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What comes to mind when you think of the word agile? 

Agility is usually associated with sports and everyday life. Agility can mean quick movements, a body adapting to rapid changes, or being coordinated and balanced.

Similarly, agility in business refers to the company’s ability to quickly adapt to changes and fluctuations in its business environment.

If there’s anything that the last two years has taught us, it’s the need to be responsive and adaptable. If a business is set up to respond quickly and with the flexibility to meet business demands, they’re more likely to thrive and sustain their growth.

How can you develop workplace agility in your company?

1. Listen 

Listen closely to what’s going on in your field or industry, and then respond or strategize accordingly. If you don’t pay attention, you won’t be able to meet rapidly changing business needs. 

       2. Be proactive

Encourage quick decision-making and fast thinking. This enables autonomy and empowers employees to act quickly by removing unnecessary obstacles to progress and innovate.

       3. Collaborate

Agility in the workplace strives to break down hierarchical power structures and unnecessary barriers so that everyone can explore, create, and drive positive outcomes. Share industry knowledge with teammates and collaborate on tasks.

        4. Communicate

In order to optimize and execute the strategies planned, you need to be able to communicate quickly, accurately, and effectively.

        5. Learn

Being agile requires keeping up and learning new skills as needed. The best way to show agility at work is to grow and expand your knowledge, using new skills and information to respond to whatever situation comes up in real life.

Why develop and promote agility in the workplace?

1. Higher profit margins

Agility boosts employee motivation and engagement. This means better quality produced and better results for the company.

Research conducted by Gallup shows that employees who perceive their company culture to be agile believe that their company is ahead of the competition, that the company’s financial future is secure, and that their employer is successful and growing. 

      2. Greater customer satisfaction

Agility requires more collaboration and communication. This extends beyond the company and its employees. You can stay informed and deliver the best solutions and products when customers can share their thoughts and opinions. 

      3. More resilient business

When you challenge people to be more agile, you can improve both individual and organizational resilience. Businesses that can adapt and adjust quickly to sudden challenges and employees who know how to balance work, manage stress, and retain motivation are the definition of resilience in the workplace.

Embracing business agility gives you an advantage over your competition. Companies that react quickly to change and learn from innovating not only survive, but grow stronger. Foster the habit of always looking for ways to improve your processes, products, and services among your workforce, and let your employees lead your business into the future.

Agility should be a key focus for your current 2023 planning cycle. Businesses that can adapt and react quickly to change are the ones that will thrive time after time. Contact P2L for any questions or inquiries.

A sense of belonging to a group is something we all desire. Whether that is at home, at work, or in our community. It comes down to social connection, which is one of our most basic needs. When that need isn’t met, it can actually cause us to feel pain physically, emotionally, and mentally. When we have that sense of belonging and feel a sense of inclusion, it can help to create a more meaningful life. It makes us feel like we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

This is why more and more companies are actively striving for a diverse and inclusive workplace. They want their employees to feel welcome and that they can be themselves. Research has shown that creating a sense of belonging in the workplace results in greater on-the-job effort and high employee performance.

Here are some ways to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace :

1. Celebrate individuality

Employees should not feel like they are outsiders in their own workplace. This will only make them suppress parts of themselves that make them unique. The workplace should not be a “one size fits all” type of environment. Strive for a workplace culture in which individuality is both noticed and valued. Allow them to show up as their true selves, not a watered-down version of it. 

      2. Ask for input

Leaders can encourage inclusion by simply asking team members for their input. Instead of just assigning each employee with a role in the project, leaders could explain the end goal and then ask how they’d like to contribute. That empowers them to decide the role they’d each like to play, thus making them more personally invested in the outcome.

       3. Plan events and holidays that represent everyone

Initiating diversity in planning and holding celebratory events to highlight underrepresented groups are highly effective at creating cultures of belonging.

If you want to learn how to create a sense of belonging in your workplacce, take our Inclusion and Belonging online training. Contact P2L for any questions or inquiries.

Employee Engagement is defined as the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.  

Why is Employee Engagement important?

High levels of engagement promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty and improve organizational performance. Engaged employees look at the whole of the company and understand their purpose and how they fit in. This leads to better decision-making and overall growth of the company.

Disengaged workers feel no real connection to their jobs and tend to do the bare minimum. Disengagement may show itself in a number of common ways, including a sudden unwillingness to participate in social events outside the office or a tendency to distance themselves from peers. It becomes most noticeable when someone who’s normally outgoing and enthusiastic seems to have nothing positive to contribute. They may resent their jobs and drag down office morale.

How to Improve Employee Engagement

Improving engagement isn’t complicated, it simply must be prioritized. Here are some strategies for improving employee engagement in your company.

• Assign the right role

The HR team should be intentional when hiring. Assign jobs to people who have the skills needed to do the tasks.

• Train your employees

Employees will feel more confident if they know what’s expected of them, the goals of the company, and when they have the resources to do their job. This means providing them proper training to fully understand their role.

• Recognize good work

A lot of employees feel like they do not get enough recognition for their work. As a result, most employees will not deliver their maximum potential. Also, highly-trained and qualified talent is always looking for better options out there. For this reason, it is wise to create a recognition-rich environment where good work is rewarded with perks and incentives. 

• Invest in personal growth

Every employee that you hire should be encouraged to assist in the long-term growth of the company. Whether it is by running a proprietary training program or sponsoring higher education for your employees, you are not only investing in the future of your company but also creating a sense of loyalty among your employees.

• Help them create a success roadmap

Helping your employees create a proper roadmap of success is yet another pillar in a successful employee engagement strategy. Holding regular career counseling sessions or helping them create a clear career advancement path might help a lot when it comes to employee engagement. 

These tips  will help you to engage with employees and retain them. Employee engagement will open doors for performance growth. It can increase productivity, increase employee retention, and boost the reputation of your organization.

Contact P2L today to enroll in Employee Engagement online class.

A lack of career growth is one of the top reasons why employees quit their jobs. Employees are promised career growth during the hiring process, but unfortunately, a lot of companies are not really willing to discuss or help their employees. 

How career growth improves employee retention:

According to BetterUp, studies show that employees who don’t have a clear way to advance their career path will leave their company for a new job. This makes sense if you think about it — few people want to keep the same title and salary level for years on end.  

The fact is, employees are always learning new things on the job. They might even be working on career development on their own time. And if you don’t recognize their growth with promotions or other advancement opportunities, employees may begin to feel underappreciated.

So, what can you do to support your employees’ career growth? P2L’s Your Career course can help you and your employees achieve success together by helping them excel and carve their own career path. This will also keep employees engaged and motivated.

Course objectives:

• Reflect on their identity—what’s important to them, what they are good at, and what they like to do. 
• Explore their reputation—how others perceive them and the impact of their reputation on the work they are attracting. 
• Identify actions for minimizing the disconnect between identity and reputation and maximizing alignment.
• Obtain ideas for building a vibrant, mutually beneficial “career community.” 
• Prepare for career disruptions—unintentional or intentional.
• Clarify their career vision and identify actions for making it happen.

Your Career can be run in one session or three distinct chapters, depending on your organization’s specific needs.

What’s now

This is about understanding key aspects of who you are, how you’re perceived at work, and how the difference between the two affects your career development. This chapter explores: 

• Identity: What’s important to you? What are you good at? What do you like to do?
• Reputation: How do others answer those questions for you and what kind of work are you attracting? 
• Alignment: How do you bridge the gap between identity and reputation?

What’s next

This is the acknowledgment that, to get to where you’re going, you have to have a vision, you have to have a plan, and you have to have the right people around you. This chapter explores: 

• Career Community: The five roles that everyone needs in their network. 
• Networking: What it is and what it’s not for the short and long term. 
• A Plan: Identifying steps for reaching your vision.

What if

This supports preparedness for when the inevitable change (either good or bad) happens. This chapter explores: 

• Career Storytelling: How to envision your future and action plans based on your toolbox of accumulated skills and experiences. 
• Resilience: How to move forward from career disruptions. 
• Buffers: Ideas for creating distance and gaining perspective.

Contact P2L today for any questions or inquiries about this course.

Poor presentation can cost businesses time, money, and opportunities. Great presentations can help you make a sale, secure investments, or land large client accounts. Learning how to make an excellent presentation can be the critical factor to achieving success.

According to Business News Daily, 1 in 25 people reported walking out on a presentation that lasted too long. Another 25% admitted to having been so uninterested in the material that they fell asleep. And 1 out of every 12 people were so unengaged by a business presentation that they spent time browsing a dating app.

So how can you improve your presentation skills?

• Research

The first step is to research the topic you will be presenting. Gather all the information needed and interpret the data. Researching ensures that you know the topic very well and you are prepared for any questions they might ask

• Organize

Organize all the information and data you gathered. Think about the different points you want to share and which examples will effectively support each point. Create an outline and present them in a way that will make sense to the audience. 

• Delivery

The last step is the actual presentation. Now that you’ve done all your research and organized your thoughts, you’ll feel more confident and prepared to present. Don’t rush the presentation and focus on pronouncing each word clearly. 

Tips when making a presentation:

• Minimize slide content

Include only the essential information and highlight the high impact words on your slides. By doing this, you can capture your audience’s attention and make sure they are engaged.

• Adjust your presentation to your audience

Business presentations are a great opportunity to persuade your audience and show them your point of view. A strategy that helped a lot of leaders improve their presentation is to meet and greet their audience before starting their presentation. This will help you know them better and adjust your presentation according to their needs and interests.

• Personalize

Appeal to your audience but don’t forget to personalize it. Be authentic, share personal stories or experiences, and put your emotions into it. People prefer authenticity and leaders they can relate to. When they don’t feel a connection to you and your presentation, they will immediately disengage.

The only way to get better at presenting is to practice. The more you do it, the less you’ll be nervous next time. You can learn and develop all the skills you’ll need when presenting with our Presenting Skills eLearning course. The next date for this course is on the 11th of April. Enroll now!

The last two years changed the workplace and work culture drastically. Employees and employers had to adapt to sudden challenges brought on by the pandemic. 

According to TrainingMag 57 percent of U.S. workers want to update their skills, and 48 percent would consider switching jobs to do it. In addition, 71 percent of workers say job training and development increase their job satisfaction, and 61 percent say upskilling opportunities are an important reason to stay at their job. On top of all this, studies show that 94 percent of workers would stay at their company if their company invested in their careers.

Upskilling vs Reskilling

Upskilling

• Refers to the process of teaching employees new, advanced skills to close talent gaps. The skills they acquire can also help them perform better in their current job role. According to a research done by LinkedIn,  94% of workers said they would choose to stay in their current job if their company invested in their career growth.

Reskilling

• Refers to the process of acquiring new skills required to perform a completely different job role. Research shows that by 2025 more than half of all employees will require reskilling due to technological advancement

Why upskilling and reskilling matters more than ever

1. Technology advancement

Technology has made many jobs obsolete. If businesses don’t invest in reskilling or upskilling their workers, they will quit, and in the end the company will lose top talent.

     2. Helps develop self-awareness

Through upskilling and reskilling, employees can discover their strengths and limitations. This will help them understand which areas need more focus and work. These programs can allow employees to track their progress. 

     3. Reduces turnover rate

Rehiring and severance fees can cost a lot. To avoid employees from quitting, invest in developing their skills and teach them new skills they can use to do their role better. This will help reduce employee turnover rate which can positively impact your company’s reputation.

An important factor to consider when upskilling or reskilling is to list all the current skills that your employees have and think about the skills they can develop to help not only you and your company, but also their career growth. 

Thinking of Upskilling and Reskilling your employees? P2L has a variety of courses available. From leadership development, employee engagement, to information technology, we can help you and your employees achieve success. Contact us today to get started.

Technology is changing the world rapidly. Organizations can use these changes to advance their goals more effectively, to promote and grow their business, to educate their employees in a more efficient manner, and to attract more clients. One of the latest technologies P2L has adopted as a new and exciting way of learning is Augmented Reality (AR).

What is Augmented Reality?

Investopedia defines Augmented reality (AR) as  an enhanced version of the real physical world that is achieved through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli and delivered via technology. Unlike virtual reality, which creates its own cyber environment, augmented reality adds to the existing world as it is.

If you’re wondering if your business could benefit from Augmented Reality, here are some reasons why most businesses should invest in Augmented Reality.

Advantages of using Augmented Reality

• It creates a unique experience

Whether you’re using Augmented Reality for the first time or it is your 100th time trying it, it can always create a unique experience for users. It’s so easy to see and experience your surroundings in a new way without actually having to change them. 

• It’s efficient for onboarding new employees

Using Augmented Reality makes it easier and more efficient to train employees. Training modules can be recorded while the employees follow along and practice tasks with minimal risk to workplace operations.

• It saves you money

Companies spend a lot of time and money to see the final product only to end up with something they don’t actually like. With Augmented Reality, companies can create a digital sample to see what features will look like next to objects in the real world.

• It boosts user engagement

Since the beginning of 2020 businesses have shifted to using AR to advertise and attract customers. Scannable product labels, interactive ads, store signage — these are some ways how AR can be used to boost user engagement.

• It’s an effective marketing strategy

Augmented Reality allows customers to try and see how a product works before buying them. Customers will more likely come back and give the product a try because of their experience. This also attracts repetitive engagement since it’s fun and interactive.

Augmented Reality will continue to develop and expand in different business industries. It will be interesting to see its growth in the next ten years. Businesses should incorporate Augmented Reality as early as now to stay ahead of the competition. Contact P2L today if you want to learn more about Augmented Reality and how you can use it to grow your business. 

Indeed defines professional growth as gaining new experiences and skills to positively impact your current position and any role you are likely to pursue in your career. By expanding your skills and thinking ahead, you are preparing yourself to handle more responsibilities. Regardless of your position, there is always more to learn.

Here are some tips to advance your professional growth

• Master your industry

Some work industries require a more in-depth knowledge and skills than other industries. By mastering those information and skills, you will be able to better communicate the issues your industry is facing.

Take time each week to read news and articles written about your field of work to ensure you are continuously growing. You can also join professional groups that target other professionals in your industry and attend lectures or seminars with them. Lastly, look for opportunities to apply the things you learned in your workplace.

• Further your education

Whether your goal is to advance in your career at your current organization, transition to a new role elsewhere, or work in a brand new industry, furthering your education is one strategy that can help you get there. Continuing your education shows employers that you are a lifelong learner who values self-improvement and that you can always keep up with the changing demands in the industry.

• Take performance review seriously

Performance reviews are an excellent way for employers to show employees where they are meeting expectations and where they may be falling short. For employees, they are also an incredibly effective way of making it known that you have goals for professional development. By letting your employer know about your goals you can work together to identify a plan of action that will allow you to get where you want to be.

• Track your progress

Keeping track of your performance will ensure that you remain committed to your plan and allow you to improve your efforts if your progress begins to slow. It is also important to avoid self-doubt and frustration.

Doing the same thing day after day will not only stop you from learning and growing, but you might also begin to regress. To reverse this process, you have to challenge yourself and expose yourself to potentially uncomfortable or new situations that allow growth to take place. P2L’s Managing Professional Growth course equips leaders with a proven employee-manager conversation structure focused on increased engagement, development, and mutual success.

Coaching conversations help employees learn to take ownership of their challenges and be responsible for their own actions. Instead of directly answering them, ask them questions and allow them to come to their own conclusion when deciding.

Great Coaching Conversations: The 5 Cs.

According to Transformational Leadership, these 5 Cs sum up a great coaching conversation:

• Clarity: Be clear in what needs to be communicated. Think of the specific changes that your employee will benefit from in the future?
• Compassion:  Instill the mindset that feedback is a gift. Let them know that you’re on their team and working toward the goal of helping them reach their potential. Then, ask the employee what support they need to follow through on the coaching given.
• Curiosity: Approach from a place of curiosity rather than judgment. Ask what could they have done better.
• Confirmation: Acknowledge the emotion. Restate your understanding of what the employee said.
• Commitment: Ask them the most important takeaways for them from this conversation, the new behaviors that they will practice, and determine follow-up actions

Here are the things you’ll learn after taking this course :

As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Prioritize coaching as part of a leadership strategy
• Identify and leverage the elements of the EC2 prompt: Explore, Collaborate, Commit
• Explore the levels of listening and utilize mind-opening questions
• Practice applying EC2 techniques through a coaching conversation

Coaching conversation is not about teaching, but learning and making your employees aware of their potential. Sincerely allotting time to coach can encourage employees, thus leading to new ways of thinking, innovative solutions, and valuable learning.

For more information about this course, please check this page from P2L.