In relating this to our work as workforce professionals, one of the best ways we can provide excellent service to our customers is simply to listen to them. Right now, more than ever, they may be coming to you with serious concerns about their future. They may be scared; they may be anxious. Listen to what they say. And make sure you and your organization are providing them with a safe place to be–an environment where they know they will be welcomed, encouraged, and heard.

As we move into July, Human Solutions will be launching a new online training program that addresses these issues and more. The Equal Opportunity (EO) Officer training has never been timelier than it is right now. It offers critical training for the person or persons responsible for ensuring that your organization has the resources and information they need to effectively perform their duties and stay in compliance with the programs and services outlined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Please take a moment to watch this 3-minute video, and ask yourself the question, “Is my organization doing all we can to provide a healthy, safe and positive experience for our customers and our employees?” If your answer is anything but Yes, our new EO Officer online training program may be just what you need to elevate your company to that higher level of service.

Unfortunately, especially during challenging times (like we’re in right now!), what may happen is that you do more for the client than they do for themselves. We refer to this as playing the “hero.” While this might feel helpful, in reality you may be depriving the client of an opportunity to learn, experience the satisfaction of accomplishment, and even grow from their mistakes. Finding a balance is key!

It’s important to recognize the warning signs that you may be unknowingly wearing the hero’s cape. Let’s take a look at the top five signs and what you can do about it.

1. You take work home. When discussions about work begin to dominate your personal interactions or you begin to lose sleep due to concerns for your client, you may be playing the “hero.” A good way to end the workday is to write down all the tasks or items you need to address the next day. This will give a “home” for your thoughts about what’s next until you can pick back up the next day. I remember early in my career walking back out my front door to leave my imaginary baggage outside the front door! The symbolic act helped me to leave work at work.
   
   
2. You share personal information. While finding commonalities and building trust with a client are key in the helping relationship, sharing too much personal information may lead to professional boundary crossing. It also changes the dynamics of your relationship. If sharing is in question, reflect on your motivation for disclosing. Are you identifying too closely with the client’s situation? Will the disclosure benefit or harm the client or your professional relationship? If you are unsure, err on the side of caution or consult with your supervisor.
   
   
3. Client relies on you to make decisions. It is one thing to give advice about the services you are providing. However, assisting clients in decision-making outside of your skillset, may prove detrimental. Be sure to keep your advice focused and on target to avoid fostering dependence.
   
   
4. You’re the only one who can help. If there ever comes a time where you feel you are the only one who can help a client or you take over the role of other team members, it’s time to take off your cape! This behavior may lead to feelings of distrust amongst team members and potentially cause splitting. It may also cause dependence on you by the client, leading to boundary crossing. The best advice is to ‘stay in your lane.’ If you find yourself deviating, work to determine the root cause for your behavior and find a solution.
   
   
5. You are always ‘on.’ While being present and in the moment are important for building rapport, taking a balanced approach to service delivery will help avoid job burnout. We work in a very demanding field mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s important to recharge during the day by taking short breaks, eating lunch away from your desk, and finding an outlet outside of work that helps with relaxation or stress relief. You cannot be of service to others if you are not of service to yourself!

It’s natural, especially when you are first starting out or when you see a client struggling, to want to do more, or in some cases, do it all. You can avoid playing the hero by empowering your clients, pointing them in the right direction, nurturing their attitude, and, if needed, giving encouragement. This will go a long way toward their self-reliance. Remember. Everyone is capable of solutions. Do not assume your clients are any different. You got this!

Learn more about Professional Boundaries Training here.

In the below video newsletter, I’m sharing 3 key tips for maintaining professional boundaries and ethics as you work virtually with your clients. Specifically, I discuss privacy and self-determination, confidentiality, and informed consent relating to social media and technology.

I also make an exciting announcement at the end of the video about our newly released Professional Boundaries Online Training course! This period of forced social distancing is the perfect time to invest in yourself and your professional development. I hope you’ll watch to the end to hear more about the course.

Part One: How to Create a LinkedIn Profile That Will Grab the Attention of Potential Employers!

This first video tutorial focuses on creating or updating a LinkedIn profile to optimize the opportunities for potential employers to learn about a client’s skills and experience.

Part Two: Using LinkedIn to its Fullest Potential in Your Job Search!

In the next tutorial, we focus on how to navigate job search on LinkedIn, including how to actively engage prospects and others in the client’s chosen industry.

I encourage you to make time during this last month of 2019 to do a little strategic planning for the upcoming year. Start by reviewing your goals and accomplishments from the current year and evaluating them to see which ones brought the greatest successes, and which ones came up a bit short. Then, lay out your plan for next year, asking yourself the tough questions, like “What do I need to change to be more successful?” “How can I make next year my best yet?” “Am I performing at my peak; giving it my all, every day?” Tough questions, right? But, so important! Equally important is to be totally honest with yourself in answering these critical questions. From these answers, you can create your strategy for success. Be sure to check your progress against these measurements throughout the year.

One of the key points to understand is that being successful begins with establishing positive habits. The Inc.com article, “Want To Be Super Successful? Science Says Do Any 1 of These 10 Things” offers ten simple, yet brilliant ideas for implementing positive habits that can lead to changes in your approach to everything you do. A few of my personal favorites include:

• Get positive: Start the day with a mantra or positive thoughts spoken out loud!
• Mentally prepare: Visualize your success. Do this daily, if possible.
• Make yourself accountable: Find a partner or mentor, and set a schedule to check in.

As you read the article, pick out a couple that resonate with you, add them to your strategic plan for next year, and make a commitment to incorporate them into your daily routine. Remember, you don’t always have to make big changes to get big results. Small changes can have a huge impact, if they’re the right ones for you. I’ve told you my top three picks. I’d love to know yours!

As we gear up for the holiday season, I always like to take some time to reflect on the past year and express my gratitude for all it brought. Was the year perfect? I suppose that depends on your definition! Was the year as good as it was possible or meant to be? Yes, because my choices made it that way! Most of us know that success and accomplishment are often accompanied by trials and tribulations. I think overcoming those challenges makes the “wins” for the year that much sweeter. It’s all a matter of perspective and how we choose to embrace it. This is where rocking an attitude of gratitude comes in! 

When you have a minute (make one if you don’t!), I’d like to encourage you to write down the things you’re grateful for. This exercise alone will help create an environment of positivity that extends not only inward, but outward as well. Try it! Research shows that making an expression of gratitude part of your regular routine, literally pays itself forward. In other words, if you can think it, you can feel it!

On behalf of our team at Human Solutions, I’d like to express our sincere gratitude to you and your organization for all that you do. Your hard work and dedication, while often unnoticed, makes the difference in the lives of people every day. Keep up the awesome work!

Wishing you all the start of a healthy and happy holiday season filled with joy and gratitude!

It’s always great when you come across new (and cool!) tools to help your clients. It’s even better when these resources also benefit the businesses that hire them.

BlueBadge 

The first tool, BlueBadge, allows clients who are potentially eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to display their eligibility directly on their resume without disclosing what category(ies) they fall into. Here’s how it works:

1. The job seeker registers on a BlueBadge Partner Job Board.
2. The job seeker then completes an online resume and a short WOTC survey.
3. Qualified job seekers receive a BlueBadge designated resume, their own PIN, and a flyer to share with employers about the potential tax credit.

The best part is this service is that it’s absolutely free to clients. If you choose to share this tool, be sure to discuss first whether the client is comfortable with this level of disclosure. 

To learn more, visit: www.synergipartners.com/bluebadge

Additional Tax Credits 

In addition to the WOTC, employers may be eligible for other tax incentives for employing individuals with disabilities.

The Barrier Removal Tax Deduction encourages businesses of any size to remove architectural or transportation barriers by offering an annual deduction of $15K for qualified expenses.

The Disabled Tax Credit offers a non-refundable credit for small businesses that incur expenditures for the purpose of providing access to individuals with disabilities.  This credit can be taken every year that access-related expenses are incurred. Both of these tax incentives can be used during the same year.

For more information on how you can educate your job seekers and employers, visit: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/tax-benefits-for-businesses-who-have-employees-with-disabilities.   

OFCCP Employment Referral Resource Directory 

The last resource is geared toward government and not-for-profit organizations. First, a little background…in order to increase the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities in Federal employment, Executive Order 13548 was signed in 2010. To keep in compliance with its outreach assistance commitment, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) developed an Employment Resource Referral Directory, that lists governmental and non-profit organizations that can assist in the hiring of qualified applicants by Federal contractors. This directory allows Federal contractors the ability to find connect with programs that serve veterans, individuals with disabilities, women and minority groups. In addition to facilitating contractor compliance in hiring, the directory is also meant to connect resource organizations with the contractor community.

If you are a non-profit or governmental agency and are interested in applying to be on this list, please visit: https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/errd/  

I hope you find these resources helpful. I have already distributed them to my team and we will definitely be making use of them!