Imagine this:
- You are the person who wins Friday night’s billion-dollar lottery;
- You are not the type of person who wants to retire early;
- You are the person able to live out the dream of buying the company you work for — making you the ultimate boss.
Your first order of business: Hire the person to do the job you currently are doing.
Writing a job description could be a career eye-opener.
Let’s be clear: You’re not going to win the lottery. But that doesn’t make this exercise pointless. In fact, it may make it even more relevant. It’s an exercise that everyone should do every year — as it tells you whether you truly have the skills needed in the modern workforce.
And it’s better to learn now — and take corrective measures — than to wait until you get that Zoom meeting request from someone in human resources and learn you no longer have what is needed.
So, what is necessary?
Here are five topics any modern-day manager needs to be up on:
- Hybrid work schedule: It may seem obvious, but it’s here to stay. And it’s much more than just saying you need to be in the office two, three or four days a week. The CEO of Evernorth, Eric Palmer, summed it up best earlier this month. He appreciates the value of having his team in the office, but he knows having them there when they don’t need to be there is counterproductive. He didn’t set a mandatory limit, saying only that he wants his team in the office if there is a “purposeful presence” for them to be there. I think we all can agree on that.
- Data analytics: It shouldn’t dictate every decision you make, but it should be part of the thought process. Having the right data team — and that includes analytics from social media — is vital. Yes, this means you’ll likely have to have younger employees in big positions; after all, they understand data. But you need to know data, too. Don’t be the last person in the meeting to understand its value. Think back to the people who refused to accept that social media mattered: Where are they now?
- Diversity, equity & inclusion: Many learned what DEI is all about in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the discrepancies in health care that were exposed during the pandemic. That was just the start of DEI. This isn’t about being “woke” — whatever that is. This is about understanding that creating an equitable workplace, one where everyone is valued and, most importantly, heard, is vital moving forward. It not only will help you see your blind spots (good) and grow your revenue (all studies say it will), it also will help you attract and retain the employees of tomorrow (what’s more important?).
- Women’s wellness: This is not specifically about Roe v. Wade, which is another column in itself. This is about understanding that women in the workplace have a unique set of health and wellness challenges. From medical needs to their role in serving as caregivers to those both younger and older than they are, women have a different set of challenges. All studies show that women are leaving the workforce at an alarming rate. Be the boss that creates an environment that allows them to stay. And to thrive.
- Money: As hard as it will be for some to believe, money is no longer the driving force for many of your employees. A nice salary doesn’t bring the right to disrespect your employees — like the subtle message that no matter how much they work, it isn’t enough. And a company that puts its bottom line ahead of its values will find it loses more employees than it gains. Find out what your employees value, both in their own life and in their view of the company. It will tell you a lot.
Good luck Friday night. We hope your numbers come in — it will change the course of your life.
But, instead of hoping your pingpong balls come up in the right order, we suggest you do something that you can control: Make sure you’re a modern-day manager.
