We're excited to announce the release of the Marketplace Module for IceHrm Open Source! Marketplace is one of the main features released with IceHrm Opensource v35.

What is the Marketplace?

The Marketplace is a new extension hub built directly into IceHrm, allowing you to discover, install, and manage add-on modules with just a few clicks. No more manual file transfers or complex configurations—simply browse available extensions and install them instantly.

Key Features

• One-Click Installation - Install new modules directly from the IceHrm admin panel
• Automatic Updates - Keep your extensions up-to-date with built-in update notifications
• Seamless Integration - All marketplace modules are designed to work seamlessly with your existing IceHrm setup
• Growing Library - Access a growing collection of extensions for recruitment, payroll, learning management, and more

How to Get Started

1. Update to the latest version of IceHrm
2. Navigate to System > Marketplace in your admin panel
3. Connect your installation to IceHrm.com
4. Browse and install extensions

Updating  IceHrm Installation

If you are an IceHrmPro user please backup and delete icehrm/extensions directory before updating to the latest version. All the users with active IceHrmPro licenses will be entitled to download and install all the current paid modules for free.

1. Navigate to the root directory where icehrm is installed (e.g: `cd /var/www/icehrm`)
2. Run `npm install -g icehrm-update`
3. If you get an error due to not having Node.js installed use instructions in Node.js download page to install it first.
4. Then run `icehrm-update`

Get It Now

The Marketplace module is available now for all IceHrm Open Source users. Update your installation today and start exploring the possibilities.

We're excited to announce a major update to IceHrm Pro with significant new features, UI enhancements, and improvements across multiple modules. This release focuses on providing better insights, streamlined workflows, and a more modern user experience.

New Insights & Analytics Module

A brand new Insights module provides comprehensive analytics dashboards for leave, attendance, and timesheet data, giving HR managers and administrators real-time visibility into workforce patterns.

Leave Insights

Get a complete overview of leave patterns across your organization:

• Leave Summary Dashboard - View approved, pending, and rejected leave requests at a glance
• Monthly Leave Distribution - Visualize leave patterns across months to identify trends
• Weekly Leave Patterns - Understand which days of the week see the most leave requests
• Leave by Type Analysis - Pie chart breakdown showing distribution across different leave types (Annual, Sick, Casual, etc.)
• Departmental Leave Overview - Compare leave utilization across departments

Attendance & Timesheet Insights

Monitor attendance patterns, working hours, and project time tracking in a unified dashboard:

• Attendance Summary - Track total hours worked, average hours per day
• Monthly & Weekly Patterns - Identify attendance trends over time
• Department-wise Attendance - Compare attendance across teams
• Project Time Distribution - See how time is allocated across projects
• Employee Time Tracking - Monitor individual contributor time logs

Redesigned Payroll Configuration Module

The new Payroll Configuration module provides a complete payroll management solution with flexible configuration options and automated processing.

Key Features

Payroll Column Configuration

• Define custom payroll columns (earnings, deductions, contributions)
• Built-in code editor for calculation functions with syntax validation
• Support for predefined calculation types

Payslip Template Designer

• Create custom payslip templates with HTML/CSS
• Preview templates before deployment
• Mark legacy templates for deprecation
• Protection against deleting templates in use

Payroll Processing

• Batch process employee payrolls
• View payroll data by employee with profile images
• Generate and manage payslips
• Delete generated payslips when needed
• Multi-currency support

Employee Payroll Assignments

• Redesigned the UI for assigning employees to different payrolls.
• Ability to run multiple payrolls for different employees.

Advanced Reports Module

Enhanced reporting capabilities with the new Advanced Reports module, replacing the legacy reports system.

Enhanced Travel Management

The Travel module has been completely rebuilt, offering a modern interface and new capabilities.

New Travel Request Features

Comprehensive Trip Details

• Trip Classification: Domestic, International, or Regional travel
• Detailed Itinerary: From/To locations with country and city fields

Booking Information

• Flight/booking confirmation numbers
• Airline and flight number tracking
• Accommodation details

Travel Project & Budget Integration

• Link travel requests to travel projects
• Multi-currency budget management
• Attachment support for receipts and documents

Step-by-Step Request Form

• Multi-step modal for creating travel requests
• Clear separation of mandatory and optional information
• Location picker with map integration

Project Time Tracking

Enhanced project management with comprehensive time tracking and team assignment features.

Project Detail View

A new Project Detail View replaces the table with rich project information:

• Project Summary Statistics
• Total hours logged
• Approved hours vs pending hours
• Number of team members

Time Tracking Charts

• Time by Employee Chart: Horizontal grouped bar chart showing total, approved, and pending hours per employee
• Monthly Time Breakdown: Track project hours over time with monthly distribution

Team Management

• Assigned Employees Panel: View all employees assigned to a project
• Add/Remove Employees: Quickly add or remove team members from projects
• Employee Status Tracking: See start dates and current assignment status

Employee Profile Enhancements

Profile Images Everywhere

Employee profile images are now displayed across all modules for better visual identification:

• Leave request lists
• Attendance records
• Performance reviews
• Training sessions
• Expense reports
• Overtime requests
• Travel requests
• Salary information
• Document lists
• Forms and feedback

Employee Profile Tabs

New tabs added to the employee profile view:

• Leave Tab: View employee's leave history and balances
• Attendance Tab: Quick access to attendance records

Resigned Employees

• Renamed "Deactivate" to "Resigned" for clearer terminology
• Added ability to view resigned employees with dedicated filter
• Better handling of employee status transitions

Performance Management Improvements

Bulk Performance Review Creation

Create performance reviews for multiple employees at once:

• Select multiple employees from a list
• Set common review parameters
• Automatically create individual review records
• Status defaults to "Pending" for new reviews

Feedback Request Enhancements

• Create feedback requests in bulk
• Feedback requests only available for pending reviews
• Default status set to "Pending" for new feedback requests
• Improved self-feedback UI

Sandwich Leave Support

New Sandwich Leave feature for handling leaves that fall between holidays and weekends.

Configuration

• Mark specific leave types as "Sandwich Leave" using a simple toggle switch
• When enabled, leaves of this type are always counted as full days
• Useful for unpaid leave policies where organizations want to count leaves between non-working days

How It Works

When an employee takes leave on a Friday and Monday (with Saturday/Sunday in between):

• Regular leave: Only Friday and Monday counted (2 days)
• Sandwich leave: Friday through Monday counted (4 days)

Settings Module Redesign

The Settings module has been completely redesigned for better usability.

Search Settings

New search functionality allows you to quickly find settings by name or description.

Organized Display

• Settings are now ordered logically within each category
• Improved setting descriptions
• Hidden deprecated settings
• Tabs only show if they have visible settings

Visual Improvements

• Switch components for Yes/No settings
• Better form layouts
• Multi-select fields with improved UI
• File upload settings with preview

UI/UX Improvements

Modernized Modals

• Replaced browser modals with modern modals
• Consistent modal behavior across the application
• Loading states on save buttons
• Better error handling and display

Menu Improvements

• Updated menu names for clarity
• Highlighted first-level menus
• Removed animating icons for cleaner look
• Updated icons across modules

Modernized Modules

The following modules have been modernized for better performance:

• User Leave Module
• Dependent Module
• Emergency Contacts Module
• Qualifications Module
• Travel Module (Admin & User)

Company Overview Module

New module providing organizational overview and statistics.

Bug Fixes

This release includes numerous bug fixes:

• Fixed loading save button in step form modals
• Fixed loading button state when entry saving fails
• Fixed subordinate travel requests display
• Fixed location field in travel user module
• Fixed location component layout issues
• Fixed double chart rendering in insights
• Fixed advance attendance view display
• Fixed first profile load issue
• Fixed reports module issues
• Fixed "switched to" styling issues
• Fixed form fields with display:none rendering
• Improved cache fallback when memcache is not available

Module Cleanup

As part of ongoing platform improvements, the following legacy modules have been removed:

• Legacy Charts Module (replaced by Insights)
• Legacy Leave Charts Module (replaced by Insights)
• Legacy Data Module
• Legacy Clients Module (merged into Projects)
• Legacy Report Files Module (replaced by Advanced Reports)

Upgrade Notes

Database Migrations

This release includes migrations for:

• Sandwich leave column on LeaveTypes table
• Settings order and description updates
• Payslip template additions
• Module cleanup

Breaking Changes

None. All changes are backward compatible.

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for upcoming features:

• Mobile app improvements
• Enhanced API capabilities
• More analytics dashboards
• Workflow automation

Anyone who doesn't live under a rock knows the story of Brett Favre. The talented but aging quarterback was released a few years ago by the Green Bay Packers, who even named lower-league teams after him. The Jets, poor Jets, begged him to play, which he did – and sometimes it was painful to watch. The old man could still throw, sure, but too many interceptions made everyone say: 'Brett, buddy, hang up your career.'  

And then last year.

The Vikings, the team of my hometown, begged him desperately to play. Especially because our quarterback was too young, too inexperienced, and actually not suited for the NFL. It was painful to watch, but with Favre, that pain was at least eased by the realization that he had already made it. Our young guy didn't make it, and no one gave him a chance. We needed Brett.

Brett had a good year here. Really. But what impressed me the most was the influence he had on the whole city. People who otherwise never stood in line for anything suddenly lined up to get tickets and use the cramped restrooms at the Metrodome. We loved him.

I have never seen a quarterback who has captured a team, let alone an entire city, so completely like he has. Even his game-winning interception in the Super Bowl was commented on with little remarks like 'Our quarterback sucks.' We loved our Brett.

A friend of mine, not a wealthy man, wanted to rent a billboard in Hattiesburg to convince him to come back. I don't think he even has season tickets. The whole city had been standing still since January, waiting, waiting, waiting.

And now.

Now.

He's back.

Now to your corporate culture. Do you know anyone in your office who could make that much of an impact? Think of all the executives who earn a similar salary to Brett – 20 million dollars. There are many of them. Do they REALLY possess the same skills as Brett in his field?

Would the executives of your company – not just the board – step up and secure a manager for the company like the Viking players did last Tuesday? Do you even know anyone who could fundamentally change your company?

Or the company culture. That's an important skill. We should all take a look at how Brett does it.

But what do you say?

How does Brett do it? Is it because of his ability? Or the 'locker room culture'?

Does your company culture, your boss, or you yourself have the potential to recruit a Brett Favre?

The ability of a company to attract a "Brett Favre"—a talent whose presence dramatically uplifts morale, engagement, and results—is a direct reflection of its employer brand and organizational culture. It is not just about salary; it's about providing a deeply compelling and impactful environment. IceHrm directly supports the infrastructure required to build and maintain this irresistible culture. By centralizing employee data, feedback, and performance management, IceHrm ensures that the organization can consistently apply the transparency, recognition, and development opportunities that star performers demand. Furthermore, in the recruitment phase, IceHrm's Applicant Tracking System (ATS) allows HR to manage the pipeline efficiently, ensuring that when a transformative talent like a "Brett Favre" is identified, the company can quickly and professionally secure them, integrating them into a supportive culture built for success.

Since I had been searching for a suitable topic for this article for a long time, I turned to a tried-and-true creativity technique: using random stimuli as a source of ideas. I grabbed a folder with notes from presentations over the past few years. The first mention referred to a story about an art patron who asked the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí if it was difficult to paint a picture. Dalí's answer?

"No, it is either easy or impossible."

What a great quote! Concise, to the point, capturing a much deeper truth … and yet completely useless for someone who needs to be spontaneously creative in a work or organizational setting.

If creative activities come easily to you in a professional context, it is highly likely that your results are not particularly remarkable. On the other hand, if your creative project is an unsolvable challenge, even the boldest ideas are of no use if they cannot be implemented.

Even outside the art world, the answers "easy" and "impossible" to the question "How difficult is it for you to be creative?" are problematic. In both cases, it is crucial to apply strategies that quickly turn creative extremes into manageable challenges, leading to creative success.

4 Strategies for Effortless Creative Work

• Review Your Best Creative Work – Instead of resting on past successes, challenge yourself to get significantly better. Take your previous creative projects, look for small flaws that others might miss, and turn them into masterpieces! Integrate them better into your strategy, make them more elegant, spectacular, or captivating – you know the idea! Pushing yourself to be far more creative is harder, but it pays off.
• Make a big, public creativity pledge – Maybe (and by “you” I mean “I”) you tend to underestimate your creativity and deliberately set expectations at a comfortable level that you can easily achieve without overexerting yourself creatively. Stop taking the easy route and set an incredibly ambitious creative goal (think JFK and 'Send a man to the moon'). Share your bold, daring goal with others to hold yourself accountable. You'll have to push your creativity further to achieve truly outstanding results.
• More Risk – You may know exactly what is needed to achieve your creative goal and have all the necessary resources. Dare to fundamentally change your plan by reducing resources. Shorten the project timeline by starting later or committing to an earlier completion. If a team is working on your creative project, free someone up for another project, thereby creatively challenging the remaining team members. By pushing your creative limits, you will be forced to further develop your skills and strengthen other creative competencies to fully achieve your goal.
• Fundamentally transform your creative process – Bruce Springsteen is the best example of this. At the height of his success with the E Street Band, he began to significantly change his musical approach multiple times: an acoustic solo album that he recorded at home, other “solo” albums with varying accompanying musicians, and an entirely new band to reinterpret songs by Pete Seeger, a folk legend. With each change, Springsteen consciously avoided “easy” creativity and instead used the unknown to explore new creative paths.

4 strategies when creativity seems impossible.

• Lower your expectations – If your project as a whole seems impossible to you, lower your goals. Analyze the individual components of the project and identify what is achievable amidst the impossible. Consider what could happen in the worst case if the impossible parts are not realized. After finding alternatives for the impossible, focus creatively and fully on what is achievable.
• Project Break – The pressure to be immediately creative can hinder your abilities. Instead of feeling forced to start implementing right away, take a break and really think things through. Develop strategies. Gather ideas. Let someone build on your thoughts. Perhaps you might also dedicate yourself to something completely different. Use this pause to let your mind wander and make unconscious connections that can spark new creative strategies.
• Get support in implementation – your feeling that creative work is impossible may be due to weaknesses in your own abilities. If that's the case, start the creative work by looking for talents who can help you make the impossible possible. Put together the best team to kickstart, develop, and bring your previously daunting creativity to life.
• Change the rules of creativity – If a creative task seems impossible to you, simply redefine it! Instead of thinking about what creative activity actually is, consider what goal you want to achieve. Then look at the various ways you can achieve your goal creatively in different ways. Often, this is exactly what’s needed to take on a new challenge, where you can tap your creative potential much more effectively.

Use these eight strategies as needed to unleash outstanding creativity every day!

Day-to-day creativity is neither a spontaneous fluke nor an insurmountable barrier, but a skill that can be managed and directed using practical strategies. The ability to shift work from the "easy" to the "excellent," and from the "impossible" to the "achievable," is essential for continuous innovation. IceHrm supports the execution of these strategic shifts through its robust goal-setting and development tools. When a creative project seems impossible, the Performance Management module can be used to "Lower Expectations" (Strategy 5) by breaking down the daunting goal into smaller, achievable milestones. Furthermore, the Training and Development features can identify areas of weakness and facilitate the process of "Getting support in implementation" (Strategy 7) by connecting employees with internal experts or necessary online courses, ensuring the team always has the competencies required to turn bold ideas into realized value.

Crowdsourcing. More than just a buzzword.

It is an extremely useful method for sharing knowledge within a community. You can think of it as an open call for collaboration on tasks, information, or data collection—usually with the help of new media.

Often, an engaged and well-informed group is much more effective at generating ideas and finding solutions than a single person, a company, or a closed community.

This is how crowdsourcing works:

1) You identify and define a problem or a need.

2) You publish this need online and call for solutions.

3) An online community responds to the call and collectively contributes solution proposals.

4) You use the community's suggestions to choose a solution for your problem and reward the people who developed each proposal.

5) In the end, you have solved your problem, and the engaged community enjoys the positive recognition of having helped someone. Everyone benefits.

Crowdsourcing demonstrates the incredible power of openly engaging a wide community to solve problems and generate innovation. This collaborative model, which leverages collective intelligence, is highly effective and mutually beneficial. For companies, adopting this mindset—seeking input and valuing contributions from a broad base—is crucial for internal success. IceHrm promotes this internal "crowdsourcing" philosophy by providing the tools for decentralized feedback and collective idea generation. Features within IceHrm's Performance Management and Survey modules allow leaders to formally and informally solicit input, ideas, and solutions from the entire workforce. By using IceHrm to systematically define needs, collect suggestions, and recognize contributors, organizations can replicate the crowdsourcing cycle internally, boosting engagement and ensuring that the best ideas, regardless of where they originate, are captured and utilized for business improvement.

The internet has fundamentally changed the corporate communications industry. In the past, PR professionals would laugh at advertisers for their need for control, and marketing experts impressed the executive floor with sophisticated charts and graphs, while creatives and PR specialists seemed like dropouts. But essentially, everyone got along well. Everyone knew their job.

Today, a battle is raging in this once playfully competitive scene over the world of social media. Who owns it? Who controls it? Who is entitled to it? Every industry gives a different answer to this question. After studying public relations, gaining some marketing knowledge, and working in an advertising agency, I have gained some insights into this issue.

The Role of PR in Social Media

PR professionals are experts in conversation. And conversation is an essential part of social media. Daily monitoring and damage control on social media should be in the hands of the PR agency or department. Brands without a human component are just empty slogans, and PR professionals are the best at giving brands a human face on social media. Some brands use social media for customer relationship management and customer service. I would argue that these practices on social media fall under the umbrella of PR.

The Role of Advertisers in Social Media

Yes, yes, conversations are great, but the best social media case studies show that brands need to create something extraordinary to spark conversations. No traditional PR agency or marketing guru could have achieved what the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy did with the YouTube responses to Old Spice. Advertising agencies, unlike PR or marketing agencies, have the necessary resources to create professional video content on a personalized level. That is exactly what is needed to initiate conversations and achieve high view counts.Many advertising agencies have the necessary resources to expand social media beyond mere conversations and metrics. For example, if a brand wants to develop something using the Foursquare API, it usually turns to its regular advertising agency. Traditionally, PR agencies and marketing departments simply lacked the resources for interactive design or software development to carry out such projects.

The Role of Marketers in Social Media

The best thing about social media for brands is the high level of measurability. Facebook pages provide statistics. Google Analytics shows how many website visitors come through social media. There are numerous online tools to measure Twitter activity. If you haven't seen it yet, you should check out the "Foursquare Perspectives" tool from Awareness Inc. In the B2C sector, these tools are extremely valuable for marketers. I would even say that branding happens in marketing. Advertising contributes to brand awareness, and PR maintains the brand through communication, but the development and definition of a brand is the responsibility of marketers.

Reality  

In fact, these three areas are merging like never before. These industries will continue to evolve in the digital space and keep vying for dominance on social media. However, this is not because one area owns social media exclusively. Rather, the related skills are breaking down old boundaries. Marketing tactics are being applied in advertising agencies. Communication skills that were traditionally reserved for PR departments are being used by marketing professionals. PR departments are now creating charts and graphics for social media!

If you want to build a career in one of these industries, you should be aware that your skills need to cover a variety of these practices. Companies looking to enter the social media sector should focus more on resources and competencies than on the industry label on the company page. There are also agencies for digital and interactive design that set different standards for linking these practices—but that is a topic for another article.

The debate over social media ownership highlights a crucial truth for modern business: siloed departments and rigid boundaries are dissolving in the digital age. Success on any platform requires a seamless integration of skills—from the conversational empathy of PR to the data analytics of marketing. This necessity for cross-functional collaboration and resource efficiency is directly applicable to Human Resources. Just as PR, advertising, and marketing must converge for effective external communication, HR must leverage technology to unify its internal processes. IceHrm serves as the central platform that breaks down these internal silos, consolidating recruitment, performance management, and internal communication into one system. By providing a single source of truth for all employee data, IceHrm enables a holistic, efficient, and transparent approach to people management, ensuring that HR, like the best corporate communication efforts, operates as an integrated and strategic function.

Boston ranks first in the 2thinknow Innovation Cities Global 256 Index. In the ranking of the best U.S. states for business, Massachusetts ranks 5th (previously 8th).

Is Boston's top position pure coincidence, or the result of a well-thought-out ecosystem with strategic programs and support measures? Let's take a closer look.

Boston is a university city. Students from all over the world come to Boston to pursue top-notch education and research in engineering, biomedicine, business, and politics. Many lecturers and professors help shape the country's policies.

Boston is the medical center of the world. Just consider the groundbreaking research taking place in university hospitals, life science companies, and pharmaceutical firms. Patients come to Boston to receive the best possible medical care.

Boston is home to hundreds of venture capital-funded startups and companies investing in green and forward-looking technologies, trying to tackle the many challenges of our time. Organizations like MassChallenge and 12×12 promote entrepreneurship in the region.

Boston is also home to major companies and global corporations in the fields of software, biotechnology, defense, and consumer goods.

In addition, the state is strongly committed to innovation and clean technologies, making Boston a preferred location for companies in these industries. Governor Deval Patrick officially declared June as Innovation Month in Boston, during which over 130 events took place.

In summary, Boston is a premier research and technology hub with a diverse network of dedicated people from various fields and industries. For these and other reasons, Boston is the world's leading city for innovation, and Massachusetts is one of the top states for business.

Boston's success as the world's leading city for innovation is not accidental; it is the product of strategically connecting top-tier talent, advanced research institutions, private investment, and supportive government policies. This emphasis on innovation and development is a crucial lesson for all businesses. IceHrm supports the key ingredient in any innovation hub—the people. By providing HR tools that efficiently manage the complex needs of a highly educated, mobile, and diverse workforce, from onboarding international talent to managing specialized compensation and benefits for high-tech roles, IceHrm ensures that companies operating within or inspired by this innovative ecosystem can focus on their core mission: developing the next generation of groundbreaking solutions.

The way companies find talent and people find jobs has fundamentally changed. Given the profound shift in recruitment brought about by the internet: why should a company still rely on the services of a recruitment consultant or talent acquisition strategist? Why should a job seeker entrust a single person or firm with shaping their career?

It may seem as if I have recently written somewhat abstractly on the IceHrm blog, discussing intentions, emotional intelligence, and one of my absolute favorite topics: the fit between personality and corporate culture. But the core of my reflections lies in my core competency: recruitment and talent acquisition. I have spent the majority of my career in this field and still find successfully filling positions immensely exciting and rewarding. Recruiters of all kinds are the first to find and nurture the talent (people) that companies need for their success. Companies looking for key personnel and professionals seeking employment are unlikely to get this kind of expertise, commitment, and personal service from a website that compiles thousands of resumes and conducts keyword searches – certainly useful, but somewhat sterile, necessary but not always sufficient, a starting point, usually not a destination.

I have been asked this question frequently lately: How has the role of the HR consultant changed in the digital age? My answer: Talent acquisition and recruiting are still important. It is an art, a skill, a vocation. It's about finding the right fit and saving my clients valuable time. Above all, it's about building meaningful and productive relationships that endure over multiple recruitment phases – in a world where skills change more often than clothing sizes. It's about trust and partnership. It's about cultural fit in every respect.

The term 'recruiter' puts some people off. They immediately think of 'headhunter' and imagine a predator trying to poach them from a possibly secure job. I therefore use the term 'talent acquisition' to describe my work. Talent acquisition experts carry a dual responsibility: they must understand the specific business and cultural needs of the company that hires them in order to find suitable candidates, and they must know the personality, skills, and goals of the candidates they work with. That sounds like a potential conflict of interest, but it isn’t: an ethical and responsible talent acquisition expert can manage both sets of interests and needs simultaneously, with the aim – and great responsibility – of achieving the best outcome for all parties involved.

For job seekers, the personnel consultant – the recruiter – is a career partner who accompanies them through the changes and developments in their careers. He combines the skills of a consultant, social scientist, and negotiator, and offers advice, helps them find the right company culture, supports them in dealing with potential employers, and even assists with salary negotiations. My goal is not only for a candidate to get a position with my client, but for them to build a fulfilling and successful career. Such a relationship provides tremendous long-term value.

A company or a HR manager who works with a personnel consultancy collaborates with experts who are passionate about making the right connections, analyzing the company culture and job requirements, and selecting the suitable candidates from a pool of qualified candidates with the appropriate personality traits and the right character. It is a commitment – a responsibility – that we take very seriously.

Even in the digital age, where job boards and social media provide some of the tools for connecting jobs and candidates, there is no substitute for the expertise, insight, and valuable contacts of a skilled and creative recruitment partner.

In the rapidly changing world of recruitment, the strategic value of a dedicated Talent Acquisition (TA) partner is irreplaceable. While digital tools simplify volume, the TA expert provides the human insight necessary to achieve true cultural fit and enduring relationships—the art of finding the right person, not just the right résumé. IceHrm plays a crucial role in empowering this partnership. The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) within IceHrm provides the centralized, efficient digital platform needed to manage the high volume of candidates sourced by a TA partner. By automating screening, communication, and interview scheduling, IceHrm allows the TA partner to focus their valuable time and expertise on their core strength: the nuanced assessment of personality, character, and cultural fit, ensuring the company attracts and retains talent that perfectly aligns with its long-term success.

If trust is the foundation for influence and good leadership, why do so many of my colleagues file for bankruptcy when crises occur? Or even without any crises at all?

I am talking about our everyday leaders and mentors, those people in positions of trust who are supposed to protect us, advise us, and prevent us from making mistakes.

But they don’t.

Let's take the regulators in the USA. A few years ago, employees of the Minerals Management Service reportedly used cocaine and marijuana and had sexual relationships with representatives of oil and gas companies, according to a government report.  

Then an oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico.  

According to a recently released NPR podcast, Planet Money:  

Economists have been writing for decades about the 'regulatory capture' – the idea that regulators are taken over by the industry they are supposed to oversee and ultimately serve its interests.

So who controls the controllers?

Who controls us ourselves?

Anyone?

Is this another case of 'Greed is good, everything else doesn't matter'?

Generation after generation: the subprime crisis, the savings bank crisis, the Nummi plant at the end of the 70s – fraud in all forms and sizes, private and professional – always the same selfish schemes, just in different decades.

Regulation comes and goes. Laws are passed and then discarded.

Nevertheless, we do not teach ourselves, our children, or our grandchildren the fundamentals of self-leadership. At least not to the extent that we can break the cycle of misconduct.

We give in, we fail, and some of us break. I myself have broken because of it. Unfortunately, some of these broken parts and broken people cannot be repaired.

I am not suggesting that we burden our governments or each other with excessive regulation and hinder our business activities and the recovery of our economy.

However, we must not allow the leadership gap to ruin our companies and our livelihoods. We need committed leaders who lead responsibly and with passion.

In short: If enough of us save a personal amount to the following extent:

• Trust
• Responsibility
• Reliability
• Adaptability
• Critical thinking
• Emotional intelligence
• Spiritual intelligence, and  
• Empowering, personal relationships with high benefits.

And if we teach our children the same thing and influence others through mentoring and leadership skills, then bankruptcy can never be an option.

Take the initiative. And take it personally.

The call to action is clear: organizational integrity ultimately rests on the individual commitment to personal leadership. When leaders and mentors fail, it is often due to a failure in self-governance and the absence of a personal, non-negotiable reserve of core values like trust and responsibility. For HR professionals utilizing the IceHrm platform, this principle is crucial. While IceHrm provides the structure for performance and compliance, it also supports the development of these essential soft skills. HR can leverage IceHrm's Performance Management and Training modules to explicitly integrate and measure these traits—like Emotional Intelligence and Responsibility—in employee evaluations and development plans. By formally recognizing and fostering these fundamental aspects of self-leadership through the system, organizations send a clear message: cultivating a strong personal foundation is not just beneficial, but a mandatory investment against organizational failure.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and assign them tasks, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Do your employees long to see the goal your company is striving for?

Or, even more importantly, do they know what that goal is?

In performance reviews, it is essential for employers to provide their employees with the necessary context so they can succeed in their roles. By showing employees how their work contributes to the overall success of the company, they are empowered to complete the right tasks in the right way. Their tasks become parts of a larger puzzle, and because they know the big picture (perhaps a large ship), they know exactly what their part needs to look like.

Learn more about IceHrm's performance management software.

Context creates clarity and often leads to an increased sense and deeper meaning of work. Meaningful work, in turn, boosts engagement and satisfaction. And since both meaningfulness and increased engagement improve performance, the importance of context becomes evident.

Context → Clarity → Meaningfulness + Engagement → Improved Performance

Context not only creates better performance (and higher job satisfaction), but also gives employees freedom and allows leaders to focus on their core tasks without constantly having to monitor their staff. For example, the naval architect and the captain do not work alongside the carpenters sealing the hull. Thanks to their clear hierarchy, they can communicate and know what needs to be done and why, allowing everyone to focus on their strengths.

Netflix calls this 'context over control,' and it is a central aspect of their world-renowned corporate culture. Instead of controlling their employees like a strict supervisor, leaders focus on giving their employees the necessary context to achieve the required goals.

They achieve this by avoiding the following:

• Top-down decisions
• Management approvals
• Committees
• Valuing planning and processes over results

And instead, considering the following:

• Strategy  
• Key metrics  
• Goals  
• Clearly defined roles  
• Transparent decision-making  

When Netflix – like any company – makes a mistake, the company shifts the focus back to the context rather than relying on methods that contradict its corporate culture. As they put it: "If one of your talented employees makes a mistake, don't blame them. Instead, ask yourself what context you failed to create." Rather than blaming a carpenter for not gathering enough wood, the architect might emphasize that the ship must be large enough for the crew when they are at sea for months.

Depending on where you are in the process of defining and communicating your company's vision, providing context can help with your performance management efforts. You don't have to turn every employee into a captain like Netflix does, but the more your entire team pulls together and pursues the same goal, the better it is for everyone—whether you're building ships or streaming thousands of series.

Employees need context to perform at their best.

The core principle of driving performance is shifting leadership's focus from micromanaging tasks ("control") to establishing a shared purpose ("context"). This contextual approach fuels employee autonomy, clarity, and engagement, resulting in improved business outcomes. IceHrm's Performance Management software is specifically designed to facilitate this shift by moving beyond outdated annual reviews. It enables HR and managers to implement a system of continuous feedback and goal setting that ensures the company's strategy and key metrics are consistently communicated and tracked alongside individual work. By clearly linking employee objectives (tasks) to organizational goals (the "immensity of the sea"), IceHrm transforms performance management into a powerful tool for strategic alignment, ensuring every employee understands their critical role in the company's success.

The HR Virtual Summit 2018 was a complete success: over 30,000 participants took advantage of the many hours of training and lectures on forward-looking topics. Brenton Williamson from IceHrm, one of the keynote speakers at this record-breaking conference, spoke with Adam Grant, Professor of Organizational Psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of "Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success" and "Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World." They discussed various ways in which HR departments can foster original thinking within their organizations and benefit from it. Below are some excerpts from this session, shortened and edited for easier readability.

Brenton Williamson: What is an original? What's behind it?

Adam Grant: I've never considered myself creative. I think very linearly. I like to do things according to plan and usually educate myself on proven approaches from the past before I undertake something. I believe this has greatly limited my ability to come up with novel solutions to problems and fresh ideas.

I believe that in a way, "Originals" was my attempt to make up for that and to say, "You don't have to have a flash of genius every day to be original." Creativity means developing new and useful ideas. For me, originality is someone who takes the initiative to put these ideas into action. So you don't always have to be the source of these ideas. It can mean collaborating with someone who is truly creative and being brilliant at implementing them yourself or having a good sense of which ideas should be pursued at all. In a way, I would say: even if you are not creative, it is not too late.

The Difference Between Originality and Creativity

Williamson: What is the difference between originality and creativity? You already mentioned it, but could you please explain the difference in a bit more detail?

Grant: Creativity is primarily about coming up with ideas. It's about developing alternatives that advance the desired goal in a new way. Originality comes into play where creativity ends. Let's say you or someone else has an idea. How do you know if it's a good one? We constantly see people betting on bad ideas. I think there's a long list of such failures, especially in the entertainment industry. Think of a bad movie you've ever seen.

But we also constantly see good ideas being rejected. Star Wars and E.T. were both originally turned down; the studios that had a chance didn't take it. Larry and Sergei tried to sell Google early on for about a million dollars, but the potential buyer passed. And Blockbuster – they had the chance to buy Netflix. Well.

The selection of ideas is the first step toward originality: recognizing which of your own ideas have potential and which ideas of others are worth pursuing further. After that, it’s about representing these ideas effectively, making yourself heard, forming coalitions, and putting them into action. In my opinion, originality unfolds precisely there.

Williamson: It’s about taking the next step after creativity and putting it into practice.

Grant: That’s exactly what I should have said. (laughs)

The Value of Original Thinkers

Williamson: Almost everyone here is in some role to find out: 'How can I improve my company and take it to the next level?' So my question is: What value do original thinkers bring to a company?

Grant: The value of original thinkers lies in driving innovation and change. All too often, companies remain stuck in the status quo. Most of the companies I work with across industries are very focused on conformity. They have established practices and principles, and the way people are evaluated, promoted, and rewarded is essentially based on conformity. I consider that dangerous.

I think this is a sure way to fall into groupthink. Everyone pulls together and is enthusiastic about their agreement, but no one questions whether it is even the right way.

Original thinkers, on the other hand, shake up the status quo. They challenge us to think differently. They force us to question assumptions we have taken for granted but need to be reconsidered. And they create cultures where no one is satisfied with the status quo.

This is the sentence I least like to hear in a company: 'We've always done it this way!' First of all, who told you that this is a good method? Secondly, who told you that it will still be good today? And thirdly, why would anyone just want to repeat past successes instead of building on them and improving them?

Williamson: You miss the chance for development and thus the opportunity to improve and make progress.

Cultural Fit vs. Cultural Contribution

I would like to hear concrete examples of original thinkers or organizations that promote original thinking, and how this has contributed to the growth or progress of their organization.

Grant: One of my favorite examples is IDEO, one of the most innovative design firms in the world. They began early on emphasizing that they look for people with exceptional skills, including many who have the potential to become stars in the future. Above all, however, they focus on cultural fit. Because if someone does not fit the company culture, it is difficult for them to contribute. When cultural fit is clearly defined, it is possible to attract and retain exceptional talent in the long term, because they ask themselves: 'Where else would I want to work? Here I can live my values.' This makes them highly motivated because they feel at home here.

If you look at the data, there is a study that I really value, which examined over 200 startups in Silicon Valley over a period of one and a half decades. Those who place a high value on cultural fit are more successful. They fail less often and have significantly higher chances of going public.

One might say, “Okay, great, cultural fit is the key to success.” But when you observe the companies after they go public, the growth of those who place a high value on cultural fit slows down when looking at metrics like annual market capitalization. Since they are looking for employees who fit the company culture, they reduce cultural diversity.

There is a great study by Lauren Rivera at Northwestern University. She visited consulting firms, investment banks, law firms, and many other companies in the service sector and examined what people pay attention to when assessing cultural fit. So if we were sitting down in a job interview, how would I determine if you fit the company culture? My answer to that is: "What do you have in common with me?"

Many people value similarity; you fit the culture if you are just like me, not if you are different. That destroys the diversity of thought.

IDEO asked: 'What if we gave up cultural fit and instead focused on cultural contribution?' Instead of asking when hiring new employees or selecting leaders, 'Does this person fit the culture?', we should ask, 'Can this person enrich the culture by bringing something that is missing?' Then the likelihood of valuing diversity rather than suppressing it is much higher.

IDEO proceeded in the following way, among other things: "We need more diversity in our team. We are experts in Design Thinking and have made a name for ourselves with it. But we are increasingly being tasked with unusual projects." For example, they were called into a supermarket to redesign a shopping cart. Their designers are good at this, but they don't know much about supermarkets or shopping carts—other than the knowledge that an ordinary customer would have.

So they asked themselves: "Who understands a foreign world and can interpret it?" That's exactly what anthropologists do professionally. So they created a new job title: anthropologist. They hired people with this background, three or four. Soon it was said: "Wow, this is fantastic! We should only hire anthropologists!" But then they realized that they had fallen into the same trap as before.  

So whenever they feel that someone is contributing something new to the culture, they know it's time again to ask: "What does the culture still lack? How can we enrich it?"

When I was working on a project at Google a few years ago, one sentence from Larry Page particularly stuck with me: "We don't want to become a cultural museum. We don't want to figure out what has worked in our culture in the past, freeze it, and treat it like a relic that needs to be preserved. We want to continuously change and evolve our culture."

Hiring and Onboarding for Diversity

Williamson: That seems like a trap that's easy to fall into because it works. You hire people who are similar to you, it feels good, collaboration runs smoothly, and you have a lot of fun. What can HR do to make leaders realize: 'Hey, we need to pause for a moment and think about who else can contribute, not just our friends?'

Grant: Three answers come to mind for this question. First, you can already find out during the job interview. One of my favorite questions at the end of an interview is: 'You have just gone through our application process. How would you change it? What would you improve, what doesn’t work?' You immediately get insight into whether the person is willing to question the status quo. You also see how they present it. This creates a positive starting point where the person feels that they can contribute their ideas here and are truly being heard.

Secondly, there is a really interesting study by Brandon Stotts (at a technology company) on onboarding new employees that he conducted a few years ago. He randomly divided the new employees into three different groups.

One group served as the control group and went through the usual onboarding program. The second group was meant to develop a sense of pride in the company. Many companies do it this way to say, 'Let's talk about our values and ways of working. We want to help you understand how we operate so that you can become part of our team.'

And then there was a third group that asked: What if we do it the other way around? What if we help you think about the contribution you can make? We ask you about your strengths and encourage you to bring them in?

This third group had significantly lower turnover. In addition, they achieved significantly higher customer satisfaction scores over the next six months. When you onboard new employees and tell them, 'We value your unique contribution,' you signal to them from day one that their ideas are appreciated.

I have worked with some organizations that said, 'Let's formalize this – we will conduct all exit interviews in the HR department.' What if we flipped it and held entry interviews, where in the first week we ask the questions we would normally ask upon someone leaving?

• Why are you here?  
• What goals do you have for the next five years?  
• What do you like about the company culture?  
• What would you improve?

The great thing about this conversation during onboarding is that it is much less awkward than if you have it only after three years of working at the company: 'By the way, I know I’ve never asked you this before, but what would you have liked to change in the past three years?'

It is more advantageous to have the conversation right from the start, because new employees are in an ideal position: they observe the company culture and have direct access to it, but are not yet fully influenced by it. Therefore, they can view things more clearly and objectively. I welcome it when such onboarding conversations are introduced whenever possible.

Williamson: What responsibility do you think the organization has in the first phase – to learn from new employees, to take it on, or to benefit from them? After all, these new employees will probably adapt to the status quo. So how can the first weeks or months be used optimally?

Grant: It is important to understand that new employees do not yet know how to perform their tasks at the beginning of their employment. They are trying to quickly get oriented and acquire the necessary knowledge, required skills, and relevant contacts to be able to work effectively.

While they are moving along the learning curve, they may feel that they have somewhat understood their tasks, but they are not there yet and need time to reach their goal. Every organization has the responsibility to ensure that employees feel valued and can contribute in the meantime.

One simple way to achieve this is, as one organization put it, to treat employees like culture detectives. Their task in the first month, besides learning their duties, is to get to know their colleagues and ask them what they think is going well in the company culture and what needs to be improved. If they had the responsibility, what would be the biggest change they would make to the culture? With this information, they can be our eyes and ears and report back at the end of the first month.

• What have you learned about the culture?
• What surprised you?
• What changes have you heard about repeatedly?

When people are given the opportunity to express themselves in this way, they are given the chance to help shape the culture.

What the HR Department Can Contribute to Changing Corporate Culture

Grant: One of my biggest frustrations when working with companies is when employees say, "I’m at the very bottom of a large hierarchy. I can’t change the culture. That’s up to the leaders." And yes, it’s true that leaders have a disproportionate impact on culture.

But what exactly is culture? Culture is the sum of the values you uphold and live by. It’s about the principles you consider important and express through your priorities and attention. Ultimately, culture is what we do every day, even when no one is watching. If you understand this and want to change the culture, you only need to change your own behavior and inspire others to support the desired change.

It sounds a bit like Gandhi to say, 'Be the change you wish to see in the world,' but I think it's a good way to start conversations about a cultural shift.

Williamson: One of the most common questions from HR managers is: What if culture and values are not a priority for management?

Grant: Leaders may understand the importance of culture, but not the change they are advocating for.

Find the positive examples. Even if you think your leaders haven’t understood it, there are probably some who understand it a bit better than most of their colleagues. Your opportunity is to approach these people and say, “I see that you have initiated a cultural change. I would like to know how you managed that.” Or even better: Find an area in your company where the changes you are aiming for have already been implemented. Your task is to ask these people for advice. “I would like to adopt or expand some of your adjustments. I know you have been very successful with them. How did you manage that, and what tips can you give me?”

There are numerous studies by Katie Liljenquist and her colleagues showing that we love being asked for advice. It is one of the most underestimated ways to influence others. An old saying goes that we all admire the wisdom of those who ask us for advice. The advisor is pleased that their opinion is respected and has to put themselves in the shoes of the seeker and consider: 'What would I do if I were in your place?' As a result, they are much more willing to offer good suggestions or to advocate for you and support you in putting them into practice.

The first thing I often recommend to people who want to initiate change from the bottom up or from the middle is the following:

Look around in your company. Find the people who have demonstrably questioned the status quo and driven change. Seek their advice. After four or five such conversations, you may have a team of supporters who back you.

Williamson: They promote the positive aspects rather than focusing on the negative aspects of those who are not yet convinced.

Grant: Very often there are employees who are already building on these successes and further increasing the value they create for the company.

The Importance of Open Feedback

Grant: It’s frustrating how often I come into organizations and see that this topic is overstated. Some leaders think, 'We only want employees to be positive.' And of course, when you want to drive change, especially in the cultural area, you want employees to be enthusiastic, optimistic, inspired, and hopeful. But often the best catalyst for change is a problem that needs to be solved, and I think it’s made unnecessarily difficult for many leaders to address issues.

The audience can fill in the blanks: Don’t bring me ______, bring me ______. Normally, people say: "Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions." Did all these people have the same boss?

I understand why leaders say this. I think they want to encourage employees to think constructively, not complain. But I consider this philosophy dangerous. If employees only speak up when they have a solution, you may never hear about the biggest problems, which are too complex for a single person to solve. I think it’s great when organizations allow problems to be raised openly. What if you turned the suggestion box into a problem box? If you see something that isn’t working, you can say, "I think this is a problem."

I have been thinking about the difference between whining and raising issues. The key is to create a channel through which people can communicate the problems they see. It's not about venting, but about enabling people to be open and say, 'I see a problem here.'

It's about creating psychological safety so that people can say, 'If I think the emperor is not wearing any clothes, I can say so without immediately becoming the tailor. I care about this problem, I am willing to think about it. I don't know if I can solve it, but I want to make sure I take some action to address it.'

How to Avoid Cognitive Entrenchment

Williamson: We have talked about diverse thinking and its benefits for a company. Is there a risk of taking this principle too far? Can diverse thinking be encouraged to such an extent that no goals can be achieved?

Grant: I’m looking forward to seeing that. I haven’t come across a workplace where this problem exists. Barry Schwartz and I wrote a study a few years ago in which we analyzed numerous pieces of evidence showing that almost any virtue in life can be taken too far. I have written about how one can be too generous and become so selfless that one either burns out because one is doing other people's work and has no time or energy left for one's own, or one is exploited by selfish takers and burns out, so that one lacks the strength to help others.

We observe this in many areas. Those who immerse themselves too deeply in a subject, who are experts in a field, are actually less effective when changes occur in that area. For example, there is evidence that experienced bridge players perform worse when the rules are changed because they are so accustomed to a certain approach that adjusting becomes difficult for them. Or experienced accountants have more difficulties when a new tax law is introduced, while beginners say, 'I don’t know the law anyway,' and internalize it.

In psychology, we call this cognitive fixation. One remains stuck in a particular way of thinking or approach and can’t find a way out. This argument can also be applied to diversity. Too many different ways of thinking can make coordination difficult. The participants may be working in different directions and achieve nothing together. The whole is then less than the sum of its parts.

For me, this is an illusion. Such a thing does not exist.

Williamson: (laughs) At the moment, we don’t need to worry about that.

Grant: Most organizations lack diversity in thinking.

Studies suggest that heterogeneous groups, on average, perform worse at problem-solving than homogeneous groups. They face greater difficulties because they don’t always speak the same language, don’t always understand each other, and feel more uncomfortable.

And yet they often come up with better ideas, partly due to the discomfort they feel. We know that people prepare better and make more effort to communicate their ideas so that they are understandable to different audiences in an uncomfortable situation. The result is participants who prepare more carefully for the meeting and also engage more actively in it.

The opposite is true for homogeneous groups. Everything runs smoothly, people feel familiar with each other, like each other, get along well, it is pleasant, and they believe they have done a good job. But this sense of well-being does not motivate us to prepare or think unconventionally. As soon as diversity is introduced, it is precisely this discomfort, which one may feel, that contributes to creativity.

Mindset for Diversity in Thinking

Williamson: How can HR support leaders in paying attention to diversity in thinking?

Grant: I have worked with many HR departments that want to take a more scientific approach to hiring. Once they have identified indicators for job performance or promotion to leadership positions, they want to hire based on these criteria. However, there is a risk of repeatedly hiring the same employees who are already performing exceptionally well. While this may be good for individual performance, it is not necessarily beneficial for the company's ability to innovate and adapt to change.

One thing I particularly appreciate: read a résumé from the bottom up. Often, you discover originality at the very end, where applicants talk about their interests and skills. It becomes clear that it is not the sheer amount of experience, but the diversity of experiences acquired that is one of the best indicators of a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Have you worked in multiple countries? Do you speak several languages? Have you cultivated skills and hobbies that go far beyond your actual professional field? One of my best sales employees was a mathematics student who built robots but viewed the sales process from a completely different perspective. Another of my best employees was an ultimate frisbee coach who also worked as a magician on the side. I think you should always try to look for such diverse experiences whenever possible.

During the job interview, make sure that candidates have the opportunity to ask questions. Turn the tables and let yourself be asked a few questions as well. Observe which questions are asked. This will give you insight into the person's curiosity and initiative. It also provides a clue as to whether they are willing to question sensitive topics within the company – something that is important to me when selecting personnel.

If you truly care about creativity, one of the best indicators of creative thinking is not only the quality but also the quantity of your ideas. Highly creative people in all fields – you can see it with inventors, artists, musicians, and writers – have more bad ideas than their peers. This is simply because they have more ideas. By increasing the number of options, they create more variety and have a greater chance of discovering something truly original.

In a job interview, you can ask candidates to come up with as many ideas as possible and observe how far they get with unconventional approaches. Also, give them the opportunity to prepare. Most tests under pressure in a 60-minute interview do not provide any insight into how originality actually arises. Therefore, give the candidates a week of preparation and let them know that you will ask them to develop solutions for a specific problem, and then evaluate the number and quality of their solutions.

Adam Grant’s insights provide a clear directive for HR: move beyond mere conformity and actively engineer a culture that values originality, diverse thinking, and candid feedback. The shift from "cultural fit" to "cultural contribution" is a strategic imperative for long-term innovation. IceHrm directly supports the execution of these strategic principles by facilitating structured, continuous feedback necessary for fostering this open culture. Its Performance Management and Onboarding modules can be adapted to formalize the "entry interview" process and track goals related to "cultural contribution." Furthermore, by providing secure and easy-to-use channels for feedback and communication, IceHrm helps HR create the psychological safety Grant emphasizes, ensuring that employees feel comfortable raising complex "problems"—not just solutions—allowing the organization to proactively drive change and avoid cognitive entrenchment.

Since the COVID-19 crisis accelerated the trend toward working from home, the world of work is more virtual than ever.

With the increasing acceptance of remote work and the fact that in-person meetings are no longer strictly necessary, many companies have had to adapt to new ways of working, including onboarding new employees. This is where virtual onboarding comes into play.

Virtual onboarding has proven to be a practical alternative for training new employees in recent years. But what exactly is virtual onboarding? And how does it differ from traditional onboarding?

Read on to learn what virtual onboarding is, what it looks like in today's work environment, and how you can create a successful remote onboarding process.

What is virtual onboarding?

Virtual onboarding, also known as remote onboarding, is an employee onboarding process without an in-person event. It is becoming increasingly important for employers, as many people prefer jobs that allow them to work from home. But can it replace in-person onboarding?

Virtual Onboarding vs. On-Site Onboarding: What’s the Difference?  

Virtual onboarding is similar to traditional onboarding. Instead of holding onboarding meetings and training sessions in person, these activities take place via video conference, webinar, interactive online exercises, and other virtual offerings.

Whether you are welcoming a new employee to your company in a hybrid or remote setup, virtual onboarding can be just as efficient for both employers and new employees. And it doesn’t have to feel impersonal or cold.

The Importance of Virtual Onboarding

Although the methods of virtual onboarding differ from traditional onboarding, its significance remains the same.

Virtual onboarding provides employers with an excellent opportunity to integrate new employees into their team by:

• Familiarizing them with the company culture
• Helping them complete the necessary onboarding documents
• Providing them with the tools, training, and guidance they need to get started quickly
• Making them feel like they belong and are welcome.

8 Best Practices for Virtual Onboarding

Successful virtual onboarding begins even before a remote employee's first day and continues until they are fully up to speed.

Once a candidate accepts your offer, you ignite their enthusiasm and engagement. Maintain this momentum by supporting them during their first months on the path to success. Well-designed onboarding software can automate parts of the process and help you keep everything organized and efficient.

If this process reminds you a lot of traditional onboarding, that's no coincidence. The principles are the same. The difference is that you need to tailor each step to the needs of remote employees.

A good virtual onboarding process should be tailored to the company culture and provide remote employees with the information and skills they need to succeed in their new role. If you are ready to welcome remote employees, here are eight best practices for virtual onboarding:

1. Send an electronic preboarding package.

Create a positive first impression and help your new employees get oriented. Be sure to include the following:

• A personal welcome email from the supervisor
• The employee handbook
• Forms to fill out and sign electronically for benefits, taxes, payroll, emergency contacts, etc.
• A self-introduction questionnaire to fill out and share with new colleagues
• A checklist with the most important information for the first day and the first week
• Information about the company's history, products, management, etc.

2. Make sure your new employees have the right equipment.

Plan equipment needs early. Does your new employee need a company laptop? What about other equipment such as a tablet, smartphone, or accessories? Order everything in time so that the IT department can check the devices, install the necessary software, and send them to the employee before their first day of work.

Also, provide the phone number of your company's technical support in case any questions or issues arise.

3. Send company merchandise

Invite your remote employees to connect with the new brand by sending them cool company merchandise such as T-shirts, backpacks, coffee mugs, etc. For a more personal touch, you can include a nice card or message signed by their new team members.

4. Open communication channels

Make sure your remote employees can get in touch with everyone and have everything they need for their work. Have the IT department set up their accounts for email, chat, project management software, etc. Also, ensure that they are invited to all relevant departmental and company meetings and can participate online.

5. Spread the world

Inform team members and other employees who will come into contact with the new employee at the start of work about their respective roles.

6. Help them settle in and build relationships

In the first weeks after starting work, there is a lot to do to make a new employee feel welcome and quickly get up to speed.

Depending on the circumstances of the employee and the company, this phase of onboarding for remote employees may include:

• A virtual welcome lunch via video conference on the first day of work.
• A team member who serves as a point of contact for questions for the new remote employee.
• Individual online meetings with each team member to get to know the different roles and collaboration.
• Online meetings with other employees or teams that the new employee will work with.
• Opportunities to learn about the company culture, mission, vision, and values, for example in live discussions with leaders.
• In the first few weeks, weekly online meetings are held with the remote employee's supervisor to align expectations, answer questions, and track progress.
• All necessary training for the position is provided through the company's learning management system, training videos, webinars, online workshops, etc.
• A mentor or coach supports the employee in getting started in the new role and building a fulfilling career within the company.
• The first project should be designed so that the employee can complete it quickly and successfully to gain confidence.

7. Optimal Use of Performance Management

For remote employees, effective performance management is crucial for their success, especially as they become more involved in their new role. However, performance improvements require much more than the traditional annual employee appraisal.

Remote employees and their managers should communicate regularly during the first year to set goals and performance milestones, monitor progress, and identify and address issues early.

Well-designed performance management software makes it easy to give and receive feedback from employees and managers online. Formal meetings and informal conversations can take place via video conference, chat, phone, or email—as needed.

8. Supporting the Development of Remote Employees

A successful virtual onboarding that extends throughout the entire first year increases job satisfaction and strengthens a positive and rewarding relationship. Remote employees especially desire learning and development opportunities to enhance their skills and advance their careers.

Once they have mastered the basics of their new role, you can offer them these opportunities. Since remote employees cannot be invited to your office due to onboarding, you should instead provide online training. This can include, for example, creating courses by your in-house experts or providing links to training videos.

When you hire employees to work from home, successful virtual onboarding is crucial. But that's not enough. Smart employers foster employee retention by offering attractive learning and development opportunities as long as an employee is with the company.

What are the benefits of virtual onboarding?

If you work in human resources and are considering virtual onboarding but are not yet convinced, here are three benefits for your company:

1. Increased Employee Retention

A successful virtual onboarding signals to new employees that their company supports them and promotes their professional development. It also helps them learn basic tasks and settle into their new role. Such experiences can have a lasting positive impact on employee retention.

A recent study by the Brand Hall Group shows that companies with a compelling onboarding program can increase the retention of new employees by up to 82%.

2. Higher Engagement

Effective virtual onboarding can increase employee engagement. Companies with effective onboarding strategies report a 54% increase in employee engagement. Why? Because engagement starts on the very first day.

3. Higher Productivity

Effective remote onboarding provides employees with all the necessary information and resources they need for their success. This reduces the stress of self-directed learning and allows them to fully focus on their tasks. In addition, the risk of errors decreases and the quality of work improves.

Virtual onboarding is no longer a temporary fix but a strategic necessity for securing high employee engagement, productivity, and retention in the remote and hybrid work era.The successful transition of a new hire into the company culture relies heavily on structured processes and continuous support, particularly during the first year.IceHrm provides the comprehensive HRIS solution that operationalizes these eight best practices. Specifically, the dedicated Onboarding Module centralizes the preboarding documentation and checklists (Strategy 1) and automates the initial setup. Furthermore, IceHrm's Performance Management features are crucial for managing the necessary regular communication, goal setting, and feedback (Strategy 7) for remote employees.By using IceHrm, HR can guarantee a consistent, welcoming, and highly efficient virtual onboarding experience that maximizes the new hire's long-term success.

Online reviews can determine the success or failure of a restaurant or catapult a product to the top of Amazon search results. Many companies have recognized this and learned how to respond appropriately to negative customer reviews. In this way, they can potentially turn harmful situations into opportunities, behave professionally, demonstrate greater transparency, and even restore the relationship with a dissatisfied customer.

But what happens when a company review comes from one of its own employees? Do the same rules apply then? Should a negative employee review even be responded to positively?

Of course. Let's find out where you might come across employer reviews, what impact negative reviews have on the employer brand, why bad employee reviews arise, and how best to respond to them.

What are employer review portals?

Employer review portals give employees the opportunity to share their experiences. From compensation to company culture, these portals cover all aspects of the employee experience. While this article focuses specifically on negative employee reviews, employer review portals display a wide range of ratings – from poor to average to excellent. Here are some employer review portals where you are likely to find reviews of your company:

• Glassdoor: Probably the most popular employer review platform. Employee reviews on Glassdoor cover all industries and provide space for research on companies, salaries, and job opportunities.
• Fairygodboss: Fairygodboss focuses specifically on women's perspectives and presents salary ranges, company culture, and benefits such as parental leave and work-life balance.
• Blind: This platform promotes a sense of community and enables exchange between reviewers and job seekers. Users can ask questions and receive honest answers from people with experience in specific positions or companies.
• Indeed: As one of the world's most popular job boards, Indeed also naturally offers a section for employee reviews. Thanks to these reviews, job seekers can make informed decisions about where to apply.  
• Firsthand (Vault): Firsthand is aimed at students and entry-level professionals and is distinguished by its focus on internships.  

While employee reviews can also be found on more general review platforms like Yelp and Google, they violate those platforms' terms of use. (More on that later!)

How Employee Reviews Affect Your Employer Brand

It comes as no surprise that negative reviews from former employees can damage an employer's image, even if they are not true. The vast majority of employees and job seekers – 86% – use review platforms to learn about a company before applying. 50% of candidates say they would not work for a company with a bad reputation, not even for a pay raise.

In times when recruiting top talent is a top priority for employers, negative employee reviews carry more weight than ever and can significantly impact your ability to build and maintain a talent pool.

Why Negative Employee Reviews Occur

When a negative employee review comes in, it may be tempting to see yourself (or your company) as an innocent victim. But the fact is: there is a reason why the employee felt the need to leave a bad review.

Many employees who write negative reviews feel they have been treated unfairly by their employer. For them, a negative review is a way to express dissatisfaction, warn other potential employees, or have the last word after resignation, termination, or immediate dismissal.

Regardless of intent, a negative review is often a sign of communication problems that preceded it. When you receive a negative review, you should ask yourself the following questions when reflecting on the employee's experience:

• Were clear expectations set?
• Was the communication regular and comprehensive?
• Did the employee have the opportunity to voice concerns in a safe environment?  

Respond to negative employee reviews in 8 steps  

And now the good news: No matter how scathing a review from a former employee may seem, a simple response can steer things in the right direction. In fact, 62% of job seekers say they view a company more positively if it responds to employee reviews, and 75% are more likely to apply to a company whose employer responds to reviews.  

Here's how to approach the task smoothly:

1. Respond quickly and thoughtfully.

It is advisable to respond promptly to negative reviews on Glassdoor or other employer review platforms – comments on older reviews are not as effective. However, a hasty reaction is equally inappropriate.

Instead, regularly monitor employee reviews, create an action plan or checklist to understand the issue thoroughly, gather feedback from team members who worked closely with the employee in question, and draft your response within one to two days. It is also recommended to assign a composed person to handle the review responses. Since it can be difficult to strike the right tone in writing, it is best to ask someone from your marketing or communications team – or someone with a strong command of language – for assistance.

2. Show empathy.

Even if your first impulse might be to prove your innocence, immediately becoming defensive can make you seem defensive yourself. Instead, try to put yourself in the employee's shoes. You may not agree that they were "underpaid," but if they feel unappreciated, that is frustrating—no matter how it is phrased. Ultimately, we are all human and probably value similar things. Make that clear in your response.

3. Correction  

While empathy and understanding are important, you should not hesitate to correct false information in an assessment. Of course, sensitivity is required to avoid disclosing sensitive personal or company-related data.  

For example, if an employee claims that your company does not provide a safe space for feedback, you can, in your response to the semi-annual performance reviews, refer to the HR department's anonymous feedback form, the quarterly eNPS surveys, and any other feedback options you offer.

When it comes to facts versus opinions, reviews may sometimes require further investigation. If an employee makes serious allegations in an online review, it is important to take them seriously. Even if the claims turn out to be false, the incident still warrants a thorough investigation (and in some cases, may be legally required).

You do not need to conduct a full investigation before responding, but it is advisable to check whether there is a serious issue before making a public statement.

4. Be specific, but choose your words carefully.

It's easy to give a standard response to online reviews, but most people notice that (especially if the same reply is used repeatedly). This can be worse than not responding at all. Specific responses show sincerity and can go a long way in calming an upset employee. Address each point of the review and respond to the concerns thoroughly and thoughtfully. Avoid legal and PR risks by selecting your words carefully: do not disclose personal information, do not say anything that could be misinterpreted, and do not mention details that could put the company or the former employee in a bad light.

5. Expressing Gratitude

Thanking someone for a negative review may seem a bit cheesy, but this simple gesture can work wonders if it is sincere. Leaders who seek employee feedback (and receive it respectfully) are perceived as more effective by both supervisors and employees, and reviews can serve as a helpful feedback channel. Former employees who felt unheard will appreciate that you are trying to improve the situation. Likewise, potential employees will welcome your openness to criticism.

6. Continue the conversation offline if necessary.

Responding publicly to negative reviews has advantages, but it also carries risks. For example, publicly addressing a disgruntled employee can be risky from a PR or legal perspective, as it may involve sensitive or confidential information. In such cases, you should reply briefly and then invite the employee to a personal meeting with an HR representative.

7. Reporting Reviews (if necessary)

Review platforms like Glassdoor do not allow employers to delete negative reviews themselves – doing so would damage their reputation as a neutral review platform. However, employers can report negative reviews if they violate the community guidelines or terms of use of the website. Violations include, for example, false claims, negative comments about individual employees (except executives), and the use of obscenities or other inappropriate language.

More general review platforms like Google and Yelp prohibit reviews from employees or former employees. If a reviewer identifies themselves as such, this can lead to the deletion of their post. After a report is made, the platform reviews the content and may remove it if it is deemed inappropriate. Read the terms of use of the respective review platforms to find out which content can be reported (and which cannot).

8. Use this as an opportunity for self-reflection

In conclusion, it is always advisable to think about how to avoid further negative reviews. If a bad review points out problem areas in your company, consider what steps you could take to address them for other employees. Is there a specific department that frequently receives negative reviews, or a particular project or policy that keeps coming up? Of course, not all problems can be solved. Therefore, it is important to weigh the company’s goals against the time, effort, and resources that might be required to fix a larger or smaller issue. However, simply addressing problems openly and seeking feedback can go a long way in ensuring that employees do not feel that review platforms are their only outlet for complaints.

Avoid Negative Employee Reviews

To conclude our list, we want to emphasize that a key aspect of handling public employee feedback is keeping an eye on employee sentiment and having open conversations before it's too late. Tools like Performance Management and Employee Wellbeing can help you automate feedback loops and provide your employees with structured environments where they can express their opinions before these become public.

If you haven't done so already, you should set up various channels for anonymous and direct employee feedback, so your team can address dissatisfaction in a comfortable and supportive environment.

Employer review platforms from the perspective of employees

Let's now look at employer review platforms from the perspective of employees. Does posting negative reviews have consequences? What should you keep in mind when sharing your experiences? Below, we have compiled some frequently asked questions about employee reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employee Reviews

Can a company sue a former employee for a negative review of working conditions?

In theory, a company can sue a former employee for a negative review if it is considered defamation. While online anonymity is not always guaranteed or a legal right, most specialized employee review platforms are completely anonymous and make great efforts to protect this anonymity.

How can I, as an employee, leave a positive or negative review?  

Employees can leave reviews about their employer (or former employer) by signing up on a job review platform like Glassdoor and submitting a review under the company profile. We advise against writing reviews on more general platforms like Google Reviews or Yelp for the following reasons.

What risks does a negative employer review entail?

A negative review of a former employer can be justified in some cases, but it is important to be aware of the risks beforehand. While specialized review sites like Glassdoor prioritize anonymity, platforms like Yelp and Google are less strict about protecting the identity of their reviewers. Your reviews are often linked to your personal account and may include your name, location, and other personal information. If you do not take steps to remain anonymous, future employers could view your posts, and former employers could take legal action if the review violates a contract or contains harmful claims that you cannot substantiate. Therefore, it is advisable to use anonymous platforms like Glassdoor for negative reviews.

Is it unprofessional to leave a bad review for a previous employer?

In our opinion, a bad review is only unprofessional if it is untrue or contains protected or sensitive information that could harm someone or violate a confidentiality agreement. Everyone has the right to express their opinion—whether positive or negative—and review platforms are a valuable source of information both for job applicants who want to learn more about their potential employer and for employees who feel that their company leaves problems unresolved.

Handle negative employee reviews calmly

It is not always easy to respond appropriately to negative reviews on Glassdoor or other platforms. However, when done sincerely, transparently, and with consideration of legal consequences, it can benefit companies that actively maintain their employer brand. So be brave! With a bit of strategy and foresight, a negative employee review can be a helpful opportunity to show former, current, and future employees that you are listening and want to improve.

Negative employee reviews, though challenging, are invaluable sources of candid feedback that demand a professional and strategic response. They provide a final opportunity to demonstrate transparency, empathy, and a commitment to improvement, which is highly valued by future candidates. The best defense against public negative feedback, however, is prevention. IceHrm provides the internal tools necessary to proactively manage employee sentiment before it spills over onto public review sites. By utilizing IceHrm's Performance Management module for continuous, structured feedback and its Employee Well-being tools for anonymous feedback channels (as mentioned in the article), companies can identify and address dissatisfaction in a safe, private environment. This continuous internal monitoring ensures that employees feel heard and supported, significantly reducing the likelihood that a negative experience becomes a harmful public review.

As soon as a new employee starts, you have only about 44 days to win them over for the company and retain them in the long term. On top of that, 44% of employees regret accepting the job within the first week.

For HR managers, it is therefore essential not to waste any time when it comes to supporting new employees in acclimating to the company culture that originally attracted them. The onboarding process gives you the chance to make a strong first impression. At the same time, it is crucial to create an inclusive and welcoming work environment that aligns with your culture and values throughout the entire employment period.

Otherwise, your employees are more susceptible to burnout and declining motivation, which can lead to premature turnover.

In this article, we present proven methods for optimizing your onboarding process and show you how to leverage this positive development to strengthen employee retention in the long term. With IceHrm's onboarding tools, you can create a solid foundation for the development of your employees.

Examples of a positive company culture during onboarding

The great company culture of your organization has caught the interest of your new employees, and now it's time to demonstrate it during onboarding as well. Your onboarding processes should be tailored to your company, but here are two examples from well-known companies that can serve as inspiration:

Slack

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted Slack to switch its onboarding process, which was previously conducted in San Francisco for all international new hires, to a remote procedure. During this transition, the organizational development team identified several best practices that should be maintained in the long term, such as the five-day onboarding checklist. In line with the company value of transparent communication, previously implicit steps are now explicitly stated, such as submitting planned paid time off requests for manager approval.

HubSpot

As part of its onboarding process, HubSpot offers 'Culture Code' training to familiarize new employees with the company's expectations and values. These include humility, empathy, adaptability, excellence, and transparency. In the interest of transparency, HubSpot has decided to make the previously internally created presentation slides on the 'Culture Code' publicly available.

5 Best Practices for a Positive Company Culture from Day One

Here are some strategies for a successful start for you and your new employees:

Seamless Transition from Interview to Onboarding

After numerous interviews, you finally want to extend your job offer to the outstanding candidate. Take this opportunity to convey your company culture along with the key details such as start date, salary, and signatures. Give the offer authenticity with language that reflects your values and give new employees a preview of what to expect.

After you have laid the groundwork in the job interview by discussing the tasks of the new employee and outlining the overarching expectations, you should now kick off the onboarding process with a clear roadmap. For example, create a personalized checklist for the first 30, 60, and 90 days. Supplement this with regular one-on-one meetings aligned with these milestones to discuss progress, overcome challenges, and promote open communication.

Use onboarding to introduce the company values

It is crucial for effective onboarding that new employees know the company values. Our values at IceHrm, for example, are:

• Enjoy life.
• Continuously improve.
• Be open.
• Assume the best.
• Do the right thing.
• Take leadership.
• Make a difference.

Values are not a one-time conversation. To help new employees internalize these principles, you should offer regular training that delves into each individual value. This training should go beyond rote memorization and illustrate the values in practice through case studies.

Also, share success stories of existing employees who exemplify your core values. This shows that your values are not just words, but guiding principles that shape the company culture.

Establish a connection between the tasks of new employees and the company mission.  

The company mission provides new employees with guidance and a sense of purpose in their work. Even those who are not in direct contact with customers should understand how their work contributes to the company's success on a daily basis.  

The first step is to distinguish between vision and mission. Simply put: the vision describes the future of your company, while the mission explains in detail why your company was founded and what it currently does.

A simple but effective way to align your employees' work with the company's mission is to recognize good performance. According to Nectar – a recognition and rewards platform and partner of the IceHrm Marketplace – 77.9% of employees would be more productive if they received recognition more often. Small gestures like praise in team meetings or handwritten thank-you notes can have a big impact: they not only encourage recipients to continue their good work but also motivate other employees to engage more with your company's mission.

Provide a positive example of a balanced work-life schedule.

The ideal work-life balance is subjective. Many consider a classic eight-hour day to be standard, but in some industries, such as healthcare, shift work and on-call duty are common. It is important that employees know from the start what to expect. For example, if you work in retail, inform your employees that there will be quieter periods, but that overtime is likely during the busy pre-Christmas season. Also clarify whether employees are expected to be reachable outside of regular working hours.

Once realistic expectations are set, you should encourage new employees to define their personal idea of work-life balance and strive for it. If you offer flexible working hours, promote telecommuting and flexible schedules to reduce stress, especially for parents and caregivers. Lead by example and respect your employees' free time; if your company has set office hours, avoid contacting them after hours.

Measure employee engagement over time with IceHrm

High employee engagement offers numerous benefits, including higher productivity, lower turnover, a better brand image, and more satisfied employees. In short: employee engagement is too important to leave to chance.

Our employee satisfaction measurement software allows you to continuously track eNPS and collect anonymous (and therefore honest) employee feedback. Thanks to AI, we analyze each individual response within seconds, enabling you to take strategic actions to ensure employee engagement from day one through the entire tenure.

Building a strong company culture starts the moment a new employee accepts an offer. The onboarding period is a critical window to align the new hire with organizational values and mission, which directly impacts their long-term engagement and retention. To effectively implement these five strategies and ensure new employees feel welcomed and valued, process efficiency is key. IceHrm provides the integrated onboarding and HR management tools essential for success. Specifically, the Onboarding Tools enable a seamless and structured start (Strategy 1), while the ability to track goals and performance aligns their daily work with the company Mission (Strategy 3). Most importantly, IceHrm’s employee satisfaction measurement software allows HR to continuously track eNPS and collect feedback (Strategy 5), giving managers the real-time data needed to ensure a positive culture is built and sustained long after the first 44 days.

In August 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that anxiety symptoms had tripled and depression had quadrupled compared to their 2019 report. The events of the past year were unprecedented, and so were their far-reaching effects on emotional and mental well-being.

In other words: employees today need mental health support more than ever. This presents an excellent opportunity for HR professionals to get involved and make a meaningful contribution. Due to the massive psychological strain employees faced over the past year, companies are increasingly taking action and recognizing how their employees’ overall well-being impacts the workplace.

The 2020 Mental Health Report  

Honestly, a stronger focus on mental health in the workplace in the United States had been overdue long before 2020. However, global crises have brought this often neglected aspect of employee well-being the attention it rightfully deserves.  

COVID-19 pandemic: Many employees likely experienced sleepless nights, worrying about their own health and that of their loved ones. And as if health concerns weren’t enough, they probably also had to deal with everything from grocery shopping to job and financial security.  

Political turbulence: In the United States, 2020 brought a highly contested presidential election—a vote that 68% of adult Americans reported as a significant source of stress in their lives.

The merging of work and family life: Many people work from home, and some have partners who do the same – which completely disrupts the usual daily routine. Many parents have lost childcare or their children are learning at home.

The battle on the front lines: Employees in direct contact with customers are constantly under stress – due to long working hours, covering for sick colleagues, pandemic precautions, mask mandates, and new rules of conduct for customers. Added to this are feelings of isolation and a lack of appreciation.

Social Unrest: In light of concerns about racial injustice and political turmoil, which have led to divisions in private life, at work, online, and in communities across the country, 2020 seems to have brought conflict into all areas of our private and public lives. It was a year in which the fight for equality revealed painful realities and prompted all of us to rethink how we can create real change.

As HR and business experts, we understand and see the challenges that employees face every day. For some, the past year was one of the most exhausting, emotionally draining, and stressful of their lives. Even if we have defined what the "new normal" looks like for our companies, it will take time for individual employees to recover and find their new balance for the future.

The positive and negative sides

You know that employees cannot simply set aside their emotional burdens when they come to work; some may still be at home carrying these burdens around them while trying to concentrate. All of these burdens will definitely make your work more complicated, demanding, and important in the foreseeable future. With the right tools and the right mindset, the HR department can turn the challenges of 2020 into an opportunity to advocate for employees and find ways for their companies to better support the mental health of employees, which is essential for their success.

The bad news: It is unlikely that mental health has ever been as widely affected as it is now. A study conducted by the Boston University School of Public Health in April 2020 found that depressive symptoms were three times as severe as in 2018. "These levels were higher than after other major traumas such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the unrest in Hong Kong," said Catherine Ettman, the study's lead author.

The impact of an employee's mental well-being on their personal life and happiness alone should already be a cause for concern. But poor mental well-being also has serious consequences for businesses. A 2019 study found that 61% of respondents reported that their productivity was affected by their mental health. In addition, the American Psychiatric Association reports that "employees with untreated depression show 35% lower productivity, costing the US economy $210.5 billion annually through absenteeism, productivity losses, and medical costs." Poor mental well-being is therefore financially costly.

The good news: This is the ideal opportunity for HR managers and leaders to expand offerings that promote mental well-being. By doing so, you can mitigate the negative impacts of mental health issues on productivity. In addition, you improve your employer brand and corporate culture – 86% of employees consider it important that the company culture supports mental health.

Although harder to measure, the challenges of 2020 may have strengthened employees' emotional intelligence as well as their social and self-awareness. For example:

• They may return to their workplace with a stronger focus on inclusion and corporate culture.  
• They will likely be more considerate of the health of their colleagues and stay home when sick.  
• And in view of the challenges they had to overcome while working from home, employees may find it much easier to concentrate better and tune out the daily work routine when they return to the office.

Although these findings are qualitative in nature, they should by no means be dismissed as positive aspects of the past year.  

The experiences with mental well-being in 2020 therefore hold both positive and negative aspects. What is crucial, however, is how HR managers and leaders deal with the given circumstances.

Opportunities for the HR Department to Support Employee Wellbeing

For some HR professionals and managers, now is the ideal time to justify the need to adjust offerings and budgets, thereby creating more scope for benefits that promote emotional and mental wellbeing. For others, especially those whose business results were heavily impacted by the pandemic, the only option may be to make the best use of existing offerings. Here are some suggestions for both scenarios.

Making the Most of Existing Mental Health Offers

There is always room in the budget for better and more helpful internal communication. You may offer more than your employees realize. Communicating the available offerings can make a big difference.

• Information about the benefits: Use emails, the internal company website, or company announcements to inform employees about mental health benefits. Explain which costs for therapy sessions are covered, how to find therapists within the network, what resources the employee assistance program offers, how to request mental health days off, and anything else that can help employees navigate the available services.
• A Culture of Compassion: A positive and understanding attitude toward mental health can go a long way in helping people get the support they need. When you communicate that your company cares about employees' mental well-being, it promotes a more compassionate work environment. Talk about how your company values encourage compassion, provide training for managers, and ensure that your values are actively practiced.
• Presenting the plan: The unknown creates uncertainty. Give your employees more security by providing them with an overview of the company's plans. Whether it's explaining the company's financial situation and direction, informing them about initiatives to promote equality, or explaining how you plan a safe return to the office after the pandemic – a behind-the-scenes look can provide a lot of calm and reassurance.

Changes to Consider

Although each individual faced personal challenges in 2020, we were all in the same boat. Therefore, now may be the right time to initiate organizational changes that better promote the mental well-being of employees. Every organization has different needs and shortcomings, but here are some changes you should consider:

• More flexibility in working hours or the option to work from home to promote employee well-being.  
• Increased consideration of diverse, fair, and inclusive hiring practices.  
  Improved access to psychological support and an expanded range of services or better information about them.  
• Review of policies regarding illness and psychological stress to determine whether the desired outcomes in terms of mental well-being are being achieved.  
• Adjustment or concrete development of corporate culture with a focus on supporting and valuing employees.

Improving mental well-being takes time, and HR managers and leaders certainly cannot solve all problems on their own. However, even small changes like clearer communication or making it easier to take time off to stay home and rest are important. Employees will notice your efforts to make improvements and feel better supported after a difficult year.

Review and Outlook

Even if most people are probably not grateful for the events of the past year, addressing the issue of mental well-being was long overdue, as mental and emotional health is essential for employee success. On the path back to normality, companies would do well if HR managers and leaders take the opportunity to shape the 'new normal' with a central focus on emotional and mental health in the workplace and the overall well-being of employees.

The profound psychological strain experienced by employees necessitates a sustained, strategic focus on mental health support. Addressing this challenge is not just compassionate, but a financial imperative, given the significant cost of lost productivity. For HR to effectively champion mental wellbeing and manage organizational change, efficient communication and consistent policy application are paramount. IceHrm supports this vital mission by centralizing HR processes. Its Benefits Management module can be used to clearly communicate and track access to mental health benefits and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) (Strategy 1). Furthermore, the Time and Attendance features allow managers to easily implement and track flexible working hours and requests for time off for rest (Strategy 4), ensuring policies are applied consistently and compassionately across the organization. By leveraging IceHrm, HR can operationalize support, helping employees find their new balance and fostering a resilient, psychologically safe work environment.