speaking about employees

Lies and Hunches

2009-05-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

Resumes are often filled with lies. Some people should get a Pulitzer Prize in fiction for what they try to sell as fact. They lie mostly about their job positions and responsibilities, their education and certification, salary, and how long they worked for a firm. So, it doesn’t make sense to hire people based on a piece of paper.

Hiring should be based on a number of factors that you weigh before making a decision. These include: the interview, testing, background and reference checks. The interview process needs to include behavioral based questions, work simulations and the evaluations of work samples. The testing needs to include the old fashion IQ test, and assessments that evaluate people’s value systems to see that they fit your firm’s values. The background check includes using a professional company that does nothing but background checks. Talking to references is something that the applicant should set up between you and the reference. This tells you how bad they want the job and shows self initiative.

Lastly, never hire on a hunch--except after you have done all of the above. Your hunches are only accurate when you have done your homework. If you have two equal candidates, and have done all of the above, then you can make an objective decision along with your intuition, and pick the right one.

Decision Day

2009-04-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea to help you when you need to fire employees. Give people a "Decision Day" just before you fire them. Do this after you've done all the proper documentation and warnings. Give them the day off with pay, and ask them to think about making a decision between two choices when they come back in the next day. Either they can accept immediate termination, or they can decide to stay on, but must sit down and write up an action plan to improve in whatever areas are the problem by a certain deadline date.

Working Longer Doesn't Increase Productivity

2009-03-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

A study performed by Work Life Balance International asked people about long hours vs. personal effectiveness and productivity. They found that working longer did not make workers more productive. Many said they were not working smarter nor more productive. The study compared best practice companies against non-best practice companies. Forty percent of the non-best practice companies said they spent more time at work because their presence was rewarded, instead of their performance and results. They get rewarded for just being there, so they are just there, and not productive. With the best practice companies, only twelve percent felt they were being rewarded for just being there.

How are you rewarding your people, and what are you basing it on? Are you measuring their productivity? If you reward them for just being there, they will be present, but not engaged and productive. Find a way to measure their productivity, and what they accomplish, and reward them for it. What gets rewarded gets repeated, whether it be positive or negative behavior.

The Real Reasons They Call In Sick

2009-02-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

A survey from CCH, a legal research and analyst firm for Human Resources, finds that two-thirds of American workers who call in sick last minute do so for reasons other than sickness. These reasons include family issues (22%), personal needs (18%), entitlement mentality (13%), and stress/burnout (13%). The most frequent days people call in sick are on Monday and Friday, followed by holidays such as Christmas and three day weekend holidays. Remember that your people are often juggling work with their family obligations. We need to stop thinking in terms of a tug-of-war for their time and instead, think of how we can partner with them and be family supportive. Remember people take care of first what hurts them the most or matters to them the most! Think in terms of helping them to get what they need, and letting them help you to get what your organization needs. Think win-win for both.

Although illness verification and discipline can help in lowering absenteeism, it can backfire if employees think they must come to work when sick, spreading illness, and being unproductive. Educate your people about the dangers of coming to work when they are sick, and encourage them to stay home until well.

Supporting their life style needs (not weird stuff) includes telecommuting when possible, flex-scheduling, compressed work weeks, Employee Assistance Programs, allowing time off for family health and school problems, and possible help with day care. Paid leave banks/paid time off (a single bank of hours to be used as needed) are one of the most effective absence control programs

Absenteeism is often tied into employee morale, stress, and burnout. The more unhappy your people are, the more unscheduled days they will take off. As always, stay close to your people and keep your finger on the pulse of their morale. Remember that what Senior and Boomer generations come to work for is much different than what Gen X and Y come to work for. Why they may take off is often very different as well. What worked 20 years ago to prevent absenteeism may not work today.

Employee Handbooks

2009-01-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

Your employee handbook can become a problem if it is outdated, vaguely written, and is contrary to what you actually do. It’s a bigger problem if employees think it is some kind of employment contract. Remember that employee handbooks often get dragged into court as evidence against companies. Here are some mistakes to avoid:

1. Making promises you can’t keep.
2. Vague policies.
3. Too much detail, making it confusing.
4. Inconsistencies with other documents.
5. Reassuring employees that their jobs are secure.
6. Not updating the manual with new laws.
7. Not reserving the right to make changes.
8. Using the term “probation period.” This can imply that after they have passed probation, they are there forever.

Always omit promises you can’t keep and anything that you are not going to enforce!

Has Your Employee Been Arrested?

2008-12-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

When you learn an employee has been arrested, what is your first reaction? Probably disbelief-- but do you jump to conclusions? Remember that an arrest does not mean they are guilty. Here are some things to consider: First, do not discuss this with anyone who is not involved. Keep your conversation limited to people who are in management positions. You could defame someone’s character and risk a defamation lawsuit. Second, seek advise from an attorney as to how to handle it. Remember that employees have certain rights. Next, determine how serious the arrest is. An anti-war protest march is very different than breaking and entering. Finally, check and see if there are any contracts or agreements signed that prevent them from being immediately terminated. One more thing: if the person is found innocent, do your best to restore their reputation within the firm.

Mind Your Manners!

2008-12-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

In a recent discussion during my seminar, “It’s a Y World,” we were talking about the fact that many Generation Y employees (16-26 years old) just entering into the workforce may not have certain manners or etiquette to properly sell, have lunch with clients, or interact with customers. This is not a put down, but just reality stemming from the way they grew up, living their lives behind a computer, text messaging,and not having enough social experiences yet. They may not know certain protocols. One senior VP stated his company did mandatory training on interpersonal skills and etiquette so they did not lose accounts. This included communication skills such as handshaking and introductions, proper dress, courtesy, and how to properly eat in a restaurant. The comment he made was that they did not want their young people, who were really sharp and good employees, to seem as if they lacked manners and proper social skills. They know it could mean lost business. The VP said the training has made a difference judging by comments they received from customers. Implementing this training in your company could make a difference.

Box Of Pride

2008-10-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

I discuss employee recognition in my seminar on “Turning Around Turnover.” Here is a good tip that I talk about. Create a “Box of Pride.” Put a note in the box whenever something positive is done, or a new goal is met by an employee. Employees can also put notes in the box about the positive things they achieved or something positive that someone did. At the end of each week, have the list typed up and emailed to the entire company on the following Monday. The most important ones should be read at department meetings. It really gives employees a lot of pride and satisfaction and is great way to start the week.

ARE YOU A PYROMANIAC?

2008-10-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

A pyromaniac is a boss who is constantly lighting fires within their company. They are Type A's, control freaks “on steroids,” who create constant emergencies, taking energy and time away from the important issues people must deal with. If you are constantly calling or emailing your people, especially after hours and on weekends about urgent trivialities or new priorities, this is one of the symptoms. You have a habit of focusing your people on minutiae combined with being impulsive, compulsive, and stubborn. You look upon the small stuff as a threat to your “baby,” the firm you started. You needed some of these behaviors to create your company, but you need to deep six them in order to manage the company. A lot of it comes from insecurity or lack of trust in your people to do the right thing at the right time. Managing this way is the antithesis of good leadership. It brings down morale and creates turnover. You have to learn to control those impulses.

Remember, if you hired the right people, trained them well, and set goals with them, they should be able to do their job. You don’t need to constantly interfere and divert them from the task at hand. Lock up your cell phone or Blackberry after hours. Give people a life outside of work and they will reward you with more productivity while at work.

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT EMPLOYEES

2008-09-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

We all have to deal with a difficult employee once in awhile. I often get asked about this, especially about people who throw temper tantrums. Remember, they are using a behavior that has worked for them many times before. If they get angry, scream and shout, make people fear them, they get their way. You can't ignore this behavior, as it forces co-workers to work in fear or quit and sometimes it leads to violence.

People do things based on consequences that happen afterwards. If there is a positive reward (getting their way) for negative behavior (yelling and screaming), they will continue it. If there is a negative consequence for the behavior, it will usually cease and desist. You must be sure there is an immediate and severe negative consequence.

Learn to act quickly to neutralize the situation before it turns dangerous. Quickly set a meeting where you confront the situation. Have another management person or someone from HR present as a witness. Allow no interruptions. Let the person know the behavior you have seen, heard, or seen the results of. Have written anecdotes of what took place. Stick to the behaviors and stay away from their personality or attitude. You are not a trained psychologist (except for my EPA friends reading this). People must know what behavior or standard is expected or they fill in the blanks.

Get them to admit that their behavior is a problem. They have to state aloud that it is a problem. They have to state the consequences of continuing the behavior, after you explain what the consequences will be. Most people don't intentionally try to get fired. Once they realize their behavior will not be tolerated, and can lead to termination, they usually resolve to change the behavior.

Get them to express the reasons why they are exhibiting the behavior. This is not allowing them to make excuses. You just want to be sure that there is not something that you can immediately do as a manager to resolve the situation. If they are frustrated by an overwhelming amount of work or lack of certain materials or training, this is something you can fix.

Get them to come up with solutions to the problem. More than one solution is possible. Agree with them on the best solution, and set a deadline date for implementing the solution and changing the behavior. Realize when you can't fix the problem. If the person has severe problems and needs counseling then it's time for them to see an EAP or seek outside help. If you see the employee is not going to change, no matter how many times you sit down and talk, then you need to start moving forward with termination.

HOW RIGHT I AM

2008-08-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am right. I am not being obnoxious, just proud of my research. Those of you who have been in my seminar on “Turning Around Turnover,” have heard me say what is backed up by some recent research by Monster.com and the Aberdeen Group. The study states you have to make employee retention a number one business priority. Sure, there are other business objectives, but without hiring and keeping the right people, everything else is meaningless.

Seventy percent of all HR managers surveyed state that employee retention is their primary concern. There is a higher demand for skilled workers, and many job openings for those workers that are looking to move on. At the same time, there is a shortage of entry level workers. The managers surveyed expect this challenge to continue for at least the next five years.

Strategies they recommend are: making supervisors accountable for retention by tying the turnover rate into their compensation; creating an environment that promotes work/life balance; offer training and development that grooms employee for promotions and management roles; identify and pro-actively manage top performers and promote from within (as I said stop spending so much time trying to change all the low performers, instead terminate them); develop a mentoring system; do employee surveys to monitor morale and make changes accordingly; and use exit interviews to find out why people leave.

Ethnic Slurs Can Cost Big Bucks

2008-08-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

We were discussing how to deal with ethnic slurs in my recent seminar on Immigrant and Ethnic Workers.I shared this lawsuit with the group, and want to repeat it here. If you ignore ethnic slurs, it can cost you big bucks. A Denver building contractor ignored the problem brought to him by 10 Mexican workers who claimed they were hearing derogatory comments and ethnic slurs everyday. The group contacted the EEOC, stating their complaints were ignored and there was retaliation for the complaints. The contractor settled with the EEOC for $600,000 because he knew going to court would have cost even more.

Ignoring ethnic slurs is as absurd as ignoring sexual harassment. Retaliation is sheer lunacy. Train your managers to jump on these situations immediately. Train your employees to come forward with their complaints, and assure them there will be no retaliation against them. Let all employees know (through training) that harassment and ethnic slurs are immediate grounds for dismissal and you will stop it.

Cross Training Employees

2008-07-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

Many of you cross train your employees. A challenge comes up when the person who was cross trained has to fill in for someone late or absent. It may have been months since the training, and they have forgotten the training. You have to make training stick so people can jump right in and do the job. Try posting the operating procedures at the work site so that when people have to do that job at a later time, they can pick it up right away. Take it a step further and have them perform the job occasionally, based on the operating procedures you have posted. That way, when the day comes, they know exactly what they have to do. This is a good way to prevent spending your time putting out a crisis when you are short-handed.

Same Sex Mentoring

2008-06-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

I have been talking about the importance of mentoring for many years, and not just about veterans mentoring new employees. I have mentioned reverse mentoring, so older people in management get to learn about Gen X and Y, and also about technology. An article in Psychology of Women Quarterly states that women get more out of same-sex mentoring, than by being mentored by a male. It seems that women mentoring women raises the self esteem for those mentored. In addition, it also gives those females mentored a perspective on what to do and what not to do that can threaten their careers. On the other hand, it seems that men are not affected by which sex they are mentored by.

Overtime For Young Workers

2008-06-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Many of you hire 16 year old students during the summer months. A question came up recently in a seminar about the amount of hours they can work. In most states, you can't have them work more than an eight hour day or you break a child labor law. There are some exceptions in some industries, with an okay from that state's Dept. of Labor. Check out the Dept. of Labor's web site at http://youthrules.dol.gov/states.htm. You will not only get the federal laws, but also the laws of your own state.

High School Grads Prepared?

2008-05-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management and the Conference Board acknowledges what many of you may have already suspected: high school students do not have the skills needed in today’s workplace. The biggest deficiencies are in the areas of written and oral communication skills, work ethic, critical thinking, problem solving, and ethics. The biggest problem I hear from my clients and audiences is the lack of common sense which relates directly to critical thinking. No, I don’t have an answer for this problem except to think like Don Shula did when he coached the Dolphins. His idea was to draft the best athlete available and train them for the position. You can’t argue with the success of one of the winningest coaches of all time.

Hiring Mistakes

2008-04-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have been collecting data for years on why people make the wrong hiring decisions. Here are just a few:

1. The hiring person did a poor job of asking the right questions and getting the answers they needed. Or, they did not do a reference or background check. Critical information is missed, misinterpreted, or not understood.

2. Decisions are based on biases or stereotypes. People tend to hire people who are similar to themselves or someone they know. On the other hand, they tend to steer away from someone who is quite different. If a candidate looks or acts like you, goes to the same schools as you, or is from the same part of the country as you, that is no reason to hire them, but we often do it subconsciously.

3. The boss or top management puts pressure on you to hire the person, for whatever reason. In other words, you did the interview, but someone above you thought this person was good, although you did not.

4. You hire out of desperation. I have asked this question in almost every one of the hundreds of hiring seminars I have presented, How many of you have hired out of desperation? Lots of hands go up. Then I ask, How many of you thought this was a good idea? No one, in 18 years, has yet to raise their hand and say this was a good idea. Take longer to hire (and shorter to fire), and you will have less turnover. Do not fill a job just to have a warm body. These hires often do more harm than you ever imagined.

5. Doing a stress interview. All the research shows that the stress interview does not work. This is where a person or group of persons asks very stressful questions, or puts someone in an awkward position to see how they would respond. All you learn is their ability to handle stress or pressure during an interview. It does not translate into job behavior. For front line people, the first interview should be done by one person. A second interview, should be done by another person asking the same questions, and then you both sit down and compare answers. For management and executives, a group interview is fine. Skip the stress interview, as they are already under stress just being there, and the added stress does not give you better, or more valid and reliable answers.

Who Do You Trust?

2008-03-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

With all the corporate scandals in the past few years, employees are less trusting and more cynical than ever before. I believe employers now have to work harder than ever to prove their trustworthiness. Here are some ways to build trust and maintain credibility:

1. Your personal life speaks volumes about who you really are. Your staff views your personal life with great scrutiny. They will listen to your phone conversations (if in earshot) to see what's going on in your personal life. They have a great curiosity about how you talk with your loved ones. Make sure how you carry yourself in this area as moral and beyond reproach to gain both trust and respect.

2. Speak the truth. The best way to chop down the grapevine before it takes deep root is to keep people informed with the truth. It's better to give bad news then to hide the truth. That also means keeping your promises. Do what you say you are going to do in the exact manner you stated you would do it.

3. Treat everyone with respect from top to bottom. That includes getting out and around, talking to employees, remembering their names and asking them questions to show you value their opinion. Sure there are some people you may not like. Does that mean they should be disrespected? If they get the job done, show them respect.

4. Enforce all the rules for everyone in a consistent manner. If you can't do this, then eliminate the rule. Different strokes for different folks won't cut it when it comes to managing your people. This creates mistrust and resentment. Be sure you don't play favorites, especially showing prejudice against people of color and other backgrounds.

5. Watch your jokes or pranks. You never know when someone will be offended by something everyone else thought was funny. This can only lower their respect for you and make them wonder what you are really like as a person.

Gone Too Much

2008-02-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Do you have problems with people are absent more days than your policy allows? Is it having a negative impact on their productivity, department, or the overall company? You can make attendance a valid requirement for the job and dismiss people if they are absent too often. Make sure your attendance policy is very clear, and applies to everyone in that job category. Describe what entails violation of that policy. Attendance is a requirement for the job, and failure to meet that requirement becomes a grounds for dismissal, according to a recent US Sixth Court of Appeals ruling (No. 02-3633) decision. The court decided that not coming to work cannot be a valid A.D.A. accommodation, because you have to be at work to receive the accommodation ( I am not giving legal advise, just citing a case). Finally some common sense from the courts!

Never Quit The Quest

2008-02-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

Even if your company has a hiring freeze it is still the right time to look for ways to upgrade the talent you currently have. Now might be the perfect opportunity to turnover the deadwood you should not have hired a few years ago.

You need to be looking for passive candidates, who may not be job hunting, but may be enticed to make a change for the right situation. This is the time to collect a database of potential talent, and to build relationships. One way to do this is on your company website. Allow them to register, fill out a questionnaire, and receive periodic information about your organization through items such as a company newsletter. Another way is to send periodic e-mails updating them on openings and other newsworthy items. Even if you are a very small firm, with no website, you can still find people through advertising, and stay in touch with them by e-mail and snail mail. The more aggressive you are in searching for top level talent, the more you can grow the firm in the ways you need. Never quit the quest for continuous improvement.

Would You Hire An Ex-Con?

2008-01-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

Many of my seminars are to people in the building trades, and the question often comes up as to whether or not to consider people for employment who have a criminal past. You need to know if it was an arrest versus a conviction, and if it was a felony versus a misdemeanor. Remember that not all criminal punishments are created equal, and different laws in different cities and states carry more weight. You need to know what the exact circumstances were before you even consider hiring them. You’ll want to know if there was any violence or weapons involved. Second, you will want to know how the crime relates to the specific job they are applying for. If they are driving a vehicle or operating equipment, was the conviction for drunk driving? If they are handling money, was the conviction for theft, forgery, or embezzlement? Finally, you need to know how recent the conviction was, and what time was served, if any. If a person was convicted 17 years ago and has a clean record since, I would weigh that in my decision. People do change (but not always), and I have been given many examples from audience members on how ex-convicts turned out to be their best employees because they were given a second chance. A careful reference and thorough background check should be done before hiring.

Does This Resemble You?

2008-01-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

When I present seminars for frontline people, and ask them what their biggest time waster is, I often hear their boss is ranked in the top three on their list. It seems the boss keeps interrupting and giving them new demands and new priorities. People tell me they are assigned a top priority, then the next or same day, before they finished the task, they get a new "top priority." As a boss, you must be proficient at letting your people know what your top priorities are, or they get frustrated, confused, and stressed. Of course, you have every right to assign new priorities, but let them know it is okay to put the other priority on the back burner for awhile. Remember stress leads to burnout, which leads to turnover.

Some other frustrations I hear, relative to time is that when the boss is out of the office and then calls in with a new demand, but does not fully explain what they want done. This is delegation without explanation, and employees feel it is just "dumping." Another frustration is when the boss calls them at home at night to discuss work "stuff." Only do this in emergencies. Remember, their job is not 24 hours a day.

A Key Secret To Increase Employee Productivity

2008-01-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

In one of my recent seminars on "Turning Around Turnover" we were discussing the flaws and foibles of most performance appraisals. One attendee stated they stopped giving performance appraisals, and instead gave training needs assessments. The idea was to find out what training it would take to improve their performance instead of the usual method of telling people where they needed improvement.

At the end of the training needs assessment, they asked staff to list any barriers to performance. I went bonkers (in a positive way) because he was right on target. In my seminars, I draw a large T on a flip chart and put the word "aids" on the top left of the T and the word "barriers" on the top right of the T. I state that when you have a performance problem, always refer to this diagram. My thinking is if you give employees what they need to do the job such as training, equipment, technology, and take away the barriers, they will do the job. This is a key secret to performance and productivity.

Who's Checking Up On You?

2007-12-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

Many of you do background checks before you hire people. Now, job seekers are doing background checks on companies before they decide to accept a job. By going to websites, such as Jobster, LinkedIn, and Vault, they can find candid comments from current or past employees about your company or organization. And, they can contact individuals to delve into more details. Jobster is averaging about 600 postings about various companies each week.

This obviously can work both ways, depending on how your employees feel about you and what they may have posted. Some of the comments are really blunt. People can get the real scoop about company culture, salaries, dress codes, and the interview process. This should get you thinking about firing any toxic managers who are driving people out the door. These sites can also encourage people to apply, if there are many positive comments. The unfortunate thing is that people’s comments are often their perception and may not be the actual truth. And, of course, some just have an axe to grind.

Speaking English Only

2007-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

My seminar on "Immigrant and Ethnic Workers" as you can imagine, is keeping me very busy these days. Since many of you are using a large number of immigrant workers, pay attention to this, and discuss it with those that do the hiring. In 2000, just under 18% of our population or about 45 million people spoke a language other than English at home. About 10 million spoke little or no English.

With this in mind, realize that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is closely watching hiring decisions based on language requirements. National origin and language discrimination lawsuits are rising. If you don't hire someone based on an accent, it better be for a job where that accent is interfering with their ability to communicate in English which is critical (i.e English teacher, air controller) to the position. Don't impose a language fluency standard that is too high for the position for which they are applying. Don't create blanket policies for the same fluency on all jobs, when some jobs do not need it. Also, be careful about the English only rules you create. These rules are only allowed by the courts in certain narrow situations, where employees must communicate with customers, co-workers, and bosses that speak English only.

Get Rid Of Those Time Vampires

2007-10-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

In my time management seminar, "How To Manage Your Time When You Wear Too Many Hats" I talk about your biggest time wasters and those time vampires--people or things that suck the productivity out of you. Try running a contest to get rid of them. Make it a short contest, over just a few days, so the contest in itself does not become a time waster. Ask your employees for suggestions on which are the worst time vampires, such as wasted meetings, useless training, senseless time wasting reports, stupid needless systems, dumb processes, etc. Ask them specifically why and how it wastes time, and how the policy, process, or system needs to be changed to make people more productive, and in effect, happier. Then have people vote on which was the best suggestion. Pay a reward for the best suggestion, and then make the specific changes. Let everyone know the change came as a result of their input. You not only have helped people to be more productive, you have also shown them their opinion is important and that their opinion counts.

You Never Told Me

2007-10-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

Did you ever stop to think of how many times you have had informal conversations with employees where you gave them quick, corrective feedback? How many of these situations do you document? You observe an employee doing something that you must correct on-the-spot, you tell them, and move on. You need to rethink those situations. Documentation can be crucial in a lawsuit, even if it is a very brief encounter. Simply create a quick memo and give it to the employee, keeping a copy for their file. Of course, you can do it by e-mail, but they can say they never got it. Cover yourself! You will never have to worry about an employee saying that it was just informal conversation of no consequence, or just a chat between friends.

What To Do With The Runner-Up?

2007-08-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we have a difficult decision when making a choice between two good people on who gets promoted. If you have two people who expect the promotion, the one who doesn't get it is going to end up with hurt feelings, be de-motivated, and possibly quit. What do you do? You must sit down face to face with the employee not chosen and given them the reason for not being picked. Assure them that there are chances for advancement in the future. Suggest the types of training that will give them the knowledge and skills to move up the ladder. Create a career plan, setting some goals, so they can get to the next levels. Let them know of other future opportunities that will come up. If you show that you are genuinely interested in their future, the chances of them leaving are greatly diminished.

Fear of Empowerment

2007-08-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

In my seminars, people often mix-up delegation and empowerment. Delegation is giving your people tasks, projects to do that you don't have the time, interest, or know-how to do. Empowerment, on the other hand, is giving people the authority and responsibility to make suggestions, but also to take action on their own when no supervisor or manager is there. For both, you need training and communication. If your people are truly empowered to make a decision, they should not have to find someone above them to get permission for that decision. Many managers who are control freaks are afraid to empower people. They feel they must be in on every decision. Stop controlling and start empowering.

If you want to empower people, then take away fear, especially the fear of making mistakes. If you come down hard on people for making mistakes, they won't want to make any decisions on their own again. They will wait for you to make them all. That does not mean we accept mistakes. We make mistakes a teachable moment, a time for training and retraining. Bad judgment is discussed in detail, so the employee can handle the situation in a better manner the next time. If you treat your people right and with respect, they will bounce back and do it right the next time.

Mentoring Squared

2007-08-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a great idea for getting new employees up and running. Give every new employee two mentors. One should be a person who has been on board a long time and really knows the ropes. This person gives them the overall view of the company, company mission, service philosophy, management philosophy, etc. The other mentor is someone who has been with the company no more than three years, and can take the person under their wing and give them the lowdown on everyday stuff. The important thing is to get new people to understand quickly how things get done, so they can rapidly fit into the culture. Companies that we have implemented this technique with say that they saw turnover drop by at least 30%, and found that new employees were more productive and happier.

Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own--Or Is It?

2007-07-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

How far can you go in regulating your employees' off-duty behavior without being sued? This question came up in my recent seminar on “Turning Around Turnover.” Be aware that 28 states and D.C. all have laws prohibiting you from preventing employees from engaging in lawful activities, such as drinking and smoking. Here’s the acid test: Does your employee’s behavior threaten your company in any way financially or legally? Does your employee’s behavior compromise proprietary material? If not, you may have a hard time trying to defend yourself in a lawsuit.

Make your determination on how their out-of-work behavior affects their performance while at work. If they are convicted of drunken driving or theft, then it may be a different story, especially if they drive for you or handle money. Check your state’s laws and discuss the situation with legal counsel before taking action.

Things You Need To Know About Firing People

2007-06-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest problems for managers, supervisors, and business owners is firing someone. Here are some important things to help make it easier and protect you and your company. When firing someone, make sure to have a witness present. After the conversation is over, type up a memo for the witness to sign. In some cases lawsuits are unavoidable, but here are some things that may lessen your chances of a lawsuit (I am not giving legal advice): First maintain your composure. These situations can become heated, even violent. Your anger will not help the situation. Above all, don’t fire anyone in front of others (except the witness), and don’t denigrate the employee in any way.

The firing should not come as a surprise. If the employee violated a company policy or broke laws, they should have been aware of these policies through handbooks and training. If the firing is a result of behavior over a period of time, they should have been warned, verbally and in writing. They should have received regular feedback and performance reviews with suggestions for how to improve. Use probation and suspension whenever possible before firing.

Watch your wording. Sometimes people feel bad for the person being fired so they soften it by telling them about the good aspects of their performance. This should have been done during performance reviews, not during the firing. If you sugar coat it too much, they may remember what you said and,use it as a basis for wrongful termination.

Finally, don’t discuss the firing with other employees. This is between you and the departing employee. If you discuss it, the word often gets back to the fired person. You leave yourself open to a defamation or slander lawsuit.

We Want To Get But Not Give

2007-05-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

What a dilemma! We all want to get information from references, but we do not want to give out information about former employees. Most people are afraid of legal action. You probably won’t have problems, as long as you stick to the truth and only discuss information pertinent to the job. Don’t give out any false information, where you slander the applicant. Don’t divulge information that is confidential or personal, or reveals protected characteristics. Finally, don’t mislead inquirers about a dangerous person. This is one you should check with your attorney about. If you hold back information about a violent person or make them seem really great, you could be in for a negligent hiring referral lawsuit.

How Bizarre Can Things Get?

2007-05-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

Just when you think things can't get more bizarre....It seems that those that hire illegal aliens have something else to worry about. If you hire illegals, your firm can actually be sued under the RICO Act by another competitor, because hiring illegals reduces your cost and results in unfair competition. Yes, companies can sue competitors who hire illegal aliens. Imagine your competitor spying on you so they can prosecute you! It happened between two cleaning companies, and the Federal Second Circuit Court upheld it. Convictions and penalties under the RICO Act can easily put you out of business--especially if you are a small business.

Truth & Lies On Applications

2007-04-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

I received many e-mails about this, so I thought I would give you a few hiring tips. Many candidates often leave out items on an application. Let them know they must fill out the entire application to be considered. There can be no gaps in employment, unless they can provide an explanation. Get at least five to seven years of employment history.

Job title and responsibilities, salary, and education credentials are areas where most lies are found. People also lie about criminal convictions. You can certainly verify the first two with references. Education and convictions can be verified with a background check. Have them prove their education with copies of degrees, certificates, and licenses. If they claim a place went out of business that they worked for, have them prove it with performance appraisals and pay stubs. When a candidate is a finalist, then do your background and reference checks.

Keeping The Best-Losing the B.M.W.'s

2007-03-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

You need to have someone at your organization who is in charge of preventing turnover. Let's take this a step further... There are people who are really important to your firm, who would be difficult to replace. Have you identified them? Have whoever is in charge of preventing talent flight sit down with department managers and supervisors to identify the people you should keep. Then have each of them prepare an actual plan to prevent those employees from leaving. Think: what's is it going to take to assure that this person will stay with us? Obviously, you must know what motivates that individual. If you don't know, you need to ask them. Pay attention to those key motivators, and be sure you are doing what it takes to retain your best people.

You might be thinking, what about the b.m.w.'s (bare minimum workers) who feel they are being ignored? That's good! Maybe the b.m.w.'s will get the hint and move on.

Motivating Those BMW's

2007-03-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

In my seminars I use the phrase BMW's to describe those bare minimum workers or those who are unmotivated. They are close to retirement and become masters of the minimal. They have been on the job for twenty plus years, and won't advance in position or salary, and they feel they have accomplished everything they can. They do just enough to get by. You would be hard pressed to terminate them because you have been giving them satisfactory reviews for years, and it would only create legal problems. What can you do about it?

Try making them a mentor to a new, young employee. This could give them a spark, and they may be flattered with the new responsibility and feel very important. I have seen people really come alive when they become a mentor, and they give it their all. You may want to ask them to assist in classroom training in some areas, as long as they have the communication and interpersonal skills. Also, try putting aside their regular duties, and give them special projects with a bonus incentive. If all else fails, sit down with them, and explain to them that you are concerned about their last years at the company, and want to be sure they are productive and happy. Ask them, what kind of work would they like to do more of that would give them job satisfaction.

What Workers Want

2007-02-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

A majority of workers say an effective boss stands up for them, and backs them when needed. The best way to develop loyalty is to promote your employees' point of view, show respect and value for your staff, and limit gossip and politics through effective communication. Also, encourage your workers to develop their skills.

A survey done by Ajilon Finance, a specialty staffing and recruiting firm, supports this. Ajiolon found that people who stay in the same job for a long time, like their work, their boss, and their co-workers (no surprise here). They found that workers who feel respected are not looking for new jobs and are more productive. When they are unhappy, they are not productive, and spend time thinking about or looking for other work. Companies should invest in their people through training, rewards, and incentives to keep them.

Putting One Over On You

2007-02-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

More and more HR Directors are finding fake degrees listed on resumes from mail order schools none of us ever heard of, except in advertisements. These mills are a cottage industry, doing very well. This is so easy to check out, that if they put this one over on you, you almost deserve it. Do a background check on the person and find out what they really did during the time they said they were attending college. You can also get a list of accredited schools through the accrediting agencies. Please realize that there are colleges where students don't attend, and do everything by computer and mail, that are legitimate and accredited.

Rank & Yank

2007-01-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

When you do a performance appraisal, be careful about ranking employees. I know some of you do this because some of my clients have told me that they do it. The problem is that older employees (older by age not term of service) tend to be ranked the lowest. These people are often put on probation with the threat of firing. They fight back by suing for age discrimination. Goodyear and Sprint have been hit with these lawsuits. Ford paid out a settlement of over $10 million. If you are going to rank, you better have some good documentation to back it up, especially for older employees.

How Do Women Get Respect?

2007-01-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

Many of you have immigrant workers. In a recent presentation I gave on Immigrant & Ethnic Workers to a group of landscapers and nursery people, the question was asked by a female supervisor about how to get employees to respect you when they come from countries where there are no female bosses.

What it boils down to is that it is critical to get the message across to the workers that in the U.S. female bosses are very common, and it must be accepted by them. They must understand this, if possible, before you hire them. I know it is difficult if you can't speak their language to communicate with them. If so, then write up an explanation of this and get it translated into their language. If they are going to work for you, they must learn the differences about working in their new country, and they must accept them. Sure there are things they can hang onto about their culture, but this is not one of them. Just always remember to treat them with dignity and respect.

Do Your Immigrant Workers Understand Why?

2007-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

This problem came up in a recent seminar I gave about the fact that immigrant workers often find out that other immigrants employees are making more than they are, and will complain about it, especially if they have been with your company longer. In many other countries, people are used to being paid according to longevity. They may not understand the concept of being paid for performance, productivity, or work quality. This needs to be explained to them. You must let them know that the other, higher paid person has better skills, or gets more done, or the quality is better and that the pay difference has nothing to do with how long they have worked there. Let them know that if they can learn a new skill, become more productive, or increase their quality, they can increase their pay also.
Hope this helps to clear up the confusion that you may be dealing with.

Get Them To Release You

2006-12-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

When an employee leaves, ask them to sign a release saying it is okay to give out employment and performance information when a prospective employer calls you. This release can be very simple, such as: I give permission for ABC Company to release performance information to prospective employers, and release ABC Company from any liability for discussing this information. Explain to the exiting employee, that without it, you will not verify anything, thus making it useless to use them as a reference. Over 90% of people agree to this, and it helps you to discuss people's performance with prospective employers without any problems.

Decision Day

2006-12-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here's an idea that came from a seminar attendee on my program entitled, "Turning Around Turnover." The top level operations manager stated at her firm they give people a " Decision Day" just before they fire them. This is after they have done all the proper documentation and warnings. They give them the day off with pay, where they ask them to think about making a decision between two choices when they come back in the next day. Either, they can accept immediate termination, or they can decide to stay on, but must sit down and write up an action plan to improve in whatever areas are needed by certain deadline dates.