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Colorado Among Six States Aiming to Regulate AI

Artificial intelligence is helping decide which Americans get the job interview, the apartment, even medical care, but the first major proposals to reign in bias in AI decision-making are facing headwinds from every direction.

Lawmakers working on these bills, in states including Colorado, Connecticut and Texas, came together Thursday to argue the case for their proposals as civil rights-oriented groups and the industry play tug-of-war with core components of the legislation.

Organizations including labor unions and consumer advocacy groups are pulling for more transparency from companies and greater legal recourse for citizens to sue over AI discrimination. The industry is offering tentative support but digging in its heels over those accountability measures.

READ: Unveiling the Power and Pitfalls of Generative AI in The Modern Workplace

The bipartisan lawmakers caught in the middle — including those from Alaska, Georgia and Virginia — have been working on AI legislation together in the face of federal inaction. The goal of the press conference is to highlight their work across states and stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and compromise in this first step in regulation.

The lawmakers include Connecticut’s Democratic state Sen. James Maroney, Colorado’s Democratic Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez and Alaska’s Republican Sen. Shelley Hughes.

“At this point, we don’t have confidence in the federal government to pass anything quickly. And we do see there is a need for regulation,” said Maroney. “It’s important that industry advocates, government and academia work together to get the best possible regulations and legislation.”

The lawmakers argue the bills are a first step that can be built on going forward.

While over 400 AI-related bills are being debated this year in statehouses nationwide, most target one industry or just a piece of the technology — such as deepfakes used in elections or to make pornographic images.

The biggest bills this team of lawmakers has put forward offer a broad framework for oversight, particularly around one of the technology’s most perverse dilemmas: AI discrimination. Examples include an AI that failed to accurately assess Black medical patients and another that downgraded women’s resumes as it filtered job applications.

Still, up to 83% of employers use algorithms to help in hiring, according to estimates from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

If nothing is done, there will almost always be bias in these AI systems, explained Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a Brown University computer and data science professor who’s teaching a class on mitigating bias in the design of these algorithms.

“You have to do something explicit to not be biased in the first place,” he said.

These proposals, mainly in Colorado and Connecticut, are complex, but the core thrust is that companies would be required to perform “impact assessments” for certain AI systems. Those reports would include descriptions of how AI figures into a decision, the data collected and an analysis of the risks of discrimination, along with an explanation of the company’s safeguards.

The contention is mainly who gets to see those reports. Greater access to information on the AI systems, such as the impact assessments, means greater accountability and safety for the public. But companies worry it also raises the risk of lawsuits and the revelation of trade secrets.

Under bills in Colorado, Connecticut and California, the company wouldn’t have to routinely submit impact assessments to the government. The onus would also largely land on companies to disclose to the attorney general if they found discrimination — a government or independent organization wouldn’t be testing these AI systems for bias.

READ: How AI-Powered Content Production Will Transform Digital Creation in 2024

Labor unions and academics worry that over reliance on companies self-reporting imperils the public or government’s ability to catching AI discrimination before it’s done harm.

“It’s already hard when you have these huge companies with billions of dollars,” said Kjersten Forseth, who represents the Colorado’s AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions that opposes Colorado’s bill. “Essentially you are giving them an extra boot to push down on a worker or consumer.”

Tech companies say greater transparency will reveal trade secrets in a now hyper-competitive market. David Edmonson, of TechNet, a bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that lobbies on AI bills, said in a statement that the organization works with lawmakers to “ensure any legislation addresses AI’s risk while allowing innovation to flourish.”

READ: AI vs. Traditional — Which is the Best Approach in Recruitment

The California Chamber of Commerce opposes that state’s bill, concerned that impact assessments could be made public in litigation.

Another contentious component of the bills is who can file a lawsuit under the legislation, which the bills generally limit to state attorney generals and other public attorneys not citizens.

After a provision in California’s bill that allowed citizens to sue was stripped out, Workday, a finance and HR software company, endorsed the proposal. Workday argues that civil actions from citizens would leave the decisions up to judges, many of whom are not tech experts, and could result in inconsistent approach to regulation.

“We can’t stop AI from being woven into our daily lives, so obviously government has to step in at some point, but it also makes sense that the industry themselves wants a good environment to thrive,” said Chandler Morse, vice president of public policy and corporate affairs at Workday.

READ: AI in the Workplace — A Roadmap For HR Professionals

Sorelle Friedler, a professor who focuses on AI bias at Haverford College, pushes back.

“That’s generally how American society asserts our rights, is by suing,” said Friedler.

Sen. Maroney of Connecticut said there’s been pushback in articles that claim he and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Texas, have been “pedaling industry-written bills” despite all of the money being spent by the industry to lobby against the legislation.

Maroney pointed out one industry group, Consumer Technology Association, has taken out ads and built a website, urging lawmakers to defeat the legislation.

“I believe that we are on the right path. We’ve worked together with people from industry, from academia, from civil society,” he said.

“Everyone wants to feel safe, and we’re creating regulations that will allow for safe and trustworthy AI,” he added.

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Associated Press reporters Trân Nguyễn contributed from Sacramento, California, Becky Bohrer contributed from Anchorage, Alaska; Susan Haigh contributed from Connecticut.

 

Strapped for Success: The Importance of Corporate Team Building

In the fast-paced and competitive landscape of the corporate world, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration among team members is crucial for success. That has only gotten harder in a remote or hybrid landscape.

One effective way to achieve this integration is through well-planned corporate team-building events. These beneficial opportunities extend interactions beyond the traditional notion of office meetings and deadlines, providing an arena for employees to connect on a personal level, build trust, and enhance their collective effectiveness.

READ: Beyond Icebreakers — 5 Team Building Activities You’ll Actually Enjoy

The team here at ColoradoBiz recently took a break after our Winter issue to take aim at next year; what to plan and prepare for but also how to adjust our sights and how to improve the product we love to produce. In this article, using our own example of a trip to the Centennial Gun Club in Centennial, Colorado, we explore the significance of corporate team-building events and how they contribute to a positive work environment and improved organizational performance.

The Centennial Gun Club experience was also educational as we learned about a new business we hadn’t yet discovered (forgive us, there are more than 70,000 retail establishments in Colorado alone.) The gun club boasts a training simulator creating real-life scenarios for gun-carrying Coloradans, a bank-like vault for storage of rifles and pistols, and the Statesman Room, a private club/lounge area for its highest level of membership. Picture a golf country club but for firearm enthusiasts. And not to worry if it’s been a while since you’ve fired a round or two, they offer quickstart training sessions to get you up to speed again before shooting, and at least one Range Safety Officer is onsite at all times ready to help and answer questions.

And while our trip to this unique and incredible establishment was both fun and educational, it’s the benefits we walked away with that we’ll value most.

Building stronger connections

Corporate team-building events offer a break from the routine work environment, allowing staff to interact in a more relaxed setting. Whether it’s a day of outdoor activities, a themed workshop, or a team-building retreat, these events create an atmosphere where individuals can get to know each other beyond their professional roles. Stronger personal connections lead to improved communication and collaboration within the workplace.

READ: Don’t be an “Average” Company — The Power of Prioritizing Team Happiness

Enhancing communication skills

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful team. Team building events often include activities that require participants to communicate and collaborate to achieve a common goal. These experiences help employees develop better communication skills, learn to listen actively and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Improved communication translates to more efficient and productive teamwork in the office.

Building trust and camaraderie

Trust is a vital component of a high-functioning team. Team building events provide opportunities for employees to build trust by engaging in activities that require cooperation and reliance on one another. Trust fosters a positive work environment, where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, taking risks, and supporting each other in the pursuit of common goals.

READ: Strategies for a Healthier, Happier Workplace

Boosting morale and motivation

Corporate team-building events serve as a morale booster for employees. Taking a break from the daily grind to participate in enjoyable and engaging activities can re-energize the team. When employees feel appreciated and valued, their motivation increases, leading to improved performance and a more positive workplace culture.

Identifying and utilizing strengths

Team-building activities often highlight individual strengths and talents within a team. Recognizing and leveraging these strengths can lead to a more effective distribution of tasks and responsibilities within the workplace. Understanding the unique contributions of each team member allows for better collaboration and a more strategic approach to achieving organizational goals.

Creating a positive workplace culture

The impact of team-building events extends beyond the duration of the activities. It contributes to the creation of a positive workplace culture where employees feel supported, valued, and connected. A positive culture enhances employee satisfaction, reduces turnover, and attracts top talent to the organization.

READ: Navigating the New Era of Employee Engagement — Everything You Need to Know

The bottom line

As we found at Centennial Gun Club, corporate team-building events play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of unity, trust, and collaboration among employees. By investing in these activities, organizations not only enhance the personal connections between team members but also contribute to a positive workplace culture that ultimately leads to improved organizational performance and success. In a world where teamwork is the key to success, corporate team-building events are an investment that pays dividends in the form of a motivated, engaged, and high-performing workforce.

 

Jon Haubert Hb Legacy Media Co 2Jon Haubert is the publisher of ColoradoBiz magazine. Email him at [email protected].

The Power of Professionalism: Why Company Uniforms Matter

There are so many aspects of running a business, so many big calls to make and decisions to weigh up. Well, one of the decisions that any business owner might like to consider is whether or not to have company uniforms. 

Are uniforms needed? Can they have a positive or negative impact in the workplace? And what are some of the key factors to consider if you do decide to go ahead with company uniforms? This guide will aim to answer all of those key questions.

READ: How to Craft an Ideal Employee Experience Strategy — 6 Easy Steps

Importance of company uniforms in business

So, how much do uniforms really matter in the world of business? Well, more than you might think! A huge number of businesses elect to have their own company uniforms, and uniforms are mandatory in many industries, from hospitality to healthcare.

The history of workplace uniforms also goes back through the ages, with simple uniforms, badges and accessories first introduced many centuries ago to make it easier for workers to prove their legitimacy and authority.

Those same benefits are still valid today, and modern-day company uniforms can also offer a range of additional advantages. Here are just some of the benefits that business uniforms may provide:

Establishing an image of professionalism

First and foremost, a uniform is a symbol of professionalism. Picture yourself in a working environment, faced with two workers. One is wearing a professional uniform, bearing some sort of brand slogan, logo or color scheme and fitting in seamlessly with their colleagues. The other is wearing a simple everyday outfit of casual wear. Which seems more professional?

Naturally, we inherently tend to associate professionalism with the person in uniform. Just like in those bygone days, when badges were used to prove legitimacy, modern company uniforms are a visual symbol that a person can be trusted in their role.

READ: Unlocking Brand Loyalty — Enhancing Customer Experience in the Digital Age

Easy to identify staff

Another very simple but still significant benefit of wearing company uniforms is that it makes it easy to spot staff quickly and tell them apart from customers, clients or the general public. This may not always be relevant in all industries, but can be absolutely crucial in certain fields, like the worlds of retail, tourism, restaurants, and hospitality, for example.

Picture a typical retail store. A customer enters and wants to find a member of staff to ask them for a product recommendation. If every staff member simply wears casual clothes or their own outfits, the customer will quickly feel lost and confused. One of the big advantages of uniform branding is that customers can easily spot staff members and ask for help. 

Logo and color representation

Branding is more important than ever before, and many companies work hard to establish a clear identity or persona for their brand. This goes right down to the company logo and colors. From Amazon to McDonald’s, the one thing that the world’s most famous companies have in common is clear and successful visual branding, with logos and colors everyone knows.

Well, company uniforms have a part to play in all of that, too. Let’s say that a new retail store chain is trying to boost brand awareness, for example. The store has a black and green logo, and wants to spread it around. Well, adding that logo to some graphic tees for workers, and making their outfits black and green in color, is a very effective way to start.

READ: How to Utilize Color Psychology to Boost Your Digital Marketing Efforts

Improving customer trust and confidence

Ultimately, the main goals of any business are to inspire customer trust, get people to invest their time and money in your brand and choose your company over all the other options that are available. Once again, working uniforms can have a big part to play in that. 

We talked earlier about howcompany  uniforms can boost professionalism, and that doesn’t just apply to the individual in uniform. It applies to the whole business. When people see businesses where the workers are all dressed up neatly and in sync with one another, they tend to feel that those businesses are more professional and thereby more trustworthy than others.

Employee comfort and safety

Of course, when picking out company uniforms, it’s important to keep employee comfort and safety in mind. Here are a few key tips and factors to focus on:

Choosing appropriate fabrics and designs

It’s vital to choose fabrics and designs that are appropriate for your specific working environment. Restaurant workers, for instance, need outfits that allow them to move around comfortably and freely, while still being professional. Those working outdoors need outfits that can keep them warm and comfortable, even in bad weather.

Consideration for different roles

You also need to think about how outfits apply to different roles and responsibilities. Those in more junior-level positions could wear simpler and more casual outfits, while those in higher positions of responsibility may require more professional uniform choices.

Compliance with safety regulations

Finally, depending on the industry you’re operating in, you also need to make sure that whatever uniforms you use comply with all relevant safety rules. This is especially relevant for businesses that may be in fields with strict safety standards, like healthcare or food and drink.

 

Frank Derby is a Las Vegas-based PR and communications expert working with GoldenMFG. With a background in traditional marketing, Frank covers everything you need to know about offline promotions, PR, trade shows, and more. His passion now translates into articles where he shares his expertise, experience, and just random thoughts.

Navigating the Post-Pandemic Workplace: Struggles, Solutions and the Return to Office Culture

Over the last three years, many companies did what they deemed necessary to keep their employees happy in the face of a high unemployment rate, low labor participation rate and high inflation.  

They surveyed employees on their willingness to return to the office, and for how many days, with or without a dedicated seat. Some performed space planning, and even started to negotiate deal terms based on these plans. All this, ultimately, to find that their employees either didn’t want to share a seat or all wanted to be in on the same days — resulting in a need for just as much space, if not more. As such, the overarching trend of today is that of a slow revival of pre-pandemic office layouts, with the addition of more conferencing. 

READ: How To Balance Supporting Your Remote Workers and In-office Employees

Remote work is straining employees and company culture

Time and more accurate data collection have provided a better understanding of the implications of remote work. Chief among these are hindered communication, higher attrition and stifled career development. Employee attrition is approximately 79% higher for remote employers versus hybrid employers, and approximately 51% higher for remote employers versus office-centric employers, according to LinkedIn Talent Insights. 

In-person presence is indispensable when it comes to building company culture and curating mentorship — especially for certain subsets of employees. A working study by economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Iowa, and Harvard University has dubbed this phenomenon “the power of proximity,” noting its particular importance for younger employees. Additionally, the researchers found that in-person benefits only apply when the entire team is present — even one remote teammate can result in decreased collaboration between remaining employees.

Productivity and culture become incredibly important when times are tough, and businesses need to dig deeper to solve problems. Companies are putting themselves at serious risk when employees are disconnected and trust erodes. 

READ: How to Prevent Loud Quitting — Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement and Culture Fit

Expected real estate savings are not being realized 

Expected real estate savings from overall portfolio downsizing are not being realized by the large majority of companies. Many employers are paying more per square foot for higher quality space or investing in additional amenities to improve employee experience.

This, combined with heightened turnover from remote work, is driving increased expenses. Economic constraints are also in play, with interest rates top of mind for many corporate office users and investors alike. Historically low leasing activity and significant sublease space on the market are further fueling risk aversion among lenders and building owners.

Given the influx in vacant space, most tenants would think this is a great time to strike a deal. However, in many cases the concessions or upfront capital contributions from landlords are becoming increasingly constrained. Construction costs are still elevated at a time when many tenants are looking to rework their layout, and security deposits are being heavily scrutinized as owners and lenders focus on credit quality. These factors are causing companies to revisit existing space conditions, leading to a higher usage of the pre-pandemic buildout.

READ: How Do Interest Rates Impact Real Estate Investing? 

Pre-pandemic policies are seeing a revival

Between lackluster retention, collaborative dysfunction and minimal real estate savings, office users are shifting away from pandemic-era work policies and returning to a more traditional model. Last year saw a 13.4% drop in the share of businesses operating hybrid models, with the financial sector experiencing an even more dramatic decrease, from 44.9% to 22%.

Remote work will persist for some organizations. Companies with less-specialized workforces and easily measured productivity standards, such as call centers or late-cycle mid-cap tech companies, continue to show a higher propensity for remote work, albeit a shrinking share.

And a return to the office and pre-pandemic policies doesn’t mean employees aren’t seeing change. Employers are investing in more collaboration areas and new technologies to ensure a superior employee in-office experience. 

The next step for companies

Companies have put in a great deal of time and effort over the last three years to accommodate massive societal changes to the workforce. Going forward, they should not let time be their enemy in considering a revival of the historic office approach. 

Companies should also be transparent in their intentions, fostering predictability at a time when very little exists. Communication builds trust and strengthens employees’ understanding of how the office serves them and their work. 

READ: Managing a Remote Work Team with Communication and Ease

Part of this means becoming more comfortable enforcing stricter return-to-office policies. Sixty-five percent of companies surveyed in CBRE’s Spring Occupier Survey reported requiring some degree of in-office work, but only 57% are tracking attendance. This lack of enforcement discredits the policy and breeds distrust among employees. 

Finally, people are the most important amenities to any space. It should be reinforced to employees that they are respected and valued, and that their physical presence in the office makes a difference. 

 

Anthony Albanese 2021 Anthony Albanese and Nicholas Weld specialize in office occupier representation at commercial real estate services firm CBRE in Denver. They lead a team of specialists focused on Downtown, Southeast, Northwest, and Boulder, as well as industry verticals. The team takes a consultative approach that is tailored to each client to make informed decisions and creatively problem-solve. By leveraging CBRE’s global real estate technology and platform, theyhelp clients visualize the impacts of their real estate decisions through customized service offerings, such as location analysis; lease negotiation; global portfolio management; workplace strategy; financial modeling; lease versus own analysis; project management; and labor incentives, among others.

 

 

 

Weld Nicholas 375x500

Navigating the New Era of Employee Engagement — Everything You Need to Know

Employee engagement is always important to keep a business running smoothly and successfully. In the time of The Great Resignation and “quiet quitting,” leaders must get creative. More attention must be paid to employee needs from pay to overall quality of life.

READ: 6 Ways to Find New Employees During the “Great Resignation”

Workplace health

Your job can impact your mental health and physical well-being. Employees are increasingly taking notice of how they feel at a job and factoring burnout and lack of support into their decisions to work elsewhere. The health of employees is vital from an ethical standpoint but also in order to preserve efficiency and productivity. If your staff is hurting, physically or emotionally, so will your bottom line.

Employee burnout results from putting too much pressure on employees and not providing enough engaging activities. Leaders should focus on integrating staff into the workplace culture and putting their health first. Productivity will follow inherently. For example, Colorado tech company, SumUp, emphasizes team events and has seen a shift in overall business success from doing so.

More employees work from home now than ever. In fact, Denver has the 12th largest remote workforce in the nation, when considering cities with 300,000 people or more. The number of people who work from home in Colorado jumped from 9% to 24% remote employees from 2019 to 2021. This is a massive change, and leaders should be aware of how this impacts employee health and engagement. 

For instance, working from home can exacerbate chronic pain from spending long hours at less-than-comfortable desks. Providing ergonomic home office accessories can help your employees live a healthier lifestyle while still being able to work remotely. This could include standing desks, ergonomic office chairs, or even blue light glasses that prevent eye strain. 

READ: Managing a Remote Work Team with Communication and Ease

Along the same vein, team events may need to be remote, but they should be plentiful, optional and engaging. Employees should want to come to work every day. Otherwise, they simply won’t — whether that’s physically or mentally.

Increased flexibility and transparency

When it’s tougher to get employees to “show up,” leaders have a responsibility to incentivize them to do so. Put your focus on the quality of life at work to inspire confidence in your company and workforce. One of the best ways to increase employee satisfaction and engagement is to trust them — and to encourage them to trust you.

Giving employees the autonomy to choose when and how they work can do wonders for your engagement rate. Adopt a more flexible schedule and don’t micromanage employees by tracking their every keystroke. You’ll be surprised how a little wiggle room encourages them to work more often and efficiently. And when they do, recognize their efforts companywide. 

Perhaps more importantly, treat employees as part of the team. This may seem obvious, but people value transparency in the workplace. Rather than being blindsided by layoffs or company policy changes, keep your workforce in the loop as much as possible. Some things are on a need-to-know basis, but be as transparent as you can as quickly as you can, and employees will respond positively.

Fair wages and benefits

This new wave of employees also expects to be rewarded fairly for their hard work. Only 32% of the current workforce believe their pay is fair. You can stand out from the competition by adhering to these expectations.

Pay staff as much as you can, because they are likely to shop around for a better offer somewhere else if they feel under-compensated. The internet has provided job seekers — and current employees — the opportunity to see how other employees are being paid within their industry. Make sure to offer as much as you can to show staff that you value their time and expertise.

This also includes benefits. Ping-pong tables and nap pods may look inviting when recruiting initially. However, long-term employees value tangible, useful benefits at the end of the day. Think about your unique workforce and what would benefit them the most. That can include stellar health insurance, a free gym membership or even flexible maternity and paternity leave policies.

READ: 5 Tips for Building a Strong Company Culture in a Hybrid Work Environment

Putting employees first

Above all, put your employees first. This seems cliche, but it takes a strong head and a big heart to lead in this new era of employee engagement. Ask for feedback, optimize your engagement strategies and constantly communicate in order to meet the unique needs of your staff. Your bottom line and engagement rates will thank you.

 

Indiana Lee Bio PictureIndiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

How Brands Can Grow Customer Loyalty and Build a Positive Reputation in 2023

Growing customer loyalty is more important than ever these days. Consumers are feeling twice as pessimistic about the economy, and they are being extremely careful when making decisions to spend their money. For this reason, it is vital that brands do everything they can to stand out from the competition.

Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and continue doing business with a brand, which can be a significant source of revenue over time. Proving to consumers that they can trust your brand is a solid way to remain a top choice for your target audience, as brand trust is an essential factor in consumer decision-making. If trust is lost, customers are less likely to give you the benefit of the doubt and more likely to be critical — and in our digital world, a critical perspective can be shared wide and far with just a few clicks. By providing excellent products or services and creating positive customer experiences, brands can foster loyalty and reap the benefits of a loyal customer base.

READ: 5 Tips for Overcoming Customer Service Obstacles as a Small Business

Keys to earning trust and growing customer loyalty

To encourage consumers to commit to your product or service, your brand must be trustworthy. When customers do not trust a brand, they will start looking for other brands that demonstrate the authenticity they are seeking.

To gain the trust of consumers, brands must be transparent, open and honest with their audience. Creating ways to engage with your customers is a great way to show full transparency. For example, you can invite customers and followers along for an exclusive virtual tour via your social media platforms or invite them to shadow your company’s CEO for a “day in the life.”  

Consistency is another key to growing customer loyalty. Consumer confidence increases when consistent results are produced, therefore it is critical to ensure that customers recognize the delivery of the promises your brand is making. This requires proactively shaping your key messages and communications throughout the customer journey. Never promise what you can’t deliver.

To grow the trust and loyalty of both new and existing customers, the goal should be to provide the best possible experience from the moment they first visit your website or enter your place of business to after their purchase has been made.

While some capture brand intent in their advertising, many ignore it in delivering customer service — and helping customers step by step along their journey shows them that you truly care about them. Sharing case studies is an effective way to gain consumer trust as they highlight how your brand has helped others succeed or solve a problem. 

Building a positive brand reputation

A solid brand stays true to its identity. During periods of rapid growth, it can be hard to keep a brand consistent, but even when adapting to change, the main focus should always be on the brand’s core values. Commitment to your brand’s mission and values will help control consumers’ perception of your company across all channels. Whether it’s your website, advertisements, marketing materials or social media platforms — all channels should offer a unified look and voice. Brands that stay true to their identity foster stronger customer relationships and ultimately drive consistent long-term sales. 

READ: From Clicks to Conversions — How to Craft an Effective Online Advertising Strategy

Another way to elevate your brand reputation is through thought leadership. Thought leadership opportunities provide access to educate existing and new customers by sharing information on different outlets that is relevant to their interests and unique to your brand.

Thought leadership content can live permanently on your website and can also be leveraged in your email marketing, lead generation campaigns or throughout other parts of your customer’s journey. When considering thought leadership opportunities, remember that your unique insights are not limited to your products or services. Company values, growth strategies and more can all be leveraged to create impactful thought leadership. As an added bonus, off-site thought leadership content that includes backlinks to your website also improves your overall SEO ranking potential.

For a brand to be authentic and effective externally, it must also be authentic and effective internally. Leaders must bring the brand’s promise to life internally through their company values and then create the alignment needed to effectively manage external promises as well. When brands create a culture where living the values is part of the job, employees will become their greatest advocates. Customer experiences will also improve when they witness your employees living your culture, as those customers will become great advocates for your brand as well. 

Building customer trust is relationship building — the same as any relationship, it takes time and effort to establish trust. Once that trust is established, brands must make an ongoing commitment to invest in their customers. Investing in customers is a smart strategy for brands that want to build a sustainable business and succeed in the long term.

By prioritizing customer needs and creating positive experiences, brands can foster loyalty, generate positive word-of-mouth marketing, differentiate from competitors, increase revenue and improve their reputations.

 

Christena GardunoChristena Garduno (www.mediaculture.com) is chief executive officer of Media Culture, a multichannel brand response media agency that drives growth for global clients with innovative and performance-driven media campaigns. Christena spent her career building the company from the ground up, leading with forward-thinking vision for the agency. With her dedication to leadership and excellence, she has led the agency through expedited growth, continuing to navigate the rapidly changing industry and pilot the path to unwavering success.

The Best Modern HR Strategies: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities

In recent years, HR strategies have drastically changed. From compliance regulations, COVID-19 and the shift toward remote work — as well as an increased focus on the employee experience — HR departments have been forced to constantly evolve. As the state of HR’s complexity increases, there are ways HR leaders can turn these challenges into opportunities.

READ: Veteran Unemployment — Untapped Workplace Resources

Workplace landscape 

One of the biggest changes the HR industry is dealing with today is adapting to the rapidly changing landscape of the workplace. The pandemic accelerated the movement toward remote work, and HR professionals have been tasked with managing a workforce that functions across different locations and time zones. This has required leaders to revise their HR strategies, putting additional emphasis on employee engagement, productivity and performance, while ensuring compliance in all municipalities and states.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been on the rise and it has the potential to quickly change HR, recruiting and many other jobs across the board. While AI already has made a substantial impact on the HR profession by lightening the load of some administrative tasks, such as job descriptions and handbooks, it cannot replace the human aspects of positions, such as strategy and creativity.

HR professionals will be at the forefront of balancing the use of AI as a tool through policies and guidelines, for their own departments and overall organizations, but also, they will need to ensure human creativity and ingenuity is not lost with machine learning.

READ: Exploring the Potential of AI Bots in HR

Compliance

The constant in the HR industry over the past three years has been change, and it does not show signs of stopping.

Agile HR teams have managed fluctuating regulations and compliance requirements throughout the pandemic. Now, the federal and state employment laws and regulations, as well as changes to healthcare policies, benefits and workplace safety, continue to change.

Municipalities are passing pay transparency laws, companies with employees across the country must be compliant with each regulation and overtime requirements are constantly in flux. Staying informed on these ever-changing regulations can be a time-consuming and complex task but it is essential for HR professionals to keep businesses compliant. 

Labor

There is a juxtaposition among key verticals. Industries that experienced exponential growth during the pandemic, such as the tech industry, are downsizing their workforce. However, other industries are still experiencing a labor shortage. HR professionals today are working with the C-suite to either determine layoff alternatives or develop strategies to find candidates with alternative credentials to fill growing needs. Recruitment and retention strategies are top of mind for HR strategists today who want to keep employees happy who either remain with an organization post-layoff or within organizations that continue to struggle to find viable new hires. 

READ: How Colorado Can Make “The Great Reset” a Reality for a Disrupted Talent Pipeline

Opportunities for success

Despite these challenges, there are several opportunities for success.

First and foremost, HR professionals must continue to be adaptable and willing to embrace change. What holds true in HR today is prioritizing the employee experience and maximizing its power to create a positive work culture. Leaders should consider developing initiatives that target flexible work policies and procedures, wellness programs, career development and new strategies for communication and collaboration across different time zones. These efforts can result in a more engaged and satisfied workforce, which increases retention, but it also positively impacts the organization’s bottom line.

The bottom line

HR departments are the backbone of every organization. The current state of HR will continue to be dynamic and evolve as businesses adapt to numerous economic, social and technological trends. What is paramount for HR professionals is staying abreast of these changes and being strategic in the guidance they provide leadership. This guidance will help the business take care of its people, who are critical to its success. 

 

Niki JorgensenNiki Jorgensen is a director of service operations for Insperity, a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions. For more information about Insperity, call 800-465-3800 or visit www.insperity.com.

5 Tips for Overcoming Customer Service Obstacles as a Small Business

If people love small businesses for one thing, it’s their customer service. Small companies tend to take customer issues to heart and do everything they can to resolve them. That said, small businesses face quite a few challenges to overcoming customer service obstacles, whether due to a lack of financial resources, employees, or general bandwidth. Fortunately, there’s always a way to get through obstacles. Here’s how to overcome five common customer service obstacles as a small business.

READ — The Top 5 Ways You Can Support Mental Health in the Workplace

Keep Track of Customer Data and Use It Appropriately

Personalization is vital in business. Customers mainly want an experience tailored to who they are and what they need. They want to feel like a company knows them and genuinely cares.

Personalization is critical in customer service too. You don’t want your customers to have to repeat the same dialogue to your chatbot, to a general customer service person, and then again to the manager all to get one issue solved.

A personalized customer experience isn’t possible without keeping track of customer data. The problem lies, however, in collecting and using data ethically for personalization without crossing any customer privacy boundaries.

Find the sweet spot in the ethical collection of customer data to ensure customer service interactions and the overall customer experience are personalized but not intrusive to customers’ sense of privacy. Be transparent about what you’re doing and give your customers control over how their data is collected and used. Customer data is critical for cohesive, trustworthy customer service exchanges and the best experience with your brand.

Have a Plan for Ending a Customer Relationship

Unfortunately, there will come a time when you have to refuse service to a customer or end a relationship entirely. In this regard, a small business owner’s misstep is moving forward in an unprofessional manner or even an illegal one.

First, it’s essential to know the legality of refusing service to a customer. There are laws that protect customers from unlawful discrimination. For example, you can refuse service to a disruptive, racist customer, but you cannot refuse service based on someone’s race or ethnic group.

Second, if you’re going to end a customer relationship, do so in a professional manner. For instance, don’t just stop responding to a customer and let that signify the end of the relationship. Instead, send a detailed email to your customer explaining why you’re ending the relationship and give them the option to call you if they have questions. At the very least, give them an opportunity to respond to the email and get clarification.

If you have to end a customer relationship, that’s okay. Just be sure you’re doing it with professionalism at the forefront of the interaction.

READ — Independent Investigations and Decision-making Can Help Employers Avoid Liability

Extend Your Customer Service to Social Media

The landscape of customer service has changed along with societal norms, moving customer interactions over to more digital, text-based platforms. In fact, 64% of consumers would rather use social media messaging to solicit customer service from a company than call them.

Businesses still overlook customer service on social media even with a statistic like this. They fail to respond to customers. For example, 45% of businesses take longer than five days to respond to customer inquiries over Facebook Messenger. Some might even make the more significant mistake of deleting negative comments and direct messages.

Don’t ignore the complaints, questions, and issues your customers bring forth on social media. Instead, answer every direct message and comment related to customer service right there on your platforms. If you need to take the conversation to a private channel to get a resolution, do so.

Don’t limit your use of social media to marketing-related activities. Use it to boost your customer service as well.

READ — How To Organically Grow Your Company’s Social Media Presence

Rely on Technology

One of the biggest customer service hurdles for small businesses is getting away from doing everything manually. From answering every email to handling the phones to managing returns and exchanges to answering every question a customer has, doing it all on your own can be exhausting and challenging to sustain.

That’s why it’s essential to lean on technology to optimize processes. Introducing the right tech tools to help you with customer service tasks can free your team up to focus on customer service interactions that need that human touch.

Consider using chatbots on your website to handle customer service requests when you’re team is off for the day. Create a knowledge base for your customers. Use automation tools to manage repetitive tasks like email responses or printing return labels. Lean on a solid customer relationship management (CRM) system too. Rely on technology so that your customers can fully rely on you.

Train Your Staff

Assuming that your staff knows what customer service is and looks like is a huge mistake. People have different perceptions of customer service. In addition, your business and its customers are unique. So, you may need to do things to serve them well that other companies may not have to.

Hiring quality candidates is crucial, but it’s even more important to train them. This is so everyone is on the same page when it comes to customer service.

Show them what an exceptional customer service experience looks like. Train them on how to best handle unruly customers. And ingrain your company culture, policies, and customer service processes in them.

Your customers can enjoy a consistent experience when your staff is adequately trained on what overcoming customer service obstacles look like in your business.

The Bottom Line

Nurturing your customer relationships is integral to your small business’s success. And a massive part of ensuring those relationships are top-tier is providing exceptional customer service.

Whether through small business books, courses, mentors, or another source, continue to educate yourself on overcoming customer service obstacles and common hurdles in order to to provide the best experience for your customers.

 

Indiana Lee Bio PictureIndiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Want to Set your Business Apart From the Rest? Consider Apprenticeship

One of the most difficult challenges businesses face today is the lack of available and skilled workers to fill roles in key — sometimes even essential — industries. Through “The Great Resignation” and beyond, businesses of all sizes and in all industries have had to get creative about how they are finding employees; the traditional means of posting a job online and getting an influx of applicants is no longer effective for most businesses. Enter apprenticeship.

READ — How to Successfully Recruit Talent Today

While apprenticeships are not a new tactic, they are experiencing a resurgence of sorts. Apprentices earn a wage while getting hands-on experience in a specific position, learning on the job and in a classroom, in what we call “earning and learning.” As a bonus, apprentices have a mentor on the job to support and guide them.

Emily Griffith Technical College, based in Denver, has been working with businesses to offer apprenticeship programs since the College’s inception 106 years ago. The school works with businesses around the state to build and provide education for apprenticeships that fill employer workforce pipelines and meet industry needs. Apprenticeship is a proven pathway to help recruit, train and retain employees at a company.

Apprenticeships used to be solely thought of in conjunction with trade positions, like in the plumbing, construction or electrical fields. Today, apprenticeships can be used in any type of professional job. For example, businesses that need accountants, web designers, project managers, office managers and many others are developing apprenticeships to fill key roles and their employee pipeline.

Because apprenticeships fill a specific business need, they are employer-driven. Businesses identify a gap in their workforce and can partner with a technical college, like Emily Griffith, to create an apprenticeship program. Emily Griffith-sponsored programs are U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL)-approved Registered Apprenticeship Programs. The State of Colorado works with the USDOL to provide important infrastructure and support to apprenticeship programs and apprentices.

In an apprenticeship, the employer determines all aspects of the program including what the apprentice will learn and what they will be proficient in at the end of the program. The employer also identifies the educational components needed to fulfill the program, although Emily Griffith often works with employers to determine content. At the end of the apprenticeship, the apprentice earns a certificate from the Department of Labor showcasing completion, as well as other industry-recognized credentials incorporated into the program.

Technical colleges sometimes get the proverbial “cold shoulder” when compared to a two- or four-year college. But keep in mind that the goal of a technical college is to get people through a given program and on to their career in a shorter span than a two- or four-year college. Some apprenticeship programs take just one year to complete.

On the educational side, Emily Griffith helps students develop skills, at entry level or above, for the specific industry where they are placed. This alone is a key component to help fill employee pipelines. Many businesses can’t wait two or four years for someone to learn a skill and graduate, and even then, the person may not have any real-world experience. Emily Griffith apprentices are working consistently, as they progress through their program, and graduating in a shorter time span, ready to enter the workforce with the skills the industry needs.

Not only does apprenticeship help businesses gain new employees, but it is a substantial, under-the-radar way for employers to enhance their company culture. Apprenticeship gets new people in the door at the company, and shows that the company is dedicated to investing in their employees by providing educational and on-the-job mentoring.

READ —Building a Company Culture of Care

So how can a business set up an apprenticeship program? If you are struggling to hire the right people for your company, consider apprenticeship. Working as a team, we can set up a program in just three months, getting new people into your company shortly after.

Apprenticeships are the perfect way for businesses and industries of all kinds to train and hire new employees during a time when hiring continues to be a challenge. Consider creating an apprenticeship program to help fill gaps in your own business and you’ll surely experience the rewards of doing so.

 

Kelsey GlassKelsey Glass is the Dean of Apprenticeship at Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver, Colo. She creates sustainable pipelines to help people be successful, working directly with industries to see where there are growth opportunities and where there is a supply/demand gap that Emily Griffith can help fulfill.

How To Balance Supporting Your Remote Workers and In-office Employees

Remote workers have been on the rise for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused this new model to skyrocket across the country. Now, as we enter a post-pandemic society, many employers have started to recognize the benefits of keeping some employees in a remote setting.

However, there will always be some positions that require people to come into the office. This has led many offices to adopt a hybrid work environment that fits everyone’s needs. There are plenty of benefits to this model. Productivity in remote workers is often increased due to flexibility and a better work-life balance. Your business can save money on overhead costs, and thanks to technology, there are multiple ways for people to collaborate whether employees are at home or in the office.

There can be some challenges, however, when it comes to striking a support balance. Every employee deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported whether they’re working from home or coming into the office each day. So, how can you strike that balance with your remote and in-office employees?

READ — Guest Column: CEO of Atlas Real Estate — Is Working Remote Worth the Missed Opportunity?

Build a better company culture

It’s easy to think of ways to improve company culture in an in-person setting, but it might not be so clear-cut in a hybrid environment. It’s not fair to your remote workers if you focus on building a positive in-office environment if you’re not going to promote that same culture for those who work from home.

Some of the easiest ways to build a strong, hybrid company culture for everyone include establishing and sticking to a few core values, measuring productivity instead of working hours, and encouraging breaks and adequate time off.

There are also plenty of practices you can put in place to make your remote workers feel more included in the overall company environment, including:

One of the best things you can do to help your remote team feel more included in office culture is to open up communication as often as possible and be completely transparent. These ideas can help you get started and can almost instantly boost your employees’ involvement.

Communicate directly and often

Speaking of frequent communication, it shouldn’t strictly exist between your in-office and remote employees. While establishing teams between the two is always a good idea, it’s up to you to foster consistent communication and show daily support to your remote team.

READ — Managing a remote work team with communication and ease

It’s often easier to communicate with your employees working within the office. Something as simple as a quick “hello” can let them know they’re seen and valued. It can be more of a challenge to connect regularly with your remote workers, but it’s not impossible.

Try things like organizing virtual activities and happy hours, setting up weekly conference calls or video chats, and celebrating their successes as often as possible. One of the risks remote workers face while staying at home all day is feeling isolated and lonely. You can combat that by checking in regularly and acknowledging their hard work and commitment. If you see that some of your employees are struggling (especially those working from home), don’t be afraid to encourage professional help. Acknowledging that struggle can make a big difference, and could give your workers the boost they need to reach out for more support.

Support mental health

More employers are starting to recognize the importance of mental health initiatives in the workplace. Remote work, in general, has been shown to boost the mental well-being of employees. If your office is on the fence about allowing some employees to work from home, their mental wellness is an important thing to take into consideration. For starters, many of your employees would likely benefit from losing the mental and physical strain of a daily commute. Some of the other mental health benefits of remote work include:

  • Reduced stress
  • Fewer distractions
  • Better focus
  • Less pressure

While it’s still important to offer your support to your remote workers who might be struggling with their mental well-being, your in-office workers might need a little more attention when it comes to mental health issues. You can promote a mentally healthy office culture by encouraging breaks and letting your employees spend some time outside each day. Stock up on healthy snacks that boost people’s mood and energy levels. Book in-office yoga classes on a Friday afternoon. These simple additions can go a long way in showing your employees how much you support them and value their well-being.

Finding a balance of support for your remote and in-office employees doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Use technology to your advantage to stay connected with everyone, and remain as open and transparent as possible. By showing up for all of your employees and establishing a culture of care, you’ll create a hybrid work environment that allows your business to grow and your employees to stay healthy and happy.

 

Indiana Lee Bio PictureIndiana Lee is a writer, reader, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast from the Pacific Northwest. An expert on business operations, leadership, marketing, and lifestyle, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.