08th March 2022
Meet the judges 2022 – Karin Volo
IW: Today, we’re delighted to be joined by one of our 2022 EMEA judges for the Inspiring Workplaces Awards. Welcome Karin Volo.
Firstly, we wanted to ask you all, what does an Inspiring Workplace mean to you?
KV: It’s a great place to showcase companies that have amazing company cultures where people can thrive. When people are inspired and focused on a shared vision, they are high performing and engaged.
IW: You’re a judge for the EMEA/ North American Inspiring Workplaces Awards. What do you hope to see in the entries?
KV: I love to see entries that convey the passion that employees feel for their company. It’s easy for me to see an authentic entry by how it’s written and the examples they give to show the great work they are doing in their company. It’s a joy to see more and more quality entries each year and it’s gotten tougher to narrow it down because of the calibre of entries. It means that people truly do care about creating inspiring workplaces.
IW: What are three areas of focus for organizations looking to improve the people experience?
KV:
- Companies need to have a bigger purpose that attracts talent and keeps people connected emotionally to the work the company is doing.
- Building a high trust organization is vital! When leaders show they truly do care about the people, their customers, and their culture it shows!
- A great onboarding experience is so important and then follow it by establishing or creating regular organizational habits or rituals that inspire and motivate their employees on a regular basis.
IW: What do you think is the most important quality in a leader?
KV: It’s tough to narrow this down to just one but if I had to, I’d say leaders that genuinely care about their teams have great success. It’s the deeper connection that will inspire their employees to be engaged, perform, and over deliver.
IW: What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
KV: One of the best sayings I read in a book that I’ve lived by for over 20 years now is “Life is change. Change is constant. Growth is optional”. We all have a choice to embrace change and to grow from it. It’s a part of our learning journey in life because we are all evolving (hence the name of my company Evoloshen).
IW: What’s your advice on how best to engage remote teams?
KV: Start with trusting and caring for your teams first. Take a few moments to share what you are grateful for and to connect on a human-to-human level at the start of each meeting. It helps people get into a positive frame of mind and connect on a deeper level. This helps people feel seen and valued for who they really are and will increase loyalty and connection.
IW: Following on from that question, how do you build a strong inclusive culture with a hybrid workforce?
KV: The hybrid workplace is here to stay. If companies want to attract and keep great talent, they need to have some flexibility in how people work. It is built on a foundation of trust—trust your people to get the job done in the best way for both the company and for them individually. Caring about your team, trusting them, and finding ways to help them develop are all great because it increases engagement and loyalty.
IW: Focusing on employee emotional wellbeing, how do we help employees create boundaries between work and home life?
KV: Because it’s so easy to blur the lines, I think we need to be even more vigilant on the boundaries for ourselves. Know the hours/tasks etc that work best for you and be able to manage your own time and turn off when needed. As managers, respect and trust your team to get results—on their terms. I come back to having strong connections with your team, building trust, and truly caring about people. That alone will go a long way to improve emotional wellbeing in the workplace.
IW: 4-Day week – Yes or No? You can give reasons for your answer to if you wish.
KV: YES! That can give more balance in life and people tend to be more productive if they know their time is limited. Studies have shown that people tend to be happier when they have a good balance between work and their personal lives and they also are just as productive when they know they have less time to get things done. I think the 4 day workweek will cut a lot of the wasted time out, helps people be more focused, and get the rest in between that will help them be more productive anyway.
IW: We are a big believer that fostering psychological safety is an organisational imperative. Do you agree and if so, why?
KV: We are learning more all the time and digging deeper into what it means to be human. When we feel safe at work, it gives a sense of security, calms the amygdala, which allows people to reach higher levels of creativity and productivity. Our teams and our companies are the modern-day tribes—when we know we are cared for, have friends, and feel safe, we will be willing to go the extra mile. Who doesn’t want that?
IW: Hopefully, we are seeing the restrictions of the pandemic diminish. This has led to what some are calling ‘The Great Resignation, what do employers need to do to ensure they attract and retain the best people?
KV: Absolutely have a bigger purpose and a clear vision for the business, work proactively on creating a great culture that attracts and retains people, build a high trust environment where people truly care about each other. That will solve a lot of other issues naturally.
IW: To say we’ve seen a lot of change in the past two years would be an understatement. We want you to get your crystal ball out and predict what will be the top priorities for people choosing an employer over the next 5 years?
KV: Personally, I believe that people need to increase their own self-awareness first and foremost: What are their passions? What are their talents? What are their dreams and goals? What is their purpose? Knowing these things will help an individual find the right type of work where they are engaged, inspired, motivated, and will thrive.
Leaders need to align the individuals to their strengths and what they can bring to the roles they work within the company. We also need to have organizations where people feel valued and that they truly care about their colleagues and the company as a whole. A lot of technology is coming that will eliminate many jobs. We need to allow for the human innovation, creativity, and inspiration to flourish because robotics and AI won’t have those capabilities. This means that organizational agility, fostering creativity, and creating a caring culture will rise to the top priorities for the executive leaders.