dissertation-preparation

[dissertation-preparation]

Dissertation Brief

[dissertation-preparation]

Dissertation Planning

Sources. Sources. Sources If our data and research is no good then we may as well not try. Life is not just about a matter of opinion, hard raw data and statistics is whats needed to aggregate a strong view about a particular subject matter.

[dissertation-preparation]

Building a stable career.

BUILDING THEIR CAREER 43% of Millennials felt shadowing experienced members of staff to see how the business works first hand was the most important part of their induction and supports their desire to progress their career. It is also important to get training and development plans in place early, and ensure they are satisfactory for your Millennial professionals. 53% have been disappointed by the lack of a properly implemented personal development plan or training program when starting a new job. 

POSITIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE Creating an inclusive, social workplace culture from the start is incredibly important. A third of Millennials felt that meeting their colleagues in a social setting was the most important part of their workplace induction – a marked difference to older generations where just 15% of Generation X felt that a social outing was the most important aspect of their induction, and for Boomers, the figure was less than 1%. Over half of Millennials reported that poor company culture was a source of disappointment in a new job.

[dissertation-preparation]

What does the future workplace look like and is it going to benefit everyone?

Below are a few different points about the future workplace.

CSR aims to ensure that companies conduct their business in a way that is ethical. This means taking account of their social, economic and environmental impact, and consideration of human rights.

It can involve a range of activities such as:

Working in partnership with local communities

Socially responsible investment (SRI)

Developing relationships with employees and customers

Environmental protection and sustainability

Some businesses have as their main purpose the fulfilment of social or environmental goals, as opposed to a business that tries to achieve its financial goals while minimising any negative impact on society or the environment. These businesses are called Social Enterprises.

The intranet evolution is getting stronger

Intranet technology is smart because it has adapted and evolved in line with the business landscape. Rather than remaining static and living in the 90s, intranet software moved with the times and grew up with the businesses they support. This evolution looks set to continue, with the intranet feeling very comfortable within the broader digital workplace.

Employee engagement is still big news

The relevance of employee engagement is not waning, and will only continue to grow as the Millennial workforce increases. Forward-thinking organisations will already have employee engagement initiatives in place, reaping the productivity gains and wellbeing benefits an effective strategy brings. If your company hasn’t yet realised the importance of an engaged workforce, 2017 is the time to make it happen. Prioritising employee engagement is key to ensuring your company remains a competitive place to work.

An integrated digital workplace is key

The demand is growing for online tools that increase productivity and efficient working. This means a move away from fragmented software that doesn’t communicate with each other, and a move towards an integrated digital workplace that works out of the box.

Gone are the days when you would purchase and install different pieces of software for each business need. Businesses and users alike are demanding an integrated experience, where document storage, e-learning, and project management tools are all in the same space. Even better if it can all be accessed in the cloud.

Remote working will continue to grow

Remote working is no new thing, but in recent years it has become the cornerstone of improved staff wellbeing and a supportive office culture. Surveys are consistently showing that the Millennial workforce in particular value remote working more than a large salary, and are more likely to stay at their company if flexibility is in place.

As the digital workplace expands, the ability for staff to work from home is easier now more than ever. Key business and communication tools are just a few clicks away, so the need to be in the office every single day is becoming ever more irrelevant.

Customer and employee experience are the same thing

Businesses have long had meticulous strategies drawn out for the perfect customer experience. But why not do the same thing for employees? They too are customers of the company in their own right, and a tailored working experience will be needed if businesses want to retain top recruits.

The user experience is becoming increasingly consumerised, with employees expecting the digital workplace to mirror the technology they use at home. That means deploying business tech that’s intuitive, interactive, and social.

If your employee experience is top notch, then it will follow that customers will receive an outstanding experience too. The more informed, knowledgeable, and engaged your staff are about the business and its brand, the more they can offer to consumers.

[dissertation-preparation]

Workplace Trends

[dissertation-preparation]

Really to ‘rule’ the workforce by 2020... This small infographic gives a good insight into what millennials are looking for in the workplace. Money is not everything for this generation - contary to this, the next generation have a deeper understanding that their work life can and must be an enjoyable and inspiring experience. Not to just be seen as work but also as an experience. 

[dissertation-preparation]

CSR - Corporate Social Responsiblity

Millennials are becoming a force to be reckoned with in the workplace. This group is the largest generation in the workforce and, by 2020, will make up 50% of the employees in the United States. But don’t think it’s business as usual – Millennials are coming to work seeking greater purpose and involvement in their company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments. Whatever their job descriptions may say, they want to know they are making a difference and they expect their employers to show them the way.

What is CSR?

Work has become a place of balance, between work and life. If we understand that people have culture and ethics that needs to be taken into account in the workplace - then work can become a lot more personalised for each individual. CSR is the one stop shop for improving the quality of life within work. 

[dissertation-preparation]

These interesting facts - show that the millennial generation is a worldwide occurrence nowhere in the world can you escape the multi-generational gap nor can we escape the ‘millennial generation’  The interesting terms that the Chinese use “Ken Lao Zu” literally translates as “the generation that eats the old”  Then the Japanese termed them, “Nagara-zoku” The people who are wlays doing two things at once” 

I am a huge believer in ancient and eastern wisdom, for whatever reason, we have been coined these terms - it shows just how we are perceived as disruptive and game-changing. 

Below are a few characteristics that have been well known around the topic of generations. 

[dissertation-preparation]

Generation Z

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56b4a7472b8dde3df5b7013f/t/5a2abf6e71c10b582cb5d25b/1512750981659/120517_GenZ_Infographic+-+Copy.pdf

[dissertation-preparation]

Dissertation Proposal

What is a proposal, why do we need it and what will it have in it:  A proposal is essential a project scope - looking at what could be looked at and what could be used for PBR (Practice-Based Research) Since my topic is around ‘The workforce’ and ‘The future workplace’ a lot of my research is orientated around current workplace case studies and small-scale psychology and sociology studies that have been carried out by larger research companies. I have also taken into consideration smaller news channels - since they will usually quote other large research groups or psychologists to back up their writing. 

Here are a few of the sources I have and will be using for this dissertation, 

Reward-guide: https://www.reward-guide.co.uk/reward-management/graduates-and-millennials-in-the-workforce/2278.article

KPMG: https://home.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/uk/pdf/2017/04/Meet-the-Millennials-Secured.pdf

WorkVine: https://blog.workvine.co.uk/millennial_workers

Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/ready-and-enabled/millennials-in-the-workplace/

BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35460401

Robert Walters: https://www.robertwalters.com/content/dam/robert-walters/corporate/news-and-pr/files/whitepapers/attracting-and-retaining-millennials-UK.pdf

Parkcom: http://www.parkcom.co.uk/millennials-rule-workforce-2020/

Conecomm: http://www.conecomm.com/research/

All these sources will hopefully allow me to extract useful pieces of data and opinions about the matter of the future workforce. 

[dissertation-preparation]

Emotional intelligence

Much of the research that has been done on emotional intelligence has been at the executive leadership level. The higher up the organization, the more crucial emotional intelligence abilities are as the impacts are greater and felt throughout the entire organization. There have been some studies, however, that show impacts at all levels.

[dissertation-preparation]

Emotional Intelligence is it important in the workplace?

https://www.fastcompany.com/3047455/why-emotionally-intelligent-people-are-more-successful

The Carnegie Institute of Technology carried out research that showed that 85% of our financial success was due to skills in “human engineering”, personality, and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead. They found that only 15% was due to technical ability. In other words people skills or skills highly related to emotional intelligence were crucial skills.

Nobel Prize winning Israeli-American psychologist Daniel Kahneman found that people would rather do business with a person they like and trust rather than someone they don’t, even if that that person is offering a better product at a lower price.

To test out his findings, think of the last time you purchased a major item, a home, automobile, or large appliance where you had to dealings with a salesperson. Was the person someone who you liked and trusted?

In my talks, I have found that whenever I asked that question, inevitably the entire audience answered that, yes, the person they bought a large item from was someone they liked and trusted. This theory about why salespeople with the right people skills do better than those who lack them is borne out by a study carried out by the Hay/McBer Research and Innovation Group in 1997.

In a study carried out in a large national insurance company in 1997, they found that sales agents weak in emotional areas such as self-confidence, initiative, and empathy sold policies with an average premium of $54,000, while those strong in 5 of 8 emotional competencies sold policies on the average worth $114,000.

[dissertation-preparation]

https://www.business.com/articles/millennials-in-the-workplace-how-do-they-affect-hiring/

Tech in the workplace how needed is it really? 

This is the most obvious millennial trait that has defined the entire generation. As the first generation to grow up connected to the world, millennials crave cutting-edge technology at their fingertips, which puts pressure on organizations to deliver the newest smartphones, tablets, and laptops to their employees.

53% of millennials said they rather get rid of their sense of smell than their digital devices.

This can also be a plus for IT teams, however, since millennials typically are more willing to adapt to new technology and applications than baby boomers, allowing IT teams to change systems based on usability, ease of management, and price without worrying about stubborn employees who resist technical change. Also, since millennials typically browse the internet on their smartphone, websites and hiring sites that are not mobile optimized will likely get ignored.

Millennials want technology that contributes to their personal growth.

In a recent poll by Gallup, 87 percent of millennials surveyed said professional development was an important part of their job. The desire to learn and grow is a key trait that separates millennials from past generations in the workforce. Learning management systems (LMS), certification programs and workplace training opportunities are not just attractive perks, but necessary for engaging and retaining these employees.

Learning management systems can enrich training programs and help with certifications through video, audio training and quizzes. These strategies are crucial to retaining this age bracket of employees. Though they often carry a reputation as the “job hopping” generation, millennials have a record of remaining with companies that offer personal and professional development opportunities.

[dissertation-preparation]

Attracting Millennials in the workplace

[dissertation-preparation]

The workplace revolution

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/workplace-revolution-tickets-44665680252?aff=erelexpmlt

[dissertation-preparation]

[dissertation-preparation]

The millennial study