Across industries, employers struggle to keep employees engaged. According to Gallup\’s State of the American Workplace report, 51% of U.S. workers are not engaged. Disengaged employees skip work, lack productivity and increase talent turnover, costing corporations about $550 billion annually. In the healthcare field, however, disengaged employees risk more than productivity and revenue: indifferent nurses and healthcare workers can mean the difference between life and death for patients.

A Gallup study of more than 200 hospitals identified the top indicators of mortality risk in healthcare settings, and the findings were frightening—disengagement among nurses was one of the top three indicators of mortality risk for patients.

But there are concrete steps that healthcare employers can take to avoid these potentially tragic realities. Vicki Hess is a nurse, keynote speaker, consultant and author fighting the disengagement epidemic among healthcare professionals. In her day-to-day work, Hess helps healthcare professionals create work environments where employees are engaged, customers are satisfied and organizations achieve their goals through specific techniques that build communication and connection. In her recent webinar for Cornerstone OnDemand, \”Creating Connections,\” Hess offers strategies for engaging employees in the medical field and other work environments.

When Hess asked her webinar audience if it was important for leaders to connect with their direct reports, they answered with a resounding \’yes.\’ And yet, despite understanding the importance of these regular check-ins, many leaders don\’t prioritize one-on-one communication with their direct reports like they should.

According to Hess, leaders tend to replace this valuable time with relatively unimportant meetings, micromanaging other employees and performing miscellaneous tasks that belong to other workers. When this happens, leaders need to consciously reevaluate their schedules.

\”It\’s about removing the \’nice-to-dos\’ from your calendar and replacing them with the \’need-to-dos,\’\” explains Hess. \”And leaders need to be meeting and connecting with their employees.\”

If healthcare leaders put in the time to build trusting, collaborative and healthy relationships with their employees, workers are more likely to succeed. One 2019 study by the PRC found that “nurses are more likely to be fully engaged if leadership is accessible, responsive to their needs, and viewed as trustworthy.\”

Employees alone do not benefit from one-on-one meetings—companies do, too. Although one-on-one meetings can be exhausting and repetitive, leaders should consider what value they derive from these interactions. Hess encourages leaders adopt the \”WIIFM, or \’What\’s in it for me?\’\” outlook: \”Leaders get something out of these meetings, too,\” says Hess. \”Lower company turnover and higher retention rates.\”

Hess offers employers two styles for creating connections with their direct reports: chance or conscious connections.

A chance connection forces one party to be proactive and the other reactive. For example, if an employee wants to discuss an ailment or achievement with their employer, the employee must seek out a meeting with their employer to discuss it. In chance connections, the employer is the reactive party and the employee is the proactive one.

But chance connections are not always conducive to effective communication and employee engagement. According to Hess, what employees tend to bring to these chance meetings are “impediments to performance or engagement.\” These impediments are temporary roadblocks to their success that are more temporary and urgent than they are important. For example, an employee is more likely to engage in a chance connection meeting with their employer about temporary problems, like the new, bad janitor or poor lighting in their office than talk about major issues, like their lack of interest in their work.

In order to avoid these ineffective conversations, Hess recommends making chance connections through \”roundabout meetings.\” These meetings still happen by chance, but they occur as a leader walks around an office from employee to employee. These interactions tend to be more effective for building connections because the leader is proactive and can drive conversations to discuss their employees\’ internal motivations and long-term goals.

Alternatively, conscious connections occur when both parties are proactively choosing to meet. The connections include scheduled, preplanned meetings between the employer and employee. In the webinar, Hess argues in favor of conscious connections rather than chance ones. Conscious connections allow both parties to arrive prepared with discussion points and thoughtful observations about their work life and career trajectory. Additionally, time doesn\’t have to be made for conscious connections. If these meetings are recurring events on a calendar, both individuals can plan for them in advance with some regularity.

However employees and employers choose to meet, managers should come prepared. Hess recommends that leaders try to tap into what makes their employees satisfied, energized and productive. This answer gives employers insights into an employee\’s internal motivators.

For example, if your employee describes their motivators as \’learning new things,\’ you know they thrive in environments where they are constantly challenging themselves. Or, an employee may derive motivation from \’making a difference for the people they serve\’ or \’problem-solving.\’ A leader can then use this information to move that employee into a position or department where they are managing workers and workplace culture more regularly. Regardless of the answer, it\’s important to use an employee\’s internal motivators to find more engaging opportunities that support more of what they want to do.

Leaders should also be sure to search for both external and internal motivators during conversations with direct reports. It\’s easy for an employee to offer only external motivators, like \’I feel energized and productive when other people are doing their job\’ or \’I feel energized and productive when we are properly staffed.\’ If this is the case, leaders will need to dig deeper to find out their employee\’s internal motivators. Without recognizing what internally drives an employee, leaders cannot effectively avoid disengagement.

Life can get in the way of success for a student. One day away from the books might turn into a week. And suddenly, you can find yourself not just falling behind, but failing.

The key to recovery after any roadblock you face in class is to keep in contact with your academic advisor and, or, your academic success coach, as well as your instructor. Working double shifts this week? Let them know. Death in the family? Let them know. Kids come home from preschool with lice? Let them know. They can adjust your due dates for assignments accordingly. And if you are not contacting them, they will reach out to you.

“Our advisors and academic success coaches work closely with our students, especially those who are in their first term,” said Brandy McDonough, associate dean of instruction. “If something seems amiss they will contact the student and support them to get back on track.”

Each instructor will have their policies late assignments listed on the class syllabus. However, McDonough said students who are facing a hardship need to be proactive. Instructors are willing to work with students who communicate when they have an issue.

“The biggest point is that students need to know the importance of being as proactive as possible and reaching out to their instructor right away if know they have a conflict,” McDonough said. “If all of a sudden life got in the way and they need additional time they should immediately reach out to their instructor.”

Students also need to check their Bryant & Stratton issued email address on a daily basis. Instructors will not respond to emails from outside providers. All staff members communicate with students through Bryant & Stratton email and through the online blackboard system. If you are struggling in a class because you need more instruction, Bryant & Stratton College has opportunities for you.

Faculty members are able to work with students one on one during virtual office hours, or, you can schedule a meeting. Tutoring is available as well. Once you’ve realized that you need more help in a course, your best action is to get that help. Students can only add or drop a course in the first seven days of the session without penalty.

On day eight, if you decide you are not ready for the course, you need to make it work. That’s because on day eight, you are responsible for the cost of the class. If you drop the course anyways, you may also lose some financial aid benefits.  

“Be open to the idea that great candidates can come from different backgrounds and bring something valuable to your company,” says Adrianna De Battista, Tech Recruiting Lead at Lyft—I couldn’t agree more and there’s plenty of research to back her up.

A Deloitte study found that 83 percent of millennials are more engaged at work when their company fosters inclusivity, and a McKinsey study found that ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform industry medians.

The business value of having people with different backgrounds and perspectives on a team points to the fact that promoting diversity isn’t just about “being fair”—it’s strategic. In order for recruiters to create a diverse and durable talent pipeline, it’s important to be diverse in your approach to find talent. With campus recruiting you start at the beginning: on campus, where students first consider and pursue their careers.

Below are four tactics to promote inclusivity when executing your on-campus recruiting strategy.

Today’s college students expect their future employers to create a space for all potential employees. From the job description to your homepage, your recruiting materials should be transparent; illustrating your culture and reflecting your diverse and inclusive environment. In addition to these basic elements, these materials should include what offerings you have to embrace your diversity, from teams and groups, to training and benefits. Add video testimonials from a blend of employees inclusive of underrepresented employees, a message from your Employee Resource Group and a statement from your CEO authentically supporting this message.

Internally, build and maintain a culturally conscious workforce by investing in training and educational resources. These conscientious employees will not only promote workplace inclusivity, but also attract diverse talent during those campus visits, whether at info sessions or during interviews.

Recruit for diversity more efficiently by visiting the right colleges. Consider joining the many employers who recruit potential candidates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), both of which have large talent pools.

Next, whether at an HBCU, HSI or other university, partner with student groups that represent their campuses’ diverse communities, such as women’s groups or LGBTQIA organizations, to host on-campus events and market open positions. Finally, back in the office, don’t restrict your referral program but embrace the variety that you receive. You can even boost your program to reward employees who bring in diverse talent from their networks. Make diversity the norm, not the anomaly. 

And remember that these three channels, although effective individually, will yield the most talent when leveraged in concert.

For your messaging to reach the majority of a student body, you need to master alternative communication platforms. Virtual career fairs—whether they target veterans, people with disabilities, or another community—connect you with otherwise hard-to-reach groups and give you an opportunity to promote your company’s diversity and inclusivity programs.

If you can’t host a virtual fair, attend one through a platform like CareerEco, Gettinghired or Veteran Recruiting, each of which gives you access to underrepresented students.

Formal internships and fellowship programs for underrepresented student groups attract high-caliber students at the start of their careers.

PwC, for example, identifies top talent through its one-day Explore program, and develops that talent through Start, an internship program for high-performing underrepresented students. By investing in your diversity efforts early, you identify talent before competitors do, develop a reputation as an inclusive employer and build a sustainable talent pipeline. If you do offer such internships or programs, ask former participants to act as “campus ambassadors” for the program to recruit students for the next year.

Think of the formal internship program as the culmination of your entire campus diversity recruiting strategy. With the right branding, a targeted approach to campus visits, an embrace of all available communication platforms and career-boosting opportunities that supports all team members, you’ll find the perfect students to thrive in your inaugural program, and have a tested process to improve upon for next year.

Meeting new people can seem daunting! On UVM campus, there are so many ways to get meet people while you expand your skills and knowledge. See what these organizations can do to get you connected make your experience at UVM more memorable:

Sign up for a class in Pottery or Photography at the Living/Learning Center and put your skills to the test!  You’ll meet students and artists, get to practice your craft, and walk away with a few works of art.

Join an organization. The Women’s Center, LGBQTA Center, religious organizations, and ALANA Student Center (ASC) are all identity-based organizations that support students by providing diverse events, support staff, study space, and advocacy to support students’ academic experience on campus. Get involved with students who care and make a difference on campus!

Participate group study session through in the Learning Co-op. Drop-in tutoring allows you to take advantage of a great study environment and to ask a tutor for help if you need it.  Stop in with specific questions or to get feedback from your classmates – no appointment necessary.

Take a drop-in Group Fitness Class through UVM Campus Rec. They have fun classes at various times every day where you can easily meet people and get into a healthy routine.

Be part of a club that makes a difference. End world hunger one grilled cheese (or vegan) sandwich at a time!  FeelGood offers gourmet sandwiches and donates 100% of the proceeds raised to the Hunger Project.

These are just a few of the ways you can meet people and learn outside of the classroom.  With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to get involved on campus. With all of the clubs and organizations available to support you, you’re bound to find your groove in no time.

A: Having quantified accomplishments is the single most important key to a strong resume. It’s not about what you do so much as how well you do things, and employers want to know how well you perform. Many people simply list what they did at their previous job or internship, showing what they were responsible for and what their duties were. That’s usually pretty obvious when you see the title, and pretty boring stuff. Telling the story of how well you did the job is what they want to know and makes for a much better read.

A: Having an objective on your resume can work against you because it tends to limit your scope. For example, an employer may overlook you if your objective is “accounting” and the position being offered involves “bookkeeping”. A summary of skills or profile section has been the trend because it leaves more room for the recruiter to consider the candidate as a fit. One caveat to this is when someone has a clear career path and a targeted objective they may be viewed more positively since they are so completely in line with the job being offered.

A: We have requests from high schools to use our services and some provide job search training as part of the h.s. senior curriculum. Crafting a resume is an acquired skill and often helps people to visualize their worth and work towards building a skill set that is marketable. The sooner someone can put their career picture down, the better they can envision and gather the skills and experiences necessary for gainful employment. All students should be in touch with their career services department for assistance and guidance.

A: We recommend a dedicated section of the resume such as “Relevant Coursework” or “Special Projects”. In lieu of employment experience, take every opportunity to display the training and skills. There are many examples of this in the resume builder to view. Also, consider having an eFolio or online portfolio in your job search arsenal.

A: We recommend a combination resume where in addition to prior work experience, special emphasis is given to transferrable skills. A pure functional resume or resume where the work experience is downplayed or not listed at all creates a red flag because recruiters view it as deceptive. Recruiters will be more receptive when the candidate is up front and communicates the reasons for the change and relevant qualifications in a clear and reasonable way. Sometimes a cover letter does this best.

A: Everyone knows that networking is the best way to find a job but it takes time to learn the methods and etiquette, and then to actually build it and use it. Social media has made networking easier but at the peril of decreased privacy and control. Today, an employer will be looking at the whole you – at your personal brand – and making an early decision based on more than just what is on the resume. They may be scanning for highly specific keywords and checking you out on Facebook. The social media profile is a precursor to the resume and it all has to create a consistent picture that is credible. You can call it your personal brand but I think of it as simply defining who you are and what you have to offer, and then managing it.

College students hear it over and over again – to get a job when you graduate, you need to have some real-world experience under your belt. While it may feel repetitive, the sentiment rings true, Experience matters to employers.. One study found that approximately 79 percent of employers expect real-world experience and education from college graduates when they evaluate potential hires.

But why do employers want applicants with real-world experience? Here are three reasons: 

Not to knock lectures or textbooks, but for some , experience is the best teacher. That’s why it’s important to practice your skills, both through hands-on classroom activities that simulate the workplace as well as off-campus opportunities, like internships and job shadowing.

Employers are looking for young individuals who will fit into their company right away. That’s why soft skills – teamwork, managerial skills, work discipline, etc. – need to be developed before you take the plunge into your job search. Participating in work experience programs like interning at a business, delving into class projects that emulate workplace scenarios, and even working at your part-time job all present opportunities to gain this experience.

Having experience in your field of interest shows potential employers that you’re ready to meet – and hopefully exceed – their expectations. The connections you make along the way (e.g. your supervisor from a past internship) can also serve as great references so that employers know you’re not all talk.

While Bryant & Stratton College’s Career LifePrep program integrates workplace skills and practice into each program’s curriculum, you should also seek opportunities outside of the classroom. The Career Services Center offers a ton of helpful resources for students. You can also turn to the Web – there are many websites that list internship opportunities based on career field, location and more. The most important thing is to get out there – the real world is waiting.

The “pay it forward” movement is not a new concept. According to Wikipedia, it dates all the way back to 317 BC where it was used as a key plot concept for a play in ancient Athens. There are small documented events of the “pay it forward” notion throughout history; however, it became a widely popular concept after the 2000 movie of the same name, which was based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

The simplest way to define “pay it forward” is that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. One of the easiest examples of this is buying a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop and then they buy a coffee for the person behind them and so on.

What is the point of all this? Why do so many people live their lives according to the “pay it forward” principle? It has been proven that acts of kindness build exponentially in a community and because people believe that one good deed deserves another. “Paying it forward” can make the world a better place. That was what Leah Doperalski thought when she used her nursing skills to help make life better for Jamaicans living in the Blue Mountains. But even if you don\’t go to the Blue Mountains, nursing is just one wayto live your life paying it forward.

Paying it forward can be part of anyone\’s daily life. Whether you decide to take up a life of service to the community or join the business world, you can incorporate the philosophies of the Pay it Forward Movement into your career. Paying it forward can be rewarding in other ways too. By volunteering to help a manager or a supervisor from another department with a project, you might stay in the back of their mind when an opportunity for a promotion comes up. Even as you build your professional network, people who you’ve paid it forward to will certainly hold you in a higher light than individuals they’ve never met or even have had bad experiences with. So paying it forward can enhance your personal life and your professional life as well.

Have you ever done anything to “pay it forward?” Has anyone ever done a good deed for you? Tell us about it and how it made you feel in the comments below.

References
Pay it Forward. [Online image] Available http://yourcaringangels.com/blog/?p=1010, February 26, 2009.
For more information on Pay it Forward from Wikipedia, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_it_forward.

Meeting new people can seem daunting! On UVM campus, there are so many ways to get meet people while you expand your skills and knowledge. See what these organizations can do to get you connected make your experience at UVM more memorable:

Sign up for a class in Pottery or Photography at the Living/Learning Center and put your skills to the test!  You’ll meet students and artists, get to practice your craft, and walk away with a few works of art.

Join an organization. The Women’s Center, LGBQTA Center, religious organizations, and ALANA Student Center (ASC) are all identity-based organizations that support students by providing diverse events, support staff, study space, and advocacy to support students’ academic experience on campus. Get involved with students who care and make a difference on campus!

Participate group study session through in the Learning Co-op. Drop-in tutoring allows you to take advantage of a great study environment and to ask a tutor for help if you need it.  Stop in with specific questions or to get feedback from your classmates – no appointment necessary.

Take a drop-in Group Fitness Class through UVM Campus Rec. They have fun classes at various times every day where you can easily meet people and get into a healthy routine.

Be part of a club that makes a difference. End world hunger one grilled cheese (or vegan) sandwich at a time!  FeelGood offers gourmet sandwiches and donates 100% of the proceeds raised to the Hunger Project.

These are just a few of the ways you can meet people and learn outside of the classroom.  With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to get involved on campus. With all of the clubs and organizations available to support you, you’re bound to find your groove in no time.

Remote work is becoming increasingly popular, offering employees a flexible schedule and saving them time and money that is usually spent on commuting. Studies show that telecommuters are more productive than their office counterparts. According to a FlexJobs report, 65% of workers believe they’re more productive at home than in a traditional office. However, there’s also a downside of remote work: Many remote workers suffer from FOMO, or fear of missing out. While their in-office colleagues are spending time together, remote workers are often removed from the social aspect of their jobs.

These feelings of isolation are especially apparent during the holiday season, with events like holiday parties and secret santa exchanges. If your remote workers are local, then you can surely invite them into the office for an annual party and exchange some home-baked cookies. But when you have employees that work from locations all across the country (or around the world), it is unlikely that you’ll be able to fly all of them in for these festivities.

So how can you include remote workers in holiday traditions? Here are some ideas for getting get them involved.

Instead of exchanging gifts with fellow coworkers during Secret Santa, make the activity about donating presents to those in need. Set a budget and assign every employee a theme (i.e. “math game” or “princess item”) and set a time for everyone to gather around—via video call and in-person—and share the presents purchased. Then, donate the gifts to a children’s charity of your choice.

This activity is budget-friendly, makes for great conversation and benefits children in low-income communities during the season of giving. And, of course, it’s a great way for employees to build relationships virtually.

If your office staff party is during working hours, give your remote staff an extra half-day of vacation time to use in December. They may not get to sample Suzanne from HR’s famous vanilla fudge, but at least they will get some time back to spend with family or buy holiday gifts. 

On the flipside, if you’re having a party in the evening and you’re serving food, consider sending your remote workers a gift certificate for a local restaurant. Make sure the amount on the card is enough for two people to get a nice meal. This thoughtful gesture will send your remote employees the message that you appreciate them just as much as their in-office colleagues.

Set up a time, send everyone party hats and a box of treats and host a virtual holiday party on either a video conference call or a Slack channel. Let people chat, hang out and eat their snacks. Make sure to include your remote employees in on conversation—kick things off by going around the room and having everyone share their holiday traditions or moderate another inclusive conversation. This event gives virtual employees the opportunity to get to know their colleagues in a social setting.

Scour the web for PowerPoint presentations that are completely unrelated to your area of business. For example, if you work for a financial services firm, you might choose slides on classic 18th century novelists or Physics. Then, ask employees to give a presentation based on these slides. You’ll be laughing as your employees try to talk through slides on topics they are completely unfamiliar with.

Of course, the most crucial aspect of a holiday party is letting your employees know that you care about them. They may not be present for an in-person celebration, but it’s important to show your appreciation for them—regardless of where they work.

School, work, home – it doesn’t take long to get spread thinly between the major responsibilities of your life. Healthy habits are crucial to support that school-work-home flow that fosters academic, professional and personal success.

“The most important aspect is to ensure an appropriate balance between work, school and life — that is so, so important,” said Brandy McDonough, associate dean of instruction for Bryant & Stratton College – Online. “Being able to balance those things creates a much more well-rounded person.”

To do that, you’ve got to make the most of the time you have for each of those major life components. McDonough recommends meticulous, honest time management to keep on top of school, work and life in general. She syncs personal and professional calendars between computer and phone. She even carries a – gasp – paper version to keep herself on track.

“With that, it helps me to remain focused,” she said. “It really takes finding the time sit down and plan out each week. You really have to go day by day by day and say, ‘This is what I hope to accomplish’ and not getting down on yourself when you don’t meet that (goal).”

Another good habit: being realistic about your course load and how you work your way through it.

“The course itself is a determining factor,” she said. “If you have to take a course in an upcoming semester, it’s very important if that’s going to be a difficult course, then you might want to take only one or two courses. If you’re taking courses that all build upon your areas of strength, you could probably take a full course load.”

Be honest with yourself about your work habits. Do you need frequent breaks, or do you prefer to buckle down and complete a task without looking up? When your mind starts to wander or you’re not absorbing the material, that’s a signal that it’s time to step away from your studies.

“When you read something and you get absolutely nothing and you’re re-reading the same passage or sentence over and over again, or you get frustrated, that’s the time to walk away,” McDonough said. “Get a glass or water, take a short walk – stepping away for about 10 minutes and coming back to it from a different angle often is extremely helpful.”

McDonough recommends you start your study by tackling reading materials first.

“That will give you that theoretical foundation to build upon,” she said. “Before you complete a project, (or write a) paper, it’s really important to get that theoretical foundation first so you have that understanding utilizing a lot of resources.”

Understanding your full range of resources is another key to scholarly success, McDonough said. Beyond the digital world at your fingertips, remember family, fellow students, professors and the entire academic support staff at Bryant & Stratton.

“There’s nothing wrong with talking to peers, family members who’ve been through their education, working professionals as well,” she said. “Leveraging conversations with coworkers and peers those can be very valuable.”

Look to people who want to see you succeed to bolster your optimism and academic stamina.

“You have to have a very positive attitude and be surrounded by people who have that positivity,” McDonough said. “Have people you can reach out to on hard days – that’s healthy from a different perspective.”