To help employees feel and perform their best at work, organizations should take into account who they are, and what they need.
Learning and development is top of mind for workers, especially in the area of technology. Business learning platform MasterClass at Work has released a new course collection on how to incorporate generative AI into the work environment, an advantage for all generations, but especially younger talent.
"Gen Z is having trouble adapting to the culture of work because they entered into the workplace at a time of high volatility, coming out of the pandemic with offices shifting between different work models," says John Scott, head of learning and design at workplace educational platform MasterClass at Work. "Adding generative AI to learning and development strategies opens up a lot of possibilities for support."
Read what GenAI has to offer:
Another company paving the way for a better understanding of AI is software platform Salesforce, which announced it will be offering its AI courses and certifications free of charge through the end of 2025.
"We know people learn in different ways, which is why we wanted to offer both online and in-person upskilling opportunities," says Relina Bulchandani, leader of Salesforce's real estate and workplace services team. "Our physical spaces will host in-person courses, as well as bring together industry experts, partners, and customers to advance AI innovation and offer urgent upskilling opportunities."
Read about the importance of AI upskilling:
No organization is holistically supportive without a good understanding of their workforce's cultural dynamics, and how to properly engage these different groups. One of the largest-growing populations in the U.S. workforce, Latinx employees, don't feel like they can be their true selves at work, according to a 2023 Great Place to Work survey. Awareness and inclusivity efforts can go a long way in creating a more comfortable environment.
"Having a Latinx-specific group ensures we're representing our unique experiences accurately," says Monica Maldonado, a recruiter at employment agency Aquent and the leader of their Latin-ish ERG. "It helps avoid stereotyping too — not all of us celebrate holidays like Dia De Los Muertos or Carnaval."
Read ways to incorporate connection opportunities for Latinx workers:
Focusing on connection with individuals is another way to ensure employees are getting what they need to be happy and perform well at work. The most recent leader to be featured in EBN's Manager Diaries series, Barry Gauch, VP of strategic alliance and partnerships at human capital management platform isolved, shares his career journey, his philosophy on coaching talent, and the value of connecting with his team members.
"I learned that if you just make the extra effort to take care of every single person that you're responsible for, [like] getting to know their family's names, getting to know birthdays and anniversaries — all those little things go so much further than, in a lot of ways, giving them a 3% raise one year," he says.
Read how a passion for people equals business success:
