Horizon Point Consulting

Author: Taylor Simmons

  • Now’s the Time to Upskill

    Now’s the Time to Upskill

    I attended a great workforce summit in my community this week. The keynote was with the Department of Commerce for our state and provided updates on the direction and focus of their department ending with a promise to rise to the challenge and encouraged attendees to do so also.

    Throughout the afternoon, I listened to educators and industry panelists who had a common goal of growing a strong, engaged workforce. As I reflected on the presentations provided and conversations I had throughout the day, I thought about how important lifelong learning is and how NOW is the time to upskill as several people re-enter the workforce.

    There are numerous avenues to upskill. Here are a few of my favorites:

    Community Colleges – locally we have some amazing community colleges that offer a plethora of courses and work closely with industry to provide training. Check out what community colleges have to offer in your area!

    Online Video Courses – you need only an internet connection to benefit from thousands of courses online. Udemy is one of my favorite providers of online courses. I’ve personally taken a few of their courses; I was able to do this on my own time, at my own pace &  it was super cost-efficient!

    Credentialing – depending on your career field, credentials are often available. Credentials are a great way to verify your skillset. Look for credentialing opportunities through organizations like the Center for Credentialing and Education. They often offer materials to prepare for credentialing also.

    Whatever your next move, upskilling is a great way to get there!

  • Hiring Incentives in 2021

    Hiring Incentives in 2021

    I’ve heard it said SO many times recently. If someone isn’t working, they don’t want a job. Incentives are EVERYWHERE! Why people aren’t taking these incentives is a whole different topic for another day, but you can check out this recent LinkedIn article for reasons other than generous unemployment benefits: What’s going on in the labor market?

    While attending a conference last week, I spoke with a vendor from a staffing agency who was frustrated with his efforts to supply workers for their clients. He mentioned generous weekly bonuses and even better weekend bonuses. 

    I noticed one organization offering a chance to win a car when they signed on to work; Read about here: Shrimp Basket offering a new car as a hiring incentive. The job market is hot! Everyone is hiring and providing incentives! Cash bonuses, cars, flex time – you name it!

    Are you an employer struggling to find employees? Check out this article from Corridor Careers for ideas: 5 Incentives for Hiring (And Keeping) Employees Post Covid-19.

    In Alabama, additional unemployment payments will end soon. Let’s hope these incentives are still available so everyone can benefit & get back to work! 

    Compensation is just one piece of incentives and retention efforts. Did you know we do wage compensation studies at Horizon Point? Let us know if we can help!

  • Gender Themes in Assessments: Are women really more organized than men?

    Gender Themes in Assessments: Are women really more organized than men?

    At HPC, we facilitate assessments and coaching with leaders and potential leaders on a regular basis. We work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with both males and females. Recently, we facilitated Work Behavior Inventory assessments with a group of organizational leaders. We noticed a trend in one component of the assessment – Conscientiousness. More often than not, males scored considerably lower in conscientiousness, which measures achievement, initiative, persistence, attention to detail, dependability, and rule-following. It is worth noting that most males were self-aware.

    This prompted our team to discuss the idea that maybe there are common gender trends in assessments. Pew Research Center surveyed and published some information that was enlightening.

    According to the research, which surveyed the public on their views of leaders, the public is much more likely to see women as being more organized than men, rather than vice versa. Fully 48% say being organized is more true of women than men, while only 4% say this quality is found more in men than women (46% say it’s true of both).

    Women were also seen as more compassionate. The survey also said:

    Women have an advantage over men when it comes to honesty—one of the most crucial leadership traits, according to the public. Some 29% of all adults associate honesty more with women than men, while 3% say honesty applies more to men than women. A majority of adults (67%) say this characteristic is displayed equally by men and women.

    Read more about Pew Research Center’s findings here: What Makes a Good Leader, and Does Gender Matter?

    Regardless if there is a trend or not, we think self-awareness is key for good leaders, both male and female. During our coaching sessions, we discuss trends in strengths and areas for development and work with leaders to create a game plan for development. 

    Do you have leaders or high-potential employees who would benefit from an assessment and coaching? Reach out to us today for more information.

  • The Proximity Principle – A Book Review

    The Proximity Principle – A Book Review

    The right people + The right places = Opportunities. – The Proximity Principle

    The Proximity Principle by Ken Coleman is a great book for job seekers or anyone not content in their current role. The theme of the book is getting “in proximity” to what you want – career-wise. Coleman shares his own personal experience with finding his dream job. Coleman notes: Everyone wants to do work that matters. The Proximity Principle is a guidebook to get you there!

    Amazon Overview:

    Right now, 70 percent of Americans aren’t passionate about their work and are desperately longing for meaning and purpose. They’re sick of “average” and know there’s something better out there, but they just don’t know how to reach it.

    Forget the traditional career advice you’ve heard! Networking, handing out business cards, and updating your online profile does nothing to set you apart from other candidates. Ken will show you how to be intentional and genuine about the connections you make with a fresh, unexpected take on resumes and the job interview process. You’ll discover the five people you should look for and the four best places to grow, learn, practice, and perform so you can step into the role you were created to fill.

    Here are a few of my favorite takeaways from the book:  

    • You must never stop learning, no matter how high you climb.
    • No one is sitting around thinking about how they can help you find your dream job.
    • To get in proximity to your dream job, you need to find professionals who are excelling at the work you’d love to do at the highest level.
    • You will experience the most growth when you surround yourself with talented people who challenge you to perform at a higher level.
    • Use the connections you already have to make new ones in the place you’d love to work.

    Be in proximity to what you want. Read The Proximity Principle to find out how!

  • Career Development as Performance Management

    Career Development as Performance Management

    I recently had the opportunity to work with a young man whose employer was doing things right. He was engaged and eager to advance within the company. The employer reached out to HPC for guidance in talent development. They saw his drive to succeed and wanted to capitalize on that drive to develop his career within their company, and performance management was their go-to tool. We facilitated assessments, discussed results and goals & used our Leaders as Career Agents tool to develop an Individual Development Plan.

    With research showing us that approximately 70 percent of the workforce is currently disengaged, developing leaders who can drive employee engagement in order to produce results is critical. At Horizon Point, we often work with companies who know firsthand that engaging and growing employees is the key to retention and overall company success.

    Here are three steps for implementing career development as performance management:

    1. Facilitate conversations around career goals.
    2. Collaboratively develop career advancement plans grounded in behaviors. 
    3. Provide projects and assignments that foster career advancement.

    When was the last time your employer discussed career development with you? Are you an employer who needs insight into the best way to engage employees through career development? Register for our upcoming webinar, 2021 Career Development as Performance Management, here.