Posts Tagged ‘employee engagement’

Keep Stress Under Control at Your Workplace

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Stress is a top factor that drives high-potential talent to competitors. Recent research indicates that many employers are unaware that their employees quit to find positions that are less stressful. The current state of the economy and holiday season can cause added stress to workers. Companies should check in with their staffs to gauge their stress level and take measures to try to lessen it.

Untreated stress can negatively impact an employee’s job and health. Stressed out workers experience low morale and are less productive. Those who are stressed can also feel frustrated, irritable and exhausted. They can have trouble focusing and may become ill or fatigued easily. To alleviate these symptoms, try using the methods below:

  • Respect employees’ work/life balance. Allow them to tend to and handle personal issues or problems by granting them time off or creating flexible work arrangements.
  • If possible, help them out on their weekly or monthly tasks. Some companies schedule for a dry cleaning service to pick up, clean and return clothes to each employee at the office. Other organizations, like Google, provide their workforce with an on-site laundry facility.
  • Tightened budgets add to the stresses of work. Help employees save a few dollars by ordering lunch occasionally or stocking the office refrigerator with sodas and snacks.
  • Employees without clear direction of their career path can become frustrated and stressed. Help them avoid these feelings by working together to set career goals and encouraging them to make progress on achieving them.
  • Ask for employee input on how to redesign work systems to make everyone’s job more productive, and cut out inefficient and repetitive work processes. Putting fewer items of greater importance on a worker’s plate will help increase his or her job satisfaction.

Engaging and retaining top talent is important for maintaining a successful business. By creating a company culture that recognizes the efforts of each individual worker, people feel appreciated and morale is raised, which helps drive productivity no matter the economic climate. Helping your workforce reduce its stress will help keep morale high. For more information and tips to help keep your employees’ stress under control, please contact a member of CAI’s Advice and Counsel Team at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746.

Photo Source: alancleaver_2000

Defining Your Workplace Culture

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Creating a positive workplace that values and motivates your workforce will help you weather any business obstacle. Employees who view their workplace positively are more likely to invest in the company, produce high-quality work and be brand ambassadors. Even in a tough economic climate, a positive culture will encourage employees to continue giving their best work because their leadership is committed to doing the same.

A positive company culture is key to business success and survival. CAI’s CEO and President, Bruce Clarke, explains that there is no silver bullet for establishing an engaging company culture in his latest News & Observer column, “The View from HR.”  He says that workplace culture decisions should be made with purpose and an end in mind. There are many options for creating a more positive workplace, but Bruce cautions employers from copying the culture of others and creating one based on cool behaviors or conservative options. Instead, employers should look to their employees, business vision, goals, and values to develop a lasting company culture.

“It is a powerful thing when whom you hire, how you work and what you are as an organization weave together in concert to meet your business objectives,” Bruce says.

Although there is no special recipe for creating a positive and productive company culture, there are several elements that should be included:

  • Cooperation—All employees, including management, should be involved in the culture-making process.
  • Communication—Use effective communication methods to inform staff about the culture initiative and frequently update them on its progress.
  • Creativity—Challenge employees to change the way they think. Encourage brainstorming and risk taking to guide the process.
  •  Accountability—Set goals and expectations for the project early. Make sure everyone knows their part and hold them accountable for following through.
  • Commitment—Holding regular meetings to discuss company culture is a good method to ensure continual support for the initiative.

You can get more information on developing your company’s culture at CAI’s 2012 HR Management Conference, which is scheduled for February 21 and February 22 at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh. The conference aims to teach HR professionals and other top executives strategies in culture and talent that will help them crush their competition. Learn more and register today at www.capital.org/hrconf.

Photo Source: DOVE CHOCOLATE DISCOVERIES

Don’t Forget HR Basics When Connecting with Your Workplace

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

“If we worked much harder on the time-tested foundational needs of employees and employers, we would create benefits more powerful than the latest trends in ‘employee engagement’ or ’human capital management,’” CAI’s CEO and President, Bruce Clarke, says in his latest News & Observer column—“The View from HR.”

Bruce stresses the importance of employers using fundamental HR practices to keep employees engaged and workplaces productive. Leaders in every industry, including HR, often search for the most innovative programs or complex strategies to improve their business. Sometimes, however, sticking to the basics can prove to be more rewarding.

Make sure your company practices these HR essentials:

1. Communicate Effectively

Poor workplace communications is a common reason why employees leave their jobs. Assessing your office’s current communication style with an anonymous employee opinion survey can reveal areas that need improving. All employees should feel comfortable asking questions, discussing concerns or making suggestions with each other. Reaching your employees through multiple communications channels, including the office intranet, break room message board or staff meetings, can help you avoid workplace confusion or miscommunication. 

2. Provide Feedback and Reward Accomplishments

Establish clear expectations for each employee at your workplace. Creating action plans with specific timelines, final due dates and desired results will help you gauge their progress. Do not wait until their annual review to tell them how they are doing. Offer them positive feedback and constructive criticism throughout the year to keep them motivated and working to make improvements. If your employees are continually achieving great results or finishing projects before deadline, reward them for their efforts. Whether it is with a raise or paid lunch, employees will appreciate the recognition.

3. Listen Carefully

Listening to your employees is vital for maintaining a positive and productive work environment. Get their feedback on new workplace initiatives and business endeavors. Regularly ask them how they are feeling and if they have suggestions on how to make their work life more enjoyable and productive. Respect the opinions of all colleagues, and before passing judgment on an idea or concern, take time to understand why they are addressing the issue.

4. Make Employees Feel Important

A successful employer-employee relationship is a two-way commitment. In order for staff members to produce their best work, employers need to offer them their best resources. Giving employees the tools to perform their job is only part of showing them that they are valuable. Workers want to know that they are important to their organization, so frequently tell them that their efforts are appreciated and support the company’s survival. Show your employees that your respect them, their time and their work by keeping commitments with them and trusting them to complete their work in a professional and timely manner. This will help increase the amount of respect they give to you as well.

Simple solutions can often conquer complicated problems. For additional tips on keeping your workforce engaged and productive, please contact a member of CAI’s Advice and Counsel Team at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746.

Photo Source: AGmakonts

Show Employees They Are Your Company’s Greatest Asset

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

employees are assetsBruce Clarke, CAI’s CEO, discussed assets employees or job candidates can offer employers in the October 23 edition of his News and Observer column, “The View from HR.” Bruce said that the single most important asset employees can offer is their spark.

“When employers see no spark, they assume there is no engine,” he said.

Well if their greatest asset is their spark because it shows their willingness to learn, work, grow and produce for their employers, then they are essentially their company’s greatest asset. Business cannot survive without the efforts from employees.

As an employer, it is not hard to forget that your staff is your greatest asset. A down economy, lean budgets, and limited resources can stress out the strongest organizations, but not realizing that your employees are critical to your organization’s success can cause dismal effects. The American Institute of Stress said that US industries lose almost $300 billion per year because of absenteeism, diminished productivity, turnover, and medical, legal and insurance fees related to workplace stress.

Unhappy employees who feel unappreciated are a disservice to organizations because they interact with customers daily, promote and sell products, and cultivate the processes that help drive business. When given proper attention, workers become motivated to achieve company goals. They will express creativity and a desire to learn if they are engaged with their organization.

There are several steps that can be made to engage and satisfy your most important asset even if your company is struggling with budget cuts or has downsized staff. The strategies below will help foster a work environment that encourages commitment and maximizes productivity: 

1. Acknowledge Their Importance

An employer-employee relationship should work as a two-way commitment. If an organization wants its workers to perform at their best, then it needs to make an effort to give them its best, whether it is through information, training or resources to complete their jobs. 

Frequently tell employees that their efforts are appreciated and support the organization’s survival. Always try to keep commitments with them, and never overpromise if you cannot deliver. This will show them that you respect them, their time and their work, which, in turn, will increase the level of respect they give you.

2. Be Truthful and Transparent

Being transparent and telling the truth are essential to maintaining good relationships with your employees. Your staff members spend most of their week working, so their need to understand how the company is doing should not be ignored.  During staff meetings or through company-wide emails, alert them of important changes, data and other items to keep them informed.

Do not avoid questions posed by staff that might be uncomfortable or have unfavorable answers, such as, “How are we doing financially?” Answering questions will eliminate uncertainty even if the outcome is undesirable. Keeping your staff up-to-date with company news will help them feel plugged in to the organization and increase their commitment level.

3. Help Them Reach Their Individual Goals

Employees know they were hired because of the skills and knowledge they could offer. They know their job description, and they work to deliver on expectations. For all of the work they put into their organization, they deserve its support.

Show your employees that you are grateful for their contributions and want to help them succeed. Offer them opportunities to learn new skills and information through training. If a professional group related to their field exists, encourage them to join. Additionally, ask them what they would like to accomplish during their time at the organization.

4. Ask for Their Opinions

Employees want to know that their views matter to their organization. They put in a great deal of effort to keep their companies running, so their desire to have input is expected. Because they spend ample time with customers and products, they have first-hand accounts on what is working and what is not.

They will appreciate being part of the decision-making process because it shows their organization has confidence in them. Include staffers in discussions about improving business or strengthening customer service. Get their feedback on company policies and recent enterprises. Do not shy away from opposition. Allow employees to express their ideas and different methods for tackling projects.

For additional tips on improving employee morale and engagement, please contact a member of CAI’s Advice and Counsel at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746.

Photo Source: Highways Agency, Lachlan Hardy

Employees Who Display Emotional Intelligence Add Value to the Workplace

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

The economy is still down, budgets continue to get cut and staffs remain lean. Producing good work under stressful conditions can be challenging for many employees. The country’s high unemployment rate created a highly competitive job market, which now allows employers to be more selective in their hiring decisions. In order to continue to reach their goals, organizations realize that they need workers who can persevere through tough economic times or strenuous business situations, as well as understand the needs and feelings of their coworkers.  

Surveys indicate that hiring managers place more value on candidates’ emotional intelligence than their ability to fit the job description. Emotional intelligence (EI) describes a person’s capacity for controlling his or her own emotions and recognizing and understanding the emotions of others. EI also reveals how people react to others’ emotions and how they manage their various relationships.

People with a high EI are gems in the workplace. Because they have strong interpersonal skills, they offer many helpful qualities, including mitigating conflict productively, remaining calm when facing pressure and empathizing with their colleagues. Employees with a high EI are also great listeners and take criticism well. These qualities make efficient managers, inspiring motivators and thoughtful decision makers.

The personal attributes found in people with a high EI are coveted in the business world. As an employer this does not necessarily mean that you have to hire new staff members or terminate those who lack consideration, tactfulness, grace, etc. EI can be improved with continuous coaching and frequent feedback.

Help your organization achieve its goals by disseminating the strategies below to encourage your staff to manage how they handle workplace emotions:

Gauge your attitude at the office:

People with a high EI control their emotions instead of having their emotions control them. Make an effort to recognize that your individual emotions affect how you act and how others react to you. Draft a running list of emotions and actions that are appropriate for work and ones that are inappropriate. Revisit this list when you feel your emotions taking over.

Form strong workplace relationships:

Everyone at your organization can potentially provide you with a mutually beneficial work friendship. Establish relationships on being supportive and helpful to each other’s work responsibilities. Friendships based on gossip or fear will not increase EI. Good work relationships help create a more positive work environment for all parties involved.

Strive to be valued instead of right:

Influencing coworkers positively is a common goal among those with a high EI. Being right all the time might boost your ego, but it does not exclusively demonstrate your capabilities. Show that you are valuable and productive by the assistance you offer and the tasks you complete. Your actions will display your worth to your employer more than your desire to always be right will.

For additional information on EI or tips to improve the EI of your staff members, please contact an account manager at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746 and inquire about CAI’s class called Emotional Intelligence at Work.

Photo Source: KaiChanVong

Focused Employees Contribute to Business Success

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

FocusDid your week start like this? Your biggest client got the wrong order; your CEO received a company report, which had a high-priority deadline, two-days late; and your accounting department cannot figure out how the organization is over budget for the month already.  Meanwhile, your employees are excessively chatting about their weekends, checking their friends’ Facebook statuses and taking numerous breaks.  If so, your company could be facing a problem with a lack of employee focus.

Ensuring that workers pay attention to details is critical to the success of your organization. Even small mistakes can disrupt business goals if they happen frequently. Instead of punishing your staff members for not staying on task, help them see how their efforts affect the bottom line. Motivate them to perform their best and stay on top of their work assignments with these focus-finding strategies:

Create Goals for the Day

Most employees establish goals for the year and sometimes for the month as well, but focus can be lost quickly with broad goals that stretch over long periods of time. Making daily goals helps employees define and prioritize the assignments they need to complete. To further help employees keep their concentration, have them set a time limit for each project they want to accomplish.

Discourage Multitasking

 Many people boast about being exceptional multitaskers. Although juggling multiple tasks seems like an effective skill, research reveals that creating high-quality products with this method does not work. The ability to focus on details decreases when we tackle more than one project. Working on too many assignments can also create stress, which increases our chances for making mistakes. Encourage employees to complete one item at a time. Once they finish one, they can move on to the next one. 

Schedule Distraction-Free Times

Coworkers can often be the cause of preventing others from completing their projects. Whether teammates want recommendations for good lunch places or help reviewing a spreadsheet, time for employees to focus on their individual tasks gets lost. Prohibiting staff interruptions (unless necessary) during specific work hours can give employees an opportunity to work on their aDistractionssignments without distractions from their coworkers. Time blocks tailored to the entire company or individual worker are both effective approaches.

It is easy for workers to become complacent and careless in tasks that they perform frequently. In addition to the pointers above, consistently remind them that they are integral components of your organization and their contributions assist in making your business a success or a failure. For more guidance on keeping your employees focused, please contact a member of CAI’s Advice & Counsel at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746.

Photo Source: febuiles, Sam Pullara

Keep Your Employees off the Playground: Preventing and Dealing with Workplace Bullying

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

Today’s news headlines are filled with stories of childhood and teenage bullying with dire consequences, but name calling, intimidation and similar behaviors do not always end in high school.   CAI’s CEO Bruce Clarke recently addressed the topic of workplace bullying in his News & Observer column, The View from HR. In his October 2 edition, he informed readers that 50 to 75 percent of employees have witnessed or experienced workplace bullying.

A company bully can be an associate, a manager or even the chief executive of the entire organization. Workplace bullies can utilize tactics that can be detrimental to a coworker’s health and career. Giving the silent treatment, humiliating others in public and attacking a person’s character or beliefs are shenanigans from a typical bully. Terrors in the office can hold even more power over their victims’ heads by refusing to give coworkers information, implementing impossible deadlines, ignoring achievements and repetitively mentioning mistakes.

Victims of bullies can suffer physically and mentally. Many studies have shown that workers who are frequently bullied report to be more stressed, prone to stomach aches and ulcers, and unhappy and unsatisfied at their jobs. Not only does the victim suffer, but the employee’s organization will also experience negative residual effects. Workplaces that ignore company bullies can lose respect and credibility from their employees. Company morale could lower and absenteeism could rise. Employees who are bullied may struggle to focus on their work, which can decrease productivity. Some staff members might look for new jobs to escape from their bullies, causing turn over to increase.

 As an HR professional, you must do your part to create a bully-free work environment. Here are some tips to help you form a peaceful and productive workplace:bully

  • Never ignore a complaint about bullying. Respect your employees and let them know that you trust and believe the information that they give you. Many times victims are embarrassed or scared to report incidents of bullying. Let your employees know that you care about them and will listen to their grievances. Assure them that you will help them resolve their problems as soon as possible.
  • Create an environment of open communication. Make it okay for employees to feel comfortable talking to their managers about how they are feeling at work. Encourage team members to share factors that make them feel stressed and help them devise a plan to work through tough times.
  • Educate employees on workplace bullies and the effects they can have on their coworkers and their organization.  Providing training on bullying to all staff members, including senior leadership, can help reduce the chances for a company bully to thrive. Advocate that employees report any occurrences of malevolent workplace behavior.
  • Draft a policy that prevents bullying and make it available to all staff members. This policy should include language on how to make a proper complaint, how managers should react and how issues will be handled. Enforce a strategy for dealing with bullies and assign appropriate punishment for misconduct. Counseling for bullies is also suggested, so they understand the errors in their behavior and can work to improve their work performance and keep their jobs.

Additionally, if a bully threatens his victim with violence, waste no time to get to the bottom of the issue. Depending on the severity of the threat, calling the police to report outrageous behavior can be effective. For more information on how to handle bullies, please contact a member of CAI’s Advice & Counsel at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746.

Photo Source: Eddie~S

Addressing Poor Performance in the Workplace

Thursday, September 29th, 2011

sleep at jobEmployees can exhibit poor workplace performance in more than a few ways. Some consistently arrive late and leave early, others are busy updating their social media accounts, and a few frequently struggle with closing their sales. No matter the types of problem performers your business has, continuing to let them under produce will harm your organization’s success.

Acknowledging and confronting poor performers are often challenging tasks for managers to execute. Weak sales, unsatisfactory customer service and decreased employee morale are a few of the consequences of ignoring low achievers.  To strengthen your business’ credibility in hiring top talent, address a poor performance issue immediately.

First identify the underlying cause that is making an employee perform inadequately. Many managers automatically assume that employees are solely responsible for their less than stellar work ethics. When investigating the situation, you might conclude that the employee is overly stressed from his to-do list, one of his immediate family members is seriously ill or he received incorrect information when he was trained. Once you narrow down the reason, you can proceed with a tailored improvement plan.

Incorporate the following actions into your improvement plans to accelerate productivity in low-achieving employees:

  1. Use specific examples when discussing occurrences of poor performance. Do not exaggerate or use the opinions of others when confronting the employee.  Ex:  “Joe, I’d like to address your tardiness. I have witnessed you being late more than five times during the past two weeks.”
  2. Take care to ensure that you know the best communication method for approaching your problem performer. No one handles feedback in the same manner, especially negative feedback. Proper communication can alleviate emotional outbursts or feelings of resentment.
  3. Create an environment of constant feedback and clearly communicated expectations. Waiting around to give feedback can lessen an employee’s sense of urgency to correct a mistake. Feel free to ask employees to repeat their understanding of your feedback, as well as the goals you want them to attain.
  4. Document each conversation and review session that you have with problem personnel. Be exact with dates, goals, deadlines, expectations and feedback. Capture both positive and negative results from the improvement process. This will help you evaluate whether the employee can turn his work efforts around.

If you do not see favorable results after maintaining an employee improvement plan for several weeks, your organization could consider moving the employee to another position that suits his abilities better. If this is not an option and all other efforts to improve productivity have failed, termination could be an effective solution.

To explore additional methods for handling poor performers, please contact an account manager at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746 and inquire about CAI’s class called Managing Problem Performance.

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Delegate for Efficiency and Employee Empowerment

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

folderDelegation is a concept that benefits organizations in two specific ways:

  1. Senior leaders and managers experience more time to focus on high-level activities, such as strategic planning and new business exploration, which helps them build a more successful business.
  2. Employees receiving delegated tasks strengthen their skills, obtain diverse experience and demonstrate their capabilities to their supervisors, allowing them to feel empowered and engaged at work.

Although the advantages of delegation help multiple staff members prosper, many leaders do not implement the process for fear that tasks will not be completed adequately, or they have improper knowledge on how to delegate effectively. Leadership requires you to utilize the talents and experiences of the individuals who work at your company. If executed correctly, delegation can help your business and your employees achieve tremendous results. Below are key tactics for initiating a plan for delegation:

  1. Create a Culture for Delegation: Cultivating a workplace that stresses the importance of delegation helps everyone succeed. Employees will feel appreciated and be more productive when they are assigned new projects or receive feedback on their work.
  2. Assess Your Goals: Whether you have one task to delegate or a myriad of them, the end result will be better if you lay out a clear plan of how the project should be handled and what the desired outcome should be.
  3. Identify Workers’ Strengths and Weaknesses: Delegation offers employees the opportunity to flex their skills and take ownership on important tasks outside of their usual assignments. Be sure you know your employees’ strengths and weaknesses to appropriately match projects. This will help reduce unfavorable results.
  4. Establish a Work Plan and Communicate Expectations: Managers who do not delegate often fear that their subordinates will not be able to perform the job like they would. However, if you strategize a workflow plan with your employees, they will understand the overall goal. Communicating clear directions and hard deadlines will also yield a good outcome. Asking your employees to repeat their understanding of the project will help you determine if they grasp what is being asked of them.   
  5. Oversee Progress and Rate Results: Delegation can fail if you do not organize a monitoring method for the projects that you assign.  Periodically requesting updates and providing feedback will help you see if employees are reaching their goals or if additional assistance is needed. When projects are completed, you can review the goals to see if they met their marks.  Praise your employees if they achieved suitable or exceptional results. If your employees failed to produce satisfactory work, use the experience as a learning opportunity. 

It is also imperative to add that there are several tasks that should not be delegated to a subordinate. Some of these duties include: personal requests assigned specifically to you, providing feedback to other employees, high-level tasks for which you have the expertise, disciplinary undertakings and crisis situations.

For more information on how to delegate productively, please contact an account manager at 919-878-9222 or 336-668-7746 and inquire about CAI’s class called Steps to Delegating Effectively.

Photo Source: Ukeig

Attract, Retain and Engage: CAI’s 2011 Compensation and Benefits Conference

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

On August 31 and September 1, CAI invited HR professionals and company executives to attend its annual Compensation and Benefits Conference at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh. More than 180 guests participated in the two-day event. Learning different methods to approaching compensation and benefits and receiving legal updates were top reasons people attended.

“I want to improve my understanding of compensation as it relates to benefits. I want to gain more insight on the topic,” Yolanda Melvin, benefits administrator at PHE, Inc., said when asked why she decided to attend.

conferenceThe late summer conference aimed to help organizations attract, retain and engage their employees by offering innovative strategies to recognize and reward staff in any economic setting. For each of its conferences, CAI strives to provide attendees with speakers who present informative, relevant and captivating content. This year’s speakers ranged from a Lead Consultant in Engagement Assessment and Insight from Aon Hewitt to a Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Conference guests enjoyed five presentations that offered information to plan ahead for a changing workforce, different economy and competitive business climate. Speakers shared their knowledge on re-engaging a mentally and physically exhausted workforce and what rapidly changing demographic trends employers should be preparing for. CAI’s Director of HR services, Molly Hegeman, revealed the results of the company’s 2011 Wage and Salary Survey during the conference. CAI also ensured that attendees received an update on healthcare reform and learned different methods to communicate benefits issues with their workforces.

“I’m always interested in anything that has to do with the healthcare reform because it’s going to impact our company a lot,” Stephanie Moore, human resources representative at DAK Americas, said regarding the presentation she was interested in seeing.

In addition to participating in the main events, attendees had the opportunity to join several of the conference’s breakout sessions. Some of the session topics included:

  • Current Trends in Retirement Plans
  • The New Frontier: Expanding the Paradigm of Organization Well-Being
  • Making Incentive Compensation Work for You
  • Wage and Hour Compliance

CAI works to provide participants with a great experience while educating them on best practices for compensation and benefits.  Professionals who attend the conference get to network with other industry leaders while they analyze research findings, consult on total reward strategies and receive the latest updates on issues that will affect their businesses.

“I always like [CAI’s] conferences. It’s a lot of good information. It’s always relevant. I do a lot of the surveys for CAI, so it’s always interesting to see that the feedback from those surveys is presented in all of their conferences,” Moore said.

For more information on CAI’s annual Compensation and Benefits Conference or help with keeping your workforce engaged, please contact an account manager at 919-878-9222 or 336-669-7746 or visit www.capital.org/compconf.