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Halloween can be a fun time of year. We pick a theme, dress up, and pretend to be someone or something we’re not.
That might mean facing your fears and nervously laughing your way through what truly scares you. Hmm … that also sounds like a lot like most people’s Monday morning.
Every week I try to identify at least one article outside of our industry that challenges and scares me into self-reflection. For example:
- A few weeks ago, a member of my team shared “Extreme Athleticism Is the New Midlife Crisis” (since I’m training for a 50-mile race for my 50th). The line that stuck with me was “Extreme fitness is less about being young again and more about building yourself up for the years ahead.” This article made me think about longevity and legacy in my personal and professional life, issues that our aging workers are wrestling with daily.
- More recently, Google published mind-blowing findings in the science journal Nature that confirmed the achievement of “quantum supremacy.” As The New York Times described it, Google’s experimental quantum computer processed “a mathematical calculation that the largest supercomputers could not complete in under 10,000 years” in around 3 minutes. Why was this scary? Because once commercialized and/or weaponized, this breakthrough renders modern computing, processing, and cybersecurity instantly obsolete. And in a time where the role of human workers is under debate, the implications of this breakthrough may shake our people foundations in unforeseen and unprecedented ways.
Remember to get outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself to see things through a different, and sometimes scary, lens. Fear can be healthy, and if you channel it properly you can push yourself forward in ways you never thought possible.
—Mark
Founder/managing principal, IA
Voice of HR
How Does HR Transformation Affect the Employee Experience?
The new focus on employee experience is encouraging and exciting. But in the same breath, we’re also talking about stirring up major change and inciting complete transformation.
Transformation, and all change, have a profound effect on employees’ everyday experience at work. It’s crucial to build a bridge between change and the employee experience, and doing so may not be as difficult as it sounds.
Meanwhile, on Twitter…
On Our Radar
Keeping with our Halloween theme, here are two articles that may push you outside your comfort zone:
- A sabbatical sounds dreamy, but many people decide against taking one because they’re afraid of leaving the office for an extended amount of time. The latest research shows us that it’s often very beneficial to take time away — not only to recharge, but also to guide transformation. Inc. contributor Jessica Stillman shares leaders’ experiences taking an extended break.
- Remote work is becoming more pervasive and accepted, in every size organization. The team at IA happily and productively works from our home offices and client sites all over the country. But many HR and business leaders are still running scared when it comes to remote work. It’s time to face your fears.
About IA
IA is a boutique consulting firm focused on HR transformation.
Our seasoned team of professionals brings deep domain experience and Fortune 1000-ready tools to help you capture the functional, operational, financial, technical, legal, regulatory, and strategic impacts of your transformational HR initiative.
Because we’ve worked with all kinds of organizations (large and small, public and private, domestic and international), we have a cross-functional, strategic perspective. And we’re not scared away by big, messy problems.
Learn more at ia-hr.com.
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