People & Culture

Ever feel overwhelmed in your shared services role? You’re not alone. Whether you’re an associate, a process expert, or a specialist, the demand for efficiency and excellence in this field can be intense. When I started my journey in shared services over 20 years ago, I often found myself sorting through mountains of data with limited resources. Success in this space isn’t just about hard work; it’s about leveraging the right tools to facilitate smooth interactions, optimize processes, and build lasting relationships. Understanding the Landscape The shared services model is evolving rapidly. Organizations are on the lookout for ways to improve their operations, enhance customer experience, and drive innovation. But here’s the kicker: the tools you choose to engage your team and your clients will play a crucial role in your success. Communication Tools: The Foundation of Collaboration Have you ever sat through a meeting wondering why it was even scheduled? Effective communication is often overlooked when discussing shared services. However, it’s essential for alignment and accountability. Here are some tools that have made a significant impact in my experience: Slack: This is a game changer. Communicate in real-time, share files, and integrate with other apps. No one has time for endless email chains. Microsoft Teams: Perfect for organizations already using Office 365. Schedule meetings, chat, and collaborate on documents—all in one platform. Trello: If you’re a visual thinker, Trello is your friend. Organize tasks, manage projects, and track progress seamlessly. Process Optimization: Streamlining Operations Next up: process optimization. This is where we can truly shine. The right tools can facilitate smoother workflows and save you substantial time. Consider the following: ServiceNow: Great for ticketing, workflow automation, and incident management. It centralizes information and automates repetitive tasks. UiPath: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools like UiPath can help automate mundane tasks. Free your team to focus on strategic initiatives. Asana: Perfect for tracking project milestones and ensuring deliverables are met on time. Keeps everyone on the same page. Data Analysis: Making Informed Decisions How many times have you made decisions based on ‘gut feeling’? Data-driven decisions take the guesswork out of the equation. But what tools can help you harness this data? Tableau: This visualization tool simplifies complex data sets into comprehensible dashboards. Get insights at a glance. Power BI: Integrates with Microsoft products seamlessly. Use it to create detailed reports and share them effortlessly. Google Analytics: This isn’t just for marketing. You can track usage patterns, measure engagement, and optimize your services based on real data. Engaging Customers: Tools to Elevate Experience Let’s not forget our end-users. How engaged is your customer? A great shared services operation isn’t merely internal; it’s also customer-facing. Here’s how to engage clients effectively: Zendesk: A robust customer service platform that offers ticketing, tracking, and analytics. Survio: Use this tool to collect feedback through surveys, helping you to continually refine your processes. HubSpot: A CRM solution that focuses on marketing, sales, and service. Keep the customer at the center of your operations. Building a Strong Culture: The Human Element Tech is important, but let’s not forget about people. Creating a culture that empowers your team is crucial. Engaging your staff isn’t just about tools, it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels valued. Here’s how I ensure my teams thrive: Regular Check-ins: A quick chat can resolve so much. It shows you care and opens up lines of communication. Recognition Programs: Celebrate achievements, no matter how small. It boosts morale and creates a positive atmosphere. Training Opportunities: Invest in your team’s development. The more skilled they are, the better they’ll perform. Success Stories: Real-World Applications Let’s look at examples of organizations that have successfully implemented these tools: One leading retail company I worked with used ServiceNow to transform their incident resolution process, cutting ticket response time by 30%. A financial institution adopted UiPath to automate their account processing workflows, achieving significant efficiency gains and freeing their staff for higher-value work. A tech firm used Zendesk to revamp their customer support, leading to improved customer satisfaction scores and stronger client relationships. The Road Ahead: Future Trends in Shared Services Change is constant. The shared services landscape will continue to evolve. Here’s what to keep an eye on: AI and Machine Learning: Expect to see more innovative applications. These technologies will automate routine tasks, allowing for smarter decision-making. Increased Remote Collaboration: Tools that facilitate remote teamwork are essential. Get comfortable with virtual settings. Focus on Sustainability: Organizations will increasingly look for eco-friendly solutions. Make processes efficient and sustainable. Finding the Right Fit for You Here’s my two cents: when selecting tools for shared services success, it’s vital to consider your unique needs. What works for one organization might not fit another. It’s a matter of trial and discovery. Reflect on your team’s pain points, and don’t hesitate to pivot if something isn’t working. Sometimes, minor adjustments can lead to major improvements. Continuing the Conversation If you’re eager to keep learning, THEGBSEDGE blog is where I share insights on shared services transformation, innovation, and leadership. Start a conversation with colleagues. Cold coffee and deep discussions can lead to the next big idea that propels your shared services team forward. Let’s be real; it’s about empowering engagement. The right mix of tools, processes, and culture will set the stage for shared service success. Here’s to the journey ahead!

Ever felt the tug-of-war between maintaining productivity and ensuring a healthy work culture in your shared services team? It’s a common struggle. You’re not just crunching numbers or managing processes. You’re leading a team of individuals with unique backgrounds, motivations, and values. It’s messy, it’s exhilarating, and it must be done right. The crux? Knowing how to measure the cultural health of your team. A resilient culture drives performance, fosters loyalty, and creates a sense of belonging. Why Cultural Health Matters Imagine your workplace as a garden. If you nourish it daily, it flourishes. But ignore it for too long, and you’ll find weeds overtaking and flowers wilting. In shared services, the stakes are high: High turnover rates? Slow process adoption? Low engagement levels? All these are signals of an unhealthy culture. If you want your team thriving and not just surviving, it’s time to bring in specific tools to gauge cultural health. Top Tools for Measuring Cultural Health Let’s roll up our sleeves. Here are some sweet tools and strategies that can help you get a pulse on your team’s cultural health. 1. Employee Engagement Surveys Start with the basics—employee engagement surveys are invaluable. It gives your team a voice. Consider using platforms like: Officevibe – It measures engagement levels and collects ongoing feedback. Glint – This tool dives deep into the employee experience. The key? Ask the right questions that tap into the heart of your team’s experience. Like: Do you feel valued in your role? How connected do you feel to the larger company mission? 2. One-on-One Check-ins These aren’t just HR formalities. Regular one-on-ones create a space for open dialogue. Use this time to: Listen to concerns leaders might overlook. Encourage candid feedback. I remember a time when I turned a struggling team around just by giving space for honest conversations. It was transformative. 3. Cultural Assessments Implementing cultural assessments is like taking your team’s temperature. Tools like: CultureIQ – It helps you assess and improve your workplace culture based on real data. Happy Employees – This tool uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to get to the heart of cultural health. Engagement vs. Culture: What’s the Difference? You might think engagement and culture are two peas in a pod, but they tell different stories. Engagement reflects how excited employees are about their work. Culture is the underlying belief system that shapes employee behavior. By leveraging both, you create a well-rounded picture of your team’s health, ensuring that you’re not just treating symptoms but fixing root causes. Stories from the Trenches Let me share a real-life experience. In one organization, management was oblivious to the brewing discontent amidst the team. They faced heavy turnover and constant complaints about work-life balance. A cultural assessment revealed that employees felt management was disconnected from their everyday realities. After implementing systems for regular feedback and setting up transparent communication channels, the team atmosphere shifted entirely. This wasn’t magic—it was about creating an environment where employees felt their voices mattered. Encouraging a Feedback Culture Speaking of voices, fostering a feedback culture is non-negotiable. Here’s how: Promote openness and vulnerability at all levels. Recognize contributions, both big and small. Be transparent about decisions and changes. Encourage peer-to-peer feedback through initiatives or programs, like 360 reviews. Regular Check-Up: When to Measure? How often should you check up on cultural health? That varies, but here’s a rule of thumb: Quarterly Engagement Surveys – This keeps the pulse on the team’s feelings. Monthly One-on-Ones – These should be routine, just like team meetings. Annual Cultural Assessments – A deep dive into the cultural fabric of the organization. Create an actual timeline and stick to it. Hold your leadership accountable for tuning in with their teams. Take Action on Feedback Now, here’s the kicker. You could gather all this feedback, but if nothing changes, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. So, wrap your arms around the insights you gather: Address issues transparently. Celebrate wins—big and small. Communicate changes made based on feedback. Show your team that their input creates ripples. Leveraging Technology Let’s not forget technology. It’s your ally in the quest for cultural health. Use digital tools to streamline surveys or manage feedback more efficiently. Tools like: Trello – This helps track feedback-related projects. Slack – Create channels for ongoing discussions about culture and engagement. These platforms enable team members to communicate freely and keep lines open. Wrap-Up: A Culture of Growth No doubt, measuring cultural health might seem like a mountain to climb. But here’s the upside. When you do it right, you’re not just enhancing the work environment. You’re catalyzing transformation, fostering innovation, and ultimately driving results: Process optimizations that stick. Shared services transformations that resonate. A community where everyone feels they belong. If you want to delve deeper into strategies and insights related to the shared services industry, I’ve got to recommend THEGBSEDGE. It’s the best blog out there, brimming with valuable content about transformation, innovation, and leadership. Team success starts with a thriving cultural foundation. So get on board, implement these tools, and watch your team flourish.

Is your team struggling to find common ground in a hybrid work environment? Do you wonder how to maintain that special team spirit when half of your crew is working from home? These questions are exactly where we need to start when we think about shared services transformation. Hybrid work isn’t just about where we work; it’s about how we come together, communicate, and nurture the culture of our organizations. With over 20 years in the shared services game, I’ve seen first-hand how critical culture is in shared services. It’s not merely a byproduct; it’s the backbone that supports everything from process optimization to client satisfaction. Let’s break it down. The Evolution of Hybrid Work Remember the days when we all trudged into the office, barely recognizing the potential for flexibility? Those days are long gone! The pandemic shifted our perspectives, forcing us to rethink how we work. Companies began to experiment with more flexible structures, realizing that productivity doesn’t take a hit when we work from home. But with flexibility comes responsibility. We can’t let our culture erode because some folks are in the office, while others are at home. So, here are some actionable steps: Establish Common Goals: Ensure that everyone knows what success looks like and how they fit in. Encourage Open Communication: Make it easy for team members to voice concerns or share ideas. Leverage Technology: Use collaborative tools that help everyone feel connected, regardless of location. Cultivating Inclusion in a Hybrid Environment Inclusion is everything. If your office is buzzing with chatter about an upcoming project, but your remote colleague has no clue, you might as well wave goodbye to that team spirit. So, what can we do to ensure everyone is on the same page? Here’s the game plan: Regular Check-Ins: Set up meetings where everyone can participate. Use Video Calls: Nobody likes staring at blank squares. Make face time a thing. Celebrate Wins: Big or small, make sure every accomplishment gets its moment in the sun. Building Trust in Shared Services Now, let’s talk about trust. If team members feel disconnected or skeptical about their colleagues’ productivity, we hit a wall. Trust needs to be cultivated, especially in hybrid models. Here’s how to get that trust flowing: Be Transparent: Share company updates, successes, and challenges openly. Empower Employees: Give them the control they need to own their work. Foster Peer Relationships: Encourage mentorship and buddy systems among team members. Training for a Hybrid Culture Is your team equipped for this new reality? Training needs to be redefined for the hybrid work environment. The old ways of rolling out training sessions won’t cut it anymore. Here’s the strategy: Focus on Soft Skills: Communication and collaboration skills are more important than ever. Utilize Online Platforms: Create courses that team members can take at their pace. Interactive Sessions: Make training engaging and applicable to real-world scenarios. A Continuous Feedback Loop Feedback is where the magic happens. We need it flowing in both directions—top to bottom and bottom to top. Implement these practices: Surveys and Polls: Gauge employee sentiment regularly. One-on-One Meetings: Keep the conversation personal. Be Open to Change: Adapt your processes based on feedback received. Embracing Change in Culture Culture isn’t static. Just like the shared services landscape, it evolves. Embracing change should be at the forefront of your strategy. Be proactive, not reactive. Here’s what to focus on: Conduct Regular Culture Assessments: Know where you stand in terms of cultural health. Transform Challenges into Opportunities: Look at challenges through the lens of growing. Encourage Idea Generation: Invite team members to contribute to cultural initiatives. Conclusion: The Human Side of Hybrid Work At its heart, navigating hybrid work is about being human. It’s about understanding and empathy. It’s about creating a culture in shared services that values each individual’s contribution, regardless if they’re remote or in the office. So let’s not just hope for a better culture—let’s actively create it. Drive shared services transformation with an unwavering commitment to culture. And remember, when in doubt, keep it real and keep it fresh. For more insights, strategies, and leadership tips in shared services, check out THEGBSEDGE blog. This blog has been my go-to for the latest on transformation, innovation, and leadership in shared services—crafted by yours truly, Vikrant Aglawe.

Navigating Hybrid Work: The New Reality It’s a whole new ball game, isn’t it? Think about the last time you were all set to tackle a project at your desk, and then— BAM!—you had to pivot to a remote team meeting. Managing hybrid work can feel like a juggling act sometimes. You’re not alone if you’re experiencing mixed emotions about keeping your team engaged in this split atmosphere. Engaging employees in a hybrid work setup is more than just sending a few emails or making sure everyone has their Zoom login sorted. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels connected and valued, regardless of where they are. Let’s chew on some effective strategies for boosting employee engagement in this new landscape of hybrid work. Understanding the Challenges First things first, we need to acknowledge the hurdles. Here’s what we’re grappling with: Communication breakdowns due to the distance. A sense of isolation creeping in. Different schedules making collaboration tricky. Risk of burnout from the blurred lines of work-life balance. These are real concerns. And they could stand in the way of a thriving workplace culture. So, how can we overcome them? Fostering Connection Connection is absolutely key here. Think about it… Have you ever been in a meeting where someone cracked a joke, and it broke the ice? That moment of laughter is priceless. Here’s how you can cultivate that sense of connection: Regular Check-ins: Set up weekly or bi-weekly catch-ups that aren’t just about the projects. Get personal. Share wins. Ask how everyone’s doing. Virtual Social Events: Host online games or happy hours. Bring out the fun side and let people connect without work pressures hovering over them. Mentorship Programs: Pair up senior associates with newbies. Sharing experiences can ignite camaraderie. How Technology Plays a Role Here’s where it gets exciting. Technology is not just a tool; it’s your best buddy. When used right, it can sync everything together. Look at communication tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams. These platforms break down barriers. They make chatting easy and channels creative. And let’s not forget about project management tools. You’ve got Trello, Asana, and Monday.com keeping everyone on the same page, no matter where they’re working from. Work-Life Balance: Setting Boundaries Let’s talk boundaries for a sec. In a hybrid setup, the lines can blur. It’s crucial for both management and employees to establish clear boundaries. Set Working Hours: Make it clear when you expect team members to be online. This not only helps manage expectations but helps create a rhythm. Promote Breaks: Encourage everyone to take their short breaks. A quick walk, grab a coffee, or just stretch—these brief pauses can recharge their batteries. Encourage Time Off: Lead by example. If you’re taking a week off, let everyone know. Show them it’s okay to disconnect. The Power of Recognition Feeling appreciated is a massive driver of engagement. But how do you showcase that when associates are scattered all over? It’s simpler than it seems! Celebrate small wins publicly during meetings. Put a “shout-out” channel in your communication platforms where team members can highlight a colleague’s effort or accomplishment. Encouraging Feedback: A Two-Way Street Have you ever felt unheard? It’s frustrating. That’s why creating a safe space for feedback is pivotal. Remember, it’s a two-way street. Set up anonymous surveys or feedback sessions to capture thoughts on workplace environment and culture. Training and Development: Investing in Your Team In a rapidly changing work environment, continuous learning keeps everyone on their toes. Provide training sessions through webinars or e-learning platforms. This investment not only enhances skillsets but shows that you care about their future. Consider creating a resource hub filled with materials on shared services transformation and process optimization. It can become the go-to place for everyone wanting to up their game. Don’t forget to check out some great content on leadership strategies and technology updates! Real Life Stories: The Journey Let’s hit pause for a second to talk stories; they’re powerful! Picture this: it’s Monday morning, and Sam, a senior associate in finance, logs in. He’s met with music playing through the team chat and a morning greeting from everyone. It’s a small ritual, but it’s a lifeline for morale. Or consider Sarah, a fresh process expert, who feels a tad lost. The mentorship program links her to Jake, someone who’s been in the trenches. Their weekly catch-ups help her find her footing in the complex web of shared services. Creating a Culture of Trust At the heart of engagement is trust. Trust fosters open communication and allows people to express themselves without reservations. Your approach to leadership can either build or break this trust. Here’s what helps: Transparency: Share updates regarding company direction and goals. Transparency builds credibility. Accountability: Own mistakes, both yours and others’. It shows vulnerability, which can be a strong pillar of confidence. Empowerment: Trust your team to make decisions. It not only boosts their confidence but also helps in effective execution. Engagement: A Continuous Cycle Remember, boosting engagement isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s an ongoing process. Engagement flows through a cycle — measure, analyze, adapt, and repeat. Regularly revisit what’s working, what’s not, and make changes. The hybrid world needs to evolve, and so should your strategies. Your Role as a Leader Your role in this engagement saga cannot be understated. Keep pushing for innovation. Stay proactive. Whether via insights or resources, fuel your knowledge and lead the charge. Adopt a mindset that champions resilience and flexibility. Your team will catch that vibe, and engagement will flow naturally. Conclusion: Embracing the Future Together As we move forward in this hybrid world, remember that our people are what truly matter. The strategies we employ for boosting employee engagement will define our path. Engagement in hybrid work isn’t just a goal; it’s a culture. So, keep it real. Keep it personal. Embrace this journey together. Remember to check out THEGBSEDGE for more insights on transforming shared services. Let’s navigate this hybrid landscape with confidence. Together, we’ll