The lack of female leaders in the life science industry has been extensively documented over the years, with many people demanding change and routes for women to succeed. However, the fact that some women have broken the glass ceiling does not mean that opportunities are commonplace for women, leaving many believing that companies need to offer explicit routes that women can follow. We examined at what is needed for women to be able to enjoy fair representation in leadership roles.
With falling stock prices and less cash runway, there’s no denying that the life science industry has been through a tumultuous time recently, leaving many employees feeling more stressed and stretched than ever before. Rather than hoping things will ease and return to normal, it is time to put mental health on the map and encourage your teams to consider their health and well-being. Not sure where to start? We have the advice you need!
There’s no denying that life science firms are looking for ways to cut spending to navigate a difficult financial climate, with 47% of Americans stating that they believe it is ‘somewhat likely’ that they, or people they know, could lose their job. What does this mean for remote workers, and are they more likely to be laid off before their office-going counterparts? We looked at current viewpoints to get an idea of what to expect.
Being a leader is not as simple as making decisions and giving orders. There is a wide array of qualities that every leader needs to possess in order to be successful, especially when taking on the management of a company or division. To help you sift through all the candidate resumes on your desk, take a look at the five top traits that will help your new executive achieve success. Continue reading “The Traits Every Good Leader Needs to Have”
Motivating Your Team Through a Recession. 2022 has been a time of great uncertainty for businesses; with the rumbling impact of COVID-19 and less cash to play with, businesses now face the pressure of finding ways to do more with less than ever before. The reality of an impending recession has a huge impact on the way employees cope with work, especially if they are concerned that there could be job cuts or reductions in hours. Rather than letting the threat of austerity reduce the motivation of your team, look at some of the ways you can help everyone feel as secure and motivated as possible.
Communication is Key
Perhaps the most important part of keeping everyone motivated is to provide them with lots of detailed communication about what is happening and what actions may be taken to manage the financial downturn. Failing to let people know what is going on can be the catalyst for damaging gossip and speculation, which will leave everyone fearful of what to expect. Remember that this communication needs to be honest but also provide people with hope about their future at the company.
Don’t Encourage Damaging Competition
When there is a potential prospect of having to lay people off, employees will often feel that they have to compete to earn a space in the company’s lifeboat. This competition can result in individuals getting a message that they have to work harder and longer hours to be in with a chance, but this is damaging to their wellbeing and your team spirit. It’s true that as budgets tighten, people will need to find new and more resourceful ways to achieve the outcomes needed, but it’s also vital that individuals do not take this as a message to give up their free time in order to keep their jobs as this will lead to resentment and a lack of motivation.
Take Time to Hear New Ideas
One of the best ways to keep people motivated is to hear what they have to say. When someone is working on the front line, they can often see simple ways to streamline what they are doing so that you can make genuine savings. By allowing your teams to share new ideas about how to keep your business running successfully, you are empowering them and showing them that they are valuable to you – a really motivating message. Plus, with the ideas that get shared, you may find new and exciting ways of doing what you need for less!
Always Be Upfront About Redundancies
Finally, if you are in a position where you may need to lay people off for business continuity reasons, then you must be upfront and honest with people. Continuing to hire and spread a message that everything is going to be ok will only lead to resentment and anger when layoffs start to happen. By sharing that there is a real chance that people may lose their jobs, you are giving your workforce time to evaluate their needs and make the right decision for them. Share the news carefully and professionally, and make sure that you provide people with someone to talk to if they have any queries. Finally, provide resources such as outplacement where possible.
Choose the Right People to Lead
If you are worried about how to keep your teams motivated during a recession, then you will first need to ensure that you have a team of executives that are skilled at steering the ship through turbulent waters. At GeneCoda®, we understand the pressure on companies and have a number of excellent executive candidates with the skillset you need to pull everyone together. Get in touch to discuss your needs and let us help you find a way through these difficult times.
As the workplace evolves and times change, so do the Modern Leader Skills necessary for success. We are slowly moving away from rigid job descriptions and traditional hierarchies and working towards a collaborative and forward-thinking process that aims to motivate individuals while achieving the best outcomes. Whether you are new to leadership or have been in a leadership role for some time, it is important to reflect on your skills and work out where you need to adapt and learn. Take a moment to read about the most sought-after leadership skills to help you achieve your goals.
Communication Skills
65% of American workers say that they are satisfied with their job, and we think that communication plays a big part in this. Strong communication skills are vital in the world of work, especially when you are working hard to achieve a happy workforce. From telling the story of your business to sharing messages and getting everyone onboard, you will need to know exactly what to say and when to say it. The best communicators are active listeners to take the information that they are given and use it to further the interests of the business as well as supporting their people. When you are keen to get the best from your team, sharing your message and encouraging open dialogue is always going to be the best way to achieve success.
Empathy & Emotion Skills
In addition to being strong communicators, modern leaders need to be able to be emotionally intelligent and open to creating strong connections with their teams and their clients. Not only do emotionally intelligent people understand the feelings and concerns of others better, but they can also pre-empt and respond to issues before they arise, helping to keep everyone feeling valued and cared for. Being able to know people on an emotional level also gives leaders the capability to assess a person’s strengths and determine appropriate support to help them develop in areas where they are lacking.
Vision & Planning Skills
It’s no longer acceptable to reach a management position and stick to doing the same thing that has been done for many years before. In fact, most companies want their leaders to be able to define their vision and plans for the future before they have even been offered a job! If you are looking to achieve or retain a leadership position, you will need to be able to assess what a company needs right now and what it will need in the future and then plan accordingly. The great thing about this skill requirement is that it is one that requires collaboration with an executive team, working together to help the company innovate for success.
Adaptability
Our final skill is the ability to adapt in the face of change. There’s no denying that the modern workplace is constantly moving forward, and the impact of the economy threatens to topple even the most confident leader. To avoid this happening, you will need to be able to know when to stick to your plans and when to adapt and change. Being able to do this will not only help your business to stay relevant, but it will allow you to get the best outcomes for everyone involved in your company.
At GeneCoda®, we work with companies to find skilled executives to fill leadership roles and support candidates to keep their skills up to date and in line with market demands. If you are keen to discuss your requirements, then our team would love to hear from you – get in touch today and let us help you lead the way.
All business leaders want to ensure that their teams are happy, effective, and producing great outcomes, but to do this, they need to be willing to invest in achieving these goals. The modern workplace is diverse and interesting, and individuals come to employment with different support needs. Still, one type of support that appears to be providing something great for everyone is workplace coaching. We looked at the role of coaching in the workplace so that you can decide if it is a good fit for your organization.
What is Workplace Coaching?
Workplace coaching is a system that provides employees with a coach who can help them develop the tools and knowledge they need to do their jobs well and provide a critical friend relationship when they have issues that need to be resolved. Workplace coaching is often used as part of a wider leadership strategy to help achieve the company’s goals. Over 70% of companies that have used workplace coaching state that it has improved communication, relationships, and work performance!
Workplace coaches tend to have specific coaching qualifications and can either be external coaches that visit the company regularly or internal coaches selected from the management pool. Each coach will have a specific remit, but they tend to focus on employee engagement, supporting individuals to adhere to the company’s aims and objectives, and supporting employees to achieve specific workplace goals.
How Can Workplace Coaching Support My Business?
The modern workplace is highly competitive, with candidates working hard to show off what makes them special, leaving many people feeling stressed or worried about their future with a company. Workplace coaches are hired to support everyone to achieve their goals and help everyone with their own specific needs, making your place of work far more effective and successful.
As we move away from specific job roles and work towards greater levels of collaboration, workplace coaches are best placed to help people work on transferring their skills to fit with this new ethos. The best thing about workplace coaching is that it leaves individuals feeling far more valued and wanting to do their utmost to achieve great results. It also provides a workforce that is more likely to remain in post rather than looking to your competitors for employment. In fact, 96% of companies that invested in coaching state that they have seen such great results that they would repeat it when needed.
Combining Coaching with Recruitment
Once you have a successful coaching strategy in place, it is important to cascade that down through the organization so that everyone has the opportunity to develop. This is also important when it comes to recruiting new candidates and finding out whether they have been coached or if it is something that they should access as soon as they start.
At GeneCoda®, we fully support the workplace coaching method and can team up with you to source the right people for your executive roles who will also support coaching in the workplace. Why don’t you arrange a time to discuss your needs with us and let us find the perfect match for your vacancy? We look forward to working with you!
Facing an economic downturn is difficult, especially when you are concerned that your job may be at risk. However, this is a fact that many Americans are now having to face, with 59% of people believing that we are already in an economic recession. If you are concerned about what the future holds for you in the workplace, then we have some advice that will help you retain your value in a competitive market – check out our tips now.
Don’t Stop Doing What You Do
One of the biggest problems that employers say they are worried about is that their teams will stop working effectively due to concerns that they may lose their jobs. If your workplace has started talking about layoffs, then it is essential that you find the strength to keep doing what you are paid to do, as if you don’t, it could have an even worse impact on the company’s finances and your collective future.
Find New Ways to Do Things
Another great way to show your value is to provide your bosses with information that can help them save money. As you go about your work tasks, you are sure to have ideas on how things could be streamlined and developed, and it’s these ideas that are incredibly valuable to your leadership team. If you have ideas about new ways to do your jobs that could benefit the business, then arrange a time to talk to your executives and share your ideas, they will not only appreciate your insight, but you could genuinely help the company push forward even in financially tough times.
Develop Your Transferrable Skills
Some of the most successful people will tell you that they had to pivot to find their success, and this is never more true than in a financial crisis. Rather than panicking about whether your job is safe or not, take the time to be proactive and develop your transferrable skills. Doing this will not only mean you are more employable if you find yourself out of work, but it also means that you may be able to take on a new role within the organization if it is restructured. Talk to your team and your executives to see which skills are most in demand, and then focus on those as your priority.
Talk to the Right People
It’s normal to feel stressed and disappointed when the threat of recession causes your employment to become less safe. However, don’t fall into the trap of moaning and griping with anyone that will listen, as this will not only lower your motivation but will have a detrimental impact on others too. If you do have concerns that need to be addressed, then it is essential that you take them to your superiors and work through it with them in private, helping you to prove that you are a team player who understands the need for change.
Be Realistic About the Future
If you have been told that layoffs are a real possibility, then it may be time to evaluate your position at the company and decide if you want to stay or move on to something new. There is no shame in deciding to leave, but it is important that you find a secure job to go to so that you don’t find yourself in the same position a few months down the line. If you are ready to take the next step into an executive life science position, then get in touch with a recruitment specialist team like GeneCoda®, who can help you make the right decisions and assist with locating positions that offer what you need.
LinkedIn has come a long way since its inception in 2002. Today, with over 830 million members across more than 200 countries, it has become the standard bearer of professional social networking. As executive search consultants, we have reviewed thousands of LinkedIn profiles, and we have seen a common trend – profiles that are incomplete, outdated, or simply not engaging.
It’s essential to understand why you are on LinkedIn. Is it to grow and maintain a professional network, sell products and services, search for jobs, research, build your brand, or learn and educate others? Whatever your reason, it’s crucial to maintain an up-to-date and complete profile on LinkedIn if you plan on engaging in any of the mentioned activities.
An incomplete or outdated profile can hurt your chances of making the most of LinkedIn. If you have a sparse profile with few connections, your search results may be limited, and your engagement with your network will be limited too. So, it’s crucial to keep your profile up to date.
Updating your company page is equally important. For instance, if you’re seeking external investment in your firm, potential investors will likely review your company’s website, the profiles of people that work at your firm, and your company’s LinkedIn page. An outdated company page may send a negative message to potential investors.
In addition, if you’re looking to recruit for a position, an outdated or incomplete profile may hurt your chances of finding the right candidate. A profile with little to no detail or activity history may give the impression that the candidate is not actively seeking opportunities, or worse, not qualified for the position.
Engaging with your network is also critical. LinkedIn expert writer and editor, Heidi Scott Giusto, PhD, offers up a great strategy in her blog post, “7 LinkedIn Content Sharing Ideas for Reluctant Users.” This post can help you engage with your network and grow your professional presence.
In conclusion, LinkedIn has become an essential tool for professionals across the globe. But having an incomplete or outdated profile can hurt your chances of making the most of it. So, it’s crucial to maintain an up-to-date and complete profile on LinkedIn and engage with your network to achieve your professional goals.
If you need help with your LinkedIn profile or want to understand how you can overcome some of these issues, please contact us.
Companies conduct reference checks to validate professional employment, but they can also be useful in understanding the strengths of a prospective hire, potential areas for improvement, and how a candidate might function in your company’s environment. In the Life Sciences industry, where talent acquisition is critical, reference checks are especially important.
When it comes to senior hires, a 360-degree view is necessary. This would include a candidate’s supervisor, peer, and direct report as each of these reference types may have different impressions. It’s crucial to understand who you are speaking with and the nature of that person’s relationship with the candidate.
Specialty team: where would you place the candidate (what role types – are they more of a start-upper, scale-upper, or optimizer)?
Where did the candidate stand in comparison to other professionals in the same line of work?
What was the candidate’s greatest contribution to your organization?
What do you think motivates the candidate, professionally?
Reason for departure (voluntary/involuntary)? Would you rehire?
Is there anything else that you might like to add to assist us in the hiring process or anyone else you’d recommend I speak to?
It’s important to note that questions can be altered, added, or deleted given a specific role but it’s best to keep questions consistent among different candidates that might proceed to the reference checking stage of an interview process.
Reference checks can make or break a hiring decision. As a Life Sciences executive, if you’d like some help with reference check questions that will help you hire the best and brightest, please contact us. We have years of experience working with Life Sciences companies to help them identify and hire top talent.
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