Guest Article: Work Ethic and a Great Quote by Ben

Yesterday I was speaking with a good friend about the work ethic of a mutual acquaintance. He said the person was usually good to pull an all-nighter when necessary to get the job done, but at the same time wasn’t really committed on a daily basis to the required work. Then he said a great quote that I’ll never forget:

How about pulling an all-dayer once in a while? How about working while you’re actually here at the office, all day, and getting done what needs to be done? That would be a nice change.

It was a good reminder for me that although we like to focus on those who will work hard when the pressure’s on, we don’t need to forget that the vast majority of the work is done in an unglamorous, ongoing daily shuffle. Hmmm, there might be a discussion of A vs B players in there somewhere…

Do you have a few people in your workplace who could stand to pull an “all dayer” for a change? How do you help to make that a reality?

The post Work Ethic and a Great Quote appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Work Ethic and a Great Quote»



Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Standing Out in Competitive Applications

The entry level and graduate job markets are increasingly competitive with many graduates without work after university. As much as this is a daunting thought, there are ways of dealing with the extremely competitive environment. When it comes to filling a position, employers are looking for a range of skills and direct interest in addition to the qualification. Over the past couple of years companies have commented on poor job applications and the lack of employability skills among possible recruits: how they flunk at job interviews, lack the ability to take part in team work and have questionable communication skills. These are skills absent from many curriculum activities requiring graduates and others chasing competitive roles to show initiative in gaining additional skills to have their true talents noticed. Here are some tips to stand out from the crowd:

      Diversify your experiences

      Your qualification may not be enough to make your application stand out; but internships, volunteer work and work experience will expand and develop professional skills that are not typically taught at school. Employers see these points as an extra step you have taken to kick start your career in an area you are highly interested in.

      Tailor your resume and cover letter 

      Employers know when you are sending out a generic application. But applications that are specific to the job demonstrate your knowledge about the position and your initiative in researching more about the company.

    

      Research the company 

      Think of questions to ask your interviewer. Researching the company allows you answer questions in a way that relates to the company’s goals. In regards to asking them questions, there is nothing worse than saying “no” if they ask you whether there is anything you want to know about the interviewer or the company.  Saying “no” means you have missed the opportunity to make a positive impression on the employer by using the information you have obtained to summarise why you are the best candidate for the job and showing interest in the organisation.

        Make Networking your Hobby 

      It is important to build your professional community and connect with people within your industry. This includes past classmates, co-workers, association committees, university lecturers and tutors.  Networking will strengthen relationships, provide you with fresh ideas and expand your opportunities. Don’t forget to make clear what you are looking for and what you want to achieve, you never know when a like-minded professional has golden advice or a contact for you.

Guest Article: Optimism abounds in the UK Recruitment Market by Ross Clennett

After six years of relentless bad news coming out of the UK recruitment sector it looks like the tide has turned. UK-based Recruiter website has reported on information released from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation's (The UK equivalent to the RCSA) Recruitment Industry Trends Survey 2012/13. Here are the major findings: Area Result Trend Total

Article source:Ross Clennett - Optimism abounds in the UK Recruitment Market »



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: Why candidates decline job offers (and what to do about it) by Ross Clennett

Every recruiter has had, or will have, the experience of a candidate declining a job offer, contrary to everything the candidate has said or done up until that point. This is a very expensive failure of your recruitment process because at the time of the offer you have completed around 95% of the necessary work and have collected (if you are a contingent recruiter) precisely 0% of the fee. If

Article source:Ross Clennett - Why candidates decline job offers (and what to do about it)»



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at his blog

5 common job ad mistakes to avoid

If it weren't for job postings, there would be fewer applicants for jobs. But how do you ensure your job post effectively attracts the right applicants? Here are 5 common job ad mistakes we’ve found people make that you should avoid:

1. Sloppy Writing  

Grammar and spelling errors are enough to put some seekers off. Essentially, candidates want to know they're applying for a reputed and professional company. Keep writing clear and concise to ensure against your ad being skimmed over. 

2. Short deadlines

Give job seekers the time they need to apply to your company. Strong applicants often won’t flood your inbox within a couple of days of the ad being online, it can be unrealistic and keeping a tight deadline significantly narrows your applicant pool. We recommend keeping the ad online for 30 days to ensure the most appropriate applicant pool, extensions for specialised roles with a more detailed application process can also be necessary.

3. Misusing key words and attractive terms

It is important to use key words that highlight the benefits of your offering when writing the job ad to ensure your ad receives the right kind of attention amongst others, not just packing in as many filler terms as possible. This is an important consideration to make in the title itself and also subheadings. Make sure your ad has an engaging title that reflects the opportunity, terms like “incredible opportunity” or “highly sought after position” don’t really give the reader any solid expectations or reasons why they should read more explanatory detail.

 

4. No salary and benefits

Not listing a salary range puts you at risk of losing applicants that are seeking a specific salary floor. Even using terms such as 'salary negotiable' or 'competitive pay' typically receive a larger applicant pool. Don’t forget, the most attractive job ads are the ones that convey to the seeker 'what's in it for me?' information. Information such as work-life balance and office facilities all contribute to the 'deal makers’ within your ad.

5. Advertising in the wrong places  

Traditional media and generic ‘all jobs’ websites have their place, yet can get job advertisers in a corner when the link between an audiences quick scrolling behaviour and visibly engaging information in your ad is lost. When targeting applicants with specific qualifications, niche and industry specific sites typically receive strong attention from passive seekers rather than just unemployed candidates. Professionals also know to go to these boards rather than navigate through countless irrelevant jobs that get posted on large generic job sites.

Don’t forget - Our consultants offer free assistance with the writing and layout of your ad when you post a job on Career Exchange. Feel free to discuss your needs or challenges with us and contact us so that we can assist you in receiving the best quality health candidates.

Contact Information               Post a job ad now

Guest Article: Are Senior Leaders the Worst Leaders? by Ben

Today we’re going to look at leadership, how it can fail, and how it can succeed. When we look at the leaders at the top of the organizational chart, we usually don’t think of them as the worst leadership examples in the organization. However, recent data has shown that to be the case.

The research, taken from a meta-analysis of DDI’s assessment data from close to 4,000 leaders worldwide, finds most front-line leaders lack the fundamental interaction skills and behaviors required to be effective leaders. And senior leaders are even worse… Indeed, the research shows, 90 percent of executives act before checking their understanding of an issue and are ineffective at inviting ideas from others. And only 11 percent successfully preserve their colleagues’ self-esteem and display empathy that would demonstrate interpersonal diplomacy. Front-line leaders fared only slightly better in these areas than their seniors. Source

The authors of the article point back to the simple practice of conversations to help differentiate good leaders from bad. Good ones will talk with their people. Even if the person ultimately disregards the advice from the other sources, it’s validating to know that you have the opportunity to provide input. Let’s look at a few ways leaders can do better by serving their people well.

Leadership at its best

Last week I had the opportunity to see Dr. Ken Blanchard speak. He’s written more books than most people have ever read, and his core message is about servant leadership. I picked up some great comments from the presentation and want to share three of those with you today that tie in directly with the story above. Your leaders need to hear these, so feel free to share a few as appropriate with your leaders at all levels.

1. Leaders should ask themselves this question on a daily basis: “Am I here to serve or be served?” If you’re there to be served, then forget everything you know about effective leadership and just do whatever feels good. You’ll get what you deserve. If you’re there to serve others, then make the time and effort for that purpose a priority. Be humble. Humility isn’t about thinking less of yourself, it’s about thinking of yourself less!


2. As a leader, it’s your job to help define values, goals, and a vision. In the absence of some or all of those elements, there is one driving need: take care of yourself at all costs. That is not the workplace that you are trying to create, so be sure to develop some shared goals to help your team understand where you are going and how they fit into that puzzle. Again–if you don’t give them someone to serve, they will serve themselves, and the same goes for you!


3. There may be a culture change that is needed within your organization. If people spend more time clinging to policies and saying “That’s against policy” or “We don’t allow that” more often than not, then you need to look at how you can say “Yes” more often. Companies with amazing customer service train their people with this mindset: “we’re a customer service company that provides xyz product/service.” Focus more on taking care of the customer than on abiding by policies, and you’ll have happier customers in short order.

With your help we can make senior leaders the best example of leadership in our organizations. That sort of change flows down to all levels and permeates the organization, so don’t wait around to start some big “leadership development” program or anything else. This needs to begin today.

How are you serving others in the workplace? Is the example you’re setting one that you would be proud of? Do others follow your example?

The post Are Senior Leaders the Worst Leaders? appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - Are Senior Leaders the Worst Leaders?»



Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: The Sobering Facts About Employee Fraud by Ross Clennett

One of the topics I frequently return to is the risk assessment aspect of a recruiter's job, or the 'defensive' recruitment skills, such as background and reference checking, that are a necessary part of doing a complete job as a recruiter. Unfortunately, there is still an undesirable tendency for these skills to be deemed an 'admin' part of a recruiter's job. So it was with great interest

Article source:Ross Clennett - The Sobering Facts About Employee Fraud»



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: How to have an effective one-on-one meeting by Ross Clennett

For the uninitiated, a one-on-one occurs, most commonly, when a consultant meets with their direct manager to have a 'closed door' discussion about the progress being made against agreed targets. The most common foundation for these discussions is the KPI Report (or Activity Report). This report details what key activities have been completed in the most recent reporting period (typically a

Article source:Ross Clennett - How to have an effective one-on-one meeting»



Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Physical and Mental Exhaustion: Avoiding Burnout

It’s that time of year. For many of us; whether you are in an office, clinic or job hunting; it’s crunch time. The demand to get more done in less time is causing more pressure than we'd like or need

However overworking yourself can lead to both physical and mental exhaustion.  This is known as a “burnout”.  While work demands can vary in their degrees of stress, when placed under immense pressure such experiences leading to a burnout can have longer term impacts on your work productivity and health.

It goes without saying that burnouts should be avoided.  Not only do they impact yourself, but also those around you.  If you or someone you know is heading towards a burnout, here are some ways to help prevent it:

·      Spot the early warning signs:  These may include such signs as constant worrying over work, difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, migraines and backaches, etc.  While it is often difficult for people to notice symptoms themselves, pay attention to other people's concerns or questions about your general tiredness or changes in mood.

·       Reduce the symptoms of stress:  This could mean taking time off work to relax and refresh.  Engage in some physical activities, whether it be the gym or playing a sport you enjoy. Have a think about your immediate environment. Are you comfortable?

·      Talk to your boss:  Discuss your concerns with your boss in a calm and professional manner.  Your boss would rather know sooner than later so appropriate actions can take place, and it is within their best interests to make sure things can get done in a way that isn’t hindering future productivity and job satisfaction.  Another trusted manager or the HR department could also help and advise you on how to best handle the situation.

·      Seek support:  Some organisations have employee assistance and support programmes to provide confidential services to those in need. If you’re concerned, it’s always best to talk to a professional to be sure things are ok than to not speak up and let things get worse.

·      There are always options:  If your employer is unwilling or unable to help you or listen to different ideas of working things out, consider other roles in the organisation which might suit you better.  Otherwise, it may be time to seek a more suitable role elsewhere.

You will soon start to feel better once you take action towards changing your work situation.  All jobs have their ups and downs, but it is better to work in an environment you enjoy rather than one that causes you to stress out to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.  When your physical and mental well being is at stake it’s just not worth it!

Guest Article: 10 Articles on Coaching, Mentoring, Training and Presentations by Jennifer Miller

Here are the articles I wrote for my HR Answers.com page this month. When I start the month, I don’t necessarily have a theme in mind, but often one emerges. This month’s theme tended towards “development” – via coaching, mentoring, tips for making effective presentations and, drawing on my corporate trainer roots, a trainer’s checklist.

Feel free to click the links below to learn more about these topics.

Enjoy!

Is Peer Coaching Right for Your Company?

Reverse Mentoring – A New Twist on an Ancient Teaching Practice

Coaching: Performance vs. Developmental and Why It Matters in the Workplace

Trainer Checklist: 7 Things to Know about Your Audience

Mentoring and Coaching in the Workplace- Is There a Difference?

HR in the Trenches – Human Resource Pros Who Blog

Tips for Creating a Presentation with Impact

5 Ways Leaders Can Establish Trust within Their Teams

The Do’s and Don’ts of Hiring for Cultural Fit

Leadership Assessments – An Overview

Article source:Jennifer Miller - 10 Articles on Coaching, Mentoring, Training and Presentations»

Guest Article: ACA Health Insurance Premium Increases by Ben

I’m not sure about the rest of the world, but here in Huntsville I’ve had a dozen conversations with other HR pros about the ACA affecting health insurance premiums. Our plan does not renew on a standard Jan/Dec plan year, so our renewal happened before the crazy stuff started happening. We got away with a “modest” 10% increase across the board. I consider that lucky, and so will you after you check out these stories.

Here are a few of the scenarios I’ve heard about from other companies locally:

• The employer canceled the standard preferred provider (PPO) plan and instituted a high deductible option paired with a health savings account, only telling the employees about the change 5 days before making the switch, which ensured that nobody could research and be fully prepared for the changeover.


• Another employer received their notice from the health insurance provider. Normally there are two rates for health insurance: family and individual. This time the rate sheet included custom premiums for each participant on the plan. Bob Smith might pay $800 per month for his family plan, but John Doe could have a $1400 premium instead. That will be a nightmare to administer on the HR side! Consider also the recruiting applications. When candidates ask how much the premiums will be for insurance, you really have no idea until you get their info to the provider and receive the person’s custom rate. Ugh!


• Yet another company got their renewal notice for health coverage. They retained the single/family tiered rates, but rates are going up 30% effective January 1st. Should they feel lucky? Is this the new normal?

Our rates did what?

Forget about talent management or any of the other “major” HR issues. The health insurance premium changes brought about by the ACA are a reality for a large portion of the HR population out there currently, and it’s only going to get more prevalent. It’s hard to think about recruiting or employee development when this is the stark reality staring us in the face.

Anyone else want to comment below (anonymously, if you like) about their own company’s health insurance woes? I’d be curious to see how the rest of the world is dealing with this challenge. How are you telling your employees? Is anyone interested in a post on how to communicate these changes to staff?

The post ACA Health Insurance Premium Increases appeared first on upstartHR.

Article source:Ben - ACA Health Insurance Premium Increases»



Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

How to Make Engaging Content with Social Media

Engaging isn’t just about posting as many updates as possible then sitting back and waiting. You need to come back to your pages and help drive discussion. Find out what your audience is interested in, relate to your brand and consider how you can get them thinking and wanting to add their thoughts to the discussion. Being able to convert semi-interested users into followers and mini-ambassadors can have priceless long term results. We show you how to sow the seeds and how to avoid blockages.

From Beginning to Engaging

Be Up to date – Know your current events and interesting news updates related to your business. It’s good to show that you know the relevant news circulating within your client’s area of interest and that your input is solid. Be sure to post about news shortly after it has happened and when your users are most likely to be online. See Twitter trend search advice.

Open Ended – Try not to have the ‘be all and end all’ opinion or answer in a post. It’s fine to add some of your thoughts but avoid choosing sides or finishing off your own question otherwise you’ll leave no room for others to join in. Even something as simple as “Thoughts?” will work better than “do you agree or disagree with this?”

Humour – A great way to invite interest into what you’re posting is if you can be funny. By opening the door to comedians whilst still being relevant, you can potentially have an endless list of replies. As long as what you’re posting is seen to naturally come from your business it should fit in nicely.

Ask Questions – This isn’t just for inducing a response in general to give your pages purpose, but can give you some valuable information to use later. Things like “Did you pick up something nice from our sale?” or “What do you guys think of this new Xxxxxx on our site?” is very inviting to people who love to put their 2 cents in whilst being friendly at the same time. Remember though, not all your posts have to relate directly to your core business function.

Here is an example of an open question with an up to date news article.

Spotlight – This involves highlighting related achievements of your customers. Did someone take a picture of themselves at your workplace? Has someone completed some sort of challenge you laid out or won a competition? Be sure to post on how excited and glad you are that they did this, encourage the sharing and how happy you are to have them as a customer.

Simplicity – Be to the point. Around 80 characters is ideal. Balance out image use, links and occasional text only posts. Images get a lot more space in a user’s feed, but that isn’t an excuse to put in something irrelevant to the message you want to communicate.

 

Blockages to Engagement

Negativity – The need to avoid leading or allowing negativity can’t be stressed enough. A huge part of posting and also Community Management is keeping up a mood and attitude that represents your brand and the way you want people to respond. Don’t make complaints (even about competitors), don’t argue or highlight the wrongness of your audience. If it seems hard to avoid, think about what Mum always used to say; “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” :)

Ego – Never go into too much detail when posting anything about yourself on a company page. Remember, you’re representing your brand and that’s your starting point for getting people interested, replying and going where you want them to. Even if your company is named after a figurehead, that figurehead still represents a brand and a set of ideals not an individual.

Forcing – Don’t push people to join a conversation, if they’re not interested you need to leave it, learn from it and revise for next time. Repeating a similar idea or conversation in different spaces or times can work fine, but annoying people will do damage.

Overselling - You will lose people if you’re always trying to push products in their face without any tie to their values or drive to find out important information. Sharing promotions and points of interest is fine but make sure this is balanced out. 

Mundane Chatter – It might be ok to update with “Eating cereal” on your personal page but for a business this is a poor look and it doesn’t give people space to converse or use their imagination. Mix it up!

For HR and Small Business

For you, inviting ‘Spotlight’ activity will be a real winner. If you can entice people to share their experiences on your site or even have an ‘attendee of the week’ type of entry where people upload their own content things should grow smoothly. Apart from helping to create a fun and comfortable environment, this kind of sharing will be imperative for new users and visitors as using your service may be a fairly large decision for them and evidence from others can really help!

Work-life Balance: Achieving Productivity through Simple Changes

Australians in nearly all professions are feeling compelled to work longer hours and take their work home more often. Even if hours become longer, it is important to draw a clear distinction between activities inside and outside of work. Work-life balance is no longer a perk but a necessity, and when you break things down it is achievable!  The benefits are clear; individuals who have a good work-life balance are more likely to:

•  Produce more effective results
•  Have lower levels of stress, burnout and subsequently absenteeism
• Work 21% harder than those without work-life balance
• Maintain performance levels and the ability to do their job

Encouraging employees to implement a schedule that allows them to partake in leisure activities they enjoy outside of work will help them to become better friends, family members and employees. Although this balance is not easy to achieve and in some careers, hard to accommodate for, it is essential in enabling employees to return to work feeling refreshed and ready to do their job. After all, without a work-life balance employees aren’t able to enjoy the life they have worked so hard to create. 

As always, the best way to build a workplace culture that appreciates and understands this is to lead by example, so try out some of the below:

• Go for a weekly jog with your staff or kick the footy outside during lunch
• If you run training or development programs, include an active team building activity
• If people need to work later on certain occasions; make it up to them with a morning tea or take them out to lunch
• Share links to popular events that employees can do with their family

Don’t forget; a positive work-life balance will create an increased sense of well-being and help save time and money lost in sick days, stress leave, and even turnover.