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What Employers Want: Five Skills to Gain in College
Do you ever wish that you could read the minds of employers to figure out what they want? Unfortunately, this is not possible, but a number of books, movies and television shows suggest that mindreading isn’t a very good idea anyway.
Luckily, you don’t have to read minds to become more employable. Through Bryant & Stratton College’s Career LifePrep program, students receive the support necessary to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Based on input from industry experts, coursework is designed to teach you not only the technical skills of your trade, but also the essential core capabilities that make you versatile, adaptable and valuable in any workplace.Here are five key skills employers look for that Bryant & Stratton College teaches to help every student on their path to a successful career:
Teamwork: No matter what field you go into, or what position you hold, it’s likely that you’ll have to work with a team. Tolerance, clear communication and a positive attitude are all requirements to effectively collaborate with others.
Service orientation: You don’t have to be a natural “people person” to act like one. Interpersonal skills – and a little perseverance – will help you remain professional in any and every workplace situation.
Managerial skills: This is an ability that builds off of several others. It requires being able to work with your colleagues, to solve problems, and most of all, to be a leader. Being in a managerial role requires enthusiasm, persuasiveness and critical thinking.
Work Discipline: In the real world, no one is going to hold your hand. Any career path will require you to be a self-starter who keeps track of your own duties and deadlines. Developing a strong work ethic allows you to optimize your productivity and dependability.
Literacy: In a constantly evolving work environment, you’ve got to be able to keep pace with the times. It’s important to master key informational, technological and financial proficiencies, while “learning how to learn” so that you can adapt to your ever-changing role in a company.
Now that you don’t have to worry about learning mind reading abilities to find out what employers are looking for, your time is freed up to work on these core competencies. You’re welcome.
How Electronic Health Records Enhance Patient Care
By Julie Jones
I was born during the Generation X years when personal computers first came out. We had Atari growing up and learned on Apple computers before they became mainstream. In college, we had “instant messaging” but it was only between two college campuses. When I graduated nursing school in 1997, some of the hospitals where I did my clinical work were just starting to use electronic health records as well as new technology to manage patient medications.
When I began my health care career, I never once thought I would end up working in the technology field. During my clinical for the Adult Nurse Practitioner program, I trained at the VA Outpatient Center at Fort Ethan Allen. They had an electronic health care record system that listed the patient’s allergies and current medication list. It also gave the provider a reminder about health topics to review with patients. At the time, I thought how great it would be if my doctor could review my record and send a prescription to my pharmacy by simply pushing a button on his computer.
In 2007, I had the opportunity to work on a project that brought a new electronic health record system to the UVM Medical Center. The project went live on June 6, 2009. Now, not only can my provider send my prescription to the pharmacy, but I can access my chart to review my health record and request a prescription refill.
You may have heard a lot of talk about Electronic Health Records (EHR) and how hospitals and physicians are using them more and more. In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was signed by President Obama to give a financial incentive to hospitals and physicians who demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs.
Meaningful use was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. What this has meant for me was a new job, which was perfect for a girl who loved technology. The HITECH Act created many jobs in the field of informatics, which helped promote the growing field of nursing informatics and bridged the world of nursing, health care, technology, computers, and information science.
Some of my friends think that I am no longer helping with patient care because I’m working at a computer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
My friends don’t realize how much I use my nursing skills every day to take care of patients. While I don’t see patients face-to-face, I am evaluating the nursing workflow, helping a doctor on the phone place critical orders for a patient in the emergency room, or making sure that doctors’ instructions are clear and concise for patients.
The EHR is improves the quality of care for patients and their delivery of care. It also helps patients be more engaged with their health care since they now have access to their medical records to review their health information. I am thrilled to have a job that I love in the dynamic and rewarding field of nursing
4 WAYS TO PREVENT A POOR CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE
Despite all the talk about HR technology and artificial intelligence improving candidate experience, the numbers say otherwise. In fact, candidate resentment has increased by 40% since 2016. But what, exactly, is the cause? A few of the top reasons cited in the just-released 2019 North American Candidate Experience Research Report include: poor communication, discrepancies between the job description and interview experience and disrespect for candidates’ time.
It’s clear that the impact a bad candidate experience can have on one’s business is more than a little troubling. Imagine receiving 100 applications for a single job posting, for which only 1 person is going to be hired. Quick math: Ninety-nine candidates are at risk for disappointment!
And what will these not-hired candidates do if they had a less than positive experience? Seventy-one percent will share it with their inner circle of friends, relatives and co-workers. Fortunately, only 35 percent share it publicly online—probably because they don’t want to announce they didn’t get the job. But that’s still an incredibly large number of people speaking ill of your company. (And trash talk is the last thing you want going around when trying to entice top talent to cut ties with current employers and join your ranks.)
But it’s not just hard feelings companies need to worry about. The impact can extend well into the future. Sixty-eight percent of candidates who’ve had a negative experience won’t reapply to that company. Worse, 54 percent said it would impact their decision to buy from said company.
The Talent Board created an online candidate resentment calculator to help translate these results into real dollars. It’s based on the assumption that 100% of job applicants are potential customers or influencers. (Some might argue with this idea, but even a fraction of the whole results in pretty significant damage.) Here’s just one example: With 1,000 annual hires, the lost revenue due to candidate resentment exceeds $2.7 million, and the number of lost customers is more than 27,700. Numbers like these are nightmarish—and more common than you might think.
1) Be Proactive
Applying for jobs at your own company to understand an applicant’s journey is likely the simplest low-cost solution you’ll ever find. Do it on several different devices—desktops, tablets and smartphones—and assess the experience using different operating systems: Apple, Google, Samsung, Windows. Remember that the candidate experience starts long before someone clicks to apply. “Google” your company career site on each device. How does it look? Is it easy to find? How long does it take the page to load? Is it easy to read, navigate and complete an application? If not, invest in fixing it!
Remember to also be proactive when it comes to communicating why someone may not be the right fit for a position or company. Resentment rates decrease by 29% when employers give rejected candidates general and specific feedback on qualifications and job fit. A bit of honesty and clarity goes a long way.
2) Be Predictive
No business function collects more data and takes less advantage of it than human resources. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to customers these days, and candidates are no different. It’s time to become comfortable with data. Google Analytics and most applicant tracking software, for that matter, provide deep insights into candidate behavior and the corresponding behavior of your systems and processes—data you can use to make much-needed adjustments and inform hiring decisions.
In addition, ask for feedback from every candidate (whether they’re ultimately hired or not) and use that data to improve your process. Talentegy reports that 68.5% of candidates are very likely or likely to provide it, but 75% of companies never or rarely ask for it.
3) Be Pragmatic
It’s just not practical for any recruiter, HR professional or hiring manager to keep up with today’s job demands without technology. Automate every task that requires manual entry and/or is routine. But remember that tech solutions can’t solve all of your problems. Chatbots won’t negate bad reviews on Glassdoor or Kununu. Automated emails won’t make up for delays in scheduling interviews and making decisions. A new video on your career website can’t hide a toxic culture. Identify each candidate touchpoint, assess its efficiency, then prioritize the risk of it creating a negative experience—regardless of whether it’s an automated or human-driven interaction.
4) Be a Problem-Solver
Be vigilant. Be curious. Creating an awesome candidate experience is a journey. It has no finish line. The rules keep changing. The ecosystems keep evolving. The only true inevitability is that as soon as you improve the experience in one area, another issue is likely to pop up. It might be a new glitch in the software or the need to hire a new recruiter or hiring manager. In every case, delivering the most optimal candidate experience today requires a team of troubleshooters to fix the unexpected and problem-solvers to prevent recurrences.
AFTER SAFE HARBOR RULING, YOUR DATA REMAINS PROTECTED AT CORNERSTONE
In early October, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) struck down the 15-year-old Safe Harbor agreement — the most common way to legally transfer data between Europe and the U.S. — after determining the agreement was not sufficient to ensure the protection of Europeans’ personal data. The U.S. and EU have since been working on a new Safe Harbor agreement, but there’s no telling how long a conclusion may take.
The Safe Harbor news comes as data security concerns are on the rise, and in this time of uncertainty, we want to assuage any doubts about the safety of Cornerstone clients’ data. Despite the Safe Harbor ruling, our European clients have no reason to be concerned. Our team was well prepared for the potential decision against Safe Harbor, and had previously taken every necessary step to ensure your information is safe with us — as always.
The Safe Harbor agreement was known as the most common way to safely transfer personal data to the US, but it was not the only legal transfer mechanism available. As such, the CJEU ruling does not impact Cornerstone’s ability to operate in Europe or continue serving our international clients.
In fact, we can continue operating as before: EU data is stored in the U.K., and only accessed from the U.S. on an as-needed basis. In lieu of Safe Harbor, all data transfers will be fully protected under EU Model Clauses — a simple, easy-to-deploy solution. (You can find the Model Clauses on our website here.)
In addition to the Model Clauses, Cornerstone implements a multi-layer approach to security and constantly monitors our system to guarantee our clients’ sensitive workforce data is safe.
A Higher Level of Security
As the leading unified talent management software company to operate in the cloud and offer its products solely via SaaS, data security has always been part of our DNA — not just an afterthought. We have a state-of-the-art multi-tenant, multi-database architecture that meets the highest compliance and uptime standards. With clients across industries, our infrastructure has also been audited and certified to meet the most rigorous compliance requirements.
Our processes are aligned with EU regulations, including the ISO 27001 certification, and even when Safe Harbor was in place, Cornerstone was providing a higher level of protection than that assured by the now-defunct agreement.
Physical and Virtual Protection
The Cornerstone infrastructure is protected on the ground and in the cloud. We have four secure data centers — two in North American and two in Europe, each with 24-hour manned security, biometric hand scanners, video surveillance, motion detectors and alarms. Access is restricted to select personnel, and non-Cornerstone visitors must be escorted at all times.
In addition, all data in our application is encrypted in transit. On the user end, unique usernames and passwords are required to access the application, with single sign-on support — requiring all clients to be authenticated. Last but not least, the information available to users is entirely rights- and role-driven; users only see what they have permission to see.
A Dedicated Team
We have a world-class IT Security and Compliance team (that averages 10+ years of direct security experience) dedicated to maintaining and developing our infrastructure. Our culture of continuous improvement includes both product and employee development — we consistently update our infrastructure with the latest technology, and our team members strive to achieve the highest level of industry expertise. All team members hold one or more professional security or compliance certifications.
We are committed to providing a reliable and secure system to our clients, and will continue to diligently follow the development of international data transfer laws. The security and privacy of our clients’ data remains our top priority.
Respect for Sovereignty
Finally, we want to make it clear that, as a global business, we have utmost respect for data sovereignty. While data may be accessed if needed from anywhere (this is, of course, how we are able to support our many global clients) data is never copied outside of the jurisdiction of the data center. This is an important point and it is precisely why we support disaster recovery at our data centers in both England and the US. Even backup tapes are fully encrypted before leaving the data center and are secured at Iron Mountain facilities in the respective countries.
If you want to learn more about Cornerstone’s data protection policy and practices, please visit our website, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your account manager with any questions.
COMING UP AT DREAMFORCE ’13: THE FUTURE OF SALES ENABLEMENT
Next week the mega-event that is Dreamforce kicks off in San Francisco. Our services and consulting partner Appirio has been gearing up for the event for many weeks over on their Dreamforce Central site.
You’ll find a lot of interesting content there, including seasoned advice on navigating the event, information on must-attend sessions, and insights into key trends that will be making waves.
Embedded, Continuous Learning: The Future of Sales Enablement
Speaking of key trends, Cornerstone will have a presence at Dreamforce ’13 with our Cornerstone for Salesforce offering, which has been really taking off over the past year.
Cornerstone for Salesforce delivers relevant training and education directly from Salesforce. Built 100 percent natively on Force.com, Cornerstone for Salesforce also integrates with Chatter to provide opportunities for real-time collaboration, recognition and feedback for colleagues and partners.
On Appirio Dreamforce Central, Jason Corsello has written about the shifting role of learning in enterprises, especially about how smart businesses are approaching sales training and enablement. A few of his thoughts:
- A “Knowledge Value Revolution” is Afoot. The key here is that the ability of a company, organization or employee to succeed depends on their ability to acquire new knowledge on a continuous basis and apply that knowledge in an effective way.
- The Future is Real-Time and Embedded Learning. Over the past decade, learning and development has moved from a throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach to a more strategic focus on real-time learning and training embedded directly within valued business applications such as Salesforce.com.
- “Just-In-Time Training” Alone Is No Longer Good Enough. We need to start learning at the point of greatest possible impact – in the very applications and process that define our jobs.
- Embedded Learning Drives Sales Effectiveness. Cornerstone for Salesforce responds directly to this push toward point-of-greatest-impact learning by seamlessly embedding learning management directly into the Salesforce Platform, so that clients can tailor training programs for their sales and service organizations and provide contextually relevant access to sales enablement and just-in-time training from within Salesforce.
In my view, the Cornerstone for Salesforce objective of putting actionable, meaningful training directly at the point of need is a story that we will hear repeated in the training and development space more broadly. With the influx of mobile and social technologies and the evolving learning and work styles of employees everywhere, it’s only a matter of time before our learning strategies morph into something new and exciting.
Instructor Blog: The Importance of Reflection
Some students may wonder why there is such a focus on reflection. Reflection is not only about helping you remember what you learned, it is learning. The results from a Harvard Business School study confirm that reflection is essential to learning. A study was done with two groups of people. Both groups were given a test. One group was asked to write down strategies that would be helpful in a future test. The other group was not. The group that reflected performed significantly better (Christensen, n.d., para. 5). You can follow the link below to read more and also follow a link to the study itself.
Reflection serves two main purposes. By reflecting on content again, you are helping it move from short term to long term memory. Connecting learning to how you will use it in your field helps it become more relevant. Also, by reflecting on strategies, you are becoming a stronger learner. This process is also known as metacognition, which is thinking about thinking. This sounds really academic, but it means asking questions like “Did I study enough? Did I study effectively? What can I do differently next time?”
While courses are structured to encourage reflection, students will get the most benefit by putting reflection into action. At the end of session, many students say they will log in to the course on Sunday to look at the week’s assignments, or begin assignments sooner. Obviously, this knowledge is only valuable for students who actually implement these strategies.
Even beyond courses, the habit of reflection is part of being a successful professional. In the workplace, there will be approaches to procedures. Taking the time occasionally to examine whether or not a process could be improved is valuable. Also, after a problem arises, reflecting afterwards can help prevent the same issue from occurring. This would be asking questions like “Is email the most effective way to handle this issue? Should a manager have been alerted sooner? “ An article titled “Understanding Yourself and Increasing Your Professional Value through Self-Reflection” offers some additional insight on what it looks like to reflect in the workplace and why the skill is valuable. Read about it here: http://intercom.stc.org/2014/01/understanding-yourself-and-increasing-your-professional-value-through-self-reflection/
By taking full advantage of the opportunity to reflect and make changes based on those reflections, you will be able to present that critical thinking skill to future employers in an interview. Reflection is one more skill to set you apart from other candidates!
Christensen, T. (n.d.) Reflection Is the Most Important Part of the Learning Process. Retrieved from http://99u.com/workbook/25481/reflection-is-the-most-important-part-of-the-learning-process
LEARNING CORNER WITH JEFF PFEFFER: IT\’S TIME WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Mental health is finally getting more attention in the working world. In fact in January, the World Economic Forum held meetings in Davos that featured a dedicated mental health track. The goal? Raise awareness of mental health as a global challenge—outside and inside of the workplace.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 18% of adults in the U.S. (some 42 million people) have a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder. And a report from Mental Health America found that almost 20 million Americans have a substance abuse problem, while nearly 9 million people (3.8 percent of the population) reported having serious thoughts of suicide.
The workplace isn\’t immune to the challenges of mental health. And as the working world strives to master new, unfamiliar technologies, mental health issues could even be exacerbated by work. What\’s more, a systematic review of studies of work-related stress estimates costs to be as high as $187 billion, with 70% of the sum coming from lost productivity. I believe that learning and talking about mental health issues at work is a necessary first step to improving mental health in the workplace, and by extension, curbing the enormous costs they create.
How Employers Can Do More to Mitigate the Costs of Mental Illness
According to The Center for Workplace Mental Health, nearly 7% of full-time workers experienced major depression during the year, with the total economic burden estimated to be about $210 billion per year. Major depression increases absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity) and has direct medical costs.
Employers bear a lot of these costs and, therefore, have a role to play in addressing mental health issues—both through the medical benefits they provide and by building cultures of physical and mental health in their workplaces through management practices that promote well-being.
In order to get to a place where managers and employees understand the implications of mental health at work, companies should stop treating it as something distinct (and less important) than other forms of illness. They should provide comprehensive mental health coverage as part of their medical benefits, all while working to reduce the stigma.
Understanding (and Treating) the Pervasion of Mental Illness at Work
In 2008, the U.S. passed a mental health parity law mandating equal medical coverage for mental and physical illness, but big differences in coverage and access remain. One study found that in 2015, behavioral care was between “four to six times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care,\” and insurers paid primary care providers 20% more for the same types of care than they paid addiction or mental health specialists.
Some of this difference is the result of the stigma associated with mental health problems. A Financial Times reporter recently told me that when doing interviews for a story about mental illness in the C-suite, a board member told her that if the CEO admitted to mental illness, the board would fire that individual. An article about depression in the technology industry noted that admitting to depression could harm company perception and would put obtaining funding at risk.
Another contributing factor in the difference in cost and access is the sense that mental illness is not a “real\” illness like cancer or heart disease. But that is completely incorrect: As my Stanford colleague Leanne Williams has demonstrated, neuroimaging studies show real changes in the physiology of the brain diagnosed with depression.
Making access to care more costly and difficult for insured employees and stigmatizing mental health issues just drives people to try and hide issues and not get care—perpetuating the problems and their associated costs.
A Path Forward for Employers and Employees
Ultimately, the best way companies can eliminate the stigma around mental health at work is to just start talking about it. EY (formerly Ernst and Young), for example, launched a program called We Care with the goal of educating employees about mental health issues and encouraging them to seek help. The program is also centered around support for colleagues who may be struggling with illness or addiction.
More employers should take a similarly proactive approach to get mental health out of the shadows. And once the lines of communication are open, HR departments can (and should) consider offering benefits that provide more accessible mental health care.
Mental illness is enormously costly, both to society and employers, yet research advances make the effective treatment of disorders such as anxiety and depression much more possible. For reasons both economic and humane, employers should work to destigmatize mental disorders, increase insurance coverage of treatments and ensure that care uses the best, most recent available evidence.
LEARNING CORNER WITH JEFF PFEFFER: IT\’S TIME WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Mental health is finally getting more attention in the working world. In fact in January, the World Economic Forum held meetings in Davos that featured a dedicated mental health track. The goal? Raise awareness of mental health as a global challenge—outside and inside of the workplace.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 18% of adults in the U.S. (some 42 million people) have a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder. And a report from Mental Health America found that almost 20 million Americans have a substance abuse problem, while nearly 9 million people (3.8 percent of the population) reported having serious thoughts of suicide.
The workplace isn\’t immune to the challenges of mental health. And as the working world strives to master new, unfamiliar technologies, mental health issues could even be exacerbated by work. What\’s more, a systematic review of studies of work-related stress estimates costs to be as high as $187 billion, with 70% of the sum coming from lost productivity. I believe that learning and talking about mental health issues at work is a necessary first step to improving mental health in the workplace, and by extension, curbing the enormous costs they create.
How Employers Can Do More to Mitigate the Costs of Mental Illness
According to The Center for Workplace Mental Health, nearly 7% of full-time workers experienced major depression during the year, with the total economic burden estimated to be about $210 billion per year. Major depression increases absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity) and has direct medical costs.
Employers bear a lot of these costs and, therefore, have a role to play in addressing mental health issues—both through the medical benefits they provide and by building cultures of physical and mental health in their workplaces through management practices that promote well-being.
In order to get to a place where managers and employees understand the implications of mental health at work, companies should stop treating it as something distinct (and less important) than other forms of illness. They should provide comprehensive mental health coverage as part of their medical benefits, all while working to reduce the stigma.
Understanding (and Treating) the Pervasion of Mental Illness at Work
In 2008, the U.S. passed a mental health parity law mandating equal medical coverage for mental and physical illness, but big differences in coverage and access remain. One study found that in 2015, behavioral care was between “four to six times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care,\” and insurers paid primary care providers 20% more for the same types of care than they paid addiction or mental health specialists.
Some of this difference is the result of the stigma associated with mental health problems. A Financial Times reporter recently told me that when doing interviews for a story about mental illness in the C-suite, a board member told her that if the CEO admitted to mental illness, the board would fire that individual. An article about depression in the technology industry noted that admitting to depression could harm company perception and would put obtaining funding at risk.
Another contributing factor in the difference in cost and access is the sense that mental illness is not a “real\” illness like cancer or heart disease. But that is completely incorrect: As my Stanford colleague Leanne Williams has demonstrated, neuroimaging studies show real changes in the physiology of the brain diagnosed with depression.
Making access to care more costly and difficult for insured employees and stigmatizing mental health issues just drives people to try and hide issues and not get care—perpetuating the problems and their associated costs.
A Path Forward for Employers and Employees
Ultimately, the best way companies can eliminate the stigma around mental health at work is to just start talking about it. EY (formerly Ernst and Young), for example, launched a program called We Care with the goal of educating employees about mental health issues and encouraging them to seek help. The program is also centered around support for colleagues who may be struggling with illness or addiction.
More employers should take a similarly proactive approach to get mental health out of the shadows. And once the lines of communication are open, HR departments can (and should) consider offering benefits that provide more accessible mental health care.
Mental illness is enormously costly, both to society and employers, yet research advances make the effective treatment of disorders such as anxiety and depression much more possible. For reasons both economic and humane, employers should work to destigmatize mental disorders, increase insurance coverage of treatments and ensure that care uses the best, most recent available evidence.
LEARNING CORNER WITH JEFF PFEFFER: IT\’S TIME WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Mental health is finally getting more attention in the working world. In fact in January, the World Economic Forum held meetings in Davos that featured a dedicated mental health track. The goal? Raise awareness of mental health as a global challenge—outside and inside of the workplace.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 18% of adults in the U.S. (some 42 million people) have a mental, behavioral or emotional disorder. And a report from Mental Health America found that almost 20 million Americans have a substance abuse problem, while nearly 9 million people (3.8 percent of the population) reported having serious thoughts of suicide.
The workplace isn\’t immune to the challenges of mental health. And as the working world strives to master new, unfamiliar technologies, mental health issues could even be exacerbated by work. What\’s more, a systematic review of studies of work-related stress estimates costs to be as high as $187 billion, with 70% of the sum coming from lost productivity. I believe that learning and talking about mental health issues at work is a necessary first step to improving mental health in the workplace, and by extension, curbing the enormous costs they create.
How Employers Can Do More to Mitigate the Costs of Mental Illness
According to The Center for Workplace Mental Health, nearly 7% of full-time workers experienced major depression during the year, with the total economic burden estimated to be about $210 billion per year. Major depression increases absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity) and has direct medical costs.
Employers bear a lot of these costs and, therefore, have a role to play in addressing mental health issues—both through the medical benefits they provide and by building cultures of physical and mental health in their workplaces through management practices that promote well-being.
In order to get to a place where managers and employees understand the implications of mental health at work, companies should stop treating it as something distinct (and less important) than other forms of illness. They should provide comprehensive mental health coverage as part of their medical benefits, all while working to reduce the stigma.
Understanding (and Treating) the Pervasion of Mental Illness at Work
In 2008, the U.S. passed a mental health parity law mandating equal medical coverage for mental and physical illness, but big differences in coverage and access remain. One study found that in 2015, behavioral care was between “four to six times more likely to be out-of-network than medical or surgical care,\” and insurers paid primary care providers 20% more for the same types of care than they paid addiction or mental health specialists.
Some of this difference is the result of the stigma associated with mental health problems. A Financial Times reporter recently told me that when doing interviews for a story about mental illness in the C-suite, a board member told her that if the CEO admitted to mental illness, the board would fire that individual. An article about depression in the technology industry noted that admitting to depression could harm company perception and would put obtaining funding at risk.
Another contributing factor in the difference in cost and access is the sense that mental illness is not a “real\” illness like cancer or heart disease. But that is completely incorrect: As my Stanford colleague Leanne Williams has demonstrated, neuroimaging studies show real changes in the physiology of the brain diagnosed with depression.
Making access to care more costly and difficult for insured employees and stigmatizing mental health issues just drives people to try and hide issues and not get care—perpetuating the problems and their associated costs.
A Path Forward for Employers and Employees
Ultimately, the best way companies can eliminate the stigma around mental health at work is to just start talking about it. EY (formerly Ernst and Young), for example, launched a program called We Care with the goal of educating employees about mental health issues and encouraging them to seek help. The program is also centered around support for colleagues who may be struggling with illness or addiction.
More employers should take a similarly proactive approach to get mental health out of the shadows. And once the lines of communication are open, HR departments can (and should) consider offering benefits that provide more accessible mental health care.
Mental illness is enormously costly, both to society and employers, yet research advances make the effective treatment of disorders such as anxiety and depression much more possible. For reasons both economic and humane, employers should work to destigmatize mental disorders, increase insurance coverage of treatments and ensure that care uses the best, most recent available evidence.
Struggling in a Class? We’re Here to Help!!
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.
4 STEPS TO BUILDING AN IRRESISTIBLE \’EMPLOYER BRAND\’
We always hear about the importance of building a brand to attract customers. But what we don\’t hear a lot about is the value of brand-building when it comes to recruiting. At a time when competition for top talent is fierce even in a sputtering economy, employers need to do a lot more than just dangle higher salaries, more flexible hours and referral bonuses to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Kim Cassady, director of global talent at Cornerstone OnDemand, says companies should put as much emphasis on their \”employer brand\” as they do on the public face they present to customers and the world. But building that brand means more than just throwing money and perks at potential recruits, she says. Cassady suggests four core strategies for developing a reputation as a great company to work for.
Create a Culture by Design
Recruiting today needs to be proactive, and that includes creating a mission statement and culture that\’s vibrant and attractive to job seekers. After all, in today\’s uber-connected society, corporate cultures get defined by default unless companies take an active role upfront, says Cornerstone OnDemand CEO Adam Miller. Key to this take-charge process is employee input: put workers — not managers — at the center and allow them to identify and describe a company\’s personality, purpose and rewards.
Tap the Company\’s Best Asset
A company\’s most effective brand advocates are its current employees. Just as they help define a company\’s culture, they should be intricately involved in the recruiting process, says Cassady. Employees can blog on the company\’s site or for other industry sites. They can talk up the company at networking events. They can even apply on the company\’s behalf for recognition as a \”great place to work.\” And when there are openings to fill, remember that current staff members are the best resource: companies are 10 times more likely to hire a referred candidate than other applicants.
Keep up Appearances
A company\’s \”employer brand\” matters a lot, but not to the exclusion of its overall brand, Cassady notes. To that end, leadership throughout the company is critical. From marketing to human resources to finance to sales, department heads throughout a company should live up to the company\’s culture and values — and communicate them effectively to key stakeholders, prospective recruits, customers, and current employees. A good way, explains Cassady, to maintain a strong brand is to set up a LinkedIn company profile, keep the company website up-to-date and make the most of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a way to engage and inform the outside world. Statistics show that 98 percent of recruiters and hiring managers use social media so when it comes to building a public-facing brand, social media is a big avenue for success.
Differentiate Yourself, and Keep Doing It
Companies that look too much like their competitors have a harder time recruiting top talent based on factors other than compensation, says Cassady. It\’s critical, she says, that companies strive to set themselves apart from their rivals — and to think constantly about new ways to do that. Zappos — which has nap rooms for employees — Google — which offers employees free rental cars to run errands, free gyms and, in some cases, free on-site daycare — and Airbnb — where workers get $2,000 a year to spend as they wish on travel — are all good examples of companies who have set themselves apart from the competition.
The perks don\’t have to be as costly as Google\’s or as wacky as Zappos\’, but companies would do well to remember that even small gestures can add up in the eyes of current — and future — employees.
4 STEPS TO BUILDING AN IRRESISTIBLE \’EMPLOYER BRAND\’
We always hear about the importance of building a brand to attract customers. But what we don\’t hear a lot about is the value of brand-building when it comes to recruiting. At a time when competition for top talent is fierce even in a sputtering economy, employers need to do a lot more than just dangle higher salaries, more flexible hours and referral bonuses to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Kim Cassady, director of global talent at Cornerstone OnDemand, says companies should put as much emphasis on their \”employer brand\” as they do on the public face they present to customers and the world. But building that brand means more than just throwing money and perks at potential recruits, she says. Cassady suggests four core strategies for developing a reputation as a great company to work for.
Create a Culture by Design
Recruiting today needs to be proactive, and that includes creating a mission statement and culture that\’s vibrant and attractive to job seekers. After all, in today\’s uber-connected society, corporate cultures get defined by default unless companies take an active role upfront, says Cornerstone OnDemand CEO Adam Miller. Key to this take-charge process is employee input: put workers — not managers — at the center and allow them to identify and describe a company\’s personality, purpose and rewards.
Tap the Company\’s Best Asset
A company\’s most effective brand advocates are its current employees. Just as they help define a company\’s culture, they should be intricately involved in the recruiting process, says Cassady. Employees can blog on the company\’s site or for other industry sites. They can talk up the company at networking events. They can even apply on the company\’s behalf for recognition as a \”great place to work.\” And when there are openings to fill, remember that current staff members are the best resource: companies are 10 times more likely to hire a referred candidate than other applicants.
Keep up Appearances
A company\’s \”employer brand\” matters a lot, but not to the exclusion of its overall brand, Cassady notes. To that end, leadership throughout the company is critical. From marketing to human resources to finance to sales, department heads throughout a company should live up to the company\’s culture and values — and communicate them effectively to key stakeholders, prospective recruits, customers, and current employees. A good way, explains Cassady, to maintain a strong brand is to set up a LinkedIn company profile, keep the company website up-to-date and make the most of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a way to engage and inform the outside world. Statistics show that 98 percent of recruiters and hiring managers use social media so when it comes to building a public-facing brand, social media is a big avenue for success.
Differentiate Yourself, and Keep Doing It
Companies that look too much like their competitors have a harder time recruiting top talent based on factors other than compensation, says Cassady. It\’s critical, she says, that companies strive to set themselves apart from their rivals — and to think constantly about new ways to do that. Zappos — which has nap rooms for employees — Google — which offers employees free rental cars to run errands, free gyms and, in some cases, free on-site daycare — and Airbnb — where workers get $2,000 a year to spend as they wish on travel — are all good examples of companies who have set themselves apart from the competition.
The perks don\’t have to be as costly as Google\’s or as wacky as Zappos\’, but companies would do well to remember that even small gestures can add up in the eyes of current — and future — employees.
4 STEPS TO BUILDING AN IRRESISTIBLE \’EMPLOYER BRAND\’
We always hear about the importance of building a brand to attract customers. But what we don\’t hear a lot about is the value of brand-building when it comes to recruiting. At a time when competition for top talent is fierce even in a sputtering economy, employers need to do a lot more than just dangle higher salaries, more flexible hours and referral bonuses to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Kim Cassady, director of global talent at Cornerstone OnDemand, says companies should put as much emphasis on their \”employer brand\” as they do on the public face they present to customers and the world. But building that brand means more than just throwing money and perks at potential recruits, she says. Cassady suggests four core strategies for developing a reputation as a great company to work for.
Create a Culture by Design
Recruiting today needs to be proactive, and that includes creating a mission statement and culture that\’s vibrant and attractive to job seekers. After all, in today\’s uber-connected society, corporate cultures get defined by default unless companies take an active role upfront, says Cornerstone OnDemand CEO Adam Miller. Key to this take-charge process is employee input: put workers — not managers — at the center and allow them to identify and describe a company\’s personality, purpose and rewards.
Tap the Company\’s Best Asset
A company\’s most effective brand advocates are its current employees. Just as they help define a company\’s culture, they should be intricately involved in the recruiting process, says Cassady. Employees can blog on the company\’s site or for other industry sites. They can talk up the company at networking events. They can even apply on the company\’s behalf for recognition as a \”great place to work.\” And when there are openings to fill, remember that current staff members are the best resource: companies are 10 times more likely to hire a referred candidate than other applicants.
Keep up Appearances
A company\’s \”employer brand\” matters a lot, but not to the exclusion of its overall brand, Cassady notes. To that end, leadership throughout the company is critical. From marketing to human resources to finance to sales, department heads throughout a company should live up to the company\’s culture and values — and communicate them effectively to key stakeholders, prospective recruits, customers, and current employees. A good way, explains Cassady, to maintain a strong brand is to set up a LinkedIn company profile, keep the company website up-to-date and make the most of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a way to engage and inform the outside world. Statistics show that 98 percent of recruiters and hiring managers use social media so when it comes to building a public-facing brand, social media is a big avenue for success.
Differentiate Yourself, and Keep Doing It
Companies that look too much like their competitors have a harder time recruiting top talent based on factors other than compensation, says Cassady. It\’s critical, she says, that companies strive to set themselves apart from their rivals — and to think constantly about new ways to do that. Zappos — which has nap rooms for employees — Google — which offers employees free rental cars to run errands, free gyms and, in some cases, free on-site daycare — and Airbnb — where workers get $2,000 a year to spend as they wish on travel — are all good examples of companies who have set themselves apart from the competition.
The perks don\’t have to be as costly as Google\’s or as wacky as Zappos\’, but companies would do well to remember that even small gestures can add up in the eyes of current — and future — employees.
4 WAYS COLLEGE RECRUITERS CAN ATTRACT DIVERSE TALENT
This piece is the second in our “Campus Recruiting 101” series, about how recruiters can make the most of their campus recruiting efforts this year.
“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.
1) Make Diversity Part of Your Brand
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.
2) Look for Talent in the Right Places
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.
3) Participate in a Virtual Career Fair
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.
4) Create Formal Programs for 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.
Eduindex 
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