We live in a world where society presents women with numerous hurdles to jump in order to get to where they’re already qualified to be. This is no different in the education industry, despite women making up 70 per cent of educators. In our previous article, we discussed the issues faced by women in the education workforce . Today, we’ll take on a more positive angle to talk about how technology empowers and helps women in the education workforce. 1. Technology equips female

Being an educator isn’t an easy job. Along with long hours, heavy workloads, and both mental and physical struggles, they also have the responsibility of educating and shaping the next generation to continue evolving the world. Sounds challenging? Add being a woman into the mix. Don’t get us wrong — we believe that women can do anything they set their minds to and we want to empower them, however, it isn’t news that women face an alarming amount of prejudice in life. Women ma

Opening a negotiation is a fundamental step that sets the tone for the entire negotiation session. Here are some tips to get you started on the right foot:   1. Create positive vibes in your opening speech Highlight your team’s open-ness to the other party’s interests or concerns. Affirm your commitment to the negotiation as a joint effort to reach agreement and that you respect their expertise and experience. 2. Discuss expectations People may go into a negotiation with diff

Negotiation is as much a science as it is an art. Whether you are talking to your boss about the need for a new laptop or negotiating a multi-million dollar contract for your company, here are 3 key rules to abide by for effective negotiation.   1. Be crystal clear about your objectives. It is important to begin with a clear idea of what you want to achieve. However, you may also want to be prepared that it is possible that you may have to modify your objectives as the negoti

Everyone has the ability to come up with good ideas and solve problems.  Here are 6 suggested steps for generating new ideas: 1. Define the problem What is the problem? What kind of ideas do you need to solve the problem? 2. Gather the facts Round up all the information regarding the problem. Include past unsuccessful attempts to solve the issue. Sometimes ideas that did not work previously might succeed at another time with a change of circumstances. 3. Name the obvious solu

We know it when someone has it, yet it remains difficult for us to pinpoint what exactly it is. Leadership presence is something that all managers aspire to possess and they know that having this “X factor” means that they are able to command an audience simply by walking into a room. It is a quality that makes others sit up and take notice of you and be receptive to what you have to say. As a new manager, how can you establish your leadership presence in meetings? Here are 4

Visualizing, practising, applying good breathing techniques, re-directing your nerves and imagining the worst that can happen are some tips to help you overcome anxiety before presentation. 1. Visualize Before the speech: Envision yourself speaking with confidence at the venue During the speech: Scan for friendly faces among the audience to give you a confidence boost 2. Practice makes perfect Practice speaking in front of a mirror and observe how you talk Practice speaking i

65 percent of children now entering primary school will hold jobs that currently don’t exist. This means that future jobs will look vastly different by the time they graduate. Research indicates that by 2025, we will lose over 5 million jobs to automation. While machines and robots become smarter and capable at fulfilling logic-based tasks, they may not be able to match our level of creativity or critical thinking. The new artificial intelligence revolution will change what

Will automation take away my job? Will I still be earning a fixed income? What skills do I need to develop to adapt to the new economy? Preparing for a career tomorrow means anticipating what the future will look like and what capabilities will be needed. Some of the predictions could well be underway  and are likely to continue in the next few years. Here are our 6 predictions about the future of work. 1. Talent shortages As baby boomers exit the job market and there are few

“You don’t build a business – You build people – and then people build your business”~ Zig Ziglar When you are a startup founder or running a startup, you are tasked with building an amazing team that will go battle with you and dig deep trenches for long hours, every working day of the year. You will interact with these employees more than your family and some of them could even be family members! They will be the ones who help you realise your vision, but here’s the deal:

Companies need to evolve and adjust when it comes to rewarding Millennials. A stable pay package or promotion are not the only motivators in retaining this group of workers who will form the majority of the workforce in the next decade. Here are our tips on how to reward Millennials in the workplace: 1. Offer learning and training opportunities 60% of Millennials say that the opportunity to learn and grow on the job is extremely important. Millennials leave jobs in search of

Born between 1980 to 2002, Millennials are the youngest members of the workforce. Managing millennials is all about engaging them. Here are our tips on how to engage Millennials and keep them happy and productive at work: 1. Refrain from restricting Internet or social media use Many companies have strict rules on surfing the Internet and using social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter during work hours, believing that those are a waste of time and causing productivi

Generation X workers are born between the years of 1964 to 1980. With many Baby Boomers departing the workforce due to retirement and Millennials trying to gain a foothold in the workforce, Generation X workers are considered valuable resources. Here are 4 ways to engage generation X workers:   1. Provide training and development Generation X workers has weathered economic recessions, corporate downsizing and retrenchments. They understand the importance of upgrading themsel

There may be a decade or so to go before Baby Boomers are completely out from the workforce, hence there is a need to consider the different ways of rewarding Generation X employees to retain them in the workforce. Here are 5 strategies for rewarding Generation X employees: 1. Flexible work benefits Generation X employees place a huge emphasis on attaining work-life balance. Many of their strengths such as independence and having a can-do attitude can be traced back to their

As the saying goes, “old is gold”. Baby boomers who are born between 1945 and 1964 are the older workers in the workforce. While many of them are nearing retirement, they have much to offer and can get the job done while avoiding the pitfalls that come with gaining that experience. The challenge for managers is to maximise the contributions they make before they leave. Here are our tips on how to engage them more effectively at work:     1. Provide mentoring opportunities Bab

Did you know that keeping your positions up to date on your Linkedin profile makes you 18 times more likely to be found in searches by members and recruiters? Social networking has become an essential new tool for achieving your professional goals. When you join Linkedin, your goals are to be discoverable by headhunters and to develop professional connections that can help you with job search and career management . Just like any other social networking site, there are certa

A resume is a document designed to introduce a potential job candidate to a potential employer. A good resume highlights the candidate’s strengths, special skills and achievements, all of which combine to present the candidate as the best match for an open position. For your resume to be effective, it must be created in a format that best highlights your work and educational experience as it relates to your particular career goal or work objective. There are also creative fo

“Jobs for life” and “iron rice bowl” are concepts that have become extinct. Global competition, automation and digital transformation have combined to make lifelong employment all but obsolete. Organisations have had no choice but to work leaner and lay off employees since payroll is the biggest expense for many businesses. One of the great benefits of having gone through recessions for many companies was that they learnt how many employees they could do without. But that is

Managing people is a challenge, but it is essential. Each individual has their unique personalities, strengths, weaknesses and feelings. Helping each person achieve his or her potential requires different motivations and strategies. It is also a dynamic process that is evolving to accommodate changes in the diverse and complex workplace. Managing your people properly makes a difference and a well-managed team will always outperform others less well directed. Managing people i