Torchlight introduces Torchlight Manager to impart HR with corporate caregiving tools as organizations and their employees navigate through the COVID-19 crisis.
When a series of upheavals plague the world, one of the most natural reactions of any entity would be to protect the most vulnerable segments. If this approach is applied to the corporate sector, organizations should ideally be focused on protecting their talent. Regardless of whether firms did this before the pandemic or not, in the new world, care and concern for talent is at the top of the list of priorities.
TorchlightOpens a new window has now announced the launch of Torchlight Manager which is a solution that supports Human Resources departments in guiding managers on how to create a caring culture at work during, and even post the coronavirus pandemic. The purpose of this new offering is to equip managers with key resources so they can support employees who are struggling due to the challenges of managing work and life. It contains on-demand, digital guides, tip sheets and tools.
Adam Goldberg, M.Ed., Torchlight’s CEO said, “We are in unprecedented times that are straining our work and home life, healthcare systems, and our economy. By focusing on creating a caring culture, employers can sustain both employees and the company through these difficult times and beyond.â€
The list of leadership competencies is now expanded to include a critical one – Empathy and Care. This is a skill that every manager will need to imbibe if they want to grow in their careers, in the post-pandemic world. Without true concern and efforts towards mentoring their team members, managers might fail to grow into the authentic leaders that are needed now.
Can Managers Learn How to Care?
The Torchlight Manager solution brings together HR, managerial, executive, and employee family stakeholders through an easy digital interface which is available anytime from any device. Modules such as A Guide for HR Leaders: Creating a Care Culture at Work during the Coronavirus Pandemic, An Invitation to Managers: Support the Caregivers on Your Team, Learn about the Caregiving Challenges Your Employees Face and so on are provided within the tool.
Carolyn Romano, J.D., Torchlight’s Vice President of Product added, “The HR leaders we’ve spoken with recognize the urgency and importance of supporting employees with their caregiving challenges during the pandemic. As their new ‘corporate caregiving’ roles emerge and evolve, they realize they can’t do it alone. To reach as many employee caregivers as possible, HR executives will need to enlist the help of properly trained frontline managers and supervisors. That’s where Torchlight Manager comes in.â€
The big question that is arising is whether this is a skill that can be taught and honed further through practice. Maybe such toolkits and guidance can probably shed light on the answer.
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Creating a Caring Workplace
There are some examples of steps being taken by organizations to create a caring workplace.
Small Initiatives – One Simple Thing by Google
A practice was started by Google, wherein the leaders asked their employees to write down a personal goal of theirs, but with the instruction that the goal can’t be about work. They shared the templateOpens a new window that was to be followed and encouraged employees to define the timeframe within which the goal needs to be achieved. Through this simple yet effective step they were able to make employees focus on their overall wellbeing that goes beyond work.
Widespread Change
LEGO has been creating a culture of care for its employees by allowing children to often visit and interact with the team during tours and product testing. Moreover, the company does not have any manuals or rule books about what employees do in order to create a more free-thinking environment.
For the past couple of years, partnering with Great Place to Work, People MagazineOpens a new window has been listing companies that care. This care could pertain to the world around them from a social consciousness standpoint, and even internally for their employees. This reiterates the importance of having a caring approach towards individuals inside as well as outside the organization.
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A fair and inclusive workplace which is also socially aware and active, is what most employees look for. They want to see how organizations go beyond caring for them as workers, to caring for them as people. There are many elements that form the overall approach for this. It might be time for organizations to now start defining their roadmap and strategies in a more committed manner for the same.