July 14, 2021
TGIT
Is Thursday the new Friday? Iceland thinks so. AroundĀ 85% of the countryās workforceĀ now has the option to work 8 hours a day for only 4-day a week - without a decrease in pay.
And itās not just because it's a win for work-life balance. Studies from Iceland and other countries show that itās a win for the business too:
But of course, taking a whole extra day off for work comes at a cost: Iceland reported that some companies had to hire more people to make up for some of the hours lost per week. And since the average salary for a small business hire in theĀ US is roughly $37K, it can add up.
Plus, for service businesses like real estate, medical offices, and construction, fewer days worked means fewer sales coming in. Meaning, the productivity gains may not outweigh the costs for some small businesses.
So, cutting a whole day out of the week may not be a feasible option for all. But, there are still steps you can take to reap the benefits of promoting work-life balance.
For example, you could grant half days on some Fridays. Or give the option for your team to work a 4/10 model (AKA 10-hour workdays for 4 days a week). That way, your team still gets a long weekend without having to completely give up a dayās worth of work. Making it a āwin-winā for everyone involved!Ā
šĀ Get the full scoop.
STORY TIME
Itās Game 2 of the NBA Finals. There are less than 7:37 minutes left in the fourth. The Suns are up, but itās not too late for the Bucks to make a last-minute comeback. And several key players (Sunās center Deandre Ayton included) arenāt playing like itās the finals.
Thatās when coach Monty Williams sits Deandre down and says, stop focusing on your stats. Seems counterintuitive, right? I mean - you can only keep your lead if you get more points, more rebounds, more assists than the other team.
But Monty understands something most leaders donāt - how Goodhartās Law and Campbellās Law can get in the teamās way.Ā
In Deandreās case, he sets his sights high, racking up 16.3 points and 11.9 rebounds onĀ average in the postseason. But when a metric becomes a target, thatās it - itās the only thing players will aim to hit. Even at the cost of dropping other responsibilities (like defense).Ā Ā
And itās the same in business. Sales folks get monthly quotas and will do anything (end of the month deals and discounts included) to hit those quotas. Even if it means diminished margins.Ā
Ad teams are measured by click-through rate. So, they create clickbait and target easy-to-reach demographics that donāt really need your product. You get the clicks, but ultimately, not the sale. This can drastically drive up the cost to acquire a customer.
According to these metrics, the sales folk and ad team hit their goals. But the numbers donāt tell the full story. And hitting your metrics (especially by gaming the system to your advantage) doesnāt help your business win.Ā
So, what was Montyās breakthrough coaching moment? āPlay with force.ā Meaning, do your damned best, play the game like itās supposed to be played, and the stats will follow. Even if they donāt, Deandre can sleep well knowing he finished strong.
And it worked. Deandre added 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and a block before the final buzzer. Thatās because Monty chose a metric (even if itās not strictly quantifiable) that measures the value of the work produced. The stats followed.Ā
So, before you get your team chasing the next big goal, ask yourself: What exactly are we measuring? And why does this metric matter? That way, you can get everyone focused on playing their best, not just making themselves look good.Ā
šĀ See industry-specific examples of bad stats.
NOT TRENDY
Itās no longer fruitful to insist on hiring only within a 30-mile radius. Thatās because hiring only local talent is (to put it bluntly) so yesterday.
Donāt get us wrong ā hiring locally can be beneficial. However, chances are high that you probably wonāt hire the best of the best. Thatās because you have way more options to find talent when you hire beyond your city.
Thatās where international hiring comes into play. When you tap into a much larger talent pool, you get way more benefits than just a new teammate. Here are the top four:
šĀ See the easiest ways to hire remotely.
TL;DR