Author: Joana Botelho de Sousa

If you’ve attempted to measure your company culture, you know it can be a bit like herding cats. You can send out surveys to collect feedback, but the results rarely reflect the actual culture. However, new methods of data analysis are reshaping the way culture is measured. A recent article from Harvard Business Review (HBR) highlights the challenges of traditional methodologies and new approaches for assessing and measuring culture.

Per the article, feedback solicited from employees is too often unreliable, “The values and beliefs that people say are important to them, for example, are often not reflected in how they actually behave. Moreover, surveys provide static, or at best episodic, snapshots of organizations that are constantly evolving. And they’re limited by researchers’ tendency to assume that distinctive and idiosyncratic cultures can be neatly categorized into a few common types.”

Through the use of big data analytics, the new approach analyzed trace data in the language of various employee communications including emails, chat messages, and review sites. Analysis of the data shows how culture can impact their thoughts and behaviors at the office. “The studies focused on cultural fit versus adaptability, the pros and cons of fitting in, cognitive diversity, and the effects of diversity on organizational performance.” Below we take a brief look at the first two.

FIT VERSUS ADAPTABILITY

HR and executive teams look for culture fit when hiring, as they should. But too often the view is focused on how a candidate supports the values and norms or the company as they currently are. What is not taken into account is the candidate’s ability to adapt to the culture. To quickly learn and adopt cultural norms as they evolve over time. The study found, “Employees who could quickly adapt to cultural norms as they changed over time were more successful than employees who exhibited high cultural fit when first hired. These cultural “adapters” were better able to maintain fit when cultural norms changed or evolved, which is common in organizations operating in fast-moving, dynamic environments.”

PROS AND CONS OF FITTING IN

Another issue is taking a limited view on the types of candidates hired. It’s important not to only look for people who look like people you already have. Bringing in those with different ideas and perspectives can spark innovation and creative solutions. The watch out is that these types of hires can have trouble selling their ideas to their peers since they are outside of the box thinkers. According to the research, employees who didn’t have strong departmental networks but did have established social connections, “By building trusting social bonds with colleagues, they were able to overcome their outsider status and leverage their distinctiveness.”

For more details, we recommend reading the entire article. A few of the key takeaways from the study include looking for candidates who, at their core, align with the values and beliefs of current employees. Beyond that, they may think and look quite differently than current employees and that diversity is beneficial. Candidates should also demonstrate adaptability characteristics that help them successfully manage inevitable culture changes that happen over time. When considering cultural “misfits”, set them up for success by putting them in a position where they can utilize their social skills to engender trust and support.

Many of the tools that were used in the research are publicly available. Which comes with an important caveat, ethical considerations. Maintaining anonymity of data and employee confidentiality is a must. Misuse of the data can lead to general biases being brought to the surface, and provide a limited view of the communication impact on performance.

By Jon Gordon – INAC USA

In this ever changing World that we are now living in, and that is quickly evolving due to COVID-19 and climate change, sustainability is becoming increasingly more relevant and is more and more present in our lives.

One cannot talk about human resources management without linking it to sustainability, understanding the company’s commitment and responsibility as an absolute priority, with the creation of value, attraction and retention of talent as fundamental pillars for the organisation´s success.

Companies able to quickly adapt this new trend are the ones that will not only attract the biggest and best talents, but also the ones that will be able to retain them.
Nowadays, a significant number of candidates look for and evaluate companies for their sustainability project, and the same applies to companies, who also appreciate candidates that are inclined and committed to this topic.
However, most organizations fail to integrate sustainability into the performance of their human capital management systems.
Sustainability focuses much more on the impact that it has on the community of the organisation, rather than on the well-being of the employees. The way they are treated should become more integrated into regular human resource activities in organisations, and significantly influence the way they operate.

A company working towards sustainability does things differently.

The role of human resources in supporting corporate sustainability is very relevant and should ensure that it develops a sustainable approach to people management as part of the business strategy, providing employee wellbeing, health, safety, work-life balance, diversity and inclusion, gender diversity, good hiring and firing practices, fair remuneration, learning and growth, positive internal communication, open dialogue, and others. Sustainability starts at home.
The first role of human resources is to ensure that the company manages its employees in a sustainable way, meaning, that it takes responsibility for the impacts that the business may have on its employees.

From a recruiter’s point of view, it is our duty to convey to our candidates our client’s sustainability and to focus candidates on sustainable projects.

Perhaps, in recruitment interviews, we should always include questions on how to make the company more sustainable or their suggestions for the sector they are joining.

This can help us confirm if the candidate has thought about its future role as a driver of new initiatives and if sustainability is high on their list of priorities.

We can also advise our clients on how to be more sustainable when recruiting their future executives. Allow them to offer suggestions that may enable work to be easier and more oriented towards sustainability.

The pandemic led companies to evolve considerably in this regard and there has been a much more positive approach to this whole area, such as the ease of teleworking at a higher frequency than it was before COVID-19.

The ability to contribute to a potential candidate’s sustainability activities should be part of the selection process.

By Victoria Baselga – INAC Spain

Another month, another edition of “On The Spotlight Series”.
Lothar Grünewald is this issue’s guest and we couldn’t be more flattered to have him onboard. Lothar is the Managing Partner of our INAC Germany office.
Besides being an executive search consultant since 1999, Lothar is particularly engaged with his community and is an enthusiast when it comes to helping and advising local entrepreneurs. He is also committed with other organisations, such as the Association “Die Familienunternehmer” (family owned companies), in which he is the regional board member and responsible for the Niederrhein region.
Lothar is also a member of the “Industrie-Club Düsseldorf”.

Why did you choose Executive Search – and if you hadn’t chosen it, where would you have ended up instead?

I am passionate about bringing employers and candidates together in order to plant the seeds for a lasting fruitful collaboration. The selection part of the search process is what I like most about Executive Search. Depending on the procedure, you get much more revealing insights about a candidate, for example by in-depth interviews. They are well suited to bring the guiding motive to the light which is crucial for career development. My interest in this profession might be partly inherited: I came into contact with this profession at a very early age, late 1960s, since my parents had also worked in the Executive Search business. Otherwise, I might have become a stock trader since the equity market’s high dynamics fascinate me. But I can also imagine myself as a journalist or politician. Getting to the heart of things, being critical and taking part in controversial discussions is kind of my thing.

Executive Search is all about meeting and establishing a connection with people. With so many years of experience, do you have any advice for the younger generation that is now starting to create their own path?

Nowadays, networking in Executive Search is extremely important. A stable network supports an effective and continuous acquisition for new assignments and is always a helpful sourcing tool whenever advice is needed. As a talent pool, a network helps find the right talents for job vacancies. It’s important though to offer added value to your network, keeping up with the status quo and provide the members with relevant news. My general career tip for the younger generation would be: Define your understanding of work-life-balance independently of supposed societal guidelines. Life and career planning are both highly individual, so everyone should consider their appropriate proportions by themselves and not by general external specifications.

In just one year, the world has changed drastically. Businesses and people had do adapt rapidly and acquire skills they didn’t have before. Which, in your opinion, are now the mainly required skills in order to thrive in the Executive Search career?

Change management skills primarily comprise resilience, openness for changes and the ability to implement permanent change. Ideally, these are accompanied by creativity, the willingness and capacities to learn fast and to think outside the box. Last, but not least, in times of digital transformation, you can no longer get by without digital skills and affinity to the topic.

“Dein eigenes Ladenlokal” (“Your Local Shop”) is a competition that you started together with the “Gründer- und Technologiezentrum Solingen GmbH” (“GuT”; Founder and Technology Center Solingen GmbH). How did this idea start, and what has been the outcome so far?

In November 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, I bought an empty store in Solingen, the town where I moved to three years ago. My idea was to show commitment to my new homeland and its retailers, since they suffer a lot from digital commerce. City centres must be attractive, but the fewer the stores are, the lower the quality of life is. So, to encourage start-ups in times of deep crisis, the “GuT” and I started a competition: Who would have the most attractive and sustainable idea to run the store? The winners were a local couple, opening an “unpacked” shop as we call it in German. It’s a store that sells daily use products without packaging. Apart from the location, the competition prize included one year of rent-free shop use and individual start-up coaching.

In your day-to-day life, you end up meeting top tier executives and highly motivated professionals with an impeccable track record. Given the current circumstances, do you believe that we may be facing a shift in terms of what companies and organizations are looking for in a candidate?

I am pretty sure that the profiles required now and in future times will change more and more. Small or big, companies are drastically altering their business models, for example by entering new segments or by avoiding disruptive risks. Some also enter into strategic alliances with upstream or downstream business partners along the value chain. I think the shift is most determined by interdisciplinarity: For example, even in the chemical industry, profiles of electronic technicians or app developers are in demand. Boundaries between business areas soften, so it’s the candidate’s personality that becomes highly important. Plus, as I pointed out earlier, change management skills are needed in times like these.

You have helped so many finding their dream job, do you feel that they have helped you find something in life as well?

I sometimes compare connecting candidates with companies to what a dating agency does. If both parties are happy with each other, the broker is happy as well. My best reward is positive candidate feedback, proving the talents felt well during their whole candidate journey. I get a high degree of satisfaction out of that. What I learned during the years is that a great number of candidates look for a job that they really, really enjoy. If there is no joy at work, they completely concentrate on their leisure time. This sometimes makes me realize how important it is to keep a bit of flexibility and how thankful everyone can be of a fun job and a fun private life at the same time.

INAC has been part of your life for so many years now. How has this “relationship” shaped your professional and personal path or growth?

For me, INAC proves that the whole world – as huge as it is physically – is actually pretty small, and that, in certain situations, we are all in the same boat. To have colleagues and allies all around the world, to be able to reach out to them and to connect gives me the feeling of bonding. Especially in these very hard pandemic times.

What has been the biggest life lesson you have learned so far?

Yesterday’s success is fleeting. You have to reinvent yourself over and over. Each year marks a totally new start. That’s a big challenge, but also a very great opportunity to grow.

In this unexpected but, already somehow, familiarized context of work and remote connections, the issue of effective time management certainly took an important role.

The huge number of meetings is an issue that teams and managers of organizations have been fighting, often without too much success. “Meeting-itis” syndrome is the order of the day. Unproductive meetings and huge amount of time invested, or spent, in endless sessions that, in addition to being inefficient, drastically drain the energy of the teams.

According to a survey we did a few weeks ago, 80% of the respondents said that “Meeting-itis” syndrome worsened during quarantine. While the “home office” imposed by the current situation surely resulted in organizations, leaders and teams having to accommodate the new reality in record time and in the best possible way, the loss of energy and efficiency is always a matter of concern.

Today in many cases the whole work itself works “in meeting mode”, and that is why its proper functioning is key. A good meeting generates action, commitment, and inclusion, helping to build a healthier culture.

It is time for better meetings. Meetings that are worthwhile and have impact.

Some key points that I think are important to consider when dealing with the issue, and gradually address its reversal:

• Is the meeting necessary or could it be avoided with an e-mail, message, or direct call? The meeting begins when planning, so the first issue that arises is your REAL need.
• Who to invite to the meeting? Choosing each participant’s roles well is critical. Let’s make sure that those who are going to attend really make sense.
• What is the real goal? Will it be a decision-making, informative… Sending a clear agenda and materials 24 hours before, gives everyone a chance to get aligned and prepared.
• Who will ensure that the meeting flows in time and objectives as planned? The organizer of the meeting owns the meeting and must ensure these two key objectives. Ensuring not to deviate too much in conversations and define timekeepers is a highly recommended practice.
• Does everyone here have an opinion? A meeting is a powerful inclusion tool. Giving voice and opportunity to everyone present ensures integration and different points of view to the same issue.
• What actions will be taken after the meeting? Securing actionables is critical. In short, it’s the very meaning of the meeting. Without this, the meeting loses its meaning.

Undoubtedly, quarantine accelerated a process that was already being developed at different speeds according to each organization, but which came to stay to a greater or lesser range. That’s why, the Home Office and collapsed meeting agendas need to evolve and adjust to become more efficient.

Being respectful of one’s own time and others’ time is key.

Let us always remember that the transformation of organizations arises from people who are part of it. It’s the agreements between people that generate change and evolution, which undoubtedly impact a virtuous circle.

By Esteban Calvente – INAC Argentina

A strong onboarding process will improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%, according to a study by Brandon Hall Group/Glassdoor (“The True Cost of a Bad Hire”). The study also shows that companies with weak onboarding programmes are twice as likely to lose new employees within the first year. Current circumstances, with social distancing and employees working from home, are putting even greater demands on you as an employer to successfully retain your hires and get as much as possible out of the investment you made in recruiting them.

Once the recruitment is done and the contract signed, most everyone breathes a sign of relief. Now all you have to do is wait for the new employee to start, right? These days, as much as six months can go by between the date the contract is signed and the first day on the job. A lot can happen in the intervening time, both to you as the employer and to the candidate. Onboarding really does have to start at once. To avoid the risk of your new employee being swayed by “counter-offers” from their current employer, it is vital to act immediately to ensure the new hire continues to feel good about going to work for you. Stay in regular contact, inform them of events in the workplace and invite them to attend any social activities you arrange. By doing this, you will facilitate the actual onboarding. You will have already begun building the relationship and your new colleague will be included in the flow of information before they actually start. The person who has decided to switch jobs is probably thrilled and will want to tell others about their new position. The more information and knowledge they have about you, combined with  good first impression, the more this will strengthen your brand as an employer.

Lay a solid foundation with a formal plan that you use consistently with all hires. The plan can be relatively detailed and cover the first 100 days. This should go beyond the practical: it is important to think about what you want to convey in terms of culture and what you expect from each other and in terms of performance. If possible, set 30, 60 and 90-day targets and key milestones such as deliverables, internal training/education and, if possible, expected outcomes. This makes what you are offering – and what you expect – clear to the new employee.

Apart from this, you must of course make sure all the practical details have been taken care of before the first day. The employee must have access to their computer, phone, accounts and the access privileges they need to do their job. All of this is essential for them to feel really welcome. If everything is in order and you have been in regular contact, you can count on your new employee feeling inspired to immediately begin contributing to their new workplace.

Day One – Instead of spending time reviewing and signing piles of formal documents, make sure you can easily manage this digitally and, to the greatest extent possible, before the first day. It is better to spend the time introducing your new colleague at the workplace, giving them a live or virtual tour of the office, setting up an initial meeting with the team, giving a simple presentation over coffee, on-site or virtually. Go over the onboarding plan so the new hire understands what the early days will involve. The goal here is for the new employee to leave at the end of their first day feeling welcomed, appreciated and eager to come back the next day.

How should you arrange that?

Keep a simple division of the process, 70-20-10, in the back of your mind. The line manager and other members of the team should spend 70% of the time sharing the right knowledge with their new colleague. The new employee can spend 20% of the time getting their bearings, building networks and getting to know the company culture. It is a great idea to appoint a mentor who can help with all of this. So many things cannot be learned by reading, they have to be experienced, which is why it is so important that the culture is communicated in action, for example. A small chunk, about 10% of the time, should be devoted to the formal aspects, such as learning systems and procedures.

All of this shows that onboarding is not only an HR matter. HR can provide the formal plan and the process, but whether your new colleague will feel truly welcomed and actually be able to contribute to the business as soon as possible is up to the line manager and the efforts of the team.

A few more points to consider… There are lots of good ways to inform everyone that the workplace family is growing – via your intranet, digital bulletin boards, and so on. It is also a brilliant idea to draw  attention to the new colleague by inviting others to a “get-acquainted get-together” where they can introduce themselves while you all enjoy coffee or tea and pastries.

Many of us are working from home under the current circumstances, which puts new demands on us when it comes to delivering a strong onboarding process. Instead of the obligatory meet-and-greet at the office, this will have to be done virtually. Perhaps you could record a video from the office in which your CEO introduces themselves and welcomes the new employee? Instead of the traditional first-day lunch together, could you order food for home delivery to the new employee and then lunch together virtually?

We can do much of our work remotely these days, and often actually use our working hours more efficiently. But we should remember that we are social beings and we need relationships and to be able to interact socially with others. For that reason, you should make sure you can meet virtually and that the new employee can easily get in touch with their line manager or mentor in the early days. When you are new on the job, it would be unfortunate indeed to sit there at home with no sense of belonging and fellowship!

Follow-up is another key component of the onboarding process. The line manager needs to devote time to following up progress and identifying any needs for support. This is also a good point to take stock of the targets set at the beginning and, of course, talk about the conditions that you, as the employer, have provided. There is valuable input to gather here for improving the process – especially if it is being carried out remotely!

Wrapping up… Social distancing is an aspect of fighting the pandemic. Most employers have had to switch over  to remote working, wherever possible, and this will probably become part of the “new normal”. It has also meant that some of the people who have changed jobs during this period have neither been to the physical office nor even met their new boss or colleagues “in real life”. A structured onboarding plan makes it possible to also carry this out using digital technology. By focusing as much, or more, on culture and the social interplay as on the tasks themselves, you will gain a colleague who is happy and at home with the team, delivers in their role and stays with you longer.

If you would like help preparing a structured onboarding process or a “First 100 Days Plan” for your future executives and employees, our INAC network is at your service!

By Cecilia Ahlqvist – INAC Sweden

February brings a new edition of our so beloved “The Spotlight Series”.
Tania Terrazzani, partner of INAC Italy, is our fifth guest and we are so excited to have her here with us.
Tania graduated in Philosophy summa cum laude from the Università Statale of Milan. Tania has extensive experience as an Executive Search in Banking, Insurance and Real Estate. She started her career as a Head Hunter, specialized in Banking and Insurance. She then went on to be a Deputy Head for Italy in a British Executive Search company dedicated to Banking and Finance. Nowadays, Tania runs the Banking, Insurance and Real Estate practice of her company.
When Tania is not working, she dedicates her time to some very interesting activities, some more radical, and some more spiritual, but none the less, very good choices!

Why Executive Search and If you didn’t end up in Executive Search, what would you ended up choosing instead?

I could say I stumbled upon Executive Search because after University I didn’t know what I would do. But – case or destiny – the truth is, that my philosophy studies could only lead me to a profession that is, in a certain sense, a meta-profession. I help others find their profession and face new professional challenges. It is a higher view – a look from above and philosophy teaches this (in its broadest sense). By the way, if I did not end up in Executive Search, I probably would have become an astronaut as this was my dream. But as you can see, this is another way of seeing from above.

Executive Search is all about meeting and establishing a connection with people. With so many years of experience, do you have any advice for the younger generation that is now starting to create their own path?

My suggestion is to love what they choose to do, whatever it is.
About this specific work, when you love this job, that is just really about making a connection with people (both clients and candidates), the people you meet feel this intention – it’s something like an “aura”. Be exactly where you are, just experiencing the moment, the intensity and the presence. There is nothing more.

In your day-to-day life you end up meeting top tier executives and highly motivated professionals with an impeccable track record. Given the current circumstances, do you believe that we may be facing a shift in terms of what companies and organizations are looking for in a candidate?

I think that organizations will seek more and more resources with an entrepreneurial spirit, more flexible and autonomous. The smart working that is imposing itself, also in Italy, requires it. Working towards goals and knowing how to organize oneself will be key skills combined with the ability to listen to others, even if they are far away, and to catch weak signals even in the distance. This is especially for leaders who will have to learn the art of guiding others without direct control. But on this point we are all on the way and we must be ready to question ourselves every time.

Besides Executive Search, what fulfils you?

Over time, I have learned to appreciate the journey more than the destination. So I’m sure I can always have some moments of happiness and contentment. Translated into our profession, the journey is meeting a single candidate today, while the goal is the conclusion of the research. So I try to stop in every conversation, enrich myself with it and the rest will come.

You have helped so many finding their dream job, do you feel that they have helped you find something in life as well?

It is always an exchange – the latin “do ut des”. The relationship is a flow between two elements, in our case, it’s us and the candidates. I think the most amazing thing was always giving a chance and not stopping at the first impression. Having more opportunities of confrontation with a candidate helps to see him/her in action and to grasp very useful weak signals.

INAC has been part of your life for so many years now. How has this “relationship” shaped your professional and personal path/growth?

INAC and the many partners represent a look at the world outside the domestic perimeter. Exchange and comparison is what I bring with me, in a reciprocal dialectic of enrichment.

What has been, so far, the biggest life lesson you received?

Good question… Stephen Hawking seems to have said that without imperfection we would not exist, and I think it’s a beautiful provocation, especially for the younger ones. Which means, not being afraid of making mistakes but always taking the opportunity to learn.

Which are the key concepts for the recruiting of the future?
Here are what seems to be the market trends in the sector – according to inputs collected by engaging with candidates, prospects and current customers.

BE BRAVE – it is the ability to anticipate and start the necessary Search & Selection processes right in the first months of the year, even if the uncertainty and changeability of the scenarios have not been exhausted. It clearly means taking risks, but it also means securing a competitive advantage over competitors. It’s important to be ready, to have the right people in the right place. Companies that already have managers on board capable of managing new uncertain contexts, of seizing new challenges and starting innovating projects will clearly have an edge.

VALUES IN ACTION – today more than ever, candidates are unwilling to accept a new job offer on the basis of job content, career prospects or salary alone. Candidates ask to be part of companies that have a clear value proposition, they want to know and take part in a corporate project that has a clear purpose, in which their contribution is evident. It is therefore important for those who manage the recruitment processes within companies, as well as consultants who work alongside them, to focus and describe in great detail the company’s mission and the meaning of its work, making it clear to candidates the values that the company embodies and its commitment in the social and sustainability fields.

LOOK FOR TALENT DIVERSITY – it’s time to change the paradigm linked to the concept of talent. We have often thought by cliché, linking talent to certain age requirements, educational qualifications, skills, etc. Today, more than ever, talent must also be sought in categories of people who, by age, culture, previous experience, qualification, do not necessarily fall within our traditional stereotype of talent, but who, precisely for this reason, can offer the company new skills, new approaches to solving problems, a new vision of business and life in general. It is a question of starting from the person and his or her value, reasoning from the point of view of “candidate centricity”. All this will probably require the use of more sophisticated assessment tools and methods in the Search & Selection phase, to attract attitudes, skills, motivational profiles and general characteristics of the candidates.

TAKE CARE OF ONBOARDING – it becomes even more crucial and complex to dedicate time and energy to the onboarding processes of new resources. For many new hires, the first approach to the new company will take place remotely, with no or little opportunity to attend company spaces without physical contact with the company managers. It will therefore be necessary to find new ways to transmit to the newcomer not only objective information regarding the company, business processes, regulations, but also the values, culture, job goals, company “style”, succeeding in making the newcomer feel part of a project, developing a sense of belonging, even at a distance.

BE AGILE – we already knew it, but now we have experienced it ourselves: everything can change in a week or a month, what was taken for granted ten days ago, today may no longer be. In recruitment processes it is therefore important to be able to continuously review objectives and contents, knowing how to modify and adapt them according to events and changes. This is, above all, true for consultants who must work even more closely with company interlocutors, in order to be ready to update and adapt the target and respond to new needs, and also knowing how to convey to the company what they are able to capture from the market and from candidates, so as to offer the client valuable contextual information that can be used to understand and manage the changes that are taking place.

By Tania Terrazzani – INAC Italy

“When your personal purpose connects with the purpose of the company, everything makes sense”

This quote from one of our candidates made us think even more about the reasons why someone accepts a job proposal… Is it the salary? The benefits? More free time? The brands? The truth is none of them. The real reason lies in leading with purpose, which not only makes candidates connect, be interested, and accept a job, but also differentiates an employer brand, engages, and retains talent.

79% of candidates consider the purpose of the company before applying for a position.
71% of employees would look for a new job if the culture deteriorates.
(Glassdoor 2019)

What is really the purpose? Many times, there is a confusion between vision and mission and even with social responsibility. It is not the company’s story or what it does or dreams, but “why it does what it does.” It is the motivation that connects with the “why” of the people, perfectly meshing the pieces– as our candidate mentioned – is what makes sense. It is the true nature of the company, that inspires and what gives meaning to life, to collaborate and to build together something that everyone can be proud of.

Leading with purpose is crucial to guiding, inspiring and enduring. A great example is LEGO, a six-generation brand, which over the years has encouraged children to think creatively and to shape their future.

After difficult periods and proud to list among their fans famous engineers and innovators who grew up with LEGO (including the founders of Google who once recounted that LEGO had shaped their minds), they decided to investigate its impact on children, and discovered that the secret to continue growing was in front of them … “Inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.” A purpose that inspires and enables children to develop, think creatively, reason systematically, and release their potential to shape their own futures. That led to a reorganization to ensure that every aspect of the company was aligned with that purpose. That meant going back to its roots and pursuing the purpose over profitability. Currently, this purpose has had a positive impact on its image, reputation, and sustained double digit growth.

But how does leading with purpose benefits us to attract and retain talent?

• Helps to differentiate and attract talent that really cares about our purpose and wants to contribute to it.
• Allows everyone to emotionally connect with a common goal. When they are united by a cause in which they believe, they feel involved, collaborate, commit and innovate.
• Aligns the heart and mind of the team, promoting effective communication, problem solving and teamwork.
• Inspires greater transparency and responsibility, and acts as a compass to assure that everyone in the company is aligned with the values and principles.
• Builds a stronger organizational culture, from which everyone wants to be part of.

However, having a purpose is not enough to attract or retain talent. Leading with purpose means:

• Make them feel and live the purpose daily, making it visible and credible in their actions and communications.
• Be aware that motivations are changing, that everyone needs to know that they are part of something valuable, and that they demand more meaningful experiences.

Millennials and Generation Z – the letter stands out for its sensitivity and ethics with the world and the planet – they will constitute almost 60% of the global workforce at the beginning of the new decade.
(Manpower Group 2020)

• Take into account that internal talent is the window – in the eyes of the candidates – to the real nature of the company.

Leading with purpose is one of the most powerful forces in the company.

By Eduardo Balbín Buckley – INAC Peru

Silver economy, also called the economy of the future, is that part of the global economy linked to the demographic change produced by the aging of the population, whose reach is focused on the needs and demands of the senior sector.

Did you know?

The senior segment is large, and growing. The aging trend is probably the only certain demographic trend in Western societies. The data that corroborates different studies at global level have similar projections:
“They indicate that in 2050 there will be 2 billion older people. 22% of the planet’s population will be older than 70 years. One million people reach the age of 60 each month, 80% of them in developing countries” (Juan Carlos Alcaide Silver Economy. Mayores de 65: el nuevo target).

This undoubtedly has and will have a great impact on the decisions that the business, political and social world will implement in the coming years.

How do you perceive the development of Silver economy in Chile?

Collaborating is the new way to connect

It is important to understand collaboration as a process of mutual benefit, regardless of the position in which we are professionally, there is always the opportunity for professional and personal growth.

Part of the virtues that a collaborative space generates is to understand that each party puts its trajectory, knowledge and networks at its disposal. And that undoubtedly has a very important collective value.

Let’s open ourselves to collaboration regardless of cost/benefits, to building bridges of help to create bonds that in the future will translate into a Win-Win situation.

In the future, no one knows who will be across the street.

By María Elena de la Sotta – INAC Chile