Focus on 2022

A Proven Technique to Get More Done in Less Time

 

Was your New Year’s resolution to be more organized and productive? Do you dread the start of each new workday, wondering what lies ahead? Would you like to have more control over your day? Then you need to focus.

 

What Happens When You Lose Focus at Work?

You become a firefighter. No, not the brave people who run into burning buildings when everyone else runs out… What YOU do is react to crisis after crisis after crisis until all you know is last-minute panic and dread. There’s a proposal due at 9 am tomorrow, and you work all through the night to complete it, hitting “send” at 8:59. You have 100 agendas to print out before a meeting 30 minutes from now, and the printer keeps jamming. The payroll is due at the same time each week, and you find yourself coming up to the wire at every payroll deadline. You see, you manage to get things done; however, not before hitting crisis mode.

 

You get a gold medal for procrastination. Interestingly, your procrastination will eventually lead to the above fires you constantly put out. It’s a vicious circle. You know this on some level. So why do you do it? There are many reasons why people procrastinate at work. Some examples are perfectionism, anxiety, lack of focus, fear of failure. But remember I said vicious circle. Are you procrastinating at work because you’re burned out from putting out fires? How are you meant to organize your workload if you are in crisis mode?

 

You use multitasking as a shield. Admit it. Saying you are a multitasker is code for “not only am I a busy person, but I’m busy doing a few things at once.” It’s time to drop the act. Gone are the days where multitasking was considered a skill. Now we know better. Not only is it impossible for you to focus on more than one task at a time, but studies have shown that multitasking can affect your memory as well as cause anxiety. Did that lapse in memory mean you forgot to print those 100 agendas until the last minute? Is that anxiety causing you to procrastinate? I’ll say it again: a vicious circle.

 

How Do You Break Free?

You need to focus. A good plan will help you do more in less time. Below are some steps to take to ensure you’re stepping into 2022 on the right foot.

 

Get comfortable with change. Be gentle with yourself and trust the process. Take each step as it comes and allow for the fact that you might be so used to firefighting, procrastinating, and multitasking that changing to a more focussed process will seem strange at first.

 

Get rid of distractions and multitasking. One option is to set up “focus” time in your MyAnalytics dashboard if you use Microsoft applications. This will show people on Teams and in your calendar that you are focusing and unavailable for meetings. If you are not using Microsoft, many other online apps will assist in helping you focus on the task at hand. You can find these by googling “online focus apps” and choosing the one that is the right fit for you. Many apps are free of charge, or you can pay a small fee to upgrade additional features.

 

Set goals and prioritise tasks. Now that you are free of distractions, how do you spend your focus time? First, you need to identify your work goals. You can break your goals down by week or quarter or even think big and come up with lifetime career goals. Once you know your goals, you can see the roadmap to where you want to go. The next thing you’ll want to do is list all the tasks you will need to complete to attain those goals. Have a good look at your list. Are some of those tasks time-sensitive? Do some seem more arduous than others? Can you delegate any of these tasks? Prioritize accordingly and make a to-do list.

 

Find your flow. Some call it flow. Others call it being in the zone. It’s that feeling of being perfectly focussed on one task and working on it to your best abilities. With the help of your focus app, you’re not being distracted. Working from your prioritized to-do list, you’re only working on one task at a time. The last piece of the “flow” puzzle is finding your peak hours during the day. When do you feel most energized? When do you feel creative? When do you prefer to do analytical work? Are you an early bird or a night owl? Do you hit the ground running at 9 am but fall victim to the 3 pm slump? Then schedule your most significant tasks in the morning. Do you feel most lively after lunch? Maybe that’s the perfect time to plan your sales calls. Know yourself, recognize your patterns and find your flow.

 

Are You Ready for 2022?

Hopefully, the above tips will help you keep your New Year’s resolution of being more productive and organized in your job. When you go through the step of writing your long-term career goals, keep RecruitmentPlus in mind. Our consultants can help you focus on the next stage of your career with their proactive approach to recruitment. Contact us today.

Supporting Employees Remotely

 

Supporting Employees Remotely

There is no denying that we’ve all experienced both professional and personal challenges this year. Continued ambiguity hangs like a cloud over our heads. Providing adequate support, having a proactive approach and ensuring the correct procedures and plans are in place, no matter what happens, is going to be vital to ensure overall employee well-being and business success. Whether you are looking to hire new team members or looking for ways to support and encourage your existing employees, keep reading.

REMOTE ONBOARDING

Does the thought of hiring new staff in 2020 make you a tad anxious? It’s understandable. Most companies have a tried and tested onboarding process which HR and employers are used to and are confident in implementing. Onboarding is a vital stage of the recruitment process which shouldn’t be overlooked. Onboarding remote staff doesn’t mean that hiring new employees remotely can’t run just as smoothly as before. Here are some ways that you can make the process a little easier.

Welcome Your New Employees

Make new employees feel welcome even before they start. Send an email introducing the new team member to the rest of the company, encouraging them to say hello. It can be a daunting experience starting a new position, so breaking the ice before they start can be a positive gesture. Suggest 1:1 Zoom or team calls with the new employees closest working colleagues so they get to make a connection with them initially.

Share Essential Information

Here is a list of some important material that you should share with your new team member. We recommend using a file-sharing tool such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

  • Usernames and passwords
  • New email login
  • Communication tools
  • Documents (how-tos)
  • Company staff contact sheet
  • Company policies

It is going to be more difficult for new staff to ask questions remotely, so be comprehensive in the information you provide to them.

Tech Set-Up

It may be tempting to skip or hurry in aspects of the onboarding process to save time. Make sure that technology set up for new staff is not one area you skip. Valuable time could be lost if new staff aren’t properly trained to use the essential tools and technology required. Whether it is you or a tech support employee, make sure to allocate time to run through all the technology needed to fulfil the job.

Outline Clear Objectives and Goals

It has been proven that it takes 90 days for a new employee to learn the “ins and outs” of a company. Take this time to set clear objectives and goals which can be monitored. Having clear communication about expectations will help your new employee stay on track and feel supported.

Provide an Open Channel for Communication

Create a community environment, even when your staff are working remotely. Using tools such as Slack or Asana can help all staff feel connected. Be sure that new employees are aware of how they can contact their line manager or fellow employees, this is vital particularly in the early days in their new position.

MOTIVATING YOUR STAFF REMOTELY

As employers, we must always be thinking about our staff’s well-being. Happy, motivated and focused staff are what keep businesses going. We all know this year has been tough. Showing your staff that you understand and that you care about them is going to boost morale as they’re going to feel supported. Here are some ways to continue to keep staff motivated.

Proactive Adaptability

As employers, you need to be ready for whatever is thrown at you. With forever changing restrictions and guidelines, it is vital that a business is seen to be rolling with the punches and doing whatever is necessary to adapt. Keep employee trust and faith by using a proactive and communicative approach – no matter what.

Stay Connected

Ensure there are open channels of communication with the entire team. It can be easy for staff to feel disconnected as they’re not physically in the office. There are many platforms available that are specifically for team management. A popular option is Slack which allows you to have different “channels”. Each channel can be for a different topic such as a project update or something more casual so that all staff has somewhere to go to chat.

Be Sensitive & Understanding

All employees are without a doubt going through their own experiences and challenges. Showing compassion and patience to all staff will help to improve overall morale and well-being. It may also boost motivation and overall job satisfaction if your employees feel supported.

Goal-Oriented

Create clear and obtainable goals for each employee. These goals should be tracked and monitored weekly. This will not only keep staff motivated and focused, but it will also provide them with a sense of achievement. Without clear task intention, employees may lose their drive and interest which are both so important to keep a business going.

Suggestion Box

Why not create an anonymous suggestion box? There are free online tools that you can use to facilitate this. Not all employees are outspoken or confident enough to bring up issues and woes. This is a perfect way to not only show your staff you care but to also improve in areas that are needed.

 

A happy and supported workforce will only benefit the company and helps to create a great reputation as somewhere that employees are listened to and respected.

 

Do you need 2020 recruitment advice? Contact our offices here.

Rethinking Redundancy

Redundancy: it’s a situation you never thought you’d face, yet living in unprecedented times leads to circumstances you could not have previously imagined. While being made redundant may feel like a blow to your ego, it’s important to remember that it’s the job being made redundant. Economies ebb and flow and so does the job market. As the old saying goes, when one door closes; another opens. In fact, in the future, you may look on the day you were made redundant as the day you started to forge your own path.

 

It’s all well and good talking about the future, but even with the promise that things will get better, the sting of redundancy hurts. And it hurts NOW. Below are some immediate steps you can take to ease your transition from your old road to your new path.

 

  1. Go easy on yourself! Familiarise yourself with the Kübler-Ross change curve (pictured below). That “sting” you’re feeling? It’s most likely shock and it’s completely normal to feel that way. Being aware of your feelings during this time will help you keep a clear head. If you can predict your reactions to this big change in your life, you’ll be able to adapt more easily.

 

 

  1. Use this as an opportunity for training and personal development. Are you interested in a different industry than the one you recently left? Perhaps you were in the same role for a long period and want to study up on advances in that area. Going forward, you don’t want to settle for just being competent in your career; you will want to excel in it. Actively pursuing training and development ensures that your knowledge and skills are always relevant. There are many courses available online and across Ireland to brush up on your skills and indeed learn new ones.

 

  1. Take up a new hobby so work doesn’t define you, or perhaps revisit an old hobby. Our time in lockdown reminded us that having a well-rounded life is important and a real boost to our mental health. In the same vein as personal development, there are courses for a range of hobbies available online. Lose yourself in the latest best-seller; dust off the acoustic guitar; learn a few phrases in a foreign language. Remember that you are more than your job and taking time for yourself to enjoy your favourite pastime is time well spent.

 

 

  1. Work on your narrative. You want to forge your own path? Then you need to start by telling your story in your own words. Before long, you will be interviewing for a new job and you will want to be able to showcase what you enjoyed in your last role, what you learned in your last role, and what you want now. Beyond traditional interviewing, you will also want to take advantage of your own personal network. Does your best friend’s brother work at your dream company? Take this time to perfect your “elevator pitch”. Before you can get what you want, you need to know how to ask for what you want.

 

 

  1. Take control. Create an action plan and set goals. Update your CV. Decide on how many job applications you will send per day and make sure you send them. Check in with 3 new contacts per week. Keep on top of your LinkedIn profile. Has your old company included an outplacement service with your redundancy package? Take advantage of that service. Be proactive and work with your outplacement co-ordinator.

One day soon, you’re going to look back on this period of your life and be so glad that you never gave up. You may be in a new job or a different career altogether and realise that, while redundancy is a difficult thing to face, this was a turning point in your life. It forced you to take stock of who you are and build a version of yourself based on your own personal values. Change, while unnerving, is an invitation to opportunity. Before today, you were sitting in the passenger’s seat, being driven down a road you were familiar with, but it wasn’t a route of your choosing. Take this time to identify your values, take the wheel, and forge your own path.

 

Click here for more information on Proactive Outplacement.

The New Normal

On Friday 1st May our Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, announced a 5-phase plan which has given the nation hope and a focus for the coming months.

However, from a work perspective, the majority of employees can expect to work from home for the foreseeable future. So, is working from home the new normal? This type of work is presenting its own issues and challenges for employees. At RecruitmentPlus, our employees have had the option to work from home 1-2 days per week for over a decade and currently all of our employees have been working from home since 16th March. Using this experience, we want to share some of our ideas and top tips that might help you in your new daily working from home routine.

We’ve found the following works best for our team:

  • Agree core hours each day and learn to switch off after your finish time by turning your phone either to silent or off.
  • Create a daily To Do List so you can look back on what you accomplished for the day.
  • Aim to get some daily exercise. Whether it’s a short stroll in the morning, an online yoga class at lunchtime or a more physical workout, daily movement will help clear the head.
  • Arrange a virtual face-to-face meeting. Zoom meetings with teams or a one on one FaceTime with a work colleague help us to stay in touch with one another and to remind us that our colleagues are also trying to come to terms with this new working from home practice.
  • Find your own space to be able to concentrate on your work without interruptions. You’ll find you will be far more productive and your family will learn to understand not to interrupt your new working day.
  • Dress for work each day. Whilst it may be tempting to wear your comfy PJ’s and slippers all day, recent surveys agree that dressing each day does make for a more structured and work orientated mind-set.  Keep it casual if you prefer, but leave the PJ’s in the bedroom.

 

RecruitmentPlus celebrated 20 years in business in 2019 and was awarded Great Place to Work along with Best SME Louth 2020 and we’re still open for business, albeit working remotely to safeguard our employees and adhere to government guidelines.

We have vacancies across Dublin and the North-East so please continue to reach out to us on 01 2788610 or 0429356910.  Alternatively you can contact us on jobs@rplus.ie or www.recruitmentplus.ie

I’d like to say Thank You to our clients and our candidates (Temp, Contract and Perm) for your ongoing support.  A very special heartfelt Thank You to all our front-line and essential workers for the amazing job they are doing on behalf of the whole country in our fight to beat the Coronavirus.

Let’s continue to work together to beat this pandemic and demonstrate to other nations that Ireland will continue to adhere to C19 guidelines and we will soon “reopen for business” and work together to get our economy back on track.

A Perfect Presentation

Presentations generally come in the 2nd or 3rd round of interviews. They are a good way to ascertain whether you are suitable for the role or not. The good news is if you are asked to make a presentation you are being seriously considered for the role. You get a chance to show that you have the energy, knowledge and skills required to do the job. Make sure to invest some time in preparing your presentation and you will improve your chances of landing your dream job.

 

 

Here are some tips that will help you deliver a job-winning opportunity.

 

  • Identify questions that will be asked about your presentation and have answers ready for the questions.
  • Ensure your presentation is easy for the audience to follow. A good format is to introduce your topic, develop your ideas and end with a summary and conclusions.
  • If you are using an application like PowerPoint, don’t get caught up in the elaborate features. Focus on the content.
  • If you are using PowerPoint, you should also bring hard copies of the presentation in case there’s a problem with the projector or some other hitch.
  • Resist the temptation to cover everything. You may be best served by focusing on a few significant facts than many trivial ones. This is a judgement call, but know your audience. While it is important to show that you have broad knowledge in the particular area, stay focused.
  • Using process maps can help people visualise your suggestions and may make it easier for them to follow and understand your suggestions. Provide solutions.
  • The audience (probably) knows more than you do about the subject matter, so be careful not to lecture.
  • Prepare well and enjoy the opportunity!

 

We are available at RecruitmentPlus to discuss your presentation and how you can use the opportunity to make a first class impression. For more information, contact RecruitmentPlus on 01 2788610 or visit www.recruitmentplus.ie  .