Workplace of Choice

So, finally we all seem to be getting back to "normal" following the worst economic downturn in recent history. You may be noticing, however, that while "normal" seems better than recent months - it may feel very different than say, 2-3 years ago. As we all get our legs back under us - this is an ideal time for companies, big and small, to start testing, validating, and redefining "normal" within their organizations.  If nothing else, we should all learn from the economic issues that plagued us. Instead of restarting business as usual - think about recalibrating and looking more closely at your organization and your human capital.

Think about:

• Who were the most valuable members of the organization during the height of the crisis? This might have been surprising - were there silent superstars in the ranks that simply needed this opportunity to prove their value and ability?  What made them superstars and the ones able to weather the storm?
• If you had to lay people off, what was the profile of those that were able to step in to pick up extra work? Were they your managers?  Or were other employees able to roll up their sleeves and pitch in?
• Were there roles that had to be eliminated ones you intended to refill when you could?  Do you really need to refill it now or do you find that you no longer really need that specific job because you've gotten along just fine without it?
• Were your Managers able to lead?  Or was it obvious that the Manager Training you've been meaning to get to would have come in really handy when they were helping to communicate change, manage RIFs, or mediate conflict in a very confused workplace?

Before you go out and repeat to your old practices - take a step back and determine what worked well in the troubled times and see if it might make sense to duplicate some of those practices instead.

For example:

• Instead of filling silo-ed roles that are all very specific - think about hiring people that are forward thinkers and doers that might be able to share the load and multi-task.
• Invest in some Leadership Training and Management 101 so that your people are able to grow and be better poised to help in times of change
• Be very thorough in hiring - many times companies 'skip steps' either in desperation to fill a job or the candidate is doing so well with the interviews, they don't feel like they need to check references.

And remember those employees that stuck by you in tough times - instead of thinking "well, at least they had a job" remember that without them you might not have been able to come through as well as you did!!

This is the time of the "new normal."  The perfect time to fix what could have worked better and harness and duplicate the energy and abilities of the superstars and further enforce what worked well!

A recent study, Profit at the Bottom of the Ladder, by Jody Heymann has found something that many Human Resources professionals have known for years, the more you invest in your employees, the harder they work. It seems simple, right?  But yet, it’s always been a challenge to quantify this relationship. This study gives actual financial statistics as to why it is important to invest in employees, the very proof we’ve been looking for.

The study explains how many companies invest mostly in their higher level employees but that employers should invest in all of their employees.  Often times employers think that investing in lower level employees is a waste of time and effort because they’re not as committed as higher level employees and may soon leave the company.  On the contrary, this study proves that employee productivity can be significantly increased, employee turnover reduced and other costs cut by investing in all employees. For example, Xerox Europe started to “offer training and career tracks to line workers [which] led to lower turnover and easier recruitment, and served to make employees more efficient while they were with the company.” Normally, in the call center industry, turnover rates are extremely high but Xerox was able to promote 20% of their entry-level employees over a one-year period. Another great example is Autoliv Australia, a company that makes auto parts. They changed their leave and vacation/PTO policy to be more flexible for all employees which made their turnover rate fall from 20% to 3%.

Investing in your employees can give your company a huge return. How do you invest in your employees?

Is your workforce engaged?  Employee engagement is the new HR buzzword connecting the workforce to the company’s productivity and employee productivity.  According to a recent HR Magazine article $350B is the estimated annual cost of disengaged workers for U.S. businesses.  Clearly, employers cannot afford to have unengaged employees who have “checked out” only putting in time but not passion or energy into their work.  Employee engagement is a key link to customer satisfaction, company reputation and overall stakeholder value. 

So how do you tap into your employee’s engagement level?  Consider how you currently empower, develop, recognize and reward your employees.  Are there opportunities for your employees to be a partner in executing your mission and business strategy?  Do you reward those who take personal responsibility in getting results to increase the profitability and growth of your business?  Now, more than ever, is the time to focus on your employees as they are the key to your future success.   Without employee engagement, your company mission and values and business strategy are just an idea.  The employees make it real and are the driver of business success in today’s competitive marketplace. 

In order to measure your employee’s commitment, motivation, sense of purpose and passion for their work and the company, consider confidentially administering an employment engagement survey.  Employees will appreciate the fact that you value their opinions and you may uncover some real gems to fully engage your team!

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, many people are feeling the urge to move onto greener pastures. As some surveys suggest, this is because of a backlog of unsatisfied employees. During the recession, people were too scared to quit their current jobs and find something else. Now that the economy seems to be picking up, employees are more willing to shop around for other opportunities.

During the past two years, there have been many changes and layoffs which have led some employees to develop disengagement with their employers. Companies can encourage their employees to become more engaged by hearing their grievances and actually doing something about it. Check out our previous blog about ways to achieve employee satisfaction.

With people on the move, it is important for employers to listen to what their employees want from their jobs. A good way to do this is to conduct an employee satisfaction survey and act on those results! If your employees are feeling satisfied at work, they are less likely to seek other positions or take calls from recruiters.  On the other hand, if you are one of those employees who is feeling less than thrilled about your current situation, check out these tipsabout how YOU can make YOURSELF happier at work!  As Michael Scott would say, “It’s a win, win, win!”

Today is the kick off for "Take Back Your Lunch",  http://theenergyproject.com/takebackyourlunch.  The movement was started by The Energy Group, which offers organizations a detailed blueprint for fueling a fully engaged workforce.    Why not promote a real lunch break?

Some organizations provide unwritten "permission" to take a lunch, and I mean more than 20 minutes.  The average worker takes a 20 minute lunch.   Many corporate cultures unknowingly promote a culture where eating while you work at your desk is the "norm".   If you work more than 40 hours per week, you are working more than an 8 hour day.  It is a long day without a break.   The United States has one of the highest rates of obesity,  ergonomic  issues (i.e. back issues) stemming from sitting at desks and computers all day, not to mention the many stressed employees due to multiple factors from home to work.    

Taking a lunch should be a requirement...it just should, unless you need to meet a deadline or need to leave early, etc.    The advantages to taking a lunch for employees are many:  a mental break away from the many items and details that consume an employee all day long;  a physical break from a computer screen;  an opportunity to take a walk or exercise;  time to socialize with co-workers or friends; and maybe even time to catch up on a book or newspaper.    The list could go on.  

On the other side of the coin, employers can reap many benefits as well;   refocused and re-energized employees when they return to their desk or workspace;  reduced ergonomic issues from hunching over a computer or using a mouse for too long; healthier employees who take the time to get physical exercise, which can only lead to lower obesity rates and lower health insurance costs; and a workforce that is happier and a little less stressed out.   Why wouldn't a company promote taking a lunch?

The last year and a half has been trying for everyone.   We all could use some extra mental health time.   Let's give ourselves a break and take time for lunch!

But, how do you begin?  Start at the top by assessing your senior management team - they set the tone for establishing organizational culture and cascading daily consistent messages to employees. Ask your employees what they think - do they feel communication is aligned with the mission, vision & culture of the organization?  Is it consistent?  Timely?  Facilitate focus groups to hone in on the common threads.  Once you have determined what the issues are - take a look at your budget to determine what sort of communication vehicles you can afford to implement. Depending on the timing, location and sensitivity of the message there a number of vehicles from which to choose.  The Employee Handbook, Monthly Newsletters, Town Meetings and Social Media are all commonly used.  Choose your communication channels carefully.  Think about your audience and how to best communicate with them.  We tend to turn to e-mail first, but keep in mind that this is often the least effective way to get your message across.  When possible, face to face communication tends to be the most effective because we receive an immediate reaction, are able to clarify any confusion and people tend to listen more closely.

The key to a strong employee communication strategy is planning, followed by implementation and follow-up. Taking the time to communicate with your employees will help increase employee productivity, boost employee morale and ultimately improve the bottom line.

The economic downturn has forced many companies to reduce expenses and the level of employee benefits they provide. To offset the sting from cuts, an increasing number of companies are offering flexible work arrangements, such as Summer Hours, to enhance work/life balance, improve employee morale and increase employee retention.

A successful Summer Hours program is one that supports both the organizational goals and the needs of employees.  Be creative as you consider the alternatives to the standard work week.  Can you arrange work schedules to allow for a condensed workweek?  Have employees work a "4/40" (Four (4) ten (10) hour days), or a "9/80" (Work 80 hours over nine (9) days to get one day off every other week).  Another option is to work a longer day during a busier period and then give half days (or full days) off on Fridays in the summer.  For example, a company that experiences a busy sales cycle leading up to the holidays may work 9 hour days in November and December, but then offer Fridays off in the summer when sales are slower.  Just be sure to do the math and be sure there is an equal number of hours exchanged between the two time periods.

The old adage, "work hard, play hard" will go a long way as you explore your Summer Hours options.

• Have an "Office Yard Sale": Invite employees to a conference room to take any of the extra furniture, bookcases, printers, computers, etc. It's a win-win, the company doesn't have to incur the cost to dispose of the materials and the employees take what they want for free - talk about an employee moral booster! Anything leftover can then be donated to a local organization in need.
• Recycle scrap paper: Has your company logo or address changed or do you have scrap paper from a botched print job? Don't throw away all of that outdated letterhead, give it to employees to donate to their child's school or local community center where children will be able to doodle away. Think about printing draft documents on the back side of already used paper to help reduce the amount of paper.
• Old cell phones: There are many organizations that recycle cell phones for great causes. Consider donating old cell phones to our US Soldiers, Veterans or homeless shelters.
• Printer cartridge recycling: Don't throw away those old ink cartridges...recycle them! Did you know that: 
•  Almost 1 gallon of oil is needed to make one new laser cartridge
• In just 12 months, cartridge recycling could save 400 million gallons of oil in the U.S.
• Millions of cartridges go into landfills each year and this number increases by 12% annually
• A printer cartridge thrown into a landfill will take up to 450 years to decompose
• Water bottles: Instead of providing single-use water for employees, give each employee a water bottle with the company logo. Employees can take the water bottle wherever they go (free marketing!) and you'll be saving the environment by eliminating the plastic bottle waste.

These small changes are free and will better the environment for everyone! 

Happy Earth Day!

Office Cleanup:

If you haven't used or looked at it for more than six months, chances are you may not need it and you definitely don't need it sitting out on a desk or table. So start with three piles:

Trash: The trash pile gets shredded, if need be, or bagged up and off to the dumpster it goes.

File: Organize into piles that can be put into folders with labels. Remember these are the items you truly need for either research or legal reasons such as contracts, financial records, refer to often, etc.  Consider what needs to stay on-site and what can be sent to archive.  If you haven't looked at in more than year, seriously consider sending it to archives.  Be sure to catalog your archive files well so that you can retrieve them if necessary.

Have to deal with: You should have a very small pile of items that need to be addressed. Organize these into priority categories - what has to be done today, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, etc.

When your desk is not cluttered up with piles of paper you are more likely to get to the stuff that really has to be tackled.

Now get out the cleaning supplies and equipment. Dust everything in sight. Vacuum your floor. Use a can of air on your keyboard (you will be surprised at what gets in between the keys). Check with your IT department as to whether they will give you permission to blow out the dust from your computer's fan and CD/DW drives and pay attention to their instructions on how to do it carefully. Use specially treated cloths to clean your monitor. Any surfaces that can be cleaned with a disinfectant should get wiped down to get rid of all those nasty germs that have been floating around the office all winter.

Now open up your window(s) if possible even if it is only for a few minutes to let in some fresh air. Don't forget to close and lock before you leave.

Now that you have a clean office, add some fresh art work, flowers, plants, and maybe a great smelling candle. The candle is not to be lit, but will add a light pleasant scent to your office. The key words are light and pleasant. Don't overpower your space with heavy scents, no one enjoys this.  You'll be surprised by the effect that simply cleaning the office and your surroundings has on you and your co-workers - Enjoy!

A non-fraternization policy oversees interpersonal conduct by employees and is created with good intent - to prevent employees from engaging in activities that could interfere with safety, employee morale, and employee productivity.  In addition, these policies help to protect the employer from potential lawsuits arising from harassment claims.

Employers have the right to set rules prohibiting employees from activities including office romances.  They can prohibit supervisors from getting involved with subordinates and vice versa, and they can refuse to hire married co-workers.

Relationships among employees raise issues of equity, fairness and favoritism regarding the involved employees' work responsibilities, salary, and/or career progress.  Employers may stipulate that if a conflict, disruption, or other performance problem arises as a result of such relationships, one of the involved employees may be transferred and/or disciplinary action may be imposed.  But be aware that even then, future decisions regarding all employment practices (promotion, demotion, transfer, termination, rates of pay) could be viewed as discriminatory based on these relationships.

Consider the outcome of a relationship that has ended (on a negative or positive note).  What was once viewed as welcomed behavior from one employee to another can change overnight and you could suddenly be involved with a hostile work environment or sexual harassment claim.  By discouraging relationships or by stipulating that the company be made aware of them ahead of time, employers can proactively manage a potential problematic situation.

Your non-fraternization policy should be discussed during Harassment training. Training should also include education regarding off-site and off-hour situations.  Employees who are friendly with each other and spend time together after work hours need to know that their behaviors are still subject to your policies.   Happy hour at the local watering hole may lead to situations that can easily be considered against company policy.

Employees have the right to choose their friends and romantic partner, however, employers also have a right to limit romance in the workplace in order to maintain a safe, equitable and productive work environment .  Consider the reason for instituting the policy, specifics on what is and isn't acceptable and how the current social landscape is today to ensure that a new or updated policy is successful and works for your culture.