Collaboration not ‘application overload’ is the key to business success

Remember the days of faxes, pagers and instant messaging? It feels like a lifetime ago – but those now archaic forms of communication driven by the desire to improve collaboration and productivity, have led us to today.

Connectivity lies at the heart of collaboration and is central to knowledge, idea and information sharing which are essential for businesses to become more productive and efficient as they make their digital transformation journeys.

There’s no room for isolation in the digital economy. Even on a local level, we need to think about how we maintain communication with peers and colleagues, given that events – from extreme weather conditions to the unpredictable nature of public transport system – conspire to delay us from doing our best work, putting us at a disadvantage to our connected colleagues.

There’s no doubt that the UK economy is still in question, with more uncertainty ahead while it tries to understand it’s future post Brexit. Many companies are responding to the current dynamic by moving toward agile workplaces to cut operational costs, thus moving their staff to smaller, more cost-effective premises while encouraging hot-desking and remote working.

As such, how we define the workspace is changing and today it’s not unusual to see work conducted in environments as wide ranging as huddle spaces to coffee shops; what matters is that the work gets done, rather than where it gets done.

Many companies are increasingly deploying video communications as a way of collaborating, with a view to introducing it to every single meeting room, desk and employee. This isn’t just in response to what’s happening right now, but it’s also in anticipation of future trends, one of which is the rise of millennials in the workplace.

Immersed in tech from day one and tech-savvy, their willingness to embrace technology eclipses that of previous generations who took a perhaps more guarded view of change. In those situations, video facilitates not just the important act of collaboration, but communicating in a way that helps us to build better relationships at work with key stakeholders and fostering personal connections.

Directly connected to customer satisfaction, is how good employees feel at work. It’s imperative therefore to make sure you do everything you can to connect on an emotional level to build productive and lasting professional relationships.

The knock on effects internally have the capacity to bolster and – critically – motivate your entire team. As ever, this initiative needs to be driven from the top. When the C-Level or other members of the leadership team use collaboration tools and have two-way conversations with as many employees as they can, employees are more likely to believe that they are part of a broader team in a business with clear goals and a clear path as to achievement.

The knock-on benefits further motivate staff who, generally, will provide a better and happier service to their customers; at a time when many companies are committed to their digital transformation path, engaging positively with customers is even more imperative.

The main steps businesses can take to do that are to: deploy one end-to-end collaborative platform that updates information in real time and provides full visibility across the full range of key deliverables.

Companies need to avoid using too many applications that can tend to complicate and confuse efforts at communicating more effectively and can, in fact, lead to ‘communication overload’.

All businesses are facing uncertain political and economic times. But success through trying times lies in unity, a scenario that can be embraced and achieved through technology that keeps everyone engaged, connected and collaborating, wherever they are.

Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash

Abe Smith

Abe Smith is the Head of International for Zoom Video Communications. An industry decorated technology executive, Abe is recognized for building high-growth global teams at leading enterprise cloud companies such as Oracle and Cisco where he held senior roles. Bringing almost two decades of experience in SaaS, Smith is an authority on scaling operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Drawing on over 8 years of leadership at WebEX, where he was responsible for pioneering the web-conferencing category across emerging markets globally, Abe joined Zoom in 2019 to accelerate revenue growth while delivering happiness in all markets outside of the USA and Canada. Abe graduated with highest honors from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he studied Political Science with a certificate in International Relations.

Code Ninjas signs first UK franchisees – in record-breaking time

Four entrepreneurs from Greater London will launch the first ever Code Ninjas coding centre on British soil.

After attending a discovery day in May, the four friends instantly recognised the opportunity and wasted no time securing their position as the UK’s first franchisees. The grand opening of Code Ninjas Pinner and Harrow is planned for September 2019.

Word is getting out about the grand opening planned for September, and customer enquiries are already coming through thick and fast. David Graham, founder and CEO, expects it won’t be long before other prospects follow suit, keen to capitalise on the demand.

“We’ve never had a franchisee come on board as quickly – it actually made Code Ninjas history,” he explains. “We’ve had an unbelievable response since announcing the franchise is expanding into the UK – more than 40 serious prospects attended our first UK discovery day. Coding is big business; parents are crying out for a fun, friendly portal for their children to develop this skill. It was a case of right place, right time for our expansion and we’re very excited to have welcomed our first UK franchisees into the fold.”

The franchisees bringing Code Ninjas to the UK are Prasad Prabhakaran, Srinivasa Rao, Sridhar Bhat and Sharath Iyer (pictured above)– friends and associates from Pinner and Harrow. This new business endeavour combines their experience in technology, finance, telecoms, operations and education.

“As a team, our skills are complementary, and our objectives are the same – we want to build a profitable business that will make an impact in our community,” says former technology executive, Prasad. “Kids coding programmes are in such high-demand across the board. In Pinner and Harrow specifically, there is an abundance of business professionals who understand the importance of technology and the benefit of programmes, like Code Ninjas, for their own children.

“With such demand for kids coding sessions, we expect the franchise to grow quickly. Our long-term goal is to open additional centres in neighbouring communities in the coming years. We’re very proud that we’re the first to bring Code Ninjas to the UK and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Kids coding is big business, both in the US and the UK, as parents continue to put emphasis on STEM education for their own children. Graham, a father of two, understands the obvious need for Code Ninjas centres in the UK:

“In this day and age, it’s crucial that our children are able to not just use but understand and master the technology that plays a part of their everyday lives. What we offer is a fun, safe place where kids can come and just be kids, whilst learning a valuable skill. That’s why the programme has performed so well. We now have more than 150 Code Ninjas centres across the US and Canada, with almost 100 more openings planned before the end of the year.”

David and his team are confident that the UK will replicate, if not surpass the US in terms of growth speed and breadth of coverage. Studies show that nine out of ten parents want their children to learn how to code, and Code Ninjas aims to provide that service to every community in the UK that will support it. A team of experts at Code Ninjas head office in the US, as well as an in-country team in Britain, will support UK franchisees as they work to get centres open, operational and profitable.

“Our priority is to support the Prasad and his fellow franchisees with a seamless and successful launch of the very first UK Code Ninjas. Here’s to the first of many launches this side of the pond!”

Creating an environment that motivates millennials

By 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be made up of millennials; a shift that businesses need to prepare for in order to attract and retain workers.

Forget about the misconceptions, millennial employees can be just as hardworking, spirited and loyal as any other generation; it’s all about how you motivate them.

As the race is on to captivate their attention, many companies are asking the same question: how can you harness the skill and determination of millennials and create a culture that inspires them to succeed? Cognism’s Chief Revenue Officer, Nazma Qurban, looks at how companies can foster a culture where millennials can thrive and talent is retained.

Become a mentor

Traditionally, the manager-employee relationship has been centred around achieving the objectives of the business or department. However, managing purely based on performance won’t work with millennials; in order to see the whole picture, companies need to move their focus to development.

From fostering an open-door policy to setting up regular one to one meetings to discuss both personal and work-related issues, managers should always put personal growth first. Casual conversations can lead to feelings of trust and by becoming a mentor that acknowledges the employee’s strengths, employees become empowered to make their own decisions. It is only then that they will truly learn for themselves.

Pave the way for a future

91% of millennials consider the opportunity for rapid career progression as one of the most important aspects of a job. Ultimately, they want to know that if they work hard, they will reap the rewards. So, making sure encouragement and benefits such as salary and remuneration are in place is key to increased productivity and performance.

If space is created for people to step up, they will do so. Putting a progression plan in place from the start is the best way to make a millennial employee feel that you, as an employer, prioritise their career growth and advancement. And job titles really do matter; for motivated millennials, a job title reflects their status and success. Giving them a taste of authority will give them a sense of purpose which could help drive company success.

Cultivate a culture

Millennials want an environment that lets them thrive, but how can companies make this happen? With many millennials fresh out of university, replicating the university environment in the workplace through socialising and collaboration is a great way to engage them.

Creating a business unit which doesn’t feel isolated from other departments and doesn’t have any members of the management team locked behind glass doors, is the first step. Once this roadblock is removed, the workplace feels immediately more inclusive. Solving the problem of diversity through regular collaboration will help build a supportive environment that millennials want to be a part of.

Celebrate success

Millennials respond well to a celebratory culture; this shouldn’t just be limited to business success, but inclusive of both team and individual success too. Celebrating milestones such as a great customer review, when a contract is signed, or even their triumphs outside work will give millennials the positive reinforcement to keep achieving.

One way this works is through company socials and entertainment. Assigning a dedicated budget to host regular activities at work will help blur the line between work and play. Whether it’s team lunches, beer and pizza evenings or even an annual trip away, when people enjoy what they do and who they do it with, they will feel like they have a sense of purpose.

Champion transparency

Millennials expect transparency and are willing to be transparent in return. Being open and honest in both communications and conduct will go a long way in winning the hearts of millennials. Opening up these conversations and creating an inclusive environment will make them feel a level of value and respect whereby they can impact actual change.

Giving them the opportunity to innovate and pursue their personal interests in the professional setting is one way companies can keep things fresh and provide them with the opportunity to get involved in the way the business is run. After all, you never know what hidden talents might transform your business.

Conclusion 

Business owners need to realise that it’s no longer about what millennials can bring to the company, but what the company can bring to millennials. Working with millennials needn’t be an obstacle. If organisations invest in them as people and not employees, they will create a happier team, which is inevitably more effective and motivated and set up to succeed every time. Engage with millennials in the right way and there are no limits to what can be achieved.

Key ingredients a business needs for growth

Venturing out to start your dream business can be exciting and daunting at the same time. Every day is different and brings new challenges.

So how do you ensure your business doesn’t run out of steam and is successful?

Henrietta Morrison, Founder, Executive Chair and Global Brand Director of Lily’s Kitchen first began her business 10-years ago from her kitchen table selling proper food for pets to a handful of independent pet shops. Today, the business is the largest premium natural pet brand in the UK and a growing international business, currently exporting to over 10 countries across Europe including France, Italy and Spain.

Learning many lessons along the way, she believes the following points are essential for building a successful business:

Inspiration and innovation

There is a saying that inspiration can strike in the most unlikely of places. It’s the lightbulb moment, how you interpret it and how you bring it to life in an exciting, new way that can separate your business from the rest.

For Lily’s Kitchen, it began with my (then) 3-year-old border terrier, Lily, falling sick and refusing to eat. Desperate for results, I started cooking meals for her with fresh lamb, lentils, vegetables, botanical herbs and even fruits like blueberries. After ten days she made a full recovery and I was left wondering what had I been feeding her up to that point that made her so ill. I quickly realised there was an urgent need for proper food for pets in the market and that’s how Lily’s Kitchen was born.

Lily’s Kitchen broke norms within the pet food industry by using real, fresh ingredients like meat – something that wasn’t common 10 years ago – because we believe that pets are valuable members of the family and deserve to eat proper food full of goodness, just like humans. It was that mindset that inspired new and healthy occasion recipes like English Garden Party, Great British Breakfast, Sunday Lunch and Birthday Surprise, offering customers healthy meals for pets that also create special moments they can share with them.

Innovation is critical to be able to stand out from what has now become quite a crowded market – lots of pet food companies have launched since we started in 2008. We are always thinking of how we can make things better and more fun for our fellow pet parents.

Broaden talent diversity

Diverse companies often outperform non-diverse companies. Why? When people from different backgrounds come together, they bring different insights, perspectives and information. This mix results in new and innovating ideas, a more productive team, and ultimately a more profitable business.

We believe that talent isn’t assigned to a gender, culture or orientation, therefore the company strives to create opportunities for all and continually expands its recruitment to more diverse sources of talent. Over 40 per cent of our board of directors are women.

Provide transparency

Being transparent with both your customers and employees helps build important brand trust and loyalty that is crucial for business growth.

At Lily’s Kitchen, the entire team receives regular updates on new business practices, successes and challenges to make sure they feel part of the business. We also use Feefo, a reviews platform that collects feedback from real people. It’s an independent way to leave honest, transparent reviews for a brand after buying something and is entirely optional. The information gathered helps others to know what they might expect from the company.

Business has moved far beyond just offering a product to consumers. It’s important to look at the bigger picture so you can create deep and meaningful connections with both your employees and customers who have the power to drive your business forward.

Create a happy workplace

Employee work-related stress can impact your business in a highly negative way, causing fatigue, loss of motivation and poor employee retention. It’s vital organisations listen to the needs of their employees and create supportive environments that allow them to thrive. The result will be higher performing employees and ultimately a higher performing company.

For obvious reasons, Lily’s Kitchen encourages employees to bring their dogs to work. They are an incredible source of inspiration, help reduce stress and increase productivity by encouraging employees to step away from their computer screens and go for energising walks. We even encourage team members to go on walking meetings and host brainstorms in nearby Hampstead Heath.

A flexi-time policy is also a great way to empower team members to manage their working hours in a productive way. Organisations need to understand that employees have many priorities outside of the office, including family, fitness and friends, and a flexible schedule gives team members the opportunity to get their work done to the best possible standard whilst maintaining a good work-life balance.

Have a purpose

A company’s purpose is the soul of a brand and is the foundation that the business was built on. It should motivate your employees, separate you from your competitors and connect your audience to your business.

Lily’s Kitchen creates proper food for pets and believes in using business as a force for good. We are proud to be a founding member of B Corp in the UK and consider the impact our decisions have on our workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. As part of this, Lily’s Kitchen empowers its employees to champion causes they’re passionate about. This includes offering team members paid volunteer days and encouraging staff to set up purpose-led annual goals such as establishing an office recycling program.

Stress: The silent problem within local government that you may never notice

Stress and mental health in local government is often in the news but it isn’t a new problem. Pressure is part and parcel of all work and helps to keep you focused and motivated.

But excessive pressure can lead to stress which undermines performance, is costly to the public sector and can make people really ill. A survey by the mental health charity Mind has reported in the MBJ that public health workers are more likely to be suffering with mental health illnesses compared with those in the private sector, whilst they are less likely to feel supported when they disclose these problems.

The need to tackle stress is recognised in law. Under the Health and Safety at Work Action 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation [1999], employers are obliged to undertake a risk assessment for health hazards at work – including stress – and to take action to control that risk.

Organisations have a duty of care to uphold towards their staff and failure to put effective measures in place to prevent, or at least give access to immediate assistance, can often lead to heavy financial penalties.

The Challenge

Many employees find they are unable to cope with the pressures of work and become overwhelmed. Add to this, the pressures of commuting and modern day living, the organisation may find that it is suffering with extended absenteeism putting pressure on already overstretched resources.

Every Council will have its own stress fingerprint and with an increased workload, high rising levels of stress can be exacerbated by feelings of job insecurity, prolonged uncertainty and threats of further spending cuts.

This can lead to:

• Low morale
• Loss of confidence
• Physical harm and injury
• Low staff retention
• High absenteeism
• Loss of talent

All of which will affect the bottom line and spirit of the organisation.

The Solution – Build a Healthy Workplace Culture

The solution is not rocket science and does not need to be a costly intervention. Many Councils will already have interventions in place such as an EAP counselling service, mental health first-aiders and health and wellbeing initiatives. However, these interventions will not work unless stress is identified at the frontline. The frontline is of course line Management, team leaders, supervisors and in fact all individuals who have responsibility for other employees.

They are the ones whose role it is to manage their teams, look out for early signs of stress, make time to talk to them and introduce whatever interventions might be needed to support them. An employee may have problems with childcare, flexible working, eldercare, role ambiguity, and the sooner the manager makes the time to talk to them about what they can do to help, the sooner the employee will get back to full performance and productivity.

That is why it is not rocket science!

Wellbeing Habits

Of course, it’s also important for e managers to appreciate that they can’t look after their team members if they don’t look after themselves. Leading by example and having good wellbeing habits in the workplace is key to reducing absenteeism and getting their teams to thrive. If a manager keeps their email on 24/7 and expects their employees to respond every time they write to them, they are setting a very poor example of good wellbeing habits and putting their employees under unnecessary pressure.

Managers are busy people. However, busy people are quite able to ignore their own signs of stress, become an adrenaline junkie and then find themselves on the road to burnout. It can happen to anyone at any time.

Imagine a vase that has been dropped and has been glued and put back together again. You may well be able to use it for artificial flower arrangements, but you will never be able to put water in it otherwise it will leak. It works the same for our bodies. Your body may break down and you might get back to some form of work again, but it will not be in the same capacity.

So, what are the signs of burnout?

• Feeling tired all the time
• Inability to concentrate
• Increased anxiety
• Anger management issues
• Lack of motivation
• Severe health issues
• Prolonged absenteeism
• Lack of care with appearance
• Overuse of alcohol, medication and recreational drugs

But it is important to remember that no two people are the same.

Walking-the-talk

The role of line managers in employee wellbeing is so vital as they are often the first port of call when an employee has a problem. With the right skillset in place, they will have the capability and confidence to tackle those sensitive conversations with an employee, intervene when they can, and signpost to other supportive interventions that may be required.

Managing people and being perceptive about their needs is key to a healthy workplace culture. Now I know Managers may tell me that they don’t have the time to listen to their teams or don’t have the skillset to do so and let us not forget that many managers are promoted into managerial positions because of their technical skills and not because of their people management skills. Accepting the promotion is easy and the realisation that they have to manage fifty people may not actually dawn on them until they are fully ensconced in the job.

If Managers don’t have the listening skills to communicate with their teams, it’s only a matter of getting trained. It is as simple as that. Leaders who support a listening skills culture will enjoy a more productive and profitable team. That is why we offer Senior Executive Masterclasses in active listening. If leaders know how to look after their people, they will look after their team objectives which will drive the bottom line.

What Next?

Managing stress takes practice and discipline. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone as there are so many different calls on your time – whether that be from home or from work. However, it is vital to make mental wellbeing an everyday habit and make sure you build personal and team resilience to manage the ‘21stcentury overwhelm culture’.

You may do little about the stress you’re having to manage at work – in some ways this could be out of your control. But what is inside your control is your resilience to manage it. Take time to learn what it will take to be more resilient, know how to switch off after work, and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

As a manager having the right attitude and mindset will carry you forward. Don’t be an invisible force around the office. Don’t be the Manager who says ‘my door is open’ but always has it closed! Walk the talk and engage with your staff.

Don’t forget that employees like to feel valued and appreciated. A hand-written thank you note will go a long way to increasing motivation and morale – and all for no extra money in the pay packet! It’s really that simple.

Turn a culture of ME into a culture of WE and put a healthy workplace culture, wellbeing and work-life balance, top of your agenda. If you’re unsure of how to develop a culture of wellbeing in the workplace, take a look at my most recent article which explains the benefits of wellbeing and ways to promote it. Don’t sweep stress-related issues under the carpet and think they will go away. Odds are they won’t!

Given how much time we spend at work and how much mental ill-health there is, it is really important that Managers engage, involve and inspire their people – and carry them with them!  They need to encourage a positive working environment where people will look forward to coming to work. A workplace where employees feel included and part of the way forward. The positive impact that this will have on employees will be enormous and the organisation will benefit from a happier, healthier, more engaged and productive team of employees.

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A Case Study

Bill James worked as an IT Specialist in a local City Council for over five years. He knew his boss was leaving and was waiting to hear who was going to take over from him. The CEO called him into her office and asked if he would like the post. More money, more recognition, more responsibility. He jumped at the chance. Three months into post, he realised that managing people was not his forte.  He was a left-brain person; happy with machines but not with people. At first, he didn’t like to admit this to himself but when things started to get out of hand, he went to HR and shared his concerns.  He was ‘not to worry and would learn on the job’. He never did. He stopped sleeping, was answering emails late at night, found himself irritable with his team members and lost the pleasure of going into work. He ignored all these signs until he started to get chest pains and his wife made an appointment for him to see the doctor. The doctor said that if he didn’t start to control his working life, he was on the road to burn out. The next three weeks he looked after himself, switched off from work completely, walked and ate well, and even learnt mindfulness. Bill was one of the lucky ones as he was able pull back from where he was. He went back to work and immediately went to HR where he insisted on some managerial training. 

First of all, he wanted some support in leading his team and immediately put himself onto a listening skills programme for Managers. He had people to manage and had received no training to do so.  He knew he had to recognise signs and symptoms of stress in his team early but did not have the skillset to do so.

His email was out of control, so he placed boundaries and limitations as to when he did and did not answer it. Before he would stop what he was doing every time an email popped up on his screen! He allowed himself to switch his phone off, so he was not available 24/7. He learnt how to close his office door at the end of an evening and switch off from work. 

A year into the post, Bill now heads up a successful team in the Council. There are of course still many challenges due to job security and threats of more cuts, but he feels in control of what he is doing.  He knows he is a role model to the rest of his team and every day he walks the talk and spends time communicating with his team, providing praise and recognition to his valued employees.

Carole Spiers

Carole is the CEO of a leading UK stress management and wellbeing consultancy. She is a BBC Guest-broadcaster and author of Show Stress Who’s Boss! Carole is an international Motivational Speaker and is regularly called upon by the national press and media for comment. She is Chair of the International Stress Management Association [UK], founder of Stress Awareness Day, Fellow and Past President of the Professional Speaking Association, London. www.carolespiers.co.uk