The need to manage employer branding – the image of your company as a place to work – is nothing new.  But it has taken on a new level of importance.  Digital information, and the rise of social media in particular, has shifted power from employer to employee. At a time when everyone is fighting to attract the best talent in the face of what my colleague Lance Jensen Richards refers to as “The Talent Tsunami,” [Future of Work] potential employees are vetting employers online before ever setting foot through the door. 
 
No matter how actively engaged your company is in online reputation management, you will never stop every negative tweet or post.  Brand strength is your best defense, and that starts with treating employees well – not just when you bring them on but also, and especially, when you let them go.
[FULL STORY]
 

The U.S. has yet to tap the full potential of women in the workforce. We’d like to think that things have improved over time, but a recent McKinsey report produced for The Wall Street Journal* and ongoing data from Catalyst make it clear that something continues to hold women back from key leadership positions.
 
“Corporate America has a ‘leaky’ talent pipeline,” McKinsey says. “At each transition up the management ranks, more women are left behind.” Data from Catalyst and other sources cited in the report indicate that women represent about 53% of new hires, but only about 37% of lower/middle managers, 26% of VPs/senior executives and 14% of the executive committee, on average. The number of female Fortune 500 CEOs remains stuck in the 2-3% range.
[FULL STORY]
 

The Paradigm Shift Created by the Mature Workforce was the latest in a series of Ayers programs designed to help organizations focus on the impact of the maturing workforce. The emphasis was on opportunities and challenges. This invitation-only event, presented in the Parsippany office in May, built on the Mature Worker Employer Forum held in the firm’s New York headquarters in January. [Mature Workforce] Alan Silberberg, Ayer’s Active Life Planning Program Manager, presented a synthesis of findings from the forum’s facilitated discussion with senior HR professionals and from proprietary research conducted by Career Partners International with Ayers’ participation. These findings served as the basis for a lively discussion and sharing of best practices among the senior HR executives and talent-management leaders who attended.
 

Losing a job often forces us to redefine ourselves and, at the very least, step outside our comfort zones.  On a regular basis, we at Ayers meet with people who “stretch” themselves during this time.  They often find themselves doing things – or, in some cases, having to do things – they may not have thought possible.  Networking does not always come naturally to everyone, but it is still integral to a job search.  Once embraced, it can lead to new opportunities and new adventures, as the following clients can attest:
[FULL STORY]
 

Like many busy professionals, Joelle Marquis of Arsenal Capital Partners believes in giving back to her community. But with limited free time, she wants to invest it well.  As a Partner with the firm, Joelle is involved in assessing organizations for the firm’s portfolio, with a focus on human capital. She did the same kind of due diligence in selecting a not-for-profit board after relocating from Boston to Florida several years ago.
[FULL STORY]