Every week, I review blogs that cover talent development to find the very best talent development posts. This week, you’ll find pointers to pieces about the workplace of the future, onboarding remote workers, keeping top talent, and Sam Palmisano of IBM.
From the Miami Herald: Big changes coming to future workplace
“Imagine a company where cubicles are gone and the work space resembles a Starbucks, barista included. Imagine another where no one has a personal office and people can work anywhere in the building, including the roof terrace, and any hours. These workplace designs are being embraced by companies rethinking business strategy.”
Wally’s Comment: Columnist Cindy Krischer Goodman suggests how the workplace may look within just a few years. While a couple of these points are hopeful predictions that would require a change in human nature, others should get you thinking about options and challenges.
From Mashable Business: 5 Tips For Onboarding Remote Workers
“It’s more important than ever to ensure that new hires become engaged immediately upon entering their new place of employment through a well-designed onboarding process. Successful onboarding programs aren’t just a paperwork-filled orientation: They create a connection between employees, their work and the goals of the organization. Here are a few best practices from companies that effectively onboard remote workers.”
Wally’s Comment: Here’s one thing that we didn’t have to think much about even a few years ago. Times change. Ron Markezich, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s U.S. Enterprise and Partner Group says that “Telework is no longer a company perk for employees but a business imperative.” If he’s right, more and more of us will need to think about how we manage remote workers, starting with onboarding.
From the Globe and Mail: Loosen the reins at work or risk losing top talent
“Researchers Mark Royal and Tom Agnew of leadership coaching company The Hay Group say it’s not that all these workers have turned off their motivation to work, rather that they’re frustrated by not getting enough authority and resources to do their jobs effectively.”
Wally’s Comment: After you’ve got talent on board, you can’t just forget about them and hope things will come out alright. Wallace Immen connects research on falling engagement levels and rising willingness to consider a new position to suggest that talented people need authority and autonomy if they’re going to stay with you.
From Fortune: Sam Palmisano’s legacy of leadership at IBM
“In management the brain’s two halves are the financial side and the human side. Most managers, if they’re lucky, are really good with one or the other. Palmisano was excellent with both.”
Wally’s Comment: This story from Fortune wraps up my other selections this week in a nice bow. Under Palmisano’s leadership, IBM has increased the number and types of developmental assignments in a major emphasis on improving talent development.
Carnivals, Lists, and Such
The Carnival of HR hosted at Upstart HR
