 Credit: Sasha Laghonh, Founder Sasha Talks | POV 4-Day Work Week What are the advantages of a four-day working week?
The four-day work week demands businesses and employees to refine their focus on how they manage their time, resources and relationships to produce results. This will remove the extraneous time invested in speech and activities that challenge bandwidth nor does it contribute to nurturing a work culture nor morale building. Ultimately such circumstances can encourage employees to revisit their personal and professional priorities so they can leverage the three days out of the office. Whether it’s a four day work week or set hours defining a work week, this can contribute to performance enhancement and creativity. Everyone works differently under constraints, these constraints are sometimes needed to force people to think outside the box to yield results as a company. What are the disadvantages? Not everyone is well versed with time management and knowing how to work within confined parameters to produce better results. There is a learning curve for people who lack self-management skills in the office, hybrid or remote working environment. A four day work week doesn’t translate to all work activities being ‘crunched’ within a time frame. It’s an opportunity for people to perform better in all areas of life without permitting work to become a hindrance. People need to make an effort to embrace their learning curve which often is accompanied with growing pains. If you believe in results and benefiting from personal time, it’s worth the investment. Ultimately, workers are responsible for defining their priorities by becoming accountable of their professional choices. It’s not the employer’s role to accommodate an operational privilege of such nature without a justifiable cause by positioning the business’s bottom line at financial risk — context matters. From a business standpoint, client relationships are managed 24/7 therefore healthy expectations need to be set, contingent upon the nature of the business, how client requests & correspondence will be managed outside of the core work week. Life happens when we’re too busy planning. Being available when clients need you is critical to sustain a viable relationship. It’s important to set boundaries for emergency and non-emergency correspondence and follow up during off hours. Typically, 80% of these scenarios are addressed through proper operations planning and pre-existing company protocol that a brief work week should not impact this (if) the company is already managed well. How will it affect productivity? Productivity in most cases will go up therefore quality assurance will benefit from this measure. This is possible if the talent pool hired to work these roles are competent contributors because proud achievers know how to manage their time and energies to extract the most from their work day. For those who are new to the concept of investing less hours to produce the same, if not more, they may struggle if they’re satisfactory or sub-standard contributors. As long as there are strong communication channels present to maintain the flow of productivity among the staff and management, including clients, then most concerns can be addressed. If the bottleneck is within management, it’s important to vet the management to know whether all executives are supporting a four day work week through their intentful messaging within the company. How will the week be structured? This is dictated by the company management and the sub-groups that oversee the employees. They need to assess what percentage of the time should be invested in team work, individual contributions, company wide meetings, conference calls and group engagements. Capitalize upon the time by having the right people working the roles as well as the right people attending these meetings. Optional attendees shouldn’t become regulars in these engagements because their time to produce is taken away. Production is key. Existing in a role is not enough. Will employees really be able to work four days? Yes, employees can work four days in certain companies. This is dictated by the nature of the company and industry because in reality -- companies need to still engage with their environment throughout the work week if they are managing regional and global businesses. Business is a lifestyle, it’s not a light switch which aligns perfectly with each of our lifestyles. We may have boundaries as individuals, it doesn’t mean the business operations will perfectly align with the staff’s needs. We need to remember that businesses exists to serve a need. Majority of needs function throughout the seven days of the week. This comes down to how the business sets its hard and soft boundaries within the market, with its clients and within the organization. Setting real expectations can make a four day work week possible in qualifying environments. Meet Our Contributor — Sasha Laghonh Sasha is a Founder and Entrepreneur of an educational and entertainment platform that integrates self & professional development into nurturing meaningful outcomes. As a speaker, mentor and author, she partners alongside global clients to capitalize upon their talent. She is the host in residence for KreativeCircle.com and Global Ambassador for Style My Soul, a Lifestyle & Interests Community. To learn more, please visit www.sashatalks.com.
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 Style My Soul | www.stylemysoul.com | Decision Making Style My Soul Explores …
“What are some foolproof ways to make better decisions in life and business, and is there a strategy or hack that helps you and how? Take 24 Hours to Slow Down Though life (and business) can move fast, it will rarely hurt you to take a night to “sleep on” the decisions you’re making. Stepping away from the rush of work or your normal life will remove some emotions you might have been feeling. A night to consider the decision will provide clarity. If you want to make better decisions, realize there’s rarely a need to rush yourself. -- Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, Motivosity Make a Pros and Cons List I enjoy making pros-and-cons lists for major decisions. Emotions and stress can often cloud judgment for making major work or life choices. While they’re basic, writing out a pros-and-cons list can help me cut through the noise. Seeing the impact of each option allows me to make more informed decisions that aren’t based solely on feelings. -- Rachel Roff, Founder & CEO, Urban Skin Rx Analyze the Past One of the best ways to decide is to notice any data points from your past. For instance, if you are trying to decide whether to accept a job offer, think about jobs that you’ve had before. What did you like or not like about those work experiences? What has made you feel the most fulfilled professionally, and why? Then, consider whether the company offering you the job seems like it could provide what’s best for you. Similarly, you can use this method to make business decisions. For example, going through your Google Analytics data from prior campaigns can give you many invaluable insights when coming up with new marketing strategies. By doing so, you can observe what has and has not been working. Many decisions have long-term consequences, so it’s essential to think things through. -- Marilyn Zubak, Marketing Lead, Snif Interrupt the Thinking Autopilot The part of our brain that makes choices is faster than the part that evaluates them. That is how we make stupid decisions that seem brilliant. By design, 95% of decision-making happens on autopilot. It’s an unfair game no human can win without effort. For important decisions, I force myself to suspend the judgment call until I check off mental triggers that tamper with the facts and can derail my thinking. It pays to know the biases that can let us down in life and business. -- Natalia Vashkovets-Mawby, Principal, Finance for the Now Ask Those Who Know You Best to Soundboard Your Ideas Ask folks in your life who know you better than anyone else. For life questions more than business, I consult my closest friends and family when making a specific decision. That isn’t to say you should take their advice. Sometimes, loved ones will offer incredible advice, but it still might not represent the right thing to do right away. The point of sharing our indecision and vulnerability with our loved ones is not to expect answers from them, but to reflect with them. Only we will know what decision is best for us. When those who care about us the most help us recognize that drive in ourselves, it helps us get closer and more confident in what we choose. -- Kevin Miller, Founder, Kevin Miller Increase Values, Decrease Overthinking To make better decisions in life and business, operate from your values and reduce overthinking. When forced with a decision, our brains attempt to take in as much information as possible. But this method can actually disorient us further, as we’re not parsing the quality of information as much as we’re getting quantity. Instead of overthinking, we can draw from our values. Think of values as a habit, rather than a brief blip of inspiration. Instead of flip-flopping in our minds, values act as long-term beliefs that help us make excellent decisions. -- Kyle Clements, CEO, Quipli Stop Looking for Shortcuts, There Isn’t One Take your time before jumping onto any hype train or decision. The way we think in our teenage life is vastly different compared to how we think in our 30s. A lot is at stake here, so it all depends on our self-awareness and preparation. The amount of information we can gather about the situation can make our decisions foolproof. Use time as much as possible; you can never be prepared enough. There are so many resources available that all you need is just time to make an informed decision. When you know the in and out of a subject regardless of business or life, making a sound decision just becomes easier. What I try to do is step back and get a wide-angle view of the whole scenario. I bring in other people with experience to get an unbiased opinion. When you let others step into your shoes, you will see stuff that is usually not visible to us. Exhausting all the resources doesn’t take money, but patience and time. -- Andreas Grant, Founder, Networks Hardware Weigh the Potential Outcomes of Your Decision As a business owner, a foolproof way of making better decisions in life and business starts with understanding the potential outcomes of each decision. Before deciding, break down each choice into its individual elements to determine what is likely to happen if you make a certain decision. How does it affect your business? How does it affect your employees? Take the time to research the decision and see if anyone else has had success or failure in similar situations. They may have valuable insight and knowledge for you to consider when making your own decision. Create a system that helps guide your decision-making process by asking yourself questions that revolve around cost, time, potential impact, and other core factors that can influence how effective a particular choice might be. -- Lewis Landerholm, Attorney, Pacific Cascade Legal Give Yourself Time to Reflect When deciding in life and in business, it’s important to give yourself some time and space to decide. Knee-jerk reactions are almost always doomed to end in disappointment. In this modern, fast-paced world, we rarely give ourselves much time to reflect on the direction our lives are taking. By giving yourself some quiet time to sit and reflect, not only will you make better decisions, but you’ll also improve your mental flexibility to help solve problems in the future. Of course, this is also important if you’ve already decided, and it hasn’t turned out in the way you wanted. Being honest with yourself doesn’t mean beating yourself up, but giving yourself the space to understand why you made that decision and what you’d do differently in the future. So next time you face a big decision, be sure to give yourself the time to mull it over, and you’ll make better choices time after time. Richard LeCount, Managing Director, USB Makers  Style My Soul | www.stylemysoul.com | Careers; Reflection Style My Soul Explores …
“What are the best tips for individuals wanting to switch jobs and/or careers in 2023, and are there any specific skills that one can leverage when considering such a move?” Create a Resume Specific to the New Role When you want to transition into a new role, make sure you create a new version of your resume. Make this version focus on how you’re relevant for the new job/career. Let me give you an example: I’m a marketer but wanted to apply for roles as an adjunct professor because I’m passionate about teaching. As I applied for teaching jobs, instead of sending my marketing resume, I created a version colleges would care about. It focused on my public speaking, manager trainings, and service where I was in front of an audience. Same jobs — just highlighting the work I did that was relevant. It will take you some time to create that new version, but it will help hiring managers understand your transition more effectively. -- Logan Mallory, Vice President of Marketing, Motivosity Choose Carefully and Adjust Expectations The last two years have seen some of the most robust compensation increases in our job market history. As we likely enter a recessionary period, due in part to these adjustments, organizations will be less likely to meet those compensation levels you desire. With layoffs on the rise and companies using more machine learning, roles are being reduced and employees reskilled, leaving fewer roles open. If you are going to make a move, do so thoughtfully, as there may not be as many options as you’ve gotten used to recently. Do your homework, too! Research the organization, reach out to some current employees on LinkedIn to ask for impressions, and start the process, intending to be hired. The mindset is key to being a sought-after candidate in a down market. -- John Baldino, President, Humareso Research the Typical Daily Experience Before you transition jobs or careers, research what your daily tasks might look like in a new role. When possible, request informational interviews with others who have already worked in that role or industry to learn more about how each day at work operates. One of the best ways to get a feel for a new job is to shadow another professional in that role. Some jobs sound great on paper but have daily realities that can become unsustainable. Better to know and research through any available avenues before upheaving your career and life to transition careers. Many professionals focus on their career’s overarching goals and forget to consider what every day looks like in those positions. Ultimately, our everyday experience defines how fulfilled we feel, so prioritize understanding that in your research. -- Zach Goldstein, CEO & Founder, Public Rec Find Clear Ideas and Goals One tip I recommend for individuals who want to switch jobs or careers in 2023 is to ensure they have a clear idea of what they want to do next. This means taking the time to research different industries and career paths and considering factors such as their interests, skills, and values. Once they have a clear idea of their goals, they can start building the skills and experience needed to make the switch. This may involve classes or training programs, networking with people in their desired industry, or gaining relevant experience through internships or part-time jobs. One specific skill that can be helpful when switching careers is adaptability. In today’s rapidly changing job market, the ability to quickly learn new things and adapt to new situations is more important than ever. Additionally, having a solid network of contacts and the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with others can be valuable when making a career switch. -- Adrian Tan, Writer, Adrian Tan Embrace the Gig Culture If you’re considering switching jobs or careers in 2023, my biggest tip is to embrace the gig culture. By accepting and exploring the potential of multiple gigs and actively networking with other employers, you can leverage your skill set and become even more experientially diverse. I made this switch during a pandemic year myself, and it was one of the best changes I ever made. Working with short-term contracts has enabled me to develop my skill sets further by exploring different projects which broadened my overall experience. This has also given me an opportunity to find roles where I feel truly fulfilled, be that from a professional or personal standpoint. Embracing the gig culture allows us to broaden our horizons without limits while capitalizing on new opportunities, so it’s something well worth considering if you’re planning a job/career transition in 2023. -- Rosmy Barrios, Director, Health Reporter Nurture Your Network Switching jobs or careers in a down economy is tough, so you too must be tough to consider doing this. More than anything, you need a supportive network to encourage and support you with critical and caring advice. Some may consider creating and nurturing a network a skill, but it’s really a common-sense practice. Personally, I’ve been a part of a women’s network that is also one of my book clubs. When it was first started 25 years ago, it was women working in the same company. Over the years, there have been many changes, first with that company being acquired and the members fragmenting to other firms. Today, one woman is a president of a leading software firm, and several are executive vice presidents in other high-tech firms. I’m one of their research sources. Others have powerful roles in product development and customer services. This group of women supports each other to find new jobs, make career changes, and navigate family ups and downs. All with great caring and much humor. -- Lexy Martin, Principal, Research, Visier Invest in a Career Coach If you’re considering making a career switch in 2023, the best piece of advice is to invest in seeing a career coach. This way, they help you realize your strengths and guide you to where you’ll produce and feel equal value. Career coaches are great at assessing the specific skills necessary for each job transition. Understanding which of your skill sets are transferable upfront can give you a competitive edge — especially if the job market is saturated, or the field is highly competitive. -- Jimmy Minhas, Founder & CEO, GerdLi Identify Your Values I recommend you identify your values before switching jobs and/or careers in 2023. Otherwise, you’ll end up liking some parts of your job and disliking others with no idea why you feel this way. When you figure out what’s important to you, you connect who you are with what you do. Skills can be acquired and discarded as needed. Imagine your values as a lighthouse: you can shine your light in any direction in all weather because you’ve turned on the light source. -- Laura Barker, Career Coach, Laura Barker Coaching Earn Certifications in Your New Field If you want to switch jobs or careers in 2023, the best thing you can do is earn certifications in your target field. There are many certification programs available for free. I wanted to get deeper into marketing, so I earned eight HubSpot certifications in their online academy. I also earned certifications with Klaviyo when I was interviewing there as well as HootSuite. After I earned these certifications and added them to my LinkedIn profile, I began receiving calls from recruiters at marketing agencies wanting to interview me! LinkedIn actually offers a whole myriad of certifications as well. In conclusion, to optimize your chances of getting a job in a new career in which you lack experience, march forth and get certified! -- Marsh Sutherland, Sr. Technical Recruiter, Ocient Perfect Your Active Listening Skills Perfecting your active listening skills will help you get ahead and head you in the right direction up the business ladder. It’s not enough to just nod along in conversation, letting words wash over you. To truly engage, whether in an interview or with colleagues, you must be listening with your ears and brain. This will make the other person really feel heard and facilitate meaningful two-way conversations. Especially with the remote and hybrid work trends continuing, this skill needs to be honed, as it’s easier to zone out or get distracted. Perfecting your active listening skills in 2023 is the way to get ahead in your new position or company. -- Temoer Terry, Partner, Mommy Care Kit Be a Good Negotiator and Adapt Don’t sell yourself cheaply in interviews. You may look for a way to get into a new industry, however, keep in mind that you will bring value to the employer. To be an excellent negotiator, you first need to find out how many people in the industry get paid for your desired position. Exercise caution to avoid bargaining as you negotiate. Skilled negotiators must possess the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and be able to quickly adapt to the situation at hand. Ask and listen first. Doing this will allow you to adapt your message to the interviewer or employer. Adaptability is a key skill needed to successfully negotiate an appropriate salary as you look to switch careers in 2023 and beyond. -- Nick Oberheiden, Founder & Attorney, Oberheiden Refine Your Writing Skills I think the most important tip I can give someone looking to switch jobs in 2023 is to continue to refine and perfect your writing skills. When you reach out for jobs, most of the time you are performing cold outreach through a written medium. That could be email, LinkedIn, social media, or a response to a job board. It also includes the way you craft and write your resume. Being a good writer is a skill that almost all jobs in the business and marketing world require. It’s also a skill that most HR managers aren’t looking for specifically, but when they see good writing. It is hugely impactful. It’s also a chance for you to showcase your mastery of a relevant skill. Writing is more than just coming up with a beautiful sentence. Come up with the right words for the right audience. This is especially true in marketing and sales jobs. Start refining your writing skills now, and it will pay off for you in the future. -- William Varney, Product Strategist, Megaphone Marketing Know Your Value-Add Switching careers (and jobs) often involves leveraging existing strengths in a different capacity, which is why it’s important to know what value you bring to a company based on your natural strengths. Knowing areas you excel in and being able to explain those in an interview (why should I hire you?) will enable the hiring manager to see the value and perspective you can bring to the team. Furthermore, being able to describe these strengths as transferable skills applicable to your new field of interest/career, will make you a strong candidate for the opportunity. -- Megan Dias, Career Services Coach, Parsity Learn Future-Proof Skills One important tip I would recommend for individuals wanting to switch jobs and/or careers in 2023 is to invest time into learning future-proof skills. As the job market continues to grow, having a skill set that is in demand and future-proof will help individuals stand out when applying for new roles. For example, project management, arts and crafts, coding and programming, UX/UI design, digital marketing, and data analysis are all skills that will be in high demand in the future. Additionally, having the ability to adapt quickly and think on your feet are important skills to cultivate. Learning these skills can help individuals stand out when transitioning into a new career or job. -- Bruce Kramer, Managing Partner, Buttercup Venues |