HR-Worldview

Is your business stuck in a rut…and it seems like there’s no way out?

2011-10-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

Blaming the economy, the business cycle, your employees or customers is not the answer.

Ever have this nightmare? You’ve fallen into a 12-foot ravine – the rain is pouring down and the walls are covered with mud. Its dark, the wind is howling…and you are totally alone. You make one valiant attempt after another to climb out from this “fresh hell,” but every time you pull yourself up two feet, you slide back three. You are frightened, exhausted and expect the worse.

At this distressing point, you wake up in total relief that it was all just a nightmare. But metaphorically speaking, many business owners find themselves in a business rut; far too often and try as they might, they can’t seem to get out of the deep pothole that obstructs their road to growth. Their customers aren’t buying, sales departments aren’t selling and employees are not profitable. What’s worse, the longer time spent in the rut, the more it becomes the norm…or business as usual.

Just as you wouldn’t willingly live your life at the bottom of that ravine, neither should you be content to have a business languish. The bottom line is you need to get out of that rut and grow.

So, what keeps business owners in “the rut”? It’s too easy to blame “the economy” for why a business isn’t performing the way it should; but when we’re in “rut” mode, the focus is often on the low-hanging fruit. We concentrate more on price and less on quality and deliverables. And the domino effect is that we then accept mediocre results from colleagues.

Far too often, we do what is easiest and most familiar, rather than focus on developing new market initiatives that work, and cultivating deep quality business relationships. It’s easier to blame the economy and the fact that people aren’t “buying” rather than demonstrating leadership and guiding the company out of the rut. In fact, when the financial chips are down, that’s the absolute time for leadership and for business owners to do whatever is required to help their business grow.

But remember…there’s a huge difference between organic growth and growth that is linked to a well thought out business plan driven by key performance goals; the former happens naturally and in its own sweet time, while the latter is controlled by you, the business owner. After all, why settle for 3% or even 5% growth when you could do so much better?

With a vision-linked strategy and the right plan for your business, so much more can be achieved. In future columns, we’ll explore specific ways to grow a business – ways that will free you from that dreaded rut.

About our Benefits Installment Author: James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Request your free CD presentation “Vision-Linked Growth by emailing jmoniz@vladvisors.com.

Keep an eye out for Jim’s new book “Grow Dammit” due out in the spring of 2012!

Energizing a Young Workforce

2011-07-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

We recently came across an HR forum that had an active thread on the question of motivating and energizing the workforce. Of course, this is an old (though very important) topic but it seemed, at least in the minds of those that populate this particular thread, to have been revived by a new issue, namely, the under motivated, seemingly passionless hoards of recent college grads. “What’s to be done with this group?” The respondents to the thread had little to contribute by way of personal experience and it seems, for all the world, that a consensus formed around the current “best practices” in employee motivation and satisfaction. Clearly, this can’t be the way forward.

So, what is?

Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore this topic in depth. For now, we encourage your input either here or on our facebook page. In addition, we would be happy to publish a reader response or two.

How to decide which child will be the successor to your family-owned business

2011-06-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last month, we began a series on the four phases of succession planning for family-owned businesses. We explored the initiation phase – that period when it begins to become apparent whether a child or other family member will eventually fill your shoes as head of the organization.

This time around we’ll take a look at the selection process, perhaps the most difficult step of the entire course of transition, especially if it comes down to choosing among a number of children. And there’s an additional challenge if none of the children is or will be ready to take the helm…or if there’s a better choice outside the family.

Chalk it up to “just the way it is” but if the next generation leader is one of several children, the selection may be construed by siblings as “oh, sure, he was always your favorite.” This perception can be disastrous to the entire family unit and as such, some business owners avoid the issue, adopting the attitude of “let them figure it out when I’m gone.”

And then there are those who favor the “eldest takes all” approach. In some cases, however, the oldest may not be the best qualified, so placing restrictions – be it age or gender – on succession is rarely the best idea.

To keep things fair, family-business owners may want to embrace a successor selection model developed for corporate executive succession. In this model, the family business leaders can develop company objectives and goals for the future head of the company – essentially a job description that spells out specific results, skills, education, experience, and possibly even personality traits.

For example, if a business has set its sights on significant growth in the next five years, the potential successor would be required to have a thorough understanding of business operations, business development, valuations and financial statements, in addition to the ability to negotiate and good relationships with banking and lending institutions.

There are many benefits to designing such a job description. First, it removes the emotional aspect from the selection process; second it provides the business with a set of future objectives; and lastly, the company founder can rest easier knowing goals are in place that will ensure a growing, healthy business.

Next month we’ll delve into the successor training/education process – yet another delicate matter that is often best left to someone other than the owner.

About our Benefits Installment Author: James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Five Ways To Tell If Your Company’s CEO Earns His/Her Pay

2011-06-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Dr. Linda Henman isn’t as concerned about CEOs getting paid large salaries as much as she is about them being worth it.

CEOs earned an average annual paycheck of $11 million in 2010, with pay soaring by an average of 23 percent last year, according to research released by the AFL-CIO in April. As the economy’s sluggish recovery has analysts worried, Henman, a consultant for Fortune 500 CEOs, believes that company top dogs who actually earn their money are easy to spot.

“Those at the top have three major responsibilities: Develop the business, grow talent, and make decisions that drive innovation,” said Henman, also author of Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat (www.careerpress.com). “There is much shuffling at the top. Too often Boards don’t make wise decisions about CEOs and CFOs, and these executives, in turn, don’t make wise hiring decisions throughout the enterprise. But if leaders do a better job, companies can do a better job, which means individuals can do a better job. These leaders create companies where customers want to do business and people can do their best work. That all leads to financial health on the micro level, which translates to better financial health for the country. That’s why I think it’s important for people to understand if their CEO evidences the ability to soar above the competition, because in the end, only the strong will survive.”

Henman’s top qualities of a good CEO include:

Strategy – Strong strategic thinking defines the effective CEO. These leaders understand how to match a strong strategy with the tactics and talent to see it through. CEOS who constantly react to events, instead of planning for the future, remain followers and not leaders.

Decisions – When CEOs consistently make good decisions, little else matters; when they make bad decisions, nothing else matters. Even though decisiveness distinguishes leaders from everyone else, effective decision-making stands at the center of executive leadership. A decisive CEO who can’t hit the target is the same as an indecisive CEO who doesn’t even know where to find it. The results are the same.

Hiring – Successful CEOs know how to tie talent to their strategies so they ensures the company hires the best and the brightest and compensates them fairly. Moreover, they give these people a chance to thrive.

Excellence – Leaders who attract and retain top talent stress excellence. They focus on good execution of plans and strategies, and they don’t skew the mission by placing value on tertiary issues that have little to do with execution of strategic goals.

Results Orientation – Too many executives talk about how to motivate the troops. Those who excel in the hot seat do better. They hire people who are self-motivated, define clear objectives, hold people accountable, and then they get out of the way. Couple these practices with challenging, rewarding work, and the organization ends up with both better results and motivated employees.

“It all comes down to leadership, as opposed to management,” Henman added. “Managers come in all different flavors: good, bad, neutral, ineffective, overbearing, innocuous, and more. But true leaders, by definition, move people to perform at levels that allow them to beat the competition. Moreover, leadership doesn’t necessarily come with a title or a status. Responsibility and accountability come with that title, but leading requires the ability to take people to places they wouldn’t have gone if you hadn’t been in the picture. Leaders who possess this ability offer golden opportunities for their organizations and the people who work in them; those who don’t simply hope for a good golden parachute.”

About our guest author:
Dr. Linda Henman holds a Ph.D. in organizational systems, two Master of Arts degrees in both interpersonal communication and organization development, and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication. For more than 30 years, Dr. Linda Henman has helped executives in military organizations, small businesses, and Fortune 500 Companies define their direction and select the best people to put their strategies in motion. She has helped clients in the retail, financial services, food, medical, hospitality, manufacturing, and technology industries. Some of her major clients include Tyson Foods, Emerson Electric, Kraft Foods, Boeing Aircraft, Estee Lauder, and Merrill Lynch. She was one of eight experts chosen to work directly with John Tyson on his succession plan after his company’s acquisition of International Beef Products, one of the most successful mergers of the 21st Century.

A Perfect Synthesis

2011-06-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Despite careful planning, organizations often run into certain problems when attempting to do company wide 360 Degree Feedback projects. Typically, these problems involve excess time consumption, low participation rates, as well as complaints from participants about, among other things, the validity, purpose, confidentiality or value of the project. While most of these problems can be addressed in well organized "kick off" meetings, email communications, instructional documents and the like, some (but certainly not all) organizations come to feel as though the ultimate payoff is not worth the headache of trying to get several hundred participants "on board".

In response, HR-Meter has devised a solution for organizations who want the company wide benefits associated with 360 Degree Feedback yet wish to avoid or minimize the time, monetary consumption as well as the headache associated with such a task.

Department Focus 360 is the perfect synthesis of organizational employee satisfaction surveying and individual focus 360 Degree Feedback. Department Focus 360 is based on the same concepts that make multi-rater feedback of individuals so effective. In Department Focus 360 an entire department is treated as a single entity or individual. The department is assessed by it's constituent employees (much like a self review), its department heads (much like a manager's review) as well as other departments within the organization (much like a peer review).

The result is much like you would expect from a standard 360 Degree Feedback. A report is generated that details the strengths and areas for improvement of the department as a whole. Department heads disseminate the data to managers and supervisors who, in turn, express to employees what changes they would like to see on the basis of the results. At the same time, employees are given an opportunity for meaningful engagement. Our research has shown that organizations are significantly more likely to have a high acceptance of changes to day-to-day operations (such as those being handed down in response to the results of Department Focus 360) if those changes are the result of feedback coming directly from employees.

Once the initial data is in, repeated assessment of departments can be used to track improvement and highlight stubborn issues that may need a more local remedy (such as training or coaching).

You can learn more about Department Focus 360 by visiting HR-Meter.com

HR-Meter 360 Feedback and Career Coaching Giveaway!

2011-04-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

HR-Meter is giving away a Free 360 Degree Feedback assessment and an assessment review with a certified career coach!

You will be able to have up to 2 managers, 3 peers (coworkers), 3 subordinates (direct reports) and 3 clients review you in the following areas:

• Work Patterns and Productivity
• Responsibility and Initiative
• Communication and Team Work
• Leadership and Management Skills
• There will be comment fields available for each of these areas.

What you will get:

• A HR-Meter 360 Degree Feedback Assessment Report!
• Discussion of this report with a certified career coach!
• Show initiative at work
• Impress your boss,
• Anonymous, constructive feedback on your performance from your coworkers
• Develop a plan for your professional development.
• A push for your career!

But only the first 50 who register will get in!

Register Here

Feedback Culture?

2011-03-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Before engaging in a feedback process like 360 degree feedback, it is important to know whether your organization is ready to engage in this kind of activity. Do you have a feedback culture? Are you prepared to foster one?

Maybe you've been looking and asking around. Maybe you've heard your competitors use feedback tools to improve performance and development. Yet, if you're thinking of engaging in a feedback process like 360 degree feedback just because your competitors use it, think twice. Organizations may choose to do a 360 degree feedback just because their competitors do. Or maybe to give the impression of openness and participation to employees, clients or recruits when, in fact, this is not a part of the organization's culture. Regardless, this amounts to using a tool or procedure for political purposes and is ultimately counter-productive.

If, on the other hand, your organization has a growing commitment to openness and feedback, then perhaps it's time. Just be sure you're going in for the right reasons.

What about after Performance Evaluation?

2011-03-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Our colleagues over at HR-Meter are constantly asked questions like "but what are we supposed to do with the results?" and "where do we go from here?". These questions, of course, refer to performance evaluations, 360 degree feedback's and the like. These forms of feedback give employees a tremendous amount of information about how they have "performed" in the past, but organizations often find it difficult to translate that information into concrete road maps for future performance. It's certainly a tricky task and, unfortunately, it's often one that cannot be undertaken so "late in the game". What does that mean?

By "late in the game", I mean something like "after the results are in" or "once the reviews are complete". If you've made it to the "late in the game" stage and then you're asking "where do we go from here?", it's to late.

The road map for future performance must be defined before the reviews even get started. We encourage organizations to create performance evaluation processes with future performance in mind. Measure things that can be developed, improved or avoided. It sounds simple, but it requires thought and foresight. For example, when your employee has his or her review, the take aways should always be a list of strengths and a list of areas for development. Future reviews need to focus on measuring the level of improvement in those areas for development as well as checks to ensure that strengths have not be sacrificed in the process.

The real bottom line is: a performance review is not just something we do once a year because that's how it is. Unfortunately, many people I talk to describe performance reviews as just that.

The family business and its cast of characters

2011-03-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

Last month we began a series on family businesses and the ways in which they are unique. We took a look at the problems that can surface when roles taken within the family unit contrast or sometimes trespass on those assumed within the business structure.

This month, we’ll break things down further by exploring the perspectives brought to a family business by its “actors” – whether in a leading role, a supporting cast member or working behind the scenes.

First up, a family member who is an employee but not an owner. Conflict could arise if someone in this category starts to feel a sense of inequality with family members who have ownership and therefore are in decision-making positions. They may feel left out and even resentful if not asked to participate in decisions that affect the company’s bottom line. It’s not always the case, but typically family members employed by a family business generally expect to be treated differently from non-family members.

For the family member who is an employee and an owner, things can sometimes become quite challenging. This individual is typically the founder or chief executive of the business and as such must be able to successfully oversee the business while deal with concerns of family and non-family employees.

Normally falling within the category of family member who is an owner but not an employee are siblings and retired relatives whose major concern is the income provided by the business. They may be resistant to certain business decisions if they feel their financial security could be adversely affected, even for the short haul.

They may seem like bit players, but a family member who is neither an employee nor an owner can place great pressure on a family business. Typically falling into this category are children who may resent the amount of time a parent spends at the business. In-laws are also cast in this role. For example, a son-in-law could play a pivotal role in a family business without being directly involved as confidant to his wife, who is an owner.

Non-family members who are an employee but not an owner may find themselves dealing with issues of nepotism and coalition building and the effects of family conflicts played out within the workplace.

And there are non-family members as employee and owner. Stock option plans have made this category more commonplace among family businesses, particularly if the ultimate goal is to select a non-family member as successor. Employees who share part ownership want to be treated like owners, a concept that could prove difficult for family members/owners to understand and more importantly, accept.

Regardless of its origin, when conflict occurs in a family business, it can characteristically be traced to a disparity in the goals of the individuals, the family or the business. One essential mechanism to both define and align family and business goals is through strategic planning – in essence a mission statement for both the business and the family that allows each element to complement the other.

Next month we’ll zero in on business strategic planning and its critical function in formulating the policies and procedures of a successful family business.

New Year's Resolutions for your Brand

2011-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here are 10 things to try in 2011

1. BE COURAGEOUS, OFTEN

Take bold steps to stand out from the crowd. Reflect on 2010 and look at what you did well, and what you could have been different. Take courageous steps to help your brand stand out in 2011.

2. REVISIT AND REFINE YOUR PURPOSE

Take the time to look back at your mission and vision and ask if you were living it in 2010. Look for places to bring it to life with your team and explore whether you need to refine it. Remember: the words aren't set in stone. If they're not resonating, rewrite and revise!

3. SHUT UP AND LISTEN

There's a lot to learn if you just take the time to listen. Make sure you ask your team for feedback, ideas and suggestions. Listen to your consumers and pay attention to research. Listen to what they have to say and act on what you've heard. Honest, unfiltered feedback is fuel for change.

4. FIND AN ENEMY
An enemy gives you and your team something to push against–something to challenge. An enemy inspires passion! This year, define a clear enemy and rally your team. It could be a competitor, a trend or an element of your internal culture. No matter what it is, create a plan to beat it, share the mission with your team and go forth!

5. STRETCH AND SET SOME BIG GOALS
Set at least one wild and audacious goal for 2011–something you've never tried before. Outline the goal, share it with your team and challenge them to play their part in achieving it. Just don't forget to celebrate the small victories and successes on the journey.

6. BUILD A PASSIONATE AND ENGAGED TEAM
Your most valuable resource is your people. This year, weed out those don't contribute and aren't engaged. Replace them with active, passionate and energized people who will make a true difference to the rest of your team and your brand.

7. INJECT FUN INTO THE EVERYDAY
One of the best motivators for your team is a great work environment. This year, start doing small things that make your employees happy. A monthly massage for a those who have put in extra hours or a weekly pot-luck for the team. Small gestures or events can make a big difference. And the benefits won't just stop with your team - they will show through everything that your brand does. Happy people equals happy brand.

8. PLAN FOR LEARNING
This year, make a commitment and ensure you company is continually learning and is inspired by the word at large. Create a program that allows your team to take classes. Host a "learning lunch" monthly with guest speakers. Injecting new thinking into your organization will energize your team and, ultimately, benefit your brand.

9. MAKE FRIENDS WITH OTHER BRANDS
Partner brands can be your best ally–whether they're in your space or not. This year, chart a "circle of love," identifying brands with similar values that you'd like to partner with in 2011. Set one member of your team with a potential relationship and have them explore how to collaborate. You'll be surprised by the results, even just the initial conversations you'll have about your own brand.

10. SAY THANK YOU AND SHOW THAT YOU REALLY MEAN IT
And, lastly, do what your mother told you! Thanking people goes a long way to creating valued and appreciated fans–internally and externally. This year, find new ways to show you appreciate your team, your customers and your partners, in ways that truly make a difference in their lives. You'll be surprised and delighted by the results.

About our Guest Author:
Shawn Parr is the CEO of Bulldog Drummond, a design and innovation consultancy headquartered in San Diego whose clients include Starbucks, Pepsi, Jack in the Box, Adidas, MTV, Nestle, Pinkberry, Virgin, Disney, Nike and American Eagle Outfitters.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T12:55:00.001-08:00

Here's wishing you a happy new year!

The Cure for the Ailing Workplace

2010-12-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

Research shows the benefit of compassionate communication within the workplace

WASHINGTON, DC — Compassionate communication within an office can help prevent workplace burnout, and promote healthier work environments. Sarah Tracy, Ph.D., Director of the Project for Wellness-Work Life at Arizona State University, has some tips for how managers can use compassionate communication to enhance the workplace.

To create a better working environment, managers should encourage positive, compassionate communication between employees. There are three components involved when communicating compassion: recognizing, relating and responding.

Recognizing refers to the process of noticing and understanding details about another person, in order to act appropriately towards them. This includes observing nonverbal cues, listening to what the others have to say, and opening oneself up to feedback. Managers need to ensure that employees are regularly interacting with each other, and are aware of nonverbal clues about possible suffering.

Relating occurs when people identify, feel for, and connect with another person. Relating is fostered when employees are encouraged and rewarded to find connections with each other. This can also decrease the “us versus them” attitude they may have with peers and clients.

Responding is when employees engage in communication or behaviors that focus on another person’s suffering or distress. This can be as simple as acknowledging the presence of someone waiting in line, or as direct as providing praise as a show of support. The act of responding has the potential to greatly improve unsavory workplace situations.

“Workplace stress, bullying, and burnout are important issues that occur in many different forms throughout the workplace. They can lead to dissatisfaction and high rates of turnover among employees,” says Tracy. “Positive communication including energy, vitality, affection, and compassion can help improve employee relations at work.”

Positive interactions have been shown to help decrease stress. Teaching compassion-related skills like recognizing, relating and responding, can help create healthy and successful work environments.

About the author:
Sarah J. Tracy is an Associate Professor and Director of the Project for Wellness and Work-Life in the High Downs School of Communication at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. Tracy was invited to write an essay for Communication Currents, a publication of the National Communication Association.

To read Tracy’s essay, click here.

About the National Communication Association

The National Communication Association advances communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry.

The NCA serves the scholars, teachers, and practitioners who are its members by enabling and supporting their professional interests in research and teaching. Dedicated to fostering and promoting free and ethical communication, the NCA promotes the widespread appreciation of the importance of communication in public and private life, the application of competent communication to improve the quality of human life and relationships, and the use of knowledge about communication to solve human problems.

NCA is the largest national organization to promote communication scholarship and education. A non-profit organization, NCA has over 8,000 educators, practitioners, and students who work and reside in every state and more than 20 countries.

Top 10 Human Resources Trends of 2010

2010-12-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

"Challenging times inspire creative solutions, and the volatile economy has forged many changes in the human resources sector," says Jeff Fenster, founder of CanopyHR Solutions. "Businesses are trimming excesses in order to succeed, and that means human resources has become a more integral part of business planning than ever before."

Stretching the Compensation Dollar. Although 2010 showed some signs of recovery, HR managed workforces that were considerably smaller than just a few years ago. HR's role in managing productivity through ancillary projects while maintaining employee morale and well-being was challenged by the parallel expectation that workers be twice as productive. Innovative HR professionals instituted creative programs such as gift card giveaways and lottery prizes to boost employee enthusiasm in lieu of raises and bonuses.

Embracing Social Media. Social networking's undeniable impact hit the big screen in 2010, and it hit workplaces in a number of ways as well. Managers learned to be on the lookout for lost productivity as employees grew increasingly concerned with checking in with their favorite social networking sites. On the upside, savvy HR pros saw a shift in the landscape as hiring and firing trends played out online. Posts cost some careless employees their jobs as HR monitored Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. Smart employees landed new gigs by harnessing the power of social networking to market themselves and share information about job openings. Policies were developed to communicate clear boundaries and expectations and to attract top talent with the latest tools-with some even canceling subscriptions to Monster.com and shifting to social media recruiting.

Keeping the Communication Lines Open-Especially Amid Health Care Reform Anxiety. Maintaining employees' trust in the company and its business decisions through the ups and downs of health care reform was a must. Smart senior management kept communication lines open to demonstrate accessibility and willingness to answer questions and address concerns as they arose. That applied not only to top-down communication, but to lateral lines as well. Human resources professionals were charged with bringing functional departments together; communications, legal, payroll, and IT departments-everyone had to communicate a unified message to maintain employee trust.

Retaining Top Talent. When soaring unemployment numbers left many top performers handling increasing workloads for the same old salary, human resources departments had to focus on retaining company stars. Some of these high performers got antsy as compensation froze and expectations rose. Many continued to struggle with the lingering losses they've felt after company layoffs. This delicate situation required that HR pros soothe sore nerves and keep these folks from looking for greener pastures with creative incentives and sincere appreciation.

Managing Three Generations of Work Styles. As young Millennials entered the workforce, companies had their hands full integrating three distinct generations: Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. The aging Boomers believe strongly in security and loyalty. They don't always see eye to eye with hard-working Gen Xers who have more of an independent streak. The Millennials shook things up with the attitude that if they don't like what's happening at work, they'll go home to Mom and Dad. This generational juggling was best handled with management training that stressed the characteristics of these disparate groups and how to motivate and inspire the most productivity from them. Succession planning also came into play as firms prepared for the replacement of retiring Boomers with less motivation to stick around now that they're feeling overworked and underpaid.

Sharing an Ounce of Prevention. Healthcare reform drew the spotlight to employee wellness issues in 2010, shifting more emphasis to preventive programs like smoking cessation and obesity reduction. Ben Franklin's proverbial "ounce of prevention" may finally see its day in the sun in 2011 workplaces, as employers continue the 2010 trend of encouraging employee participation in wellness programs in order to increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and boost the health of their staffs. For some, it's also a long-term strategy to avoid higher health coverage costs for increasingly overweight and unhealthy American employees.

Clearing Up Confusion. Another obvious consequence of healthcare reform's starring role in 2010 was employee confusion and uncertainty about health benefits. It became an imperative for human resources staffers to communicate benefit changes in advance, whenever possible, and explain changes in terms of how they would affect individual employees and their families. A crucial piece of that puzzle was often dispelling the misperceptions that dominated the public conversation-from dire cuts to death panels. Few changes have occurred yet, so this trend will persist in 2011 and beyond, compelling HR teams to closely monitor things like free flu shots, effective dates and the details of grandfathered health plans-and of course, clearly communicating these details to employees in a timely manner. The smartest pros will keep arming themselves with concise answers to difficult questions that will continue to arise as changes are implemented and look for new ways to reach employees with relevant information.

Managing the Virtual Workplace. Tech advances continued to lure employees into new territory, especially when it came to virtual work and telecommuting. The trend came with pluses and minuses. Some companies slid into this trend with ease, as exempt Gen Xers with no defined hours blended work and personal responsibilities into an organic off-site workday. Other companies struggled with non-exempt workers. Meticulous time tracking was required to ensure proper payment of overtime and the like. Most of the latter companies discovered the concept was detrimental to business. It's a lifestyle management issue that will continue to show up on HR radar screens in 2011 and could be further impacted by additional tech developments.

Working Together. Leaner, more streamlined companies must share information laterally to get the most from scarce resources. HR teams took a leadership role in reaching out to other departments and "sharing the sandbox." More than ever, employees in every department have a sense of facing adversity together. Strategic-minded businesses used the momentum to support strong teamwork and innovative solutions that crossed department lines for everyone's benefit.

Riding Out the Recession. As much as circumstances have improved, the recession we battled against throughout 2010 continues to impact companies and individuals-a trend that will likely continue beyond 2011. HR departments and executives need to tune into their resources and prioritize more than ever before. True innovation is the best way to establish solid initiatives without a solid budget. Successful firms will continue to prioritize wisely, focusing on the most effective tools to enhance business strategy and achievements and develop new business.

"Uncertainty breeds fear in everyone from employees to executives," says Fenster. "Perhaps the most important take-away from the major shifts we saw in 2010 is that the best HR professionals are those who are best at managing uncertainty and allaying fears. That means always reaching out for new information and reliable answers and communicating that information clearly. It also means creating new ways of helping managers and employees move forward, even when the future remains uncertain. Great change requires great innovation, so I think we're going to see some exciting programs and strategies come out of this adversity."

About this list.

This list was compiled by CanopyHR Solutions: Based in Irvine, Calif., CanopyHR Solutions is a progressive payroll and human resources company dedicated to helping its customers maximize the power of their people, increase business efficiencies, lower costs and focus on what they do best. Canopy HR Solutions first disrupted the status quo of the payroll and human resources in 2008 with a customer-first business model that allowed its customers to select only those service modules they need. Their innovative style and superior, consultative approach to service has allowed the agile company to thrive by arming customers with the tools and technology to support their payroll, benefits and HR administrative needs from recruitment to retirement at an unbeatable price point. For more information, visit http://www.canopyhr.com/.

End of the Year Employee Satisfaction and Engagement Surveys

2010-12-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

When was the last time your company took a good hard look at itself? And I don't mean the books?

Looking for a great gift to give your employees this holiday season? How about a year end soap box? Some of the best consulting advice can come from in house. Our research has shown that organizations are significantly more likely to have a high acceptance of changes to day-to-day operations if those changes are the result of suggestions coming from employees.

Simply by implementing a year end employee engagement and climate survey can immediately improve:

Employee satisfaction
Employee confidence
Employee performance and productivity
Employee - Managerial interaction
Over all morale

Give your employees a voice this holiday season.

Safety Incentive Plans

2010-12-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

When examining your own safety reward program or when building one from scratch, consider the following guidelines:
1. Keep Rewards Small

Material rewards should not be perceived as the major payoff. The promise of incentives and rewards should only serve as reminders to work safely, and delivery of such rewards should be viewed by employees as a token of appreciation for performing the desired safe behaviors. If the focus is on the material reward, then the focus is not on working safely. A good rule of thumb is to try and equate the value of the safe behavior with the value of the reward. Therefore, giving away a $20 gift certificate to everyone who completed their observations for the month might be excessive.

2. Involve Workers

Include as many workers as possible in the construction, selection, and delivery of the reward system. By doing this, buy-in is generated up front and support or lack thereof will be evident early on so changes can be made prior to launching the program. Also, by involving workers, you are more likely to choose appropriate reinforcers rather than having management choose what they THINK workers would like. Here is a great link to an employee survey template.

3. Specify The Behaviors You Desire

Behaviors required to achieve a safety reward should be clearly spelled out and perceived as achievable by participants. If safe behaviors are not specified, then employees will not know what they need to do in order to receive the reward and interest will soon wane. Bad example: Receiving a reward if you haven’t had any accidents in the past year. Good example: Receiving a reward for achieving a percent safe goal for a behavior or set of behaviors on a checklist.

4. Collect Data And Post It

Progress toward achieving a safety reward should be systematically monitored using checklist data, and publicly posted for all participants. If safety performance is not monitored, then it will be impossible to accurately determine which employees deserve the reward.

5. Provide Meaningful Rewards

Carefully determine the rewards given as a part of your program. If employees do not find the rewards meaningful, then the reward program will not be an incentive to work safely. Some organizations have done plant-wide surveys to determine what types of social, tangible, and work process rewards are meaningful to employees.

6. Never Penalize All Group Members For Failure Of One Member

Groups of employees should not be penalized or lose their rewards/incentives for the failure of one group member. Group rewards should be tied to the overall performance of the group, but some control must be in place to assure that each member of the group who gets the reward actually earned it.

7. Give The Reward To Everyone Who Meets The Criteria

You should design a reward program with this principle in mind. If you can’t afford to reward everyone who meets your criteria, you should reinvestigate your criteria. Everyone who meets the behavioral criteria you have specified should be rewarded. Otherwise, some employees who have worked safely will not be rewarded. These employees will perceive they have been punished. Some guidelines to follow:

It is better for many participants to receive small rewards than for one person to receive a big reward. Example: An organization decides to use a lottery incentive program where there is a raffle for a television set, a stereo, or a vehicle; usually participants accumulate chances for the drawing and then at the end of a specified period of time, the drawing occurs. One person wins. The problems with this are:

Everyone worked safely many times but was not rewarded.
The person who won did so by chance.
The focus might be on the big prize, not safety.

One group (or individual) should not be rewarded at the expense of another group (or individual). Everyone should have equal opportunity to achieve the reward. The process by which the incentive is given should not be a formal competition where one group "beats" another. Healthy competition can be very effective in generating high levels of safe performance but be careful not to set up a win-lose situation. Those employees who came close to winning will feel punished because they worked safely, but were not rewarded.

8. Keep The Program Rules Simple

The most successful reward programs are also usually the simplest. The less complicated the program, the better the chances that all workers will understand and participate in it, and that the safe behaviors will occur consistently. Launch the program with a special kick-off event or as part of your behavior-based safety program kick-off event to let everyone know the "rules," and to show that the program has the support of management.

9. Follow Through With Rewards

Nothing kills a reward program quicker than failure to deliver the promised rewards. Make a commitment to follow through with all aspects of the program. It may seem frivolous, but an effective Safe Performance Reward Program can play a very important role in workplace accident prevention.

All of these guidelines can be applied to safety programs that focus on automobile fleet safety, employee safety to control Workers’ Compensation costs and the WC Experience Mod, or customer/3rd party safety as it relates to General Liability.

About our Guest Author:

John Keller is a Certified Risk Manager and consultant with Praxiom Risk Management in Tampa, FL. Praxiom is a full-service outsourced Risk Management consulting firm specializing in Workers’ Compensation safety, loss prevention, claims management, insurance placement, and is comprised of veterans of the risk management and financial services industry. Praxiom works with clients nationwide. Comments and questions are welcome at jkeller@praxiom-rm.com. Click here for John's full bio.

The Advisory Board: A Powerful Tool for Business Succession

2010-11-30T08:15:00.000-08:00

When it comes to business succession, the creation of an Advisory Board is a strategy that can produce many benefits for a family business engaged in determining the future.

In general, family businesses utilizing an Advisory Board as part of their succession management process tend to thrive in size and profitability. And, not surprisingly, they also are inclined to have healthy family relationships and successfully transition from one generation of family ownership to the next.

For most family businesses interested in implementing the Advisory Board strategy, the time required to prepare for an initial meeting will range from 6-24 months; this point cannot be underscored enough as it will take that amount of time to conduct the due diligence required to effectively utilize this vital consultative panel.

Many architects and civil engineers will tell you the key to a successful construction project is mostly about site preparation work; the same concept applies to getting the family business ready to support the activities of their Advisory Board.

The members of an Advisory Board are not family business consultants. An Advisory Board may consist of one or several objective and experienced business people who are unrelated to the business at hand. Impartiality is pivotal to the composition of an Advisory Board as an “outsider” can bring perspective to both the issues and opportunities that face the family business.

It should be noted that Advisory Board members are not trained or experienced in dealing with family business dynamics. Those difficult family issues must be recognized and resolved before the Advisory Board can go to work. If these concerns are not dealt with honestly and thoroughly beforehand, the succession management process will be stalled…and at times completely derailed.

A professional succession management program facilitated by a qualified financial consultant can help guide the Advisory Board process. As an example, the approach taken by Northeast VisionLink includes a structured, yet informal meeting for frank conversation about the history of the family business, its present situation and anticipated future – with the goal of opening the lines of communication to allow the family to think about working together as a cohesive group. Individuals may have varying personal goals, but with the guidance of a qualified consultant, the shared common objectives for the business as a whole will become more visible.

One-on-one interviews with all family members involved in the business as well as key non-family members of the management team is part of the due diligence conducted by a financial consultant; these sessions provide individuals the opportunity to discuss their personal goals and aspirations as well as their ideas and concerns about the family legacy, all in a confidential manner. The interviews serve as the foundation for a recommended course of action or strategic plan by an Advisory Board.

It should not be forgotten that an Advisory Board has a business orientation; that is to make the business more successful. The needs and goals of the family drive the strategic objectives for the business and, from a succession management perspective, gives the Advisory Board a framework to build upon.

The next step is putting together a "to do" list for the family and for the business - and getting agreement on a time frame for completion. At this point, participants are in fact helping the family business create the infrastructure needed to grow the business for both the present and the future. This is also the time period when a financial consultant can begin to determine the composition of people that could be recruited for the Advisory Board.

Part of the challenge of a financial consultant is to ensure the correct personal chemistry between the family and board members. It is extremely important that they share common values. Likewise, confidentiality is always an important element of the recruiting process. A financial consultant can meet and talk to potential board members as a representative of the family without divulging the identity of the family business.

It must be noted, however that once an Advisory Board is in place it will be privy to sensitive infrastructure materials, including a formal business plan, a written succession plan, and Buy/Sell Agreements.

An Advisory Board can be a powerful tool for growing a business and maintaining healthy family relationships. Most importantly, it can create a safety net for the family and the business in the event of a catastrophic occurrence, such as the unexpected death of the business owner.

Next month we’ll get into specifics regarding the composition of an Advisory Board, its intrinsic benefits and suggested compensation for participants.

About our Benefits Installment Author: James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

10 Reasons Your Employees Hate You (Or at least reject you)

2010-11-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun (though serious) list to ponder.

Being the boss comes with some great perks- a better bank account, corporate benefits, and a fancier title- but why, before you even hold your first meeting, do you get the sense your employees hate you? Unfortunately, more power comes with more problems, and Neil Giarratana, author of "CEO Priorities" and former CEO himself, offers 10 reasons your employees hate you before you even settle into your office:

1)Someone else had aspirations for your job, didn't get it, and concluded that the selection process had serious flaws.

2)Blame MUST fall on someone, and, because you're the biggest beneficiary of the company, you are the biggest target.

3)Your style of leadership or rumored future plans could be the problem. Even if you made NO indication of any future plans, rest assured the rumor mill is alive and well.

4)Someone in the company knows you from another company situation or from within the company, and got to know you during your climb up the ladder. His 'memories' of you are more like nightmares. He might have even worked for you at a previous company.

5) There are concerns you will bring in a new team and replace current management, which could involve new hires or people from your old company.

6)Your real or rumored lifestyle may offend certain people in the company.

7)You seem so different from their beloved previous leader that you can't be any good.

8)You come from another industry and don't understand what "our industry" and "our culture" are all about.

9)No one really knows what you're going to do, how you're going to act, or what policies you will follow, but everyone knows that in spite of that, it will be and has to be stopped.

10)You may already know an executive in the company and you may not think very highly of him. In all probability, he will know this, too, and be part of an 'undercurrent' problem you experience with him because he will be concerned that you will readily replace him.

In his book, CEO PRIORITIES (Career Press), retired international CEO, Neil Giarratana, shares "conduct and survival related" insights and recommendations aimed at providing future and current CEOs with the means to be on the positive side of that "popular opinion" equation and thereby reduce or eliminate the disdain factor so omnipresent in today's discussion of business leadership.

Fear at 360 Degrees…

2010-11-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

To unlock the power of the 360 degree feedback process a manager must either be well prepared to navigate through gap analysis and a host of comparative data or should be flanked by a coach throughout the debriefing period.

It is easy for a manager who feels untrained when it comes to giving feedback to fall into some of the common traps that have given the 360 degree feedback a bad reputation in the past. Feedback that mentions “who said what” or focuses solely on the weaknesses of an employee without being careful to offer a balanced feedback may do more harm than good and be easily overwhelmed by the quantitative measurements. If the desired result of a 360 degree feedback process is to improve the behavior of employees or leaders, then it is vital that the feedback be as accurate, balanced and relevant as possible.

While all this sounds like common sense, are you able to distill the meaning of the results of a 360 degree feedback in a professional and constructive manner? Or do you find it to be a personal affair?

Questions to ponder:

Have you ever struggled with giving a balanced feedback?
Do you have an anecdotal vignette to share?

Suggestions:

Partnering with coaches can provide long term benefits in the professional development of your employees, leaders and ultimately your organization.
Using 360 Degree Feedback tools that have been custom build for your organization can make all the difference.

The reshaping of feminine leadership in a mixed gender environment

2010-11-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

Continuing on the theme dedicated to Team Building, team Effectiveness and GroupThink we are highlighting a thought-provoking research conducted by the Bristol Business School at the University of West England that focused on the different leadership roles of men and women within teams. Specifically, the research question was ‘To what extent is leadership as a sense-making process impacted by gender? Using a pragmatic approach involving the use of induction, discovery of patterns, deduction and testing of theories and hypotheses, Grisoni and Beeby compared the interactions and results of teams comprised either by men alone, women alone or mixed genders.

The research indicated that the essential conservatism originally associated with male professionals permeated all three teams indicating that men and women adopted teamworking strategies for sense-making that contained many similarities. The authors used “meetings” as part of their study because the modern business trend is to utilize team-based leadership that involves more meetings with increasingly growing numbers of women in senior positions.

The essence of the study can be distilled to the following:
The gendered nature of meetings could be a barrier to the expression of feminine forms of leadership which typically entail ‘managing’, ‘facilitating’, and ‘influencing’ and would instead shape their leadership toward a more mixed gender scheme of ‘developing’, ‘nurturing’ and ‘managing’ attributes.

Questions to ponder:

Have you experienced a difference in single gender meetings vs. mixed gender meetings?
Do you find that feminine leadership is reshaped by the mixed gender business environment?
How is male leadership affected by the increased number of senior female leaders?
Are the male professionals morphing their leadership styles as well?
Is this a desirable outcome for the teams in your organization?

Grisoni, Louise, and Mick Beeby. "Leadership, Gender and Sense-making." Gender, Work & Organization 14.3 (2007): 191-209.

Ability diversity or cognitive diversity: what yields the most accurate decision-making group?

2010-11-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

According to a study published on the Information Science Journal, it was proven through unique empirical research that while ability diversity decreased group decision errors by approximately 4%, cognitive diversity was much more effective as team decision errors were reduced by approximately 13% thus putting into question the popular belief that reliance on using more capable members to create high performance homogeneous groups may lead to better team decisions. The final conclusion of the study was that a much better strategy is to create groups of members that ‘think differently’ and cooperate to produce a group decision

So, group composition really improves decision making? Certainly. Yet, the traditional approaches should be augmented. At a software tech firm, for example, forming coding teams that produce error free, innovative work would require more than just the lumping together of the brightest programmers and then setting them on a problem. It takes more diversity than that.

A good first step for our software firm would be to compose the group from, say, two bright computer programmers, two physicists, and two mathematicians. This would give you a group formed from members with diverse abilities. Yet, according to the new research, this would only reduce the team’s decision errors by about 4% because their cognitive abilities are still so similar.

What is needed is not only diversity of skills and high intelligence, but also diversity of thinking style. The most difficult trick of all turns out to be in identifying thinking styles. A good second step comes from the research of Professor Thomas Malone of MIT. Putting a few women on the team would improve the overall social sensitivity of the team thereby increasing its collective intelligence.

Questions to ponder:

Is your organization postured to make savvy team decisions or is their effectiveness limited by lack of diversity (ability and cognitive)?
How does the composition of group membership differ between most accurate and least accurate decision-making groups?
Can you even identify your most and least accurate groups?

Here is an interesting and related video:

If you are struggling to find ways to identify thinking styles, one way is to examine management decisions.

The research article cited above: West, David, and Scott, Dellana. "Diversity of Ability and Cognitive Style for Group Decision Processes." Information Sciences 179 (2009): 542-58.33

Money, Markets, Stress and Productivity

2010-10-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

You work hard to get ahead and ideally put yourself in a better financial situation and ultimately to retire to a comfortable lifestyle.

You know that saving and putting money away is important and you do it when you can. You wonder if you are doing the right thing.

You are bombarded all day everyday by the 24 hour news and the investerati that you need to do this and you better not do that. It’s confusing to say the least.

Studies show that employees waste a lot of time. Some studies put the figure at as much as one hour a day. In addition, those same studies show that as much as half of that time is spent on personal finance.

Opportunity cost or economic opportunity loss is the value of the next best alternative foregone as a result of making a decision.

When employees choose to engage in activities other than work while at work, they have made such a choice. Besides the time and productivity decrease, it is virtually impossible to know what they may have achieved during that time.

When the activity chosen at work is personal finance however, we can say beyond any reasonable doubt that they have chosen an activity which is not only detrimental to their employer but detrimental to themselves as well.

While it is great to see people taking an interest, it is entirely unhealthy for a business to have its employees re-balancing their 401k, day trading, calling their stockbroker, stock picking and monitoring the stock market.

And what’s worse is that it’s all likely to no avail since every study on the subject shows that passive investing beats active investing over any reasonable time-frame, especially given the lowering of index fund fees.

Engaging in an activity at work that isn’t work is a waste of valuable productive time but to engage in an activity that has been proven to be counterproductive is hard to imagine but it happens every day in every office.

The solution is simple. Consider the fact that over 90% of professional money managers cannot beat the simple S&P 500 index.

There is an abundance of evidence that suggests that simply buying an index fund (either ETF or mutual fund) will not only save you a fortune in fees over a lifetime but increase your investment results. Furthermore, you will personally be better off as well having more time and less stress.

About our Guest Author:

Scott Barclay is the author of ‘How the Investment Business Really Works’ (www.htibrw.com) and is a sought after speaker and workshop facilitator.

Mr. Barclay worked for some of wall street’s biggest firms and knows how the investment business really works. He graduated from the University of Alberta in Psychology and Physics and has completed graduate work in both finance and organizational behavior from McMaster University and the University of Texas at Dallas.

3 Tips for Executive Development

2010-10-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Leaders are suffering from their own business hangover. During our recent political in-fighting and economic uncertainty, businesses have had their nose to the grindstone striving to do more with less. Everyone was so focused on surviving and cutting, they're just now looking up and realizing they have no clear next steps, limited vision and no energy.

AmyK, who has worked with Martha Beck (Oprah's Life Coach, bestselling author and columnist for O), National Geographic, IBM, John Paul Mitchell Systems, to name a few, offers you, our readers, these three quick and easy tips for executive development that any business leader can practice to immediately improve his/her leadership performance:

Focus on energy, not time. Time is a constant; energy is a manageable, renewable resource. What's sucking out your energy and what refuels it? Your answers will influence your strategy for energy management within the constraints of time.
Leadership happens one conversation at a time. Slow down and ask better questions. Focus on thought-provoking questions over reports. In meeting prep, devote at least five minutes to think of three to five questions that will lead to a more productive, more thought-provoking meeting. These five minutes will save you hours down the road.
Create internal alignment. Step back and ask yourself: What am I resisting? What am I judging? What am I attached to? Answer these three questions and you'll gain clarity, insight and a foundation for momentum.

About our Guest Author:

With over 700 presentations to 20,000+ executives in seven countries, AmyK Hutchens serves as an Intelligent Activist and business strategist to leaders around the globe. AmyK is a former senior EVP of operations for a leading sales and marketing firm, director of education for Europe and Australia for a 900 million dollar consumer products company, and chosen member of National Geographic's Educator Advisory Committee. She is the winner of five Telly Marketing Awards and the Summit International's Award for Creativity (2008) and a featured guest on NBC, Fox and ABC for her brain-based commentary on current events.

When the whole is greater than the sum of its parts: The intrinsic benefits of Group Think

2010-10-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

New Study by Carnegie Mellon, MIT and Union College documents how collective intelligence of groups surpasses the cognitive abilities of the individual group members and that the tendency to cooperate effectively is linked to the number of women in a group.

The authors of the study confirmed the hypothesis that groups, like individuals, have a consistent ability to perform across different types of cognitive tasks and that the effectiveness of a group can, in fact, be predicted in many situations. Because the effectiveness of a group is derived by how well its members work together, it was also proven that in groups where one person dominated, the group was less collectively intelligent than groups where the conversational turns were more evenly distributed. Moreover, it was noted that groups containing more women demonstrated greater social sensitivity (social sensitivity is how well group members perceive each other's emotions) and greater collective intelligence compared to teams containing fewer women.

By extrapolation, the study postulates that it’s possible to improve the intelligence of a group by changing its members, by teaching them better ways of interacting or by giving them better electronic collaboration tools. The bottom line is that it is not the individual intelligence that will make the group succeed, but how the collective intelligence is harnessed together with the right mix of social sensitivities.

Questions to ponder:

Based on the findings of this latest research, how do you encourage group thinking in your business?
Or do you encourage it at all?
Do all of your teams look alike or are their demographics such that you too can predict the effectiveness of the group?
How do you help your groups to sharpen their thinking and therefore to improve their effectiveness?
Finally, do you have tools in place to measure the effectiveness of your teams?

We will be discussing these questions and more on our Facebook page.

Workers Compensation "Payroll" Inclusions and Exclusions

2010-10-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Today we present an article on Worker Compensation Inclusions and Exclusions from our Guest Author: John Keller, CRM ARM CIC AAI

Throughout my work consulting with businesses in all aspects of Workers Compensation, I’m always asked a basic question about WC payroll, so I thought I’d elaborate for all. Most of us know that Workers Compensation premium is a function of rates and payroll by classification code. Because this is relatively straight forward, it’s easy to gloss over “what is considered ‘payroll’ for workers compensation purposes?”

Incorrect payroll has a direct impact on Workers Compensation premium, and it’s critical that the correct payroll be used. Under-report payroll and you’ll have a large, nasty audit bill hit you 3 months after the policy expires (100% due in full, by the way); over-report payroll, and you drag down your cash flow throughout the year, and then have to claw for your money back at the audit.

Below is a comprehensive list of the inclusions and exclusions for “payroll” as defined by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI):

Inclusions in payroll for Workers Compensation insurance:

Wages or salaries, including retroactive wages. (Check with your insurance company auditor to have them provide state caps on individual weekly wage) Not capping individual wages is a common cause for over-reporting.
Commissions and draws against commissions
Bonuses including stock bonus plans
Extra pay for overtime work, with exception
Pay for holidays, vacations, or periods of sickness
Payments by an employer of amounts required by law to be paid by employees to statutory insurance or pension plans (like Federal Social Security)
Payments to employees on any bsis other than time worked, such as piecework, profit sharing, or incentive plans
Payments or allowance for hand tools or power tools used by hand and used in their work or operations for the employer
The rental value of an apartment or house provided for an employee
The value of lodging, other than apartment or house, received by employees as part of their pay
The value of meals received by employees as part of their pay
The value of store certificates, merchandise, credits or any other substitute for money received by employees as part of their pay
Payments for salary reduction, employee savings plan, retirement, or cafeteria plans that are made through employee-authorized salary reduction from the employee’s gross pay
Davis-Bacon wages or wages from a similar prevailing wage law
Annuity plans
Expense reimbursements to employees to the extent that employers’ records do not substantiate that the expense was incurred as a valid business expense
Note: when it can be verified that the employee was away from home overnight on the business of the employer, but the employer did not maintain verifiable receipts, a reasonable expense allowance, limited to $30 day, is permitted
Payment for filming of commercials, excluding subsequent residuals

Exclusions in payroll for Workers Compensation insurance:

Tips and other gratuities received by employees
Payments by an employer: (1) to group insurance or pension plans and (2) into third-party pension trusts for the Davis-Bacon Actor or similar wage law (pension trust must be qualified under IRC Sections 401(a) and 501(a)
The value of special rewards for individual invention or discovery
Dismissal or severance payments, except for time worked or accrued vacation
Payments for active military duty
Employee discounts on goods purchased from employer
Expense reimbursements to employees to the extend an employer’s records substantiate the expense was a valid business expense
Note: reimbursed expenses and flat expense allowances, except for hand or power tools, may be excluded from the audit if all three of the following conditions are met: (1) the reimbursed expenses were incurred upon the business of the employer, and (2) the amount of each employee’s expense payments is shown separately in the record of the employer, and (3) the amount of each expense reimbursement approximates the actual expenses incurred by the employee
Supper money for late work
Work uniform allowances
Sick pay to an employee by a third party such as an insured’s group insurance carrier that is paying disability income benefits
Employer-provided perks such as: (1) use of an automobile, (2) an airplane flight, (3) an incentive vacation (e.g. contest winner), (4) a discount on property or services, (5) club memberships, (6) tickets to entertainment events
Employer contributions to salary reduction, employee savings plans, retirements, or cafeteria plans (IRC 125) – contributions made by the employer that are determined by the amount contributed by the employee

I hope this helps you have a good understanding of what to include and what not to include in reporting payroll to the WC insurance company. Since payroll is used (directly and indirectly) as a factor in determining everything from premium, the Experience Modification Rate (EMR), deductible levels and aggregates, Min/Max on retrospective plans, and tracking ratios like frequency rate, it’s critical that payroll is understood and submitted correctly.

This article can also be found on John Keller's Hub by clicking here.

About our Guest Author:

John Keller is a Certified Risk Manager and consultant with Praxiom Risk Management in Tampa, FL. Praxiom is a full-service outsourced Risk Management consulting firm specializing in Workers’ Compensation safety, loss prevention, claims management, insurance placement, and is comprised of veterans of the risk management and financial services industry. Praxiom works with clients nationwide. Comments and questions are welcome at jkeller@praxiom-rm.com. Click here for John's full bio.

Leadership Roles: a process of co-construction

2010-10-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

A new research article published in Academy of Management Review suggests that leadership identities are assumed by individuals in an organization through a process of co-construction. The mechanism appears to work as follows. In their social interactions, individuals either claim, grant or, it would seem, assign leader and follower identities to themselves and, relationally, to their colleagues. According to the paper's authors, "through this claiming-granting process, individuals internalize an identity as leader or follower, and those identities become relationally recognized through reciprocal role adoption and collectively endorsed within the organizational context."

It is not enough if every time during a team meeting, one member of the team takes it upon herself to delegate the majority of the tasks discussed to her peers. What is needed is co-construction. That is, in order for the team member who does the delegating to assume the identity of "leader", her peers must submit to the delegation; they must "grant" that the identity / role is appropriate through reciprocal adoption of the role of follower. By assuming the role of follower, they, in turn, confer a leadership identity upon the other. Thus, their roles are co-constructed. It takes two to make a leader.

How does this conceptualization of leadership challenge received wisdom on the topic of leadership development? Further, how does this affect our methods of identifying high potentials in the organization?

DeRue, D. Scott; Ashford, Susan J.. Academy of Management Review, Oct2010, Vol. 35 Issue 4, p627-647

You can also join the discussion of this topic on our facebook page.

Can HRM Practices Boost Employees Job Satisfaction?

2010-10-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

A joint study by the Colorado State University and the Texas State University highlighted the relationship between perceived favorability of HRM practices vs. job satisfaction, and the extent to which trait entitlement alters that balance. While it appears that there is a direct link between perceived favorability of HRM practices and high employee job satisfaction, offering more or better HRM practices will not automatically yield increased job satisfaction as employees expectations differ with regard to what they feel they deserve.

Bottom line, employers need to consider other factors than just employee satisfaction when deciding what HRM practices to implement.

Do you have a particular success story related to HRM practices that you would like to share? You can leave your comments here or join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Zinta S. Byrne, Brian K. Miller and Virginia E. Pitts. "Trait Entitlement and Perceived Favorability of Human Resource Management Practices in the Prediction of Job Satisfaction.” Journal of Business and Psychology, Volume 25, Number 3 (2010): 451-464

Discussion Boards

2010-10-13T06:47:00.001-07:00

We have added discussion boards to our Facebook page. These boards will facilitate an open and constructive dialog on the topics presented on this blog.

Connect with us Here and let's get the conversation started!

Current discussion board topic:

The post by Jim Moniz (Recruiters: making strong connections) argues that recruiters must have a handful of important characteristics but that, most importantly, they must catalyze a "happy marriage" between employer and employee. This most important characteristic also seems like the most tricky and hardest to nail down.

What's your method for ensuring a good fit? How about when you hire over the internet? How can you ensure a good fit when you have never met the the candidate in person?

Recruiters: making strong relationships

2010-10-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Getting the job filled with the right person may be the ultimate goal of a recruiter, but instilling trust and confidence in clients should always precede that target.

At the core of this challenging profession is the desire and skill to understand clients’ needs, specific industries and the geographical landscape of placement territory.

A “good recruiter” never rests on the laurels of past performance – its opening night every day for those in the recruitment business, and having more than a passing knowledge of the industry in which they specialize is paramount.

Many recruiters get into the business after enjoying a career in the industry for which they recruit – this rings true particularly in recent years within the high lay-off high technology realm. Having the ability to “speak” a client’s language cuts down on potential miscommunication and in due course the time it will take to make that working match. In addition, recruiters who have been personally involved in a specific industry understand how to best locate candidates for a particular geographical area.

Recruiters with the right stuff know the impact of trust. A client company should never have to worry about being left out in the cold if a new hire doesn’t work out. A dependable recruiter will be there with “replacement warranty” in hand to make sure that this bump in the road is smoothed out in the short distance.

Beyond building relationships with clients and candidates, recruiters must have integrity. They will never steal candidates from one client to “sell” to another and will always be available to clients to iron out problems.

And the cream of the recruiter crop will take the time to understand a client company’s corporate culture. It should never be about merely filling a position – it should always be about filling it with the right candidate, one who will meet the needs of a client and in turn make for a happy “marriage” between employer and employee.

About our Benefits Installment Author: James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Recruiting 2.0: A Guide to Success in the Web Jungle

2010-10-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

The Internet provides for a diverse and individual recruitment program in which the new functionalities of what is called Web 2.0 can be used successfully. However, for many organizations, Web 2.0 is new territory and not every recruiter is proficient with its features. Yet, one thing is certain: The new Web 2.0 methods for communicating with applicants over the are better, faster, cheaper and modern.

Learn about Recruiting 2.0 in 2 stages: Stage 1 leads you through the basics of recruiting 2.0 using concrete examples in an interactive, conference style, webinar. Stage 2 will help you personally with the selection and installation of the Web 2.0 technologies that successful recruiters use worldwide for free.

Stage 1 - Web Conference (Webinar)
• What is Recruiting 2.0 in practice?
• What are the most successful online features of Recruiting 2.0?
• Alternative forms of candidate selection.
• New information technologies in the background: Funnel model for Talent Management
• What will be expected in the future from recruiters?
• Duration: about 90 minutes

Stage 2 - Web-Coaching Webinar
• Individual training in dealing with Webcams
• Installation and testing of selected Web 2.0 technologies on your computer
• Accompanied by a Recruiting 2.0 project
• In-depth Q&A
• Duration: variable

In developing these Webinars, HR-Meter has spoken with HR executives from around the globe about their experiences, done comparative research on the benefits of all of the tools and procedures we discuss and have even made use of them in our own recruiting processes.

PLEASE NOTE: Unlike many of the free Webinars on this topic, HR-Meter will never uses informative Webinars like these to sell products, software or advertising.

To register, please visit the official website by clicking here. The registration form is located at the bottom of that page.

HR-Worldview is now on Facebook

2010-10-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Subscriber,

I just wanted to let you know that we are in the process of improving the content of our Blog! We intend to make more regular posts, feature more highly experienced guest authors and facilitate a more robust discussion of the topics at hand.

In order to help with discussion, we have decided to create a Facebook page. We will make all of our future HR-Worldview blog posts available on our Facebook page as well as pose pertinent questions about the topic!

But we need your help to make this a thriving community.

So, connect with us on Facebook and let's get the conversation started!

Best,
HR-Worldview Team

Performance or Learning Orientated Employees: Who Is Best For An Organization?

2010-10-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

A joint study conducted by the Universities of Houston, Georgia, and Connecticut, confirmed that when employees face changes the performance typically is diminished until the new work habits are assimilated. However, those motivated by “performance” view a positive evaluation of their performance by others higher than the actual learning process vs. those who embrace the idea that “learning” would improve their abilities in the long run. The article is provocative in that it suggests that employees motivated by learning rather than performance are more desirable but it also offers an interesting strategy for bringing around those who are purely performance oriented.

Do you know what motivates the employees and managers around you?

How would you introduce changes in your organization if your employees were mostly performance-motivated?

Ahearne, M., Lam, S. K., Mathieu, J. E., & Bolander, W., “Why are some salespeople better at adapting to organizational change?,” Journal of Marketing, 74 (May 2010): 65–79

Globally integrated, flatter, and leaner: the profile of a thriving global company in 2020

2010-10-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

In September 2010, the Economist Intelligence Unit published the results of a quantitative study that demonstrated how the speed of change brought on by the evolutionary technological changes, the globalization of markets and the recent economic realities have forever redefined how companies must operate in 2020.

Because "speed" will increasingly become the keyword for success, companies will see a paradigm shift toward a more "just in time workforce" vs. a permanent workforce. Hiring local managers will guarantee an expeditious and seamless integration in new and emerging markets and HR will be a critical link between the centralized decision making authorities and the globally decentralized branches. Is your company ready for 2020?

"Global firms in 2020. The next decade of change for organizations and workers," Economist Intelligence Unit. Sep 2010: 1-32.

Establishing incentive plan measures, part II

2010-09-07T07:48:00.001-07:00

Last month we took a look at Profit-Based Allocation as a basic approach for company executives to consider when developing incentive plan indicators; this month we’ll explore Targeted Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and how they can lead to improvement in profits.

KPIs generically constitute incentive plans that are within the reach or control of employees, the theory being that the easier it is for employees to reach their goals, improvements in company profits will be the outcome. The KPI approach can involve company, department or individual metrics, but in order to achieve the best results the right metric must be selected.

Company metrics could be a combination of revenue growth and net income and might include return in equity, return in assets, gross sales, net income, revenue per employee and profit per employee. Departmental indicators could include gross sales and margins, overhead percentage, production quotas, client referrals, and employee retention percentage. Individual metrics are tied to personal performance goals.

While Targeted KPIs can achieve good results, down sides do exist:

-Miscalculations; KPI improvements sometimes do not sufficiently offset failures in other areas, leading to incentive payments even though profits are off the mark.

-“Gaming”; some employees may learn how to play the system and achieve KPIs without hitting profit goals, resulting in intentional or unintentional failure to achieve profit objectives.

-“Sandbagging; there may be a few employees who barely reach their targeted KPIs during the allotted time period, and then attempt to carry-over performance into the next period, leading to failure to achieve full profit potential.

-Misalignment; KPIs can sometimes force employees into action outside their skill sets and abilities. The KPI may be achieved, but job satisfaction could be diminished.

A single solution to designing an incentive plan with universal effectiveness simply does not exist – measures and metrics must be suitable and specific to the company and industry and based on an organization’s culture, business model and goals. By making a decision about which incentive plan indicators works best for your company, staying the course and tweaking when needed, the results in terms of both profitability and employee commitment will be evident.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Establishing Incentive Plan Measures: Part 1

2010-08-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

In order to appropriately establish measures for a comprehensive incentive plan and determine which core approach will be taken to develop a program, company executives must first understand and embrace a few foundational principles.

These foundational principals boil down to three goals – creation of an incentive plan that not only improves profits but is also drives results and is self-financing (paid for with results realized). These principals pilot two basic approaches that company executives should consider in the development of incentive plan indicators – Profit-Based Allocation and Targeted Key Performance Indicators.

We’ll concentrate on Profit-Based Allocation for this month’s posting, and have Targeted KPI’s to look forward to next time.

Under the Profit-Based Allocation method, a company decides that it will allocate a percentage of annual profits to employees; the award amount is divided among employees based on a pre-determined formula with payouts typically occurring at the end of the year.

A “best practices” framework for a Profit-Based Allocation should address the following issues:

-Define profits, be it net income or another measure
-Establish a baseline upon which contributions to the profit pool will be based
-Identify a threshold to ensure that a certain measure or series of measures will be achieved prior to payments being made
-Select a fixed or tiered percentage to share
-Select an allocation formula to determine how the value will be distributed to participating employees
-Establish a personal performance component to clarify the performance threshold that must be achieved to receive benefits

Keep in mind that since the single focus of Profit-Based Allocation is on annual profits, the value created can lead to some inherent drawbacks. Some examples might be: long term needs are overlooked, individual accomplishments are not recognized and it can be possible to “cook the books” shorterm to impact a bonus. Seeing that this approach has its anchor in company performance, the absence of a strong performance management system or an apathetic workforce can compromise the effort.

Next month we’ll examine Targeted KPIs and how they can lead to improvement in profits.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Have you ever been published? Would you like to be?

2010-06-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

If you or your company have participated in an Employee Engagement Survey like this one in the last couple of years, we would love to hear from you as your feedback is important to us and to those who are interested in our services.

New market research suggests both companies and employees are increasingly aware of a definite shift in fiscal, professional, and personal priorities. Undoubtedly, you have seen and felt their impact on your business and professions as well. This shift has and continues to affect the following:

- Need for flexible or non-traditional work schedules
- Need for more "modern" work conditions
- Need for meaningful and measurable accomplishments
- Need for personal recognition and validation
- Need for professional growth
- Need to identify with the organization, etc

We, therefore, invite you to write a little comment or article to our editorial staff so we as well as others viewing this blog can grow from your experience. Our Staff will review your submission and we will gladly publish them on this blog along with your photo and a brief biographical reference if you want.

Lastly, feel free to contact us if you are interested in receiving our complimentary current research compilation on the topic of the above mentioned shift in employee engagement.

Also, please feel free to take a look at one our Employee Engagement Surveys available here. Receiving these survey's results may be of interest to you. We can send them to you, if you would like. It's a free report.

Get good employees to stay…more than a little bit longer

2010-06-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t make much difference as to the size of a company – exit interviews invariably reveal the same basic reasons for most employees’ departures: lack of confidence in where the business is headed; a sense of not fitting in within the organization; uncertainty about their future/career path within the organization; and a better financial opportunity elsewhere.

Ultimately what most employees want is a workplace that will provide a compelling future, a positive environment, opportunities for growth and financial rewards. And while a progressive company can likely provide all those elements to some degree, the trick is in striking the right balance in each of these areas without cultivating an entitlement mentality among employees…regardless of how talented or valuable they are to the company.

So, how can business owners and human resource heads avoid the dreaded entitlement mindset? By creating a unified vision for the company, and in so doing establishing an ownership mentality among employees.

In companies where an ownership mindset has emerged, there is an across-the-board sense of what really matters. Employees have a clear understanding of where the company is going and embrace a commitment to its success. But that understanding doesn’t come as a result of a couple “pep talks.”

Good employees invest their time and talent in helping a business achieve its goals because they understand all implications of the company’s goals; they truly believe the company will achieve those goals; the company’s goals are important to them; they see how they can make a contribution to the goals of the company; and they see the connection between the company’s goals and their own.

The path to an ownership mentality is created through several steps:

Communicating a vision for the company’s future
Spelling out strategy and business plans
Defining specific opportunities for key individuals
Maintaining open channels of communication
Setting clear pay standards
Sharing the wealth to further underscore employees’ investment in the company’s success
Balancing short and long-term incentive rewards

It all comes down to understanding, importance, belief, contribution and connection. When these elements are in place and embraced, employees are working within an ownership framework, making it much easier for them to stay than leave.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Employee Engagement Survey

2010-04-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today we are putting up a beta HR-Meter Employee Engagement Survey to collect some basic benchmark data on these modules.

If you've got a couple of minutes and are interested in filling out an interesting survey concerning employee statisfaction then click here.

You'll even get an opportunity at the end of the survey to request that the results be sent to you when they become available.

Click here to fill out the new Employee Engagement Survey

If you have any comments or suggestions on how we could improve this survey, please let us know!

Culture Wars: Driving a Positive Change in your Corporate Culture

2010-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

It may be 10 months or 10 years since starting your company, but somewhere along either that short or longer road you have come to realize the culture that distinguishes your business isn’t up to par with your vision and expectations.

Defined by the values and practices shared across-the-board by staff, company culture is essentially the manner in which an organization exhibits behavior. And while every company culture contains some elements of uniqueness, all have two basic qualities – character and personality.

Company character is a reflection of the commitment and engagement employees have to an organization’s value system; company character becomes evident in numerous areas, including customer responsiveness, innovation, team interaction and daily job performance.

Company personality is somewhat less tangible, presenting itself in the attitude and tone exhibited by employees. As examples, some organizations are known for their open and friendly aura while others are best described as competitive. One is not necessarily better than the other; businesses can have a successful personality if built upon the right character foundation.

Be advised – if you’re looking to re-define your company’s culture, it won’t happen overnight. Certain steps must be carefully taken in order to build a high performance culture.

First, identify the results you want to achieve. How do you want your company to be perceived? Isolate the potential obstacles that might impede your company culture vision and work toward their elimination while establishing the strengths upon which you can build right now.

It’s vital to clearly communicate your plan. Make sure your entire executive team and all employees understand your vision, and then seek their feedback. This important information will help, not hinder culture creation.

Build a rewards structure that reflects your culture model, including mission, values, strategy, roles and expectations and then foster that structure to best advantage.

High performance cultures can translate into company value that can exceed that of competitors and often even your own expectations. But this cannot occur in the absence of commitment and engagement from everyone within your organization – starting at the top with you.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

The Peak Interview

2010-03-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

A friend and associate, Bill Burnett, has just published a book.

The Peak Interview

New insights into the job interview process can give you an edge to win the interview and get the job. By the time you get to the job interview, the company has determined you are qualified for the job. But so are all the other interviewees. Your experience, skills, competencies, and abilities will not differentiate you. Your competition is just as qualified as you are. You need an edge.

The Peak Interview talks about how to create that edge using Nobel Prize winning insights.

Read more about this small book at: Superinnovator

About the author:
With more than thirty years of business experience, Bill Burnett is a problem solver and a proven leader. He has led both line organizations larger than 250 people, and staff groups with less than ten people. Burnett's special talent is his ability to recognize and leverage hidden inventiveness of knowledgeably internal employees. His track record of building and leading problem solving teams at both the global and local level has delivered ingenious performance improvements in Product Development,Business Models, Customer Service, Operations, Network Infrastructure, Systems Functionality, and Policy Management. Burnett has traveled to and worked with a multitude of cultures in local businesses in over sixty-five countries.

New HR-Meter Website Launch!

2010-03-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

We are pleased to announce the launch of the new HR-Meter website! We've upgraded every page to include more information about relevant HR related topics. In addition, the website is now easier to use. All of the HR related topics that HR-Meter is involved in are listed on the left hand side of the website. Just follow the topics you're interested in and you'll most likely find what you're looking for. We've also added a download center where you can find up-to-date resources on a wide variety of topics.

Here's a list of the topics you'll find on www.hr-meter.com:

We hope you like what you find!

All the best,

HR-Meter

Creating a culture of employee “ownership mentality”: Part II

2010-02-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Last month we took a general look at measures to establish that all-important culture of employee “ownership mentality;” one that once created can help impel a business to greater success.

Now, let’s see how compensation structure impacts that desired ownership mentality, beginning with short-term incentives.

Essentially, short-term incentives are performance measured and typically paid out in 12 months or less. These incentives can play a large role in engendering an employee’s sense of “investment” in an organization if they are based on the achievement of certain departmental goals and/or hitting a profitability threshold.

Most companies utilizing short-term incentive components as part of an overall “ownership” approach will “weight” the incentive based upon a tier system. As such, tiers are established for different classes of employees in conjunction with their impact on various performance measures.

For example, incentive for Tier 1 or top level management is usually based on company performance, not department or individual contribution. Incentives for Tier 3 or 4 employees, however, are heavily weighted on team and individual performance, and hardly at all on overall company achievement. The objective with both tiers is to create focus and tie incentives to specific goals that the employee is best positioned to help meet – in other words, allowing an employee to feel engaged and invested in the workplace, which translates into that coveted ownership mentality.

Long-term incentives, which can include shares of stock, stock options, phantom stock, a profit pool or incentive deferred compensation, are designed for top talent retention.

Key among the intentions of long-term incentives is to create a focus on attaining the company’s long term financial goals and engender a sense of “investment” in those goals.

Long-term incentives provide a substantive reason for top talent to both join and stay with a company. Attractive inducements can “reel them in” and likewise maintain star employees.

Sustained growth and hitting those important goal milestones occurs when key employees are motivated to focus on performance, leading to execution and a pattern of continued achievement – in the long run, a win-win for both the company and its employees.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation. Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Do your employees know where they stand?

2010-01-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sure... right? We do our annual reviews. We sit down with our employees and we say, "good job with this or that" or "we'd like to see some improvment on your TPS reports". Of course our employees know where they stand.

Ok, and if I were to ask you, say, "what percentage of your employees is uncertain about their job security?" or perhaps something a little more specific like, "what percentage of your employees thought they were on the right track for a promotion right up until they didn't get one?" and "how did not getting that promotion affect their performance?", "did they start looking for another job?", "do they think you care?". You might say something like, "I'm not sure. But, more importantly, I'm not sure it matters"... and I'd believe you. And you'd have to also give me that your employees don't know where they stand; that you don't know where your employees stand; that maybe you don't know where you stand.

It starts to look somewhat amazing that the company functions. Of course, if you were to ask around, folks would say, "ahh, but we are such a dysfunctional, uncooperative, catty, bunch." He knows it, she knows it, I know it and you know it.

If you're a mamanager, start scheduling some time, right now, for each memeber of you team to come in and talk to you about "things". Maybe type up and distribute a little survey and put a box outside your door or cube or tent. Make it a "check yes or no" survey and pass it out. Get some feedback. Ask your team if they want to do a little survey too. Ask HR if you can do a big survey. Ask HR to ask if you can do a really really big survey. Ask some questions.

Creating a Culture That Encourages Employees to Think Like Owners: Part 1

2010-01-25T10:05:00.000-08:00

January Installment by Jim Moniz:

Success now and in the future – let’s face it; that’s the ultimate goal of any business owner. But to achieve that vision of a “bigger and better” organization, you first have to identify a few key elements for success and then make sure that your staff possesses the appropriate ownership mentality to assist in both your short and long term objectives.

Fundamental to any growth strategy are three factors: fulfilling your original business plan (mission, values and company vision); the emergence of sustainable growth patterns (revenue development); and a suitable return in capital for company shareholders.

In order to best achieve those elements for growth, employees must be on board – and the most direct line to meet that aim is by fostering a culture of employee ownership. In other words, employees have to draw the same conclusions as you about what’s important, but for that to occur, ownership mentality must be personalized.

Most employees recognize the bottom line to a company’s success is well…the bottom line; but it’s also vital that they understand how their contribution will help to make that happen. Without this important engagement on the part of employees, their focus may be off center.

That engagement occurs when an employee not only appreciates the unique talents he brings to the organization but recognizes that those skills are also appreciated by management. And that is accomplished by utilizing and amplifying those special talents to allow the employee to find meaning in his work and create a framework for both his and the company’s success. The coveted ownership mentality occurs when the employee sees that connection between his and the company’s goals.

It all boils down to employees embracing the fundamental elements of understanding, importance, contribution and connection.

But a few well-placed “atta boys” aren’t going to fully engender ownership mentality. Motivation comes in many forms, including a regular and attainable incentive program designed not as an employee entitlement, but as a means to create engagement and ownership.

A sound incentive plan – which includes both short and long term motivations – always connects the dots between performance and results. It can best be described as a conditional payment in exchange for meeting specific performance standards.

Next month we’ll break down the differences between short and long term incentives and the role each plays in creating and maintaining that all important ownership mentality.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation.

Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

...and We're Back!

2010-01-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

Woah! Forgive us our dust, rust, decay and delay!

We've been away but now we're back! In the last month, our IT department at HR-Meter has been extremely busy working on a brand new website for HR-Meter! It's taken up so much of our time that HR-Worldview, our humble blog, has seen some neglect! That's about to change.

Now that we're just putting the finishing touches on HR-Meter's new website, it's time to turn our attention back to this here blog.

So, without further ado, let's get 2010 off to an, albeit late, start!

All the best,
Your HR-Meter / HR-Worldview Team

Nearly One-Third of Workers Plan to Holiday Shop Online While at the Office, CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey Reveals

2009-12-04T13:01:00.001-08:00

Cyber Monday, a term coined by the National Retail Federation for the first Monday after Thanksgiving, is likely to be a busy day for Internet use in the office. Thirty-two percent of workers plan to holiday shop online this season, up from 29 percent last year, according to CareerBuilder’s annual survey. While employers tend to be more lenient around the holidays, experts caution workers to be aware of their company’s electronic communications policies as employers have reported monitoring Internet and email use and instituting stricter policies in regard to social media. The survey included more than 3,100 employers and 4,700 workers nationwide.

"The Internet provides fast and convenient access to virtually any resources you need, but you want to make sure you’re leveraging those resources during personal time that is allotted to you during the workday, such as your lunch hour," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. "Nearly half of employers reported they monitor Internet and email use of employees. While employers will take into consideration the overall performance of the employee, smaller staffs and higher productivity demands may have them taking more notice of time spent on non-work related activities. This extends to all types of communications and activities."

Social Media Restrictions - What Workers Should Know Before They Post

Social media has become pervasive for personal and business use. Sixty-one percent of full-time workers reported they have a social networking profile. Among them:

* Half of workers (51 percent) spend time on their social networking page during the workday; 11 percent spend one hour or more.

* 25 percent include information about their employer in their communications on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace; 15 percent include company information on Twitter; 13 percent of workers with personal blogs say they blog about their companies.

* 13 percent of workers are "friends" with their boss on their social networking profile.

* 22 percent of workers have separate social networking profiles for personal and business use.

With social media becoming a key avenue for employers to promote their brands, products and services and job opportunities, companies are taking a closer look at how messages about the company are communicated.

* 37 percent of employers have a policy on whether workers can communicate about the company on social media sites; 17 percent have implemented a stricter policy on employees communicating about the company on social media sites in the last year.

* 21 percent prohibit employees from communicating about the company. Thirteen percent have designated certain employees to post on behalf of the company.

* 16 percent monitor social networking profiles of employees and 14 percent monitor blogs.

Internet Usage Nearly three-in-five workers (58 percent) admitted they use the Internet for non-work related activities while at the office. Twenty-one percent will typically spend one hour or more on personal Internet use while at work.

Workers are advised to limit their Internet searches to those related to work or to designate their lunch hour or break time for these activities.

* 20 percent of employers have fired someone for using the Internet for non-work related activities.

* 5 percent of employers have fired someone for holiday shopping online at work.

* Half of employers (50 percent) block employees from accessing certain Web sites while at work.

Personal Emails
Workers are also cautioned about email content as two-thirds have reported they typically send non-work related emails each day.

* 32 percent of employers monitor emails and 16 percent monitor instant messaging.

* 8 percent have fired someone for non-work related emails.

Here's the link to the original release. Thank you Career Builder.

Business and Home Life: it’s a balancing act

2009-11-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

November Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz:

With the economic landscape still in a stall, many business owners find it necessary to put work first now more than ever, pushing family and their own financial needs to the back burner. The need to meet weekly payroll and be up to date with vendor payments often translates into long term financial needs not being met – business owners run the risk of focusing on the present and compromising into-the-future plans, especially when it come to their own households.

For example, recently I spoke with the owner of a service company who said he gave his wife $5,000 a month to pay bills, run the household, etc. He couldn’t understand why every other month she had to ask him for more money. I told him outright that it wasn’t fair for him to have $2 million a year flowing through the business and his wife didn’t have enough cash to go to Starbucks at the end of the month.

At the same time his wife didn't quite understand the need for investment in their business. At times she did not understand the dynamics that her husband had to deal with in running the business. She did not understand the time commitment, when he needed to deal with employees and the money that needed to be spent on marketing. She still looked at his income as coming from salary, his work nothing but a job.

He might be a savvy businessman but this gentleman couldn’t think past the month he was in – never mind the concept of buying another home sometime down the road or setting up college funds for his small children. Too much of “in the now” equates to an out of balance life. This same guy also had an almost non-existent business growth plan, relying again on in-the-moment “organic growth.” It’s too bad because this otherwise knowledgeable businessman is missing out on opportunities, both in his business and personal life.

I’m not saying that a business owner – veteran, fledgling or somewhere in between – should look at their business as “just a job.” We all recognize that it takes time, attention and diligence to create a successful business, but the same strengths that aided you in building a lucrative company should carry over into your personal finances and life. We need to work on our personal systems as we do our business systems. Our families must be as important to us as our business models.

In fact, the most successful entrepreneurial balancing acts can occur when you consider your business a part of the family. But in order for this mid set to work, everyone in your family must be on board with it. Business owners – and by extension their families – must realize that their workplace is not “just a job.” Its successes and failures have both short and long term effects on your entire family.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

James E. (Jim) Moniz, CEO of Northeast VisionLink, a Massachusetts firm that specializes in structuring executive compensation. James E. Moniz is a national speaker on the topic of wealth management and on executive compensation.

Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

+25% of Employers Think Employees Fake Illness to Explain an Absence

2009-10-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

More Than A Quarter of Employers Think More Employees are Calling in Sick with Fake Excuses Due to Stress Tied to the Recession, Finds CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey

Chicago - While the cold and flu season serves as a primary culprit in workplace absences, the economy may be a factor as well this year. CareerBuilder’s annual survey on absenteeism shows nearly one-third (32 percent) of workers have played hooky from the office this year, calling in sick when they were well at least once. Twenty-eight percent of employers think more employees are absent with fake excuses due to increased stress and burnout caused by the recession. The nationwide survey included more than 4,700 workers and 3,100 employers.

While the majority of employers said they typically don’t question the reason for an absence, 29 percent reported they have checked up on an employee who called in sick and 15 percent said they have fired a worker for missing work without a legitimate excuse. Of the 29 percent of employers who checked up on an employee, 70 percent said they required the employee to show them a doctor’s note. Fifty-two percent called the employee at home, 18 percent had another worker call the employee and 17 percent drove by the employee’s house or apartment.

"Longer hours and heavier workloads are common in the current economic climate and employers are becoming more flexible with their time off policies," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "Sixty-three percent of companies we surveyed said they let their team members use sick days for mental health days. If you need time to recharge, your best bet is to be honest with your manager."

More than one-in-ten workers (12 percent) who played hooky admitted to calling in sick because of something work-related, such as to miss a meeting, give themselves some more time to work on a project or avoid the wrath of a boss, colleague or client. Others missed work because they needed to go to a doctor’s appointment (31 percent), needed to relax (28 percent), catch up on sleep (16 percent), run personal errands (13 percent), catch up on housework (10 percent) or spend time with family and friends (10 percent). An additional 32 percent just didn’t feel like going to work that day

When asked to share the most unusual excuses employees gave for missing work, employers offered the following real-life examples:

• I got sunburned at a nude beach and can’t wear clothes.

• I woke up in Canada.

• I got caught selling an alligator.

• My buddies locked me in the trunk of an abandoned car after a weekend of drinking.

• My mom said I was not allowed to go to work today.

• A bee flew in my mouth.

• I’m just not into it today.

• I accidentally hit a nun with my motorcycle.

• A random person threw poison ivy in my face and now I have a rash.

• I’m convinced my spouse is having an affair and I’m staying home to catch them.

• I was injured chasing a seagull.

• I have a headache from eating hot peppers.

Amazing.

Here is the link to the original release. Thank you CareerBuilder for always amusing us!

The Promotion That Got Away

2009-10-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a really great "guide" from the New York Times for how to handle getting passed over for a promotion and what to do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

The story can be found here.

Enjoy.

I’m paying out $1 million in bonuses for my top five people – what’s in it for me?

2009-10-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

October Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz:

When Jack Welsh left GE, he received – and by the way continues to enjoy – a retirement benefit valued at about $ million a year, plus perks. Lots of press attention and much controversy followed, but the reality is Welch’s package amounted to less than 3/100s of 1% of the shareholder value that was created while he was at GE. In fact, his total compensation during Welch’s entire time at the company was less than 2/10ths of 1% of the value created.

OK so what’s my point? The Welch example illustrates a fundamental premise in examining the value of compensation. If you juxtapose Welch’s compensation arrangement with GE’s results during his tenure there, it hardly seems exorbitant…that’s because his “rewards” are being evaluated in the context of the bottom line. While the numbers may not be as dramatic in your business, the same premise and principles still apply. Compensation should drive and be tied to results that are quantifiable and measurable.

Here’s the big question – what are you getting right now for what you’re paying out? You’re getting the current result, whatever that may be. But if the results you achieve this year are not measurably different than what you had last year, what are you going to do next year to drive a different performance level? And how will pay differ in regards to these changes? Growth implies different results and by extension the strategies you’ve used to get current results can’t be the same in the future if a different result is desired or expected. Because compensation is one of the strategic tools in a business’ arsenal to affect change, companies looking to develop different performance results can’t expect to achieve forward motion if their rewards programs don’t match up to their goals.

Let’s break it down a little. If your company sets its target on growing net income by 20% per year over the next three years, you need to ask yourself a few important questions. What part of our compensation and rewards plan communicates that goal to employees? If we achieve or exceed that number how much are we willing to share? Who will get their fair share and then some if we meet our financial targets? To what extent will key employees’ participation fuel this desired growth? In other words, what comes first – growth or employees that are motivated by incentives to create growth?

For growth to occur sustained performance must be achieved…and since these results are largely a function of your key employees, compensation becomes a focus. As a business owner you have to determine the right mix of compensation components. These elements should include a strategic mix of core benefits, executive benefits, qualified retirement plans, supplemental retirement plans, salary, short-term incentives, long-term incentives and long-term equity incentives.

Ultimately the proverbial “rubber meets the road” when a rewards plan prompts employees to rise to a higher level of performance. For rewards to be effective they have to create increased focus on the part of participating employees – this focus is a direct result not only of financial reward, but also of a positive work environment and the path that you, as company owner, have drawn for their personal and professional development. Remember, money may be motivating, but so is an atmosphere where a culture of confidence exists.

At the end of the day, compensation can only do its part in changing results within an organization if the model and the compensation plan are understood and valued, results are achievable, and if employees are committed and feel a sense of ownership.

Results must also be concrete and measurable and communicated regularly. If these elements fall into place you will know that you’re paying your key people appropriately and you will also know what you’re getting in return.

About our Benefits Installment Author:

Jim Moniz will be presenting at this years SHRM conference in Phoenx, be sure to check out our presentation: “Creating and Sustaining a Competitive Advantage, The Role and Impact of Effective Compensation and Rewards Strategies”

Maybe the problem is not you … just your environment

2009-09-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

Today we present an article by a new HR-Worldview Guest Author.

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This year at My Next Path, we have worked with a certain number of clients who started a coaching process because they felt uneasy with their current job. Some of them even got the unpleasant sensation they might have some sort of issue. When we started working together, they in fact quite quickly came to realize that they did not have any problem themselves: the source of their trouble was their environment! Therefore, instead of feeling bad, stuck, paralyzed or sometimes worst, what they had to do was actively take action and work their way out to another environment that would better fit them. Let us explain more below.

Mary*has been working for 8 years in the same company. She was a middle manager in the sales and marketing area. She had always been travelling a lot for her job and liked it. She liked her industry and was very knowledgeable about key factors of success, players, etc. But more recently, she had 3 different bosses in 2 years, an increasing pressure and despite good results in her region, little recognition. Her self confidence was eroded and she found herself drowned in micro-management tasks imposed by an insecure manager. When we started working together, Mary was really unsure about her own abilities.

After a few sessions of analyzing what she thought were her issues, she came to realize, she had lost her self confidence because of the environment (poor management, wrong cultural fit etc), not because she had problems herself! In fact, she was perceptive enough to take action, seek help, and finally take that healthy distance to realize that. A few months later, Mary landed a new job in a company more in line with her style and expectations. Although everyone around her told her to stick to her current job because of the tough economy, she overcame her initial fear, dedicated the appropriate time to look for the right opportunity and found one.

We have seen more than one case similar to Mary’s this year: Before feeling bad about yourself and jumping to conclusions, make sure you are able to analyze your situation with perspective. Actively take action to find a work environment that better fits you maybe the best decision you will ever make! This obviously could mean changing company but not necessarily. This could also mean changing job/department within a corporation: very often in big companies, people have been offered jobs that do not properly fit their profile; by changing to another job, area or department within the company, they suddenly feel better and everybody wins.

About our Guest Authors:

Myriam Le Cannellier and Catherine Bortolotti are Career Coaches who work with professionals who are experiencing a transition in their career, because of relocation, an unexpected situation in their current job or the will to make a significant change in their professional life. Learn more about them at www.mynextpath.com

Competitive Advantage: becoming the “big dog”

2009-09-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

Special September Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz

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It’s a childhood memory that most of us share…the loud bark of the snarling neighborhood dog that would come out from no where and scare the “you know what” out of you every other time you walked or rode your bike down “his” street. Chances are you eventually became weary of the scenario and decided to avoid the the big dog at whatever cost, first by avoiding the street then consequently the dog’s neighborhood altogether.

That “big dog” concept continues its chase in the business world. If you have the competitive edge, you have the advantage over others who fearing your loud and well-defined “bark” will retreat, leaving you to reap the business benefits of being “top dog.”

So, how do you become the “big dog” and get that competitive advantage? Competitive advantage is achieved when a business produces surplus profits - greater than it's competitors - due to unique product pricing or resource advantages. As a result, its profitability is greater than the average profitability of all other businesses competing for the same set of customers

The advantage, however, goes to those organizations that can achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. This implies that a business's strategies enable it to maintain above-average profitability for a number of years. This is typically achieved through the creation and execution of processes, positions and/or propositions (as in value proposition) that are difficult if not impossible to duplicate.

Businesses pass the competitive advantage threshold by attracting and retaining great people and then nurturing a unique culture - one that demonstrates passion, executes with consistency, perpetuates success, breeds confidence and rewards performance.

Companies that achieve this start with and build upon a foundation of mission, values and vision that are reinforced by, in and through every aspect of their business plan. As a result, they commonly enjoy a shared value system with their employees - because both are clear about, and compelled by, the direction the company is headed, how it's going to get there, what is expected of everyone and how each will be rewarded for the company's success.

In their book, Strategic Management, Charles W. L. Hill & Gareth R. Jones offer the following insights about organizational culture. Their insights are key to linking the ability of a company to enjoy a competitive advantage in the market place with building compensation strategies that will correspondingly fuel the performance needed to achieve that outcome.

Organizational culture is " ...the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization..."

"Organizational values are beliefs and ideas about what kinds of goals members of an organization should pursue and ideas about the appropriate kinds or standards of behavior organizational members should use to achieve these goals..."

"From organizational values develop organizational norms, guidelines or expectations that prescribe appropriate kinds of behavior by employees in particular situations ..."

The key word in this quote is "behavior." For a business to achieve the results associated with a competitive advantage it needs the right people consistently doing the right things in the right way and for the right reasons. As a result, any rewards system that is built must, at its core, encourage a focus on the right performance factors and reward their execution. This is how results are achieved and sustained.

Larry Brody and Ram Charan, in their book Execution, put it this way:

"A business' culture defines what gets appreciated, respected, and, ultimately, rewarded; those rewards and their linkage to performance are the foundation of changing behavior. If a company rewards and promotes people for execution, its culture will change. However your organization determines rewards, the goal should be the same - your compensation and reward system must have the right yields. You must reward not simply on strong achievements on numbers, but also on the desirable behaviors that people adopt. Over time, your people will get stronger, as will your financial results."

With the aforementioned principles in mind, consider the impact on your company's ability to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace if your culture demanded the following in its efforts to attract and retain great people:

Only talented, committed and focused people "need apply"
No entitlements (people are only rewarded for achieving well defined performance standards)
All employees must think and behave like owners

Such a culture needs a rewards system that reinforces those standards and that attracts the right "fish" to the "pond". That said, the rewards framework needs to be built in harmony with the strategic, operational and performance management systems of the company for a competitive advantage to ultimately be achieved.

The pathway that a company needs to take to achieve a competitive advantage starts with a foundation of mission and values, out of which grows the company vision. At this stage, a company must clearly define why it exists, what it stands for and what it values. Correspondingly, it must build a compatible total rewards foundation and philosophy consistent with the ends it seeks to serve. The company vision is fulfilled only through a well designed strategic plan. That plan is matched on the rewards "side" with a Compensation and Rewards Game Plan that envisions pay for performance programs that will support and reinforce the company's strategy.

Execution of the company's strategy is key to its success. Capital and cash flow need to be managed, marketing initiatives need to be crafted and launched, operations need to be well executed, superior products or services need to be developed, and excellent customer service needs to be rendered. All of these functions depend upon the applied intelligence of a dedicated workforce. As a result, these elements need to be reinforced by compensation strategies that are effectively engineered and tied to roles and expectations that are well defined and communicated.

Through this combined confluence and application of business ideals, organizational architecture and rewards processes and systems, a company ultimately experiences success and builds a culture of confidence.

Rewards reinforcement strategies work hand in hand with performance management systems to elevate that success and create true "line of sight" in the organization. Such a company has unleashed the lifeblood of a competitive advantage.

Ultimately, companies that enjoy a competitive advantage in the marketplace don't just initiate a Compensation and Rewards system. They sustain them. Their ability to do so is dependent in part on the way in which they identify the issues and problems they face and then address them according. We classify these issues in the following categories. In asking the questions associated with each category, a business can better assess its area of greatest priority in dealing with its compensation development.

Future

Are employees compelled by the future of the organization?
Is there a belief in the business strategy of the company?
Are there opportunities for personal and professional growth and development?

Foundation

Is there an alignment between the compensation philosophy of our company and its mission, values and vision?
Do we have a rewards value proposition that has attraction capacity - that will help us recruit and retain great people?
Is there an ownership mentality throughout our organization?
Framework
Are we achieving an efficient return on our compensation investment?
Is our compensation program properly balanced between long and short-term rewards and guaranteed versus incentive compensation?
Have we established clear performance standards for the achievement of rewards in the organization?
Focus
Have we created "line of sight" in our organization between the vision and strategy of the company and the roles, expectations and rewards we have and provide for our employees?
Do we have a rewards reinforcement strategy in place that keeps employees focused on the expectations we have of them and how they will be rewarded for performance?
Are we consistently achieving the desired results we want from our employees?

A competitive advantage in the marketplace begins and ends with getting and keeping the right people "on the bus" as stated in Jim Collin's seminal book, Good to Great. Once in place, a culture of confidence needs to be nurtured and achieved through consistent execution of key results emanating from the vision and strategic plan of the business. Such a pattern of execution is achieved, in part, by developing an aligned rewards philosophy and Game Plan, then envisioning, creating and sustaining great compensation strategies.

Best of luck in becoming the”big dog”!

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About our Benefits Installment Author:

Don't Mistreat Job Seekers

2009-08-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Alison Green of U.S. News and World Report recently compiled a list of 5 ways companies mistreat job seekers.

1) "Having no regard for the candidate's time."

2) "Not sharing their timeline."

3) "Refusing to share their salary range, but asking for yours."

4) "Misrepresenting the work."

5) "Not notifying candidates that they are no longer under consideration."

The full article and some expansion on each of these items can be found here.

2, 3, and 4 are downright shameful and there is no plausable excuse for them. Often times, however, we've found that 1 and 5 are accidental and are caused by time and volume pressures.

That's no excuse. It hurts your company's reputation.

Take a look at your process. If you find that you are guilty of 1 and 5 above, ask yourself if these are simply being overlooked. That is, are you unintentionally disregarding the candidate's time or not notifying them when they are chucked from the pool? If the answer is yes and you think it's because you are buried in work, then something is wrong with your recruiting process. Maybe it's time you looked into ways to simplify or streamline your process and give up the notion that you can handle it all yourself.

48% of Laid Off Full-Time Workers Find New Jobs

2009-08-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Laid off workers continue to be resilient, even as the economy is slow to improve. According to a new survey by CareerBuilder completed in June, 48 percent of workers who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last three months have found new full-time positions; up from 41 percent in March. An additional three percent found part-time positions; down from 8 percent in the previous survey. The CareerBuilder survey was conducted among 921 workers who were laid off from full-time jobs within the last 12 months.

“Despite a challenging job market, workers have been able to find employment opportunities in a variety of fields,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “Even though the number of workers who took part-time positions is tracking below last quarter, the number who found full-time jobs is notably higher. This is a positive indication that more workers who were laid off from full-time jobs were able to replace them with new full-time positions instead of taking part-time work as an interim measure to generate income. Part of this job search success is related to workers expanding career options to new industries and locations.”

Changes in Pay

Looking at workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs, more than half (56 percent) reported they were able to negotiate comparable or higher pay for their new positions. Forty-four percent of workers took a pay cut, down from 49 percent in March.

Transferring Skills to Other Industries and Fields

Workers reported they are applying their skills to new areas. Similar to the last survey, 38 percent of workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and landed new jobs said they found work in a different field than where they were previously employed. Of those workers, the majority said they really enjoy their new positions.

Relocation

Workers are no longer just looking for positions in their own backyards. One-in-five workers (20 percent) who were laid off in the last 12 months and found jobs relocated to a new city or state; up from 13 percent in March. Of those who are still looking for employment, 44 percent reported they would consider relocating for a job opportunity; up from 39 percent in March.

Starting a Business

An increased number of job seekers have adopted an “if you can’t find a job, create one” way of thinking. Nearly three-in-ten workers (29 percent) who have not found jobs are considering starting their own business; up from 25 percent in March.

Altering Appearance

The competition for a smaller number of jobs is driving some workers to alter their everyday appearances in hopes of making a stronger impression. More than a quarter (28 percent) of workers who were laid off in the last 12 months said they have changed their appearance to make themselves more attractive to potential employers. Fourteen percent said they have lost weight, 8 percent have changed their hair color or hairstyle and 5 percent are dressing to appear younger. Teeth whitening, enhanced makeup and cosmetic procedures were also cited.

Comparing Genders

Both men and women indicated making changes to their appearances in hopes of appealing to potential employers, at 26 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

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About CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people.

www.careerbuilder.com

ePraise

2009-08-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

I just heard about a silly new form of "around the office praise". It's called ePraise. ePraise is a kind of eCard that is designed for the sole purpose of praising the performance of a coworker. For those of you who don't know, an eCard is just like a real card except that it is sent to your e-mail box instead of your real mail box...

Anyway, ePraise is a free service from Baudville.com and, while it's silly, I think it has it's place.

These ePraise cards don't take themselves seriously, so hopefully the sender doesn't either. Rather, it seems to me that the ePraise serves as a kind of lighthearted supplement to broader "around the office recognition" programs or initiatives that hopefully all companies attempt to implement (even if only in a limited way).

They're good because they show that someone has taken a moment to personalize and send them. They show that someone recognizes the work someone else has done and they're kind of funny so they lighten the mood.

Lots of ePraise for Baudville.com

Beyond the Cookie Cutter Approach: Customizing your Company’s Incentive Program

2009-07-31T07:09:00.000-07:00

August Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz

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Vision, potential, communication and motivation – are the key elements to an effective company’s incentive program. But in the absence of well-defined indicators and a “best practices” framework, even the most comprehensive program can fall short.

The foundation of an incentive program is basic; it must project the potential that can be realized by the company if its purpose if fulfilled. It must also identify employees who are in a position to impact those outcomes. Moreover, it should standardize its benefits/rewards and determine how much of an increased shareholder value will be allocated to employees and how its value will be measured.

Indicators, sometimes referred to as measures and metrics in a company’s reward strategies, are pivotal to a well-oiled incentive program.

The role of indicators is straightforward – they should seek to improve performance, influence behavior and create focus. This is accomplished through communication and reinforcement to encourage a company wide culture of employee ownership mentality.

Indicators should not be confused with motivators. Motivation is an internal element, something that is encouraged by aligning employees with roles and tasks that are consistent with their abilities. This will encourage them to shine. Motivation is additionally stimulated by a mutual vision between the company and employees.

That said, if indicators are not properly nor thoroughly defined, employee motivation can collapse under an incentive program – this can happen when workforce members see a disconnection between their role in the company and how rewards are earned. This is why a “best practices” framework – a Profit Based Allocation – is a vital component to a company’s incentive program.

A “best practices” framework should address a number of issues, including how company growth is defined; the baseline upon which contributions to the profit pool will be based; payment threshold; percentage to be shared; an allocation formula; and a definition of the expected individual’s performance.

There is nothing “cookie cutter” about an effective incentive program– what may work for one company could be way off the mark for another. The most expedient way to achieve the ideal program for your company is to be fully aware of best practice standards and frameworks, and then work within that structure to customize indicators and measures specific to your organization.

Incentive programs that work best are based on a company’s culture, business model and goals. Communication and reinforcement of results on an ongoing basis is critical. A C- incentive program will outperform an A+ program without ongoing communication and reinforcement. Companies should match their incentive program to those crucial components and then stay the course.

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About our Benefits Installment Author:

The Trouble With HR

2009-07-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today we present an article by guest Coaching Author, Wendy Reeves.

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As a former HR manager, and latterly in my employment as HR director, I know only too well the pressures and the difficult assignments that befall the corporate HR department.

The key function of good HR is to provide a service to the organisation and its staff. The workforce, from the top to the bottom, need to be treated as ‘the customer’, supporting and delivering to that customer as required. I have always believed in HR operating an ‘open door’ policy to anyone within the organisation. An accessible and visible HR department creates trust and confidence, and cohesion. Not always easy at the best of times, and in this current economic climate beleaguered HR personnel are beginning to suffer.

Cut backs and waves of redundancies are currently on businesses’ agendas, as they fight to survive the credit crunch. Head office functions and responsibilities such as marketing, are being removed and re-assigned to be delivered by line management, and effecting the change that these situations bring not only for those leaving, but also for those remaining - often requires HR input. And frequently when all that is done, it’s the turn of HR being the last to go. If your boss asks you for details of the redundancy process, be wary.

At my last employment the company was working towards floating on the stock market, and the share options awarded to me at the time of my directorship would turn in to ordinary shares, which I could cash in. It was at this stage that I made the decision to make some life changes as this windfall would support and help me move forward to a new chapter in my life. Part of the company’s preparation to float was to tidy up the management structure, which fell upon my department. Even though I was preparing my own exit some months ahead, it came as a huge shock that I was included in that tidy up process – they didn’t require an HR director going forward. Thankfully, the timing of my redundancy hit three years ago when the economy was buoyant, and receiving a redundancy package as well as the payout from the shares did ease the blow. I was lucky. But at the time, being forced out of a job you’ve given many years to is never easy to face, no matter what the circumstances.

So, who looks after the wellbeing of HR during these difficult times?

In my coaching business I have come across many HR people who are really struggling to cope under these current pressures. Their sense of self preservation buckles as they try to deal with making their colleagues redundant - colleagues whom they’ve known over a number of years and who perform well with an excellent record of conduct.

Before we can attempt to minimise the stress and pressures we first need to recognise that we are suffering from it. The next step is to realise what the triggers are. Stress comes in two directions; internally – the stress we create…pressure we put on ourselves, and; externally – work, boss, family etc.

Here are some tips on how to deal with stress:

Find a support network, either a ‘buddy’ at work, or someone outside whom you can talk to about how you are feeling.
Build up a resilience to stress and implement the three “R’s” to help focus on things you can control
Rest: For example, move away from your computer and do something different, such as getting a drink every 30-40 minutes.
Relaxation: What can you do to chill out? Perhaps listen to music or meditate? Yoga or other holistic therapies can really help.
Recreation: Physically being active in some way, walking, swimming or going to the gym. Don’t become a hermit - keep up a social life.
Always aim to take a break for lunch. Taking time out during the day is very important if you want to stay fresh and recharged for the next part of the day. The mind has an opportunity to relax and think about something else, which helps improve the concentration. Change your state, go for a walk and get some fresh air to rejuvenate and restore energy, do something for yourself and fulfil a personal task. These small steps reap huge benefits – stress levels reduce, performance improves and you will feel a lot better.
Stress can really effect how you sleep exasperating how you feel. Try and follow some basic rules; for example, avoid caffeinated drinks in the evening; go to bed when you are tired; relax before bedtime, many find taking a hot bath really helps relax both the body and the mind; exercise regularly (but not before bedtime) and stick to a healthy diet. By getting plenty of sleep you will be rewarded by performing more efficiently and sustainably.
Mind Set: Think positive and focus on what you can do and influence, rather than on what you ‘can’t do’. Negativity is unhelpful and gets you nowhere. Ask yourself empowering questions. In the midst of a crisis, for example, don’t ask why you got into this mess; ask how you can improve it.
Be self-aware: Stress and worry lead to loss of motivation and procrastination. If you feel you can’t break the stress cycle, seek help to get you back on track and in control.
Consider the ‘what if’s’ and what your options are.

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By HR-Worldview guest author Wendy Reeves, founder of LifeGoal.

Performance Compass (Beta)

2009-07-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

We don't usually do this, but today HR-Worldview would like to direct your attention to a useful new tool designed by HR-Meter that is still in Beta.

HR-Meter is looking for folks to Beta test this tool. This basically means "use the tool for a month and give HR-Meter feedback on it".

The tool is called the Performance Compass. Check out this little video HR-Meter sent over.

You can also view the video here.

HR-Meter has asked that we don't give out any more information than this.

So, if you are interested in participating in the Beta of this tool, click the link below to sign up and HR-Meter will give you more information.

Steps to a Great Incentive Plan

2009-07-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

July Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz

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A performance based incentive plan is one element of compensation that most companies recognize as vital to the remuneration mix, but developing such an effective program requires some thought and effort.

To get things moving, you first have to define the specific goals of an incentive plan – are you seeking increased sales, improved customer retention, certain margins? Before you put a rewards strategy in place understand what you’re trying to achieve.

Once key result areas have been determined, identify which employees are best positioned to make these results happen; not every employee will be able to fulfill these initiatives.

Next comes quantifying the value created if incentive objectives are met – in other words, what will be the financial result for shareholders? This process typically requires construction of a model that projects base, target and superior result thresholds.

Once the economic value has been determined, you have to figure out the amount you will share with those employees who helped create the upswing.

First determine an acceptable “target” pay-for-performance return and then earmark an achievable “superior” return. Once those two measures are identified you can better establish an incentive goal.

The next step is to determine a standard that defines the potential value in current terms. The potential reward, then, might be stated as a percentage of contributors’ current salary – of course, the big question is the percentage amount. Incentive plan targets that combine the short and long term will likely be in the 60% to 80% of salary range for top managers and between 40% and 80% for second tier managers.

Establishing tiers comes next. After all, not everyone had an equal part in creating increased value. A business needs to define tier levels and assign participating employees – by establishing different tiers you can assign greater potential value to those who will have the greatest impact.

Weighting – or determining how much of a reward should be assigned to the achievement of various categories of expectations – is the sidekick to the tier concept. Weighting should be based on how much of an employee’s role impacted categories.

Determining allocation is the next step. You need to decide when awards will be paid out…at the end of the quarter, end of year and/or sometime down the longer road. Typically, a percentage of total incentives are paid annually and a percentage rewarded in the future.

The final step deals with the long-term portion of the incentive plan. This could take any number of forms. For instance, it could be held in a pool; credited with interest or investment earnings; or treated as a stock or phantom stock incentive.

With this type of incentive program in place, shareholders know the precise value accrued before managers earn incentives; they know the percentage of future growth shared with the management team; and they also know managers will be rewarded for achieving specific and measurable results.

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About our Benefits Installment Author:

Employer Turnaround

2009-06-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

According to a new poll conducted by Careerbuilder, “72% of employers are taking steps to strengthen their employment brand to prepare for when the economy turns around.”

Of course, the first major take away is that there seems to be something a return of confidence in the U.S. Market. That's good news.

Another major take away is that if your company is looking to grow coming out of this recession, then you better be one of the above 72% .

So, what exactly are these 72% up to?

Outlining potential career paths for current and future employees.
Offering more employee recognition programs.
Offering more flexible work schedules.
Revising job listings to emphasize a positive work culture.
Revising recruitment materials.
Revamping their company career sites.

These things make you visible, competitive and desirable. Are you doing these things?

Twitter

2009-06-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

By request, HR-Worldview is now on Twitter. The little Twitter thingy is over there on the right side of the blog just under our e-newsletters link.

Here are a couple of links to keep you hyper-connected to HR-Worldview:

You can follow us on twitter by clicking here.
You can subscribe to our e-newsletter by clicking here.
You can subscribe to our blog in any reader at the top of the page.

Best,

Eamon

Are Your Employees Afraid of You?

2009-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

At a meeting in a manufacturing town in the old Soviet Union, the speaker was wrapping up his presentation. The factory had once again exceeded its goals for the five year plan, “Thanks to the wisdom and inspiration of our great leader, Comrade Stalin!” The audience leaped to its feet, shaking the hall with their clapping. The applause went on for a minute. Then two minutes. After five minutes, people started looking around to see who would stop first. After ten minutes, hands sore from clapping, old white-haired Ivan sat down. Relieved, the rest of the group settled back down in their seats.

Ivan didn’t show up for work the next day. No one seemed to know what had happened to him, but no one asked, either.

I was never that kind of leader, or so I thought. At a staff cocktail party after work, my fiancee pointed out that my staff members were really very good at sucking up to me without being obvious. “Nonsense!” I told her. “They don’t need to butter me up. They know they can say anything they want to me, good or bad.” She just smiled. I then realized that, while I genuinely liked my subordinates, I had power over them, even when I didn’t use it. I could put off that raise, delay that promotion, reduce that bonus, and not realize I was doing it. And then I saw I treated my boss the same way. I always held back a little, knowing that my career depended on his good opinion.

It’s hard to manage, even when you have good information to work with. But if your staff is afraid to deliver bad news, criticize your proposals, or argue with you over a decision, you’re operating in the dark. You may have already told your staff that you want to hear open and honest communication. But your message to them consists of more than words. All it takes is a frown or a roll of the eyes to let people know that what they just said was not welcome. Even worse, a comment like, “That’s a dumb idea” will shut down all but the most self-confident employee.

I was lucky. I always had at least one staff member who realized I would always be fair (see my other blogs on Trust.) They would alert me to my blunders. Find one of those folks if you can. In addition, there are some things you could do to keep the communication lines open:

Have someone watch your body language in meetings. They should let you know what messages you’re sending without realizing it.
Practice neutral language to handle ideas or comments from your staff when you really don’t agree with something they’ve said. Try, “Interesting idea, Ted. I’ll give it some thought,” instead of, “No, I don’t think that will work.” Follow up with a one-on-one session with Ted to let him know where his idea fell short - if it did.
Put criticisms in a “parking lot” for later review, and let people know you’ll go over them later. Then give yourself time to react rationally rather than emotionally.
Learn to listen. That means hearing what people say and mean, both verbally and emotionally. Mirror what they’ve said to let them know you heard and understood it, and to be sure you really got it right.
Give credit where it’s due. Acknowledge the person who came up with an idea or a valid criticism.
Acknowledge your mistakes and say what you’ll do to prevent them from happening again.
Finally, say what you mean and mean what you say. If your actions match the words the use, your employees will learn to trust you.

George Krafcisin is President of Mosaic Management, Inc., where he does coaching and training for businesses and executives who want to become better leaders. He gives his services away to those who don’t have “profit” in their mission statements. Contact him at Mosaic_Management@mac.com, www.MosaicCoaching.biz, or www.LinkedIn.com/in/krafcisin.

Unconventional Tactics

2009-06-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Facing the most difficult job market in decades, some job seekers have resorted to using unconventional methods to stand out from the crowd. According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, nearly one-in-five hiring managers (18 percent) reported that they are seeing more job seekers try unusual tactics to capture their attention in 2009 compared to last year. This is up from 12 percent of hiring managers who said the same in 2008 as compared to previous years.

A few of the most memorable tactics hiring managers reported seeing include:

Candidate sent a resume wrapped as a present and said his skills were a “gift to the company.”
Candidate staged a sit-in in the lobby to get a meeting with a director.
Candidate washed cars in the parking lot.

For more examples of unusual tactics and additional information, click here.

Performance, Compensation and the Recession

2009-06-01T11:41:00.001-07:00

June Benefits Installment by Jim Moniz

* * *

One of the key characteristics of companies that move ahead while others are falling behind is the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities.

High performance organizations that advance, even in the wake of a recession, have the foresight and courage to make seemingly counter-intuitive decisions during difficult economic cycles. Companies that adopt this strategic approach can discover opportunities during times when competitors are in defensive mode.

For example, during recessionary periods, high performance companies recognize and take advantage of the following:

Weaker competition will fade away, creating opportunities to acquire higher market share
Top talent becomes more available in the marketplace and typically at more affordable salaries
Capital expenditures can be re-focused in anticipation of recovery
Acquisitions prospects become more accessible
A challenging economy often forces a company to look closely at it’s compensation structure and subsequently revamp it, positioning the organization more positively not only during the recessionary period but also following it

Savvy companies recognize that in both good times and bad times, the ultimate key to success is their talent pool. Likewise, they are also well aware that it is precisely at the trough of a recession that the labor pool will be at its deepest and wage pressures at their lightest.

Regardless of the economic climate, the highest performance organizations look to hire those they believe will commit to the company’s vision and strategy – in other words they want top talent with an ownership, not an entitlement mentality.

So, what type of compensation package does top talent respond to?

The most talented individuals want to participate in an opportunity that rewards them for their performance – they want to clearly see a relationship between how they perform and how they are compensated.

Top-tier employees also recognize and respect the balance that inherently exists between guaranteed and incentive compensation and long-term versus short-term pay. They understand the economic outcomes the company needs to achieve for sustainability and growth and furthermore they are aware that current economic conditions will impact the shape and form compensation will take now…a shape and form that may shift when times are better.

While top talent may be willing to take a little less in their paychecks when jobs are scarce, in general terms a compensation structure that will attract high echelon workers will address the primary needs of sustainable cash flow; security; and wealth accumulation.

Understanding these elements, a company must formulate a compensation philosophy that not only addresses current economic cycles, but takes the longer range into consideration. The compensation philosophy of a high performance company typically includes market salaries; upsides/bonuses for exceeding annual expectations; long-term wealth accumulation opportunities; a flexible benefit structure that bends and shifts to both strong and weaker economic years.

Compensation philosophies of this ilk can absorb adjustments as the company faces various challenges, recessionary or otherwise. For example, when business is on an upward trend, salaries are at or are even slightly above market; short-term incentives are equal to percent of salary; and long-term awards are based on market guidelines. Conversely, when business is trending down, salaries are at or slightly below market; short-term incentives are minimal; and long-term awards are higher than market levels.

Businesses that adopt these compensation philosophies have the capability of interjecting practical solutions when the economic flow is downward.

For example, during recessionary periods, a company with a thoughtful compensation philosophy may offer “sabbatical” leaves to certain employees instead of a cut and dried layoff. Such a leave will reduce or suspend salary, but keep employees eligible for long-term benefits and wealth building programs.

Tiered pay cuts, as opposed to the feared “reduction in force” are another approach to cutting costs, while retaining key employees during challenging economic times. Top quality team players will recognize these adjustments in salaries as a necessary means to maintain jobs.

And during poorer performance cycles, a company might eliminate bonuses or raises, instead granting additional stock options.

Ultimately, companies, regardless of the shape of the economy, must have exceptional people on staff – employees who are aware that shifting financial circumstances may redefine their compensation and short term rewards, but who have the desire to maintain their focus within the organization knowing that the pendulum will eventually swing back toward better times.

* * *

About our Benefits Installment Author:

The New First Class Compromise

2009-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

When companies cut budgets, a typical target is anything considered to be a frivolous gadget. An unneeded gizmo. There certainly are a lot of frivolous gadgets and unneeded gizmos. It all makes perfect sense.

But then I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone when I talk to clients who have cut their annual or bi-annual on-line performance appraisals and assessments when I clearly remember them saying to me in the past that they don't know how their team, their department, even their business as a whole could continue to function and grow without them.

They used to say stuff like “We were such a dysfunctional, uncooperative bunch.”

So when the tools that 'functionalized' the dysfunctional and got the 'uncooperative' to cooperate are put to pasture, I always want to say “My word! Is it that bad? I hope you didn't have to get rid of the Tassimo coffee maker too!” But, inevitably, I get my head on straight and get with it again.

Here is what we need to do.

If your team, department, or company as a whole is a dysfunctional, uncooperative bunch but you can't seem to find room in the budget for the tools and support that you need to 'fix it' then either you're company is not taking the 'human factor' seriously enough or providers are not taking your budgets seriously enough. It's probably a little bit of both.

They say that in money, a perceived need is as real a need as a real need. I don't know if they actually say that, but I think it's true. We were going in this direction anyway, and it is simply the case that the state of the economy has accelerated the HR market's need for easy to use (which is time efficient) and cost-effective (which is cash efficient) technology solutions.

HR needs to start making the case that these tools are as necessary a part of the frictionless functioning of a business as the workstations, the network bandwidth and the Tassimo. Uncooperative people don't just start cooperating especially when they are afraid that their jobs are on the line. No company would sell all of their workstations and replace them with typewriters to save money. It would end up being more expensive... that's why we have computers. The best question to ask is, “How is that any different than getting rid of the other tool that time and again has provided stability and openness to the workforce?”

At the same time, HR solutions providers need to start innovating and moving away from the old model that companies don't see room for in their budgets. Solutions providers cannot just weather the storm and when the skies clear up approach their clients with the same garbage that got tossed at the first sign of trouble. That is about as backward as selling off workstations for typewriters. HR solutions providers need to learn that HR is now going to want more control over implementation and management of these systems. It's a particular brand of protectionism. HR solutions providers need to have a whole new game that's easy to learn. The products need to be better than they were before and we can actually define what we mean by "better": easy to integrate into company culture, easy for the client to learn, easy to use, quick to deploy, stable, error free. Of course, some HR solutions providers will be quick to say “oh but our systems have always been like that”. But, if that were true then we wouldn't be having this conversation.

It Was All a Dream

2009-05-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

What's that line from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?

"Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? 'I wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time'."

Remember when we were in free fall?

"Oh, what will become of me?"

Remember when we paniced and drank the one the read "Drink me"? And that didn't work. Or that time we ate the one that said "Eat me"? And, well, that didn't work either. So we got rid of the free coffee and shed 600,000 more jobs.

"Down, down, down. There was nothing else to do, so Alice soon began talking again."

And then manufacturing orders rose sharply! Rose sharply from where? Had we really fallen?

No, of course not. It was all a dream. Business as usual.

I wonder why there are so many empty desks around here...

The Profit In Not-For-Profit

2009-05-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

nonprofit jobs

The accountant teaching my finance course made it quite clear: “The only difference between for-profit businesses and not-for-profit organizations is that one pays taxes.” I’ve since found he was only partly right. What he meant to say was that the only accounting difference was paying taxes. It’s taken me a while to learn the real difference.

I’ve spent years making money in the for-profit sector, and it’s been rewarding and challenging. I’ve learned a lot. The last few years I’ve been more involved in the not-for-profit world. It’s been even more rewarding and challenging, and I’ve learned even more.

As a volunteer for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (http://www.rfbd.org/) I helped convert books into audio files for people who can’t read text. It always amazed me to think that a person who has trouble reading could digest a textbook on quantum phyics, epic poetry or computer programming by listening to my voice. At a thank you dinner for volunteers, one of RFB&D’s clients told me, “I know your voice - you read the case study for my marketing course. Thanks for helping me get my MBA!”

At SCORE (http://www.score.org), the volunteer arm of the Small Business Administration, I counseled dozens of entrepreneurs trying to turn their dreams into businesses. One of them now runs a medical escort service for senior citizens who need to travel; another develops websites for arts organizations.

My current volunteer activity has almost become a full time job. I work for the Executive Service Corps of Chicago (http://www.esc-chicago.org), a not-for-profit that takes the management experience of people like me and transfers it to the not-for-profit community in Chicago. We give them the tools they need to carry out their missions. In my six years at ESC, I’ve logged a few thousand hours of volunteer time.

I’ve

Coached the Executive Director of an agency that teaches kids life skills through the discipline of musical performance
Helped a park district develop a strategic plan that will result in more recreational opportunities for residents
Facilitated a growth plan for an agency that helps people with nervous disorders lead a normal life
Built an advisory board for a halfway house that helps ex-felons re-enter society as productive citizens
Did team-building for an agency that helps people find and keep decent housing
facilitated peer group meetings of executive directors in which they share their challenges and solutions
Taught management skills for a library’s staff
Developed a marketing program for an association of people with dysphonia, a speech disorder
Taught a hundred or so other ESC volunteers how to do Strategic Planning and Coaching

My reward? I’ve got a certificate of thanks on my wall, a couple of engraved pens, some coffee mugs -- and the personal and genuine thanks of dozens of executives, managers and volunteers for helping them help other people. I get the same reward they get: in a small way, I’ve helped make the world a little better.

So, what’s the real difference between for- and not-for-profits? Check your organization’s mission statement. Does it contain the words, “Increase shareholder value”? Or does it say, “Help someone who needs help!”

Results: 360 Degree Feedback Systems

2009-05-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

Year after year, companies treat their 360 Degree Feedback process as a routine. They claim they are happy with it. We have never encountered a 360 Degree Feedback program that is perfect. There is always significant room for improvement.

I want to thank all of you who participated in our survey to study the perceived effectiveness of 360 Degree Feedback projects within companies. This has been just one of many studies conducted by HR-Meter and HR-Worldview into the effectiveness of 360 Degree Feedback.

Here are the main results:

45% of individuals surveyed believe that their current tool is not time efficient.
38% of individuals surveyed say that their current report types are not easy to read.
46% of individuals surveyed said that their tool did not ask the relevant questions.
68% of individuals surveyed said that their tool would profit from more customization to their job.

For the full report, Click the Report Button below

or just click here

Survey: 360 Degree Feedback Systems

2009-04-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

Have you participated in a 360 Degree Feedback Project in the last year?

We are gathering information about the perceived effectiveness of various 360 Degree Feedback Systems.

Please take a moment to think back on the last 360 Degree Feedback project you participated in and answer the following questions as if they were about your specific project.

Click the Start Button to take this survey

or just click here

We will make the results of this survey available to those who request them

A Question of Balance: Querying the Work-Life Conundrum

2009-04-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

As part of our series of articles by exceptional HR professionals, today we present a coaching article by a new guest author, David Finney.

* * *

I have a problem with the term ‘work-life balance’. It implies that life begins when work finishes. The words we use are critical to our self awareness, our situation-reading and to our learning and development, and yet we pick up phrases like jackets in a wardrobe, trying them on for size and sometimes keeping on something that doesn’t quite fit in the absence of anything better.

Our conversations are derived from a variety of sources: education, literacy, sound bites from the media, parental hand-me-downs and phrases we’ve picked up from our friends, family or business colleagues. Words are not truly our own. They sit on a large menu from which we make our selection, in an attempt to find the right combination that suits the way we are feeling at any given time.

Interpreting stress

The phrase ‘work/life balance’ originated in the eighties. it seemed OK at the time: a way of interpreting stress, a reminder to leave the office before dark. it’s a phrase we have picked up, taken on board and maybe even formed a goal around.

But what if WLB is reinforcing the belief that the working day is simply a prelude to a sigh of relief at the end of it? What if these words are encouraging our clients to move away from rather than towards something? As coach Graham Guest says “Part of the perceived problem of the work-life balance comes about through regarding work as the stuff you do, often reluctantly, to earn money to do the things you really want to do”.

Balance of opposites

Chinese philosophy has always been intrigued with balance: night and day, high and low, winter and summer, dark and light, black and white, left and right,false and true, female and male, as encapsulated by the yin and yang in the I Ching, the ancient Chinese classic text. The yin and yang represent the negative and positive forces in the universe and the “dynamic balance of opposites”.

The Chinese language itself works in a similar way, using antonyms. These are opposite words placed side by side to represent a concept. So ’hei’ (black) plus ‘bai’ (white) represents morality. ‘Cheng’ (success) plus ‘bai’ (failure) represents outcome or result. ‘Chang’ (long) with ‘duan’ (short) represents the concept of the situation: that’s the long and short of it. So maybe to fully understand certain concepts, one needs to locate and appreciate its direct opposite.

Restoring social order

The Ifaluk are a people that live on an Island in the Pacific Ocean, just a few hundred souls on a piece of land about half a mile in diameter. The Ifaluk don’t approve of anger, so they don’t have a word for it. They have a similar word, and that word is ‘song’. If someone on the island is in a ‘state of song’, they must have a very good reason for it. For instance, the person causing them to experience ‘song’ must have acted in a very immoral way. Then, the person experiencing ‘song’ must find a way to express their feeling in a non-physical, nonviolent, controlled manner.

And so ’song’ is a sign that the social order of the island has been disturbed, the equilibrium tipped. Balance is only restored when the person causing ‘song’ has apologized or offered a gift or similar. Until then, the person experiences ‘metagu’, and feels guilt or pressure from the Ifaluk society until making amends.

The conceptual width of balance is far reaching, and people have the power to create language that suits the world they inhabit.

Authenticity

Buddhism – like Hinduism - is based upon the principle of cause and effect and centers round the Noble Eightfold Path, The Middle Way, which is the avoidance of extremes, leading to balance in thought, words and action. Author Michael Carroll references balance in Buddhism in a different way, encouraging us to accept disorder at work and achieve balance by taking time out in the day, moments to stop and listen to our surroundings, find our source and be authentic.

In our quest for authenticity in love, in leadership and in life, we can discover a harmony that is enduring, that underlies work, play and all the events and segments in our day, something independent of the divides we create.

There is a flip side to the WLB phrase. Its alternate implications are that our ‘work’ finishes when the bell goes. This can cause us to switch off when we come home and lose the social disciplines we had at work: politeness, courtesy, interest in the projects of others, for instance. This could mean we disconnect from our loved ones and the lives they are leading. But true balance is ‘karmic’: every action performed in one part of our lives affects another. Every extra hour at work is one hour less with our families. Every extra hour in bed could mean one less working on our goals.

Unpacking the phrase

As coaches we are trained to use the words our clients use, in a matching and mirroring effect. We are also trained to help our clients analyze their words and check they are the right ones, ensuring that they accurately summarize the intent behind them. So if a client wants to discuss ‘work-life balance’, I believe the coach should help the client reach the ‘right’ words to express exactly how they feel as soon as possible, before progressing too far into the program. I can recall suggesting the word ‘buzz’ to a client to help identify a set of feelings. "Yes! That's the word: buzz!” he exclaimed. “Yes that’s how I feel, thank you!”

Clients tackling issues labeled ‘work-life balance’ need to achieve the same sense of recognition in locating words that describe exactly how they, individually, feel, and then in defining the kind of balance they really want.

In balance

So ‘work-life balance’: is it a harmless label, or an influencing phrase working quietly away in our subconscious? The phrase still concerns me. It’s like a dusty old jacket that needs replacing. An “unhelpful dichotomy” as coach Bill Brand puts it. Our lives are surely not divided up into two opposing parts. It has to be simply a question of balance and what that means to the individual.

A final word from a previous client of mine who revealed in our sixth session, “My life feels more in balance now”. No mention of work or life, just “balance”. Music to a coach’s ears!

About our Guest Author:

David Finney is Quality Director & Coaching Champion in an international market research company with twenty years managerial and people development experience. David has a Diploma in both Corporate & Personal Coaching and is a member of The Association for Coaching.

Benefits Installments

2009-04-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

As you may remember, back in January we announced (rather prematurely) that we were considering running monthly Benefits Installments to broaden the scope of our forum into an area of Human Resource Management as yet untouched by HR-Worldview.

Well, today we can make good on that announcement!

Begining in May, HR-Worldview will run a regular Benefits Installment.

Jim Moniz (President of Northeast VisionLink and Northeast Wealth Management) will pen these installments.

For a sample of what you can expect from these Benefits Installments, check our Jim's latest article, here.

It is our hope that you will find these installments interesting and helpful.

Confronting the Problem

2009-04-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

By HR-Worldview Regular Columnist: George Krafcisin

* * *

At one time in my career, I inherited supervision of a group of consultants. I was happy to manage the crew, who were for the most part seasoned veterans who knew their jobs better than I did. Except for “Jane.” She had been in the same job for over twenty years, and I could see from the reports of her consultations with clients that she was still doing the job the way it had been done when she started. My budget for red ink went up as I rewrote her reports before our clients could see them. On the other hand, she was a dependable worker, very pleasant, and clients liked her. Heck, I liked her. But she clearly couldn’t handle the changes in the profession, and she was a drag on our success.

Her prior supervisor - my boss - had always given her a pass on appraisals, so the safe thing would be to ignore the issue. Her performance review date was coming up soon, so I had to fly out to her office on the East Coast and do something. So was I going to be the hard-hearted axe-man and just fire her? What would that do for my reputation with the rest of the staff? I could just spend some extra time rewriting her reports. Was that fair to the rest of the staff, and to me? Maybe I could offer her extra training and hope that she could turn around twenty years of underperformance. I knew that wasn’t going to work. So what to do?

I didn’t really have a plan, other than to lay out what I thought was wrong with her work, and see what happened. With my usual good sense of timing, I flew out two days before Thanksgiving for the confrontation. I got out the report drafts from the last few months, went through all of my notes highlighting the problems. Jane didn’t say a word. When I was done, I asked, “OK, so where do we go from here? Do I just keep giving you grief until you retire?”

In retrospect, I can see what I had done right - and wrong. On the good side, I had decided to do something, rather than ignore the situation. It wasn’t fair to Jane, to me, or to the company to tolerate performance that just wasn’t acceptable. I had also set up a good, objective set of criteria that defined “good performance”, and had documentation of the shortcomings, so there were no arguments about that.

On the bad side, I had caved on deciding what I really wanted to happen. I hoped for a good outcome, but I hadn’t really decided what I would do if nothing changed. Also, I had implied that I would like Jane to retire and that would have gotten me in hot water if she decided to make an issue of it. And I hadn’t separated myself from my emotional need to be nice to a nice person. So I had crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. And I had no idea what Jane thought - I’d given her no feedback on what her review might contain, just copies of rewritten reports.

Jane’s response? She said, “I’ve been thinking about this situation for some time. I’m tired of doing this same old job. I’ve met someone special, and we’re thinking of getting married. I would like to work a few more months, and then retire. Would that fit in with your plans?”

Which leads me to a checklist for dealing with those conversations you wish you didn’t have to have:

Decide in advance what you want to happen with the “problem”. What outcome do you want to see? Shoot for a “win-win” if you can.
Do your homework and define the facts - not your feelings. What is the problem? Can you document it so there’s no argument about it?
What are your feelings? You need to know what they are to understand how they are influencing your actions.
What is the other person’s view? Do you know? How can you find out? How might that change the situation?
Lay out the problem in objective terms and avoid criticizing personal traits. Say, “Your reports don’t meet standards,” rather than “You can’t write good reports.”
Get a clear agreement from the other person as to what will happen by when. And follow up on it.

As for Jane? Happily married and retired. She asked if I wanted to join her and her fiance for dinner next time I was in town.

About Our Columnist:

George Krafcisin is the President, coach and trainer of Mosaic Management, Inc. He writes regular installments on the topics of leadership and management here on HR-Worldview.

His last article "Play Now, Pay Later" can be found here.