New to OpenBlend? We are sure you have many questions. Below we have included our top common questions from managers. If your question is not answered here, don't hesitate to get in touch with your HR or our Customer Success team at customersuccess@openblend.com
1. Why are personal ‘blend elements’ included? (E.g. partner) How and why should a manager support this?
When employees select the Blend elements that are most important to them, it helps you as a manager quickly figure out what makes them 'tick'. Understanding what's important to the employee will help you focus on having the best conversations to help the employee perform at their best.
An employee's motivation and performance at work are influenced by many different factors, both inside and outside of work. Discussing an employee's personal Blend elements helps you understand and appreciate the individual more fully, in the process building a better and more trusted relationship.
Not all employees will feel comfortable or will want to discuss their personal life with you. One of the principles of OpenBlend is that Blend discussions are employee-led, meaning the employee is empowered to share as much or as little as they wish to about their personal life.
2. How to handle a tricky conversation around pay or promotion?
Make sure you listen to what is important to the individual. Explore what the importance is:
- Is it about what their pay level can mean such as saving for a house?
- And if it is becoming a leader what is their driver?
- Is it about feeling they are progressing in their career?
- What do THEY say is important about these areas?
Check with HR what the company’s principles and approach is. Take an action to follow up (record it in your actions) and report back.
Set a Talking Point to update your team member at your next 1:1 or by a relevant timeframe.
3. What if the team member doesn’t want to share or discuss their blend elements or wellbeing?
Explain your purpose in discussing these areas. It is not to pry. Rather to understand what you need to know to help them operate at their best. Take it step by step. Start by asking about 1 area of Blend and let them choose which one. Then with wellbeing, thank them for completing it. Ask them what support they need, if any, at this time. This is a good place to start and it builds trust.
4. Who should update the system in the session, manager or team member?
Team member’s update their own profile and “drive” the sessions by sharing their screens, with their profile open and they need to click on “begin session” (so remind them if you don’t see the blue “in a session” toolbar!
5. Who updates the objective progress: manager or team member?
Team member’s update their own objectives. It drives accountability and ownership.
6. Who is responsible for organising the sessions?
Both can arrange a session but its ultimately the managers responsibility to make sure they happen.
7. Who is able to see the information held in OpenBlend?
Managers can see employee profiles and all they contain. Leaders of departments can see team statistics and progress of objectives. Admins of the system can see detailed data such as sessions, trends of Blend and wellbeing as well objectives by leader and across the organisation.