Persuasion in business is more than just getting other people to be receptive to your opinions and beliefs. Leaders understand that persuasion is a core aspect of communication that is needed for strong relationships and performance in business.

Psychological needs illustrate a basic way of reaching people. Based on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once people have food and shelter, they must receive safety, belonging and mattering. “Without these three essential keys, a person cannot perform, innovate, be emotionally engaged, agree, or move forward,” according to Inc. “Safety, belonging, and mattering are essential to your brain and your ability to perform at work, at home, and in life overall. The more we have of them the greater the success of the company, the relationship, the family, the team, the individual.”

Leaders can not only persuade people by being aware of these needs — it’s vital for simply connecting with others. People won’t be persuaded, be able to work or be able to build a meaningful professional relationship if they don’t feel safe in taking risks (safety), feeling connected (belonging) and feeling like they’re valued (mattering). Three influencing phrases create safety, belonging and mattering in communication.

• “What if…?” This removes ego and reduces emotion. You’re not forcing a position, which enables someone to brainstorm a solution more easily with you.
• “I need your help.” This engages the subordinate person in a temporary transfer of power. It can be effective in changing a person’s behavior or for taking on more responsibility.
• “Would it be helpful if…?” This shifts the focus from the problem to a possible course of action or positive action.

Persuasion doesn’t necessarily require  bold tactics that change people’s minds and exploit their thoughts and feelings. Leaders can learn how to meet people where they’re at. The following sections explore some persuasion methods and techniques.

Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion

Robert Cialdini, best-selling author and an expert in the science of influence, established six famous principles of persuasion in his classic book Influence. Leaders can adopt these principles ethically to connect with and persuade people.

1.    Reciprocity

People are obliged to give back in the form of a behavior, gift or service that they have first received.

In a series of studies at restaurants, researchers found that when servers provided a single mint along with the bill to diners, tips increased by about 3 percent. When the gift was doubled to two mints, tips quadrupled to 14 percent. Interestingly, if the waiter provided one mint, started to walk away from the table, but paused, turned back and said, “For you nice people, here’s an extra mint,” tips increased to 23 percent.

The key is being the first to give and ensuring that what is given is personalized and unexpected. Leaders can use this principle for project outcomes and professional development plans.

2.    Scarcity

People want more of what may not be available.

In 2003, British Airways announced that they would no longer operate the twice daily London to New York Concorde flight due to economic reasons. Sales for available flights increased dramatically the next day.

The key is helping people understand what is unique about your proposition and what they stand to lose if the proposition is not considered. Leaders can use this principle for limited opportunities/roles in the organization.

3.    Authority

People follow the lead of credible, knowledgeable experts.

The key is indicating the importance of signaling to people as to what makes someone an authority before making an attempt at influencing that person. One real estate group saw a 20 percent rise in the number of appointments and a 15 percent increase in the number of signed contracts by using the following type of statements.

• (for customers interesting in letting/renting a property) “Lettings? Let me connect you with Sandra, who has more than 15 years’ experience letting properties in this area.”
• (for customers interesting in information about selling properties) “Speak to Peter, our head of sales. He has more than 20 years’ experience selling properties. I’ll put you through now.”

4.    Consistency

People like to be consistent with things they have previously said or done.

One study found that few homeowners would erect an unsightly wooden board on their front lawn to support a Drive Safely campaign in their neighborhood. This wasn’t the case in a similar neighborhood, where four times as many homeowners were willing to do this. The reason is that 10 days prior, they agreed to place a small postcard in their front window supporting the campaign.

The key is finding voluntary, active and public commitments (ideally in writing) to start on the path of consistency. Leaders can use this principle by aligning proposals with others’ goals and priorities.

5.    Liking

People prefer to say yes to those they like. People like people who are similar to them, people who pay them compliments and people who cooperate with them towards mutual goals.

Studies conducted with MBA students at two business schools involved group of students told two separate things.

• “Time is money. Get straight down to business.” Around 55 percent came to an agreement.
• “Before you begin negotiating, exchange some personal information with each other. Identify a similarity you share in common then begin negotiating.” In this group, 90 percent were able to come to successful and agreeable outcomes that were worth 18 percent more to both parties.

The key is finding areas of similarity and genuine compliments to give before getting to business.

6.    Consensus

People will look to others’ actions and behaviors to determine their own, especially when they’re feeling uncertain.

Small cards in hotels that persuade guests to reuse their towels and linens have about 35 percent compliance. When the card changes the text to reflect a simple fact in the industry — “75 percent of our guests reuse their towels at some time during their stay, so please do so as well” — towel reuse rises by 26 percent. A final iteration, stating a simple fact without any attempt at persuasion, leads to a 33 percent in reuse: “75 percent of people who have stayed in this room have reused their towel.”

The key is instead of relying on the ability to persuade others, pointing to what others (especially “many similar others”) are already doing can be effective. Leaders can use this to point out what successful workers are doing in similar roles to be more productive.

Persuasion Methods and Techniques

Leaders need to focus on and develop skills that help with persuasion. As seen from the psychological needs that people have and Cialdini’s principles of persuasion, a lot of it involves soft-skills and relationship building. Leaders should be working to connect to people, build relationships with them and see mutual connections to establish common ground. Then expressing ideas comes more naturally and the person will be open to hearing them.

Fast Company illustrates another way to persuade others, from Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Here are the table of contents, which are effective strategies and ideas for persuasion.

• The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
• Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
• If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
• Begin in a friendly way.
• Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
• Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
• Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
• Try to see things from the other person’s point of view.
• Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
• Appeal to the nobler motives.
• Dramatize your ideas.
• Throw down a challenge.

These techniques transform persuasion to a deeper, more personal level, which is arguably what needs to happen if persuasion will occur at all.

Advancing Your Career

Influencing others can lead to success for everyone involved. An online bachelor’s in business administration or online MBA from Concordia University Texas will give you the necessary skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

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Voice technology has become a  part of daily life for consumers. Forty percent of adults now use voice search once per day, and according to Google, 72 percent of people who own a voice-activated speaker — like the Amazon Echo or Google Home — say their devices are used often in their daily routines.

Voice-activated speaker owners told Google that talking to their devices helps them get things done quickly and efficiently. Here are the top reasons people are turning to these devices:

1. It allows them to easily multitask.
2. It enables them to do things faster than with other devices.
3. It empowers them to get answers and information instantly.
4. It makes daily routines easier.

As voice technology and its associated devices, apps and other solutions increase in popularity, so, too, will the impact voice tech has on business.

Voice Tech Is Becoming Standard

By 2020, 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches, and there will be 21.4 million smart speakers in the United States. The global speech and voice recognition market, valued at about $6 billion in 2017, is likely to reach $18 billion by 2023.

Voice tech is present in several products. Consumers can control products and services with their voices to shop, stream music, change lighting and thermostats, lock doors, interact with vehicles and use alarm systems, televisions, appliances and more.

Users are implementing voice tech for purchasing products. Nearly 50 percent of people use voice search when researching products. Google found that owners of voice-activated speakers are open to receiving information and offers from brands.

• 52 percent would like to receive information about deals, sales and promotions
• 48 percent would like to receive personalized tips and information to make life easier
• 42 percent would like to receive information about upcoming events or activities
• 39 percent would like to receive options to find business information (such as store locations and hours)
• 38 percent would like to receive access to customer service or support

Voice-activated technology is “a new playground for brands,” according to Google.

Voice Technology and Government Regulations

Privacy and data concerns surround voice technology. Personalization helps voice tech systems be as useful as possible, according to The Economist, and devices have access to calendars, emails and other sensitive information. One complication is that these devices are always listening, just waiting to be activated.

“Police investigating a murder in Arkansas, which may have been overheard by an Amazon Echo, have asked the company for access to any audio that might have been captured,” according to The Economist. “Amazon has refused to cooperate, arguing (with the backing of privacy advocates) that the legal status of such requests is unclear. The situation is analogous to Apple’s refusal in 2016 to help FBI investigators unlock a terrorist’s iPhone; both cases highlight the need for rules that specify when and what intrusions into personal privacy are justified in the interests of security.”

In addition to these types of challenges for businesses, there is also opportunity. Regulations in the auto industry have helped advance hands-free driving, leading to voice-activated systems in vehicles. Forbes reported how voice tech in vehicles could soon lead to systems becoming personal assistants, travel companions and even a sympathetic ear to drivers.

Branding, Voice Tech and Emotional Connections

Google has found that people are saying “please,” “thank you” and “sorry” to their voice-activated speakers, and 41 percent of owners say it feels like they’re talking to a friend or another person. “People perceive the devices as more than just an electronic toy, they’re more akin to another person or a friend.”

This is reflected in other findings. “In our research, when people voiced a question involving a brand name, their brain activity showed a significantly stronger emotional response compared to people typing that same question,” Ida Siow, head of planning, Singapore and SEA at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, told Forbes. “There is no doubt that voice builds emotional affinity, and a resounding 72 percent of users [in Singapore] wanted brands to have unique voices and personalities for their apps. The implication for brands is huge — it’s no longer just about right time, right message, right place — brands need to ensure they are developing the right voice, too.”

Understanding the Technological Challenges of Modern Business

Understanding the nuances of technology in business today can lead to success. An online bachelor’s in business administration, online applied business degree or online MBA from Concordia University Texas can give you the necessary skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

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“In the past several decades, the human resource profession has evolved to become an integral component of the organization,” according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The role and the value that HR brings is changing. One survey reveals how HR departments “offer more to organizations than the transactional HR activities of record keeping, payroll and employee benefits administration.”

• 70 percent of responding organizations said HR has a place on the board of directors
• 66 percent reported having a written HR management strategy
• Responses indicated HR is taking sole responsibility for major policy decisions

Whether they are directly employed by a company or they work at an organization where companies go to outsource HR functions, these professionals are in need. Employment of HR specialists is projected to grow 7 percent by 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). HR manager jobs are projected to grow 9 percent by 2026.

What Can I Do with a Human Resource Degree?

An HR or HRM degree prepares you for various career opportunities in the field. You might enter into human resources by becoming a generalist or specialize in some particular aspect of the profession, such as recruiting, training or development. Another opportunity, after you acquire several years of HR work experience, would be to become an HR manager.

HR Generalists

HR generalists handle all aspects of work in a human resources department. They may have responsibilities in anything related to HR, including recruitment, employee relations, compensation, benefits, training and the administration of HR policies, procedures and programs.

Job duties may include the following:

• Developing HR solutions by collecting and analyzing information, then recommending a course of action.
• Improving employee and manager performance by identifying and clarifying problems, evaluating and implementing potential solutions and providing coaching or counseling.
• Administering the compensation program.
• Monitoring the performance evaluation program.
• Developing and maintaining affirmative action programs, filing an annual EEO-1 report and maintaining other records.
• Maintaining company organization charts and the employee directory.
• Maintaining HR information system records and compiling reports from the database.
• Maintaining compliance with federal, state and local authorities, as well as with other applicable laws and regulations.

HR Specialists

Human resources professionals may specialize in a specific aspect of HR work. Here are two common examples:

• Recruitment specialists find, screen and interview applicants for job openings in an organization. Sometimes referred to as personnel recruiters or head hunters, they search for applicants by posting job listings, attending career fairs and visiting college campuses. They may also network, make cold calls and explore referrals for filling positions. Other responsibilities may include testing applicants, contacting references and extending job offers. Recruitment specialists must stay up to date on local hiring laws and regulations.
• Training and development specialists help plan, conduct and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge. They assess training needs, design and create training materials, deliver instruction using a variety of techniques and assist in the evaluation of training programs. Other responsibilities include administrative tasks like monitoring costs, scheduling classes, coordinating enrollment and setting up systems and equipment. Training and development specialists may utilize lectures, group discussions, team exercises, videos, self-guided instruction manuals and online programs.

HR Managers

HR managers plan, direct and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee all aspects of the human resources department, including recruiting, interviewing and hiring of new staff, as well as consulting with top executives on strategic planning.

Job duties may include the following:

• Planning and coordinating a company’s workforce to best utilize employees’ talents.
• Linking an organization’s management with employees.
• Planning and overseeing employee benefit programs.
• Consulting with other managers to advise them on HR issues, such as equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment.
• Coordinating and supervising HR workers and support staff.
• Handling staffing issues, such as mediating disputes and directing disciplinary procedures.

HR managers may also specialize in a particular area. For example, recruiting or staffing managers oversee these functions of the HR department. They commonly supervise a team of recruiters and may assume some recruiting duties for filling high-level positions. Recruiting or staffing managers are tasked with developing a recruiting strategy that will meet the needs of their organizations and compete for the best talent.

HR Salaries

HR specialists earn a median annual wage of $59,180, according to the BLS. Note that the agency classifies HR generalists as a type of HR specialist, but training and development specialists are classified separately.

Training and development specialists earn a median annual wage of $59,020. Training and development managers earn a median annual wage of $105,830.

HR managers earn a median annual wage of $106,910.

Competencies Needed for a Future in HR

If you want to pursue a future in HR, there are certain competencies that are needed for a successful career. The SHRM HR Competency Model offers nine competencies that correlate strongly with a high-performing professional.

• Human Resource Expertise: A strong working knowledge of critical HR functions, as well as the ability to apply best practices and deliver customized HR solutions
• Relationship Management: Ability to establish credibility across interactions, develop healthy interactions that promote individual and organizational success, and build an effective internal and external network
• Consultation: Effective in applying creative problem solving to business challenges in a way that invites others to approach them with career and organizational concerns
• Leadership and Navigation: Adept at building collaborative environments where solutions are generated that conform to organizational culture
• Communication: Skilled in delivering critical information, gathering information and communicating with people of various perspectives
• Global and Cultural Effectiveness: Culturally aware and show nonjudgmental respect for other perspectives
• Ethical Practice: Have trusting relationships and is seen as credible because of his or her judgment, in terms of confidentiality, ethical behavior and values
• Critical Evaluation: Objective and have the critical thinking skills that allow for making sound judgments based on keen analysis, best practices and an awareness of preferred outcomes
• Business Acumen: A strong understanding of the strategic relationship between HR and core business functions

Pursuing a Career in HR

An online bachelor’s in business administration (available with a concentration in human resource management) from Concordia University Texas can equip you with the skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

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Human resources departments are recognizing the importance of developing a talent management process and strategy. This emerging approach is concerned with the long-term professional development of employees within a company.

The Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior described talent management as a “recent, practitioner-generated term covering a range of long-standing practices that aim at getting the right person in the right job at the right time. These include workforce planning, succession planning, employee development and career management.”

The career management process is an important subset of talent management, but as an article from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported, these types of programs are falling short of their goals. Ideally, career management programs help employees understand advancement opportunities and chart career paths in their organizations; however, that’s not happening for many employees, according to a survey.

• 49 percent of employers said the programs are effective at providing traditional career advancement opportunities
• 38 percent said they are effective at providing nontraditional career development opportunities
• 45 percent said they make effective use of technology, such as corporate intranet platforms, to deliver career advancement programs
• 47 percent said they provide their managers with career management training and tools in the form of talking points or discussion guides (and 41 percent of employees rate their managers as effective in holding career development discussions)
• 48 percent report that their organizations have career architectures (or formalized frameworks) and career paths in place
• 27 percent of employees monitor the effectiveness of their career management programs

These figures represent opportunities for organizations to improve career management programs. The following section looks at the career management process from the perspective of employees.

The Career Management Process

There are six key steps of effective career management, according to author and consultant, Stuart McAdam.

1. Mapping: Before rushing to action, employees need to understand their situations by reflecting on where they are and what their motives are. Mapping can also help people come to terms with their strengths, deficits and true potential.
2. Planning: Planning allows employees to verify assumptions, receive feedback from others and examine next steps. It also helps determine where certain scenarios might lead, along with the knowledge, skills and behaviors the scenarios would require executing. Planning begins by defining specific objectives and benefits.
3. Exploring: This is where ideas are tested. Employees share and test their ideas, drawing on previous plans. Seeking and reflecting on feedback will help with becoming successful.
4. Demonstrating Competence: Employees should ensure that their CVs show their capability and capacity. They should also ensure “the ‘real’ you is present at the interview,” according to McAdam, and “establish goals and targets for job search/career shift, and regularly review progress, potential derailers, hindrances. Without this, nothing will happen!”
5. Delivering When in the New Role: Cultural understanding and a focus on delivering what’s required is crucial during the first 100 days in a new role. For senior roles, it’s critical to hit the ground running and deliver results, even if it’s in a very different environment than anticipated.
6. Consolidating and Reviewing: The career management process is not complete when a new position is found. Employees should continue focusing on delivery, maintaining their channels of communication, networking and remembering to scan the horizon within the organization and the market.

Pursuing a Career in Human Resource Management

Paying attention to the career management process can help organizations attract, develop and retain the right talent. An online bachelor’s in business administration (available with a concentration in human resource management), online applied business degree and online MBA from Concordia University Texas can equip you with the skills needed to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

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Estimates place the value of avoiding a toxic worker at about $12,500, and it’s even more to replace one, according to leadership and organizational development expert Chris Cancialosi in Forbes. Entry-level employees cost between 30 to 50 percent of annual salary to replace, while the number rises upwards of 150 percent for mid-level employees.

One key to finding and hiring the right people is paying attention to culture. However, given the speed that some companies hire new people, culture can become an afterthought. This is even more of an issue with the way that recruiting has changed.

“Hiring today is not about vetting applicants who are eager to work for your company,” Leela Srinivasan, chief marketing officer at hiring software firm Lever, told Cancialosi. “In today’s business environment, the balance of power rests with the candidates. Today, recruiting is more about mutual evaluation and finding the right fit.”

The following sections explore how to enhance recruiting strategies and processes so that they are effective and reflect a company’s culture.

Recruitment Strategies for 2018

Core Strategies

• Understand what makes your organization unique. What defines your company and separates it from every other business? You should know or find the answer from a business and a company culture perspective. The answer should be revealed throughout the recruitment process.
• Implement competitive compensation and benefits packages. Your company should offer more than a paycheck — but the paycheck is important. Also consider employee perks programs, wellness programs, flexible work options and more that can help employees financially (and boost morale).
• Start an employee referral program. “Good employers use their own employees, customers and vendors as prime sources of new hires,” according to entrepreneur and author Liz Ryan in Forbes. “If you post job openings to the entire world before letting your employees, customers and suppliers know about them, you are not only missing out on an awesome source of talent but also insulting your own best recruiting team members. If you don’t value your employees enough to make them ambassadors for your brand, then your culture is broken.”
• Provide realistic job previews. If recruiting is about mutual evaluation, giving employees a realistic look at their potential positions can save both sides from a potentially unpleasant situation. Getting feedback on these previews can be revealing for companies.
• Actively promote your brand. Both sides in recruiting should be trying to demonstrate their strengths. Show applicants why they should work at your company.
• Train hiring managers to interview well. “They should be evaluating candidates on various dimensions throughout the process, as opposed to rehashing things that have already come up in previous stages,” according to Cancialosi. “They should also be probing beneath the surface of a candidate’s answers to uncover useful insight into their skills and experience. This will likely require some form of interview training, so people feel ready to support the process when the time comes.”
• Consider re-hires. The most effective approach to recruiting is training existing employees to take on hard-to-fill roles, according to nearly 3,000 HR professionals in a Society for Human Resource Management survey.

Creative Strategies

• Apply for a local/state/national “best places to work” award. A third-party stamp of approval can catch the eye of your target audience. Explore awards that can get your company’s culture recognized.
• Utilize organic and paid social media recruiting. There are several channels that you can take advantage of in social media recruitment. Many large companies are leading the way in using these networks effectively.
• Handpick dream candidates and show them you want them. “Passive candidates (those who are already employed and not actively job hunting) are most likely to be your dream hires, but you’ll never attract them without letting them know how much you want them,” according to Business Insider.
• Make yourself stand out with non-traditional media. Videos and podcasts can differentiate your company from competitors and promote your company’s culture.
• Attend events other than job fairs. The best candidates typically already have jobs. Explore Meetup events and other creative ways to connect to passionate, skilled people.
• Skip the resume and have candidates call directly. Use this method with care. Yet, it can be a powerful way to quickly interact with candidates and gauge how well they would fit at your company.
• Create engaging, interactive content that sells your brand/culture. This can include fun, productive content like “game” ads that serve as tests for programmers.

Reshaping the Recruitment Process

As Robert Half describes, there are several steps in the recruitment process, and each step typically has some of the same actions. Yet, according to Liz Ryan, “leaders who are serious about hiring great people need to examine their own internal practices and fix whatever is broken.” Companies may need to change up what normally occurs. Here are some ideas for each step.

1. Human Resources Evaluation: Typically, computer programs scan resumes for certain keywords and phrases. “You will never fill out your team with awesome people by letting a piece of code screen resumes for you — you have to do it yourself, the old-fashioned way,” Ryan says.
2. Phone Interviews: Phone interviews help HR professionals gauge candidates’ communication skills, enthusiasm and discuss their resumes. This is where candidates should get a good feel for a company’s culture. HR professionals should discuss and demonstrate what makes the company stand out.
3. First Interviews: This step involves managers conducting face-to-face interviews with candidates. Extending from the previous step, companies should make every effort to connect with candidates and help them see what makes the business great. “When you interview candidates, do you welcome them to the company and show them around?” Ryan asks. “Do you make sure to answer their questions first, before you start asking them questions? Companies that treat job-seekers like gold will never have trouble filling their open positions.”
4. Second Interviews: A round of second interviews involves narrowing down the initial field. However, companies should examine if they need these at all (unless the position is a particularly high-profile one). This can clog the process.
5. Decision and Job Offer: Candidates are notified of the company’s decision. Like the previous step, companies should aim to make the process as smooth as possible. “Your recruiting process has a serious problem if you make candidates wait weeks to hear back from you after a job interview,” according to Ryan. “It shouldn’t take more than two or three business days to get back to every candidate — the ones you want to meet again or extend an offer to, as well as the folks you can see are not a great fit for your company at this moment.”
6. Salary Negotiation: This final step shouldn’t be as difficult as it is in some organizations. Ideally companies and candidates will be on the same page from early on. Ryan recommends sending an email like this before even conducting an interview: “Thanks for your resume! We love your background and are happy to hear from you. We have an opening for a product management coordinator. Here’s the job spec. The job pays in the low to mid-40s. Would that work for you?”

Pursuing a Career in HR or Business

The right recruitment strategies help companies attract the perfect candidates. An online bachelor’s in business administration (available with a concentration in human resource management), online applied business degree and online MBA from Concordia University Texas can equip you with the skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

The post Recruitment Strategies for HR Leaders in 2018 appeared first on Concordia University Texas.

Industries are facing a shortage of talent. To a certain extent, this statement seems to apply at all times, but it’s especially relevant now. Research from ManpowerGroup found that the talent shortage across industries is at its highest — 40 percent of employers globally say they’re experiencing difficulty filling jobs — since 2007, according to TechRepublic. The demand for IT personnel particularly has skyrocketed.

However, it would be a mistake to think that white-collar, degree-demanding jobs typify the current talent shortage, according to an article from HR Dive.

Employment experts say the skills gap may be even more pressing for decent-paying jobs that don’t require any college at all. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) predicts that U.S. companies will face 2 million job vacancies by 2025. And the American Welding Society contends that manufacturing industries will need 300,000 welders and welding instructors by 2020. Technology has replaced some jobs and made others obsolete.

Employee perks programs represent one way that companies can attract talent and build recruitment strategies. Employee perks programs will not only bring talented workers to organizations, but these programs can reinforce performance and retention. Business Insider reported that more than half (57 percent) of all workers say perks and benefits are among the top things they consider when examining a job, and nearly 80 percent of employees would prefer new benefits over a pay raise.

Popular Employee Perks and Benefits

• Profit Sharing: “Whether this is a quarterly bonus or it’s doled out at the end of the year, profit sharing will get your employees invested in your company’s success,” according to Forbes. “When people feel a direct benefit from your company’s profitability, they work harder and more efficient.”
• Gym Membership: Free or discounted gym memberships can help employees stay healthy and motivated. Also, “healthy employees cost you less, and they work harder,” Forbes reports. Reebok connects their brand with this benefit by offering an on-site gym with Crossfit classes, according to Glassdoor.
• Holiday PTO: Additional time off during a busy time of year can boost morale and help employees begin the new year with more energy.
• Off-Site Events: “While it’s a great way to build team unity and show your employees that you care, it’s also a great recruiting tool,” according to Forbes. “Let’s say you go go-karting, shoot a round of golf, or host a summer barbecue — you’ve got that many people taking pictures and posting it to social media, showing all of their friends and relatives just how great your company is.”
• Education Subsidy: Educational perks like tuition reimbursement programs can help employees pursue growth opportunities, and they can add value to the company. Verizon offers employees up to $8,000 in tuition reimbursement every year for classes that are related to the business. At Proctor & Gamble, up to 80 percent of tuition and fees are reimbursed (up to $40,000), according to The Balance.
• Company-Sponsored Sports Teams: “Another potential team-building and wellness program: Having a group of employees form a city league team is a no-brainer as a perk,” according to Forbes. “When the company sponsors the team (jerseys are a good idea), you get the advertising along with all the other benefits.”
• Free Food: Google employees get healthy food for breakfast, lunch and dinner (if they stay late) for free, according to Inc. Coffee and juice bars are located throughout the campuses as well.
• PTO for Community Service: Salesforce employees receive six days of paid volunteer time off annually, as well as $1,000 a year to donate to a charity of their choice, according to Business Insider.
• Extended Maternity/Paternity Leave: At Google, new dads receive six weeks of paid time off, moms can take 18 weeks off and employees’ stock continues to vest (and they continue to receive bonuses) while they are on leave, Inc. reports. At American Express, mothers and fathers receive up to five months of fully paid leave, and birthing mothers receive an additional six to eight weeks off for paid medical leave, Business Insider reports.

Pursuing a Career in HR or Business

Employee perks programs can help with attracting and keeping talented employees. An online bachelor’s in business administration (available with a concentration in human resource management), online applied business degree and online MBA from Concordia University Texas can give you the skills you need to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

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Companies tend to struggle with organizational disparities between “design thinking” and “business thinking.”

Often, executives “don’t want to get involved in the [creative] process,” said Derrick Kiker, a partner at McKinsey and the CEO of design firm LUNAR, according to Fortune. “Any time you create a chief design officer role and give them a lot of resources, there’s inherently pressure from the executive team. They want to see results almost immediately. And they don’t understand the progression of what has to happen.”

This disconnect exists because many companies are successful due to delivering predictable products by repeatable means. They “almost instinctively resist bringing fuzzy, messy, and abstract visions into the equation,” according to the MIT Sloan Management Review.

Nevertheless, as Fortune observed from more than a dozen top executives and founders at the 2017 Innovation by Design conference, good design is essential for any industry. “This is the great era of design,” said Barry Wacksman, executive president and chief strategy officer for digital agency R/GA.

Design thinking ideation and principles can help businesses stand out from the competition and pursue innovation.

What Is Design Thinking?

Definition

Design thinking is an ideology supported by a process, according to Nielsen Norman Group. Both are necessary to understand design thinking.

The design-thinking ideology asserts that a hands-on, user-centric approach to problem solving can lead to innovation, and innovation can lead to differentiation and a competitive advantage. This hands-on, user-centric approach is defined by the design-thinking process and comprises six distinct phases, as defined and illustrated below.

Stages of the Design Thinking Process

The design thinking process follows an overall flow: understand, explore and materialize. Within these larger buckets, there are six stages of the design thinking process.

1.    Empathize

Conduct research to understand what your users do, say, think and feel.

Speak to a range of actual users. What are they doing? How do they think? What do they want? Ask yourself what motivates and discourages them. Gather enough observations to begin empathizing with them and their perspectives.

2.    Define

Combine research and observe where your users’ problems exist. As you start pinpointing your users’ needs, begin to highlight opportunities for innovation.

Use data gathered in the empathize stage to gain insights. Organize your observations and look at similarities to your users’ current experiences. Are there common pain points? Identify any unmet user needs.

3.    Ideate

Brainstorm all types of crazy, creative ideas that address unmet user needs from the define phase. Stress quantity; no idea is too farfetched.

Bring your team members together and present many ideas. Have team members share ideas with one another, and look to combine and re-combine different ideas.

4.    Prototype

Create actual representations for a subset of your ideas. The goal of this phase is to understand what components work and do not work. This is the phase where you begin to look at the impact vs. feasibility of your idea through feedback on your prototypes.

It’s important to make your ideas tactile. If the idea is a new website, develop a mockup of the website. Make changes based on feedback you receive and then create a new prototype. Then you can share it with a new group of people to obtain more feedback.

5.    Test

Return to your users for feedback. Gauge whether your solution will meet their needs and if it has improved how they feel, think or do their tasks.

Verify this by putting it in front of real customers. Determine whether their perspectives have changed and if the new solution will meet organizational goals (such as profitability or time on site for a new website). Continue to test as you execute your vision.

6.    Implement

Put the vision into effect. Ensure that it will impact your end users.

“This is the most important part of design thinking, but it is the one most often forgotten,” according to Nielsen Norman Group. This can be a long and difficult process, but it is essential to reap the benefits of design thinking iteration. “As impactful as design thinking can be for an organization, it only leads to true innovation if the vision is executed. The success of design thinking lies in its ability to transform an aspect of the end user’s life. This sixth step — implement — is crucial.”

How to Take Advantage of Design Thinking Ideation

Research from MIT Sloan Management Review resulted in five steps that can take full advantage of the potential of design thinking.

1. Encourage top managers to champion design thinking initiatives. Managers are spread too thin, yet design thinking teams require two kinds of attention by top management: proactive and follow-up. Proactive attention includes many forms like launching an initiative, taking part in the design thinking process, developing and submitting ideas and removing obstacles. Follow-up attention refers to energy the leader invests after the design thinking team does its work, like pushing ideas through the organization.
2. Balance the teams. It can be difficult to allow people freedom while ensuring they don’t lose focus on other business objectives. One key is recognizing and appreciating the diversity of their experience and skills. Some members should focus on certain aspects of the process.
3. Set ground rules. Design thinking teams should be empowered to work without getting permission for every step. Minimal rules can help reinforce the autonomy they need to function well.
4. Integrate design thinking into product-development processes. “Design thinking is often treated as yet another assignment from headquarters — just one more box to be checked,” according to MIT Sloan Management Review. “To change that perception, the teams responsible for design thinking should look more closely at their existing product-development processes. It can be helpful to integrate specific design thinking deliverables, such as early customer feedback in the problem-definition phase, larger-scale customer feedback in the market-solution phase, and prototypes and mock-ups throughout the process.”
5. Redefine the metrics. Design thinking teams should not focus on profit, but on learning. This is captured through defined learning outcomes and questions. Even if the overall project fails, insights will be gained through learning, which can then be applied to better questions or another project.

Pursuing a Career in Business

Understanding design thinking ideation can stimulate creativity and innovation in business. An online bachelor’s in business administration, online applied business degree or online MBA from Concordia University Texas can give you the skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

The post Design Thinking Ideation: Solving Modern Business Problems appeared first on Concordia University Texas.

There is a clear need for information assurance and security workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of information security analysts will increase 28 percent by 2026, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

“Demand for information security analysts is expected to be very high,” the BLS explained. “Cyberattacks have grown in frequency, and analysts will be needed to come up with innovative solutions to prevent hackers from stealing critical information or creating problems for computer networks.”

The 2017 Equifax cybersecurity breach — one of the five biggest data breaches ever in reach and the kind of information exposed to the public — demonstrates what can happen in a security crisis. As many as 143 million Americans (nearly half the country) had their personal information compromised in the breach, according to CNN. Names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, numbers of driver’s licenses and credit card numbers were among the types of information exposed in the attack.

These types of attacks can damage customers, as well as organizations’ reputation, profits and assets. To guard against these threats, businesses need to take topics like information assurance and security seriously.

What Is Information Assurance and Security?

Information assurance and security are related but separate concepts. “The terms are inherently linked and share an ultimate goal of preserving the integrity of information,” according to data loss prevention software company Digital Guardian.

Clarifying the Terms

Information assurance is about protecting information assets from destruction, degradation, manipulation and exploitation by an opponent, according to Andrew Blyth and Gerald Kovacich in their book Information Assurance: Surviving in the Information Environment. They offer an additional definition from the United States Department of Defense (from 1996) to help clarify what information assurance means.

Actions taken that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation. This includes providing for restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection and reaction capabilities.

Information security can be defined as the protection of information against unauthorized disclosure, transfer, modification or destruction, whether accidental or intentional.

Information security can be considered a sub-discipline or component of information assurance. Both concepts deal with intentional and unintentional attacks, but information assurance covers areas not covered by information security such as perception management. This level of information assurance deals with physical and technical measures to maintain an accurate, objective perception of the security state of the system and the information contained in the system.

Application

Information security offers many benefits for businesses, according to Digital Guardian.

• Maintaining compliance with regulatory standards, preventing costly security events, maintaining the company’s reputation and preserving the trust of customers, suppliers, partners and shareholders.
• Protection against fines issued by regulatory agencies or lawsuits from other companies and individuals, if the company fails to protect sensitive information and other companies or individuals suffer consequences in a breach.

Because information security is included within information assurance, the above benefits apply to information assurance. Additional benefits include data integrity, usability, non-repudiation, authenticity, confidentiality, availability and the reliable and timely access to information.

Information assurance is broad in nature. This field stresses organizational risk management and overall information quality. It’s a strategic initiative that incorporates a wide range of information protection and management processes. Examples include security audits, network architecture, compliance audits, database management and the development, implementation and enforcement of organizational information management policies.

Information security involves mitigating risks through secure systems and architecture, in an effort to eliminate or reduce vulnerabilities. The BLS listed some of the typical tasks that information security analysts perform.

• Monitor networks for security breaches and investigate when violations occur.
• Install software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect data.
• Prepare reports to document security breaches and the resulting damage.
• Conduct penetration that simulates attacks to locate system vulnerabilities.
• Research the latest information technology (IT) security trends.
• Develop security standards and best practices.
• Recommend security enhancements to management or senior IT staff.
• Help computer users when they need to install or learn about new security products and procedures.

Information Assurance and Security in Healthcare

Healthcare is an industry that’s particularly affected by information assurance and security issues.

The BLS noted in the job outlook for information security analysts that “as the healthcare industry expands its use of electronic medical records, ensuring patients’ privacy and protecting personal data are becoming more important. More information security analysts are likely to be needed to create the safeguards that will satisfy patients’ concerns.”

Hackers have found healthcare to be a lucrative target. “From organizations with exposed, unused websites to unencrypted storage drives, health organizations appear to still have much to learn about security,” according to Healthcare IT News. The article listed dozens of sizable healthcare breaches, such as the following examples.

• The Augusta University Medical Center in Georgia was hit by successful phishing attacks twice within the past year.
• A cyberattack on Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants in Delaware impacted 19,203 patients, targeting electronic files on the provider’s server and workstation.
• More than 106,000 patients were notified by Mid-Michigan Physicians Imaging Center of a potential data breach of their personal health information.
• Pacific Alliance Medical Center in Los Angeles was hit by a ransomware attack involving the health information of 266,123 patients.
• Patient data for 1.1 million patients enrolled in Indiana’s Health Coverage Program was left open, giving access to name, Medicaid ID number, name and address of doctors treating patients, patient number, procedure codes, dates of service and the amount Medicaid paid doctors or providers.
• Molina Healthcare, which insures 4.8 million patients in 12 states and Puerto Rico, shut down its client portal in response to a security flaw that exposed patient medical claims data without requiring authentication.
• Cybercriminal organization TheDarkOverlord hacked the server and back-up drive of Cancer Services of East Central Indiana-Little Red Door. The organization stripped data, encrypted it and asked for a $43,000 ransom as well as making extortion threats.

Information Assurance and Security Salary

The BLS does not track salary data for information assurance workers.

Information security analysts earn a median annual wage of $92,600. In the top industries, they earn the following median salaries.

• Finance and insurance: $94,050
• Computer systems design and related services: $93,490
• Information: $92,940
• Administrative and support services: $92,890
• Management of companies and enterprises: $87,510

Overall, the median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations is $82,860.

Advancing Your Career

Employment in information assurance or security positions typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree. For instance, according to the BLS, information security analysts usually need at least a bachelor’s in computer science, information assurance, programming or a related field.

With an online computer science degree from Concordia University Texas, you can learn the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a rewarding career in information assurance or security, along with other computer-related fields. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

The post What Is Information Assurance and Security? appeared first on Concordia University Texas.

In 2002, five Microsoft employees presented a research paper and case study that began by looking at usability research in commercial settings. The authors observed that the focus in usability is often about uncovering all the problems instead of the focus of these tests — “shipping an improved user interface as rapidly and cheaply as possible.”

Usability issues are sometimes not fixed. The authors gave four reasons to help explain why this occurs.

1. Decision-makers for the product don’t think that the issues uncovered are “real” or worthy of a fix.
2. Fixing problems takes time and resources. Adding features is often prioritized over fixing a “working” feature.
3. Usability feedback comes too late. Delays can come after product feature decisions are made, making them more likely to be left out.
4. Teams aren’t sure whether a proposed solution will fix the problem. Difficult or time-consuming fixes are undesirable if there’s uncertainty whether they’ll work.

Confronted with these problems, the authors presented a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative. The seminal work established and defined the RITE method, which is based in a process known as rapid iteration.

Rapid Iteration Process

Rapid iteration or prototyping is a process that is used often for software development. Smashing Magazine defines rapid prototyping as an iterative approach to user interface design that quickly mocks up the future state of a system, such as a website or application, and validates it with a broader team of users, stakeholders, developers and designers.

There are multiple iterations of a three-step process.

1. Prototype: Convert the users’ description of the solution into mock-ups, factoring in user experience standards and best practices.
2. Review: Share the prototype with users and evaluate whether it meets their needs and expectations.
3. Refine: Based on feedback, identify areas that need to be refined or further defined and clarified.

Rationale

Why should developers make multiple iterations? There are several steps involved in improving a product, or more generally, developing a solution to a problem. “We need to understand the problem, gather requirements for a potential solution, translate those requirements into a design, build the solution, and test it,” according to IBM. “This order is fairly natural, and generally correct. Problems creep in, however, when we try to scale this up — that is, when we try to gather all requirements, then do all design, then all development, then all testing in a strictly linear fashion.”

Instead, the scientific approach should be integrated into software development. Just like theories are proposed and experiments are designed and performed to test those theories, so too can requirements for a product be tested to gauge whether they should be implemented and if the right solution is defined.

“This leads us to adopt a style of software development where the assertions inherent in the plan are repeatedly challenged and evaluated by the design and development of demonstrable versions of the system, each of which is objectively shown to reduce the project risk and build upon the other to form the finished solution,” IBM added.

Benefits

As a result, the process yields greater insight and accuracy to what changes are made. And this all happens much quicker, and thus, at less cost, to linear usability processes. Additional benefits exist too. Designers often struggle with clients who want proof that their design will succeed, according to author Roger Martin in Harvard Business Review. “They hit a ‘prove-it’ wall: their clients ask for evidence that the design will succeed. The more radical and bold the design, the bigger a problem this is for the frustrated designer.”

However, in rapid prototyping, each iterative test generates data that the client can see and gain confidence from. By being able to see positive reactions from users, the client can trust the design. Rapid iteration and prototyping produce real-world data that can help designers, developers and other professionals who are using this process.

The RITE Method

Rapid iteration or prototyping is embedded in the RITE method, which stands for Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation. The Microsoft employees who first defined and explored the method formally described it as “very similar” to a traditional usability test.

“The usability engineer and team must define a target population for testing, schedule participants to come in to the lab, decide on how the users’ behaviors will be measured, construct a test script and have participants engage in a verbal protocol (e.g. think aloud),” the authors wrote. “RITE differs from a ‘traditional’ usability test by emphasizing extremely rapid changes and verification of the effectiveness of these changes.”

The method involves implementing changes as soon as a problem is identified and a solution is clear. That can mean within the day or a period of two hours. After each participant, time must be set aside to review results with decision-makers and decide if issues raised warrant changes for the next iteration of the prototype.

Tips for Using the RITE Method

Here are some tips for getting started with the RITE method, according to UX Magazine.

• Schedule 30 minutes after each session to discuss what people observed, form hypotheses about why users were confused or stuck on certain parts and come up with ideas for improvements.
• Designate one person as the ultimate decision-maker on what changes should be implemented before the next participant.
• Have someone on-site who is willing and able to make quick iterations.
• Be willing to fail early and often. Making decisions quickly before the next participant can help in overcoming any lingering fears.

Pursuing a Career in Development

Employment of software developers is projected to increase by 24 percent by 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage is $102,280.

With an online computer science degree from Concordia University Texas, you can learn the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a rewarding career in software development or another field. Learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

The post Software Development, Rapid Iteration and the RITE Method appeared first on Concordia University Texas.

Market research is an essential part of launching a new product. “A lot of companies skim over the important background information because they’re so interested in getting their product to market,” marketer Donna Barson told Entrepreneur. “But the companies that do the best are the ones that do their homework.”

Market research is also necessary for gauging customer feelings about existing products and for new marketing plans. There are two types of market research that businesses should be familiar with and employ.

Primary Market Research Methods

Primary research concentrates on information that comes directly from the source — current or potential customers.

“The goal of primary research is to gather data from analyzing current sales and the effectiveness of current practices,” according to author Lesley Spencer Pyle in Entrepreneur. “Primary research also takes competitors’ plans into account, giving you information about your competition.” A new product will rely more on competitors’ plans and data, while existing products will rely more on their own sales.

There are several ways to collect data in primary research.

• Interviews
• Surveys
• Questionnaires
• Focus groups that include a sample of potential clients or customers

Questions might include the following.

• What factors do you consider when purchasing this product or service?
• What do you like or dislike about current products or services currently on the market?
• What areas would you suggest for improvement?
• What is the appropriate price for a product or service?

Many companies make the mistake of ignoring primary research, Pyle notes. Primary research gives companies a full picture; the insight from actual customers can be extremely valuable.

Another common mistake is surveying only friends and family members. Companies need to “talk to real customers about their needs, wants and expectations,” according to Pyle.

Secondary Market Research Methods

Secondary market research involves gathering statistics, reports, studies and other data. This encompasses the vast majority of research that companies can find, according to Entrepreneur, and secondary market research encompasses a variety of sources. The local library and the internet are the best places to conduct secondary market research.

• Associations: Industry trade associations can produce information such as market statistics, lists of members and books and reference materials. Most libraries have the Encyclopedia of Associations that can help find relevant associations. Customers’ trade associations can help provide information to market to customers.
• Government Guidance: Most county governments publish population density and distribution figures in widely available census tracts. The U.S. Census Bureau has a lot of information available online, including the State and Metropolitan Area Data Book, the Census Product Update, County Business Patterns and the Economic Census.
• Maps: Maps of trading areas are available from chambers of commerce, trade development commissions, industrial development boards and local newspaper offices.
• Colleges and Universities: “Local colleges and universities are valuable sources of information,” according to Entrepreneur. “Many college business departments have students who are eager to work in the ‘real world,’ gathering information and doing research at little or no cost. Finally, local business schools are a great source of experts. Many business professors do consulting on the side, and some will even be happy to offer you marketing, sales, strategic planning or financial information for free.”
• Community Organizations: Businesses should look at their local chamber of commerce or business development agency for useful information on site selection, demographic reports and directories of local businesses.
• D&B: The financial and business services firm D&B offers reference sources that can help startups.
• Online-Only Resources: Good starting points include KnowThis.com’s marketing virtual library, BizMiner.com’s national market research reports for 16,000 industries and MarketResearch.com’s more than 250,000 research reports.

Pursuing a Career in Business

Understanding market research methods is pivotal for launching a successful business or improving an existing organization. An online bachelor’s in business administration, online applied business degree or online MBA from Concordia University Texas can give you the skills to succeed in helping organizations thrive. You can learn in a flexible, convenient online environment with a schedule that fits your life.

The post Types of Market Research Methods appeared first on Concordia University Texas.