Horizon Point Consulting

Author: Taylor Simmons

  • Baby Boomers are Retiring – How do we fill their shoes?

    Baby Boomers are Retiring – How do we fill their shoes?

    This month, we’ve been talking about What’s Impacting the Labor Force Participation Rate.  Last week, Lorrie shared how the Benefits Cliff impacted the participation in When Working Costs Too Much. Another significant factor in this equation is Baby Boomers exiting the workforce. Let’s dive a little deeper.

    Baby Boomers account for 1 in 4 American workers. As they are exiting in droves, their absence will lead to an even wider workforce gap as companies will need to fill positions made available after the Boomers retire. Check out this article from The Washington Post to learn more: The boomers are retiring. See why that’s bad news for workers.

    Who will fill the gap? Here are 3 possible solutions:

    1. Mentorship –  Baby Boomers have a wealth of knowledge to pass along. One promising option to help with the transition is the creation of a baby boomer knowledge transfer and replacement program that focuses on senior employees transferring their knowledge before they retire.
    2. Remote workers – If given the opportunity, Baby Boomers as well as other generations who are willing to work remotely, possibly part-time, may also be a solution in some industries.
    3. Immigrant workers – Foreign workers are already filling the gap in STEM fields. According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. workforce increased to 28.2 million foreign-born workers. There are several other fields where immigrant workers can help fill the gap.

    Stay tuned for more solutions to the Labor Participation Rate issue!

  • Application Process 2023

    Application Process 2023

    Should you Change your Application Process to make it easier for Candidates?

    A couple of years ago, we worked with a client who was having difficulty filling positions. They were using all the right avenues to get the word out to potential candidates, but the pipeline was not working. After surveying several candidates, we discovered the issue was with their extensive application process. It was lengthy and ultimately deterred candidates from completing their application. Fortunately, we helped them streamline by removing some of the steps to apply.

    Recently, a close family member applied for a position online and had the opposite experience. During a conversation, he shared that it was the “easiest process” he’d had while applying for jobs. He was asked two questions and had the option to upload a resume. Within a week, he was called in for an interview.

    In Alabama, the current unemployment rate is 2.2%. Which means, most everyone who wants to work is already working. This makes it tough for companies who are looking to expand their workforce. Making the application process easier for candidates is one way they can attract future employees. A few weeks ago, I was in a café that had “mini applications” placed throughout their dining area. I immediately took a picture, thinking of our clients & how we can help them increase their applicant pool.

    How can you streamline your hiring process? Consider what steps you can remove from the process all together. Save the paperwork for new hire orientation! Let us know if we can help.

  • Insights from our NCDA Session about: Delivering Career Services to Diverse Populations with Inclusive Pathways

    Insights from our NCDA Session about: Delivering Career Services to Diverse Populations with Inclusive Pathways

    Jillian and I had a great time at NCDA in Chicago this month with our small group! We shared and learned about best practices for delivering career services to all groups.

    We started with a fun beachball toss to learn more about the diversity of the participants in our session. Who knew so many career professionals are introverts by nature! We shared these tips for supporting individuals and groups in their career development journey:

    1. Cater to Your Audience – Do you know your learning style and the style for those you serve? Take The Vark to find out. 
    2. Provide clear expectations while also giving individuals ownership and opportunities to drive their individual goals – Do you use SMART goals? Read about setting them in this article from Forbes.com: The Ultimate Guide to S.M.A.R.T. Goals.
    3. Be accessible and open to feedback – Do you ask for feedback? Here are some tips from a blog post written by Jillian: Feed Your Future with Feedback and Feedforward.

    As a group, we had discussions around having a People First mindset. It all comes down to serving others & meeting people where they are.

    Here are a couple of books we recommended during our session. You should check them out too!

  • Space to Focus

    Space to Focus

     

     

    It has been a busy month. We call it Maycember, busy like December but without the gifts. Focusing during a busy month or busy season can be tricky. Not only is May a busy work month, wrapping up one big project to begin the next, it is also a busy season for me personally. My daughter’s high school graduation is tonight and focusing is something I’m struggling with right now. Juggling so much makes it difficult to focus. However, this isn’t my first rodeo with busy seasons. Working moms do this time and again. We are fortunate at HPC to always have the flexibility to incorporate space to focus when we need to. Here are a few ways we do that:

    1. For the most part, we set our schedules. We plan work when we feel we are most productive (early morning for me).
    2. Whenever possible, I intentionally incorporate downtime every week. I typically don’t schedule appointments on Friday and instead, I work most Sunday afternoons to prepare for the week ahead.
    3. I work wherever I feel most productive. I have a home office, but I prefer my screened in back porch on most days or sometimes a local coffee shop. 

    Just last week, our team attended a conference at the beach. We all incorporated work in between conference sessions. The beach is always a great place to focus. Emily and I walked on the beach a couple of mornings; we talked about work, family and busy seasons. 

    Do you have space to focus? If not, find a way! Here a couple of tips:

    1. Make an outline of your schedule the week before. Find space to focus. Do you have an extra hour in the morning, at lunch or after work to take a walk or enjoy quiet time in one of your favorite spots?
    2. Identify a “focus” partner who will hold you accountable for finding space to focus. It is always easier to stick to a habit if someone is counting on you to do it.

    Check out The Point Blog to read more about our series on “space.”

  • FACD

    FACD

    Last week, HPC met with our contacts with the state department of education. The meeting centered around current training, plans for a focus group and specific grades that could potentially be our next area of focus. In reflection, we have worked in partnership with them for more than 10 years. What began as a grant funded training project grew into a wonderful partnership that has allowed us to provide professional development with educators across our state year after year. Currently, we are training 100+ educators on career development and providing state and program specific resources. 

    Here are the benefits I’ve seen from this partnership that continues to develop professionals who are literally preparing our future workforce.

    1. Teachers, counselors, administrators, and career coaches learn from one another, sharing resources that are most helpful in their area(s).
    2. Training content is being soaked up and is finding its way into lesson plans, field trips, and career days.
    3. Collaboration flourishes as participants have the opportunity to create a group within their cohort to work on an assignment about an in-demand career. The assignment ultimately becomes a resource library of presentations that anyone in the training can access.
    4. Completers of the course seek credentials and have the opportunity to receive continued education on topics most relevant for them and the students they serve.

    Do you have a need for training or professional development in your school or organization? If so, let us know and I’m sure we can help or point you in the right direction!