With many clients I work with, I follow this simple principle when setting goals, actions and metrics.
Narrowing your focus to the ‘top three’ will help to crystallize your thinking and force prioritization. The value comes from the discussion and debate about what the true priorities are. Having too many goals, actions and metrics goals will result in a failure to execute.
If you would like to learn more about the ‘Law of 3′s’, let me know.
-John Ferris
As demonstrated in the latest saga of Silicon Valley recruitment, employers are eager to stand out from the crowd by any means necessary. Social media startup ‘Hipster’ recently ran a recruitment campaign that would reward anyone who referred a successful candidate with $10,000 and a year’s worth of beer – the attentiongrabbing ploy resulted in around 500 job applicants in the first week of posting.
It is important for your recruitment efforts to be targeted and focused. Your job posting, as mentioned previously, should properly reflect the image of your organization and promote yourself to potential candidates.
In terms of media and communication, it is important to use the avenues your candidates use. Social media is consistently growing in the recruitment tool box, with 56% of HR professionals reporting use of social networking to recruit (up from 34% in 2008); however, this does not equate to social media being a catch-all for the recruitment process.
Some positions may be suited for social media recruiting while others are suited for a more traditional approach such as job boards, associations and newspaper postings – and if your target candidates are entrepreneurial, social engineers that will likely respond to a viral campaign, then you may see success through campaigns similar to those used in Silicon Valley.
-Greg Johnson
Early next year Canada will be the first country in the world to release a national set of best practices regarding workplace mental health. Damages awarded for workplace mental health injury have increased 700% in the past 5 years and workplace losses cost employers an estimated $20 billion/year. Although adhering to the new standards will be voluntary, this is a huge incentive for employers to pay attention to the mental health needs of their employees.
-Rhonda Thiessen
To succeed in today’s competitive environment you need to fully engage your people. There are 3 proven necessities to engage: AUTONOMY (the ability to have some control over what we do) MASTERY (the need to get better) and PURPOSE (the need to know we are contributing to a “greater good”).
I recently presented an educational forum for our clients on these principles including practical approaches on how to implement programs to address Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.
If you would like to have a copy of this presentation please let me know.
-John Ferris
You wouldn’t set out on a road trip without a map, similarly, conducting business without a formalized plan would seem out of the question. Many organizations, however, operate with either a business plan that collects dust or operate without a formalized business plan completely. The following outlines the benefits to a properly developed and thorough business plan for your organization.
Develop a Road Map
A thorough business plan will set the direction to reach your business goals as well as how the goals will be achieved. In many organizations the road map is assumed and not formalized or documented. This may suffice with straightforward operations – just as you wouldn’t write out the turns on your tomorrow morning commute – however running your business is rarely as uneventful as your commute, and often requires a more formal map to proceed effectively.
Demonstrate to Lenders, Suppliers, Investors and Others
A properly developed business plan is not only an asset to your organization in the form of a road map, but also a tool to attract potential business partners. Many loan and grant offerings and even patent applications require, outright if not implied, a thoroughly developed business plan. Once developed, an effectively implemented business plan can also demonstrate solidity to both suppliers and customers, communicating your plan for success.
A Framework for Action
A thorough and clear business plan can communicate responsibilities to everyone involved in the functioning of your business, outlining how their actions contribute to the overall goals of the organization. The clear communication of responsibilities can assist in motivation, prioritizing and performance to achieve the outlined goals.
Evaluate and Anticipate
Although hindsight is usually 20:20, foresight doesn’t have to be a 50/50 gamble. A thorough business plan will assist you in evaluating potential options and alternatives, allowing you to not only position yourself for success but also recognize and prevent possible future setbacks by planning for them in advance. A business plan can also allow you to identify the make or break issues for your organization and assess your risks.
Does your organization have a formalized business plan or strategy, or do you operate without one? Leave your comments below:
Pre-employment testing can allow organizations to evaluate an applicant’s abilities prior to the actual hire, rather than realizing inadequacies after the employee has begun work. This can avoid costly early turnover, can ensure that the available talent applying for the position is brought on board, and can also evaluate the fit of the applicant within your organization. Pre-employment testing can be done legally, provided that the tests are both valid to the job being filled as well as not being used to discriminate against applicants. The aspect of applicant testing is an extremely useful utility, with multiple variations and testing types to fit the specific position and organization, as explored below:
Aptitude Tests
The first thought that may come to mind when thinking of ‘aptitude’ is an IQ test. While this is a commonly used form of aptitude test, it may not be the most applicable for the position to be filled. Aptitude tests typically indicate how quickly an applicant could be expected to perform to a satisfactory level, measuring thought process and cognitive ability for a variety of aspects. Aptitude tests can also take a hands-on approach, giving the applicant a job-related puzzle of sorts to perform, typically used for very technical and skilled positions.
Core Competencies and Skills Testing
Likely the most common type of pre-employment testing are tests involving the demonstration of skills and abilities the candidate will require to perform their job once hired. Directly related to the requirements of the position, these tests can take on a variety of forms including multiple choice, physical demonstration and even role-playing scenarios. Such tests could take the form of testing knowledge of circuitry for an electrician position, testing typing speed for an administrative job, or even problem solving and customer relations ability for a customer service position. AT&T has a highly developed skills testing system, even publishing study guides for tests that may be given when you are applying for each different position.
Behavioural Assessments
Behavioural Assessments for applicants can indicate the valuable asset of organizational fit and indicators of the potential employee’s performance once hired. Most behavioural tests rely on the applicant rating themselves on a variety of statements and characteristics, and have developed systems to detect fake responses. Behavioural Assessments can indicate if an applicant will mesh well with the organizational culture, an integral aspect to a successful hire. They are a strong indication of how an employee may perform under pressure, as well as outline the best way to manage the employee once hired.
Tips for Applicant Testing:
Test Within – profile a leader within your organization and run the applicant testing on them. Not only does this allow you to develop a standard for measurement, it allows you to better determine a fit for your organization based on the results from current employees.
Ensure Fit – ensure that the testing you perform will attain results that will indicate abilities for the job in question as well as necessary core competencies for your organization. The testing process must fit your organization specifically.
Remain Objective – throughout the applicant testing process, it is critical that you remain objective in your testing and analysis to ensure you are able to properly assess each candidate
While applicant testing may be viewed as a costly and intimidating process, there are alternatives to develop systems that both fit your organization as well as your budget, delivering useful results and input to the selection process. The inclusion of applicant testing is an important aspect of any solid selection and reference process.
The concept of a Results Oriented Work Environment (ROWE) is new to most employers, but the idea is catching on. This concept refers to employees having a fair bit of input as to what happens in their work environment, including work schedules, daily work start and leave times and the amount of vacation time. From the employer’s perspective, the mandate of ROWE requires that employees achieve the called-for measureable results. This means that employers need to be clear and specific in communicating objectives in order to achieve the desired outcomes. This could involve employees working remotely from the work environment in order to meet the expectations. As long as employees achieve the objectives, they can have that flexibility to achieve the work/life balance that they desire. ROWE systems can help employers realize the benefits of an increase in autonomy and accountability, healthier lifestyles amongst employees, as well as the strong connection created between results and responsibilities.
Well managed ROWE’s will free employees to make their own work-life decisions, help with attraction and retention and increase employee engagement, as long as the desired results are being achieved. Organizations that have adopted this concept have seen voluntary turnover decrease and productivity increase.
ROWE may not be the right fit for every organization, especially organizations where output is difficult to measure. Some managers may find it challenging as it can be more difficult to work with people without face-to-face interaction.
The key to the success of a ROWE is that it’s absolutely critical to focus on results. Managers have to be explicitly clear on what their expectations of results are for employees. How they get those results depends on the flexibility employees have to get there.
Changes to the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation in Manitoba effective February 1, 2011 will introduce new requirements for employers to protect employees from psychological harassment in the workplace or what is sometimes referred to as “bullying”. This builds on to existing Regulation that protects workers from harassment based on age, race or gender and ensure that workplaces are respectful and safe for everyone.
The definition of harassment has been amended to add:
“severe conduct that adversely affects a worker’s psychological or physical well-being.”
The interpretation of harassment has been amended to add:
“severe, if it could reasonably cause a worker to be humiliated or intimidated and is repeated, or in the case of a single occurrence, has a lasting, harmful effect on a worker. ”
What does this mean for employers?
Employers are still required to take specific actions to help prevent harassment in their workplaces, however, they will also need to ensure the new definition and interpretation of harassment are:
It is also important for employers to know and understand that normal and reasonable day-to-day management or supervisor actions, including performance reviews or discipline, are not defined as psychological harassment.
If your organization does not have an existing harassment prevention policy, by law, employers are required to:
For further information on developing a harassment prevention policy, the following link is a useful resource, or contact STRATA Business Solutions.
http://safemanitoba.com/uploads/Harassment%20Prevention%20Pamphlet.pdf
The benefits of the further development of existing employees are well numbered and understood in most instances; however, it is important to appraise the effort your organization is undertaking to promote the education and professional development of your employees.
To promote and reward enhancing knowledge, skills and abilities related to a position the following are options to promote the furthering of education amongst employees:
Cover the costs associated with the course – essentially a given in the promotion of education but not to be taken for granted, covering the enrollment costs and fees associated with education courses is typically the first step in an education promotion program.
Bonus incentives for successful completion – going over and above reimbursement for courses, financial rewards can be utilized to promote satisfactory completion of enrolled courses.
Award additional vacation time for enrolled courses – many employees may be deterred by the addition of the education workload to their existing workload, and would cringe at the thought of needing to take a vacation day to prepare for the exam. Awarding additional vacation time can promote a better work/family life balance.
Developing a network of recognized and referred courses and associations/seminars – also aiding in the administration of an education program, developing a network of recognized providers can focus the employees in seeking out education opportunities as well as ensure recognized courses are sought after.
Maintain a library of course material and notes – along with developing a network of recognized courses, creating and developing a library of course materials and notes related to courses employees have previously taken can reduce the education anxiety many employees face and can also assist in a more efficient learning experience for your employees, by providing course materials.
By promoting employee education, you can show commitment both from the employer as well as gain commitment from the employee receiving the education. Employees that receive education and training can also pass it along to other employees; either informally or through established training sessions.
Supporting the development and education of your employees can have numerous benefits and advantages, however training and education is only one component of an employee development plan. Have you had any experiences with employee education programs? Click the ‘comments’ to leave your experience below:
One of the first steps in the recruiting process is the creation of a job posting which will be used to attract the right candidates to the position and filter out those who are a poor fit. A job posting can be created for internal or external use, but it is important that it gives a good description of the position you are hiring. It is best to start with the job description for the position you are hiring as this will outline:
If a job description is not available or up to date, the above information should be included. It is also a good idea to review the information in the posting with the immediate supervisor and/or the employee(s) who currently hold the position for addition job related information. Use this information to craft a clear and concise job posting, removing any language or terminology that only employees in your company will understand. Be sure to include any other pertinent information such as how candidates can apply for the position and any conditions for employment.
Once your posting is finalized, a decision on how to advertise the position must be made. The following are options to consider:
Your job posting should reflect the image of your organization, highlighting any initiatives or achievements that will attract qualified candidates. Examples of this can be any unique employment policies not offered by your competitors or being recognized as a growing company or top employer. It is also important to describe your organization’s work culture, such as team-oriented or creative. Your posting should look professional and well laid out as this is an opportunity to promote your company and support your brand.
