Links of the Week is a selection of articles and blog posts about #EmployeeEngagement and #Millennials that were the most popular on my Twitter feed this week. I’ve added some personal thoughts and opinions to the links below as well.

#1

12 Powerful Lessons You Learn at Stanford Business School (Inc.)

A large part of your role is to inspire and motivate your employees, and people will look to you for confidence,” Wyndowe says. “If you were on a plane with engine problems, you don’t want the pilot to say, ‘I am exploring a number of options and hope that… .’ You want him to say, ‘I will do whatever it takes to land this plane.'”

I really like this lesson above – Put on “the cloak” of leadership. Being the kind of guy who likes assessing all the options, I can relate to the quote above. But being a great leader is more about having others know you’ll do whatever it takes to make things a success.

#2

Report shows flexible work options leads to higher employee engagement (Calgary Herald)

Research, presented Wednesday at a Calgary Economic Development event [by Stone-Olafson], indicated an 89 per cent increase in high engagement if the work location is flexible.

I’m really not surprised by these numbers. Earlier this year, I started a job that is completely remote with each team member working from their homes/home offices. The flexibility that I’ve gained in my life to take care of personal tasks has really made it a dream job. Obviously, I make sure to get what I need to get done completed but I feel like I have more control of my life now. And that’s one of the greatest gifts that my organization has given me through a flexible work option.

#3

What Ants Can Show You About Employee Engagement & Customer Centricity (Business 2 Community)

Independent research shows that customer focus plays a role in employee engagement … In customer-centric cultures, two-thirds of employees are engaged, and one-in-four are fully engaged.

The ant analogy is a little misleading in the article but the insight around customer-centric companies having higher engagement scores is no joke. If you’re struggling with low engagement scores, find ways for your employees to interact with your customers and add value to your customers’ experience. Both parties will thank you for it.

#4

You Can Now Learn to Code From Your Couch (and Be Guaranteed a Job) (Inc.)

The Flatiron School, a New York City education startup, is rolling out a new developer course. It takes about 800 hours to complete — at the pace of your choosing — and costs $1,000 per month.

This sounds like a great program. From a student perspective, the fact that 98% go onto find jobs that average a $74,000 salary is comforting. From an employer perspective, finding new hires from a program like this can guarantee better quality.