Talent Spark

IRS Issues Guidance on Reporting Health Coverage Cost on Forms W-2

2012-03-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE for IRS FAQ's on reporting the cost of employer-provided heath care coverage on employees' Form W-2s.

On Jan. 3, 2012, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2012-9, with interim guidance on meeting the requirement under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to report on employees' W-2 forms the cost of their group health insurance coverage. This information must be furnished beginning with 2012 W-2 forms, which generally must be provided to employees by the end of January 2013. The aggregate cost of an employee's health care coverage is to be determined under rules similar to the rules for determining the applicable premium for COBRA continuation coverage.

Generally, all employers are required to meet the new W-2 reporting requirement, but the IRS provided some exemptions in transition relief, including one for small employers who filed fewer than 250 Forms W-2 in 2011. Such employers are not required to report the value of employer-provided health care for 2012.

Background
PPACA defines applicable employer-sponsored coverage subject to the reporting requirement as coverage under any group health plan that is excludable from the employee's gross income, or that would be so excludable if it were employer-provided coverage under the Internal Revenue Code.

Observation: It is important to recognize that health coverage is treated as applicable employer-sponsored coverage without regard to whether the employer or the employee pays for the coverage and whether the value of the coverage is includible in the employee's income.

General Requirements
All employers providing applicable employer-sponsored coverage must report the cost on their employees' Forms W-2. This includes federal, state and local government entities, churches and other religious organizations and employers not subject to the COBRA continuation coverage requirements. But it does not include federally recognized Indian tribal governments. Notice 2012-9 adds that corporations owned by Indian tribal governments also are excluded. Transition relief is provided to certain of these employers under the notices, as described below.

The cost of the coverage is to be reported beginning with the Forms W-2 issued for 2012, in Box 12 with a Code DD.

Certain Coverage Not Included
Applicable employer-sponsored coverage does not include:

Long-term care insurance.
"Excepted benefits," which includes accident or disability income insurance; liability insurance; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; workers' compensation or similar insurance; automobile medical payment insurance; credit-only insurance; and other similar insurance coverage under which benefits for medical care are secondary or incidental.
Limited scope dental or vision care provided under a separate policy.
Coverage only for a specific disease or illness, hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance.

In addition, the cost of coverage does not include contributions to health savings accounts (HSAs) of the employee or the employee's spouse, contributions to a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), salary reduction contributions to health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs) or contributions to Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs).

Also excluded are the costs of self-insured plans not subject to the COBRA requirements (such as a self-insured church plan), multiemployer plans to which the employer contributes, and plans provided by governmental employers to members of the military or their families.

Notice 2012-9 provides that an employer may elect to report the cost of coverage that is excluded under these rules as long as the coverage is applicable employer-sponsored coverage and the general rules for determining the cost of coverage are met. Where an employer has a plan that includes applicable employer-sponsored coverage and other benefits, such as a long-term disability plan that provides health benefits, Notice 2012-9 provides that any reasonable method for determining the reportable costs may be used.

Important Clarifications
Clarifications in Notice 2012-9 that are worth noting include:

Health FSAs.A new example illustrating the exclusion for salary reduction contributions to a health FSA. Any employer contributions to the FSA in excess of the employee's salary reduction must be reported.

Stand-alone vision and dental plans.The standard for determining whether the cost of coverage under a vision or dental plan is subject to the reporting requirement is the same as the standard for determining whether the plan is subject to HIPAA rules. Thus, if the coverage is offered under a separate plan or policy where participants may elect not to be covered, and those who elect coverage must pay an additional premium, the coverage need not be reported.

EAPs, wellness programs and on-site clinics.The cost of coverage under an employee assistance program (EAP), a wellness program or an on-site medical clinic is not required to be reported if the employer does not charge a premium for the cost of this coverage to COBRA beneficiaries.

Hospital indemnity/specific disease coverage.The exclusion from "applicable employer- sponsored coverage" for hospital indemnity plans, fixed indemnity insurance and coverage for a specific disease does not apply if the employer makes any contribution to the cost of coverage that is excludable from income, or if the employee purchases the policy on a pre-tax basis under a cafeteria plan; such contributions must be reported.

Third-party sick pay.Third-party sick pay providers furnishing Forms W-2 are not required to report the cost of employer-provided health care, but any Form W-2 provided by the employer must include such costs whether or not a third-party payer is separately reporting sick pay.

Excess reimbursement for highly compensated Individuals.The reporting requirement does not apply to the cost of coverage includible in income under tax code section 105(h) (discriminatory self-insured medical plans) or payments includible in gross income for a 2 percent shareholder employee of an S corporation that is required to include the premium payments in gross income.

Informational Only
Notice 2012-9 reiterates the statement included in prior guidance that this reporting is informational only; nothing in the statute or in the guidance issued or contemplated for the future causes or will cause otherwise excludable employer-provided health care coverage to become taxable.

Observation: PPACA will impose a 40 percent tax on the value of excess health coverage beginning in 2018. Form W-2 reporting of the value of employee health coverage will likely provide valuable information to the IRS in assessing this high-cost-plan tax in the future.

Terminated Employees
Notice 2012-9 includes the helpful guidance from the earlier notice concerning the reporting requirement with respect to employees who terminate employment during the year. As long as the employer is consistent in reporting the cost of coverage under a particular health plan for all employees who terminate employment during the year, any reasonable method may be used. For example:

The employer may report only the costs for the portion of the year during which employees were active employees covered by the plan, and ignore any costs for post-employment coverage, such as COBRA continuation coverage.
Alternatively, the employer may choose to report the cost of both pre-and post-employment coverage on the employee's Form W-2 for the year of termination, as long as this is the treatment for all covered employees who terminated during the year.
Employers are not required to report the cost of coverage on a Form W-2 furnished to a former employee who requests their Form W-2 before the end of the year in which the employee terminated employment.
No reporting is required for an individual to whom the employer is not otherwise required to issue a Form W-2, such as a retiree or other former employee who received no compensation.

Observation: Employers may use any reasonable method to report the cost of coverage to terminated employees as long as they use the same method consistently for all terminated employees. Thus, for the first year in which an individual retires, an employer may choose to report the cost of coverage for the entire year, including both the active coverage and the retiree coverage, on the Form W-2 that reports the employee's final compensation from the employer. Alternatively, the employer may choose to report only the value of the active coverage.

For future years, when no Form W-2 is required to be provided to the retiree, there is no requirement to report the cost of health coverage.

Calculating the Cost of Coverage
The total cost of coverage provided to the employee is to be reported, whether paid by the employer or by the employee. PPACA provides that the reportable cost is to be determined under rules similar to those for determining the applicable COBRA premium under the Internal Revenue Code. The employer may use the COBRA applicable premium method, the premium charged method or the modified COBRA premium method under the COBRA regulations. The additional 2 percent allowed to be added to the applicable premium charged to COBRA beneficiaries is not included in the reportable cost.

Observation: Current regulations under COBRA do not address the calculation of the COBRA premium specifically but provide that this determination must be made in good faith compliance with a reasonable interpretation of the statutory requirements.

The premium charged method may be used to determine the reportable cost only for an employee covered by an insured plan. The employer must report the premium charged by the insurer for that employee's coverage for the period.

The modified COBRA premium method may be used where the employer subsidizes the cost of COBRA coverage. Under this method, the reportable cost is to be determined based on a reasonable good faith estimate of the COBRA applicable premium for the period (if that is the method used to determine the subsidized premium), or where the employer charges COBRA beneficiaries the prior year's premium, in which case the reportable cost may be based on the prior year's cost.

Notice 2012-9 provides that an employer who uses a composite rate for active employees but not for COBRA beneficiaries may use either rate for determining the applicable cost to be reported, provided it is used consistently.

The reportable cost for a year must take into account any changes in coverage for the employee during the year, and it must be determined on a calendar year basis for all employees regardless of the plan year. Notice 2012-9 includes new guidance for determining applicable costs where a pay period spans Dec. 31 in any year, and where an employee notifies the employer of changes in his or her coverage for a prior calendar year after Dec. 31 of that year.

Transition Relief
Under PPACA, the W-2 reporting provision was to become effective with respect to 2011 Forms W-2, but in Notice 2010-69, issued in October 2010, the IRS made the requirement optional for 2011. In addition, IRS Notice 2011-28, issued in March 2011, provided that employers were not required to report the cost of health coverage on the Form W-2 for 2012 and later years if they filed fewer than 250 Forms W-2 in the prior year (these employers also are exempt from the requirement to file returns electronically.) This exemption will apply until further notice but at least through 2012.

Notice 2012-9 clarifies this exception with respect to employers using an agent to file Forms W-2 so that the determination is made without regard to the use of the agent. If the employer would have been required to provide at least 250 Forms W-2 in the prior year had the employer not used the agent, the reporting requirement will apply for the current year.

The exception for small employers, as well as the exceptions from the reporting requirements for coverage under a self-insured plan that is not subject to any federal continuation coverage requirements, the exception for plans maintained primarily for members of the military and their families, and the exceptions with respect to Forms W-2 provided to terminated employees before the end of the year, multiemployer plans, HRAs and stand-alone dental and vision plans are all effective unless limited by future guidance.
Any such future guidance likely will be applicable not earlier than the calendar year beginning at least six months after publication of the guidance.

Birgit Anne Waidmann is director of PricewaterhouseCoopers human resource services, based in Washington, D.C.

Creating a Safe, Healthy and Happy Workplace

2012-02-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Creating a safe, healthy and happy workplace will ensure that your employees feel at home and stay with your organization for a very long time.

Open Book Management Style
Sharing information about contracts, sales, new clients, management objectives, company policies, employee personal data etc. ensures that the employees are as enthusiastic about the business as the management. Through this open book process you can gradually create a culture of participative management and ignite the creative endeavor of your work force. It involves making people an interested party to your strategic decisions, thus aligning them to your business objectives. Be as open as you can. It helps in building trust & motivates employees. Employee self-service portals are the tools available today to the management to practice this style.

Performance Linked Bonuses
Paying out bonuses or having any kind of variable compensation plan can be both an incentive and disillusionment, based on how it is administered and communicated. Bonus must be designed in such a way that people understand that there is no payout unless the company hits a certain level of profitability. Additional criteria could be the team's success and the individual's performance. Never pay out bonus without measuring performance, unless it is a statutory obligation.

360-Degree Performance Management Feedback System
This system, which solicits feedback from seniors (including the boss), peers and subordinates has been increasingly embraced as the best of all available methods for collecting performance feedback. Gone are the days of working hard to impress only one person, now the opinions of all matter, especially if you are in a leadership role (at any level). Every person in the team is responsible for giving relevant, positive and constructive feedback. Such systems also help in identifying leaders for higher-level positions in the organization. Senior managers could use this feed back for self-development.

Fair Evaluation System for Employees
Develop an evaluation system that clearly links individual performance to corporate business goals and priorities. Each employee should have well defined reporting relationships. Self-rating as a part of evaluation process empowers employees. Evaluation becomes fairer if it is based on the records of periodic counseling & achievements of the employee, tracked over the year. For higher objectivity, besides the immediate boss, each employee should be screened by the next higher-level (often called a Reviewer). Cross - functional feedback, if obtained by the immediate boss from another manager (for whom this employee's work is also important), will add to the fairness of the system. Relative ratings of all subordinates reporting to the same manager is another tool for fairness of evaluation. Normalization of evaluation is yet another dimension of improving fairness.

Knowledge Sharing
Adopt a systematic approach to ensure that knowledge management supports strategy. Store knowledge in databases to provide greater access to information posted either by the company or the employees on the knowledge portals of the company. When an employee returns after attending any competencies or skills development program, sharing essential knowledge with others could be made mandatory. Innovative ideas (implemented at the work place) are good to be posted on these knowledge sharing platforms. However, what to store & how to maintain a knowledge base requires deep thinking to avoid clutter.

Highlight Performers
Create profiles of top performers and make these visible though company intranet, display boards etc. It will encourage others to put in their best, thereby creating a competitive environment within the company. If a systems approach is followed to shortlist high performers, you can surely avoid disgruntlements.

Open House Discussions and Feedback Mechanism
Great organizations recognize, nurture and execute great ideas. Employees are the biggest source of ideas. The only thing that can stop great ideas flooding your organization is the lack of an appropriate mechanism to capture ideas. Open house discussions, employee-management meets, suggestion boxes and ideas capture tools such as Critical Incidents diaries are the building blocks that can help the Managers to identify & develop talent.

Reward Ceremonies
Merely recognizing talent does not work, you need to couple it with ceremonies where recognition is broadcast. Looking at the Dollar Check is often less significant than listening to the thunderous applause by colleagues in a public forum.

Delight Employees with the Unexpected
The last but not least way is to occasionally delight your employees with unexpected things that may come in the form of a reward, a gift or a well-done certificate. Reward not only the top performers but also a few others who are in need of motivation to exhibit their potential.

Does your company have innovate ways to master the "Happy Workplace"? We would love to hear from you.

Improve Employee Relations - Strengthen the Team

2012-01-30T03:50:00.000-08:00

For the organization to perform better it is important that the employees are comfortable with each other, share a good rapport and work in close coordination towards a common objective. People feel responsible and motivated to do good work and enjoy their work rather than taking it as a burden.

It is important that the management promotes healthy employee relations at workplace to extract the best out of each individual. Competition is essential but it should not promote negativity or any kind of enmity among the employees.

To follow are some strategies for a healthy employee relationship in the organization.

Involve your team members: They should feel important and indispensable for the organization. An individual must be assigned responsibilities according to their interests and responsibilities. Don’t impose work on them. Let them willingly accept challenges. They must enjoy whatever they do otherwise they would end up fighting with their superiors and fellow workers.

Encourage individuals to share their work with each other: This way people tend to talk with each other more, discuss things among themselves and thus the comfort level increases. Let them work together and take decisions on their own. A team leader should intervene only in extreme cases of conflicts and severe misunderstandings.

Assign them targets and ask all your team members to contribute equally and achieve the target within the desired time frame. Motivate them to work in groups. This way employees have no other choice than to trust their fellow workers and take each other’s help as well. An employee must have the liberty to express his ideas and all of them should sit together to decide on something which would be beneficial to all.

One should try his level best that all the employees must have their lunch together at the same time. Half an hour to forty-five minutes must be dedicated to lunch and one should not discuss work during lunch time. There are other topics as well. Discuss movies, sports, shopping or any other thing under the sun. There will be no harm if the employees go out together once in a while for get-togethers, picnics or shopping. Ask them to bring their family members as well.

Encourage effective communication among the team members. It has been observed that poor communication leads to confusions and misunderstandings. The communication has to be precise and relevant. One should not play with words and be very specific about his expectations from his fellow workers as well as the organization. If you are not very happy with your colleague’s proposal, don’t keep things to yourself. Voice your opinion and do express your displeasure. It will definitely prevent a conflict among employees later and improve the relations among them. Be straightforward. Don’t pretend things just to please your boss. If you find anything unacceptable, discuss with your superior but in a polite way.

Written modes of communication must be promoted among the employees for better transparency. Verbal communication is not as reliable as written communication. The agendas, minutes of the meeting, important issues must be circulated among all through emails. Make sure that all the related employees are in the loop. Don’t communicate individually with any of the employees as the other one might feel neglected and left out.

Morning meetings is another effective way to improve the relation among the employees. Let everyone come together on a common platform and discuss whatever issues they have. The meetings must not be too formal. Allow the team members to bring their cups of coffee. Start your day with a positive mind. Greet everyone with a warm smile. Exchange greetings and compliments. If any of your team member is not in a pleasant mood, do take the initiative and ask what is wrong with him. Try your level best to provide him a solution.

Organize birthday parties, Christmas parties, New Year parties etc. at the workplace. These small initiatives actually go a long way in strengthening the bond among the employees. Ask all of them to decorate the office, their work stations and make all the necessary arrangements themselves. You will actually be surprised to find out that everyone would be ready with something or the other. Employees would actually take the initiative and organize things on their own. Let them enjoy with each other and have fun.

Praise the individual if he has done something exceptionally well. Reward him suitably. The names of the top performers must be displayed on the notice boards for others to draw inspiration from them. Encourage everyone to perform well to live up to the expectations of the superiors as well as the management.

A healthy relation among employees promotes a positive ambience at the work place and employees feel happy and satisfied at work. They look forward to going to office daily and also work hard to realize their team’s as well as organization’s goals.

What are some things you do to build a better bond and increase productivity in your workplace? Let us know below.

How Do You Engage With, Retain and Motivate Employees?

2012-01-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

Engagement is big in the HR consultancy market, yet there is a dearth of academic research in this area. We believe that engagement is more than a passing fad – it brings clear business benefits. Raising engagement levels, and maintaining them, takes time, effort, commitment and investment – it is not for the half-hearted.

What is engagement?

A clear view of the behaviors demonstrated by the engaged employee are:

belief in the organization
desire to work to make things better
understanding of business context and the "bigger picture"
respectful of, and helpful to, colleagues
willingness to "go the extra mile"
keeping up to date with developments in the field.

Engagement has clear overlaps with the more exhaustively researched concepts of commitment and organizational citizenship behavior, but there are also differences. In particular, engagement is two-way: organizations must work to engage the employee, who in turn has a choice about the level of engagement to offer the employer.

Engagement is defined as:

A positive attitude held by the employee towards the organization and its values. An engaged employee is aware of business context, and works with colleagues to improve performance within the job for the benefit of the organization. The organization must work to develop and nurture engagement, which requires a two-way relationship between employer and employee.

Measuring engagement:

Below are some sure signs of an engaged employee.

a positive attitude towards, and pride in, the organization
belief in the organization’s products/services
a perception that the organization enables the employee to perform well
a willingness to behave altruistically and be a good team player
an understanding of the bigger picture and a willingness to go beyond the requirements of the job.

Engagement challenges

Levels can vary, in association with a variety of personal and job characteristics and with experiences at work. Some key observances are:

engagement levels decline as employees get older – until they reach the oldest group (60 plus), where levels suddenly rise, and show this oldest group to be the most engaged of all
minority ethnic respondents have higher engagement levels than their white colleagues
managers and professionals tend to have higher engagement levels than their colleagues in supporting roles, although people in the latter group appear to owe greater loyalty to their profession than to the organization in which they practice their craft
engagement levels decline as length of service increases
having an accident or an injury at work, or experiencing harassment (particularly if the manager is the source of the harassment) both have a big negative impact on engagement
employees who have a personal development plan, and who have received a formal performance appraisal within the past year, have significantly higher engagement levels than those who have not.

The above statements demonstrate that you need to work hard to prevent, and minimize the impact of, bad experiences. Companies also need to ensure that employees’ development needs (including the special needs of professionals) are taken seriously; paid attention to, and value the roles of, support staff; and to maintain the interest of longer-serving employees. The relatively high levels of engagement of the oldest employees, and of minority ethnic staff, suggest sources of untapped potential within some organizations.

What drives engagement?

Committed employees perform better. If we accept that engagement, as many believe, is "one step up" from commitment, it is clearly in the organization’s interests to understand the drivers of engagement. Many aspects of working life are strongly correlated with engagement levels. However, the strongest driver of all is a sense of feeling valued and involved. This has several key components:

involvement in decision-making
the extent to which employees feel able to voice their ideas, and managers listen to these views, and value employees’ contributions
the opportunities employees have to develop their jobs
the extent to which the organization is concerned for employees’ health and well-being.

In summary, it is critical to realize and support the importance of the "engaged" employee-manager relationship.

How do you engage your employees? We would love to hear what has been successful for you. Please respond below.

Accelerate Your Team-Building Initiatives

2012-01-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

Whether you are an organization, or a professional responsible for facilitating the team-building process of a team or group, the following tips are ensured to give you some new ideas on how to accelerate your team-building initiatives:

Follow these tips and become a team of office Superhero’s!

Create a Common Vision
A common vision for all team members is essential for team-building and organizational success. Spend time visioning as a team - what you want to create and where you want to go. This visioning time should also enable you to celebrate your current successes!

Ask Yourself: How clear is our vision? Do all team members hold the same vision?

Develop Common Goals
Ensure that your organizational / project and program goals are understood and supported by all team members. All team members need to understand how their efforts are feeding into the larger objectives.

Ask Yourself: Do all team members know what role they play in supporting our larger team / organizational goals? Is everyone clear on what those goals are?

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities
One of the main challenges for organizations and groups to move ahead to where they really want to be is due to a lack of clarity on individual roles and responsibilities. Clarifying these roles can help in supporting and achieving your common vision and goals.

Ask yourself: "How clear is our staff in understanding their specific roles? Their specific responsibilities? Where do roles and responsibilities overlap between individual team members? Where do roles and responsibilities overlap with other departments?

Ensure Management Support
Supervisors and managers play a key role in "keeping the learning alive". Ensure that supervisors, managers and owners are following up with staff regarding what their needs are, and how team-building efforts can be enhanced. Managers also play a key role in ensuring that the learning from team-building initiatives is brought back to the office.

Ask yourself: What systems do we currently have in place to ensure that the learning is sustained? Can we discuss this in staff meetings? Do we have a coaching program in place?

Use Engaging Exercises
Team-building can be fun and challenging, supporting teams to reach their highest potential. Ensure that participants are engaged and challenged through the process. Consider bringing in an experienced external facilitator to support your efforts, and even run a train-the-trainer program with your staff.

Ask Yourself: What types of activities or exercises would work best for our team members? What are the topics of relevance for them?

Take it Out of the Office
Holding team-building sessions in the office can be disruptive and distracting. The lure of email, voice mail and urgent items often take precedence to a full team in-office experience. Reduce everyday distractions by holding team-building sessions outside of the office.

Ask Yourself: What type of environment would our staff team benefit from? Some organizations prefer a more "corporate" formal team-building session, while others embrace nature and the outdoors.

Create An Action Plan
Create an action plan to make the team-building part of your everyday work or life. Often retreat days or team-building programs have few links with everyday business or organizational objectives. Ensure that when designing the program you create links to the organization or to everyday life so that participants can "bring the learning home". This can be done by building into the program formal action planning time, and having managers follow up during regular staff meetings. Coaching can be leveraged to keep the "learning alive" after team-building events. Research whether individual, team or group coaching will work best for your organization.

Ask Yourself: What can we do to support and sustain individual and team action planning? What current systems do we have to revisit the action plans? Some examples may include staff meetings, manager check-ins, internal / external coaching.

Spend Time Learning What Your Team Members Need
Creating a group or organizational context where communication is open, and individual team members feel comfortable bringing their needs up, will make teambuilding efforts more focused and productive.

Find out exactly what team members are looking for to enhance their work and efforts before the team-building event. This can be done by the facilitator and / or the team-building committee, through email questionnaires, focus groups, or individual meetings.

One of the most common pitfalls of team-building initiatives is that it does not match the needs of the team. Ensure you invest enough time before the event itself to assess what team members really want.

Ask Yourself: What are the top three priorities for our team members? What is the best way to find this out from individual members?

Keep it Regular
Once a year team-building programs can do a lot for boosting morale on the short-term, but ask yourself, "What would it be like if we did something more often?” Imagine the results!

Using the same facilitator over successive programs can often give added traction to the event. Trust and understanding of the team is usually higher each successive event, when using the same facilitator.

Ask Yourself: What amount of time can we commit to team-building efforts in our organization this year? What will that look like?

Have Fun!
Most importantly, team-building initiatives should be fun and engaging for all staff members. They should be relevant and meaningful for the team. Design with the facilitator(s) what structure and topics will give your team the most leverage.

Ask Yourself: What would fun look like for us, given our organizational culture and philosophy?

Look to integrate some of these ideas and systems into your next team-building initiative, whether it is a retreat, team coaching, or a workshop, to build a more extraordinary, sustained, productive team.

Take New Year's Resolutions to the Next Level in Your Business this Year

2011-12-28T07:02:00.000-08:00

It’s the time of year to toss out the typical “to do” lists and plan your New Year’s resolutions filled with new plans, new dreams and new directions. Here are some New Year's resolutions geared to businesses and organizations.

Take the time to write out your resolutions and post them in a spot that you can easily see every day.

Be good to yourself this year. Promise that you will:

Do something you love to do, and that you do best, every single day. Carry this through to your team by asking them the following questions as this helps define if you have a happy, motivating and productive workplace:

Do I know what is expected of me at work?
Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

People who could answer these questions affirmatively were more likely to be happy and productive. Get passionate about your work. Do something you do best every day.

Do something just for you every single day. As a manager or business professional, you can get caught up in doing for others during every minute of your work day. If you have family members who occupy the off-work hours, this problem is compounded. Resolve to set time aside for yourself every day to exercise, relax, reflect, cook a gourmet dinner, eat ice cream, write in a journal, garden, walk your pet or do any other activity that takes your fancy. Just make sure the activity is different than what you already do all day long. You will feel as if you have a life.

Give yourself credit and a pat on the back when you deserve it. People who receive praise or recognition for their work in the past seven days are more happy and productive.

In this era of empowered employees and broad spans of managerial control, you are less likely to have frequent interaction with your boss. Thus, it is important that you recognize yourself for excellent efforts. One way to do this is to keep a file of positive notes, thank you letters and reminders of successful ventures. Stop to assess success after each project you complete.

Strive to learn something new every single day. It is easy to get bogged down in the same old, same old. Read an article; discuss a new approach with a colleague; research what other organizations are doing on the Web. The opportunities for learning are multiplying every day in this information age.

Make professional contacts and conduct focused networking. Look up colleagues with whom you have lost touch. Make sure you attend at least one professional meeting each month. You will benefit from the friendships and relationships you develop from active participation. It is not enough to “join.” You need to participate to reap the rewards from professional collaboration.

Practice professional courage by stepping out of your comfort zone. You know when you are in your comfort zone. An issue occurs. You hear yourself making up excuses in your mind about “why” you don’t need to speak, or “why” taking a stand on an issue will get you “in trouble.” Just once, when you find yourself in this situation, state what you are really thinking. After the shock wears off, your coworkers will admire you. It is so important that organization members provide honest feedback and participate in needed conflict to improve your products or services for customers.

Once you have begun breaking through your own self-imposed barriers, you will find that stating your mind gets easier and easier. Why? Because you will find you survived the experience. In fact, your career may thrive as a result of you leaving your comfortable home. Most people who practice professional courage expected the worst, but found they were rewarded for their new stance. If you find yourself getting beaten up instead, perhaps it’s time to look for different employment. After all, wouldn’t you really rather work where you can safely speak your mind?

Listen more than you talk. The old adage about one mouth and two ears is generally true. As a manager, you spend much of your time in problem-solving activities and efforts. Plan this year, to listen to all that your coworkers are saying; they may want a sounding board, not advice or problem solving. You may find you don’t have to take the monkeys on your back. Your listening may empower them to solve their own problems. When they feel completely heard out and listened to, they are more likely to move from “stuck” to action.

Develop a method to track your life goals, your daily engagements, and your to do list. Using a planner, whether in Microsoft Office Outlook on your laptop or on your smartphone, allows you to empty much of the daily detail from your mind. This gives your mind room for more important thinking.

Whether you choose a paper method or an electronic method, tracking your daily activities against your most important goals is critical. You want to ensure you accomplish your most important priorities.

Read voraciously to continue to learn and grow. Try to read a couple of business books a month plus periodicals and online journals. Try to read widely and broadly. Get out of the business books once in awhile to see how other subjects enhance your point of view.

Take up a new hobby or activity this year. Maybe this is the year you begin your collection. If something has always intrigued you and piqued your interest, resolve to take the first steps in participating this year. You’ll add a new dimension to your world and clear your head.

Take yourself a little less seriously. As we strive for business success, we can get bogged down in serious deliberation, advising and problem solving. Take time to laugh. Take time to smell cookies and bread baking. Smile when you hear stories about what all of your crazy employees are doing; you don’t need to be the “mom” or “dad” all the time. Enjoy them for all their little quirks and differences.

With warm regards, and great best wishes for your success, everyone on the McPherson Berry team wishes you a happy, healthy, prosperous, outstanding 2012 as you adopt these New Year's resolutions and continue to be creative and add more of your own.

Ideas to Show Your Colleagues, Coworkers and Employees How Much You Value Them

2011-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

You can tell your colleagues, coworkers and employees how much you value them and their contribution any day of the year. No occasion is necessary. In fact, small surprises and tokens of your appreciation spread throughout the year help the people in your work life feel valued all year long.

Looking for ideas about how to praise and thank coworkers and employees? Here are ten ways to show your appreciation to employees and coworkers.

Praise something your coworker has done well. Identify the specific actions that you found admirable.

Say "thank you." Show your appreciation for their hard work and contributions. And, don't forget to say "please" often as well. Social niceties do belong at work. A more gracious, polite workplace is appreciated by all.

Ask your coworkers about their family, their hobby, their weekend or a special event they attended. Your genuine interest - as opposed to being nosey – causes people to feel valued and cared about.

Offer staff members flexible scheduling for the holidays, if feasible. If work coverage is critical, post a calendar so people can balance their time off with that of their coworkers.

Know your coworker’s interests well enough to present a small gift occasionally. An appreciated gift, and the gesture of providing it, will light up your coworker’s day.

If you can afford to, give staff money. End of the year bonuses, attendance bonuses, quarterly bonuses and gift certificates say "thank you" quite nicely.

Almost everyone appreciates food. Take coworkers or staff to lunch for a birthday, a special occasion or for no reason at all. Let your guest pick the restaurant.

Create a fun tradition for a seasonal holiday. One example is that employees draw names for their Secret Santa gift exchange. Think of creative ways to make it fun.

Bring in bagels, doughnuts or another treat for staff and coworkers. Offerings such as cookies or cupcakes, that you've baked personally, are a huge hit. (Have you tried baking cupcakes in ice cream cones? People love them.) Another hit? Bring chocolate - chocolate anything.

Last, but not least, provide opportunity. People want chances for training and cross-training. They want to participate on a special committee where their talents are noticed. They like to attend professional association meetings and represent your organization at civic and philanthropic events.

Proper Employee Orientation Increases Retention

2011-10-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

For years employers have suspected a link between new employee orientation programs and retention. Research over the last decade repeatedly confirms that organizations who conduct new employee training programs can not only expect decreased turnover rates, but happier, more productive employees.

Companies invest a great deal of time, energy and money to recruit talented people for their businesses. It only makes sense that a portion of this time & money be allocated to new employee orientation programs as well. A good orientation program can help employees feel welcome and part of the organization they have joined.

Employee orientation is an important aspect in not only welcoming and retaining newly hired employees but also increases their productivity. By developing an effective new hire program, employees will develop a positive impression of your business and get up to speed faster.

It’s important that orientation programs are carefully planned to educate and inform employees not only about their role with the company, but also to help create awareness and understanding of the organizations values, culture, vision and objectives/mission.

Here are some basic guidelines for a new orientation program:

Welcome

Help the new employee feel welcome. Have a card signed by fellow employees, introduce the employee to coworkers, take the employee to breakfast or lunch.

Company Introduction
Take the time to explain your organization's history, mission and philosophy of doing business. “Nothing is more important to us than….”

Acclimate the Employee

Help the employee feel comfortable in their new surroundings. Provide them with names, phone numbers and job titles.

Productivity
Assist the employee in feeling productive by providing a work area that is set up and ready to use. Have supplies on hand and provide instructions on how to use phones and equipment. Assign a mentor that can help along the way.

Review Paperwork and Policies.

Review Employee Handbook, I-9 and W-2 forms, job description and expectations etc…

Taking a few hours to orientate new employees to your organization can not only make a significant difference in how quickly a new employee becomes productive, but can also result in positive long term impacts for your organization.

Etiquette and the Speakerphone

2011-10-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Speakerphone etiquette is to respectfully consider that the person at the other end of the line may believe that this is a private conversation.

One must therefore observe proper protocol so as not to cause embarrassment to that person.

It could prove disastrous to all parties if the discussion is about a third person and that person happens to be present. The caller would talk less freely if it was known that a third person could hear both sides of the discussion.

So, speakerphone etiquette rule number one is – to always first obtain consent to put a person on to speakerphone.

Advise them of who else can hear the conversation and whether that person is going to participate in the conversation.
Then it will not come as a surprise to suddenly hear a third voice talking to them. This applies to conference calls as well.
Speakerphones sometimes create an echo effect on the line, which can irritate and distract a caller.
This is another reason to advise them that they are talking on a speakerphone.
Speakerphones are a very convenient device, which have the added benefit of hands-free operation.
This enables the performance of other physical activities at the same time such as sifting through papers pertinent to the discussion.
Be warned, however that some activities will cause you to be listening with only ‘half an ear’.
This is not good telephone etiquette as the caller can often hear the activity and detect that you are being distracted.

Speakerphone etiquette rule number two is – to have regard for anyone else that is present. This is irrelevant if you are home alone.

But, in an office environment it can be a distraction to others present and even to the caller who would generally be able to hear other office activities such as phones ringing, people typing or just talking.

Share these suggestions with your friends and colleagues and help make our world a more considerate place to live in.

Certification and Supplier Diversity - A Great Business

2011-09-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Consumers have a plethora of choices when selecting a service or product provider, so a differentiated marketing strategy is a key to business success. One vital way to differentiate yourself from the pack by certifying your woman-, minority- or LGBT- (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender) owned company as a business that meets the exact criteria of several key certifying organizations. You can reap many rewards through this certification by contracting or partnering on projects with other certified businesses, and by becoming a potential bidder on corporate and public agency contracts.

Many of the Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, through their supplier diversity initiatives, have annual diversity spend goals. These goals serve to promote the inclusion of diverse suppliers (that’s you!) into their supply chain. This fosters a mutually positive relationship between the corporations and M/WBEs (Minority/Women Business Enterprise). The Fortunes benefit greatly from utilizing diverse suppliers and the suppliers grow their businesses through lucrative new contracts. These M/WBEs are often more cost-effective and offer an expanded customer base and market share for the corporations who contract with them. Diversity-owned businesses tend to have greater access to emerging markets in urban and global arenas and make outstanding contributions to the economic viability of the communities in which they are located.

State agencies also have diversity initiatives they must satisfy by contracting out to M/WBEs. These certified suppliers bid on jobs in construction and related trades, janitorial services and supplies, landscape management services, subscriptions, internet technology and data management, and so many more.

Being a certified diverse supplier proffers a competitive advantage because these large organizations can only count their diversity spend with certified suppliers. Therefore, actively seeking out the appropriate certification for your business is a key to winning these contracts.

We wanted to share this wonderful article that was recently released by MBE Connect Profiles. We are proud to be a strong supporter of supplier diversity and encourage everyone to get involved.

Courtesy of MBEConnectProfiles

Key to Worker Happiness

2011-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

An analysis of employee reviews for more than 250,000 large U.S. organizations reveals that a comprehensive benefit mix, opportunities for career advancement and work/life accommodation are top factors in workers' happiness, outpacing even salary.

The analysis evaluated key factors that impact worker happiness, including benefits and incentives, growth opportunities, work/life balance, compensation, employees’ relationships with their boss and co-workers, work environment, job resources, company culture, company reputation, daily tasks and control over work done on a daily basis. The data accounted for how employees valued each factor and how important that factor was to the employee’s overall happiness. At least 50 employee reviews per employer were required.

A Rich Benefits Mix

Cable TV provider Comcast, which scored among the top companies for employee happiness, offers its workers a competitive benefit package that includes above-average health insurance coverage, a dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match, free financial planning services, life and disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, legal benefits, adoption benefits, long-term care insurance and pet insurance. In addition, it offers free cable TV and Internet and discounted phone service for employees living in a Comcast service area.

Career Advancement Opportunities

Another top factor contributing to employee happiness is career advancement, the analysis found. Among the highest scorers in this area was the U.S. Navy, which offers service men and women a career advancement program. Service members stated that the Navy training programs provided them with skills that would be applicable in the public and private sector.

Work/Life Factors

Work/life balance has been a significant influence on employee satisfaction levels year over year, according to the analysis.

Courtesy of shrm.org

How do you manage your work / life balance? We'd love to hear from you.

HR Mistakes Made by Businesses – Large & Small

2011-08-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

Running a business can be tough at any size. To follow are some common mistakes that can be easily avoided by staying true to some simple guidelines.

Failure to develop an effective corporate communication strategy; internal and external.

Establish specific communication policies

internal/external email
internet/intranet
social media
IM
media/public communication
corporate document sharing

Publicize internal communication; open access promotes honesty and trust between management and staff

staff meetings
town halls
newsletters

Handle confidential information appropriately

Failure to link individual goals to company goals

Short-term and long-term objectives; personal and company
Developing action plans

corporate > division > department > individual

HR planning

staff selection & planning
training & development

Not utilizing HR metrics to track activity and performance

Measure how activity is impacting the bottom line, not just the cost of the activity
Needs to objectively demonstrate benefits to the business

Lack of employee motivation and retention strategies

What motivates employees?

recognition; feeling valued by the organization
sense of achievement
feeling they are an integral part of the organization
opportunity for increased responsibility and advancement
compensation package

Develop credible reward programs
Insure that compensation packages are competitive to the market

Lack of strategic recruitment plan

Hire people that fit; effort, expectations, attitude, talent, skills, training, experience
HR needs to manage the recruitment process, not department heads or executives

Lack of training

Empower front-line management with authority; train them to use it effectively for the organization’s benefit
Don’t allow lack of awareness to be an excuse for inappropriate actions
Insure managers have training regarding legal issues affecting the manager/employee relationship
Ensure there is a clear understanding of corporate values

Not establishing employee performance guidelines

Establish a reward system based on performance
Insure timely attention to employee performance issues to prevent staff morale issues

Failure to keep up-to-date on legal requirements related to HR

Establish a network of experts for guidance
Participate in continuing education programs

Lack of documentation

Insure proper tracking, measuring, analysis, reporting and follow-up
Meet all legal requirements for payroll documentation

Failure to maximize the effectiveness of the HR team

HR should be an integral part of the executive team
Be pro-active rather than re-active to avoid negative perception amongst staff
Allow the HR department to be the catalyst for change management initiatives

Proceed with Caution When Recruiting Online

2011-08-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

A recently released survey found that 47 percent of U.S. adults use social networking sites—up from 26 percent in 2008. Experts say that rise has implications for human resource professionals who must be careful that they do not violate regulations when recruiting candidates.

Highlights from the survey released in June 2011 by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project include the following:

Nearly twice as many men (63 percent) as women (37 percent) use LinkedIn, and most users of that site have at least one college degree.
The average age of social networking site adult users has increased from 33 to 38 since 2010.
More than half of social networking site adult users are over the age of 35.
About 85 percent of LinkedIn users and 78 percent of Facebook users are white.

“Facebook has become the dominant social networking platform of both number of users and frequency of use, and it is striking to note that the makeup of the population is changing,” said Lauren Sessions Goulet, co-author of the report. “We also found interesting variation in the characteristics of users across different social networking sites. People pick the platforms which best meet their social and professional needs.”

Hiring managers are taking advantage of the increased usage. However, increased scrutiny is required when recruiting from sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn.

“Often, without knowing it, companies violate a host of laws when they use social media sources to recruit top talent, or when they use these sites to collect information about potential candidates,” said David P. Jones, former global head of human resources consulting with Aon Consulting Worldwide.

Jones has served as an expert witness in litigation settings involving equal employment opportunity and hiring compliance.

While Jones advises hiring managers to use technologies such as social networks to help recruit and screen candidates, he adds that they must remain careful as well.

“As in other areas of a business, technology brings a faster/better/cheaper package of payoffs to recruiting and hiring,” Jones said. “Just be careful, though, that how you use it doesn’t bring faster/bigger/more-expensive legal challenges.”

Jones advises on some of the pitfalls:

Monitor “what your Internet searches or social networking reviews capture. Pulling information off Facebook, LinkedIn or other sites … outside what the job demands can lay the foundation for a candidate claiming they were passed over because someone made a wrong interpretation about their personal lifestyle information.”
“If you purchase Internet-scraped information about candidates, be careful. Did you know that doing this makes you subject to the federal government’s Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)?”
“If a vendor tells you their recruiting or screening technology is legal, get the details. Review your overall recruiting and hiring program to find potential pitfalls, too. There are new laws, regulations and court decisions coming down all the time.”

Jones, author of Million Dollar Hire: Build Your Bottom Line, One Employee at a Time (Jossey-Bass, 2011), endorses the maxim “In all things, moderation.”

“The Internet and technology have reinvented how the best companies find the best talent,” he said. “Drawing a payoff from making great hiring decisions always brings the risk of legal challenge. Setting up the right controls and training the people who use the technology is the best way to reduce [those risks].”

Information courtesy of SHRM

Eco-Friendly Summer Tips

2011-07-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and in full swing and although most of us will be working or will be on our computers most of the time, to follow are a few tips to help make your summer a little more eco-friendly. You won’t relate to every tip but even if you walk away with a few that you can put into action, you will be helping the environment.

Let in some light. Why waste electricity in your house or workplace, when all you need to do is open the blinds and you’ve got light.
Get a few living air purifiers aka indoor plants. They will liven up your home as well as help fight indoor air pollution, which is often worse than most of us realize.
Start your own backyard (or front yard) garden and grow some fresh fruits and vegetables. They’re organic and they taste better.
Find out when your local Farmers’ Market is being held. Go there to get some in-season, local produce.
Eat at home. Get away from processed foods and start making more meals at home. It’s cheaper and better for you too.
If you need to do any driving, slow down a little. Not only will it help with your fuel consumption but it will help you enjoy your drive time.
Quit idling. Just turn off the car. Turn it back on when you are ready to go again. It’s that simple and it saves gas and harmful emissions.
If you can walk or ride your bike instead, then do so. Many people don’t consider this as a viable option, but just think how much you used to walk around when you were younger. After all, your feet were made for walking.
If you need to go somewhere a little further away, check public transportation options. Riding the bus or taking the train are smart ways to get around during the summer.
Make the simple change so you do all your energy-heavy chores off peak hours. Do your laundry, dishes, vacuuming, cooking, etc. at night. Doing so will cut your energy bill and help prevent your home from heating up unnecessarily during the day.
Skip the dryer and hang your clothes out to dry. If you have the space to do so, might as well take advantage of it.
Plan a staycation. Maybe you don’t have time to go on a full-blown vacation. Maybe you’d rather stay closer to home. Either way, many times it’s more relaxing, and cheaper, to explore areas close to home.
The thought of going somewhere to camp during the summer months a little too daunting? Set up camp in the backyard. Especially if you have kids, this is a great idea for a smart, eco-friendly activity the entire family will enjoy.
Have a potluck get-together. Invite family and friends over for a picnic or backyard party. Ask them each to bring a specific food item (in a reusable container) along with their own dinnerware, cups, etc. This way you’ll have a great mix of foods and drinks. Plus, there will be very little clean up or waste afterward.
Remember the sunscreen. But not just any sunscreen, you need to choose a non-toxic sunscreen so you aren’t polluting your skin or the environment.
Drink, but don’t waste water. Your body needs water to stay healthy and hydrated. So you need to drink water. Don’t waste it though. Any “leftover water” can be used to water plants, give to your pets, etc. Just be aware of what you are doing and you will probably save quite a bit.
Unplug. Make this a personal commitment to unplug more and reconnect with family and friends.
Since you are going to unplug, get outside! It’s key not only for your health, but your peace of mind to get outside, breathe in some fresh air and enjoy nature a little bit. Go for a hike, a walk, a bike ride, relax in the pool, sit on the porch…whatever you do, just get outside for a bit every day.

Even if some of these put you outside your “comfort zone”, once you try them you’ll be glad you did. You will be helping to save the environment for many generations to come.

Summer in the Workplace - Make it Fun, Yet Practical

2011-07-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

During the summer months there are plenty of HR and workplace issues from enforcing dress code and attendance policies to planning a company outing or event. This is your guide to managing summer in the workplace.

Spell out specifics in your dress code policy.
Dress code tends to become more open to interpretation during the summer (sleeveless tops, open-toed shoes, flip flops, capris, skirts, etc.), so be sure to specify exactly what you mean by “business casual” attire instead of leaving it to the employee’s discretion. Spell out acceptable and unacceptable types of clothing and shoes (and examples), colors and styles (depending on your industry or type of organization), and specific days or situations that require different attire (such as formal or casual) that the usual. Also, be sure that you apply the dress code policy uniformly and consistently.

Provide flexible scheduling.
Now is an ideal time to remind employees of your attendance policy as issues of consistently coming into work early or late or “calling off” tend to become more of a problem during the summer months. Another way to address this issue is by introducing flexible scheduling options to allow employees to better self-manage their work/life throughout the summer. In the summer, employees are typically faced with greater work/life constraints such as more activities, family obligations, and children home from school. Seasonal perks like flex-time, shorter hours on Fridays, compressed work weeks, and revised work schedules are all offered by some employers during the summer to help employees achieve better balance.

Hire an intern or new graduate.
Another useful way organizations provide relief to their employees during the summer months is by hiring an intern or new graduate. Interns offer a variety of workforce support and assistance with special projects at an affordable cost. They also bring fresh ideas and perspectives, technical knowledge, and a desire to learn. New graduates offer similar capabilities.

Offer time off from work.
Scheduling and coordinating summer vacations requires an efficient and fair process to ensure that employees are able to take time off when desired, but also that the business is able to meet its demands. Here are some common ways organizations effectively coordinate vacations and paid time off:

Use a vacation planner or vacation planning system.
Create a method for employees to request or “bid” on preferred dates of vacation – such as a vacation request form. Build in supervisory approval.
Require employees to schedule time off in advance, but be reasonable about how far in advance they need to schedule.
Have employees coordinate vacation time with their coworkers and/or self-manage vacation time. This helps ensure that “back-ups” exist.
Develop policies that specify what criteria will be used to approve vacations (first come, first served, seniority, rotation, etc.).
Specify the limits of taking vacation (i.e. people with the same skill set can’t be out at the same time, maximum number of days, etc.).
Monitor and take into account other leaves (FMLA, maternity/paternity, sick, disability, etc.).
Remind employees that the business’ needs need to come first when scheduling vacations. As an employer, you do have the right to require an employee to postpone a vacation or require advanced notice. If you do promise vacation, however, you may be legally bound to it, according to Ohio law.

Start (or re-energize) your wellness program.
There’s no better time to start or re-energize a wellness program than at the beginning of summer. Summer is an ideal time for employees to get into shape and improve their well-being and the workplace can help them do that. Employees also tend to be more interested in wellness at this time of the year given the nice weather, outdoor activities, and greater availability of fresh and healthy foods. This can boost participation rates which help you keep your workforce healthier and manage the sting of rising health insurance costs. Here are some ideas for your summer wellness program:

Introduce a walking program
Hold company-wide wellness/fitness competitions, challenges, or team-building functions
Coordinate informal pick-up sports at lunch-time or after work
Provide fresh fruit and vegetables
Hold seminars on nutrition-related topics
Encourage employees to go outside during their lunch break, or even hold meetings outside

Plan a company outing or event.
The summer is a great time to plan a company outing or event and many businesses take advantage of the nice weather to spend time informally socializing with their employees. Outings and events are great opportunities to get to know your staff, show appreciation, and do some team-building. Here are some tips for planning a summer event, provided by ERC’s own event experts:

Form a committee. Don’t plan your event alone. Get other employees involved in planning the outing and event and delegate responsibilities.
Define the event or outing’s purpose. Is the outing intended to be a social or networking event? Or is it an event that celebrates or recognizes something?
Determine the location. Outdoor locations are ideal for summer events, but make sure that the venue fits your audience and the type of event you are creating. A formal event will need a formal setting.
Set a date. Identify a couple potential dates and confirm the availability of the location as well as those that need to attend the event. Provide confirmations.
Create an agenda or timeline for the event. Lay out the entire event in terms of breaks, activities, meals, etc. and the times that they should take place. Assign roles to people on your committee and have them “own” certain tasks.
Communicate details. Be sure that your guests have all the information they need about the event or outing (i.e. location, directions, timing, attire, meals provided, response directions, and contact information).
Select food and activities. Make sure these are relevant to the type of event and the people attending, and also consider any dietary restrictions ahead of time. For example, if children will be attending the event, activities and food selections should be fitting.
Test-drive the event. Test equipment, walk through the venue, and get familiar with the things you’ll need during the outing. Pretend like you’re the guest.
Make it unique. Traditions are great, but try to build an element of surprise into your outing or event to make each year exciting. This could be a new location or venue, different entertainment, or a new giveaway.

Continue to train and guide performance.
Engagement can often become stale in the summer months. That’s why performance management, training, and development should not wane during the summer months. It’s important to keep investing in these practices so employees stay engaged and productive. For example, the summer signals mid-year, which is an ideal time for employees to meet with supervisors to discuss their performance and progress towards goals and objectives set at the beginning of the year. This discussion can help refocus employees on their goals, help establish new projects and objectives, and identify what additional support is needed. Additionally, while many employers refrain from scheduling training during the summer due to vacations, this actually can be an ideal time for training and development – especially if business is slower than normal during this season.
Have a contingency plan for severe weather.

More severe weather is being predicted for this summer. Be sure that your organization has contingency and disaster recovery plans in place to deal with unexpected power outages, damages, and other issues that severe weather (such as thunderstorms, tornados, flooding, etc.) could cause for your business and its employees.

Prepare for budgeting.
The summer passes quickly and budgeting will be just around the corner. With most employers planning to provide salary increases this year, it may be worthwhile for your organization to benchmark your employees’ compensation so that you are prepared to make good decisions about market adjustments and compensation increases when budgeting time approaches. Similar to compensation, use the slower summer months to catch up on major HR projects that have been on your to-do list.

The key to managing summer in the workplace is to acknowledge employees’ work/life needs, balance work with fun, and continue to engage.

Keeping Your Employees Properly Trained - 10 Tips

2011-06-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well-trained employees are the key to your small business success. Studies have shown that the most successful, productive employees are those who have received extensive training. They’re the cream of the crop, often having the strongest stake in the company’s future.

In an ideal world, you would be able to hire people who already possess the exact skills your business needs. But in today’s competitive labor market, demand for skilled workers far exceeds supply.

That’s where training comes in. Not only does instruction arm your employees with needed professional or technical skills, but it also shows that you are invested in them and interested in bringing them with you into the company’s future. This helps keep workers motivated and involved.

To successfully launch an employee training program in your own company, follow these 10 helpful tips:

Stress training as investment. The reason training is often considered optional at many companies is because it is thought of as an expense rather than an investment. While it’s true that training can be costly up front, it's a long-term investment in the growth and development of your human resources.
Determine your needs. As you probably don’t have unlimited time or funds to execute an employee training program, you should decide early on what the focus of your training program should be. Determine what skills are most pertinent to address current or future company needs or ones that will provide the biggest payback. Ask yourself, “How will this training eventually prove beneficial to the company?” Repeat this process as your business needs change.
Promote a culture of learning. In today’s fast-paced economy, if a business isn’t learning, it’s going to fall behind. A business learns as its people learn. Communicate your expectations that all employees should take the necessary steps to hone their skills and stay on top of their professions or fields of work. Make sure you support those efforts by providing the resources needed to accomplish this goal.
Get management on board. Once you have developed a prioritized list of training topics that address key needs within your company, you need to convince management to rally behind the initiative.
Start out small. Before rolling out your training program to the masses, rehearse with a small group of users and gather their feedback. This sort of informal benchmarking exposes weaknesses in your training plans and helps you fine-tune the training process.
Choose quality instructors and materials. Who you select to conduct the training will make a major difference in the success of your efforts, whether it’s a professional educator or simply a knowledgeable staff member. Having the right training materials is also important — after the training is over, these materials become valuable resources for trainees.
Find the right space. Select a training location that’s conducive to learning. Choose an environment that’s quiet and roomy enough to spread out materials. Make sure the space is equipped with a computer and projector, so you can present a visually stimulating training session.
Clarify connections. Some employees may feel that the training they're receiving isn't relevant to their job. It’s important to help them understand the connection early on, so they don’t view the training sessions as a waste of valuable time. Employees should see the training as an important addition to their professional portfolios. Award people with completion certificates at the end of the program.
Make it ongoing. Don’t limit training solely to new employees. Organized, ongoing training programs will maintain all employees’ skill levels, and continually motivate them to grow and improve professionally.
Measure results. Without measurable results, it’s almost impossible to view training as anything but an expense. Decide how you’re going to obtain an acceptable rate of return on your investment. Determine what kind of growth or other measure is a reasonable result of the training you provide. You’ll have an easier time budgeting funds for future training if you can demonstrate concrete results.

Courtesy of D & B

How do I protect myself from UV rays?

2011-06-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

It isn't possible or practical to avoid sunlight completely, and it would be unwise to reduce your level of activity to avoid the outdoors because physical activity is important for good health. But too much sunlight can be harmful. There are some steps you can take to limit your exposure to UV rays.

Some people think about sun protection only when they spend a day at the lake, beach, or pool. But sun exposure adds up day after day, and it happens every time you are in the sun. "Slip! Slop! Slap!… and Wrap" is a catch phrase that can help you remember the 4 key steps you can take to protect yourself from UV rays:

Slip on a shirt.
Slop on sunscreen.
Slap on a hat.
Wrap on sunglasses to protect the eyes and sensitive skin around them.

These steps complement each other, and they provide the best protection when used together.

Cover Up

When you are out in the sun, wear clothing to protect as much skin as possible. Clothes provide different levels of UV protection, depending on many factors. Long-sleeved shirts, long pants, or long skirts cover the most skin and are the most protective. Dark colors generally provide more protection than light colors. A tightly woven fabric protects better than loosely woven clothing. Dry fabric is generally more protective than wet fabric.

If you can see light through a fabric, UV rays can get through, too. Be aware that covering up doesn't block out all UV rays.

Some companies now make clothing that is lightweight, comfortable, and protects against UV exposure even when wet. It tends to be more tightly woven, and some have special coatings to help absorb UV rays. These sun-protective clothes may have a label listing the UV protection factor (UPF) value – the level of protection the garment provides from the sun's UV rays (on a scale from 15 to 50+). The higher the UPF, the higher the protection from UV rays.

Children's swimsuits made from sun-protective fabric and designed to cover the child from the neck to the knees are popular in Australia. They are now available in the United States.

Newer products, which are used in the washing machine like laundry detergents, can increase the UPF value of clothes you already own. They add a layer of UV protection to your clothes without changing the color or texture.

Use Sunscreen

A sunscreen is a product that you apply to your skin for protection against the sun's UV rays. But it's important to know that sunscreen does not provide total protection against all UV rays. Even with proper sunscreen use, some rays get through, which is why using other forms of sun protection is also important.

Sunscreens are available in many forms – lotions, creams, ointments, gels, wipes, and lip balms, to name a few.

Some cosmetics, such as lipsticks and foundations, also are considered sunscreen products if they contain sunscreen. Some makeup contains sunscreen, but only the label can tell you. Makeup, including lipstick, without sunscreen does not provide sun protection. Check the labels to find out.

Read the labels. When choosing a sunscreen product, be sure to read the label before you buy. Many groups, including the American Academy of Dermatology, recommend products with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. The SPF number represents the level of protection against UVB rays provided by the sunscreen – a higher number means more protection.

When using an SPF 30 sunscreen and applying it thickly, you get the equivalent of 1 minute of UVB rays for each 30 minutes you spend in the sun. So, 1 hour in the sun wearing SPF 30 sunscreen is the same as spending 2 minutes totally unprotected. People often do not apply a thick enough layer of sunscreen, so the actual protection they get is less.

Sunscreens labeled with SPFs as high as 100+ are now available. Higher numbers do mean more protection, but many people mistakenly think that a sunscreen with an SPF 45 rating would give 3 times as much protection as one with an SPF of 15. This is not true. SPF 15 sunscreens filter out about 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 sunscreens filter out about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98%, and SPF 100 about 99%. The higher you go, the smaller the difference becomes. No sunscreen protects you completely. Regardless of the SPF, sunscreen should be reapplied often for maximal protection.

The SPF number indicates protection against UVB rays only. Sunscreen products labeled "broad-spectrum" provide some protection against both UVA and UVB rays, but at this time there is no standard system for measuring protection from UVA rays. Products that contain avobenzone (Parsol 1789), ecamsule, zinc oxide, or titanium dioxide can provide some protection from UVB and most UVA rays.

Check the expiration date on the sunscreen container to be sure it is still effective. Most sunscreen products are effective for at least 2 to 3 years, but after a long time in storage you may need to shake the bottle to remix the sunscreen ingredients.

Some sunscreen products can irritate skin. Many products claim to be hypoallergenic or dermatologist tested, but the only way to know for sure if a product will irritate your skin is to try it. One common recommendation is to apply a small amount to the soft skin on the inside of your elbow every day for 3 days. If your skin does not turn red or become itchy, the product is probably OK for you.

Be sure to apply the sunscreen properly. Always follow the label directions. Most recommend applying sunscreen generously. When putting it on, pay close attention to your face, ears, hands, arms, and any other areas not covered by clothing. If you're going to wear insect repellent or makeup, put on the sunscreen first.

Be generous. Ideally, about 1 ounce of sunscreen (about a palmful) should be used to cover the arms, legs, neck, and face of the average adult. For best results, most sunscreens must be reapplied at least every 2 hours and even more often if you are swimming or sweating. Products labeled "waterproof" may provide protection for at least 80 minutes even when you are swimming or sweating. Products that are "water resistant" may protect for only 40 minutes.

Remember that sunscreen usually rubs off when you towel yourself dry, so you will need to put more on.

Sunless tanning products, such as bronzers and extenders (described in the section called, “What about tanning pills and other tanning products?”), give skin a tan or golden color. But unlike sunscreens, these products provide very little protection from UV damage.

Wear a Hat

A hat with at least a 2- to 3-inch brim all around is ideal because it protects areas such as the ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp that are often exposed to intense sun. A shade cap (which looks like a baseball cap with about 7 inches of fabric draping down the sides and back) also is good, and will provide more protection for the neck. These are often sold in sports and outdoor supply stores.

A baseball cap can protect the front and top of the head but not the neck or the ears, where skin cancers commonly develop. Straw hats are not as protective as hats made of tightly woven fabric.

Wear Sunglasses that Block UV Rays

UV-blocking sunglasses are important for protecting the delicate skin around the eyes, as well as the eyes themselves. Research has shown that long hours in the sun without protecting your eyes increase your chances of developing eye disease.

The ideal sunglasses do not have to be expensive, but they should block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB radiation. Before you buy, check the label to make sure they do. Labels that say "UV absorption up to 400 nm" or "Meets ANSI UV Requirements" mean the glasses block at least 99% of UV rays. Those labeled "cosmetic" block about 70% of UV rays. If there is no label, don't assume the sunglasses provide any UV protection.

Darker glasses are not necessarily better because UV protection comes from an invisible chemical applied to the lenses, not from the color or darkness of the lenses. Look for an ANSI label.

Large-framed and wraparound sunglasses are more likely to protect your eyes from light coming in from different angles. Children need smaller versions of real, protective adult sunglasses – not toy sunglasses.

Ideally, all types of eyewear, including prescription glasses and contact lenses, should absorb the entire UV spectrum. Some contact lenses are now made to block most UV rays. But because they don't cover the whole eye and surrounding areas, they are not sufficient eye protection when used alone.

Limit Direct Sun Exposure During Midday

Another way to limit exposure to UV light is to avoid being outdoors in sunlight too long. UV rays are strongest when the sun is high in the sky, usually between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. If you are unsure about the sun's intensity, use the shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are the strongest, and protection from the sun is most important.

UV rays reach the ground throughout the year, even on hazy days, but the strength of UV rays can be different based on the time of year and other factors. The UV rays become more intense in the spring, even before temperatures get warmer. People in some areas may get sunburned when the weather is still cool because they may not think about protecting themselves if it's not hot out. Be especially careful on the beach or in areas with snow because sand, water, and snow can reflect sunlight, increasing the amount of UV radiation you receive. UV rays can also reach below the water's surface, so you can still get a burn even if you're in the water and feeling cool.

Some UV rays can also pass through windows. Typical car, home, and office windows block most of the UVB rays but a smaller portion of UVA rays, so even if you don't feel you're getting burned your skin may still get some damage. Tinted windows help block more UVA rays, but this depends on the type of tinting. UV radiation that comes through windows probably doesn't pose a great risk to most people unless they spend long periods of time close to a window that receives direct sunlight.

If you plan to be outdoors, you may want to check the UV Index for your area first. The UV Index usually can be found in local newspaper, TV, radio, and online forecasts. It is also available on the EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html.

Avoid Tanning Beds and Sunlamps

Many people believe the UV rays of tanning beds are harmless. This is not true. Tanning lamps give out UVA and usually UVB rays as well. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause long-term skin damage, and can contribute to skin cancer. Most skin doctors and health organizations recommend not using tanning beds and sun lamps.

Protect Children from the Sun

Children need special attention, since they tend to spend more time outdoors, can burn more easily, and may not be aware of the dangers. Parents and other caregivers should protect children from excess sun exposure by using the steps described above. Older children need to be cautioned about sun exposure as they become more independent. It is important, particularly in parts of the world where it is sunnier, to cover your children as fully as is reasonable. You should develop the habit of using sunscreen on exposed skin for yourself and your children whenever you go outdoors and may be exposed to large amounts of sunlight. If you or your child burns easily, be extra careful to cover up, limit exposure, and apply sunscreen.

Babies younger than 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight and protected from the sun using hats and protective clothing. Sunscreen may be used on small areas of exposed skin only if adequate clothing and shade are not available.

A Word About Sun Exposure and Vitamin D

Doctors are learning that vitamin D has many health benefits. It may even help to lower the risk for some cancers. Vitamin D is made naturally by your skin when you are in the sun. How much vitamin D you make depends on many things, including how old you are, how dark your skin is, and how intensely the sun shines where you live.

At this time, doctors aren't sure what the optimal level of vitamin D is. A lot of research is being done in this area. Whenever possible, it is better to get vitamin D from your diet or vitamin supplements rather than from sun exposure because dietary sources and vitamin supplements do not increase risk for skin cancer, and are typically more reliable ways to get the amount you need.

Information Courtesy of American Cancer Society

Creating a Stress Free Workplace

2011-05-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Stress in the workplace is one of the top reasons for employee dissatisfaction and subsequent drop in productivity. If you are an employer managing a team of workers, it is absolutely vital that you take steps to ensure that your workers are in a supportive and harmonious environment with as few stressors as possible. This article takes a look at some of the steps you can implement for the purpose of a stress-free workplace.

Assigning an employee a task for which he or she does not feel qualified and which lies outside the requirements of his or her job description is an easy way to create a very unhappy worker. Keep in mind that employees will often assent to tasks for which they do not feel qualified, purely as a matter of the subordinate role in which they find themselves. Thus, you cannot take their positive assurances as a sign that they are happy about what you have assigned them. If possible, announce the task in some kind of group-directed way, asking for interested persons to respond to you as soon as possible. This way, you can be sure that you are getting a genuine interest in your proposal.

The same can be said for weekend work. It can be quite obnoxious for an employer to speak directly to an employee, asking whether he or she is interested in working on the coming weekend. Many employees lack the assertiveness to turn your offer down. You may feel that bonus pay rates are the perfect incentive for an employee to do grunt work on a weekend, but the truth is that many employees would rather stay at home with family and rejuvenate, double pay be damned. You are violating sacred territory when you impose yourself on the weekends of your employees. Instead, send out a group announcement asking for interested persons to respond to you as soon as possible. This way, you can be sure that you are not putting your boot in the behind of employee morale, which would only cost you in terms of lost productivity in the end.

Employee stress can be caused not only by assigning tasks for which an employee feels unqualified but also by assigning tasks for which an employee feels overqualified. Although the nature of your work environment may not leave you much room in this regard, it is important that you find ways to tap into as many employee talents as possible. People work optimally when they feel that their skills are being put to use and challenged sufficiently.

Eliminate as much vagueness as possible when it comes to employee duties.
Providing fuzzy requirements that leave your employees trying to decipher what you want done is a sure way to turn yourself into the scatterbrained boss from hell. Have you seen the boss in the Dilbert comics? Do not be that boss!

Allow employees to give their input regarding workplace decisions and changes.
Although your ideas for process improvement may look wonderful on a flowchart, and although you may feel like a rock star in the eyes of your employees ever since you became a Six Sigma black belt, do not delude yourself into thinking that you know what is best for your troops on the front lines.

It is extremely important that your employees have the chance to earn promotions and progress up the ladder of command. Neglect this principle at your own peril.

If you are in an office environment, allow your employees to listen to music while they work and to surf the Net and chat among themselves when there is no work to be done. It is counterproductive to subject your employees to senseless, illogical restrictions on what they can and cannot do. Do not go on power trips.

Courtesy of My Stress Management

Does your workplace support physical exercise?

2011-05-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

How does physical activity fit into a full-time employee’s hectic schedule? Often times, it doesn’t.

One possible solution to this challenge is to make physical exercise a part of the work day. Clearly, being active at work is constructive for staff members. But employers also advance from having fit, energetic and healthy staff members who are more constructive.

Challenges You Face

Your job takes up an abundance of your time. In addition to the hours you spend actually on the job, there is the time needed to get to and from work and take lunch and rest breaks during the work day. In the end, there are a limited number of hours left over for the rest of your life. This work life imbalance is especially true for Alberta, where statistics show that we work exceptionally tough.
Many jobs today are sedentary, and numerous American citizens drive to work. The pressures of work may also cause us to eat lunch at our desks and skip breaks. Then, after work or on the weekends we juggle household chores, family responsibilities and social engagements.

Get started on a workplace fitness program...

Senior Management plays a key role in creating a culture that promotes health. The leaders at your workplace affect the various policies and the informal or formal practices, and these policies and practices affect your attitude towards healthy active living.

Begin by talking to your boss about the benefits of a healthy active workplace. The best way to ensure the success of a company exercise program is to have the management on side and cheering you on.

Ask your boss to consider taking these actions:

Send a memo or message about the significance of health and healthy living that encourages employee to take an active break each day.
Provide for flexible work hours that help employee to be more physically active. For example, they might need to take a longer lunch break to attend physical activity class, making up the time by arriving at work early or remaining late.
Provide a meeting room or other suitable office space for noon-hour yoga or workout classes, and hire a teacher to lead them, or use videos.

If your boss agrees to support a workplace exercise program, don’t forget to show appreciation.

You do not need an onsite fitness center...

Only very big organizations are able to afford on-Site fitness facilities such as exercise equipment or squash courts. Still, most employers are able to take other affordable steps to support workers who wish to become more active.

Lead by example – some easy solutions to getting started…

Arrange for discounted fees for staff members at a health club, recreation center or YMCA facility.Install showers and a place to hang a towel. (Make sure the showers are cleaned regularly and that women who use them will feel secure.)
Install bike racks or a locked enclosure that is safe, conveniently located and well lighted.Hold walking meetings and set up lunch-hour walking groups
Make staff members cognizant of safe and pleasant walking routes near the workplace, as well as nearby facilities that offer fitness programs (such as walking, swimming, running, yoga, stretching).
Find a certified instructor to instruct employee about health, fitness and how to become more active.

Any size and sort of workplace is able to promote staff members who wish to be physically active. It’s highly desirable to get upper management on side. Even if your boss isn’t supportive, you have the potential to still discover ways to get moving more. Set up activities for groups and individuals, and encourage your co-staff members to join in.

Working together as a team in and out of the office is rewarding and highly productive. Plan a fun event outside of the office that promotes getting fit and having fun!

Simple Stress Relief Tips and Techniques

2011-05-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

From a quick-fix stress management technique to longterm lifestyle changes, to follow is some good advice - make sure to share with your team and keep each other motivated.

What is "Stress"?
Stress is a specific response by the body to a stimulus, such as pain or fear, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism.

It has been documented that workplace stress is a major contributor to stress related illnesses. Some of the stress relief tips and techniques outlined below are especially suited for the workplace because they can be done anywhere, e.g., sitting at a desk or during a coffee break.

Stress is not unusual or abnormal. It's an everyday occurrance that your body reacts to in either a positive or negative manner. It's basically the preparation of your body to physically move. Your heart rate increases and your breathing becomes faster in anticipation of muscular acitivity.

Stress is the effect your body experiences as it adjusts to ever-changing circumstances. As a positive influence, it can fill you with excitement and propel you into action or provide you with a feeling of happiness. Stress can be a very motivating factor. It allows you to accomplish tasks and set goals and see them through to completion.

Good stress, also called eustress, is caused by the release of chemicals such as adrenalin, endorphin, serotonin and dopamine which are produced in your body and act as natural anti-depressants and pain-relievers.

However, if you don't use up the adrenalin that gets pumped through your system in respone to stress, sooner or later it will physically manifest itself in such negative conditions as muscle tension, headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure and heart disease. It is estimated that 75% to 85% of all medical problems are related to stress.

So what can you do about it? Look through the stress relief tips and techniques below and see what you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

#1 Breathing Exercises

Breathing is an easy to learn stress relief technique that's fast, simple and free. It can be done anywhere, anytime and has numerous positive effects on your health such as reducing high blood pressure.

Here's how basic controlled breathing works:

Sit or stand in a relaxed postion. That means also to relax your abdominal muscles; let it all hang out, so to speak. Don't worry, you're the only one aware of it.
Slowly inhale through your nose. Fill up your lungs with fresh air and let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders.
Exhale slowly through your mouth. Pay attention to the exhale. Drag it out for as l--o--n--g as possible.
Repeat this exercise several times and feel the tension draining from your body.

#2 Stretching and Simple Exercises

Watch how a cat stretches after a nap. Sometimes (not often enough) we stretch in a similar manner. It's an overall feel-good movement. Stretch from the fingertips to the toes, including the face (yawning takes care of that). Be careful not to over-stretch though, especially after longer periods of inactivity. Stretching should not hurt.
Remind yourself to stretch at work by writing "STRETCH" on a post-it note and sticking it on the computer monitor frame. Every once in a while you're bound to notice it. Gently stretch the muscles and tendons in your fingers, wrists, neck/shoulders, back, and legs.
A very simple exercise and an excellent stress relief technique is walking. It doesn't require a lot of focus and can easily be incorporated into your workday, no matter how pressed for time you are.
When you feel frustrated or anxious, engage in some form of physical activity. Take a brisk walk around the block, through your workplace, or up and down the stairs. Use up the adrenaline that's going through your bloodstream before it negatively affects your health.

#3 Laughter is Healthy

Laughing reduces the level of stress hormones. It also triggers the release of health-enhancing hormones like endorphines, which are the body's natural painkillers.
Have something in your workplace that automatically makes you smile, like a funny picture or a goofy toy. Keep a joke book at hand and use it often. An extra bonus is that laughter is contagious and it feels great to have a deep belly laugh.

#4 Sleep

Take a nap! Research shows that a 15-30 minute nap in the afternoon increases alertness, improves cognitive functioning and reduces stress.
Sleep your stress awayAdequate night-time sleep is also important. Studies suggest 7 to 8 hours per day, every day. The effects of lost sleep are culumative and can result in impaired: reaction time, vision, information processing, and short-term memory.

#5 Eat Well

Eat well-balanced meals and take appropriate Vitamins and Minerals to make sure your body is adequately nurished and healthy.
Maintain a healthy bodyfat/muscle ratio. If necessary, concentrate on loosing fat instead of just loosing "weight". Being skinny doesn't automatically equate being healthy. The rapid weight-loss of starvation diets is mostly due to dehydration and muscle-loss, and can cause weakness and even serious illnesses.

#6 Good Posture

Remind yourself to maintain basic proper posture. If you sit most of the time, adjust the chair according to your body proportion. Keep your feet flat of the floor. Your ribcage should not rest on the hip joints.
Straighten your spine but don't hyper-extend. Move your shoulders back, and take pressure off the spine in your neck by keeping your head aligned with the rest of the spine.

#7 Massage

Some of the documented benefits of massage are: muscle tension relief, heightened concentration, better sleep, and decreased fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Workplace Wellness Massage. Implement a Chair Massage Workplace Wellness Program to combat job stress. It's convenient, fast and instantly relieves muscle tension in stressed-out employees. Contact us for an appointment or more information.
If you have the time, treat yourself to a Table Massage.
Self Massage. Place two tennis balls in a sock and tie off the end. Stand with your back to the wall, place the balls on either side of your spine. Slowly move up and down in a squatting movement, pressing against the wall and rolling the balls up and down your back.

#8 Information Overload

Do you really need to know every detail, be part of every meeting, or read every piece of information you come across? Give your brain a rest.

#9 Prioritize

Prioritize! Not everything needs to be taken care of right now. Recognize the difference between what is urgent and what is important.

#10 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Don't sweat the small stuff. Simplify your life and learn to say "no". Accept help when it's offered or ask for help if you feel overwhelmed.

Warning Signs of Workplace Violence

2011-04-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

Workplace violence is a recurring issue, and one that is of great concern to the employers we work with. We've talked about it many time here on the blog, offering everything from resources and tools to strategies for prevention. We're always on the lookout for more information and more tools.

An article about the Warning Signs of Workplace Violence by Rich Cordivari caught our eye. As a senior executive at AlliedBarton Security Services, he is an expert on the topic. He kindly allowed us permission to reprint his article here. He notes that while many of these signs alone are not necessarily indicative of future violence, they are red flags. And we note that we would view many of these signs as being triggers that should generate an EAP referral.

The Warning Signs of Workplace Violence

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics more than two million Americans are impacted by workplace violence annually. There are behavior indicators often exhibited in the workplace that have been linked to workplace violence situations. According to a 2004 USA Today analysis of 224 instances of fatal workplace violence situations, the attacker had left behind clear warning signs.

Workplace violence is attributed to a broad range of behaviors falling along a spectrum that, due to their nature and/or severity, significantly affect the workplace, generate a concern for personal safety and can result in physical injury or even death.

While every situation and set of circumstances is unique, there are some warning signs that are commonly exhibited by individuals in need of assistance. If you are feeling uncomfortable in any situation with a co-worker, or noticing these warning signs, you should notify a manager or someone in a position of authority within your organization.

Remember that just because someone exhibits one of these behaviors does not necessarily mean they are prone to display an act of violence. It is when someone has a noticeable change in behavior, if these behaviors are observed in combination or if the behavior is displayed constantly that you should consider telling someone about the situation.

Excessive tardiness or absences – An employee who consistently leaves their workday early without authorization, or presents numerous excuses for shortening the work day, should set off an alarm. This is a significant sign if an individual is typically prompt and committed to a full work day.
Increased need for supervision – Generally, an employee requires less supervision as he or she becomes more proficient at their work. An employee who exhibits an increased need for supervision, or with whom the supervisor must spend an inordinate amount of time, may be an individual who is signaling a need for help. Managers should be alert to such a change and consider offering professional intervention if needed.
Lack of performance – If an employee who is normally efficient and productive experiences a sudden or sustained drop in performance, there is reason for concern. This is actually a classic warning sign of dissatisfaction and the manager should meet with the employee immediately to determine a mutually beneficial course of action.
Change in work habits – As in the case of reduced productivity, an employee exhibiting inconsistent work habits may be in need of intervention. If you think about your peers at work, they are typically quite consistent in their work habits. If habits change, the manager has reason to suspect the individual is in need of assistance and action should be taken.
Inability to concentrate – If an employee is suddenly unable to concentrate, this may indicate that they are distracted and in trouble. A manager should be notified to try and encourage the employee to seek assistance.
Signs of stress – If an employee who has traditionally adhered to safety procedures is suddenly involved in accidents or safety violations, stress, a significant contributor to workplace violence, may be indicated.
Change in attitude – A sustained change in behavior is often an indication of an employee in difficulty. People are typically quite familiar with the personalities of their peers and are often quick to notice significant changes. Your work environment should be managed in such a way as to ensure trust and open communication.
Weapons fascination – A classic behavioral warning sign is someone who is fascinated with weapons. This should be easily recognized and reported.
Drugs and Alcohol – Watch for changes in the person’s mood or character when drugs and alcohol are used. Often people who have substance abuse problems act out in the workplace and it’s important that every organization have some methodology in place to identify and assist victims of drug or alcohol abuse.
Not taking responsibility for their actions – A person who uses excuses and blames others is a classic behavioral warning sign that is easy to identify but just as often ignored by managers. A worker who engages in this behavior is typically signaling for assistance and may require counseling.

Remember that these are only a few of the possible warning signs of workplace violence. As with any work related issue, you should report unusual behavior to a manager or someone who has the authority to take action.

Women Leadership… A Glass Ceiling?

2011-03-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

March is considered Women’s (History) Month. The focus of this month is to increase the awareness and knowledge of women’s history. For years there have been books, articles, and talks about women experiencing a glass ceiling when advancing in their careers. I ask why there are discussions about a ceiling existing. This is not to say that women have advanced equally and by the rate that we should have at this point. I suggest we stop the talk about a glass ceiling. Why are we putting a ceiling there that needs to be broken or raised? More focus needs to be placed toward building support, opportunities where you can, developing the next generation, and reaching back and mentoring another female regardless of the level you have achieved.

Women have not reached their highest potential and there is more that can be done. Women have learned to nurture, encourage, multitask, and function in various roles. Instead of focusing on where they are in reference to the glass ceiling, women should put their efforts toward making a greater impact for other women business. Here are a few suggestions:

Ensure you have a hand down while you are using the other to climb up. While reading the achievement of women leaders, I notice there were very few that were grooming their replacement or another level of female leaders that were right beneath their current position. If you are building and developing at various levels, we can minimize the achievement gaps.
Be honest about your struggles. Many times women do not share the various trials and challenges they face on their journey. Some do not because of fear of embarrassment about what they had to endure. Others are embarrassed because they are ashamed of how low their values dipped for achievement. It is important to provide a realistic picture to your female protégés. Be transparent and share your REAL story. If you did things you rather not have, state that. It will come forward anyway. It is better for someone to learn from your mistake. Besides you are painting a picture…..why not make it a Picasso.

The Love & Hate Employee-Employer Relationship

2011-01-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

Employees complain about having a bad boss that is either not in touch with reality or not supporting their needs. Working relationships have similarities with intimate relationships. Consider these three elements that are applicable regardless of what stage you are with your Employee-Employer Relationship.

Trust

Most people will argue the foundation of any relationship is trust. Do employees trust that employers have their best interests at heart? Some feedback I received over the year from my client’s employees have gone a little like this …”It amazes me that they want more from me, tell me I should be happy I have a job, and oh by the way….we will not be providing increases this year. However, the executive team still receives increase, bonuses, and the company continues to expand. Why should I trust someone who treats me that way?” Although the employees have some merit to what they are saying, employers could do a better job with helping them understand the company’s strategy. The organization’s vision and goals loses its understanding as it trickles down the organization. Employees need to understand how they contribute to these strategies, be able to provide input up the hierarchy, be heard, and provide input on how some decisions are made. Trust needs to be demonstrated and earned with both parties.

Engage

Getting engaged is a big step toward a serious commitment. Organizations should revisit what happens in dating relationships. People get to know one another to determine if they have enough in common, shared values, beliefs, and vision/goals. Employers have been lacking in this area of their relationships. We are familiar with the characters XOXO (Hugs and Kisses). We are not encouraging you to love on your employees in that manner but would like to share some business characters with you.

ETRM (Environment, Time, Reward, Motivate). You can get them engaged and share your enthusiasm for having them in your work relationship with these letters.

E. Setting the right environment is a major hygiene factor. Managers are responsible for providing a work environment conducive to productivity. How is the ambience in your workplace?

T. Spending time with them to find out how happy they are and how things can be improved.

R. Reward in a way to preserve equity.

M. Everyone needs motivation rather it’s initiated internally or externally.

Prenuptial Agreement – Employment Contract

Signing an agreement before the commitment begins has been taboo and very controversial in relationships. This same sentiment has happened in working relationships. Asking employees to sign agreements like Non-Disclosure Agreement, non-compete clause, or other employment contracts may seem like there is a lack of trust. However, many businesses that use them have seen where trust increase and expectations are clear. This increases the chance of having a quality work relationship. The employee receives more of a guarantee on receiving their wages and the tools and information they need to do a quality job.

How do you handle these challenges in your office? We would love to hear your comments.

Performance Checkup: What’s in your box of chocolate?

2011-01-13T11:00:00.001-08:00

Our clients engage us to work closely with them on a challenge they are facing within their company. We work with many organizations and industries to invest in their employees and improve performance. We take our work seriously and go in with not only our experience but the sensitivity we know it will take to help them work through it in a results-oriented manner. And, at the same time we always respect their privacy which is why the following example does not mention the company or any details that would lead you to presume who it is.

Challenge
With one client, we addressed the concerns of management and their communication with their employees. Feedback and discussions can be counter-productive when you are unable to drill down to the real issues and receive meaningful feedback to address a particular problem. Managers are faced with limited time, multiple tasks, meetings, and increasing interruptions from all angles. Actually “hearing” the concerns of your direct reports to solve issues and provide direction on how to best handle challenges is important to managers. However, they are often overwhelmed with white noise and long winded conversations that do not provide the information they need to resolve the issue. Many times this can force a situation to escalate when it could simply be addressed in a manner that leaves everyone feeling much better – which means everyone can move on to complete the other important tasks at hand.

Solution
In separate sessions with employees and managers, we facilitated on-site training providing them with the skills to effectively listen. We provided targeted development to a group of employees and then separately to a group of managers listening to what their barriers were in regard to listening. We then assessed their listening strengths and style to determine areas for improvement. We worked closely with them introducing our powerful communication process and model to enhance their listening ability. Once we left the facility we provided additional long-distance coaching as needed.

Results
Both groups discovered techniques to drive conversation to the information needed to effectively address concerns. They also learned their listening skills were not as sharp as they once thought. The participants appreciated the fact that our process was easy to learn with quick results improving their communication skills and promoting productive dialogue. The managers have since reported during the distance coaching and follow up process that the strategies and techniques are working positively outside of the classroom. They are now more aware of the distractions and behaviors fostering negative attitudes that were once counter-productive. By continuing to implement the techniques they learned in this program communication is enhanced which in-turn means a higher-level of production for the company.

NEED a WISH?

2010-12-21T05:02:00.000-08:00

I remember a time when the holidays meant time off from work and relaxing with family and friends. There seems to be a new trend emerging that is creating a culture filled with deadlines and stuff that we must do. Stopping to smell the roses or should I say cinnamon cookies, is not a bad thing. Time away with others that support our lower order needs (physiological, safety, and love/belonging) strengthens our foundation. Maslow in his theory of motivation discussed this very thing. Take the time to support these lower order needs so that the higher order needs of esteem and self actualization may be gained as well. Enter the New Year with a greater perspective, refreshed, and energized.

As we prepare to say good bye to this past year, we need to ensure we have not forgotten the lessons learned and successes that blessed us. May your holiday be filled with family, friends, and loved ones. We at McPherson|Berry wanted to provide you a gift to use for the next year. Here is a wish on us…

What are some of your holiday wishes - we invite you to share your comments with us.

Happy Holidays.

Is the Pay Equal?

2010-11-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was established to stop wage disparity based on sex. It is now 2010 and there is still a gap in pay. A senate vote failed on November 17, 2010 to approve the amendment to the act called the Paycheck Fairness Act. In a press release last week, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis issued a statement discussing her disappointment in the act not passing. This act would have closed loopholes and enforced equal pay. She went so far as to describe the gaps that still exist: for every dollar men earned women earned $.77, women of color earn $.69, and Latinas make just $.60. One reason for the act failing in the Senate is because there is a question about why the gap still exists. Is it because there is an education or experience gap? I don’t believe this is the last we have heard on this issue.

I appreciate your comments and would love to hear from you.

We wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Your Bottom Line Can Be Affected by Poor Communication Skills

2010-11-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Performance Checkup: What’s in your box of chocolate?

2010-09-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

There is a big thrust to be healthy and go green. Have you applied the green initiative to your career? We should be as diligent about our career health as the focus we have on our physical health. Maintaining your position or gaining a new one has become challenging and complicated. As the companies and organizations push doing more with less, the employees have to be creative, responsive and more productive. With those criteria, it is easy to get lost in the process. As employees, we are ultimately responsible for our career just like our personal health. So where are you right now?

Check your Career Pulse

At the beginning of the year, you usually complete an individual development plan (IDP) and make your performance commitments for the year. However, we forget to check our progress along the way. Personal development often times becomes secondary or forgotten until review time. Regularly check your pulse by taking the time to review what you have committed. Peak performance is indicated by your ability to handle daily demands while increasing your skills and stretching beyond your normal pace. The best employees are key contributors who value and seek growth. Balancing your development against performance is a way to maintain a healthy career. It is important for organizations to see there is a balance between the two.

Exercise for Growth

Exercise is a way to build muscle. Career advancement can be considered in the same way. Having a schedule to build new skills regularly increases your chances to catapult your advancement opportunities. Add skill development opportunities to your calendar to increase your focus and build a routine. Practice increases the chances for this behavior to become a habit. It is also a good idea to have an accountability partner. Whether you hire a coach or enlist the assistance of a co-worker, having someone to help gauge your progress can be helpful. As Forest Grump was told, “You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself. Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get.” Keep your career in shape so that you can adjust and excel.