Continuing Education and Community Engagement

Ending is the New Beginning: How to End Gracefully

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, over 7.5 million Americans will be graduating from high school or with a post-secondary degree this year. That is 7.5 million Americans transitioning into the next step in their personal and professional lives! And that’s just in a formal educational setting. The end of one journey can be just as confusing and challenging as beginning a new one, but hopefully with some thoughtful actions the process becomes one of enthusiasm and not anxiety. Here are some thoughts on graceful endings.

1. Take a deep breath, you’ve earned it! Relax for a moment and reflect on what you have accomplished without having to consider next steps. At this moment you have reached a peak, and that’s worth recognizing.
2. Take stock in the current you. Let’s flip the classic interview question and change it to, “Where did you see yourself five years ago?” How did you define yourself when the journey began, and what has changed?
3. Take-Aways. Now that you’ve reached this ending, what are you taking with you? Whether it’s physical, emotional or intellectual, you’ve got a whole new set of tools and experiences for the next step.

Every year millions of people find themselves at the end of one journey, but not everyone knows how to handle that. Once you’ve reached an ending, it’s natural to want to start the next step, even if that next step is to not start something new at all! Taking the time to find a graceful ending can help the transition process and make you feel even more prepared for your future endeavors. So, the next time you wrap up that project, complete that class, or decide it’s time to move on to your next adventure, make the ending just as good as your new beginning!

UW-Green Bay’s Continuing Education and Community Engagement Division (CECE) is continuously looking for ways to stay on the cutting edge of professional development for its clients. Be sure to check out the CECE website below, and reach out if you have ideas for new content you want to see! https://www.uwgb.edu/continuing-education/

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

What ChatGPT Can Do For Your Organization?

If you haven’t heard about ChatGPT yet, allow me to introduce you to one of the most talked about artificial intelligence programs in the world. This program, a chatbot that launched in late 2022, has taken the world by storm with advanced language usage and an ability to “learn” from your previous answers to create even more effective responses. While quite a bit of the press has focused on the education space, the uses for a program like ChatGPT have significant value for other industries as well. Here are some ways that ChatGPT has been used to either create or improve processes across organizations:

- Creating advertising plans and writing content for social media or marketing purposes.
- Developing coding, data analytics and cybersecurity suggestions.
- Acting as a recruiter and responding to questions and providing information that a potential candidate might ask for.
- Gaining a second opinion by gathering information on a subject and explaining the various intricacies.

ChatGPT can be used for a myriad of processes within an organization. However it is important to recognize its limitations as well. The program only uses data through 2021 and is not able to incorporate real-time information for topics such as finance. It also cannot guarantee that any responses it generates is 100% accurate and therefore should be considered a resource requiring additional due diligence. Yet ChatGPT can still be a powerful tool for generating ideas and creating process improvements. Don’t believe me? Here is what ChatGPT told me when I asked how businesses can use it:

“A business can use ChatGPT to improve customer service, sales and content creation, resulting in saved time and resources, as well as providing more personalized, efficient and accurate interactions with customers and clients. ChatGPT can assist internal employees by automating repetitive tasks, providing real-time data and insights and allowing for more efficient and effective processes, thus freeing up employees’ time to focus on more important and value-added activities.”

UW-Green Bay’s Continuing Education and Community Engagement Division is proactively looking for ways to stay on the cutting edge of professional development for its clients. Be sure to check out the CECE website and reach out if you have ideas for new content you want to see!

Sources:
ChatGPT– ChatGPT by OpenAI

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

The Value of Showing Appreciation

In a world going through a cycle of mass change and employee movement, the research is clear: showing your current employees’ recognition and appreciation can make a significant difference in their engagement, performance, and even retention. An article in the Harvard Business Review, titled “Do You Tell Your Employees You Appreciate Them?”, describes how leaders rated in the top ten and bottom ten percent for providing recognition have over a 40-percentile difference in their employees’ engagement scores. This is a significant gap to be attributed to a simple but meaningful practice for leaders to incorporate into their team culture. There are several ways you can improve your recognition and appreciation-sharing skills. Here are a few to consider:

Think about how people want to be recognized – Not everyone wants the public callouts and team celebrations. Recognize individual preferences, and they will truly feel seen and appreciated.
Go beyond “Good Job” – Show that you recognize the process and the work that went into them receiving the appreciation. Provide detail and specifics beyond just the outcomes.
Timing and frequency matters – Once you get into the habit of providing recognition to associates, the awkward initial feelings can fade away and your recipients can appreciate the moment more effectively. Also, timely recognition is the most effective recognition, so don’t wait too long!

If you aren’t normally a leader who provides recognition to their team members, it can feel awkward and unnatural to suddenly start. Remember though that you can always start with small, authentic moments of appreciation. Even that can make a difference in the engagement of employees, providing benefits for your team, team members and organization.

Understanding how to create high performing teams and communication skills are just two of the topics within UW-Green Bay’s Supervisory Leadership Certificate program. Registration is open now, learn more on our website.

Sources:

Do You Tell Your Employees You Appreciate Them?– Harvard Business Review

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

Reviewing LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Trends Report

LinkedIn recently shared their 2022 Global Talent Trends Report, highlighting analysis of job postings, responses to those posts, and interaction data from LinkedIn users. This report provides a number of valuable insights into the ways that people view the current job market, as well as their current positions and needs. Here are a few highlights to think about:

Company culture matters. Whether it is for a prospective employee or a current one looking to advance, the company culture plays a significant role in how people perceive employment opportunities and their future.
Flexibility is key. The pandemic accelerated trends towards a flexible workforce that isn’t going away. Between technology advancements and generational changes, the office is now just one place where business is occurring.
Well-being, especially mental, matters. People value their personal well-being in the workplace more than ever, especially their work-life balance and mental health. Companies that support their employee’s individual needs reap the benefits.
The Great Reshuffle, not The Great Resignation. Opportunity is everywhere, not just for employees. Employers can make themselves into workplaces of choice with clear, authentic branding and open communication.

The details mentioned above represent a basic overview of the information included within the 2022 Global Talent Trends Report. I suggest taking some time to read through the entire report as it includes data and specific actions that can be taken within organizations. Understanding these trends is a great place to start developing company culture, or your own professional journey.

UW-Green Bay’s Continuing Education team offers a number opportunities to develop your personal and professional skills, everything from certificate programs to workshops and boot camps. Check out their offerings at UW-Green Bay Continuing Education.

Sources:

2022 Global Talent Trends Report, LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

In the Wake of Patagonia’s Decision: Sustainability in Practice

In the wake of Yvon Chouinard’s decision to transfer ownership of Patagonia, the multibillion-dollar outdoor apparel company he founded, to a trust and non-profit organization, there has been a new surge in conversations surrounding sustainability. While decisions around how an organization acts sustainably might be something you think only happens at the executive level, knowing where to find resources can be a key point in helping you become part of that conversation. Here are two websites with information about current trends in the sustainability field and ways you can help become an advocate for your organization.

Conscious Capitalism: This nonprofit organization brings together people from many different industries and fields to educate and create effective tools for developing sustainable business practices. They offer virtual events and articles for free, giving you an opportunity to learn about sustainability at your own pace.

The B Lab: The B Lab is a nonprofit that provides organizations with the tools to assess their business practices, including a certification process that takes into account topics such as social and environmental practices, legal commitments and transparency. At this time over 5,000 companies have been certified as B Corps, including major companies such as Unilever ANZ, Nespresso Global, Athleta and Patagonia.

The practice of sustainability in organizations is something that anyone can address at any time. Whether it’s creating a new business practice that is more equitable for team members, or finding a new supplier that promotes their own ethical business standards, there are many ways to get involved in the conversation. Take some time to look at your own organization and see where you might be able to take one step towards a more sustainable focus.

Learn more about sustainability through UW-Green Bay’s Sustainability Noncredit Certificate Program offered in conjunction with the Environmental Management & Business Institute (EMBI).

Sources:

LinkedIn News. Patagonia founder gives company away. Ruiqi Chen. September 19^th, 2022.

Conscious Capitalism– www.consciouscapitalism.org

The B Lab– www.bcorporation.net

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

The Metaverse & Working In-Between

In a post-COVID world, the phrases “work from home” and “remote work” have become a significant part of organizational culture. Related to this trend is the idea of the metaverse, or that space where work takes place between the physical and virtual desks. If you haven’t heard of the metaverse yet, just wait. History shows that the longer a trend continues, the more advanced technology will evolve to become more effective and more efficient. Tech companies are already moving beyond programs like Zoom and Teams to focus directly on creating virtual, collaborative workspaces that allow people to connect in more advanced ways than ever before. Just as access to real-time data and information has become a part of our personal lives, the metaverse augments the workplace and allows for employees to create, develop, and refine information in the professional world.

It is just as critical to consider the importance of the physical location in the workplace and organizational culture. There will always be elements of work that require a physical presence, but it is the location and accessibility of those locations that will become more crucial as time goes forward. The strategic nature of locating your business is just as important as access to any other resource. Considering the advantages of location, combined with access to virtual assets, will allow well-prepared businesses to adapt quickly and effectively, putting them in line for a more successful future.

As technology further blends the physical and virtual workspaces together, how a company responds to the workforce trends will make for critical choices in future development. Is your company culture adaptable to change? Does it offer employees the resources they need to be successful, wherever they are working? The metaverse is going to continue to expand and evolve. How will your company respond?

Offer employees the chance to develop their skills in the Modern Workplace Skills Certificate program. Enrollment is ongoing and the program is completely online!

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SOURCE:
Harvard Business Review. The Metaverse Will Enhance — Not Replace — Companies’ Physical Locations. Vladislav Boutenko, Richard Florida, and Julia Jacobson. August 16, 2022.

Writing/Research Credit: Christopher Ledvina, UW-Green Bay Business Development Specialist

Why Sustainability Matters to Business

Like many consumers, businesses have sustainability on their minds! Some businesses are taking steps to become more sustainable and are experiencing its many benefits. However, others are hesitant to change. For those who are unsure or want to learn more, here are some benefits of sustainability practices!

Businesses need resources such as people, materials and land to operate. Without a healthy environment, resources will become too scarce. If there are too few resources, the business will struggle. Sustainability practices avoid scarcity by helping to ensure the health of people and the environment.

In addition, a sustainable business uses resources more efficiently. They plan meticulously and use exhaustive efforts to produce their products by wasting very little. According to Forrester, “tech leaders consistently [tell us] that specific efficiency initiatives contribute to sustainability… and sustainability initiatives force optimization.” So, innovation and sustainability work together to optimize and increase the company’s value while helping the world.

Next, stakeholders care if businesses are sustainable. Consumers and investors are more likely to engage with sustainable companies. Also, according to an article in the Harvard Business Review, a company emphasizing “regular dialogue with stakeholders… is better positioned to anticipate and react… to changes as they rise,” which gives them an advantage over their competitors. However, “when firms fail to establish good relationships… it can lead to increased conflict and reduced stakeholder cooperation.”

Stakeholder support and feedback are invaluable for a businesses seeking long-term success. So, by becoming sustainable, businesses experience increased investment, a competitive advantage and long-lasting support.

Finally, a sustainable business is better for people and the planet. Sustainable businesses provide a healthier environment, better support for their workers and the community. As a result, these businesses have a greater positive impact.

Learn about sustainable business strategies and make a green difference by enrolling in UW-Green Bay’s Sustainability Certificate Program. Continue your sustainability journey!

Sources:
Forbes. Why You Should Care About Sustainability. Forrester. November 30, 2020.
Harvard Business Review. The Comprehensive Business Case for Sustainability. Tensie Whelan and Carly Fink. October 21, 2016.

Writing/Research Credit: Benjamin Kopetsky, UW-Green Bay Marketing Intern

Handling Caregiver Burnout

What is caregiver burnout

The Cleveland Clinic defines caregiver burnout as “a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion.” This could include any number of negative emotions and behaviors. Some examples include fatigue, stress, anxiety, and changes in behavior. These feelings can build upon each other, which may cause negative feelings to worsen. The Cleveland Clinic says that staff members who are “struggling with burnout may make errors in judgement or decision-making ability; these errors could prove dangerous or even fatal” in cases of accidental mistreatment of medications. The feelings also could negatively impact the lives of the caregivers themselves.

Why it happens

Caregiver burnout may happen for many reasons. Caitlin Morgan from the Cleveland Clinic says several factors may influence the development of caregiver burnout. Caregivers handle many responsibilities and may not always have the help they need. Morgan cautions that “Facilities that are understaffed are at higher risk of developing burnout, as are those who face excessively high workloads.”

Prevention and relief

Thankfully, there are many ways to prevent and alleviate burnout. The Cleveland Clinic recommends:

Setting realistic goals
Taking advantage of respite care services
Developing tools for coping
Speaking with someone you trust or a support group

Caregivers who set goals, take breaks, find helpful resources and talk with others can relieve stress, find solutions to problems, and will remember that they are not alone in this process. Finally, caregivers should set aside time for self-care as well!

SOURCES

Cleveland Clinic. “Caregiver Burnout.” January 13, 2019

Caitlin Morgan. “Reducing Caregiver Burnout in Assisted Living Facilities.” Caitlin Morgan. May 15, 2020.

Wisconsin Caregiver Academy takes away the stress of caregiver training with online options. See how we exceed standards of care with ongoing training options.

Writing/Research Credit: Benjamin Kopetsky, UW-Green Bay Marketing Intern

Keys to a Successful Mentoring Relationship

Without a doubt, mentorships help people improve their knowledge and develop skills for the future. The mentor and mentee both benefit from this relationship. The relationship the two share is vital to creating a successful mentoring experience. So, how do you foster this relationship?

Get to know each other

Like all relationships, a mentoring relationship will improve from getting to know one another. Become more familiar with each other’s interests and goals and talk about your expectations for the relationship. This knowledge will help create a more insightful, efficient and effective experience without any wasteful discussion.

Set a schedule

Setting aside time for meetings is important. There should be some structure and understanding of how, when and how often you will meet. Dedicating part of their days to each other may also help the mentee and mentor stay present and attentive, giving them the best chance to learn and grow together. However, according to APA instruction, “Not every contact need be lengthy or weighty,” they can contain “small talk… necessary for establishing a relationship.”

Prepare

The mentee can get the most out of their structured meeting time by preparing some questions and other ideas to share beforehand. The mentor can do the same by remembering learning situations and preparing to share stories with their mentee. Being prepared will help foster great discussion, and both parties will appreciate it. Farah Radzi of ADPList believes you should “Treat each session like a first date where both mentor and mentee are putting their best efforts to get as much information as possible.”

Feedback

Be honest! Hearing what is good and bad about ideas nurtures better growth. Continually check in with each other. Mary Abbajay from Forbes, recommends asking each other, “How is this going for you? What’s been helpful? What hasn’t? What could I do differently to make this a more rewarding experience?”

Reflect

Between meetings, reflect on what you have learned. Reflecting will help you remember more of the important points of the meeting and apply them later. It may also help you remember something unclear so you can ask for more clarification during the next meeting.

You, too, can nurture career-enhancing relationships at your business or organization with a Mentoring Certificate Program developed by UW-Green Bay to help you establish a mentoring framework designed for success. Only three sessions. Now enrolling. First session starts February 23.

Sources

Forbes. “Mentoring Matters: Three Essential Elements of Success.” Mary Abbajay. January 20, 2019.

APA. “Getting Your Mentoring Relationship Off to a Good Start.” 2008.

ADPList. “How To Build a Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationship?” Farah Radzi. December 22, 2021.

Writing/Research Credit: Benjamin Kopetsky, UW-Green Bay Marketing Intern

The Future of Data Science

There’s no question that innovation leads to success. Blockchain technology has business leaders hurriedly analyzing and considering how it might optimize their operations. Is blockchain the future of data science?
To help you get a handle on this emerging technology, here’s a quick summary of blockchain and its potential impact on data science.

What is Blockchain?

York Solutions defines blockchain as “a decentralized database – an electronically distributed ledger or list of records that is accessible to various users.” In other words, it is an automated record keeper that can be commonly used for transactions. Today and future businesses will be exploring how to implement blockchain technology into other record-keeping-required activities.

Why Use Blockchain?

Blockchain advocates have boasted about the many benefits of blockchain. According to Matthew Hooper, former VP of Open Innovation at Barclays and head of Rise New York, businesses will see “greater transparency, enhanced security, improved traceability, increased efficiency and speed of transactions, and reduced costs.”

Who Will Be Using Blockchain?

Many professionals may find blockchain to be helpful in their operations. For data analysts, blockchain will be a powerful tool. By updating records and providing information more efficiently, they will be able review data, apply knowledge and give insight on actions to take and improve businesses.

What’s Next?

Businesses are seeing the potential in this technology and have started to invest. Many companies are already implementing blockchain to take advantage of its benefits. With the addition of investment, blockchain will only see more growth and implementation into expanded operations. In the future, transactions and many more activities are likely to have underlying blockchain technology because of its utility.

Is Data in Your Future?

You can be part of the future of data science. Learn the latest data science practices and new technologies by registering the Data Science Certificate Program. Data science has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing professions with demand for analysts booming. Empower your career!

SOURCES:
IBM. “Top five blockchain benefits transforming your industry.” Matthew Hooper. February 22, 2018.
York Solutions. “The Future of Blockchain Technology.”

Writing/Research Credit: Benjamin Kopetsky, UW-Green Bay Marketing Intern