GrokTalk Blog

Corporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) programs are a work in progress, as HR leaders across industries are continually learning what it takes to make a long-term difference in attracting, retaining, supporting, and promoting a diverse workforce today. But change doesn’t happen overnight, and for many, it feels like all of the hard work they’re putting in to build a more diverse team and attractive employee value proposition isn’t resulting in happier, more engaged employees fast enough. 

Grokker Innovation Labs — Grokker’s research organization — is putting the finishing touches on research studies and events for the year ahead. We asked for feedback from HR leaders on the HR leadership topics that matter most to them and the speakers they’d like to hear from at webinars and roundtable discussions.

The Grokker Innovation Labs’ 2021 Frontline Industries’ Leadership Sentiments research explores how managers are dealing with the challenges of workforce burnout and turnover 18+ months into the pandemic. Looking specifically at leaders in industries with large frontline workforces (including healthcare, retail/wholesale trade, and hospitality), the research uncovers best practices and emerging opportunities for managers to strengthen both team culture and working relationships to improve the employee experience and drive improvements in worker retention.

We just wrapped a webinar, Mental Health: Bracing for the Next Pandemic. The pandemic we addressed, incidentally, is what many are expecting to be a surge in issues like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse related to the collective trauma of the past 18+ months. Towards the end of discussion, after unpacking the stats and trends around mental health and its impact on the workforce, we shared with participants the 4 key strategies Grokker’s clients are using to support their employees’ mental health — and the advice was met with such enthusiasm from the HR professionals and company leaders at the live event that we decided to share the highlights here!

The past year took a toll on our bodies and minds, leaving everyone stressed out, exhausted, and close to burnout. With the return-to-work transition underway, there’s no better time to hang up our pandemic spurs and lay claim to some priceless wellbeing gold. In other words, head into the next normal with a plan to support your employees in a way that promotes self-care, deeper connections, and higher levels of engagement.

The workplace has changed dramatically in the past year. Chances are some, if not all, of your employees are working from home — and remote working, in some capacity, is here to stay. That means you’re on the lookout for effective ways to keep your workforce engaged and feeling their best as they juggle the challenges of living and working during a pandemic — and beyond. 

Leapgen’s Jess Von Bank welcomed Lorna Borenstein, Grokker’s founder and CEO, to her company’s Now of Work Podcast for a lively discussion about the “business of caring” for employees. Here are highlights of their conversation and key takeaways for employers, plus a link to the podcast so you can enjoy it in its entirety.

2020 has been a year for the books! In spite of the many challenges that came our way, we also found unique opportunities for growth. We learned that we’re truly “better together,” even when we’re working apart and staying connected virtually. We’ve come to appreciate what’s really important to us in our personal lives, and to prioritize what matters most professionally for our clients and partners. We’ve experienced, first-hand, that going the extra mile for each other at work and at home makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives. 

With its recent state of stress research, Grokker Innovation Labs, a research organization committed to advancing employee wellbeing and workplace culture, set out to understand the stress levels of U.S. workers as the damaging effects of 2020 continue to linger. Seeking to reveal how stress is impacting workers' lives and what they're doing to manage it, the insights provide focus on the specific areas where greater support is needed from employers. Let's take a look at the research highlights.

COVID-19 and its aftermath has made 2020 a downright challenging year. In the blink of an eye, the very definition of work/life balance has taken center stage — instantly changing from what was once just a desirable goal to the global imperative for employers everywhere. Keeping employees healthy and safe so that businesses can keep their doors open is now every employers’ top priority. Though some semblance of a new normal is beginning to take shape as digital environments begin to repair the disconnectedness we feel at home and at work, there’s a lot of good yet to be done.

Saturday, October 10, 2020 is World Mental Health Day. It's the perfect time to connect with your workforce to share mental health facts, tips, and employee resources. And Grokker is here to help make that easy!

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, the world in which we live and work has been turned on its head. The lines between work-life and home-life are blurred, parents with children underfoot are overtasked, and choosing between the family who needs them and the work that sustains them has become a daunting, daily task for nearly everyone.