With all the press we read about equality, diversity and inclusion, many organisations are asking “is this the year of diversity in our business?”  For a business to progress and become more forward thinking, the answer has to be yes.

Research shows that organisations promoting a positive and healthy diverse approach, not only allow their workforce to flourish, but there is also a marked increase in collaboration, innovation and a collective ‘we are one’ mentality.

This is backed up by recent research that suggests gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform their peers and ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to do the same.  Further research shows that companies with more women on the board statistically outperform their peers over a long period of time and inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80% in team-based assessments.

So where are the focus points to help businesses become more diverse?  Many believe that it has to start at the top – successful ED&I strategies are driven by their Managing Director’s, HR Director’s and where they have them, with their Talent & Inclusion Director’s.  The more forward thinking companies look to appoint a Diversity & Inclusion Committee who provide direction, leadership and support to the topic and work hard in promoting an inclusive culture and educating those in the business that need a reset in their thinking.

Other quick wins in switching to a more diverse culture include:

• Coaching sessions on the topic
• Identify and appoint diversity sponsors or champions
• Include ED&I in performance reviews and plans
• Listen and get feedback and encourage best practice and new ideas
• Implement a ‘challenge when it’s not right’ methodology
• Work with external providers

Diversity and inclusion also play a massive part in recruiting talent – widening the barriers of your recruitment pool allows you to hire people from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences.  Businesses who constantly strive to recruit and maintain an equal workplace can benefit from create positive working relationships, greater productivity and performance, wider appeal to clients and customers and improved attraction and retention rates.

Futureproof Training are fully aware of the importance of this subject and what the benefits of a diverse culture are, come and talk to us to see where we can help your business.  Get in touch via info@futureproof-training.co.uk.

When we look back at our previous jobs and the people we’ve worked for, we often think about those who’s management style really got the best out of us – but what attributes did they show to make us remember them so fondly?

Being a good manager can be demanding, stressful and challenging, but done well, so rewarding.  It is a skill though and one that takes practice and patience but the key attributes below might help you in that journey:

Be approachable

Being welcoming and easy to talk to are at the core of what makes a good manager. Each team member should be comfortable speaking with their manager, without feeling like they are simply another number in the group.

Be patient

Learning to be patient isn’t easy and for many, doesn’t come naturally. It can take years to learn how to control emotions and decide how to react to things. A good manager learns to master this skill and takes the wider view on board at all times.

Be honest

People want to trust people and that’s no different in the workplace – every team must be able to trust their manager in both words and actions. As a manager, it is vital to keep promises and be open and honest.  Good managers lead by being open and honest and use these attributes to underpin their communication style.

Be encouraging

Success is measured in many different ways, but a strong leader understands exactly what this means for their team. They make it a point to help every team member succeed as an individual, while also focusing on the team as a whole. The ability to motivate an entire group to strive toward a specific goal is a major part of what makes a good manager.

Take ownership

This is more than completing a task, taking ownership is a key step all good managers need to make – it promotes a cohesive culture within a team and demonstrates the ability to step up and get their hands dirty – your team will thank you for it!

Be upbeat

As a manager, your attitude speaks a thousand words. Regardless of what is going on within an organisation, positive and negative, leaders deflect, they soak up the noise and keep morale high.  This mindset and technique will keep people on task and boost productivity.

At Futureproof, we’re passionate about developing new managers so get in touch by emailing us at info@futureproof-training.co.uk to see how we can help.

Here at Futureproof Training we’re a huge believer of the 70/20/10 learning principle and see this methodology underpin our development programmes and blended learning is a vital part of that thinking.  But we’re not just talking about classroom and digital learning, we see mixing classroom or modular learning with initiatives such as workshops, action learning sets, skills practice scenarios, 1:1 coaching, workplace shadowing, project work, buddy and networking groups, job rotation and accreditation as the key to making the people development stick.

Gone are the days where the ‘dip’ approach to learning, particularly in the people management space is enough and businesses are becoming ever more aware that a more blended approach reaches far further than the classroom and bringing delegates back together for shorter, more targeted interventions is proving to be massively successful.  Of course, selecting the right mix of learning methods and initiatives is important, but businesses should be brave and not think that just putting managers through a course is going to hit the mark.

Getting past the why is vital and answering the why am I here / why now / why me is the key difference to providing a good experience for delegates and providing a blended programme that will evolve and flex to their specific needs will always increase interest, awareness and engagement.

As we know, any method of workplace learning must support individuals, teams or the organisation as a whole to build capability that meets business needs. As working environments become more complex and greater agility is needed to ensure employees’ capability, it’s more important than ever to apply the breadth of different learning methods available.

Adopting the blended approach to learning comes with a number of benefits such as; offering a more tailored, personalised delegate experience,  ensuring content is company and industry specific, workshops are followed up with other innovative development initiatives, handing more ownership to the delegates and giving the learners the ability to learn they way they want to.

To learn more about our fully blended management development programmes for various levels of experience, contact us at info@futureproof-training.co.uk or click on any of the links below:

• New Manager / Team Leader                      Team Leader Structured Development Pathway
• Department Manager                                 Department Structured Development Pathway
• Leadership Development                           Leaders Structured Development Pathway
• Effective Workplace Coaching                   Effective Workplace Coaching

Menopause, in simple terms, is a natural part of being a woman and importantly, it’s normal! It isn’t something to be ashamed of or scared of and we are starting to see an increase in awareness in the workplace and what good leaders can do to support those going through it.

One of the most common myths about menopause is that it happens to women ‘over 50’ and it’s just mood swings and hot flushes. It has had negative connotations and been viewed by some as the transition to a woman being ‘past it’, no longer able to have children and time for her to disappear in to middle age.  Yes, the hot flushes and mood changes are common, but the increase in awareness, particularly at work has started to educate people and make them realise that symptoms like forgetfulness, anxiety, depression and stress are just as common and can be supported in the workplace.

One of the major barriers for women going through any stage of menopause is that they feel unable to discuss their concerns with their line manager and it is this area that businesses can really add value by educating their staff on the subject and demonstrate how they can help, support and join the conversation so it becomes the ‘norm’.  By supporting women through the menopause, organisations can benefit from increased engagement, empowerment and loyalty, as well as lower sickness absence and employee turnover.

The key is to giving that support is to appreciate that it’s not just ‘a HR issue’.  Of course, HR will have a role to play in supporting the business in their legal duty to ensure working conditions don’t exacerbate someone’s symptoms and to protect employees from discrimination, but the majority of direct support must come from line managers and colleagues. In a business world trying to foster equality, diversity and inclusion, we all have a part to play in supporting our friends and colleagues.

If you want to raise awareness in your workplace, please get in touch for further information by calling  us on 01623 409824 or email us at info@futureproof-training.co.uk. 

Talk to us about:

• Awareness workshops for women
• Awareness workshops for men and women
• Training workshops for People Managers
• Training workshops for HR / L&D professionals & Key Stakeholders

Organisational cultures are a vital aspect within any company and defining how the company and its people operate and interact with each other to achieve their goals is part of that culture.  However, creating an inclusive culture is not easy to prioritise with the demands of the business pulling in other directions.  But fit in it must, particularly as employees are becoming ever more aware of the importance of inclusivity and what an organisation should commit to do to become an equal, diverse and inclusive employer.

The start point for most organisations is reviewing and where needed, amending its values and beliefs which should be at the core of any inclusive employer – don’t forget, done well, they can unite a company.  When trying to establish a culture, these values and beliefs should be kept at the forefront. They should be true and defined as a collective by the entire organisation, not just a senior leadership team developed initiative.

That said, leadership plays an important role and becoming an inclusive leader is key to the success of embedding values and beliefs. If senior leaders do not champion what the company believes in, this can create misunderstanding and frustration.

So, how can organisations build inclusive workplaces?  Its important not to focus solely on diversity – you have to try to capture everyone which often means ensuring that your inclusivity strategy does just that, includes!  Inclusion is what’s needed to give diversity real impact, and drive towards a world of work where all employees are empowered to thrive.  

Whilst diversity and inclusion often go hand in hand, inclusion is fundamentally about individual experience and allowing everyone at work to contribute and feel a part of an organisation – how do you ensure the new parent who can’t make it to social events like they used to be able to do feels included and involved.

Many believe that the key to inclusivity is adopting an inclusive communication strategy that is respectful, accurate, accessible and relevant to all.  It should be person centred and use simple language that is free from stereotypes and biases.  Adopting this approach can often increase engagement, solidify the workplace culture and improve wellbeing across business units.  It also promotes a feeling of being valued, makes people feel like they belong, promotes respectful relationships, avoids false assumptions and enables everyone to understand and be understood.

Being a culturally inclusive communicator also means being flexible, seeing how others are responding, and making adjustments where necessary. Remember, the goal is to create a space where everyone feels they belong and are acknowledged for what they do.

If you’re looking at ways to become a more inclusive employer, speak with one of Futureproof Training’s Learning & Development Managers about the types of initiatives that have been useful recently. 

Contact us on +44 (0) 1623 409 824 or at info@futureproof-training.co.uk