January 23, 2012

Wellness Programs = Saving Money (?!)

Filed under: Benefits,General HR Buzz,Total Rewards,Work/Life Balance — Joyce @ 10:45 am

It seems that health and wellness have been the focus of my blogs this month.  The reason is twofold:  1) it is the “time of the year” when I try to refocus my personal wellness goals; 2) it seems to be the topic of conversation in many of the articles and email newsletters I receive.

An article published by BNA caught my attention with this title:  “Wellness Programs Are Saving Employers Money, Officials Say.”  Having been on the “other side” of HR, I believe I have heard most every argument against wellness programs, generally focusing on the cost aspect as it is difficult to determine the actual ROI of wellness programs.

The article goes on to say that during a Capitol Hill briefing on November 30, Mary Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC) stated that programs aimed at keeping workers healthy are saving employers more money than they cost.   She stated that companies that have adopted wellness programs have reduced absenteeism, medical claims, and workers’ compensation expenses.  When wellness programs are expanded to cover larger populations or target particular communities or workforces, the positive outcomes will only increase.

The piece that makes this article most intriguing is that this isn’t just based on her own personal opinion.  It is based on a report that was released at the briefing, HLC Wellness Compendium:  Successful Private Sector Wellness and Prevention Initiatives, which outlines employer programs that have been successful in keeping employees healthy and lowering companies’ overall health costs.    We are now benefiting from wellness programs that have been in place for 5 to 10 years or longer, so viable data can now be measured.

When 7 out of 10 deaths in the United States are attributable to chronic diseases and $.75 of every $1.00 is spent on health care to treat these diseases, it seems like there is no other option than to implement a wellness program.  What is your company doing to address wellness?  Please share…I’d like to hear your success stories!

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January 19, 2012

Are Your Workplace Policies Alienating Flexibility?

Filed under: Communication,Management Practices,Work/Life Balance — Olivia @ 12:35 pm

A couple of months ago, I blogged about ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment).  For many, the thought of changing the way we work is just a little bit too “out there.”  Some managers are so ingrained in the belief that if they can see their employees, they know they’re working, they can’t imagine anything else working.

The topic of flexibility is thrown around – every company thinks they provide it to their employees.  Take a moment, though, to consider the policies, procedures, and tools you have in place at your organization.  Do they facilitate flexibility, or do they bring it to a screeching halt?

One of my favorite blogs to read is Suzanne Lucas (aka Evil HR Lady), and yesterday’s blog was one of the best I’ve ever read.  Her discussion centers around a couple of emails she received: one from an employee who is penalized by arriving to work 5 minutes late; the second is from a new manager who is concerned about their employees showing up 15-30 minutes late.

Of course, she acknowledges that in some cases, arriving late can be bad: “If your employees are nurses and the last shift can’t give report and go home until the next shift is there, then that’s a bad thing. If you’re a call center that starts taking calls at a certain time, then that’s a bad thing.”

The takeaway point is this – spend time focusing on what really matters when it comes to your employees.  What kind of results do they achieve?  How is their performance?  Use a calm sense of reason to manage your employees.  If you spend too much time watching the clock, you may find your best employees headed straight for the door.

Evil HR Lady’s Blogpost: “Stop Managing by the Clock.”

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January 3, 2012

Limiting Off-Hours Emails: Good Idea or Bad Business Move?

Filed under: Work/Life Balance — Olivia @ 10:14 am

Happy New Year!  Many of us are returning from some much-needed vacation time today.  In my last blog, I talked a bit about the importance of taking vacation time and some things you could do to prepare yourself (and co-workers) for your absence.  Today, I am recharged and ready to come back to work full of fresh ideas and great intentions.  Joyce’s blog about resolutions challenges all of us to think of some things we can do differently in 2012, both personally and professionally.

It seems some companies may have their own resolutions in place as well.  German automaker Volkswagen has decided to kick the “CrackBerry” habit by deactivating emails to its employees outside of office hours.  The restriction only applies to employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, so executives will still be subject to constant emails.  Volkswagen has about 400,000 employees worldwide, and the change would affect about 1,100 employees in its Germany plants.

In a country that burnout is blamed for nearly 10 million sick days per year, there are still some who believe VW is making a bad business move.

A spokeswoman for RWE said the German utility had no agreement comparable to the one at Volkswagen and indicated it was unlikely there was going to be one anytime soon.

“You have to take into account that at a utility many employees need to be reachable and on the job all the time since they have to make sure that power and gas are flowing night and day, that lights are on and that it’s warm inside,” she said.

What do you think of Volkswagen’s move?

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November 29, 2011

How Does Your Company Celebrate the Holidays?

Filed under: Management Practices,Work/Life Balance — Olivia @ 11:40 am

The holidays are indeed a festive time of year.  I find myself thinking about preparations for fall and winter celebrations long before the kids are even trick-or-treating.  Today, I want to talk about a few of the items that should be on your list this year as you plan how your company will celebrate.

Company Parties

Around this time, many employers have already begun planning for their annual holiday party.  A 2009 SHRM poll showed more than 60 percent of employers planned to hold either an end-of-year or holiday party for their employees.  Thoughts of liability in the form of harassment cases, or impaired employees injuring someone on the way home can quickly kill your holiday spirit.  Are you sensitive to different dietary needs?  Do you try to ensure everyone feels included?  See below for a link to our latest Whitepaper for a lot more great information.

Secret Santa (or Secret Gift Exchange)

We are all familiar with this game, so how can you make it interesting?  One year, participants in our office each contributed $10 to purchase “something” from a website called (what else?) The Something Store.  No one knew what they were going to unwrap, and we were allowed to swap gifts.

This year, we are adapting Secret Santa for the social media generation by using Elfster.  The site is free, and participants can ask anonymous questions to their recipients.  Recipients can also create wish lists.

Give Back

It makes no difference how large or small, every organization can do something.  Allow employees time off to volunteer, take donations to the food bank, or adopt a family.

 

How does your company give back to your community?  How do you celebrate?  Comment below, or email me at olivia.hensley@hrnonline.com.  I would love to hear your ideas.

More Information:

Check out our latest Whitepaper, ‘Tis the Season for Company Parties for tools to minimize your risks so you can enjoy the festivities, too.

The Something Store

Elfster

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November 23, 2011

Are You Spending Thanksgiving with Your Coworkers??

Filed under: Engagement,General HR Buzz,Work/Life Balance — Joyce @ 10:31 am

Many years ago, I had the unfortunate experience of having a minor accident shortly before Thanksgiving.  I escaped unharmed, but my car had to go to the shop and parts had to be ordered to fix the damage.  The loaner car the body shop gave me was a four-door Comet, brown in color.  My friends and I affectionately named it “Crash Comet.”  It was one of those cars with a personality which appeared at unexpected times, such as the back door flying open while driving down the street.  However, it served its purpose of getting me to my college classes and to work at the bank.

As Thanksgiving Day approached, I was told my car’s repairs were not going to be complete.  My family lived 200 miles away and obviously Crash Comet was not in any condition to make a roundtrip of 400 miles.  My budget was tight so renting a car was not an option.   A coworker came to my rescue and insisted I spend Thanksgiving Day with her family.  It was a wonderful memory I will never forget.  I was thankful to have a coworker, and friend, to welcome me to their table on Thanksgiving Day.

However, that may not be the case of many individuals.  A recent survey by Careebuilder.com reports nearly one in five workers said they plan to celebrate the holiday with coworkers.  When coworkers were asked who they would rather spend Thanksgiving with, only 1% answered coworkers with 90% stating family, and the remaining 9% answered neither.  I’m assuming this survey’s responses are referring to those individuals who are spending the day with their coworkers because they have to, not because they are generously sharing their Thanksgiving table with them.  It is sometimes easy to forget the many occupations that never have a chance to have a day off, such as our hospital workers, policemen, and even cable television providers.  Heaven forbid our cable would go out during a Thanksgiving Day football game!

During the years, I have been fortunate to have coworkers that have become my very best friends.  I would welcome any of them to my Thanksgiving dinner table.  While my vote would still be with the 90% who prefer to spend Thanksgiving with family, I have also been in the 1% population spending Thanksgiving with a coworker.  I discovered there are reasons to give thanks, no matter who you are sharing this special day with.

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November 16, 2011

Weekly Wednesday Acronym – ROI

Filed under: Benefits,General HR Buzz,Incentive Pay,Insurance,Total Rewards,Work/Life Balance — Joyce @ 3:51 pm

If you approach senior management with a plan to implement a wellness program in your organization, one of the first words out of his or her mouth will most likely be “How do you plan to measure the ROI?”  What ROI refers to is Return on Investment (ROI), a calculation which complicates executive buy-in of wellness programs as it isn’t always easy to obtain significant data of ROI.

We all know wellness programs are important and they have become a staple of many corporate benefit packages.  Some organizations start small, offering reimbursement to employees for gym memberships or holding a wellness fair once or twice a year.  Other organizations simply have a deeply engrained principle that forms the basis for decisions about health and wellness offerings.  And larger organizations may offer monetary incentives for participation in wellness initiatives.

No matter how exciting your wellness plan is or how well received it is by employees, ROI will most likely be the measuring stick for success of the plan in the eyes of your CEO.  Fortunately, some organizations have had plans in place that have been able to measure ROI.  One such example is a state program implemented in Delaware in 2003, appropriately named DelaWELL.  First year’s savings were estimated at $62,000 simply through the reduction of emergency room visits.  Currently, health insurance premiums haven’t increased for the last three years.

As wellness programs have now been in place for several years, we are hearing more about the success of these programs and the resulting ROI.  So although ROI may be a difficult measurement, it’s not impossible.  For more information and free resources, check out the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) by clicking here.

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November 8, 2011

Bonus Weekly Acronym: ROWE

Filed under: General HR Buzz,Management Practices,Total Rewards,Work/Life Balance — Tags: — Olivia @ 10:53 am

If you are one of our regular blog readers, you know what to expect on Wednesday: Joyce’s Weekly Wednesday Acronym.   This week, I want to share an additional acronym that is gaining quite a bit of press lately – ROWE.

ROWE stands for Results-Only Work Environment.  ROWE is the brainchild of Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, authors of Why Work Sucks And How to Fix It.  Simply put, in a ROWE organization, employees can do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as their work gets done.

Workplace flexibility, telecommuting, and work/life balance are all terms we have heard before.  If you have implemented any elements into your company to increase flexibility, you have probably also heard complaints from other employees.  “There goes Joe again, leaving to pick up his kids.”  “It must be nice to telecommute – we all know Mary doesn’t do any actual WORK on those days!”

ROWE is different because employees are evaluated based on the results they achieve.  In a SHRM webinar I recently attended on the subject, the question was posed: “ Are there some jobs ROWE wouldn’t work for?”  The authors argue a better question is “Are there some jobs that AREN’T based on results?”

If you still think there is no way ROWE could work for your organization, consider this: ROWE was created while the authors were working for Best Buy.  Yes, one of the largest retailers implemented ROWE several years ago.  In that time, revenue has more than doubled and their employee count has remained steady.  Other retailers who have embraced ROWE include Gap and Banana Republic.

To get more information about ROWE, go to http://www.gorowe.com/.  You’ll find information about the book as well as free resources that are available to help you consider “Going ROWE.”

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October 14, 2011

HR Fact Friday: What Happened to Common Sense?

Filed under: General HR Buzz,Hiring & Jobs,Work/Life Balance — Paul @ 6:00 am

Being both an HR and sales/marketing professional I look carefully at emerging market trends. I figure if I’m doing my job properly I am working 30-60 days ahead of the sale to generate leads and have trained, motivated sales staff in place to give demos and provide information.  As a hiring and people manager I also know of the considerable investment in time and company resources that go into each and every new hire.   Consider the job posting, on-boarding and days of hands on orientation/training to bring on new staff and get them to a point of self-reliant productivity. It is a big investment that doesn’t have a lot of ROI on the front end; especially if the new employee is replacing a top performer who left because the grass was seemingly greener elsewhere.

So why do some employers disregard workplace conditions and employee morale and expect longer hours and greater commitment from workers during tough times and then don’t understand when a trained and experienced worker quits–I mean this is a bad economy, workers aren’t supposed to quit. Nobody is hiring, right?

(more…)

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October 10, 2011

Similarities Between a Half Marathon and a Marathon Work Project

Filed under: General HR Buzz,Management Practices,Work/Life Balance — Joyce @ 9:43 am

Yesterday I ran my 2nd half marathon.  I have run off and on throughout my life, but officially became a “runner” when a good friend convinced me to join her running group over two years ago.  “It will be fun” she said, “and you’ll get to meet lots of great people.”  So that year, I ran my first marathon in San Francisco along with thousands of other women who may have been enticed by the Tiffany necklace you receive by a fire fighter (dressed in tuxedo) at the end of the marathon.  Did I meet lots of great people?  Yes.  Was it fun?  Yes, but not absent of some pain and struggles along the way.

For some reason, I continue to run, which also provides a lot of time to think.  And since I run slowly, I have more time to think than some of my fellow runners.  As I was running yesterday, I began to compare this experience to goal-driven situations in the workplace.  Each situation seems to be comprised of similar components:

1)      A plan – Whether training for a race or planning a project, each needs to have a plan with specific goals and objectives.  For my half marathon training, the plan was laid out for 18 weeks with daily objectives.  For my work projects, I have similar timelines set in place for daily, weekly, or monthly milestones.

2)      Follow the plan – It’s great to have a plan, but following it is when real discipline comes into place.  For my half marathon training plan, it is folded up in my purse so I can access it at any time.  But, because it wasn’t in front of me every day, I didn’t always complete my daily mileage as outlined.  For my work projects, the same is true.  I do best when I have my timeline posted in front of me in my office to continually remind me of the step(s) I need to take each day to reach the end result.

3)      Support and encouragement – There are days during my training when I didn’t feel like running.  That’s when having a running partner or running group helps.  I had fellow runners I could call or text to encourage me to complete my daily run.  The same is true with work projects.  If I am having a difficulty completing a task, I can take a break, talk to my manager or coworkers, and receive support and encouragement.

4)      Evaluation – Once the half marathon was complete, I thought about how I did.  In yesterday’s case, my time wasn’t as good as I would have liked.  What can I do differently next year to improve my time?  Perhaps I didn’t push myself enough on my long runs, or I didn’t eat the right foods during my training.  When I complete a work project, I also like to take time to evaluate.  What went right?  What lessons were learned?  By documenting the outcome of each step of the process, I can apply that to the next project I’m assigned to.

5)      Celebration – When I finished with the half marathon, celebration was in the air!  There was a band playing, food tents, massages being given, pictures being taken, and families and friends celebrating their accomplishments.  Do we do this in the workplace?  Probably not as good as we should.  It’s important to stop after a big project is completed and join together as a team to celebrate.

So yesterday I did accomplish my goal.  I received the medal I proudly wore around my neck for the remainder of the day.  I hope to use the lessons learned from this experience and apply them to other areas of my life.  After all, each represents an accomplishment.

 

 

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October 6, 2011

What Steve Jobs Taught Us About Leadership

Filed under: Communication,Management Practices,Work/Life Balance — Tags: , — Olivia @ 8:55 am

Last night, I found out – along with the rest of the world – Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, passed away.  I wasn’t watching television, or checking news sites on my computer.  More fitting, I saw the posting from a news application that I accessed on my iPhone.  Like most people my age, my first exposure to Mr. Jobs’ innovative and creative spirit came in the form of the Macintosh, the personal computer he created in the mid-80’s.

Steve Jobs has epitomized creativity and innovation for many of us.  Author of The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs and Forbes contributor Carmine Gallo (view the video here) presented seven lessons we can learn about leadership from Steve Jobs.

Do What You Love – “Do what you believe is great work.  The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle.”

Put a Dent in the Universe – Jobs and Apple created a computer that everyday people would feel comfortable using: the Macintosh.  He changed the way we listen to music (iTunes) and the movies we watch (Pixar) as well.

Connect Things to Spark Your Creativity – After officially dropping out, Jobs studied calligraphy in college.  The course had no practical application, but he was passionate about it.  Ten years later, Apple created the first computer with beautiful fonts and typeface.

Say “No” to 1,000 Things – He was proud of what Apple did, but also of what it chose not to do.  Simplicity is the elimination of clutter.  (One button on the iPad; no keyboard on the iPhone.)

Create Insanely Different Experiences – He innovated the customer’s experience.  Apple stores have 17,000 visitors every week and make more money per square foot than most other retailers.

Master the Message – Jobs was a great “corporate storyteller.”  Think visually – there were often very few words on his presentation slides.  The audience will remember the message if it is connected to a picture, called “picture superiority.”

Sell Dreams, Not Products – When Apple was facing bankruptcy, he reduced the number of products they offered to better match core customers’ needs.  Jobs believed if you make their dreams come true, customers will buy your products.

In 2005, Jobs delivered the commencement address to graduates at Stanford University – 15 minutes of inspiration and a thought-provoking message:

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” Steve Jobs

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