Friday, 29 April 2016

Guest Article: The House of Shame by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

For every time I didn't speak up...

shame.

For every time I didn't challenge the bigot...

shame.

For every time I had that sinking feeling in my stomach but remained still...

shame.

For every time a leader crossed the line and I looked away...

shame.

For every time the group went too far...

shame.

For every time I heard my conscience question, but I didn't answer...

shame.

And for everything I've learned from failing so long ago...

thank you. I am no longer silent.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.


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inspiration



Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - The House of Shame»

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

Thursday, 28 April 2016

Filling the Talent ‘gap’- Recruiting tips that matter in 2016




Can you guess what the recipients of Fortune’s ‘100 best companies to work for’ 2015 award reported as their single biggest focus for 2016?

Employee development - the ability to hire the right people for the job (think innovative thinkers with a tolerance to ambiguity) and to be able to work with their abilities, skills and talents to develop them into valuable, driven and productive employees.

In most companies today, where job responsibilities, KPIs and work priorities vary so frequently, the difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff is receiving increased recognition amid this shifting scene. Additionally, the needs of employees (especially Millennials) are changing, and employers must respond. It all adds up to a bigger, more complex role for a company’s human resources function than has ever been seen before.

Attributes such as innovative thinking and the ability to produce work that hits the mark, increasingly relies on collaboration and high level cognitive thinking. According to a 2015 World Economic Forum study, half of employers globally expect their business performance to suffer due to gaps in talent. 

The following tips when you are considering hiring individuals with the aim of ‘filling’ the talent gap should be kept in mind.


Soft skills are important.

Consider candidate’s soft skills like their interpersonal effectiveness, communication skills, thought processes and emotional intelligence. Remember if you hire them you will have to work with them!


Check social media profiles.

How that person behaves on social media is a good indication of what kind of person the individual is and how the candidate might fit into your company's culture.


Ask the right kinds of questions.

It’s important for you to get a feel of how the candidate responds to a variety of questions - do they blame someone else for leaving their past organisation or give short one-word responses throughout the interview? Their degree of professionalism when responding is a good indicator of how they will act in your workplace. 


Let candidates interview you, too.

Don't be the only one to ask questions. To help determine if your prospective candidate has the right personality for your particular job, it's important to help that person understand the company's work environment.


Don't judge a book by its cover. 

It's easy to write off candidates based on their appearance, but it's more important that you consider how well they can do the job and if they're a good fit in other ways. John Schwarz, CEO and founder of workforce analytics company Visier comments:
"I have had the experience of hiring kids from school who were disheveled, unpresentable [and] inarticulate, but who had a very strong visceral commitment to what they were doing and passion for what they wanted to be," Schwarz said.

Above all, take the time to really think about what kind of person would be a good match for your organisation. Consider their skills - both hard and soft, experience, online presence and their personality when making your decision. What value can they bring to you and your company in today’s competitive and innovative global market? 


Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Guest Article: Nothing Left to Fear by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one."
Elbert Hubbard

Fear In Your Head

What is the worst thing that could happen if you took a risk and failed?

- embarrassment?

- loss of credibility?
- career stagnation?
- loss of your job?

Let me ask it in a slightly different way...


...what is the most likely result if you took a risk and it failed?


- reputation as a bold leader in an era of ridiculously self-absorbed wimps?

- achieve breakthrough learning that leads to innovation and progress?
- a promotion?

If you decide that the secret to success is a different view of the world, you might find that your world changes in a very profound way.



Fear In Your Heart

Once we flip the anxiety in our head to a relentless passion in our heart two very important things happen:

1 - We become more relevant in the life of our organizations.


How?


We all know the bold leaders in our companies. 


They take risks, are constantly trying new things, aren't afraid of a misstep, and have the respect of their team members, superiors, and clients.


2 - We have a positive energy around us.


How?


We see the world differently. 


Literally.


How About You

Does each day feel like an unbelievable opportunity to go for it? 

Or, is the new day just "the grind"...another reason to moan and groan...and list the same tired excuses to why new things don't matter...why new approaches have no value...and that the world just isn't the same anymore.


Don't miss out. Change the lens that you use to see the world. Who cares if something doesn't work today. Keep pushing and learning and risking...


...and winning for your organization.


I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.


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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Nothing Left to Fear»

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

Guest Article: Rec-to-recs: Where to from here? by Ross Clennett

Two weeks ago on LinkedIn (thanks Greg Webster from Cox Purtell Staffing Services), I was reminded of one of my blogs from the distant past; Rec-to-recs: What should they deliver? When I read the blog again, I was surprised to find that it's now six years old. In consulting my
Article source:Ross Clennett - Rec-to-recs: Where to from here?»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Monday, 25 April 2016

Guest Article: Luckiest by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

I’m the luckiest person alive.

Because…
- I have an amazing family

- I have an incredible job working with very special people

- I have the ability to provide for those that I love

- I have many old friends that continue to “be there"

- I have so many new friends that I can’t wait to meet in real life

- I have survived despite many mistakes

- I have the ability to make a difference

- I have the privilege to speak to large groups of people about things that matter

- I can actually see the results of my work

- I have the courage to try new things

- I am no longer afraid

- I receive a huge amount of support


I’m luckiest person alive because…

…I have you.

I bet you’re the luckiest person alive too.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.




Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Luckiest»

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

Guest Article: How to be Productive When You Work for Someone Else by Jennifer Miller

to do listsWhat’s your favorite day of the work week? I bet you said “Friday,” right? Because it’s the day before the weekend starts. Fair enough. Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week. Why? Because I’ve implemented a time management process that helps me stay focused and get lots of work done. I’ll lay out the basic formula here. Then you can tweak it to fit your needs.

I use a productivity system that is a form of “batching”—in which you lump a bunch of similar items together in a batch and do them all at the same time. The thinking behind why batching works is that because the items are similar, you’ll get “in the groove” and move more quickly through the tasks. For example, you could gather all of your paperwork to be processed, set aside two hours and do all of it one fell swoop.

A variation on “batching” is “Theme Days.” That’s where my love of Tuesdays come in. At the beginning of the year, I create all-day “appointments” on my calendar for Tuesdays and name the appointment “Writing Day.” In my world, Tuesdays hold a theme of all things “writing.” When Tuesday rolls around, I load up my laptop and research materials and head off to the library for a day of intensive writing. Because I’m not in the office, there are minimal distractions, and I’m able to get a lot of focused writing time in. As an added bonus, the ideas seem to flow more smoothly. I think it’s because I love the library and my creative juices really flow when I’m there.

Now, before you decide you can’t use my system because you work in a more structured work environment (“Nice idea Jen, but my boss isn’t going to let me take off to the library”), hear me out. When I worked in a corporate environment, I used a modified version of this system. Your Theme Day can be any block of time. If a full day won’t work, think in terms of 2-4 hours blocks of time. The key to making this system for you when you work for someone else is to get buy-in from others. Go to your boss and say that you’d like to block off 3 hours each week to focus on [insert important business-related tasks.]  Put it on your calendar and when that appointment rolls around, stick to the theme and work on those tasks. Don’t get sidetracked and use that time to play “catch up” on something else.

Here are some additional tips for making a Theme Day successful.

Honor the process. Theme Days won’t work if you continually erase them from your calendar because “something came up.” When you set the original appointment, try to think of a day or time that has the least amount of time conflicts. Of course, legitimate conflicts will arise. When they do, immediately slot your Theme Day time into another place on your calendar.

Protect your mental “space”. It will most likely be difficult to fully focus on your Theme if you’re sitting at your desk. Decrease the probability of distractions by getting a conference room, or going to a different location. If this isn’t possible, then negotiate with co-workers that on Wednesdays from 10:00 – noon, you’re focusing on your “theme.” Then put in your earbuds, tune out the office hubbub and get to work.

Feed the funnel. When you know you have time set aside each week for a certain type of activity, you can “funnel” tasks into that time slot. Let’s say somebody comes to you on Tuesday with an idea that fits into your Theme. Instead of working on it immediately, you can wait until the set time on Wednesday. Doing this creates focus: you know you’ll get to the task the next day, so you can keep moving ahead right now on something else.

When you look at your task list as a series of “themes” it opens up ideas on how to best accomplish your work. When you set aside time to focus on an important theme for your work, you give that “theme” the space to thrive and grow. You’ll feel more productive, because you are focusing on work that matters. And that makes working for someone else workable for you.

Want more productivity tips? Read A 5 Step Plan to Kick-Start Your Work Week.

Copyright: chetverovod / 123RF Stock Photo


Article source:Jennifer Miller - How to be Productive When You Work for Someone Else»

Thursday, 21 April 2016

Questions Job Seekers Should NOT Ask in the Interview


A few weeks ago we told you all how to ‘turn the tables on the interviewer’ by asking intelligent, knowledgeable and considered questions to impress your interviewer and give you an edge over other applicants.
To equip you with the right questions, it is essential you also are aware of questions you should not ask in the interview.



What does this company do?

Always do your research on the company prior to the interview. Being prepared will ease your nerves and may help you anticipate some questions. Linking back your responses to the core business activities will strengthen your case and impress your interviewer. Not knowing what the company does may come across as insulting to an interviewer and this may seriously hurt your chances of progressing to the next stage.


What is the pay?

The purpose of the first interview is to see how you present yourself, your skills and experience and to gain a greater insight into how you might fit into the company. In other words, are you the right fit for the culture and role within the company? If you progress to the next round, questions around pay and remuneration are acceptable but hold out until this time.


What are the hours?

When you start asking eager questions about the hours and work schedule in the first interview, this could cause the interviewer to doubt your level of commitment to the role. No one wants to be known as the person who leaves at five o’clock on the dot, regardless of progress made. Unless there’s the possibility that you would be working “shift work” you should stay away from time related questions.  Other similar questions that you should avoid are:
  • How many breaks do you have and for how long?
  • Can I work from home?
  • Am I required to be in the office every day?

What are the benefits?

Similar to the pay question, this could signal to interviewers that you are more concerned with ‘perks’ of the job, rather than what value you can bring to the role and what value the job can give you in terms of career progression, job satisfaction and engagement.


Final Tip

Your first interview is a time to demonstrate your expertise and skills, as well as learn more about the company and position.  Stick to questions related to the company and the job responsibilities.  By doing this, you will leave a great impression on the interviewer and this will increase your chances of progressing to the next round and finding out the answers to the questions mentioned above!

Make sure some of your questions are related to the mission vision strategy of the company – enough so that you can intelligently talk about ‘where the company is going’ and infer the competence and competencies it will require to get there – which is where you come in! Be careful of asking purely operational questions as this may indicate that you need an operational plan to function, rather than follow a strategic plan.

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Guest Article: A Decade in #HR : If You Dont Have This Quality You Are Useless by Melissa Fairman

  I was updating my LI profile the other night and realized that I have been in HR for over TEN years.  A decade in a profession that can be incredibly rewarding, frustrating and sometimes soul-crushing all in the same day.   Over the last decade, I’ve learned some important lessons from observation and personal […]

Continue reading...


Article source:Melissa Fairman - A Decade in #HR : If You Don’t Have This Quality You Are Useless»

Check out more of Melissa Fairman's work at HR Remix

Guest Article: The Insufferable Hustler by Jay Kuhns SPHR

There is a fine line between working hard (the hustle) and promoting yourself as the second coming (the hustler.) We see them all the time across our social media channels. 

One is truly working their version of the hustle, connecting with others, sharing knowledge, and offering to help at every turn. The other feels compelled to remind us how amazing they are...making sure any snippet about their latest post, webinar, or speech is broadcast far and wide for all to "enjoy."

The Hustle
The world of work seems to have changed faster in the last few years than it has in decades. Whether it's our smartphones, apps, social media accounts, live video or an endless demand for relevant content, our world moves fast!

There is something quite interesting about those that are dedicated to the hustle. They don't need to spend all their time promoting themselves. Other people do it for them.

Think about that for a minute. 

When you are working that hard...putting out high quality product...you no longer need to be a human bullhorn. Your network will recognize you for the value you add.

The Hustler
At the other end of the spectrum is the hustler. They are everything that a professional is not. 

Their bios are filled with language about "expertise."
Their work is life-changing (for us!)
Their self-promoting noise level is deafening.

No one respects them. Sadly, they don't even realize.


How About You
What choices have you made about how you present yourself in the digital world? Do you hustle; or, are you a hustler?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - The Insufferable Hustler»

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

Guest Article: Breast cancer: please help me find a way to zero deaths by Ross Clennett

The Mother's Day Classic (MDC) walk or run for breast cancer research was established in 1998 - it started from modest beginnings as a walk in the park and has grown into a major national community event. From the inaugural events in Melbourne and Sydney which attracted
Article source:Ross Clennett - Breast cancer: please help me find a way to zero deaths»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Guest Article: 4 Tips for Avoiding Costly Hiring Mistakes by Jennifer Miller

lady hand on head mistakeHow many interviews should a company conduct to find the ideal job candidate? What role does “gut instinct” play in hiring? Is there a perfect applicant screening process? These are the questions that HR directors and hiring managers grapple with every day.

The answer is discouraging, yet unsurprising: it’s a lot more complicated than you think.

I get phone calls from people in charge of hiring who want to know, “what’s the best way to avoid making a hiring mistake?” These HR professionals, small business owners and hiring managers in large companies know that the hiring process is a lengthy, expensive proposition. They want to minimize their exposure to costly hiring mistakes.

Although there isn’t a perfect solution, there are a few hiring practices that can help you find a “sweet spot” between super-elaborate systems and winging it. Derek Thompson, Senior Editor for The Atlantic, writes that even smart people sometimes get hiring wrong, in his article The Science of Smart Hiring. Among their mistakes: conducting too many interviews, relying on their “gut,” and looking for attributes and credentials that aren’t correlated to actual job success. Among the hiring processes that Thompson reported, one successful system stood out for me: Google’s “Rule of Four” interviewing process. Google, the master of analytics, has finally hit upon what they see as the “magic number” of interviews that prospective new hires must go through—four. Too many more than that and you’re not getting much additional value. Less than that lowers the ability to make a successful selection. And it’s not the actual number that is so magical, it’s the careful orchestration of who does the interviewing.

This makes sense to me. When I was a hiring manager, we had a similar system in place in a couple of the organizations where I worked. We didn’t know about the data that said four interviews were ideal, but we did use some of the same tactics highlighted in The Atlantic piece. Here are some key points to consider if you want to create your company’s version of The Rule of Four.

Begin with the end in mind. Before you do even one interview, get very clear about the attributes and skills that will make a person successful in this job. The more specific you are about what this person needs to do on a daily basis, the better chance you have of communicating that to your HR team. Prioritize what you want. Yes, we all want fabulous candidates with perfect track records, at a very affordable salary. That’s not realistic; you’ll need to decide which skills are the most important and look for those skills first.

Carefully select your interviewing team. Choose people who are adept interviewers and represent a diverse set of skills and opinions. Also choose people who understand the job well enough to accurately gauge if the job candidate is well-qualified. Most importantly, choose interviewers who will honor your interview questions and not ask random, unhelpful questions that won’t glean you useful information.

Use a systematic interviewing process. I’m a big fan of the behavioral interviewing technique. Years ago, I learned about behavioral interviewing from DDI’s Targeted Selection program. When you conduct a behavioral interview, you ask interviewees to describe what they’ve done in past job situations that would demonstrate their ability to do the job you’re interviewing them for.  Here’s a great article on behavioral interviewing from the ERE Recruiting blog to get you started.

Compare notes. One of the most overlooked parts of the interview process is what happens after the candidates are interviewed. Make “data debrief” part of your process. Here’s how it works: after all the interviewers have talked with the candidates, gather in a room and discuss each interviewee, one by one.   It’s important to do this because every interviewer sees slightly different elements to each candidate. When you get together in room (or on the phone, if you are in different locations) to hash out your impressions, you can more easily discuss the pros and cons of each candidate’s track record. You also eliminate certain biases such as, “I really liked her because she went to the same university as I did.”

There is no magical formula for hiring the ideal job candidate. But there are things you can do to improve your odds of adding the most talented team members who will best fit into your organization. Take a page from Google’s Rule of Four to help form a solid foundation for your hiring practices.

Copyright: sifotography / 123RF Stock Photo


Article source:Jennifer Miller - 4 Tips for Avoiding Costly Hiring Mistakes»

Monday, 18 April 2016

Guest Article: Financial Wellness Benefits: Employers are the Employee Financial Lifeline by Ben

Wellness as an employee benefit has expanded in the last year or two to include more than just the physical aspect–it now wraps in financial, emotional, and other types of wellness as well. That’s a good thing, because 68% of workers rely on their workplace coverage for their families’ financial security, according to the Guardian Workplace Benefits Study

One topic that we don’t often think about, yet impacts our employees heavily, is personal finance.

According to this article from the Washington Post, approximately one-third of your employees are living paycheck-to-paycheck. In other words, without this week’s paycheck coming in, the employee and their family would be in an immediate financial crisis.

The first response for many leaders is, “Yeah, so what?” However, this can be an opportunity to impact the productivity and engagement of your staff, so there’s value in learning more about this issue.

Cost of Living Impacts

In retirement, Americans fear the rising cost of living. In fact, nearly half of Americans (47%) report being either “very concerned” (36%) or “terrified” (11%) that the rising cost of living will affect their retirement plans. This is according to a new study on Americans’ perceptions about inflation from Allianz Life. Furthermore, respondents claim they are either “very worried” (36%) or even “panicked” (11%) that they won’t be able to afford the lifestyle they want in retirement due to rising costs.

The study also found that:

  • Fifty-three percent of Americans report they would feel either “very worried” or “panicked” about paying for expenses if their income was frozen and they never received an increase in annual salary.
  • This concern is even greater among households with lower earnings – less than $50,000 per year – with  65% noting they are either “very worried” or “panicked”.
  • In retirement, nearly one-third of people worry they won’t be able to pay for the essentials because of the rising cost of living.

I can’t recall the author of the study, but I heard one last year that helped to ease my own anxiety about this issue in the workplace. The study looked at what predicted success in terms of long term savings in a company’s retirement plan. The results were shocking. The number one predictor of whether someone was going to save significant money in their 401k plan?

  • It wasn’t their expense ratio.
  • It wasn’t their fund selection.
  • It wasn’t the vendor they used.

The number one predictor of whether employees will actually have money in their plan when they are ready to retire is participation rate. If they contribute, they are going to be in better shape than their peers that spend their time looking for no-load funds or avoiding investing because of some concern about an impending market crash. That’s heartening, because the employee doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist or financial wizard to figure that out. Just. Get. Going!

Stress Impacts Productivity

We all know from experience—when you’re stressed, you can’t focus as keenly on the work you need to do. The American Psychology Association’s Stress in America survey showed that 76% of Americans cite money as a significant cause of stress.

  • How is Cameron supposed to focus on closing the sale when he’s worried about a debt collector calling him at work?
  • Do you think Isabel will be able to handle that new project after her spouse (the main breadwinner) passed away with no life insurance?
  • Will Joseph be able to work those extra hours when he’s already working a second job to try and pay his bills?

These are merely examples, but they are a very real picture of some of the situations that face our employees every day. Look around you—statistically one out of every three of those folks is one pay hiccup away from a financial meltdown.

It’s time to do something about it.

Keep in mind, this isn’t just a financial planning session with a retirement services provider. That interaction has its place in the overall financial puzzle, but what I’m talking about is more immediate help rather than support for a life stage that could be between 10 and 40 years away.

What You Can Do

For starters, you can begin providing resources beyond an EAP.

Yes, I know. Most of us like to be able to claim that we have an EAP while we secretly know that virtually none of our employees actually make use of the benefit. I’ve been there and understand. The data shows an average utilization of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) at just 5%

While employee assistance programs are fine to offer, they don’t do enough to engage and target the specific financial issues and stressors your people are facing. There are great resources available for helping to manage money. There may be a local financial planner that will visit with your staff, an educational training to help them understand how personal finance works, or a combination of remote and in-person resources to meet a variety of needs and preferences. I won’t endorse any particular provider here, but what you’re looking for mainly is someone with the heart of a teacher, not a salesperson.

Start training your managers and HR team to recognize signs of stress. A historically high-performing employee that suddenly has performance problems? That’s an opportunity to reach out. There’s no guarantee the change is driven by money issues, but if there’s a way to assist with the stressful situation and help the employee feel like he/she has support, that’s going to help solve the problem in the long run.

The Hidden Victims

I mentioned this in my previous article on the topic, and I think it’s worth bringing up here.

One issue that many don’t realize is that this affects people like our military pretty heavily. Having recurring or serious financial difficulties makes it more difficult for soldiers to maintain a security clearance (financial problems make you a target for foreign government intelligence). In fact, soldiers can be declared unfit for duty if they are unable to resolve the financial issues they have. Imagine losing your job due to a few poor financial mistakes, and you realize how serious this is.

This also applies to people working for government contractors. I used to manage HR for one of those firms, and many of our employees required a security clearance for their job. I can’t tell you how many times we had to turn down highly qualified candidates due to previous financial problems that could jeopardize their clearance status.

It’s one thing to lose out because you’re not the best candidate–it’s another thing entirely to find out that your foreclosure three years ago kept you from getting the job.

A Few Other Alarming Stats

Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, here are a few other statistics that were shared at the Health and Benefits Leadership Conference last year:

  • .At all income levels, without continuing income, 50% of all households could survive only 131 days solely because of liquidating assets, including 401K balances.
  • On average, 30% of GenX retirees will run short of income.
  • Average 401K account balance is just $72,000.
  • For everyone under the age of 49 today, 18 years from now, your social security benefits will be reduced by 20%.
  • We have a $4.1 trillion deficit in personal savings for retirement and long-term care.
  • Personal savings rate was 12% in 1975 and was 5% in 2013.

Repositioning Retirement Benefits

Several years ago I attended the SHRM Annual Conference in Orlando, and my favorite session turned out to be one on retirement planning and 401ks. In the video below from the event, you can learn about one simple, yet profound, piece of information I picked up from that session.

Read more in my article 401k plans are NOT for suckers.

The Business Impact

As I said early on, this widespread issue impacts productivity and engagement. Removing the stressors can help to improve productivity, but there’s an additional benefit.

People naturally connect their circumstances with those who help them. If you make the effort to support the lives of your team members, they will mentally associate their improved situation with the efforts of the employer.

I have listened to stories from people whose employers offered help and supported them through tough financial times. The gratitude those employees feel after the fact is powerful stuff, and they can’t speak enough positive things about the companies they work for. Most of us would like for our staff to speak that highly of us as employers—the question is whether or not we’re willing to hold up our end of the deal.

You might have heard the phrase, “A man with a toothache cannot fall in love.” It’s a similar concept. When there is something especially painful or worrisome in your life, you just can’t devote your attention to other areas until that pain point is removed. Help your team remove that pain (financial or otherwise), and your organization will be better for it.

  • Does your organization have a financial wellness program? If so, what is involved?
  • What other stressors are found in the workplace that we could help employees with?

Article source:Ben - Financial Wellness Benefits: Employers are the Employee Financial Lifeline»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR

Guest Article: Consequence by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

Consequence.

...something that happens as a result of an action...

First Thought
When I think about "consequences" I typically jump to a negative conclusion.

"Ken is being disciplined as a consequence for his error."

It's almost as if those of us in leadership naturally assume we have not made the error. It is always someone above or below who has stumbled. 

Really? 

Quick poll question:  ...all those who are perfect please raise their hand...

Anyone? Anyone at all?

It's (Almost) Always the Leader's Fault
What if we made a conscious decision in our organizations to frame every single problem in terms of how effectively the leadership team did the following:

- clearly articulated the vision and plan

- set expectations in a public setting so every team member could ask questions and understand

- reported regularly when projects (not people) were drifting from the expected outcome and had to publicly state how they were making course corrections

Our actions have a huge impact on the success or failure of our companies. Our influence is staggering, yet sometimes we forget and simply go through the excuse-filled leadership motions.

For me it is simple...the burden is on the leadership team.

Period.



How About You
Who takes the blame in your company? Does it flow downhill quickly; or, is there someone who consistently steps in and takes the fall for the team? If you have a leader like that hang on tightly to them. Otherwise, I might just recruit them away.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - Consequence»

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

Friday, 15 April 2016

Guest Article: Law business model threat: big firms stride into recruitment agency territory by Ross Clennett

On Monday this week, top tier law firm, Minter Ellison, announced that they had just launched a contracting arm. The Minter Ellison Flex website (‘The confidence to be agile') loudly proclaims: Tapping into our diverse pool of talent - from three-year lawyers through to former General Counsel - working with Flex is an efficient and reliable way for clients to maintain or boost in-house
Article source:Ross Clennett - Law business model threat: big firms stride into recruitment agency territory»

Check out more of Ross Clennett's work at hisblog

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Guest Article: 4 Great Questions to Ask Before You Use Personality Assessments in Your Company by Jennifer Miller

I’m a huge advocate of using personality assessments (sometimes called “profiles” or “instruments”) for professional development, if the circumstances are right and the tool being used is appropriate for the situation. That’s a significant “if.” Often, I encounter overly enthusiastic executives who want to use a particular assessment with their team because they personally favor that instrument. In many cases, that’s a fine decision, but there are times when the assessment simply isn’t a good fit.

My latest Smartblog on Leadership post gives tips for what leaders (and their HR managers) should consider prior to using assessments with their team members. You can read it here: 4 questions all leaders should ask before using a personality assessment with their team.


Article source:Jennifer Miller - 4 Great Questions to Ask Before You Use Personality Assessments in Your Company»

Working with Millennials


The millennials joining your workforce now are employees born between 1980 and 2000 and they come with a fresh mindset, can-do attitude and seek leadership, friendship and feedback within their work places.

Read these 10 tips By Susan M. Heathfield (Human Resources Expert) on how to manage millennials:

(Amusing video on how to deal with Millennials)

Provide structure. Reports have monthly due dates. Jobs have fairly regular hours. Certain activities are scheduled every day. Meetings have agendas and minutes. Goals are clearly stated and progress is assessed. Define assignments and success factors.

Provide leadership and guidance. Millennials want to look up to you, learn from you, and receive daily feedback from you. They want “in” on the whole picture and to know the scoop. Plan to spend a lot of time teaching and coaching and be aware of this commitment to millennials when you hire them. They deserve and want your very best investment of time in their success.

Encourage the millennial's self-assuredness, "can-do" attitude, and positive personal self-image. Millennials are ready to take on the world. Their parents told them they can do it - they can. Encourage - don't squash them or contain them.

Take advantage of the millennial's comfort level with teams. Encourage them to join. They are used to working in groups and teams. In contrast to the lone ranger attitude of earlier generations, millennials actually believe a team can accomplish more and better - they've experienced team success.

Not just related to age, watch who joins the volleyball match at the company picnic. Millennials gather in groups and play on teams; you can also mentor, coach, and train your millennials as a team.

Listen to the millennial employee. Your millennial employees are used to loving parents who have scheduled their lives around the activities and events of their children. These young adults have ideas and opinions, and don't take kindly to having their thoughts ignored. After all, they had the best listening, most child-centric audience in history.

Millennial employees are up for a challenge and change. Boring is bad. They seek ever-changing tasks within their work. What’s happening next is their mantra. Don’t bore them, ignore them, or trivialize their contribution.

Millennial employees are multi-taskers on a scale you’ve never seen before. Multiple tasks don’t phaze them. Talk on the phone while doing email and answering multiple instant messages – yes! This is a way of life. In fact, without many different tasks and goals to pursue within the week, the millennials will likely experience boredom.

Take advantage of your millennial employee’s computer, cell phone, and electronic literacy Are you a Boomer or even an early Gen-Xer? The electronic capabilities of these employees are amazing. You have a salesman in China? How’s the trip going? Old timers call and leave a message in his hotel room. Or, you can have your millennial text message him in his meeting for an immediate response. The world is wide, if not yet deep, for your millennial employees.

Capitalize on the millennial’s affinity for networking. Not just comfortable with teams and group activities, your millennial employee likes to network around the world electronically. Keep this in mind because they are able to post their resume electronically as well on Web job boards viewed by millions of employers. Sought after employees, they are loyal, but they keep their options open – always.

Provide a life-work balanced workplace.Your millennials are used to cramming their lives with multiple activities. They may play on sports teams, walk for multiple causes, spend time as fans at company sports leagues, and spend lots of time with family and friends.

They work hard, but they are not into the sixty hour work weeks defined by the Baby Boomers. Home, family, spending time with the children and families, are priorities. Don’t lose sight of this. Balance and multiple activities are important to these millennial employees. Ignore this to your peril.

As always, when I characterize a group of employees based on age, or any other characteristic, some employees will fit this description; some employees will fit part of this description; some employees will not fit this description.
Yet, I believe that, if you heed these tips, you will steer your organization forward, more times than not, with a positive approach to managing your millennial employees.


Wednesday, 13 April 2016

Guest Article: It's Not Business...It's Personal by Jay Kuhns, SPHR

There is a never ending amount of pressure to deliver results in the world. Whether we work for a large company, a small firm, our church, coach a sports team, or have taken the plunge and work for ourselves, results are the endgame that connects us all.

I’ve seen many leaders (including me) who attempt to separate the business decisions we must make, from the feelings we have as part of that decision-making process.

Let’s call it…corporate justification for not caring about our team members.

Did that hit a little too close to home?

Business Is Important
One of my pet peeves is that leaders do not execute. I write about it a lot because I've collected so many examples of it over the years. 

"Many leaders are so afraid to fail, that they would rather focus their energies on saving their own butt, instead of making a real difference for their organizations or people."

Here's the core problem: under such pressure many leaders treat their employees with a cold indifference all in the name of "business."

Everything Is Personal
Now for a moment of self-disclosure. I put a lot of time, energy, and yes, passion into my work.

If things go poorly, I feel terrible.
If I am criticized for doing an ineffective job, I feel terrible.
If the team's work falls short of a goal, I feel terrible.

I take it all personally. 

All of it.

Newsflash! All of your employees take it personally too. They care about the work they're doing. They care about being successful. They care about getting ahead.

Newsflash #2! Your employees do not wake up each day trying to scam you. Get the hell over yourself and your pompous view of your team.



How About You
Maybe it's time we retire the phrase "it's not personal...it's business." What do you think? It seems to have worked as well as the old command and control behaviors that have destroyed the credibility of so many "leaders" our there. 

I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.

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Article source:Jay Kuhns, SPHR - It's Not Business...It's Personal»

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

Tuesday, 12 April 2016

Guest Article: Big Data Needn’t Be “Evil Data” in the Workplace by Jennifer Miller

computer key humanity

When I work with executives, I’m wary when they get that “gleam” in their eye when reviewing reams of data with me. If it’s nothing but, “50% margin blah blah” and “trending indicators yada yada,” warning bells go off in my head. There needs to be the counter-weight of people somewhere in that equation to inform their decision-making.

Big data in the workplace isn’t a bad thing, if used to actually make the office a more “human” place to work.  My latest Huffington Post piece explores the how organizations pair the hi-tech of quantitative analysis with the old-school practice of personally connecting with people for maximum results. Go check it out at Big Data Doesn’t Mean Less Human at Work.

Want to view my past Huffington Post articles? Click here.

 

Image credit: Copyright: icetray / 123RF Stock Photo

 

 

 

 


Article source:Jennifer Miller - Big Data Needn’t Be “Evil Data” in the Workplace»

Guest Article: HR: The CEO’s Most Trusted Advisor by Ben

Among all of the opportunities that HR leaders have, I believe that one of the most valuable is puncturing the CEO bubble by acting in a strategic advisor capacity. As I wrote some time ago, 76% of CEOs value their relationship with HR. This is because we exist outside the normal flow of business to some extent. This role as a trusted advisor is one that can, and should, be highly strategic.

HR’s History

Does this list sound familiar?

  • No
  • We can’t do that
  • That would be risky
  • What if we get sued
  • We’ve never done it that way
  • I don’t think that will work

hr ceo advisor strategicThat is my perception of HR as it has historically been carried out. For a wide variety of reasons, the HR population has become the “no” police, preventing virtually any opportunity for creativity and innovation.

Instead of focusing on excuses or reasons you can’t make something happen, keep searching for ways to do it. Look for opportunities, not limitations. There are already enough people in the world who are ready and willing to tell you how something can’t be accomplished. Let’s work on cultivating more people that look for ways you can be successful.

We often see opportunities as binary, yes/no decisions. As an example: we can either change to a new insurance provider or we can stop providing insurance to our employees and let them all die of horrible diseases before the week is over with.

The point is the person offering these options knows that offering one really great option and one really poor option is going to force the manager to choose. However, the good manager will turn it back on the employee with a response of “none of the above.”

If you want to do it right, here’s the game plan: instead of settling for two less-than-ideal options, ask for more. Push the person to give you three, four, or five options; ask for at least one more viable idea to level the playing field. Ask why they settled on offering just two. Don’t let them get away with trying to push their own agenda if there is a better option still available.

Again, this illustration is centered around asking your staff to do more than the bare minimum. Don’t let them assume something can’t be done. Don’t let them get away with listing reasons/excuses for why something isn’t possible. Ask them to go further and look at “how we can” options, even if they are a bit far-fetched. You never know when one of those ideas could fit perfectly.

If you want to be seen as a trusted advisor, a connector, and a positive force for change, this is how you do it. You don’t accomplish that by saying “No” to everything that is proposed. There are good options that don’t involve the sudden demise of your entire company–you just need to tune your risk meter and get better at predicting the future.

Remember: look for answers to how we can, not why we can’t.

CEO Influence in Action

In one of my previous roles, I reported directly to the CEO of the organization. This was a two-way street in terms of value. I received up-to-date information on business pursuits and opportunities on the horizon, and I was able to offer insights, input, and advice around how to approach those areas.

There were times that my advice was received, processed, and not followed. That is painful for some to cope with, but it’s the nature of the game. That’s why the other person is the CEO–they get to call the shots.

However, there were plenty of times that the advice was heeded, and the business and people benefited from it. At least I knew I had an open ear and could get my side of the story heard.

Another company I worked in was not quite so… positive. The CEO was unplugged from the organization emotionally and mentally. The entire staff knew it, and it didn’t exactly lead to a culture that I would be proud of. I was a layer removed from the CEO but my boss was not of the strategic mindset. We were seen as a group of HR paper-pushers with a rubber stamp ready for any idea or innovation to arise so we could put a big, fat “NO” on it. The company was eventually acquired and the entire staff laid off, and all of the talent problems that the leadership had been ignoring became someone else’s problem.

Taking Advantage of the Situation

One of the hardest things about the close nature of this relationship is the eventual requirement to compete with your own interests. There are times that you will have to put forth ideas and concepts that are counter to your own needs. Being able to distance yourself as an objective party and provide inputs without becoming entangled in the emotional red tape is difficult, but necessary.

This is also where you can forge some of the strongest bonds with your company’s leadership. If everything is going fine, nobody is surprised when you have your stuff together. But when things are hard and times are lean or challenges arise, that is when you have the best opportunity to demonstrate your competency and level-headed approach. When everyone else is flailing about, you have to be the rock that others can cling to. Not physically–that would be weird. But you get the picture.

Litmus Test for Your CEO’s HR Outlook

I have a quick test you can use to determine your CEO’s outlook on the value of HR. Does he/she see you as an administrative burden or a necessary evil, or are you seen as a value-added strategic partner that is indispensable?

This isn’t foolproof, but I have seen it play out many times and it is fairly accurate. Do a quick calculation for me: look at your ratio of employees to HR pros. This tells you how valuable your leaders think HR is. Consider these two examples:

  • A friend recently contacted me and we were discussing her company’s HR structure. They budget for one HR pro per thousand employees. She spends all day doing paperwork and has not planned for future growth needs in more than two years.
  • Another friend caught me up on her company’s strategy in the midst of explosive growth. The company had a ratio of 1:40. The firm is doing better than ever and the HR team is continuously implementing new programs and targeting strategic opportunities for improving talent acquisition, leadership development, and more.

There isn’t a hard number, but hopefully these examples give you a better idea of where you stand. HR can be strategic or tactical, but strategy is where the true business value comes in.

While Very Personal, the Relationship is also Strategic

Some of the ways I have seen this HR advisory relationship/role play out beyond simple business transactions:

  • Informal coach: In terms of feedback, HR takes on the role of informal executive coach to the CEO. They will provide input on things that might not be at the forefront of the CEO’s thoughts and help them to get their message across in a way that is “comfortable” for the parties involved.
  • “Safe” performance improvement feedback: In cases where critical feedback might be necessary, the HR person might have to provide “safe” performance feedback to the executive. In this context, “safe” means direct, private, and confidential. The advice is provided directly to the CEO, it’s in a private location, and the feedback is confidential and will not be repeated.
  • Personal touch: The one that I’ve seen more of is what my friend likes to call “the office spouse.” I liken it to my relationship with my wife in that when we go somewhere, I look at her helplessly and say, “Who is that guy’s wife again?” and “What did you say happened to their son?” She has those minor details all memorized. Same relationship at work: the CEO expects the HR professional to have the staff information on a personal level close at hand, among other things. In addition, HR acts as a representative of the staff. The CEO can also ask (this ties back in with the two points above) how staff will receive/comprehend an announcement about upcoming changes, whether good or bad.

Not Just Problems: Offer Solutions, Too

“I don’t like going to HR meetings. They are always about problems, not solutions.”

I heard that comment at a SHRM conference once, and it’s stuck with me ever since. There is nothing quite like having to sit in front of your CEO and tell them about some problem that is coming at you like a freight train. There are two parts to doing this the right way that will help diminish the perception above.

#1-Offer solutions, too

It may sound simple, but when you come to the meeting with a problem, bring two or more solutions with you as well. Don’t feel helpless or powerless. You are the person with the most in-depth information about the issue so far, and it’s your responsibility to take that information and turn it into a potential resolution.

That saying we explored above? It’s a saying that I always repeat whenever I’m faced with a tough decision:

Tell me how we can, not why we can’t.

#2-Be proactive

So you’re sitting there thinking, “Huh, he must be talking to someone else. I don’t have any big problems that I have to share with our leadership at this point.”

No, I’m talking to you, too! You just have a different action. It’s time to be proactive. Start looking for ways you can cut costs, streamline your functions, save time for managers, etc. Look for some solutions to age-old problems, not just new ones. Not sure where to start? Ask some of your managers what their biggest pain points are with regard to the HR or recruiting processes. Ask your senior leaders what their biggest concerns are at a corporate level. Then take that information and use it.

Want to know the fastest, easiest way to prove the value of the HR department? Solve a problem that plagues the management team. Yes, it seems simple, but it is often overlooked because HR tends to exist in its own little “bubble” and never takes the time to actually find out what the business needs are from the HR function.

Then take the time to communicate what you’ve found in the way of solutions to current problems.

Pretty soon your managers will be saying, “I am looking forward to the next HR meeting to see what they have come up with this time.” Then ask for a raise. You deserve it. :-)

What are your thoughts on this relationship? Is it valued at your company? What has been your experience? 


Article source:Ben - HR: The CEO’s Most Trusted Advisor»

Check out more of Ben Uebanks' work at Upstart HR