January 20, 2012

HR Fact Friday: Know What Works in Performance Management

Filed under: Performance Management,Performance Pro — Paul @ 6:00 am

What is it about the start of a new year that triggers a wave of online banter from one expert or another regarding what does or does not work in regard to annual performance evaluations? Why do we have them? They are a waste of time! Performance reviews are an outdated, antiquated fossil from the “dare I say it” Baby Boomer generation. Manager/mentor coaching is more effective. Social performance collaboration is the new black! Social, Social, Social!

It is part of my job to stay abreast of industry trends in the area of performance and talent management. I enjoy this research and have been doing it for quite a number of years so I feel I am somewhat qualified to throw my two cents into the ring every now and again.

Number 1: I understand marketing and I understand the HR services and technology industry. I have seen the performance management competitive marketplace grow from 5 primary competitors in as recently as 2004 to what now numbers by my best estimate, and inclusive of the many mergers and acquisitions in the industry, approximately 30—each trying to differentiate themselves and sell their service in a very crowded marketplace as unique, effective and innovative.

The plain facts are—and what any performance management program worth its salt must do, and do very well are:

  (more…)

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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 18, 2012

Turnover: HR Metrics – How and What to Measure

Filed under: General HR Buzz,Hiring & Jobs,Performance Management — Tags: , — Joyce @ 4:52 pm

It seems that January is the time for measurements, especially if you are like many of us who begin an exercise regimen in hopes of reducing our waistline measurement (my personal goal), or perhaps increasing our bicep measurement (if you are like my 16-year old son).  The world of HR is no different.  We often begin the year by defining our goals and objectives.  The last few years, there has been increased focus on measuring the value of HR.  Is HR merely overhead, or can our goals and objectives be measured and considered an integral piece providing input to the strategic direction of our organization?

I like to think the latter is true.  Although many of the processes and services we deliver are difficult to measure, I believe there are many areas that can be evaluated and assigned a quantitative value.  That is true in the area of turnover.  As our 1st quarter HR theme is turnover, we will be looking at it from various perspectives, building on what Olivia posted earlier this month relating to the costs and consequences of turnover.

HR metrics should be looked at as opportunities to provide valuable decision making data, assess internal controls, and improve performance.  However, metrics should be looked at as more than data.  The real value arrives when we can take the quantitative data and look at it from a qualitative perspective.   A simple way to look at the difference is as follows:

  • Quantitative – measures how much there is and usable for simple factors; should be compared to a “standard”
  • Qualitative – tells you what you are measuring and is reflective of actual workplace behavior

Olivia’s blog provided a calculation for turnover rate, which is an example of a quantitative metric:

  •  Dividing the number of terminations by the total employee census

The qualitative metric regarding turnover would take this data and complete the following assessment:

  •  Look at who left and why, digging into additional information such as what departments/managers had turnover, was it new hires or long-term employees, etc.

What are some other HR metrics that one might want to include when assessing turnover?  We will be expanding on this topic in our monthly whitepaper.  I believe you will be surprised at some of the new metrics that are emerging in the area of HR.  I hope you already receive our whitepapers, or if not you can sign up by clicking here.   Remember they are free (which results in a quantitative metric of $0)!

 

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January 17, 2012

Are You Reliable – Really?

Filed under: Management Practices — Olivia @ 8:48 pm

One of the many lessons I learned from my dad was to be sure I always “Mean what I say.”  In other words, do what you say you are going to do, every time.  As an organization, you want to send the message to your stakeholders that you are reliable.  If I dial a number on my phone, and the call doesn’t connect – or worse, disconnects when I’m mid-sentence – do I say my service is unreliable?  No, I probably won’t make that assumption the first time it happens.  But, if the same thing happens again (and again, and again), you can bet I’ll change companies.

How does your HR department measure up in terms of reliability?  We expect (and often demand) reliability from the companies we do business with and the people we work with, but when it comes to turning the mirror on ourselves, we often fail.  In some instances, failure to fulfill a promise may go unnoticed.  If you don’t deliver to your employees – by missing the deadline to deliver important benefit or payroll information, for example – you will quickly garner a reputation of unreliability.  If you forget to bring in the bagels or donuts when you said you would, you may want to stay away from the office altogether.

Eric Chester, author of Reviving Work Ethic: A Leader’s Guide to Ending Entitlement and Restoring Pride in the Emerging Workforce, believes the American worker has transitioned over the years into largely excusing their own unreliability and that has led to a compromised work ethic.  If you have employees who call in “sick” when they aren’t, you employ part of the 57% who said they call in sick when they just don’t feel like going to work.

According to Chester, the problem extends to our children.  As many of the nation’s schools have pushed the start time later and later, he wonders:

Have teens’ bodies suddenly changed? Are farmers able to get the chickens, pigs, and cows to sleep in until their kids are ready to feed them? Do you think students in India and China are watching Hulu until all hours of the night and sleeping the day away?

Me neither. Old Ben Franklin wasn’t blowing smoke when he penned that “early to bed, early to rise” rap. And I bet he didn’t write it at 2:00 a.m.

What do you think?  Has your HR department sustained a reliable culture in your organization?

Read Chester’s blog here.

 

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January 13, 2012

HR Fact Friday: EEOC Letter Causes Diploma Controversy

Filed under: EEO,Employment Law,Hiring & Jobs — Tags: , , — Paul @ 1:40 pm

An informal discussion letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is generating some controversy over whether an employer can require a high school diploma as an employment prerequisite. The informal letter (without the force of a law or regulation) was written in response to a question about persons who are unable to earn a diploma because of learning disabilities, thus making them ineligible for jobs that require a high school education. The EEOC said that a diploma requirement that screens out someone based on a disability must be job related and consistent with a business necessity or it may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If it meets this requirement, the employer must then show that the person denied the job could not perform its essential functions, even with accommodations. Thus, according to the EEOC, while an employer need not prefer an individual with less qualifications (e.g. someone without a diploma who could not earn one due to a disability), it cannot flatly refuse to even consider him/her if they could perform the job with accommodations.

Is this type of information of interest to you? If you would like to recieve twice monthly HR legal updates such as that featured in this post you can sign up to recieve the HRN HR Legal Update eNewsletter. Simply go to: http://www.hrnonline.com/HR/WhitePapers/whitepaper-newsletter.asp.

 

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January 12, 2012

Toxic Personalities at Work: Your Roadblock to Innovation

Filed under: Discipline & Termination,Management Practices — Olivia @ 8:18 am

Here we are, almost half-way through the first month of the New Year.  Did you take some advice from Joyce, and set some resolutions at the office?  Physical change is difficult – quitting smoking or losing weight – but resolving to change something about your personality (and sticking to it) can be an even bigger challenge.

But, if you’re one of the 10 most unwanted personalities at work, you may want to renew your efforts to change in 2012.  That’s one of the takeaways from the leaders at Maddock Douglas, a consulting company that specializes in innovations and new product launches.  They assert that if you can’t change them, fire them.

  • Victims – “Victims are people who see problems as occasions for persecution rather than challenges to overcome. We all play the role of victim occasionally, but for some, it has turned into a way of life.”
  • The Nonbelievers – “In our experience, we’ve found the link between believing and succeeding incredibly powerful and real. Great leaders understand this.”
  • The Know-It-Alls – “The best innovators are learners, not knowers. The same can be said about innovative cultures; they are learning cultures.”

If you’re not convinced of how important it is to address these people, consider these quotes.

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

“Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.

“Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.” Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872

Source: Bloomberg Business Week – Three Types of Personalities to Fire Immediately

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January 11, 2012

A Holiday Already? For 3 of 10 Employers, That Is the Case!

Filed under: General HR Buzz — Joyce @ 12:09 pm

With Christmas already a distant memory, many employees are probably ready for another holiday.  Well, you are in luck if you work for 31% of the employers who observe Martin Luther King Day, which is Monday, January 16.  Organizations with a union presence are more likely to observe the holiday, along with federal employers.

In case you are wondering when Martin Luther King Day became an official holiday, keep reading for a little history refresher.  Martin Luther King is best known for his nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.   Following his assassination in 1968, a campaign began for a federal holiday in King’s honor.  It wasn’t until 1983, however, when it was signed into law by Ronald Reagan, and first observed on January 20, 1996.  At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such and even used alternate names or combined it with other holidays.  In 2000, it was officially observed in all 50 states on the 3rd Monday in January.

It may be said that Martin Luther King brought to light many issues which resulted in changes in HR laws regarding discrimination and diversity.  Whether or not your company observes the day as a paid holiday, it’s a great time to reflect and remember some of the quotes from Martin Luther King.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

From the “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

From “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963

“From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring. But not only that: Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.”

From the “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963

“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”

From “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963

 Source:  Bloomberg BNA’s Survey of Holiday Practices

 

 

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January 10, 2012

Word Choice Makes or Breaks the Customer Experience

Filed under: General HR Buzz,Management Practices — Tags: — Olivia @ 6:30 am

If you have ever had contact with another human, chances are good that you’ve been on the giving or receiving end of customer service. Years ago, when I was a customer service representative in a financial institution, my supervisor introduced us to the “Pickle Principle.” If you’re not familiar, here’s a rundown of the story: Bob Farrell (owner of Farrell’s Ice Cream stores in the 60s-70s) received a letter from an unhappy customer. The customer always asked for (and received) one extra pickle slice on his cheeseburger – 2-3 times a week for years. On the day in question, he made his usual request and the waitress told him she could bring a side of pickles for an extra charge. After consulting with the manager, she told him she could sell a single pickle slice for a nickel.

Of course, this story is much bigger than the pickle slice. Mr. Farrell coined the phrase “Give ‘em the pickle!” as a way to say “Find a way to give customers what they want.” I can still hear these words whenever I have the opportunity to work with a client. Unfortunately, we have all had an experience that equals or exceeds the aforementioned pickle problem.

I came across a blog by Michael Hess on MoneyWatch that promised to give me the six best words in customer service. He made a great point about the ultimate goal of the customer service experience:

“The goal, of course, is to make the customer as happy as possible with the service experience, even if the outcome isn’t exactly as she had hoped for. It is, in fact, possible for a customer to have a positive feeling about a company even if she doesn’t get what she wants. And that is where words make a big difference.”

Among Michael’s tips include: using active words (“I will…” vs. “I can…”); getting in touch with genuine compassion and empathy for the customer; maintaining a cheerful and natural manner in speaking to customers.

I believe this is all great advice. All of these tactics only work if the individual is genuine and not forced, in their interaction with the customer. As customers, we have had enough negative experiences that our expectations are often low. Positive words can make a huge difference in your interaction with a customer. For example, “Let me get back to you on that,” vs. “I am happy to help. I will research this issue and call you back by 3:00 p.m. this afternoon.” Which would make you feel better about the interaction?
For more, including the six words to improve your customer experiences, read the blog here.

More about the Pickle Principle here.

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January 9, 2012

Do You Know What Today Is?

Filed under: General HR Buzz — Joyce @ 9:40 am

To start off with, today is Monday morning and for many of us it is the first full work week of 2012.  If that’s not enough to get you motivated, it is also National Clean Off Your Desk Day.  Yep, not only do you have to clean up after the holidays at home, but “clean up” also applies to the workplace. 

Personally, I work best when my desk is organized.  A clean desk helps me prioritize and focus on the task at hand.  Experts say that the average person uses just 20 percent of the stuff on their desk to accomplish 80 percent of their work.  Looking at my desk, I would have to agree.

When purveying your desk, one item you can’t ignore is the computer.  Although your desk may look neat and tidy, what about all those files and folders on your computer desktop, and that pesky message that keeps reminding you your in-box is full?  Well, good news because it is National Clean Up Your Computer Month (which gives us a few more days to procrastinate).  In one of my past places of employment, any emails over 30 days were automatically deleted.  Although that sounds pretty harsh, it kept me organized.  In the world of HR, there are certain items we need to save so it was essential from a compliance standpoint that I remain organized.

You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

 

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January 6, 2012

HR Fact Friday: NLRB Poster Deadline Postponed Again

Filed under: Compliance,Legal Issues,Unions/NLRB — Paul @ 2:27 pm

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently imposed a new requirement that employers post a notice to employees informing them of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).  The new NLRB requirement was supposed to take effect as of November 14, 2011 but that deadline was later delayed until January 31, 2012.  The NLRB has delayed the deadline again, and it now is set at April 30, 2012.  The most recent delay is a related to a court request to postpone the effective date pending a legal challenge to the new requirement.  If you want more information, follow this link to the NLRB’s FAQ on this new posting requirement: https://www.nlrb.gov/faq/poster

A copy of the new poster is available here: https://www.nlrb.gov/poster and here: https://www.nlrb.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1562/employee_rights_fnl.pdf

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