding program. You can incorporate employee feedback in future training sessions.

The most critical aspect of performance appraisal is the methodology adopted to measure – learn everything you must know about performance appraisal methods. Read on!

Performance Appraisal Methods

Performance appraisal methods are the different ways in which organizations are able to enhance the performance of the employees. The performance appraisal process can be made more effective and rewarding by using a good performance appraisal method. The performance appraisal methods identify an employee’s job contribution.

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What are performance appraisal methods?

Performance appraisal methods are different appraisal processes adopted by organizations to evaluate their employees. Each performance appraisal method has its own advantages and disadvantages which may be suited to one organization and not to another. There is no single method suitable for all organizations.

Defining performance appraisal methods

Performance appraisal methods can be defined as the practice of evaluating employees based on their job performance and providing feedback in order to enhance their productivity. These performance appraisal methods can be widely classified into traditional methods and modern methods, with modern methods, more widely accepted.

What is the modern method of performance appraisal?

The modern method of performance appraisal is more focused on evaluating an employee based on their work results. They are more inclined towards an employee’s job performance rather than the personality traits. Modern performance appraisal methods are said to be more objective.

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Why is a strong performance appraisal system critical?

A strong performance appraisal system is considered critical to enhancing the organization’s productivity, growth, and performance. Strong performance appraisal methods help managers to understand the development needs of their employees through the 360-degree feedback method. We will discuss these reasons in further detail below,

Effective appraisals system help in employee development

Performance appraisal system applied effectively in an organization helps majorly in the development of the employees. Performance appraisal methods identify the strengths and weaknesses of the employees which in turn helps in identifying training needs. Appraisals systems contribute to the further growth of employees.

The performance appraisal method is useful in identifying problem areas

Performance appraisal methods are used to identify problem areas so that they can be rectified in time to avoid any major mishappenings. Early intervention helps in better performance and enhanced productivity. The appraisal method used by each organization is not the same.

Performance appraisal system increases productivity

The performance appraisal system is known to increase productivity by motivating high-performing employees and assessing the issues faced by low-performing employees. The 360-degree feedback method is useful in enhanced performance. Effective appraisal systems should be in place in each organization to increase employee and organization productivity.

Performance appraisal systems help in motivating employees

Performance appraisal systems involve meetings between the manager and the employee to discuss the job performance on a regular basis. Performance appraisal methods give managers an opportunity to reward their high-performing employees and motivate them to improve further. Recognizing the hard work of the employees is essential.

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How to set up effective performance appraisal methods?

Setting up effective performance appraisal methods is essential for an organization to grow. There are several things to keep in mind while adopting performance appraisal methods. The best type of performance appraisal methods involves 360-degree feedback to rectify mistakes in time.

Performance evaluation methods should comprise the development plan

Employee valuation systems need a development plan in place to give desired results. Performance evaluation methods involve a development plan mutually agreed upon between both the manager and the employee. It helps employees get a direction in their work and a job standard.

Performance evaluation system inclusive of rewards and recognition

A very important thing to keep in mind before picking up performance evaluation methods is to motivate and encourage the employees. Ensure that the performance evaluation system recognizes the hard work of each and every employee and has a reward system in place.     

Effective performance appraisal systems should align with the company’s needs

Performance appraisal systems must be in accordance with the needs of the company. Understand what is the required outcome of the performance appraisal method and then start setting it up with the goal in mind. Take inputs from everyone to improve it further.

Performance management model must consist of continuous feedback

Continuous feedback in a performance management model is a must in order to avoid bigger mishappenings. Managers must intervene when they see something wrong happening which saves time and effort for everyone. Instead of just giving negative feedback, include corrective actions as well. 

Appraisal models with managers as mentors

Appraisal models wherein managers act as mentors are very effective. Employees should feel free to come up to their managers and talk in case of any work issues. As mentors, managers can help employees devise future plans to help them become more productive and this is one of the foundations of strong performance appraisal methods.

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7 important types of appraisals

Over the years, several performance methods have been utilized by different organizations. Some of these appraisal methods are more suited than others. As the times have passed, performance evaluation methods have evolved. Let us go through the different types of appraisals one by one below,

The 360-degree performance appraisal method

The 360-degree appraisal definition suggests that the employee should be evaluated based on the reviews of the employee’s circle of influence such as peers, managers, clients, etc. 360-degree appraisal system provides continuous feedback that helps employees learn from their performance result and stay motivated.

360 appraisal example is when managers, clients, suppliers, peers, customers, etc are all included in the performance appraisal system making the entire process transparent.

Trait appraisal method

Supervisors and managers are required to rate employees based on specific traits exhibited by each employee. Trait appraisal is particularly popular with customer service departments. It focuses on a simple checklist of behavioral qualities such as communication, customer service, business etiquette, helpfulness, dependability, punctuality, etc.

Employee evaluation methods rate employees as excellent, satisfactory, needs improvement, etc. The biggest drawback of trait appraisal is that it is subject to supervisor personal bias.

MBO performance appraisal method

In the MBO performance appraisal method, both employees and managers sit together to identify, plan, and organize goals for the upcoming appraisal year. These goals are considered as job standards for that particular employee.

Employee performance is calculated based on the goals achieved in the given duration and is incorporated to be part of the company’s performance appraisal methods. MBO examples can be seen in many organizations. MBO appraisal emphasizes career-oriented and tangible goals but often ignores interpersonal skills, job commitment, etc.

Psychological approaches to performance management

Psychological appraisals focus on evaluating the employee’s future performance by determining their hidden potential. This type of appraisal approaches performance management in a slow manner making performance appraisal methods costly and complex.

These tests evaluate an employee’s emotion, intellect, and other related traits which could affect the future performance of the employees in the organization. This type of performance appraisal system is not always accurate as the results can be inaccurate sometimes.

Behavior-based employee evaluation systems

These performance appraisal methods and appraisals systems are considered to be the most effective as it brings out both the qualitative and quantitative benefits of the employees’ performance appraisal system. The behaviorally anchored rating system helps in providing clear standards, improved feedback, consistency in evaluation, and accurate performance analysis.

The primary drawback of this kind of employee performance appraisal system is the risk of result tampering due to employee bias in the organization.

Cost accounting method of formal appraisal

The cost accounting method evaluates an employee’s performance based on the monetary benefits they yield to the company. The monetary benefit is calculated by comparing the cost incurred on keeping the employee in the organization to the monetary benefits reaped from that particular employee.

The formal appraisal considers factors such as quality, overhead cost, interpersonal relationships, etc. Such type of performance appraisal methods are not very effective due to its cost dependency.

Assessment center performance review system

This kind of performance review system creates a set of diverse exercises that simulates various work environment components. The main idea behind this type of performance appraisal method is to assess how employees behave in certain kinds of situations and the effect of these situations on their performance. The drawback of this kind of appraisal management system is that it is a long and exhaustive process that can be expensive.

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5 top performance measurement tools and techniques

Performance appraisal methods are vital for an organization’s growth process. To make the employee appraisal system effective, managers need several tools and techniques to receive on-time and crucial feedback. Let us look more into the 5 top performance measurement tools and techniques,

360 appraisal feedback

360 appraisal feedback is a very efficient technique that evaluates employees based on the review received from the employee’s circle of influence such as customers, suppliers, peers, managers, etc.

Performance appraisal 360 one of the popular multidimensional performance appraisal methods that reduces the possibility of bias as it involves getting feedback from multiple people. This performance evaluation instrument makes sure that the employee is receiving continuous feedback that keeps them motivated and eager to learn.

Investing in performance appraisal tools to build motivation

It is common knowledge that happy and motivated workers perform better. Performance-based evaluation systems which generate happy and motivated employees can be created in several ways.

Pep talks and appreciation emails are proven methods that can keep the employees motivated. Performance appraisal tools such as gamification can be used to your advantage by methods like leaderboards, status bars, badges, etc to improve performance appraisal methods.

Personality trait appraisal

Trait-based performance appraisal methods give both quantitative and qualitative benefits. The performance management methods use tools that assess employees based on different personality traits.

This not only helps in evaluating the work but also considers different other aspects such as punctuality, teamwork, business etiquette, etc. The Personality trait appraisal is best to assess the overall performance of an employee in an organization rather than just the work performance and results-based evaluation.

Performance evaluation tools focusing on work essence

The KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) selected by managers should not only measure success but also consider the steps taken to achieve success. Performance evaluation tools that focus on actions are more useful in motivating employees, improve productivity, enhance performance, fix work problems, etc.

Performance evaluation methods looking only at results will cause low-performing employees to grow distant and leave them with little to no knowledge at the end.

Performance evaluation methods must have a direct approach

The performance evaluation methods adopted by the organization must have a direct and transparent approach. Performance management techniques include letting employees know what defines success.

Both managers and employees must have access to the goal sheet which gives a clear picture of what is expected from them. The best performance appraisal methods ensure that the employees are receiving continuous feedback and seek guidance if needed. 

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The best type of performance appraisal involves below best practices

Methods of performance appraisal have evolved to suit the needs of the organization. Employees are no more judged based on their personality traits. The current performance appraisal methods are more result-based. The best types of performance appraisal methods involve the following practices,

Include 360 performance appraisal

360 degree performance appraisal definition states that it is a multidimensional performance evaluation method that assesses an employee based on the feedback collected from the employee’s circle of influence such as managers, peers, clients, etc. The 360 degree appraisal method is considered to be very effective.

Usage of different performance appraisal instruments

Different performance appraisal instruments can be used to make the performance measurement methods more effective.  Appraisal instruments are useful in measuring the employee performance against the set standards and provide ratings accordingly. The rating is not a result of one single parameter but multiple parameters.

Results-based performance appraisal

Adopt a result based performance appraisal method which focuses on the accomplishments and completed assignments by the employee. Traditional performance evaluation models were more personality trait-based but the modern performance methods take up a more result-based approach. Managers check how many goals were achieved by the employee.

HR appraisal system should provide concrete examples

HR appraisal system adopted by the organization should provide concrete examples supporting both achievements and low performance. These performance appraisal methods should be communicated to the employee throughout the review process. Providing specific examples helps in supporting your feedback and shows that the managers have done their homework.

An ideal appraisal system adopts tactful communication practices

Ideal appraisal systems should focus on motivating their employees rather than bringing them down. While providing negative feedback use thoughtful communication to build up your employees. Performance methods should train managers to help their employees find ways to improve productivity further.

Employee referral can be one of the most powerful team augmentation strategies. Know how to set up a super effective employee referral program. Read on!

Employee Referral

Employee referral is the hiring processes done based on the referrals of a candidate referred by an employee of your firm. The employee referral process is not new and has been used to find the best fit for a position. The success of referral drive can vary, you may find a candidate quickly, and sometimes it is time-consuming. In this blog, we elaborate on the pros and cons of the employee referral process and how you can implement an employee referral program in your organization.

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What is a referral?

What is a referral? A referral program is a process in which you reward customers for spreading the word about your product. An employee referral is an extension of the referrals where companies reward employees for referring a candidate for your company.

What is an internal referral?

An internal referral is a structured program where companies find a talented candidate by asking their existing employees to recommend candidates from their existing network. When you recruit the candidate, the company offers the employee referral reward. The employee referral reward could be money, tickets, food and drink, days off, trips, etc.

What is a referral source?

A referral source is a way that a possible recruit found out about your organization. Referral sources can be internal or external. Other referral sources can include advertisements and search engines. 

What is an external referral?

An external referral program can be called a community referral program, non-employee referral program, or bounty hiring program. In an external referral program, the company’s collective community (ex-colleague, friends, family, and acquaintances) refers to a potential candidate. External referrals can allow you to hire a more diverse range of people to make referrals.

What is a referral drive?

Referral drives are recruitment drives where an employee can refer large-scale hiring process. It can be an entry-level hiring process. After a recruit successfully cleared the written and interview process and is hired the employee who referred them is entitled to a reward.

What is an employee referral program?

An employee referral program is a recruitment method designed to allow employees to be involved in their company’s recruiting process. In this method, the staff shares their company’s vacancies with their acquaintances and recommendation for candidates who apply.

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How does job referral work?

Finding the right candidate has become increasingly difficult for recruitment in a candidate-driven job market. Hiring a new candidate costs time, effort, and resources. Employee referrals are the most reliable, available, and untapped sources for the candidate. Here is how job referral work,

Employers with organized referral job programs

You need to have an effective and organized referral job program. It should be a transparent and straightforward mechanism like paper or online referral systems where staff can forward referrals easily. 

Rotate reward in the associate referral system

You need to change the rewards in the associate referral system. Some employees prefer monetary rewards, while others want recognition. You need to provide various options to your employees.

Market your job referrals well

Market your job referrals program announcement well. Engage your marketing to show and remind your employees about the referral program. You can put employee referral notices in a prominent place in your office or notices on your notice board.

Implement your referral recruiting with your ATS

An applicant tracking system helps you make most of the referral drives. It eliminates errors or delays and helps to ensure everyone involved in hiring has a smooth experience.

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Benefits of employee referral program 

A report by LinkedIn Global Trend Report 2016 shows a massive 90% of professionals are interested in hearing about new job opportunities even if they are not looking for the new job opportunity. 

But reaching potential recruits when they are not actively looking for a new job opportunity can be challenging. Employee referrals and social media can prove to assets in these situations. Job referrals help the candidate be better prepared about knowledge of the job and company. Other benefits of an employee referral program are as follows, 

Referring someone for a job reduced time and cost for hiring

Referring someone for a job means you will get a quality candidate applying for the post. You can ask the candidate for a formal interview. Employee referral saves you valuable time and money from the sourcing and screening process. It helps make your hiring process more efficient.  

Candidate referral improves the quality of hire

Your current employees know your company culture, mission, and vision. They are likely to recommend a candidate who is a good cultural fit for your company. The employee referral program is a great way to approach a passive candidate. The best job candidates are said to be passive job seekers, and you can have quality hires.

Employee referrals advantages by showing better retention rate

Employer retention and the quality of the candidate are interrelated. The better quality of candidates improves employee retention. Unsuitable candidates are likely to leave sooner. We see employer referral advantages candidate can get a better idea of work culture and atmosphere. Candidates who are hired from job boards are less likely to know about the employee experience. 

Referred by job application helps to strengthen employer brand

When an employee wants to recommend someone for a position, they generally talk to the candidate first. A prospective candidate trusts an employee’s word more than CEOs or from a corporate brand.

An employee generally enjoys working for your firm when they give an employee referral. Referred by job application helps to strengthen employer branding and improve talent pool for future openings. 

Referral job applications are better for hard-to-fill roles

For some positions, you might post an ad and get numerous job applications. Alternatively, you can browse on the portfolio site and shortlist suitable candidates. But for some hiring roles finding candidates may not be easy. It may be a large project you are looking to scale up or looking for skill sets in a highly competitive space. Your staff or coworkers can help you find a candidate through employee referrals. Referrals job applications source are a good source to find candidates. 

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How to build an effective employee referral program?

An employee referral program can help your human resource department cost-effective source and hire candidates within employee’s networks, speeding up the hiring process and reducing the cost-per-hire. As per a survey by Yello Recruiting Study, 94% of employees would refer a friend. Here is how you can build an effective employee referral program,

Work referral by incentivizing employees

Create a tiered incentivize program for referrals. Incentives can include in-office interviews and cash rewards for accepted offers. Work referral incentives like gift cards, extra vacation days, or work-from-home opportunities. 

Candidate referrals by creating brand ambassadors

You need to provide your employees with material to promote your company. Consider holding a candidate referral training session to best position your brand. It may be your company’s mission, what makes a great candidate, steps required to refer a candidate, and incentives to encourage them to refer candidates.

After training your employees should know the required qualifications for the candidate. How to communicate the criteria to their spheres of influence? How you will reward your employees for the successful referrals?

Referring to employee program by staying on top of their mind

After briefing your staff about referring employee program, you need to continue to build momentum. Works with the internal communication team to secure a spot in the employee newsletter include a synopsis of your training program, vacancies, and referral rewards associated with the program. 

Be transparent with referred by the employee

Show your employee where their referral stands when they refer a candidate. Use referral technology to automatically increase hiring transparency saving you time from responding to employee referral status inquires. Your employees are engaged regarding the hiring process to know what stage their referral is in the process. The total number of candidates referred over time and the total reward associated with each position.

Invest in technology for employment referral to work

Referral technology can enable the employee to access employment referrals. The technology gives access to refer candidates, track the process, and calculate their associated rewards. Referral technology improves the applicant-to-hire conversion rate, automatically incentivizes the referrals, streamline inter-departmental communication. 

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5 demerits with employee referrals

There are disadvantages of referred by the job application process. We have listed the top 5 demerits with employee referrals, 

Referral for a job can alienate the team

Referral for the job your team may think is not a level playing field anymore. The two friends may interact more with one another alienating other members of the team. 

Employee referral on job application might lead to lack of ideas

Employee referral on a job application could bring an attitude where some employees stick together. This attitude can lead to a situation where organizational problems can be hidden and increase. The growth of employee referrals can lead to stagnation.

Work referrals can lead to disillusionment in the employee referrals program

When bonuses are tied up with your employee referrals program employees may become disillusioned with the process. The disillusionment can lead to discontentment with the company.

Referral application can lead to charges of discrimination

If your company is heavily on the referral application process, then your firm may face charges of discrimination from candidates who have not to be selected. 

Employee referral benefits can limit your options

It is impossible to gain all your recruits through employee referrals. You need to have other strategies to recruit candidates. You should implement processes from hiring candidates from a larger talent pool or you could be missing on thousand of great recruits your employees don’t know. 

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Examples of employee referral program from top companies

Here is a list of examples of employee referral program from top companies in the US,

Salesforce’s employee referral example

Salesforce is a market leader in cloud computing. The Salesforce employee referral example offers their employee monetary and other types of rewards. The company organizes a recruitment happy hour get-together where employees can invite the person they plan to refer. It is a perfect way for a recruiter to interact with a potential candidate. The employee gets to enjoy an evening with their friend. 

Facebook referral process

Facebook has an internal tool that allows its staff to track the progress of their referrals. Facebook referral process prevents the referrer to be involved to prevent a conflict of interest. The employee referral tool allows the staff to see their acceptance rate and how they have done in the past. Facebook has a strong employee referral program.

IBM referral program

Before an employee refers a candidate they need to register in the referral program. Employees can fill the form and the candidate in question. This will tie the candidate to the specific listing. The employee can provide an external reference link for the listing. In the past, the referral bonus point could go up to 7500 points.