Navigating Modern Workforce
Are you prepared to navigate the modern workforce challenges? In the spotlight today is Szilvia Olah, a seasoned Organisational Psychologist with 19 years of experience in the hotel industry. Szilvia is known for her candid approach and commitment to improving workplaces.
Szilvia is exposing harsh truths about organisational behaviour and challenges what needs to change to improve workplaces to suit the modern world.
In this article you’ll find out:
○ The Essence of Organizational Psychology
○ Addressing Needs Across the Employee Life Cycle
○ Navigating Generational Shifts
○ Importance of Employee Engagement
○ AI as a Catalyst for Change
○ Mobilizing and Energizing Teams
○ Power of Self-awareness in Leadership Development
○ Significance of Leadership coaching
○ Final Thoughts
Continue reading or Watch the full interview here.
The Essence of Organizational Psychology
Szilvia's reputation for exposing harsh truths about organizational behavior and workplace dynamics stems from her passion for creating solutions. With a pragmatic approach, she highlights the importance of addressing problems head-on, a philosophy that has guided her through opening 11 hotels and supporting countless companies through employee experience design.
Szilvia simplifies the concept of Organisational Psychologist, describing it as the study of human behavior applied to organizations. The goal? Understanding why people act the way they do and deciphering the factors influencing their behavior.
Addressing Needs Across the Employee Life Cycle
Szilvia stresses the comprehensive role of organizational psychologists in all aspects of the employee life cycle. From talent attraction to exit strategies, professionals need to analyze and apply studies to create solutions, shaping leadership development, policies, procedures, and practices.
Drawing from her extensive hospitality background, she highlights the necessity of understanding and catering to the needs of today's workforce. Szilvia challenges the outdated mindset of relying on century-old workplace structures and policies, urging organizations to evolve with the changing times.
Importance of Employee Engagement
Szilvia and I delve into the importance of understanding and implementing employee engagement, well-being, and experience cohesively. Szilvia stresses the need for leaders to grasp that these elements are interconnected, not fragmented, stressing that the employee engagement score is a reflection of the overall employee well-being and experience.
She challenges leaders to gain clarity around their goals, avoiding the trap of fixating solely on engagement scores. She shares her experience of questioning the definitions of well-being and engagement within her own organization, highlighting the necessity of understanding these concepts before taking action. In the absence of clear definitions, organizations risk veering off course and losing sight of their objectives.
To guide leaders in defining and understanding employee well-being, Szilvia suggests turning to established frameworks. While acknowledging her own expertise lies more in organizational psychology than well-being, she advocates using frameworks to initiate the process. By adopting a structured approach, leaders can address the physical and mental aspects of well-being, bridging the gap between employee experience and engagement.
Szilvia draws a parallel between navigating employee engagement and writing academic papers. Just as academic papers require writers to return to their titles regularly, leaders should consistently revisit their goals and definitions to ensure alignment with their objectives. This iterative process prevents organizations from straying off course and losing focus.
I bring up the challenge of balancing daily actions with long-term plans, citing instances where well-intentioned initiatives may become mere checkboxes. Szilvia agrees, highlighting that engagement is built through small, consistent actions rather than grand, infrequent gestures. She encourages leaders to prioritize small, daily actions that contribute to a positive work environment.
Szilvia highlights the importance of effective implementation in employee engagement initiatives. She asserts that executing one impactful initiative a year is more valuable than starting multiple projects without completion. This approach prevents employee cynicism towards change and ensures that positive outcomes are clear, reinforcing the idea that change can lead to meaningful improvements.
Szilvia underscores the need for leaders to align employee well-being with organizational success. By treating employee engagement, well-being, and experience as integral components of a unified strategy, leaders can create a workplace where positive outcomes are clear, measurable, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.
AI as a Catalyst for Change
Szilvia highlights the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing how organizations approach employee engagement and well-being. She urges senior leadership to recognize that AI is not a threat to their roles but a powerful tool to streamline manual tasks, allowing leaders to focus on the dynamic and human aspects of their responsibilities.
To fully embrace AI, Szilvia stresses the need for a mindset shift among leaders. They should view their role as constantly scanning the environment, adapting, and responding to change. The manual aspects of their work that AI can handle should be seen as opportunities to engage more deeply with their teams and address nuanced issues.
Szilvia underscores the importance of empowering employees to understand that AI is meant to enhance their work lives, not replace them. Leaders should communicate this message effectively to ensure that employees feel motivated and energized to contribute towards organizational goals.
Mobilizing and Energizing Teams
The bond between leaders and their teams is crucial. Szilvia suggests that if leaders can mobilize and energize their teams around shared goals, employees become the driving force in executing initiatives. This collaboration is essential for creating a positive workplace culture and achieving organizational success.
Anticipating that newer generations are likely to be more adept at using technology, Szilvia sees them as key players in leveraging AI for organizational advancement. However, she highlights the importance of instilling an understanding that completing tasks is not the sole focus; attention to broader organizational dynamics is equally crucial.
She encourages leaders to strike a balance, where completing tasks efficiently is complemented by a keen awareness of the organization's overall well-being, employee engagement, and experience.
Recognizing the People-Centric Role of Leadership
Szilvia highlights the multifaceted role of leaders. Beyond completing daily tasks, leaders are instrumental in developing their teams, reassessing organizational policies and practices, and eliminating systems that hinder progress. She points out the common tendency for leaders to become entangled in daily routines, missing the opportunity to step back and strategically address long-term goals.
Szilvia critiques the prevalent mentality where leaders are continuously busy with routine tasks, akin to keeping their heads above water. She advocates for a shift in mindset, encouraging leaders to occasionally set aside daily tasks and focus on more strategic, impactful initiatives for the organization's advancement.
Drawing inspiration from my mentor's distinction between being functional and vital, Szilvia discusses the importance of leveraging technology to move away from constant functionality. She suggests that technology should be used to reduce the time spent on functional tasks, allowing individuals to channel their energy into more meaningful and enjoyable aspects of work.
Power of Self-awareness in Leadership Development
Through workshops and assessments, such as strength and personality assessments, leaders gain insights into their functioning, communication styles, and relationship-building approaches. This self-awareness becomes the foundation for addressing challenges and recognizing patterns that may hinder personal and professional growth.
Szilvia introduces the concept of high-performing teams, where a strategic 10% focuses on ideation and creativity, while the remaining 90% executes plans. She stresses the need for leaders to identify strategic thinkers within their teams and promote an environment where
creativity and innovation can flourish.
Individuals often resist self-reflection and confront their weaknesses. However, she asserts that creating a safe space for candid conversations and promoting self-awareness can be instrumental in overcoming these challenges.
Significance of Leadership coaching
Szilvia highlights the significance of leadership coaching, particularly for senior leaders, to address personal challenges and roadblocks. By exploring individual strengths, communication styles, and decision-making processes, leaders can understand how their behaviors impact teams and organizations.
She shares instances where leaders, upon receiving feedback from their teams, confront the uncomfortable reality of their impact. While acknowledging the initial discomfort, she stresses the necessity of addressing these issues head-on. Ignoring such feedback can lead to long-term damage within teams and the overall organizational culture.
She indicated that the key to a thriving work environment lies in the collective personal transformation of individuals within the organization. She envisions a future where discussions on human experiences take precedence, and promote healthier and more engaging workplaces.
Final Thoughts
As we navigate the complexities of the workplace and human interactions, let's remember the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and self-awareness. Embracing the messiness of life and work, acknowledging our imperfections, and actively seeking growth can lead to more fulfilling and productive experiences.
Access the full interview for free:
Find out more about Szilvia Olah here.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts so we can learn and grow together,
Reach out on Linked In any time, Charlotte Stebbing-Mills
P.S.
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Much love and wellness,
Charlotte and Jonathan
AUTHOR
Charlotte Stebbing-Mills
Award Winning Stress Relief & Wellbeing Specialist
Co-Founder of The Wellness Theory
With 19+ years experience and her corporate success within the health, fitness and wellness industry, she has worked with hundreds of purpose-led individuals and organizations to move from surviving to thriving.
After burning out, she knows first-hand how it feels to feel like something is missing in life, to the point of hitting rock bottom and struggling to get back up again. Mastering the art of healing and high-performance simultaneously is no small feat.
Charlotte can relate to how overwhelming it can be, but she'll also be the first to tell you that there is a way forward. Her own journey is proof that you can bounce back and create the life you always wanted, for yourself and those you love.
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