How to Win Great Employees

Did your company make it into Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards? No? Well don’t worry, the New Year is here and what most people do every year is make resolutions.  If you recognize your company needs change this year, make your resolution to achieve a culture that your employees can thrive in.  If you are wondering what kind of culture employees thrive in, the kind that wins awards and has employees singing your company’s praises, then check out some of the perks from the top five companies on the list:

Google was listed as number one according to the Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards.  As reported by employees, some of the perks of working for an internet giant include:  Retiree Health and Medical, On Site Health Care, Flexible Hours, Work from Home, Free Lunch or Snacks, Paid Holidays, Gym Membership, Pet Friendly Workplace, Childcare, Dependent Care, Company Social Events, Professional Development and Training.  These are in addition to the basic medical insurance and 401K or other retirement plan.

Nestle Purina Pet Care Company and Boston Consulting Group employees reported Sabbaticals as one of their many perks.  F5 Networks, developers of network management platforms, offers employees 3 weeks of paid vacation in the first year of employment and “Beer Fridays”.  Most of the top five offer Free healthcare, free snacks and a work from home option.

What is the one thing they all have in common? They all have the desire to invest in their employees in ways that benefit the employee professionally.  Tuition Assistance and Apprenticeships were highly prized benefits.  Professional Development and Training programs are used to provide opportunities for employees to enhance or learn new skills.  F5 company employees believe the company’s training program is a valuable asset. 

While you may not be able to bring pets into work or offer completely free medical to your employees, you can give them something that employees themselves say is more valuable than free snacks: an education.  Helping your employees with professional development is an achievable goal for the New Year.

Knowledgecity.com offers corporate training for Business, Computer Software and Safety Compliance.  With convenient online training courses that can be taken anytime and anywhere, set your resolution in motion and offer KnowledgeCity training to your employees.  We are adding new courses all the time.  Visit our website for a FREE TRIAL.

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When it’s Time for a Change

With 2015 fast approaching most individuals naturally begin to reflect on what has come to pass and start thinking about changes they want to implement in their lives for the coming year.  Change is inevitable whether we want it or not.  The same is true in business.  Technology changes so quickly it is obsolete before it hits the store shelves.  Customers wants and needs change at the drop of a hat.  The economy booms and busts with fluctuating fanfare.

To challenge the status quo businesses need to know when it is time for a change and embrace it.  Why? To stay competitive, explore new opportunities for growth and to meet the needs of their customers and teams.  Whether you resist change or roll with it will determine how many bumps and bruises your company will endure.

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, “Why is Change Important in an Organization?” organizations who ask “Why?” often discover the answer in new ideas and innovations that can in the long run impact the productivity of employees and the company’s bottom line.

So how do you know when it’s time for a change?

1. Your business has hit a plateau. Your team has given all they can and used every facet of their skillset.  Much like the New Year’s diet and exercise resolution, it hits us hard.  We are struggling against a current and find the shore no closer.  It’s time for a change.  Maybe you need to add to your team—some new blood to invigorate—or perhaps you need to develop the team you have with training.
2. Your competitors have shaken things up. Competition is never a bad thing, but it may be time for a change.  When the going gets tough the tough focus on what they do best and evaluate the situation.  What are your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats?  The SWOT analysis can lead to important changes that can keep you competitive.
3. Your financial projections are amiss. When your financial picture looks askew, it’s time for a change.  Ask yourself these questions: Are your original projections accurate? What forces, both external and internal, are affecting these projections? When you have the answers to these questions you can work to fix what is possible to fix and make plans to work around the unfixable.
4. Employee morale has plummeted.  It’s time for a change.  Have you ever conducted an exit interview?  Have you ever polled your staff for feedback?  These are good ways to test the waters and see where the spoke in the wheel has become unhitched.  Sometimes employees leave and never tell you the real reason why.  Don’t wait until the wheel is broken and the support is gone.
5. Loyal customers have jumped ship.  Now, consumers can be fickle and it may not be a thing but when your biggest fans walk away—it’s time for a change.  Number one, ask your customer for feedback.  Research reviews on your business.  Ask your sales team for their insights.  Re-examine your product(s).  We can’t all be WD-40, some of us will need to change.

The best way to embrace change is to educate—yourself and your team.  Knowledge is power.  Knowledgecity.com has some courses for you to consider in the New Year: Managing Change, Building a Successful Team, Marketing Principles, Strategic Brand Management, Managing Assets, Managerial Budgeting, HR Management, Consumer Behavior, and Operating a Business are just a few of the courses that can help your business manage change with ease.

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Leadership is A Skill You Can Learn

What is a leader?  A leader is a multifaceted style that encompasses more than managing people.  According to Kevin Kruse in an article for Forbes, “Leadership doesn’t automatically happen when you reach a certain pay grade.” (What is Leadership?)  It is a learning experience all its own.

"Leadership scholars define a leader as a person who sets attractive goals and has the ability to attract followers, or constituents, who share those goals. Above all, a leader must be trusted and respected. Trust between a leader and constituent’s opens up two-way communication, making it possible for them to realize their common goals." (Marvin Bower, The Will to Lead)

One of the most important aspects of leadership is good communication skills.  Whether it is coaching or delivering performance evaluations, leaders need to have the ability to communicate effectively.  Leadership and communication skills can be taught.  The ability to communicate and build teams is important for emerging leaders to be able motivate groups of people toward a common goal—the goal of the business. 

In an article, Businesses Don’t Fail – Leaders Do, Mike Myatt writes: ”Why do businesses fail? If you’re willing to strip away all the excuses, explanations, rationalizations, and justifications for business failures, and be really honest in your analysis, you’ll find only one plausible reason—poor leadership.”

In our new course series, Management to Leadership, instructor Dena Loverde explores the differences between managing people and leading them.  Not everyone is a leader, but with the skills learned in this course anyone can learn to be one.

Take a sneak peek at the lesson: Leader as Goal Setter, from the course Defining Leadership which will be posted live on our website: www.knowledgecity.com in the coming weeks.

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Increasing Productivity in the Workplace

Highly engaged employees were found to be 26 percent more productive than their disengaged peers.  How does this affect the bottom line for companies? One study found an increase in total returns of 13 percent.  Increasingly employees are looking for value and meaningful recognition that has no price tag.

So what exactly is motivating employee productivity?  Recognition, Opportunity and Relationships.

Recognition: Positive feedback is instant recognition you can give to an employee that will give them a sense of pride.  How does this help productivity? Your employee knows that you appreciate their efforts.  According to the USNews.com article, How to Give Positive Feedback at Work, identify how your employee’s efforts made a positive impact on the team and the organization.  One study suggests that recognizing employee’s strengths encourages their team to thrive.

Opportunity: Giving employees the opportunity to use the skills they have helps them develop and take their skills to the next level.  Encouraging a lifelong learning culture can take your company a long way.  According to the smallbusiness.chron.com article, Effects of Training on Employee Performance, training enhances morale on the job and can even increase employee loyalty—two important motivators of productivity.

Relationships: Leadership is not always easy.  Engaging employees can be a challenge.  The key is finding ways to inspire your employees.  Communication has been and always will be a major component of all relationships from top level management to individual team members.  Open, honest communication must be a priority in business.  Once you have your communication down, how do you get your team to adopt your goals?  According to the study, Management Leadership and Productivity Improvement Programs, management needs to focus on goals that matter.  Management support for Education and Training, Empowerment, and Reward Systems can be used to motivate employees and employees who feel that their leadership cares are more productive.

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Employee Engagement & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Employee engagement is a workplace mantra.  Managers around the globe are starting to think about how to create a culture where employees thrive and become committed members of the team.  When a company is able to inspire its employees to adopt its goals through engagement, the company will see the benefits in productivity.  One way of doing this is to start with understanding how we as humans are inspired in the first place.  What do we need to become committed and how do employers meet that need?  If you could ask noted psychologist, Abraham Maslow, he might tell you meet their hierarchy of needs.

Who is Maslow and what is his Hierarchy of Needs?

Abraham Maslow proposed in a paper he wrote, “A Theory of Human Motivation” published in Psychological Review in 1943, that people’s motivations are unrelated to rewards or unconscious desires.  He theorized that people are motivated by what has become known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  The hierarchy is depicted in a pyramid that contains five levels.  These levels include: Physiological Needs, Safety Needs, Social Needs, Esteem Needs, and Self-Actualization.

According to SimplyPsychology.com, people are motivated to achieve each of the needs in the pyramid.  After people fulfill the needs at one level they move on to the next.  To progress up the pyramid each lower need must be met.  Any time there is a failure to meet the needs at a lower level it disrupts the person’s ability to progress.  Life is unpredictable.  As situations arise these experiences can cause an individual to move back and forth between levels.

According to Maslow, only one in one hundred people ever become fully self-actualized. This is mainly due to our society which primarily rewards motivation based on esteem, love and other social needs.

How Does Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Help Us Understand Employee Engagement?

To understand how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs relates, we need to see the bigger picture.  Let’s start with Gallup’s “State of the American Workplace”. According to the report published last year, only 30 percent of employees are engaged.  Another 52 percent are disengaged and 18 percent are actively disengaged. What exactly does that mean?  It means that 70 percent of the American workforce is not committed to their organization’s goals and values.  They are not motivated to contribute to the organization’s success.  These workers are emotionally disconnected and less productive.

According to an article in Forbes, “Surprising, Disturbing Facts from the Mother of All Employee Engagement Surveys”, the leading factor that influences employee engagement is the relationship the employee has with their managers.  Choosing the right leaders significantly impacts the workforce.

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” —Sam Walton

According to a study by Delloitte.com, “Global Human Capital Trends 2014—engaging the 21^st Century Workforce”, 65 percent of executives rated “overwhelmed employees” as an urgent need that must be addressed.  The “always on” employee was built by mobile technology.  We are always connected 24/7.  The new “workaholic” lifestyle just increases with seniority and income.

In addition to employees being overwhelmed, some other reasons for disengaged employees are: workload is too high, companies that do not invest in talent development, no advancement opportunities for high performers, non-inclusive culture, transitions in leadership.

“People leave managers, not organizations.” —Anonymous

The key to engaging employees, motivating your team, and increasing productivity in the long run is to invest in your workers.  Re-design the position, add benefits that matter, change the work environment and develop your team and leadership.  It is not always easy to re-engage a disengaged employee, but people aren’t motivated by the bottom line.  They are motivated by the things that meet their hierarchy of needs.

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Business & the Future of Social Technology

There are 1.5 billion social network users world-wide.  According to a global survey conducted by McKinsey&Company, businesses can, not only benefit from social media, but actually become more productive in the process.  

By utilizing web 2.0, as social media is often referred, businesses can virtually eliminate the wait time created when using traditional methods of business communications such as e-mail and instant messaging.  In fact according to the survey, 72 percent of the companies reported that they used some form of social technology in their day to day business.  90 percent of these businesses reported a benefit from the use of social networking technologies.

Who is using social networking? Not as many people as there should be.  The highest percentage of social technology users were middle managers at 65 percent.  Frontline users were not far behind at 60 percent. As businesses begin to utilize social networking technologies as a way to connect with their customers, it is fast becoming the trend in marketing and customer service. According to the survey, 35 percent of businesses are using social networking for customer service.

Depending how much Web 2.0 technologies are integrated into the infrastructure of the business, the benefits can range.  What can be said about using social network technologies in business is that the more “networked” a business is, the more benefits they will see—internally as well as in their customer base.  Customers are way ahead of businesses on the social networking front and businesses have a lot of catching up to do.

Using social networking both internally and externally in business can increase the speed at which information is obtained—as much as a 30% improvement according to the survey.  It can also reduce communication costs, decrease travel costs, reduce operating costs, and increase the effectiveness of marketing.

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Sneak Peek! Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction

Creative opportunities abound with Adobe’s Creative Cloud.  Last year, Adobe announced that it would no longer release new versions of its Creative Suite.  The plans for a cloud based software service that was first suggested in 2011, became a reality.

The Creative Cloud has many of the same features as the suite version, but there are new features as well.  There are also new mobile apps that give the end user more power and mobility in their creative expression.

Adding to our extensive library, we have recently completed recording on courses for Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction and Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Advanced.  These courses will be available in the coming weeks on our website: www.knowledgecity.com

Enjoy this sneak peek:

Want more sneak peeks of our courses? You can view the first three lessons of any course for free at our website.  Want to be the first to know when we post a sneak peek or post a course live? Follow our: New Course Showcase Page

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Multitasking: You’re not as Productive as You Think

Mobile technology enables us to be hyper-connected to the ever expanding network of social and business worldwide.  It enables us to multitask like never before.  According to a study on technology and human potential, the negative effects of this “always on” mentality is an increased loss of patience and the need for instant gratification.

As technology advances it creates avenues for getting things done.  Working on multiple projects, doing multiple tasks all at the same time—but what are the results?  In our new inpatient world, we may be watching television, while checking emails; and at the same time: surfing the net, texting with friends, scheduling appointments, and even throwing in a game of Candy Crush—after all there may be a few seconds of lag time between texts, commercials, and webpage loading.  

The question is: How much attention are we giving to each of the projects or tasks we are doing? Are we really being that productive?

“When we talk about multitasking, we are really talking about attention.” --Christine Rosen, The Myth of Multitasking

One study estimates that multitasking costs global businesses 450 Billion each year.  The research shows that people who engage in multitasking actually end up wasting 40 percent of their productive time switching between tasks.  They also have a higher susceptibility to distractions.  Why is this? 

According to a study on distracted drivers, multitasking is a myth.  In this study it was revealed that the brain does not perform two or more tasks at once—what we like to believe it can do when we multitask.  Instead the brain actually performs these multiple tasks very quickly in a sequential order.  This “attention switching” gives us the false feeling of doing more in less time.  

While the brain attempts to juggle the tasks it is given, it must also juggle the focus and attention to each task, this results in a reaction time or delay.  These delays may be a few tenths of a second or more.  That may not seem like a lot, but they do add up. 

When we multitask we are also prone to making mistakes, which then we need time to fix.  Multitasking ends up making us ineffectual.

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Our mission is to help businesses improve team member's skills-level, while saving valuable time and money. How do we do this?

 KnowledgeCity.com is a state-of-the-art website created to improve employee productivity through our detailed online training platform. With over 7000 tutorials in Business Skills, Computer Software and Safety Compliance, we guarantee users will learn new or updated skills that will improve their productivity.

Our courses are presented in a format that breaks down the topic into sections so the user will thoroughly grasp the training. All courses are taught completely online by industry experts, so anyone taking the courses can do so anytime and at their own pace.

KnowledgeCity is the number one way for organizations to train their departments effectively and efficiently.

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5 Reasons to Learn Windows 8, Despite the Fact We Hate It

So you purchased a new computer or upgraded your operating system and, low and behold, you see a screen full of funky squares and rectangles with various icons which someone thought would be user “friendlier” than the old way. 

“But we like the old way,” You say, “and wait a minute. How do I get in this thing? Where is the start button?” Surprise! There isn’t one in this new “Metro” style user interface.  Despite your current anxiety, you fumble through trying desperately to figure things out.  It takes some getting used to, yes it does.  

Then you hear there is a new Windows in the works and you think, “I’m saved!” Guess what? The next Windows version is jumping straight from 8.1 to 10, but features of Windows 8 are not going away they are being integrated into the 10. 

Don’t worry; you will get a start button and other great features.  So despite the fact we all want Windows 8 to go away, the fact remains in its entirety or in its parts it plans to stick around.  So let’s make the best of it.  Here are 5 reasons to learn Windows 8:

1. Gone but Never Forgotten—For Windows 10, the integration of live tiles and apps that were new in Windows 8 are a couple of the features that will be integrated in the new OS.  The Windows 8 start screen actually does have some cool features, so new is not necessarily always bad and if pieces are going to remain maybe we should learn how they work.
2. 59 Million Devices running Windows 8—that’s right, 59 Million.  There are potentially 59 million users scratching their heads wondering, “What’s this Windows 8 mess and what have you done with my start button?”  Sounds like a teaching moment.  Learning Windows 8 could benefit the masses, well, maybe some of the 59 million anyway.
3. New is Bad! Or is It?—Windows 8 may just be an OS that is ahead of its time. If the net share results have any say, and you may think that I’m crazy, but it has actually gone up since last year.  So either people are settling, or they have learned how to use it and discovered how awesome it is.  See for yourself the stats don’t lie: 
4. It’s Easier to Learn than You Think—unfortunately the integration of a dual purpose desktop didn’t work out too good.  It’s a tablet and a PC—how convenient—not.  But that doesn’t mean you should not learn Windows 8.  There are some who believe that Windows 8 has a lot to offer, but was really designed for touch.  The live tiles are great on a tablet; not so much on a PC.  Still, according to an article in InformationWeek, there is only a moderate learning curve and most people should be able to pick up basic navigation in 10 minutes.
5. Windows 8 is not All Bad—According to an article on PC Magazine’s website, Windows 8 is not all bad.  It does have some very appealing features: faster start-up, access to skydrive, apps and better security than its predecessors.    

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Learn the Fundamentals of Photoshop using the Creative Cloud

KnowledgeCity’s new course, Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction, will be available soon.

Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction is a beginner’s course which introduces students to the fundamentals of Adobe Photoshop, a pixel-based image editing software application, using the Creative Cloud. 

It is the same software used by professional graphic artists and photographers to create and modify images for use in print, multimedia and web design.

This graphic design training course includes topics on: working with the tools and the user interface, using brushes, making selections, masking, layer basics, repairing and colorizing photos, correcting and enhancing digital photographs and much more.

The course is taught by Carolyn O’Barr; a certified Adobe Education Trainer. She is a freelance graphic artist and instructor. She has taught media arts and technology at colleges and universities for 15 years, and is proficient in numerous software programs in the Adobe Creative Suite.

Carolyn works with students of all levels, from the computer novice to professionals in the workplace. She is patient and very good at taking complex topics and explaining them in a clear and concise way. She is responsible for nurturing many students who have become award winners and successful professionals.

If you are using an older version of Photoshop we have courses in CS3 and CS4 too!

If you would like to be notified when this course goes live, follow our New Courses Page on LinkedIn and be the first to know!

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Freelancers: The New Face of the Workforce

According to Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce, 40 percent of the workforce—21.1 million people—are independent contractors.  Another 5 percent—2.8 million people—are freelance business owners.

When faced with the prospect of underemployment or temporary employment many workers have decided to freelance and the number of freelancers is expected to grow to 65 to 70 million over the next decade.  This would mean that over half of the total workforce will be freelancers.

If you are a freelancer or considering making the switch here are the top ten skills that are in demand as reported in a surveys conducted by Freelancer.com and Elance.com:

1. IT & Programming
2. Design and Multimedia (These include: Illustration, Photoshop Design, Banner and Logo Design)
3. 3D Rendering, Modeling and Animation
4. Android and iOS Development
5. Social Media
6. Presentations (PowerPoint and Report writing)
7. Accounting
8. Writing and Translation
9. Marketing, Strategy and Public Relations
10. Business Management

Looking for freelance gigs? Here are some sites where you can find jobs just for your skill set:

https://www.freelancer.com

http://www.craigslist.org

https://www.odesk.com/

http://www.elance.com

http://www.peopleperhour.com/

Need to update or obtain new skills to launch your freelance career?  KnowledgeCity has courses in Business Management and Computer Software.  Try the first 3 lessons of any course for free!

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Business Word Processing

“Word processing refers generally to the creation, editing, formatting, storage, and output of both printed and online or electronic documents. Word processing is undoubtedly the most-used business application for personal computers…”  

Encyclopedia of Business and Finance, 2nd ed. | 2007 | Young, Ray

Word Processing involves understanding how business documents and correspondence are formatted.  It is a skill that is used to enhance the effectiveness of business communications.  From letters to agendas, forms and presentations; word processing keeps the business world moving.

View a Sample Lesson

From our Business Course:

   Business Word Processing—This lesson focuses   on keyboarding techniques.  You will learn tips to good keyboarding as well as the correct finger placement for keyboarding.  Also includes some keyboarding drills.

KnowledgeCity Presents: Business Word Processing

Course Description: 

Learn the standards and etiquette for: professional documents, emails, correspondences, and reports.

This course starts with an overview of Microsoft Word 2007, continues with a description of the skills required for effective word processing, and progresses to more in-depth applications of word processing.

This course also touches on the process of compiling career portfolios, writing business plans, and more advanced topics such as using mail merge, designing newsletters, and editing with proofreader marks.

Learn to correctly format business correspondence, use templates such as: invoices and reports, and create a company newsletter. Click the thumbnails to see screenshots from the course.

Visit www.knowledgecity.com for this and other great business courses!

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Discover the New Face of Training

KnowledgeCity.com is a state-of-the-art website created to improve employee productivity through our detailed online training platform. 

With over 7000 tutorials in Business Skills, Computer Software and Safety Compliance, we guarantee users will learn new or updated skills that will improve their productivity. 

Our library offers a unique format that breaks down the topic into sections so the user will thoroughly grasp the training. All courses are taught completely online by industry experts, so anyone taking the courses can do so anytime and at their own pace. 

In addition, all users can receive a Certificate of Proficiency upon the successful completion of their course. KnowledgeCity is the number one way for organizations to train their departments effectively and efficiently. 

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Volunteering: Helping a Cause and Your Career

As we move closer to the holidays many of us will consider volunteering for various organizations.  If you have never volunteered before, you should.  Not only does volunteering make everyone involved feel good, but while you help a good cause, you also have an opportunity to add to your resume or enhance your current position.

When volunteering you can choose to donate your time in an area related to your current position, where your skills and expertise can be useful, or you may choose an entirely different area where you can develop new skills, abilities, knowledge, and work experience.  Volunteering is an opportunity not just to serve the greater good, but to explore other interests.  It can also be a way to learn and develop leadership skills.

You also have an opportunity to expand your network.  Volunteering exposes you to other organizations, businesses and employment fields.  You never know who you may meet while volunteering.  The people you meet during your volunteer experiences will come from all walks of life.  Networking with these people can be an added bonus to your service.  Building professional contacts as well as social relationships with other volunteers can lead to employment leads and opportunities.

In the Forbes article, “Proof That Volunteering Pays Off For Job Hunters”, Nancy Collamer stated, “...when you volunteer, you gain access to people you might not otherwise meet, creating opportunities to develop positive relationships outside a traditional work environment.”

In a study published last year by the Corporation for National and Community Service, it was reported that volunteering was associated with a 27% greater odds of employment.  Volunteerism can be used as a strategy to obtain new job opportunities, especially for recent graduates and others who are re-entering the workforce.

The reason is suggested by another study conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, “Does It Pay to Volunteer? The Relationship Between Volunteer Work and Paid Work” which concluded that “The volunteer experience conveys information to potential employers about the job applicant’s abilities, such as motivation, initiative, creativity, and reliability. This makes volunteering particularly relevant for job applicants with limited prior employment experiences, such as recent graduates entering the job market, and individuals who are re-entering the labor market after a longer break.”

So as the holidays near, look for the opportunity not only to help in your community, but to help in your career.  It is a win-win.

Find volunteer opportunities here:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/

http://www.idealist.org/

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Need Training? Stay Up-to-Date on Our New Course Offerings

KnowledgeCity has a new LinkedIn Showcase Page.  To keep up to date on all the new courses coming to KnowledgeCity over the next few weeks log in to your LinkedIn account and follow us.

Some of our upcoming courses include:  Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction, Microsoft Word 2013: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Introduction, and Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Advanced.

Do you need to learn how to use the new tools in Excel?  Would you like to restore an old family photo?
Do you want to learn how to communicate effectively with your team?

If you are looking for courses to update your skills, or even if you are wanting to learn something new, KnowledgeCity has courses for everyone.

For a quick and easy way to stay connected to all the latest and greatest courses we have to offer follow our New Courses Showcase Page on LinkedIn. This page will let you know what courses are in the works, what courses will be available in the coming weeks and alert you when a new course is available on our site.

If you need to train your staff in a cost effective and efficient way, look to KnowledgeCity.  With over 7000 training videos, expert instructors, administrative and training needs analysis tools, and the convenience of 24/7 access from any location or device; KnowledgeCity is your solution.

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New Features of Excel 2013: Tools that Make Life Easier

When you first open Excel 2013, right away you see how much more visually appealing the program is.  Microsoft has also created new features that help save time and increase productivity.

In the Backstage View, you can choose a regular sheet or choose from the many template options.  If you have been working on a file, the program now has a “recent” section that shows all the files you have been working on so you can have quick and easy access.

When working within a document with a large amount of data, Flash Fill saves time, by recognizing patterns in your data, this new feature automatically fills in the information based on the pattern in the data.

Recommended Charts and Chart Tools can help you display your data dynamically.  You can easily edit the look and feel of the chart you choose with filters and pallets.  There is also a preview that shows what your data would look like in each chart.

 

Use OneDrive to save and share your files online and on any device.  You can even collaborate in real time on the same document.  There are features you can use to lock sections of the document, as well as, permissions and password protection features that help keep your document safe.

These are just a few of the useful productivity and time saving tools that you can learn in our new course Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction.  With all the new features, you could play around with them and try to figure each out.  Or you could learn from an expert in Microsoft Excel.

Look for our new courses coming in the next few weeks: Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Advanced and many more on the way!

Visit www.knowledgecity.com to find these and our other great courses in Business, Computer Software, and Safety Compliance.

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Job Hopping, A Strategic Career Move?

Job hopping.  It may seem like something you do when you are in your twenties.  I mean, aren’t we expected to settle into a career by our thirties?  Think about our future, put down roots in a company that has all we need for security, such as: decent pay, health benefits, a retirement plan, and a solid foundation for future growth within our field. 

Job hopping was once a sign of instability.  However, today it just may make you more marketable.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S. the average number of years that workers have been with their current employer is 4.6.  Younger workers aged 20-34 had a tenure average of only 2.3 years.  The reasons people leave their jobs vary, but job hopping does not have to be seen as a negative.

Job hopping gives you a diverse background.  When you work in different jobs you gain experience and knowledge in each.  You are exposed to different people and ways of doing things.  It also allows you to build a network of friends and colleagues that can be beneficial in your next position.

Another added benefit of job hopping is that it allows you the opportunity to find a job that fits you just right.  When you experience different jobs, you learn what you enjoy.  When you find one that is a good fit, you have the choice to make it your career.  Finding something you love to do is a great reason for job hopping.

There are potential downsides, such as: potential employers may be hesitant to hire you because you lack staying power.  Employers do not want to have to keep replacing employees. This means you have to prove yourself time and time again as you move from job to job.

In an article by CPGJobs, Is Job Hopping a Good Career Strategy? job hopping can be used as a means to obtain a promotion, increase your salary and expand your skillset.

The key to job hopping is to do it correctly.  Do not just randomly move from job to job; have a plan and try not to burn any bridges.

Although the idea of having a stable career that will last all your adult years is sound advice, sometimes job hopping can be an asset if used correctly.

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The Future of Training: Moving from Learner Centric to Business Centric Model

The future of Learning and Development is moving away from Learner Centric, or employee needs model, and moving more towards Business Centric, or business needs model.  The reason behind this trend is that the business needs of the company should be considered when developing a training program.  To have a measureable effect on productivity moving to a Business Centric model is a must.

According to David Grebow, in his article The Future of L&D: Business-Centric Learning, “Before the learners ever see the content, it needs to pass the test of alignment with the business needs.”  

As an example: If one of the goals of the business is to increase and measure customer service; in the Business Centric model, the Learning and Development team would design training to address this goal of the business.  Courses might include: Customer Service Essentials, Retaining Customers, Improving your Customer Service Skills.

In a recent article in Training Industry Magazine, Key Trends 2014; Shifting to Business Centric Learning, Doug Haward stated that the Learner Centric model “missed the mark on the most fundamental principle for success: ensuring that training is aligned to the needs of the business first.”

Learning and Development has been focusing on the skills gaps for some time now.  The trend is to continue to evaluate what your staff knows and what they need to know to align with the business needs of the company.  An important trend to this model is consistency. 

In a rapidly changing industry, training is in fast forward: mobile devices, video integration, digital content, open source and flipped classroom.  Sometimes it’s hard to decipher what content can be used or applied to a specific training program.

Many businesses seeking to maximize performance are using the Business Centric model with a virtual component.  Moving to E-Learning allows companies to create a training program that is across the board for all employees and yet can give that element of Learner Centric while still meeting the Business Centric model.

Training is made more efficient and effective by online education companies like KnowledgeCity.com, that can create custom training paths designed to choose courses for each employee’s skill level and job responsibilities—courses that are most relevant to the work they do or need to be able to do to reach the business goals set by the company.

KnowledgeCity uses a proprietary algorithm and training advisors to choose the best courses, and the employee’s own manager approves or modifies the user’s final course list. By enrolling in the KnowledgeCity Training Need Analysis program, a company ensures that their employees receive the best training for their position in line with the company goals.

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How well is your training transferring to the workplace?

As companies rely more and more on their team’s knowledge, skills and abilities; we have to ask: How well is your training transferring to the workplace?

Here is the scenario:  You have just spent $1200 per employee for learning and development training.  Your company spent time to develop the course, somewhere between 40-80 hours, for one hour of instructor-led training.  

Your team spent time away from their jobs to obtain the training; factoring in employee wages and productivity losses. You send them off into the workplace hoping they learned something they can use in their day to day activities as part of your team.  Was it worth it?

How do you measure the success of the training?  Your employees have a certificate proving they attended the training, a nice addition to their employee file, but did they walk away with new knowledge that they can use?  Did they retain anything that was covered in the training?

The time it takes to develop a training program is often an overlooked factor in training budgets.  However, developing a course and training structure that will enable employees to utilize what they learned in the workplace to increase their productivity, is profoundly important.

With the advent of E-Learning, Social Learning, and MOOCs, training seems to have gone mobile and organizations are using this method at an increasing rate.  According to a report by the Association for Talent Development, technology-based training methods accounted for 39 percent of the training methods employed for learning and development.

The great feature of E-Learning, and a well-developed training program, is the ability to deliver the training anywhere, anytime, and in smaller bite-sized chunks.  The key to retention is delivering engaging training, in smaller segments that can be accessed anytime allowing for repeatability and reference.

When your team is able to go back and repeat a difficult segment of the training or reference that section at a later date during the workday, the retention and utilization of the training is transferred to the workplace.

KnowledgeCity.com is an online education company that specializes in helping businesses stay ahead of the curve by offering online training courses. Our courses are designed with training retention in mind. Take a look at our Business, Computer Software, and Safety courses.  Try the first lesson in any course for free.

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Avoiding Training Tune Out

You have never heard of “Training Tune Out”? It’s a real thing.  At least, we think it is.  We have all been there.  Sitting in a training meeting, the instructor is lecturing on some topic that could be important to your career, but you’re not quite sure because the voice in your head is going over your important laundry list of life—and there you have it—Training Tune Out.

Or perhaps you are the instructor, you look out in the audience and see blank stares, yawns and maybe even a brave soul napping in the very back.  Yup, that’s Training Tune Out; and yes, you may be the one to blame.  Do not get discouraged.  If you want to keep your audience from tuning out, keep them engaged.

Involve your team in the training.  Ask them what challenges they are facing, and what expectations they have.  Tailor your training to answer their questions, and brainstorm with them on how the training they are receiving can facilitate their challenges and meet their expectations.  Show them how the training is relevant to their current situation.

Get creative.  Tell a joke, offer a funny scenario, break the ice and the tension with something creative and relevant.  Make a competition out of the training.  Nothing engages people more than a little friendly competition.  Plan activities that help facilitate team building.  Give them something to compete for, anything can be a prize from a company logo t-shirt to a day off with pay.

Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic are different ways that people learn and feel more engaged.  Use or develop a variety of training tools that meet each of these needs and you will be able to reach the majority of your audience.  Here is where getting creative will benefit your training.  Have team members act out a scenario, develop a cheer for an important point to remember, your motto is: Keep them active in the learning process.  These simple tips may help avoid losing groups of your audience to training tune out and the enthusiasm and engagement created may carry over into their productivity.

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Team Building is an Art

Team building takes some human relation skills such as: Motivation, Leadership, and Communications; all of which boost Morale. In addition to an astute understanding of people and your team in particular; here are five tools that you can use to inspire and build your team:

1. Clearly define goals, roles, and responsibilities: To get your team to become a more cohesive unit, it is important to communicate not only the reason the team is in place, but also to clearly define what roles each team member plays in the bigger picture.  When we all know our place, it is easier to contribute to the shared goals of the team.

2. Be a cheerleader: Motivating a team is often a difficult task.  Why? Because you must first build interdependence, respect and trust.  When you take the time to listen to your team, such as through group brainstorming, you show them that their opinions and knowledge are important to the group as a whole and the end goal.  When you take the time to build up your team through encouragement and celebrating accomplishments, you build self-esteem and loyalty.

3. Build the team you need: Leadership is a skill that is learned and there is always room for improvement.  How is this accomplished?  Teach leadership skills and provide leadership opportunities, mentor and give support, provide training in areas your team members need development.  When you invest in your team members; your team members become invested as well.

4. Build a community: A community is like a well-oiled machine.  Each team member has a place and a function that contributes to the united whole.  The community works as a whole to accomplish more than either could alone; toward a shared vision or goal.  Establish the community rules or code of conduct.  Encourage team members to participate in the community building process.  When the going gets tough, you will be glad you created a community.

5. Become a mediator not a judge: Conflicts are inevitable within a community and a team.  How you manage the conflicts will make or break what you are trying to build.  Create a plan that encourages and respects the diversity of the members and their opinions, views or ideas.  Clearly define it to your team.  People matter and finding a middle ground during conflict will help your team weather any storm.

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The Importance of Brand Management

How your customer perceives you is very important.  A brand is not just your company logo but everything your company is and does.  From the logo to the website to how your team members react and respond to your customers; a brand is all encompassing and it is critical to be prepared.  In the age of social media, what are customers sharing about your brand?

  

What does a brand do?  According to Functional Marketing, “Branding is defining what you want people to think, feel, experience and believe about your company.”  It gives your company or product recognition.  It sets you apart from your competition.

Depending on how you manage your brand, this can be a good thing or a bad thing.  It can turn employees into a team and lead your company in a positive direction.  A brand gives your business value.

Managing your brand requires some foresight.
Establishing a brand, planning and marketing the brand, measuring performance, and growing and sustaining your brand’s reputation are crucial to success.  Where do you get started?

KnowledgeCity’s Strategic Brand Management course provides an extensive and comprehensive overview of the branding process.  What is a brand? Why is it important? What research do I need to do? How do I build a strategy to get my brand recognition?  These are all questions that are answered in this course.

If you want to get your company noticed and make a good impression in the process, Strategic Brand Management is the course for you.  Entrepreneurs can learn the ins and outs of branding, marketing, and managing brand awareness.  

Instructor Lindsey Baker, a Professor at the Art Institute of California, San Diego whose courses include: Branding, Corporate Communication and Strategic Brand Management, will navigate you through this course and teach you how to put these theories into practice.

Branding is an ongoing process. It requires planning.  KnowledgeCity’s Strategic Brand Management course is designed to give you the tools you need to be successful in your branding campaign.

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E-Learning: A Solution to the Skills Gap Dilemma

Results from ManpowerGroup's Talent Shortage Survey, conducted last year among 40,000 employers worldwide, revealed that employers find that a lack of available skilled talent and the persistent need to fill vacancies has a negative impact on the performance of their businesses.

Employers cited lack of essential job skills, the technical or hard skills and workplace or soft skills, as reasons for vacancies.  These are skill deficits that have increased since the last survey.  A hard skills deficit increased by eight percent since 2012, to 48 percent in 2013.  The soft skills deficit increased by seven percent since 2012, to 33 percent in 2013.

More than half of employers surveyed reported that skills gaps impact their ability to serve clients to a medium (35 percent) or high (19 percent) degree. Employers also believe these shortages reduce the company’s competitiveness and productivity.  With 39 percent of employers citing a reduced ability to serve client’s needs and 34 percent reporting a reduction in competitiveness and productivity, what are employers doing about it?

According to the survey, 23 percent of employers are developing their existing team by providing training and development.  It makes sense that with the lack of a skilled work force, employers are turning to training, and e-learning is quickly becoming the way to go.

In a recent report, The Value of E-Learning, IBM estimated that 40 percent of traditional training costs were spent on travel and lodging.  Other considerations include: employee salary and business losses from downtime.  The report cites some important benefits of e-learning which are: reduced training costs and impact on business, the ability to provide training to multiple students in multiple locations, exposure to expert knowledge and top instructors, and the accountability provided through e-learning tracking.

If you are facing these challenges, perhaps it is time to consider the e-learning solution.  KnowledgeCity has training courses in Business, Computer Software and Safety Compliance.

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