7 Ways To Enhance Organizational Culture

As a young employee I was transferred to work in the Global HR office, Houston Texas, USA. I wasn’t the only person to arrive in this new office space the group had changed significantly due to reorganization and many of us were from different countries working together for the first time.

My boss, the Senior Vice President, HR, asked me to help her with some unusual HRIS projects. First, I organized an ugly tie contest. Next, we created a puzzle where everyone told me their fantasy identity (who they would be if they could be anyone) and I created a quiz. People had several days to try to figure out who was who. This culminated in a party and the revealing of all the secret identities (and prizes for those who had done the best guessing).

Along with many other events, we eventually instituted the first HR Project. This project was called iConnect (hey, this was 2009 /2010).

At that time I knew what was happening and why it was important to the development of the culture in the organization. But I didn't understand it the way I do now. . .☺

For a whole variety of reasons, organizational culture is important to the health or viability of any organization.

It is one thing to know something is important. It is another thing entirely to know what to do about it. This article will give you some specific things you can do to act on the importance of your organizational culture.

Here are some important things you should know:

1. Get Help:

Wherever you sit in the organizational structure or hierarchy you can impact organizational culture in a positive (or negative but why would you want to do that?) way. Admittedly, if you are in a position of leadership, it might be easier, but we can all have an impact. 

But we cant do it alone. Form a team of like minded, interested and enthusiastic people, and get them on board with developing and enhancing your culture.

2. Get A Vision:

Get your team to discuss the current culture. Define the parts of the culture that are already great and need to be supported. And honestly determine where the culture could use some polishing. Then create a vision of the culture you want to create, taking into account the entire current picture the warts and the beauty marks.

3. Get Strategic:

Your team will recognize that this is important you've picked people who already understand that and you have developed a deeper understanding as you created a vision of a desired future culture. Help everyone understand – the team and organizational leadership that this isn't a band-aid, quick fix; but an ongoing, strategic intention to build a more attractive culture that fits the needs of the organization.

4. Get People Excited:

Chances are your culture team will be excited. If not, get them excited! Help the team recognize that not everyone else in the organization is going to think that these efforts are worthwhile immediately. Remember that enthusiasm is contagious. Do what you can to keep the enthusiasm of your team high. If their excitement falters, remind them of the vision they created to re-invigorate them.

5. Get A Champion:

That person may be you, or it may be someone else on the team. In my case, I took on the champion for West African. While a moniker might not be necessary, a point person, whether anonymous or not, is important. Culture change is like any other change it requires champions. The champion needs to be someone who is passionate about creating the new culture. As in my case, this was a perfect role for a young energetic person like me, but don't assign the role. The best champions will rise up and select themselves.

6. Get Started:

Yes, I have listed the first five suggestions in a chronological order. But that doesn't mean you can't do something today, as soon as you finish reading this article or right now. You already know some things that need to change in your culture, so role model one of them starting immediately. Maybe your first step is to invite a couple people to lunch that you think might want to be on your team. Whatever your first step is do it.

7. Get momentum on your side:

Any change will have a greater chance of success with momentum. Don't form your team today if you don't think you'll be able to get them going quickly. Don't think of this something that can be done in a couple of weeks. A single event that you hope will permanently change the culture – wont. In fact, it might have the opposite effect entirely. Get started but be committed to building momentum and staying with it. It will be one of the most rewarding efforts you and your team will ever engage in.

I haven't given you specific cultural events to try. Why? Because I don't know what kind of changes you want to create. In my case we were trying to create higher levels of HR Information System and more fun in the workplace. You may have that and may want to enhance your culture in completely different ways. You and your team will figure out what to do. 

This list is meant to help you figure those things out for yourselves.

These seven things are by no means a complete list but they are a great place to start. And getting started is the most important next step of all.

How to Write a Resume for Your First Job

How to write a resume for your first job is very important and can never be under rated at all. 

Writing a resume for your first job requires patience, attention to detail, and a little creativity. All job seekers need a strong resume if they want to compete for the best jobs. But while seasoned professionals can rely on their experience to generate initial interest from prospective employers, individuals hitting the job market for the first time do not have such a luxury. New professionals, therefore, need to work even harder to sell themselves to managers.

 

To start your resume, you will need to select a resume format. 

 

A functional resume is usually the best choice for a new professional, since it allows you to present your qualifications by functional skills as opposed to purely chronological job order.  Since your work history will be brief, if not non-existent, you want to place the emphasis on your skills and knowledge. 

 

Layout of a Functional Resume:

The layout you select for your resume should attract attention and create interest, but not detract from your overall presentation.  Use of capitalization, bold lettering, underlining, indentations, different fonts, and white space can add variety to your resume and emphasize important information.  The layout should be consistent throughout the individual sections of the resume, be visually appealing, and be easy for the reader to follow.

 

A functional resume has several parts, which are typically included in this order:

·       Name and Contact Information

·       Objective Statement

·       Education

·       Key Skills and Qualifications

·       Work Experience

·       Additional parts may include a section for Awards and Honors or References.

 

Name and Contact Information

You should include your name, full address, telephone number with area code, and email address (if applicable) at the very top of your resume.  If you are currently residing at a temporary address, such as a friend’s address, you may include it in addition to your permanent address depending on the circumstances.

 

Objective Statement

If you choose to include an objective statement, it should be a concise and meaningful statement that describes your career goals in detail.  An objective can include your goals in regards to your desired position title, industry, level of responsibility, and desired utilized skills.  The elements included in your objective should be reinforced and supported throughout your resume and your cover letter.  

 

A major mistake that many new professionals make is that they use a generalized objective statement.  This is due to the fact that many men and women new to the workforce may not necessarily know what they are seeking in a position.  They fear that by limiting the scope of the objective, that they are knocking themselves out of the running for positions that do not neatly match their objective – positions that they might otherwise be interesting in pursuing. 

 

While this is true in some cases, it is advisable to either keep your objective focused and narrow, or completely leave it off your resume.  A weak, unfocused objective in effect says nothing and will actually detract from your overall presentation.

 

Education

If you have a college degree, you should position the Education section near the top of your resume before your Key Skills and Qualifications.  If you do not have a degree, the Education section should follow your Key Skills and Qualifications.

 

Your highest level of education achieved, whether you completed the program or not, should be the first listed in this section.  All other schools you attended should follow. 

 

For each individual school, list the following:

• ·       Name of the school
• ·       Dates you attended or graduated
• ·       Degrees earned (or degree program you were in, if not completed)
• ·       Major and minor subject areas

 

You may also list any honors, awards, Dean's list commendations, and GPAs if they will enhance this section of your resume. 

 

Any certifications or completed training courses that are relevant to the position you are seeking should also be included.

 

Newer graduates can include a list of completed courses that are directly relevant to the type of position you are seeking.  For example, a newly graduated Accounting major may want to highlight her course in Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, and Tax Accounting.

You should only include high school information if you do not have a college degree or if you achieved high commendation in some area that reinforces your career objectives. 

 

Key Skills and Qualifications

This is the most critical section of a functional resume. The Skills section of your resume should highlight any relevant skills that might not otherwise be disclosed on your resume.  This section will be highly individualized to both the person and the position they are seeking. 

 

First, identify the key skills relevant to the type of position you are seeking.  Some examples of key skills include customer relations, graphic design, marketing, leadership, and computer technology skills.  It may be necessary to develop several different versions of your resume so that you are able effectively market yourself to a variety of jobs.

 See also soft skills required for job security 

Next, rank the key skills in order of importance – you want the most important skill to appear at the top of your skills list.  Then, under each of these key skill categories, include any information about yourself that demonstrates how you possess this skill.  You can draw from any work experience, volunteer experience, schooling, extracurricular activities, or any other area as appropriate.  As with the key skills themselves, rank this in order of importance so that the most relevant examples appear first.

 

Examples of key skills with supporting documentation are as follows:

• ·       Research
• ·       Designed questionnaire to assess customer needs
• ·       Identified sample population to be included in the study
• ·       Drafted analysis plan
• ·       Prepared survey results report and presented the results to the study team
• ·       Marketing and Distribution
• ·   Developed layout and organization of merchandise for a 25-page giftware catalog
• ·     Maintained accurate, up-to-date computer records of merchandise inventory, suppliers, customers, and shipping vendors.
• ·       Handled all facets of order receipt, processing, and fulfillment

 

Work Experience

Since you are new to the workforce, employers do not expect you to have much in terms of work experience.  This section should be very brief.  You should not provide any details of your responsibilities and accomplishments in this section (these should have been included under Key Skills and Qualifications).  Instead, simply list your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the position, and your dates of employment as follows:

2004 – Present    Customer Service Representative      ABC Telecommunications    Lagos, NG

                                           

2003 – 2004      Treasurer                                      Omega Lambda Pi Fraternity   Lagos, NG

                                

2001 – 2003   Sales Assistant                               Magellan Imports                     Lagos NG

                                

 

Other Optional Sections:

Honors and Awards:

List any career, academic, leadership or athletic honors you have received. Academic awards may alternatively be listed under the Education section of the resume.

 

References:

You may include a statement declaring “References Available upon Request” if you need to fill space on your resume.  Otherwise you should list references in a separate document.  References should typically only be provided when requested or once it is clear that the competition for a position is narrowing.  Do not include specific reference names or contact information on your resume.

 

Other Categories:

If there is additional information that you feel is important to include butt does not fit into any of these categories, you can create custom categories. Examples of custom categories may include Background, Professional Activities, and Recitals/Art Shows.

Do you have a job dream?

The use of a professional is highly recommended

Also visit How to write a cover letter

Growth Advice Towards Excellence - THE GATE

6 Best Soft Skills For Your Job Security

 

The best soft skills you need for your job security are the ones that can place you above your competition.

Most people are holding jobs with various employers. They are also moving to various employment sectors throughout their working life.

Thus, there is a need to be flexible enough with the working patterns. There is a need to be prepared with the changing sectors or jobs for better opportunities. You need to have improvement that serves you in the long run.

Employers are looking for skills that often go beyond experience and qualifications. While your experience and education may make you eligible enough to apply for a job, you still need to have mixed skills.

For most employers, getting the right people is important. It is all about identifying the people with the right qualities and skills to fulfill their role and contribute to the success of the organization. You may be one of those candidates who have the “hard skills” and qualifications in managing your job role. However, employers are less likely to hire you without your soft skills.

Soft Skills Required Are:-

Below are some of the skills that you may need to improve.

1. Employability

Employability skills serve as the foundation of your career. Organizations are spending a lot of money and time to train their staff for various positions. During high employment, employers give favor for applicants who have well-rounded employability skills.

2. Interpersonal

Take the time to know if you lack in interpersonal skills. These are important skills used in interacting with a lot of people. With good interpersonal skills, you can actively participate as a team member. You can satisfy the expectations of your clients and your customers. You can have time to negotiate and make good decisions. You can manage your time efficiently and work effectively with other employees.

You will still need to hone your interpersonal skills that allow you to build rapport with clients and colleagues. This leads to a less stressful and better working environment.

3. Communication

Employers are searching for people who have the means to communicate well, both in written and verbal. If you are applying for a job or looking for a promotion with a current employer, you need to best demonstrate your communication skills. If you do not excel in communication, you need to improve your communication skills by practicing writing skills with a wide array of people. You may also want to practice maintaining good eye contact while speaking to people. You also need to write succinctly and clearly. You also need to demonstrate different vocabulary and tailor the language to the audience. These are essential skills that must be improved to have less chances of misunderstanding.

If you do not have the ability of speaking and writing with conciseness and clarity, then you need to strengthen it up for your career. Communication skills are important along with creativity.

4. Critical Thinking

The ability of solving problems and making decisions can be a big asset to an employer. This is a desirable skill that must be developed. In problem solving and decision making there is a need to gather reliable information.

The ability of effectively planning and organizing time gets the job done effectively. With critical thinking skills, employers save more money and time.

Creative thinkers are inventive and innovative. They are more likely to create new ways of making systems, adding value to the working environment and devising new ways of doing things.

5. Personal

Personal development is about acquiring the right attitude towards the organization that you work for. Employers even look for people who are interested to learn and develop.

If you are not open to changes and learning, then this is one of the areas that you need to develop personally. If you are resistant to changes in an organization, this will serve as a hindrance to your successful career. Most of the jobs involve change. Employers prefer people who are flexible, patient, and adaptable and respond to change.

6. Numeracy

Numeracy skills are important, regardless if you are considering a job that works with numbers. If you are not confident and competent in working with numbers, then you need to improve it. Always remember that it can be to your best advantage in different employment settings. Being able to analyze and understand data in various formats is considered to be a crucial skill in most organizations.

Read more

Also see Personal Development

Let me be your Virtual Assistant

 

We all know that time is money! And have you ever sat back, looked at your workload and thought, 

'I could really do with a professional help!'?

Please allow me to share my precious time and 15 years of knowledge with hardworking and positive people like you. I'm here to help you with your day-to-day tasks, systems, projects and simply ensure they are all completed on time, to your requirements and with minimal impact upon your day to day operations.

I offer the following services;

• Manage and add products to your website
• Administrative Virtual Assistant
• Website Research
• Email handling
• Email marketing
• Responding on Social Media
• Finding key people on LinkedIn
• Database Building
• Copy and Paste
• Proofreading
• Designing PowerPoint
• Data entry
• PDFs to Excel
• PDF editing and converting
• Translations
•  Basic graphic / Logo design
• Video Subtitling

 I'm willing to lower down the rates for a long term project and will work with my team. Let's grow and succeed together!

 

Note- Please send your request to bukky.kale@byplusconsulting.com for pricing.

You can also visit https://bit.ly/36dzvj0 for more information 

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!