Guest Article: One Simple Way for Leaders to Build Trust by Jennifer Miller

What’s the single most effective way for a leader to build trust with his or her employees? It’s to show that you genuinely care about your employees’ career well-being. And one of the simplest ways to do this is to maintain consistent, non-distracted face-to-face (or video chat, or phone conversation) time with those you lead.

Now, notice I didn’t say it was the “easiest” thing to do. Finding time on your calendar (and making those appointments stick) is probably one of the most difficult things to do and that’s why managers often don’t make 1:1 meetings a priority. People value face time more than you might think. Nearly half of the people surveyed in a poll by Training Magazine and the Ken Blanchard companies said they wished they could meet with their boss on a weekly basis.

Weekly! Does that surprise you? I’m not surprised at all – feedback is the cornerstone of a good manager-employee relationship and 1:1 meetings can provide an avenue for two-directional communication.  The folks at TINY HR know that this connection between team leaders is vital so they asked me to write a post about it on their Employee Engagement & Company Culture blog.

Go on over and check out How to Have Effective 1:1 Meetings  — and please let me know — what’s your best tip for connecting with your employees?

This post is part of  The People Equation’s “Trust-Building Thursday” series. Each month, we’ll explore trust in the workplace and offer practical tips for building trust with your boss, colleagues, peers and team members. You can see other installments of the series here.

Copyright : Stefano Valle

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - One Simple Way for Leaders to Build Trust»

Guest Article: I Am A Viking (Recruiter) by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: Accounting Lessons for HR Pros (Interview) by Ben

Today I have the pleasure of introducing my brother, Brandon, to the HR community. Brandon is an auditor for the federal government and has worked in the world of accounting for more than ten years. We’ve been talking about some of the needs that we have in the HR profession for being more number savvy, and that led to this interview. I hope you enjoy! If you have questions or want to know more about how HR can use accounting/finance principles to establish credibility and lead within the organization, just shoot me a note. Thanks!

Accounting for HR – An Interview with Brandon Eubanks

Ben: Let’s establish that you’re a credible source (despite being my brother, which should disqualify you immediately). :-) So, tell me a bit about your background (degree, certification, work experience to date, etc.)

Brandon: I have a BS in Accounting from UAH as well as a Master’s of Accountancy from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I currently have an active Alabama CPA license, and I also have an active Certified Fraud Examiner credential. I started my work in the accounting field at a small company just before I graduated with my undergraduate degree, and I landed a job at that same company upon completion of my degree. I worked at this company for a total of two years before I landed a job with my current employer (DCAA).

I became an auditor with the Defense Contract Audit Agency in 2005, and I performed in that job category for 5 years. I was promoted to an instructor at our agency training institute, and I served in that position for two years. Upon completion of those two years, I came back “to the field” as a supervisory auditor in Huntsville. In addition to my full time job as supervisory auditor, I also teach accounting courses on an adjunct basis for Athens State University.

Ben: It sounds like you’re in neck deep! But for some of the audience out there, imagining someone that enjoys accounting can be a bit “out there.” What drove you to choose accounting as your profession?

Brandon: I took an accounting course in high school, and I loved it! I actually started college going for a Mathematics major, but in the end, my true passion for accounting won out. When I changed my major from Mathematics to Accounting, I truly felt like I was where I belonged. Everything made so much sense to me in the accounting realm, and the majority of it came easy.

Ben: Okay, great. So let’s shift the perspective a bit. We’ve talked before about HR and what I do in some capacity, though I know it’s not your focus area specifically. What do you think HR pros need to know about accounting/finance to be successful in their role as a business leader?

Brandon: I think one of the most important things to understand regarding accounting/finance is budgeting. For most companies, the budget is king. Many hours are spent poring over the budget, and then many more hours are spent deciding how the company is doing compared to the budget. In my opinion, knowing what role the HR functions play in the budget would help HR pros to see the big picture. HR work is not completed in a vaccuum, even if it seems that way some times. Recruiting employees, changing benefits, and employee training all have a part in the company budget, and typically people can perform their jobs in a more precise way when they know how what they do fits into the company’s big picture.

Another important accounting/finance topic for HR pros is financial statements. If someone who isn’t in accounting/finance looks at a set of financial statements, other than noticing a profit or loss, he or she probably won’t know much about what those statements are portraying about the company. Is the company doing well financially? It takes more than a good year of income for a company to be thriving. Continuing from my earlier comments, knowing what role HR pros play in the company can help them to see what impact on the financial statements they are having.

Ben: Those are some excellent suggestions. But let’s say hypothetically that I come to you today and only have 30 minutes to learn some basics of accounting and/or finance to help me do my job better. What topics would you recommend to get the best return on my learning time?

Brandon: I would start with an income statement to help you get a picture of what decisions HR pros make and how they affect the company. Obviously, all decisions you make affect a company in some way (whether small or large), but really seeing numbers that relate to those decisions can help get a bigger idea of context. To me it all boils down to understanding where your role fits into the workings of the company, rather than simply focusing on the next task on your “to do” list.

Ben: I would completely agree. It’s easy to get bogged down and take the time to get a broader view of what’s going on. So let’s get philosophical. You’ve said a few times that HR needs to figure out how it fits into the organization. Why do you think human resources as a profession has a more difficult time of getting “attention” or “clout” in the organization when it seems like accounting/finance has it as a natural byproduct of the function it carries out?

Brandon: It is my perception that HR is seen as something necessary but only value-added some of the time. As a supervisor of five employees, I appreciate my HR specialists that I have to work with. However, I typically contact them only when I’m having trouble with an employee. It is my perception in these types of circumstances that HR is “holding back on the reins” while managers and supervisors are wanting to go full-speed ahead with disciplinary actions. So, in this way, HR is seen as necessary, but a roadblock overall in the process of an organization running more smoothly (in the eyes of the manager).

On the other hand, accounting/finance seemingly hold power over the entire company because the numbers they report can make or break a company. To me, that is why there is such disparity in the treatment of the two departments. One is seen as holding up the process, one is seen as completely necessary and somewhat powerful.

Ben: Thanks for your time! Any closing thoughts, wit, or wisdom to share?

Brandon: If I had any advice to HR pros, it would be to learn how you and your department fit into your company. Furthermore, if there is a way to educate employees (from the bottom to the top) on what HR does and can do for them, it could go a long way in battling that perception bias for managers and staff.

—

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Brandon! You can find him on LinkedIn here. Let me know in the comments what you think of this interview.

What are your thoughts on the topic? What can we learn from our accounting/finance brethren? Is this an area of strength for you or an area of weakness? 

The post Accounting Lessons for HR Pros (Interview) appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Accounting Lessons for HR Pros (Interview)»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Contingent recruitment: Are you a mug punter or a professional gambler? by Ross Clennett

The horse racing industry is built on the punter. Without the person prepared to bet on a horse(s) there is no horse racing industry. The financial interest of the punter ensures that the media rights are worth bidding for and the various clubs can offer prize money that makes it attractive for owners to invest in the many costs of racing a horse.   The punter loses in the
Article source:Ross Clennett - Contingent recruitment: Are you a mug punter or a professional gambler?»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: 7 Reasons to Marry an #HR Pro by Ben

As I looked at my wonderful wife this week and think about our upcoming anniversary (8 years in June), I wondered about the spouses of other HR professionals around the world.

Me and the love of my life–Diet Dew. Oh, and Melanie is there, too.

Do all of them realize how lucky they are to have married someone working in human resources? :-) With that in mind, here are seven reasons to marry an HR pro. I’d love for you to add your own to the list!

Reasons to Marry Someone Working in HR

1. You’ll never have to worry about your work benefits again. We know what questions to ask and how everything works. Just turn over the paperwork and we’ll let you know where to sign.
2. You’re going to get the insider tutorial on compensation. I almost feel sorry for your manager at your next salary negotiation…
3. We’re all about wellness, so you know you’re going to get some sweet gym membership in the package.
4. We bring home the big bucks… Okay, we bring home some bucks (hey, it’s about doing what you love, right?) :-)
5. You will learn 36 ways to get around that crappy policy your company just implemented. Policy workarounds are our thing.
6. We’ll tell you the secret to surviving with annoying coworkers. (Hint: there’s at least one at every company)
7. Want to cheer up? We have the funniest, weirdest, and best stories you’ll ever hear about the workplace. Did I ever tell you the time I almost was hit by a voodoo curse in the office…

So, let’s keep it going! What other great benefits come from marrying one the proud HR professionals of the world?

The post 7 Reasons to Marry an #HR Pro appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - 7 Reasons to Marry an #HR Pro»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Under and Over It by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: A New Definition of Leadership for the Next Generation of Leaders by Jennifer Miller

The definition of leadership is changing. Societal expectations of the workplace, fed by economic and demographic trends, are morphing the leadership job description. From emerging organizational structures like Holacracy, to changing expectations of the Millennial generation, your kid’s boss isn’t going to resemble the one you reported to the first day of your job.

A recent Global Workforce Study, commissioned by WorkplaceTrends.com and Saba uncovered a shift in perspective amongst the under-30 worker: the C-suite is no longer coveted. The lure of fancy titles and senior management perks no longer provides a draw for the majority of the up-and-coming generation. This notion isn’t all that new: I wrote about the challenge of filling the leadership pipeline in this Huffington Post article last year.

We’ve heard this “generation” stuff for years, so why are we stuck with the “there aren’t any suitable leaders” meme? According to the Global Workforce Study, “46 percent of companies said ‘leadership’ was the skill hardest to find in employees,” and that filling executive leadership positions was especially difficult.

Everybody has jumped on the Generational Differences bandwagon, but few are willing to examine what that means for succession planning. I wonder: if those in charge of succession planning—typically human resources directors and senior management—were to redefine “leadership”, would they then suddenly find more qualified candidates for their pipeline?

We have been heralding the death of the command and control management style for a long time. In many companies, it’s more or less dead and buried. Yet, every day, I talk with people for whom this style of leadership still lives. It might not be fashionable to talk about the hierarchy, but it’s still firmly in place. And because of this stubborn adherence to an outdated workplace structure, the people in charge still look for leaders who behave like them.

Leadership must still exist, even in a primarily self-directed workplace. But it will look different than we currently see in the majority of leaders today. Tomorrow’s leaders must:

 

• Understand that leadership in this new way of working is fluid; they may be asked to step aside and let others lead
• Learn to lead without the crutch of a title
• Connect their company’s mission to the greater good
• Have comfort with a workforce that shifts continually
• Fully support employee development—and the technology to enable just-in-time learning
• “Connect the dots” for employees by saying “here’s how what you do affects our company mission”
• Provide real-life, immediate opportunities to contribute rather than expecting employees to pay their dues

If our organizations are truly getting flatter, and if we are really teaching employees to self-organize, there are plenty of leaders out there. Maybe we’re just looking for the wrong attributes.

 

Image credit: Pixabay

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - A New Definition of Leadership for the Next Generation of Leaders»

Career Comparison – Reasons why job hunting while employed is essential

Searching for potential job opportunities whilst working can seem like an unnecessary activity at times. It requires you to be thinking about many different factors - your current position, financial change and employment availability within your profession among other stressors. You need to use your personal time to be on the lookout for job opportunities. This is one of the reasons individuals become accustomed to their work lives as it begins to develop into an established routine. It is very easy to find yourself in the same position for many years without knowing what other opportunities are out there. However, being on the lookout puts you at an advantage over your colleagues, and indeed everyone within your industry as work trends show that we move jobs more often and several professions become more competitive than before. For these reasons and more it’s important to stay ahead of the game and keep hunting, and we will show you the best way to balance a work life and a keen job seeking eye!

1.    Being aware of your industry employment status 

Every industry differs in terms of job availability. If your industry is facing low job demand this could suggest that there are limited positions available for your current role. On the positive side your position may be more valuable to your current employer. Alternatively, that if something were to happen and you lost your position, it may be more difficult to obtain another role quickly.
 
It is always worthwhile to conduct a search on available roles in your current industry (or an industry you are hoping to make your way into). How frequently do roles come up? What is the general scope of remuneration against experience? Are most roles full time, part time or contract? By doing so, you can determine the job demand and job security within your desired industry giving you the benefit of planning your career ahead of time. Better yet, such scoping of emerging roles provides you with a competitive advantage over other employees as it allows you to assess the value and worth of your current position in the industry by comparing it to alternatives.

2.    Planning ahead for something better

Reality is that there may always be a position that is better than the one that you currently have. This is OK, however, as it gives you something to work towards. It can be hard to think of another job as you may be comfortable where you are now, but comfortable is not a term successful people use. Thinking ahead in terms of where you want to be and how you are going to get there puts you at an advantage over your colleagues. Scoping your potential next big move could be the best exercise you have undertaken.

This does not mean you have to stress out constantly looking for jobs, but rather look over advertisements within your desired field, and occasionally have a preliminary chat with a potential employer or recruiter, or send your resume out. Be very careful to explicitly state that you want your interest to remain completely confidential and not be placed into a database without your consent. Overall, consider planning ahead, networking, and spending time thinking of what your next job could potentially be.

3.    Networking

Networking is arguably the strongest factor that decides who gets the next available job. Knowing the right people could get you through doors that you would never have believed possible.

Aim at increasing your network. This could mean requesting that your contacts keep their eyes open for job opportunities as they arise. Or attending conferences, workshops and other professional events as well as buying a few coffees for people in order to build your network. Remember, people would rather hire those who they know rather than those they don’t know.

Hopefully these tips will allow you to move away from the comfortable ‘steady as you go’ space that you have fallen into and allow you to expand your network, look beyond your current position, and plan ahead for what job opportunities lie out there. Who knows, your dream job could be around the corner!

Wanting to look for other job opportunities...

Career Exchange is an online Allied Health Career Portal that has been developed to meet the needs of job seekers and advertisers within the Allied Health community. Career Exchange provides job seekers with a platform where they can connect with industry professionals and new employment opportunities. Career Exchange allows you to search for employment opportunities through cutting edge web design and usability. There is always relevant information pertaining to job seekers and you have the ability to upload a copy of your resume through your Applicant Account for free. 

Career Exchange: Active Job Seeking, networking and industry information all in the one place.  

Guest Article: A Day in the Life of a Human Resources Manager by Ben

I have been thinking a lot lately as I cross the six year threshold of blogging about human resources management. I started this as a tool for the entry level HR pros, but now I also teach about some fairly advanced concepts. One of the things I don’t do enough of is sharing about the community. There are more than 20,000 monthly readers on this site and about 5,000 email subscribers (the numbers still boggle my mind!). Who are these people? What do they do?

Let’s find out.

Today will start off a series where I talk with some of the HR pros in the audience to find out what they do and what they enjoy about HR. I hope you like the series, and as always, I’d appreciate your feedback. Want to be profiled yourself? Click here.

A Day in the Life of a Human Resources Manager

Anne

• Company/Industry: Holding Company
• Years with Current Company: 4
• Years in HR: 10
• Degree/Cert: MBA-HR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
• Average Day: My average day is a standard Director role. I spend time counseling my team of 26 on how to interact with their companies. I also manage our benefits program.
• HR wit/wisdom: Expect each day to be different. I’ve seen too many young, promising, talented professionals burn out too quickly because they couldn’t adapt to the constant changing chaos that is Human Resources.

Juanita

• Company/Industry: Banking (Credit Union)
• Years with Current Company: 5
• Years in HR: 10
• Degree/Cert: Master’s in HR and Organizational Management
• Average Day: A typical day in the life of … well me, would be one that involves A LOT of talking and interacting with my peers. I feel that when you build a bond with employees, they will come to you with anything and also help you connect with the person your looking. A quarter of my day is spent in meetings brainstorming the next best thing and finally, the rest of my day is spent finding new ways to energize our organization through our new amazing wellness program (that I control … mwahahaha).
• HR wit/wisdom: I have two!  “I don’t fire you, you fire you.” and “Yes. Doing your job is part of your job.”

Bobbi

• Company/Industry: Government Contractor
• Years with Current Company: 5
• Years in HR: 7
• Degree/Cert: BS in HR, SPHR and SHRM-SCP
• Average Day: No two days are the same. I spend part of each day working in benefits, compliance, HRIS implementation and employee management.
• HR wit/wisdom: Network often, so when the auditor knocks on the door, the manager wants across the board terminations, or the employee decides to tell everyone about his weekend exorcism you have a group of people on speed dial to ask questions to and to share with – we can’t do it alone!

Ryan

• Company/Industry: WebLinc
• Years with Current Company: ~2
• Years in HR: 5
• Degree/Cert: B.S. Industrial/Organizational Psychology, PHR
• Average Day: I largely spend my time recruiting, or actives related to our recruiting efforts. Next would be employee relations, internal resourcing, and org management. Beyond that it gets chopped up quite a bit day to day, I am a one man army in HR here :)
• HR wit/wisdom: As an HR professional, my advice to anyone is to never forget how much rules suck.

Leeanne

• Company/Industry: Freight Forwarding
• Years with Current Company: 2
• Years in HR: 6
• Degree/Cert: Graduate Diploma in HR
• Average Day: I am the only person in HR in my organisation, which has 370 staff, therefore a majority of what I do is reactive simply due to the volume of work. I recruit without agencies whenever possible so can end up spending a lot of time reading CV’s when I have multiple roles to fill. I interact with our company directors and managers on a daily basis, although it’s usually the same 4-5 managers due to the size and nature of their teams. I am involved in all performance and disciplinary meetings along with the manager. At least once a week I am told by someone that they don’t envy me in my role, but I honestly love it, and can’t see myself doing anything else for a long time to come yet!
• HR wit/wisdom: Be the reason people want to get into HR, not the reason they hate it.

Coming up soon we’ll have other HR roles and responsibilities, but I appreciate the participants for sharing! Let me know in the comments below what you think about this.

The post A Day in the Life of a Human Resources Manager appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - A Day in the Life of a Human Resources Manager»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Sometimes I need to... by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: My New Kindle Book is Live! by Ben

Running is a passion of mine. So is HR. So why not marry my love for the two in written form?

Well, that problem is solved. :-)

I recently put together this collection of stories about running, business, and life. More than half of the content is brand new and not published anywhere else, and the book runs about 35 pages in length (which means virtually nothing in the world of Kindle/eBooks, as I’ve learned!)

It’s on sale for $3.99 right now. Here’s who should read it:

• If you work in HR, are looking for some inspiration for running, and you like to run, then this will give you some of my stories (mostly humorous) to help you with that.
• If you’re in HR and you don’t care about running, you can still get some great lessons here. You don’t have to be a runner to enjoy this. In fact, you might laugh even more at some of the silly things I do to try to compete in this sport…
• If you’re just getting into HR, you will learn some timeless truths about this profession (many of which I’ve learned the hard way).
• If you’re an expert HR pro, this will expose you to some of the deep passion in this field, whether in my story or in the profiles of other running/HR pros, and will help you revisit that spark that made you choose HR in the first place.

A special thanks goes out to those that responded to my recent survey and allowed me to highlight them in the book. They all share their own inspirational stories about how running makes them better at this human resources thing.

Thanks again for your support and I look forward to checking out the reviews. You can get a copy of What Running Taught Me about HR: Essays about running, work and life right here.

The post My New Kindle Book is Live! appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - My New Kindle Book is Live!»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Help find a way to have zero breast cancer deaths by 2030 by Ross Clennett

Help find a way to have zero breast cancer deaths by 2030 Each year, for the past few years, my family and I have participated in the annual Mother's Day Classic (MDC).   In 2014, a record 130,000 people across Australia ran or walked in a Mother's Day Classic event in eleven cities and 88 regional locations. Participants and fundraisers raised $
Article source:Ross Clennett - Help find a way to have zero breast cancer deaths by 2030»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: 16 Stories to Energize Your Leadership by Jennifer Miller

Feeling burned out as a leader? It’s a common feeling: work life is hectic and leaders feel especially “squeezed.”  This constant pressure can suck every last bit of energy from you and the people you lead, with unfortunate results.

As Chris Edmonds, author of The Culture Engine, writes in the foreword of the recently released book Energize Your Leadership: Discover, Ignite, Break Through, “Energy is a vital quality – at work and outside of work – that is present when people are engaged, enthused, aligned, and valued.”

If you are a leader who wants to reclaim energy—be it your own personal vitality, or to infuse energy in others—Energize Your Leadership is a quick read that can help point you in the right direction. This anthology of 16 essays is written by a group of leadership development experts who first met online. Realizing they had a similar passion for helping others infuse energy into their leadership, they banded together and wrote this book.

Each chapter’s content stands on its own, so you can read the book in whatever order makes sense to you. At the same time, there is an overall cohesiveness to the book because each chapter follows the same framework: the author’s personal narrative, a few reflection questions for the reader to ponder, and a summary of action steps based on the theme of the chapter.

The book is divided into four parts, with four authors contributing to each part. Here’s a sampler from four of the authors, selected from each of the book’s sections:

Energize Yourself

Barry Smith shares a personal story of becoming adrift professionally after his work team leader unexpectedly passes away. He explores the fallout of losing one’s purpose, writing “Many times we embark on finding our why only after we’ve lost the energy it once provided us.”

Energize Others

We’ve all worked with difficult people and Carol Dougherty is no exception. She shares a story about an especially difficult colleague with whom she painstakingly built a positive relationship. Writes Dougherty, “[This person] may have been especially difficult, but all people – even difficult people – need to know that they are respected and that disagreement or debate with them is about an issue, not them as a person.”

Energize Your Workplace

Chery Gegelman asks, “What if truth is first discerned in our gut?” and goes on to show us how to make use of an important element of relationship-building: trusting that inner voice to help keep you and your team safe.

Energize Your Future

In a delightful narrative that opens with Jon Mertz’s reflections of his carefree childhood days, Mertz chronicles the fun of splashing in rain puddles, to his “Childhood 2.0” of the dot com boom, and culminating in the bubble’s decidedly non-fun burst. Mertz wraps up his chapter by showing how to infuse “fun” into everyday interactions as a way to bring energy into your work and home life.

One of the strengths of this book is its first-person narrative format. Written by 16 masterful storytellers, Energize Your Leadership will encourage you to reflect on the best ways for you to recharge your flagging energy. With nary a single chart or “to do” list in sight, the lessons contained within are subtle—requiring you to reflect deeply on the stories’ core themes—should you choose to savor their meanings.

 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of writing this review. Also, some of the links are affiliate links, meaning if you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive compensation. This doesn’t increase the price of your item and I only review books that I believe my readers will benefit from.

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 16 Stories to Energize Your Leadership»

Guest Article: Job Simulations = Better Hires and Better Training by Ben

Recently I had the pleasure of joining Trish McFarlane for an HCMx Radio podcast episode where we talked about how to use simulations in your recruiting and training initiatives.

We start with a bit of my background–if you’re new here that might be interesting for you. Then we leap into some of the work we’re doing at Brandon Hall Group. Finally we get into the meat of the conversation–using simulations to really drive home better recruiting/selection practices and better training/development practices. It was fun and I think you’ll enjoy listening!

Click here to listen to the podcast.

HCMx Radio on BlogTalkRadio

One of the things we talked about was having exercises for different types of jobs. I found this excellent set of examples below (this is partial, click through below for the full listing) to illustrate the point that virtually every job can include some element of this type of tool.

Job Simulation Exercises

Position	Must-have	Sample Exercise
COO	Critical thinking, writing	Observe the organization in action (delivering a training session, staging a rally, holding a hearing, etc.) and propose recommendations for improvement in a 2-3 page memo
Manager of programs	Strategic thinking	Read and analyze a set of goals and objectives and come up with recommendations to pursue
Director of communications	Public speaking, judgment	Rehearse a press conference or a call with a reporter about a controversial program we support
Manager of a small- or medium-sized department	General management, staff supervision	Simulate giving positive and corrective feedback to a supervisee

Courtesy of the Management Center

 So, what did you think of the topic? Do you like the podcast format? Would you like to see more of those? 

The post Job Simulations = Better Hires and Better Training appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Job Simulations = Better Hires and Better Training»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: A Dangerous Meeting by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

"Sorry I'm late..."
"How was your weekend..."
"Did you hear what happened last week..."
"I have so many examples of this problem that I need to share with you..."

I've spent my professional life in meetings. That may sound a bit disheartening, or even sad. But the reality is meetings are vitally important if led well. I used to believe meetings needed to be managed well. That approach turned out to be misguided.

Meetings need to be led. If someone is trying to manage a meeting you can collect your things and leave, because they are failing miserably and no one wants to watch that happen.

Why
It may sound simple, but when you attend a meeting do you know why you're there? Regardless of whether or not there is a printed agenda and a resource person with a stopwatch to frenetically scold you if you run over your allotted time by 30 seconds, good meetings need to be led differently.

Why are you sitting in the room when you could be executing on your company's strategy? 

Understanding how you will specifically contribute to the meeting, either by sharing data, giving a status update, or to simply receive information you need to do your job, you must understand why you are there before you join the session.

Focus
All too often meetings are filled with noise and excess information that detracts from the pace of work that is necessary in high-performing organizations. 

Several approaches that help keep meetings moving as rapidly as possible include:

1. Never be late. If you can not arrive on time text the leader and then be absolutely quiet when you join the group. If you are late on a consistent basis you clearly are not committed.

2. One example. Time and again I've heard example after example of a problem or a solution (and I've done this myself for years) - but it is a time killer. One example is enough.

3. Make decisions. The ultimate frustration about meetings is that decisions are not made at the end. Effective leaders make decisions and keep things moving. Sometimes those decisions will not be popular. So what? You're not getting paid to win a popularity contest, you're being paid to execute confidently and quickly. 


How About You
When you step into your next meeting today, think about who's leading the session. Are they focused on executing corporate strategy? Are they making sure everyone has an opportunity to share five versions of the same problem before proclaiming "I'll take a look at that."

It's time to lead meetings differently. Stop trying to manage them, and do your job.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



pic 



Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - A Dangerous Meeting»

Check out more of Jay Kuhns' work at No Excuses HR

Guest Article: Spring Cleaning for Leadership – 21 Essays on Self, Culture and Teamwork by Jennifer Miller

This time of year often brings out the cleaning fanatic in us, so Karin Hurt of the Let’s Grow Leaders blog asked for blog posts about “spring cleaning” for her April Frontline Leadership Festival. The outcome is a blog carnival with 21 essays for leaders who want to learn to “clean up” in three areas:

• Spring cleaning for their priorities, attitudes and skills
• How cleaning up one’s physical environment makes for better leadership
• Spring cleaning for company culture and teamwork

Go on over and check it out at Experts Share Their Thoughts on “Spring Cleaning:” A Frontline Festival.

Enjoy!

 

Image credit

 

Article source:Jennifer Miller - Spring Cleaning for Leadership – 21 Essays on Self, Culture and Teamwork»

Top Reasons Your Best Talent Is Leaving You

You've worked hard to claw your business into its current position and undoubtedly, your workforce has helped your business get to where it is. You and your employees have reached a point where you are all cogs in a machine, working in synergy with each other. But what would happen if one of your star players were to leave? This scary situation for employers is unfortunately a reality as more workers are quitting their jobs today than at any point since 2010.

While there are definitely forces that are out of your control to stop your best people leaving, if you create an environment (and build relationships) that makes them feel challenged, engaged, valued, and rewarded you can raise the chances of retaining your top talent.

Here are the top reasons as to why your top talent are leaving:

1. Dissatisfaction with job or responsibilities

Great workers want to be learning and growing on the job. There is always room for growth and skill development, even if they are a seasoned pro. Increasing an individual's autonomy in their role can be a great way of giving them more responsibility while still getting all the work done.  

2.  Being unchallenged and dis-engaged them

Smart workers don’t want to feel like they are working in a repetitive role full of boredom. They need to have their minds engaged and their creativity challenged. An example of how you may engage someone in the workplace might be to allow them to shadow someone else from another part of the business for a day. 

3. Lack of a sense of belonging 

On a human level, everybody wants to feel liked and cared about, or at the very least like they belong somewhere. As an employee, they want to feel like you care not only about their career but also on a personal level. An aspect of Transformational Leadership is treating employees like individuals and not just another member of the team. The old saying of "leave your emotions at the door" is no longer valid. Employees who have fun with their colleagues and look forward to being at work are more likely to stay in the long term. Letting them feel like you care about them gives them the confidence to have a voice which may lead to innovations within your business and increased productivity!

4. A misalignment between personal leadership styles and the leadership style that is required to lead effectively.

It's hard to find a balance between micro managing and being a ghost in the workplace. Your best talent want to be given enough rope to accomplish their duties and tasks themselves. Similarly, being an absent or avoidant leader by only checking in with your staff once every few months will drive them away. It is essential to find the right balance between the two ends of the spectrum and a good way to assess how you are going is to simply ask your employees "Are we meeting enough for you to be as effective as you can be?".

As the saying goes: “Employees don’t quit working for companies, they quit working for their bosses”. It is clear that these small changes that you can immediately implement will pay off and prevent your top talent from needing to look for another job. 



To find out who your top talent is, our partners, Psych Press are talent assessment and development Psychologists. Psych Press have a large selection of in-house and customisable assessment tools that link personality to performance prediction for a variety of companies. One such tool, Business Personality Reflections (BPR) has been used for a multitude of roles to ascertain a strong fit for recruiting decisions. Based on a wide field of research and multiple industry norms, this assessment provides a full report for your informed decision. To find out more visit the Psych Press Business Personality Reflections page or contact them on (03) 9670 0590. 

Guest Article: Be sceptical. Be thorough. Be proud of getting it right. by Ross Clennett

I am writing this pre-dawn. I need to write my blog before my very busy day of client work starts in a couple of hours' time. I am feeling pleased that I have found via Twitter, what I think will be, a really interesting piece of research (below) that I will write about. CLICK TO ENLARGE Before I start writing my blog, I take a closer look at the source quoted on the slide:

Article source:Ross Clennett - Be sceptical. Be thorough. Be proud of getting it right.»



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Simple Strategies to Prevent Workplace Anxiety

Workplace anxiety is more common than you might think. The ‘2014 Stress and Wellbeing in Australia Survey’ conducted by the Australian Psychological Society found ‘issues in the workplace’ was one of the top five sources of stress among Australians aged between 26-45 years, with a massive 44% of Australians identifying work as a key cause of stress. Work related sources of stress can include things like; starting a new job, lack of autonomy, heavy workloads, poor resources and limited support. Constant anxiety, worry, apprehension, fear, and feelings of impending doom can arise from stress and be long-lasting, even when the original stressor is gone.

With the fast-paced environments and pressures of meeting client demands, deadlines, and keeping on top of your game, it’s easy to develop work related anxieties. Struggling with anxiety at work can be debilitating; even the simplest tasks can become difficult to complete. Stress is often unavoidable in the working world, but it is helpful to identify key sources of stress, and have some strategies at hand to prevent it developing into a more serious problem.

Here are six simple ways to prevent stress and anxiety in the workplace.

1. Slow down. Close your eyes and focus on slow, deep breathing for several minutes until you feel yourself physically relax. This will make it easier to focus and gather your thoughts for the task at hand.
2.  Break it up. Sometimes when faced with a difficult situation, rather than tackling it head on, break it down into smaller tasks. That way, you can set goals for getting each part done. Reward yourself by taking a break in between set tasks; go for a quick walk to clear your head. 
3. Exercise. We’ve all heard that exercise plays an important role in keeping mentally healthy, and it’s true. Find and join a gym close by and go before, after or even during work. If you think you can’t handle those spin classes, make an effort to walk to and from work. Not only does being physically active improve mental health, just being outside with some natural greenery has been shown to have positive impacts to emotions and self-esteem. Every bit counts!
4.  Enjoy your social life.  Don’t forget you have a life outside of work. Catch up with friends and family to keep yourself socially active. Organise things for after work, so you have something to look forward to and keep you going throughout the day. 
5. Face your anxiety. That feeling of frustration, anger or nervousness might seem normal at first, but when it lasts a little longer than it should, it can be a good idea to talk it out to yourself, write your worries down, and actually stop and think about what is worrying you and accept the stress or anxiety might be more serious than you thought. Self-understanding is important to finding a resolution. If you think it’s weird talking it out to yourself…
6. Talk to someone else. Find a co-worker, friend, family member or a mental health professional that you are comfortable talking with. Sometimes just saying what you’re going through out loud can bring an immense amount of relief.

Stress is a normal reaction when something at work is a little more demanding or challenging. However, it’s good to learn to recognise the signs when it’s getting a bit too much for you. Many organisations have an Employee Assistance Program available to help employees enhance their health and wellbeing, and some even accommodate leave of absence from work so you can have a day away to mentally recharge. If you’re finding anxiety is getting the better of you, take a minute to discuss your options with your manager or supervisor, or contact a medical professional for extra support.

Guest Article: Culture is caught, not taught: 10 years of Kingfisher Recruitment by Ross Clennett

(L-R) Matthew, Mal and Rohan,enjoying the 2011 Kingfisher Christmas Partyat the Kyneton races In 2006 I met Mal Stuart when he attended an RCSA Leadership workshop I was running. He and his business partner, Rohan Christie had started their own recruitment agency, Kingfisher Property Recruitment, the year previously and they were now in the process of bringing another

Article source:Ross Clennett - Culture is caught, not taught: 10 years of Kingfisher Recruitment»



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know - The disadvantages of hiring friends and family

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know – The effects of nepotism in the workplace are far reaching and can impact employee morale, culture and even threaten business growth.  Nepotism is a form of discrimination in which family members or friends are hired or promoted for reasons that do not necessarily have anything to do with their experience, knowledge or skills. When personal relationships appear to take precedence over actual qualifications, the adverse effects are likely to be felt by all parties involved. 

Why does nepotism still happen?

This kind of prejudice still occurs due to a basic principle that many follow, often without realising, and that is to do with choosing what is more familiar. The saying ‘better the devil you know’ will allow people to choose someone that is ‘passable’ against someone that may be far better but still has a looming question mark around them. Some managers see that it can also be easier or quicker to choose what is under their roof rather than to seek out what may better suit their business goals.

What are the outcomes of nepotism?

One of the main complaints in a company that operates through nepotism is the obvious lack of fairness. It can result in dissatisfaction among workers and employees may have less incentive to perform if they feel that the path to promotion is undermined by nepotism. As a consequence, a company employing such tactics may find its employees looking for jobs where their talent is better recognised. Another pitfall is that by providing opportunities that are not based on merit means that managers will not give other employees a chance to develop, thus not raising the level of competency of employees or that of the business. Promoting under-qualified individuals into more senior roles can lead to an erosion of the company's leadership skills.  Nepotism can make employees feel unimportant and that their contribution to business is insignificant which can ultimately impact overall productivity and growth.  

What is the best way to tackle it?

The best way to prevent nepotism and avoid infringing the rights of the employees is to make employment decisions based on objective performance related reasons such as their skills, competencies and experience. By providing fairness and equality, employers can earn their workers’ loyalty and dedication, boost morale and achieve a more harmonious and productive workplace.

Want to learn more about testing personality directly related to your role and company?

Talent assessment and development Psychologists, Psych Press have a large selection of in-house and customisable assessment tools that link personality to performance prediction for a variety of companies. One such tool, Business Personality Reflections (BPR) has been used for a multitude of roles to ascertain a strong fit for recruiting decisions. Based on a wide field of research and multiple industry norms, this assessment provides a full report for your informed decision. To find out more visit the Psych Press Business Personality Reflections page.

 

Guest Article: Retain Your Older Workers (It’s Good for Business) by Ben

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, more than half of workers over age 60 plan to continue working in some capacity after retiring from their current career. I’ve read about the “graying of the workforce” and the impending “brain drain” for years, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the topic’s sheer magnitude. And while it might be your first instinct to think that the shift is toward part-time work, the population of individuals over 65 who are pursuing full-time work has been on the rise for years. Today I’d like to share a short anecdote to help illustrate how this can play out in the real world and to teach a lesson in retaining older workers.

The Risk of Employee Retirement

When I was working as an HR Director several years back, an employee called me and told me he planned to quit. When pressed, he admitted that he liked the job and his coworkers, but he wanted to spend time with his grandchildren and pursue some hobbies.

At the time, several things were running through my head simultaneously:

• Our government customer really liked this employee and his work and would not like to lose him.


• He was in a niche role and it would be very difficult to find a backfill for his position. With him gone it would be virtually impossible to train someone without his expertise.

So instead of accepting his initial resignation request, I asked if he would talk with his family and consider working part-time a few days a week on a flexible schedule. He seemed surprised by the idea since it hadn’t occurred to him previously, and he readily agreed that it would be his preference. Let’s look at what solutions that offered:

• The customer got to keep him around, though as a part-time employee it would help with a more gentle transition to his successor. (win)


• He was able to continue doing work that he enjoyed. (win)


• I was able to find a potential backfill candidate who would be trained by this individual gradually over time, transferring much of that informal knowledge that wasn’t written down anywhere. (win)

In the end it was a success for everyone involved, and I still wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t broached the subject of continued employment.

It’s a lesson I share because as the aging workforce continues to transition away from full-time employment, this is an option that can be incredibly valuable.

An Innovative Approach to Retaining Older Workers at CVS

While this can be approached at an individual level, it’s more exciting to imagine the possibilities of this sort of program being delivered at the company level. CVS has a particularly innovative program where older workers that move south during the cold seasons of the year are offered positions that align with their lifestyle choices. Here’s the snippet from the New York Times:

In one unusual effort to encourage older workers to stay, CVS Caremark offers a “snowbird” program in which several hundred pharmacists and other employees from Northern states are transferred each winter to pharmacies in Florida and other warmer states. Suzanne Fontaine, 66, a certified pharmacy technician at a CVS in Richmond, R.I., said she would have retired years ago if the company had not let her work the winter months at a CVS in Naples, Fla., where she and her husband have a second home.

Have you had any success with transitioning your older workforce away from traditional roles? What has been the impact to the business overall with regard to retaining more senior workers?

Originally published on the Brandon Hall Group blog

The post Retain Your Older Workers (It’s Good for Business) appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Retain Your Older Workers (It’s Good for Business)»



Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Be Still and Know by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Guest Article: Piece By Piece by Jay Kuhns, SPHR