At its core, the DiSC® model is designed to be simple to understand and easy to remember. The respondent needs to be able to leave a DiSC experience with clear, simple principles that can be understood and applied in the real world. However, every model and assessment tool is only a simplification of real life. Real life and real people are always much more colorful and diverse, therefore, interpreting anyone’s DiSC results is always a process best done together with the learner.

At its core, the DiSC® model is designed to be simple to understand and easy to remember. The respondent needs to be able to leave a DiSC experience with clear, simple principles that can be understood and applied in the real world. However, every model and assessment tool is only a simplification of real life. Real life and real people are always much more colorful and diverse, therefore, interpreting anyone’s DiSC results is always a process best done together with the learner.

In the last three years, we have seen more glimpses into one another’s personal lives than ever before. How often has someone’s pet (or child!) popped into view on a video call, or have you heard the familiar click of a blinker as a coworker takes a meeting while shuttling the kids to school? It’s not entirely uncommon to get a “decline” for a meeting invitation because it’s during someone’s weekly yoga class or telehealth appointment. What was once seen as verboten in the pre-pandemic workplace is now par for the course in the new employee-centered world of work. Being able to focus more on work/life balance has been an evolution in many organizations and for the most part, people have enjoyed the increased flexibility that keeps them connected to home and wellness while continuing to drive results.

However, the question is – are they driving results? And how does this new people-centric focus affect managers who are learning to walk the fine line between making space for employee well-being while also continuing to meet goals, increase the bottom line, and power their business? We wondered how managers are faring in this new paradigm.

Balancing Well-Being and Results

Wiley Workplace Intelligence surveyed 6,004 individuals, of which 3,363 identify as people managers, to find out how managers, specifically, are coping with these changes. The evolution of leadership from the outdated “command and control” model to a more egalitarian, people-focused, and accessible approach has put unique pressure on those in the middle.

It’s clear that managers are in an increasingly complicated role. While our survey respondents reported facing multiple challenges, balancing employee satisfaction and productivity ranked the highest.

Evolving Relationships with Leadership

The relationships between people and their managers have also evolved. While these changes have created a more open and progressive dynamic that promotes increased overall job satisfaction due to better communication, it can be challenging for managers to hold people accountable in this new context.

While better work/life balance is the norm, what happens when someone’s weekly yoga class or home life responsibilities are causing them to miss deadlines or decrease the quality of their work? Nearly 20% of managers and supervisors said that holding employees accountable is their biggest challenge, which speaks to the difficulty managers specifically face in holding space for both wellness and results compared to executive-level employees who are more removed from the day-to-day goings-on within the organization.

Making accountability even more tricky is the shocking statistic that 63% of people managers find dealing with interpersonal/attitude issues with their direct reports the most challenging.

There is a clear opportunity here for employees at all levels to reflect on how they are showing up in their relationships at work and with their teams. Additionally, people managers have the opportunity to incorporate well-being initiatives into the process of achieving organizational goals in order to meet employees where they are, while working towards better accountability and consistent results.

Increased Well-Being Leads to Better Results

Despite the manager-specific issues we have outlined here, overall, the new focus on well-being has led to positive changes in the workplace. Almost half of those surveyed, including employees at all levels within the organization, reports that employee wellness has positively impacted performance in their organization.

How Managers Can Leverage Well-Being Initiatives for Increased Performance

In this new context, it is important that managers embrace the balance of well-being and results. Working to find ways to make room for well-being while still maintaining high expectations for performance is a key to success. In fact, when managers set an example by leveraging well-being initiatives themselves, it can help combat some of the stress they are feeling as they try to find stability in the new normal.

Whether that means holding firm boundaries around working hours, not working while on vacation (not even that one call you make an exception for!), or participating in wellness initiatives, managers can both lead by example and reap the benefits of a well-being-focused organization.

In fact, building wellness into results by celebrating team accomplishments with rewards like a free afternoon or a fun activity, or treating team objectives like a journey instead of a destination can go a long way in creating a culture that can prioritize both wellness and results. While managers may be under unique pressure, they can also leverage the benefits that are designed to bring increased balance and wellness to the workplace.

Help Your People Work Better Together While Achieving Results

While the world of work is constantly evolving, one thing is certain: strong interpersonal skills are imperative in today’s workplace. Whether it’s to improve communication, encourage accountability and drive results, or increase cohesion on teams, facilitated learning experiences with proven brands like Everything DiSC^® and The Five Behaviors^® give organizations the tools they need to succeed.

Interpersonal skills don’t necessarily come easily to everyone and need to be learned and practiced like any other skill. Wiley assessment brands bring these skills to life in your organization, helping bridge the gap between results and well-being, proving that your organization can have it all.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

We all benefit from stretching into other styles

Of course, the idea of stretch goes much deeper and wider than this. But in skimming the surface, you can see how implementing Everything DiSC gives people the footing they need to reach outside their comfort zones.

Stretching Outside Your Behavioral Comfort Zone

Someone with a C style may be very comfortable working alone on analytical projects that require accuracy. At times, however, this person may be called on to mingle with strangers at a professional function.

In this case, the person is being asked to stretch across the circle toward the i style. Now, someone with the C style who has a dot close to the center of the circle will probably find this mingling distasteful but manageable. On the other hand, someone with a C style whose dot is located on the edge of the circle is more likely to find this mingling highly stressful. In the second case, the person has had to travel farther outside their comfort zone, and that will require more energy.

So, as a general rule, people with dots located close to the center usually have a somewhat easier time adopting foreign DiSC styles when the situation calls for it. People whose dots are on the edge of the circle may have to stretch more (and experience more stress) if they want to adopt another style. On the other hand, because these people have more pronounced DiSC styles, those styles are often accompanied by some very distinct strengths.

Stretch, Learn, GROW

Flexing becomes easier as we practice it. The more we stretch into an unfamiliar or uncomfortable behavior, the more flexible we get. The analogy of a rubber band pinned to your DiSC dot can be helpful. It takes more energy the farther you pull the band. So moving a little way into the style next to yours takes less energy than stretching all the way across the circle. The band becomes easier to stretch the more you stretch it, and always moves back to its original position when you stop.

Our ability to flex is one reason why we don’t use DiSC as a reason not to adapt or as an excuse for bad behavior. Statements like “I’m a C style, you’ll just need to learn not to take my criticisms personally” encourage stereotypes and rigidity, which is the antithesis of what Everything DiSC stands for.

The Everything DiSC Agile EQ model is a good example of how DiSC promotes flexing. It speaks to mindsets rather than styles, but the concept of flexing or stretching is obvious. The model proposes that an emotionally intelligent person is one who:

1. Recognizes which mindsets are most appropriate in a given situation, and
2. Stretches to use those mindsets, regardless of how comfortable they are.

Stretching into other styles may feel uncomfortable at the moment, but know that you are in fact doing yourself a favor. We often level up through situations that challenge us, and it’s through these challenges that our continued learning and growth take place.

Sources:

https://www.discprofile.com/fac-sup/tips/flex

https://www.everythingdisc.com/insights-to-action/if-you-arent-stretching-you-arent-learning.aspx

Companies today are in the midst of transforming their business models, restructuring their teams, and rethinking how they service their customers. Many have also permanently integrated hybrid or remote work arrangements, moving away from an office-only structure. Employees who work in these environments, where there is constant change and poor communication, are experiencing high-stress levels and burnout. Many are reacting by Quiet Quitting or pulling back from collaborating and communicating with their colleagues.

What would it be like as a new hire starting out in this kind of environment, when more than ever, job seekers are demanding a great deal from potential employers as far as culture, work/life balance, and support from their managers? This scenario is happening to millions of new hires all over the world. What’s clear is this: Coming off the pandemic and The Great Resignation, the number of new hires, as well as the stress associated with starting a new job, has skyrocketed. How are HR teams dealing with this unprecedented number of new hires and how can they adjust their processes so that people don’t fall through the cracks?

The struggle to keep new hires is real: almost 30% of people will quit a new job within 90 days. According to Gallup, the estimated cost to replace an employee ranges between one-half to two times their annual salary. That’s a huge and recurring hit to the bottom line. 
In this time of uncertainty, we wanted to know if HR teams were able to deliver an impactful and effective onboarding experience to new hires, one that makes them want to stay well beyond the onboarding period.

Reality of the New Hire Experience

We surveyed 6,000 people through Wiley Workplace Research, of which 1,266 were new hires, to learn more about what people experienced when they started a new job. What we found is that the job market continues to be highly competitive. Given that nearly 25% of those we surveyed said they started with a new company in the last year, HR professionals and managers have been busy.

According to our findings, 75% of respondents said that some form of onboarding happened at their new company. For more than half of new employees, this experience lasted a week or less.

The process varied greatly, too. Some received zero direction or guidance while others received a highly structured and planned experience.

Critically, although almost all felt welcomed and accepted, only 38% finished their onboarding experience with an understanding of what was expected of them.

Onboarding in a Rapidly Changing Workplace

Consistency is key to delivering on expectations and ensuring that every new hire has a meaningful first experience that makes them want to stay. In fast-changing environments, this can be more challenging. To be successful, today’s onboarding process must be agile but well-planned. So how can HR professionals adapt?

One thing we know for certain is that employees want a positive work culture and an impactful employee experience. Your responsibility for this starts the minute you extend an offer to a candidate and continues throughout the employee’s tenure.

Make sure there is a hiring and onboarding process in place that is more than a simple orientation and communicate it to everyone who will be involved. Hiring managers, for example, might need training on how to conduct interviews. Frontline managers should also know how to assess the candidate to identify skills gaps and recommend individual training so that the new arrival feels confident and prepared for their role. This will ensure a seamless experience that gets the new hire ready for what’s next.

HR should also be clear to hiring teams and frontline managers about what the new hire was offered so that expectations are met, and promises are delivered. In a hectic or fast-paced workplace, this information can be missed. Misunderstandings will leave a bad impression and can lead to the new hire feeling misled or duped about their new job or company. People want to work in a role where expectations meet reality, and this is one way to make certain that happens.

Ultimately, your goal is to deliver a meaningful and individualized onboarding experience that not only helps new employees acclimate to the company, but also lays the groundwork for a positive work experience long term.

Pre-Boarding: Take this opportunity to connect with your new employees before they start to create a sense of belonging. This can include sending a care package, proposing a meet and greet, and keeping them updated via emails or video calls. This is also the perfect time to assign a buddy so that they have someone to reach out to who’s not in HR.

Orientation: This phase starts on their first official day on the job and should focus on logistical and administrative processes and procedures. Employee handbooks, paperwork, and mandatory training should help with acclimation. Let the new employee know how to give feedback and ask for help or support as they navigate their onboarding experience.

Foundation Building: This is the time to set the new hire up for success in their role by communicating about the company culture, brand values, opportunities for personal and professional development, and most importantly, how their role impacts the organization. Ensure your new hires know how to engage with their team effectively to jumpstart collaboration. Tools like Everything DiSC and The Five Behaviors can help set the foundation and continuously reinforce your culture.

Community Building: The key here is to help the new arrival feel welcomed, supported, and included within their team and the company. Providing opportunities to socialize with colleagues, build relationships, and take part in team bonding will help them connect on a deeper level, fostering better team collaboration and communication. For remote or hybrid employees, virtual activities will increase a sense of comradery and prevent a feeling of isolation or disconnectedness.

Post-Boarding: This phase is particularly important if your company is going through major changes or where employees feel burnt out and have high stress. While the onboarding process is officially over, HR teams should seek feedback on the new hire’s experience to confirm they delivered what was promised. Stay in touch to provide any additional support, information, training, or guidance if necessary. HR can also ask for feedback from hiring teams and frontline managers to continually improve and refine the process.

As you can see, this multi-prong approach requires more time and a detailed plan to successfully implement, but it is critical to go the extra mile in an environment of burnout and rapidly shifting priorities. Ideally, the onboarding process should be a month or longer, starting before the first day of work. This should be expanded in a workplace where significant changes are happening, or employee morale is low.

Whatever the environment, HR professionals and hiring managers should always focus on giving new arrivals a memorable and lasting experience that feels tailored to their individual needs. New hires are seeking an onboarding process that focuses on building connections and aligning with the culture, all while learning about how their role affects the company and contributes to outcomes.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

We know employees continue to be stressed, frustrated, and disengaged  Who can blame them? From The Great Resignation to the impact of Covid, employees have endured a considerable number of changes over the last few years. According to Gallup’s most recent report, 60% of the workforce is emotionally detached, while 19% report they are actively disengaged from work. They also found that 44% of employees globally reported feeling stressed most of the day.

How can organizations effectively tackle these issues? To answer this daunting question, Wiley Workplace Research surveyed thousands of individuals and learned this: The most impactful way to reduce stress and frustration is by nurturing a positive culture where employees are empowered to be the best version of themselves. To get there, let’s break down four misconceptions that leaders and organizations have about employees and their experience.

Myth #1: Not everyone wants to be a leader

While it may be true that not all employees want to be in a formal leadership position, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be a leader. When we view leadership as skills that can be taught, rather than a quality or characteristic, the possibilities are endless. Everyone can be a leader when given the chance to learn and practice leadership skills. In fact, a recent Wiley Workplace Research survey found that 20% of respondents felt the biggest benefit from leadership training was employee empowerment. Nearly 1/3 said leadership training improved relationships and engagement. What does that look like in a practical sense? Organizations that give employees the skills needed to be successful will also help empower those employees to be leaders in their roles.

The bottom line is this: Developing leadership skills at every level is a worthy pursuit.

Myth #2: Pay is the most important priority for employees

While pay is a factor for employees, it is not the most important. Employees are more concerned about working in a positive culture.

The truth is that pay can only go so far when there is negative or toxic work culture. If The Great Resignation highlighted anything, it’s that people want to feel valued, seen, and heard by their employer.

Creating a positive work culture will not only improve engagement and retention, but also business outcomes.

Myth #3: Organizations don’t need to invest in the employee experience

Regardless of their role, today’s employees are stressed, disengaged, and frustrated, which can have a negative impact on performance. Knowing this, organizations need to decide how to best invest in the employee experience. The current Wiley Workplace Research survey found that employees who feel valued as a person by their employer will positively affect business outcomes. Specifically, 87% said they would feel less stressed, with 96% sharing they would be more productive. Additionally, 97% said that feeling valued would increase motivation and 96% said they would stay at the organization longer.

Employees want to feel valued, and organizations and leaders have an opportunity to create a working environment where this happens. Beyond showing employees that they are valued, having leaders who are collaborative, future-focused, and effective communicators will positively affect the employee experience.

Simply put, investing in the employee experience can positively impact the organization and its people.

Myth #4: Employees are resistant to “return” to work

Most of us have heard the adage, “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” The notion that employees are reluctant to return to work is a perfect example of this because it implies that they haven’t been working. In actuality, they are returning to the office, not their work. When employees constantly hear phrases that denigrate their performance, it can be demoralizing and create resentment. Moreover, employees have evolved, and the workplace needs to reflect this.

Effective communication is a critical part of organizational success. As employers and leaders consider language around change, the message conveyed should be clear, positive, and forward-thinking.

How a “return to work” message is conveyed and interpreted will significantly affect employee retention and engagement.

People want to work; however, their priorities about work experience have evolved, just like yours have. Today, people are seeking purpose, connection, validation, and growth in addition to a compensation and benefits package. People want to work for an organization that recognizes and values their potential and invests in their success. And they’ll keep looking until they find an employer who consistently delivers on these expectations. How can you influence the employee experience in a positive, lasting way? By listening. By making a commitment to employees that demonstrates your investment in creating a culture where people feel valued, heard, and empowered to lead in their roles. Only then will your organization start to fully unlock the potential of your people.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

A staggering number of people continue to leave their jobs, resulting in the perfect storm of staffing shortages and remaining employees being expected to pick up the slack. Current data from The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that over 4.5 million quit their jobs in March. What is the impact on those who stay?

According to Gallup, almost two-thirds of employees are disengaged in their current job. It should come as no surprise then that nearly half of managers from a previous Wiley survey reported having work-related stress; with 25% saying this was due to staffing shortages and quickly shifting priorities in the organization. On top of that, 50% of managers reported leadership changes in the last year, adding to the strain. While these numbers are alarming, an opportunity exists for organizations to retain and engage their employees by investing in employee experience.

Why focus on the employee experience?

First impressions matter. Initial interactions are a key predictor of retention. SHRM found that roughly 1 in 5 employees will leave their position within the first 90 days. Think about it: which onboarding process would you rather experience? One focusing on compliance, policies, and paperwork? Or onboarding that also incorporates an exploration of the workplace culture, vision for the future, and opportunities for growth? There’s no contest: a comprehensive onboarding process that prioritizes the employee is an opportunity for organizations to empower employees to be successful in their roles. When a company invests in its employees, they feel more connected to the work and business outcomes.

While a comprehensive onboarding process addresses retention and engagement with new employees, organizations still face the challenge of maintaining engagement to keep current employees.

Where should organizations prioritize efforts to keep current employees?

To answer that question, Wiley Workplace Research surveyed 5,000 respondents about their thoughts on leadership, the employee experience, and organizational priorities. Interestingly, three key common themes emerged about where organizations should focus priorities and thoughts on leadership. Respondents said organizations and leaders should focus on effective communication, access to support, and positive work culture.

1. Communication

It’s easy for people to say communication is critical to success, but when we don’t specify how or what to communicate, we lose people. Our current survey found that 82% of individual contributors and 86% of leaders feel confident in their ability to communicate effectively. Despite feeling confident in their ability to communicate effectively, respondents shared a need for clear and direct ways to streamline processes and systems, clarification of roles and expectations, and awareness of opportunities for development. One way organizations can improve effective communication is to ask employees how they want information shared. Learning if town halls, emails, meetings, a central communication hub, or a combination of those are the best ways to address communication concerns within an organization. Additionally, organizations that embrace a culture where employees feel safe to have open and honest conversations will improve communication.

2. Support

Employees want to feel that their organization values and cares about them. Employers should provide opportunities to communicate with leadership and access resources necessary for personal and professional success. We found a one-size fits all approach isn’t effective for retaining or engaging employees, so organizations should tailor support to meet the needs of individuals or groups. Two ways to support employees are to give feedback and opportunities to learn new skills. Our survey found that only 9% of respondents get regular feedback. Likewise, only 3% of respondents said they’d had the opportunity to learn a new skill in the last month. Based on these numbers, it comes as no surprise that employees don’t feel like they are supported. By learning what employees need to feel supported, organizations can tailor support to better meet the needs of their employees.

3. Culture

Our respondents shared they want organizations to focus on creating a culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance, encourages the development of positive relationships, and creates a work environment that is both psychologically and physically safe. While this may seem daunting, organizations have an opportunity to promote a positive and inclusive culture that fosters collaboration and empowers employees to be the best version of themselves. Organizations can positively affect culture with regular recognition of employees. While 79% of respondents said they are confident in their ability to recognize others for their work, only 7% said they receive recognition on a regular basis. Clearly, there is a disconnect between confidence in the ability to recognize others and doing it. Given how few employees receive recognition, organizations have an opportunity to positively change culture by regularly recognizing employees for their work.

 What do employees want?

When it comes to the goals, aspirations, and expectations of your employees, priorities do and should shift over time. Changes, both personal and professional, are inevitable. Organizations must acknowledge that a one-size fits all approach to the employee experience does not promote engagement and retention. Companies must be proactive and consider how to adapt and flex the employee experience to meet the current and ever-changing needs of their employees. One way that organizations have responded is by incorporating wellness benefits into the employee experience. While well intended, it may not be what employees want. When asked to rate aspects of the employee experience, our respondents didn’t see wellness benefits as a big factor. In fact, 63% of respondents ranked wellness benefits at the bottom of importance.

What came out on top? Culture, with 34% of respondents sharing that this is the most important thing in their experience. Employees want their organization and leaders to build a positive culture where everyone is empowered to unlock their potential. Employees are less concerned about where they work, PTO, or wellness benefits because, at the end of the day, a toxic work culture will always negatively influence their engagement, satisfaction, and ultimately their decision to stay. In fact, 96% responded that when they feel valued by their organization, they are more productive; 87% say they feel less stressed, and 96% are more likely to remain in their organization. To keep and engage employees, organizations must examine their current organizational culture and make critical changes where needed. Organizations that foster a positive culture are more likely to keep employees who are connected to the work and success of the organization.

The best investment a business can make

The best investment that a business can make is in its employees. Successful organizations prioritize the creation of a positive, collaborative, and inclusive work culture that’s focused on the employee experience. The payoff to this investment is a workforce that feels valued, connected, and supported while encouraging them to actively contribute to business outcomes.

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.

Everything DiSC 101

This blog content belongs to Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand.