EffortlessHR Blog » Lola Kakes

Back To School – Already?!

Lola Kakes — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:20:51 +0000

When you think of the phrase, “back to school” it can bring up several images – it could bring up memories of when you were a youngster, enjoying the summer and all of a sudden faced with the reality that school would be starting up again very shortly.

It could also bring up the parent’s checklist of making sure all the required shots and immunizations are in place, enrollment forms completed, paper and pencils purchased, new shoes bought, etc.

As a business owner it could mean one of two things and that is what I am going to go over. What are those two things?

Back to school could mean looking at your current programs to see if you have policies in place for your employees regarding day care, dependent medical coverage, time off requirements, and communication between employees and their supervisor.
The second issue of back to school could be looking at your current tuition policy and how supporting your current employees in furthering their education by going back to school can enhance your business and help retain some key people.

So, let’s look at these two issues.

The first one is probably the issue most employers need to concentrate on to start. The work/life balance is very important to the family worker who needs and wants the job, but also wants to make sure their children are in school. If you can make sure you have good clearly stated policies and programs, your employee will be more relaxed and productive at work. If they feel they have to hide what they are doing from you, they will not be as productive and your business may suffer.

This might be a good time to do an audit of your “back to school” policies and programs. Do you know what types of programs your employees need? Have you talked to your insurance broker to find out what types of insurance in available for a family and how to keep the cost down? Do your policies reflect what you what them to regarding flex time or school visitation? Some states have specific regulations that allow parents time off to attend school functions. Does your state have such a rule? Do you communicate openly with your employees to let them know you care and are flexible enough to work with them on this issue?

The second part of the issue is providing your own “back to school” for your employees. It could be as simple as adding some specific training that managers might have asked for but you haven’t implemented. Many employees want to increase their effectiveness on the job by taking classes. Maybe you can talk to your local community college and see if you can develop a program that will offer your employees the education they are looking for at a reasonable price. It may or may not be feasible but you won’t know until you ask.

Putting together a reimbursement policy will help define what you will offer and what the employee must do to participate. You might start with required training classes or supervision classes and see what the response might be. There are some great on-line courses and training programs. The bottom line is, if your employees know you care enough to help them go back to school, they will probably stay with you for a long, long time.

Therefore, brush off the heat of the summer and get ready for the new school year. The economy has been down, businesses have been slow, but you can turn up the pace by getting a jump start on going back to school.

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How to be an effective leader

Lola Kakes — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:16 +0000

Before we begin to discuss being a leader, we probably should define what a leader is. This is important because there can be a distinction between being a “boss” and being a “leader”.

Your position may define you as a boss, which provides you with the authority to accomplish tasks and objectives. This authority does not define you as a leader, however. It simply makes you the boss. Leaders can be defined as a person who influences others to accomplish the tasks and objectives. A leader makes others want to achieve the tasks and goals they are given.

That isn’t to say that leaders don’t have tasks to perform. It is just that when they do have tasks they often use the following three “C”s to keep projects running smoothly. There may be others that are important, but we will just discuss these three for now.

Communicate
Coordinate
Collaborate

Communicate

A “Boss” may have important information. Having this information may also make them feel important. How you use the information or what you do with it can make you a “Leader” The challenge is the sharing of important information. Other employees may not be eager to share information with someone they don’t know well or do not trust.

Leaders must work hard at establishing good lines of communication. Communication helps everyone agree on roles within the organization, the tasks to be accomplished, the time lines to get projects out the door, learning what the customer wants and describing that need to others, and listening to what is being said.

Coordinate

A “Boss” may just give an employee an assignment and assume it will be accomplished. A “Leader” will coordinate the completion or hand-off of a project/task with those who can best accomplish the goals. They know their people and realize who works best in what area. They don’t just hand an employee a task, they delegate the authority to the employee to get the job done.

Collaborate

A “Boss” may not want to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. They may not want to get their hands dirty as they may believe the job is not theirs to do. A “Leader” understands that collaboration requires working side-by-side to meet the goals and objectives of the organization. Leaders use their collaborative skills to achieve significant accomplishments and they understand, appreciate, and leverage the differences in their people to produce the greatest solutions for complex challenges.

The three “C”s cannot be effectively used, however, unless you have built a solid foundation on TRUST. The relationships that Leaders build form the foundation upon which a company flourishes. Leaders understand that by knowing their employees, they know who they can count on to get the job done.

There are trust builders and trust busters. Look at the following list and see where you are in building your leadership.

Builders Busters

Share needed information Sharing Confidential Information
Loyal Giving information to outsiders
Acceptance of others Withholding information
Valuing others Vague instructions
Awareness of what is happening Hidden agendas
Openness Fear tactics
Honesty Public criticism or embarrassment

And remember, the deepest foundation builder for developing leaders is good communication!

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Do We Need Succession Planning?

Lola Kakes — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:18:40 +0000

I was the VP of HR for a fairly large organization several years ago when the terrible unexpected happened.You always think, “This can’t be happening to us” only to find that it can and does happen. What is it that happened?

The second in command, who had been brought in to run the company when the founder retired, was killed in a terrible car accident. No one was prepared for the aftermath of that tragedy – especially the owner of the company as he had to regroup and rethink his retirement plans. The rest of the company also had to regroup and come to grip with a terrible loss and uncertainty as to what would happen next.

Can organizations prepare for this type of loss? You can never be fully prepared for a tragic loss, however a succession plan will go a long way in minimizing the effect of loss. The loss in this case was an untimely death, but many organizations today face the risk of losing a seasoned executive through age, retirement, and even hiring away by a competitor. It is therefore important to consider the issue of succession NOW rather than later. This will help with staffing changes and minimal disruption to not only the internal business operations but even to the external marketplace.

There are some key steps an organization can take to set up an effective succession plan.

1. Make sure you have identified the skills and competencies you need in a particular position. This might include the ability to delegate responsibility, think strategically, ability to make decisions, etc. While some think of this step as time-consuming, it is an important first step.

2. Make sure the top management team is on board and directing the plan. A succession plan is only successful if it comes from the top. Remember, some managers may resist establishing a plan and need to brought on board. This may happen by making them an important part of the process.

3. Develop a pool of employees that you can identify that have the potential to grow. The challenge is to find, develop, and encourage these employees. They need to be continually trained and given opportunities to advance. You need to make sure they want the added responsibilities and if not, they should be removed from the pool being considered.

4. Understand and identify skill and knowledge gaps. Work to fill those gaps by determining needs to happen with an individual or individuals to move them into new positions. Help these employees prepare for higher level positions.

5. Encourage employees to be proactive and identify themselves as possible candidates. The individual is the final person to determine availability and capability. When in doubt, ask them.

Don’t be caught unprepared – it can be detrimental to the whole organization.Have a plan and be prepared to keep it current – just in case.

Effective Succession Planning (human-resources-management.suite101.com)
Webinar: Succession Planning in High-Performance Organizations (hrmtoday.com)

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Understanding Employee Turnover

Lola Kakes — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:59:40 +0000

Many employers are facing turnover issues that they may not have had to deal with in the past. Some of the turnover is downsizing due to a tough economy. That type of turnover is not the common turnover that employers deal with consistently. It is usually a one time issue and hopefully will go away as the economy turns around.

The turnover I’m talking about is the “revolving door” of employees being hired, staying for a little while, and then leaving. This type of turnover can be symptomatic of a deeper, organizational problem. Some employers say, “So what. Turnover is inevitable and if the employee doesn’t want to stay, they should leave.” These employers don’t seem to understand how costly turnover is or care about the reasons for the turnover – which can also be costly.

Turnover affects your bottom line, whether you see it or not. Turnover is a silent but effective profit killer.

There are two areas of costs associated with turnover – Hard Costs and Soft Costs. Some of the hard costs that you can fairly easily identify are:

Wages of employee that is leaving
Cost of advertising
Cost of benefits of departing employee

But there are also other hard costs associated with the departing employee:

Employee’s supervisor/manager pay rate (they will most likely be covering for the departing employee)
Administrative staff pay (they are spending time filling out paperwork, answering questions, completing the termination process)
Coworker’s pay rate (they may be called on to work overtime to cover the departing employee or temporary workers may be contracted to cover the work)
Interviewing (takes a lot of time to conduct a series of interviews and you need to pay the interviewer – no matter what staff member(s) are conducting the interview)
Reference checking (either you do your own reference checking and pay your staff a wage or outsource and pay the outsourced company – there are fees involved)
Drug testing (if applicable there are fees for drug testing)
Orientation and on the job training (someone conducts the orientation, prints manuals and forms, answers questions, trains the new employee)

These are examples of hard costs associated with turnover. There are also soft costs, which may be more difficult to quantify but need to be addressed, including:

Loss productivity of employee (usually the exiting employee performs at 50-75% of norm)
Loss productivity of coworkers (time spent gossiping or taking on additional work load which may upset them)
Loss productivity of supervisor/manager (having to spend time dealing with employees and answering questions)
Productivity lost if position remains vacant (may increase overtime, temporary services, time spent filling in, supervisor/manager time spent on scheduling issues)
Lost productivity during training (new employee requires support and direction, existing employees may be distracted, supervisor/manager spends time with new employee)

If you look at the true cost of turnover, you may be surprised at just how costly it is to your bottom line. If you haven’t hired smart and there is not a good match between the company and the employee, you will eventually be a statistic – a company with high turnover. The old adage really is true – employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Look at why the turnover is happening and hopefully you will be able to put a stop to the Hard and Soft costs of turnover.

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Building Your Own “Field of Dreams”

Lola Kakes — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:49:37 +0000

When I first started my own consulting business, in 2001, I was a sole owner/worker and thought I was on top of the world! I was really ready to have people knocking on my door, ready to use my incredible services. As any first time business owner will tell you, this is not an uncommon phenomenon, but it is most likely not reality.

That passion to be my own “boss” and to have my own business is still there. The difference is that now I understand how to build my specific “field of dreams”. In the movie, “Field of Dreams”, the famous line is, “If you build it they will come.” Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of merely putting their business together (building it) and expecting customers to flock to them.

Most entrepreneurs come from a corporate environment, where if they need specific assistance on a project, they pick up the phone and call that department or division and get the help they need. When they start their own business, the reality is they are the total business. They are expected to do all the various functions that make a business viable – logistics, scheduling, customer service, sales, marketing, hiring, writing, calling, — you name it and it has your name on it!

I remember that wake up call when I had been in business for 6 months and did not have a customer. I didn’t know how to market my services, how to explain my concept, or how to close the deal or how to price anything. I did know how to meet people and talk to people – so I involved my self with ASBA (Arizona Small Business Association) and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners).

I discovered that the way to build my dream was to surround myself with men and especially women, smarter than I am in areas that I did not have expertise. I discovered that by forming alliances and partnerships with other businesses, I had the ability to develop customer service techniques, sales and marketing processes, writing newsletters and presentations, and how to tell others what I do. I may have been able to reach these areas of expertise on my own, but it would have taken a lot longer and would not have been as much fun.

So, what type of partnerships am I talking about? There are (in my mind) two types of partnerships:

Formal with written agreements and clauses
Informal with a handshake and an agreement to work on a specific area

Formal agreements usually come with a fee, and that is okay if that is what you need. I have used formal, paid partnerships and they have proven to be very helpful in my business growth.

The informal partnerships may or may not be paid, but are usually of a short duration and may reoccur throughout the course of your business.

Let me give you an example of these partnerships:

When I first started my business, I realized I needed a website. At a networking function I met Joey Ambrose and I hired him to put together my first website. It was a paid partnership with specific guidelines in place. I was excited and Joey was excited too as he was just starting his dream building. That partnership has developed over the past 7 years to a strong friendship, where we both trust and respect one another. So, when I dreamed about my own Internet HR program, the first person I spoke to was Joey, who helped my through the process and has been a strong supporter.

An informal partnership is developed over time and relationship building. My example of this type of partnership included my friendship with Ellen Kirton, who started out as my business coach and so believed in my dream that she asked to be able to share that dream. She brings knowledge to the business that I do not have but that is needed. We started with a formal agreement, moved to an informal arrangement and she is now an integral part of EffortlessHR.

You develop these partnerships/alliances through your involvement with organizations. I have been able to build a strong base through NAWBO and I consider my circle of influence to have grown over the past 7 years. Women, especially, need to develop the networking and building of relationships in their businesses. This is most easily accomplished through the participation in women business organizations where you can look for similar values among the women. Men have long ago established the “good old boy” network and women are now learning the value of these relationships. Our relationships are based more on nurturing and relationships but are long lasting and very, very effective.

So, my advice is to dream your dream, but surround yourself with smart women who have the experience you need to make the dream a reality. As you surround yourself with them, they are also surrounding their businesses with their supporters. Don’t be afraid to tap into these wonderful resources – we are really all in this together!

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Managing Change

Lola Kakes — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:12:16 +0000

The elections are finally behind us and the political ads are over – at least for now. President Obama has reiterated that he is an agent for change – change in how government works, change in who we are in the global experience, change in many other ways. So, what is change?

All organizations go through change. There might be a change in management, or a change in policy, change in staff, change in location, change in customers, and even change in size of the organization as in mergers and acquisitions. We even face change in our personal lives – change in marital status, change in family dynamics, relocation of family, and change in job status.

Change is all around us. It is what we do with change and how we react to change that causes the most difficulty. The issue becomes how do we manage change?

I’m not sure how President Obama will affect change in our bureaucratic society; nor how the world will react to some of the changes he has indicated he will implement. I do know he has his work cut out for him and his staff and we

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Health Care Reform – Some thoughts

Lola Kakes — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:51:15 +0000

What’s a small company to do if required to offer health insurance? This is a question many small business owners are facing. The federal government is gearing up to tell the American business owner:

When or how to form a union
When to provide paid sick leave
When to provide paid family medical leave and
When to provide health care benefits

All of these issues are important – not only to the business owner but to the employees that they hire. There are really three perspectives that we need to look at:

The HR Perspective
The Business Perspective
The Government Perspective

The HR perspective is that in order to attract and retain quality employees, quality benefits need to be available. These benefits could include paid sick leave and/or paid leave for medical reasons, and especially health benefits – usually for employee and sometimes for employee and family. The unionization of a company may become easier if the card-check provision of the Employee Free Choice Act passes. With only 7% of private business employees belonging to a union, the issues at stake are very high. From an HR perspective, many organizations might face new forms of HR issues that they have not had to deal with in the past, such as labor negotiations.

The Business Perspective, especially for the small to mid-sized business, is one of focus and cost. Most small businesses want to be able to provide the incentives that attract quality employees. However, if they are forced to comply, many small businesses may have no other choice than to close the door. Being forced to accept a union under the proposed law would require a business to seek labor specialists to help in the establishing of a union. That might force an employer to stop thinking about the day to day business issues and to focus on labor laws instead. Negotiation can be expensive and that is another nail that small business owners cannot afford.

Small businesses, who are forced to pay sick leave or medical leave, or provide health care benefits, may find the cost of doing business too great. It may not be that they don’t want to provide better benefits – they just might not be able to afford them. Or, if they are forced to provide these benefits, they will most likely be forced to raise their prices, which will impact the public as well.

The Government Perspective seems to be a very altruistic thought process. If only 7% of the private sector is currently unionized, what makes the government think the other 93% wishes to be unionized? Have they done a focus group? Have they surveyed those businesses? Or are they listening to lobbyist who are encouraging them to act? I doubt if many of the Senators and probably just a few of the Representatives, have every been a business owner. The cost of doing business runs from not providing benefits and paying for it by not being able to attract “star” players, to providing benefits at a cost of approximately 40% of the salary of the employees. If a business has a salary total of $100,000, the cost of benefits may reach $40,000.

Many individuals believe that health care is their right. It is not a covered issue in the Constitution. It is however, a privilege, just as voting is a privilege. Most employers want to provide and promote that privilege, but I do not believe we should mandate that privilege, especially when it may cost a business their opportunity to succeed.

We can put a man on the moon and do many other wonderful things, so surely we should be able to fix this problem. The bottom line is that businesses know what they can afford (both from a cost standpoint to the HR issue) and it should be left to them to fix their own problem. If they can provide some sort of paid health benefit they stand a better chance of attracting good employees, which in turn will help them grow their business. If they can’t, they may have to pay the piper and either stagnate or close the door. Either way, it should be their choice.

Related articles 1

Health Care Plan Could Undermine Small Business (myventurepad.com)
Will health reform chase employers away? (money.cnn.com)

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Understanding Diversity in the Workplace

Lola Kakes — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:52:03 +0000

As a business owner, consultant, and entrepreneur I have been told by many small business owners that “diversity” is really only applicable to larger businesses. When asked what diversity means to them (the small business owner), many respond it is about differences in race or gender. It is not about making the workplace a better place in which to work, but more about following the law.

I believe that diversity is really about being open to the global community and being prepared to respond to inquiries and ideas from a diverse community. If one truly understands the diverse culture we all bring to the table, we will have more open communication, better understanding, cultural and economic agreement, and less conflict.

By bringing diversity to your workplace, you can help to build a stronger organization and provide broader profits and capabilities to your customer base. As technology makes our world “smaller” , bringing cultures together, forcing us to work if not live together, diversity is undeniable and must be managed.

Let’s start by defining “Diversity”.

Diversity is bringing together a diverse group of people to work and communicate effectively and efficiently. Diversity is not just about race and gender, but also about diverse thoughts on religion, areas of the country, age, disability, and any other issue where more than one individual working, living, and communicating with another individual brings different thoughts together. Diversity can even be how different people learn, how they communicate (language), and how they perceive a problem or issue. Diversity is defining the differences we all have.

Look at your family dynamics. The family unit is made up of several types of individuals – for example, maybe different genders, possibly different age groups, different backgrounds and belief systems, different values, different up-bringing and different thought processes. If there was not a desire to learn about one another or to be a part of one another’s life, the family unit would not be there. It is only with the development of understanding between the primary individuals that the family will develop.

The same is true in a business. Diversity begins at the top, with the primary contact person understanding and looking for individuals that work well together, communicate with one another, and fit the culture of the company. Will there always be agreement? No, and in fact you don’t want blanket agreement. If you always agree about everything, you become stagnant and boring and you won’t move forward.

Diversity is understanding the differences we all bring to the table and being able to respond to those differences in a positive manner. Grow your business and yourself through association with diverse individuals. You and your business will be glad you did.

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Are You Ready for a TRIP?

Lola Kakes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:22:58 +0000

Everyone says the economy will be turning around by the end of the 4^th quarter 2009, with the employment outlook ticking upwards the first part of 2010. As a business owner, we can only imagine what the journey over the next couple of months will be. Because of the economic upheaval of the past few months, the face of business as we know it has changed. We need to understand and acknowledge the changes. We can do this by putting together our own TRIP ticket.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has a wonderful program to help their customers prepare for a trip by providing them with a Trip Ticket. It is a detailed map from point of origin to final destination, with references to detours and obstacles. They provide guidebooks of points of interest and places to stay, to dine, to visit.

As we come out of this recession, are you ready? I suggest that as a business owner, we need to prepare our own TRIP ticket. We, too, need a road map of how to get to where we want to go, what obstacles may be in our way, and how to navigate the detours, We need to be aware of our competition (points of interest) and understand our processes (where to stay and visit) What does TRIP stand for, you may ask? TRIP stands for:

T – Technology
R – Realignment
I – Infrastructure
P – People

T is for Technology

Computers are smaller and faster than ever. I-Pods and I-Phones, as well as BlueTooth, BlueWave and a multitude of handheld devices are all the rage. In addition, we have You Tube, FaceBook, Linked In, blogs, and the newest Tweeters. Technology has taken enormous steps to help business owners stay in contact with their clients, their employees, and the global community. If your business is not in sync with the latest technology, you will have a harder time keeping up.

Is this an easy thing to do? It depends upon your mindset. Younger entrepreneurs will most likely be there already. The more mature or seasoned entrepreneur may struggle with all the “social media” that is out there. I recommend, however, that this is a good time to take a class, talk to the up and coming young business mind to learn how to stay current with technology. Look at your website (and if you don’t have a website, get one) and make sure it is current and appealing. It makes me stop and think if I see a website that has not been updated for several years. That in itself sends a message – and not always a good message.

R is for Realignment

According to the dictionary, realignment means to reorganize or make new groupings. The recent problems with credit availability, high executive salaries, poor business decisions in the big automobile industry, should be telling all the small to mid-size business that they need to look at their current business plan and see where and how to realign their culture to meet the needs of the 21^st Century consumer. Ensuring there are the right work ethics in your company is imperative in the new business culture of this Century. If you do not realign your policies and your procedures, you run the risk of falling behind and losing the ability to grow.

How do you do this? You look at your mission and vision statement and determine if it fits where you are in your business or where you want to be. Are you following your mission and vision, or are they merely pretty words used to inspire. Do you “walk the walk and talk the talk” or do you say to your staff “do as I say, not as I do”. Realignment comes from the top – you, as the decision maker, have to believe it is important and make it a priority, Change is not easy, especially in organizations. It takes time and dedication and belief. With the economic down turn, now may be the right time, so that you position yourself well for the “trip” ahead.

I is for Infrastructure

When you talk about infrastructure, most people think about the roads, highways and bridges. In our Nation, the economic stimulus packages are aimed at developing jobs rebuilding our infrastructure. In a company, the infrastructure I think about is the communication highway. Communication is a cornerstone to building a strong business.

Have you revisited your business plan since the recession started? Have you built in policies and procedures to help guide you through this time? Do you have an up-to-date Employee Manual and use it to communicate your policies to your employees? Are you putting together good training programs for your customer service people to empower them in responding to customer questions, thus increasing customer retention? Have you identified your “star” performers and looked to see why they shine and be sure these attributes can be found in other employees or new hires?

Look at your office layout (which is also part of your infrastructure) and see if you have “dead” space that can be eliminated or put to better use. Now may be a good time to do your performance reviews and determine if you have the right people in the right positions or if you can let someone go.

It is also a good time to look at your benefits by talking to your agent and determining if there are other options available, Now is the time to shore up your infrastructure to be better prepared in the future.

P is for People

We touched on the “people” aspect above, but let’s really look at our People. The people element of doing business is probably one of the biggest expenses for businesses. On average, an employee is about 40% of a business expense. That includes salary and benefits. I know of some businesses that think of their employees as a necessary evil and that if they had a choice they wouldn’t have employees.

Those businesses probably don’t have loyal employees or have a very good reputation as a good place to work. They probably have high turnover, low morale, and wonder why customers don’t come back. I believe that if you have employees, you have them to help you grow your business. How you treat your employees will determine the type of business you are or what you will become,

Do you have the right people in place? Do you have good job descriptions and do you check them regularly? Do you communicate with your employees so they feel they are a part of the process? Do you conduct performance appraisals and coach your employees through a rough time?

If your business has slowed down, as many businesses have, now may be the time to look at your people and make sure all the above mentioned issues are being properly managed. Be prepared and be ready to move forward.

Having your own TRIP ticket is important as we move out of this recession. It will put you ahead of those businesses that have “hunkered” down and done nothing but complain. Take advantage of the situation and you will be stronger for it. See you down the highway!

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Human Resource Management at Work

Lola Kakes — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:50:45 +0000

Human Resource management is the process a company uses to ensure the effective and efficient use of their “people” talents to accomplish organizational goals. If these resources are managed properly and effective, the organization would most likely increase profits, sell more items, produce in a more efficient manner, and be able to do all this while staying in legal compliance.

A product or service is only as good as the people that make it, design it, or sell it. This means that one of the most important assets of any organization is their human capital. If you have qualified, enthusiastic individuals, you will have a better chance of maintaining a leading edge over your competitor. If you have poor morale, low production, ineffective service, or untrained individuals – the chances are pretty high that your organization will be in the top 33% of all organizations that fail. People really do make the difference.

It is easy to see why HR is the most expensive part of doing business if you consider that studies show that the expense of having employees is about 40% of a company’s profit,. Large organizations have always seemed to have HR expertise – they have fully staffed HR or Personnel Departments with varying degrees of specialties, such as compensation, benefits, training, recruiting, etc. A fully staffed HR Department in a large organization might consist of at least three people at a cost of about $200,000 per year – just for salaries. Just imagine what you, the small company owner, could do with a staff of 5 people and an overhead budget of approximately $200,000 per year.

Well, in the first place you would not need 5 HR people. Most small companies can do quite well with a part-time HR person that is capable of giving good HR advice and counseling. Costs may vary, depending upon the expertise you are looking for, however, if you find an independent contractor with solid HR experience, an hourly rate for tasks completed would probably be very cost effective.

What can you, as a small company owner or manager do to have the leading edge and have your employees weigh in on the asset side of the ledger and not on the liability side? Talk to various human resource consultants and pick one that is right for your organization – one with experience, capabilities, and knowledge of human resource functions. Look at tools and resources that will help you develop your staff. One such tool is EffortlessHR, an Internet based “HR in a Box” program that is affordable and provides a wealth of information. Look it over and see what it can do for you or, check out other available tools and resources and find the right one for you.

Once you decide on the right combination you can get on with what you do best – run your company.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Human Resource Management at Work

COBRA Alert – New Rules & Changes from ARRA Stimulus Package

Lola Kakes — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:24:22 +0000

Taming the COBRA “Lion”

The old adage, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” is proving to be too very true for companies across the country. Why? Well, effective March 1st, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) President Obama’s Stimulus package, goes into effect and includes major and significant changes to the current COBRA continuation coverage. This “Lion” is causing business owners and HR departments to scramble to understand and comply with the massive changes in a very short period of time.

As a reminder, COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) is a federal regulation that is applicable to employers of 20 or more employees who offer a regular group medical plan. If you do not have 20 or more employees or offer a group medical plan, then this new coverage is not applicable to you.

The reasoning is basic, the economy has been in a tail-spin and the President wants to make sure that the millions of individuals that have lost their jobs due to this economic crisis have the resources to continue their medical coverage. All this and still letting the employer know that they will be entitled to a subsidy to provide this coverage to their terminated employee.

The main gist of the ARRA is:

Provide a 65% federal subsidy of COBRA premiums to eligible individuals for a maximum period of 9 months;
Requires employers to pay 65% of the insurance premium upfront and then deduct the cost from their payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) and the terminated worker paying the remaining 35% (this occurs with the regular federal reporting of the 941 Tax form);
Allows employees who became unemployed back to 9/1/2008 (and who originally rejected COBRA) to reconsider and sign up for COBRA benefits.

What does this mean to the business owner and what must they do to be in compliance?

These new provisions to COBRA require employers and benefit administrators (i.e., HR Departments, Payroll, Benefits, etc.) to take prompt action to implement the new procedures. Some of the decisions and procedures to be made include:

Identifying eligible employees (and their covered dependents/spouses) who were covered by the group health plan and whose employment was involuntarily terminated since 9/1/2008, including their last known addresses.
Identify which terminated employees are currently receiving COBRA coverage and which are entitled to the special enrollment period. According to the DOL, Plan administrators must provide notice about the premium reduction to individuals who have a COBRA qualifying event during the period from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. Plan administrators may provide notices separately or along with notices they provide following a COBRA qualifying event. This notice must go to all individuals, whether they have COBRA coverage or not, who had a qualifying event from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.

Individuals eligible for the special COBRA election period described above also must receive a notice informing them of this opportunity. This notice must be provided within 60 days following February 17, 2009.

Determine the correct premium subsidy that applies to those unemployed workers who are not being required to pay the full COBRA premium.
Develop a process for applying the excess of any COBRA premiums above 35% received from a COBRA recipient for March and April 2009 to future premiums or refund the excess.
Adjust administrative procedures to reflect the maximum 9 months of available coverage.
Develop and provide the notices required by the ARRA. Where can wording be found?

We at EffortlessHR are following this issue very carefully. We are actively assembling Forms, How To’s, and providing alerts to our clients and prospective clients. We are also placing the new regulations on the Law section of the Effortless HR Software program. In addition, the Department of Labor and the IRS have extensive information available regarding this new law. Their contact information is
IRS http://www.irs.gov and Department of Labor: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/COBRA.html. If you are using a third party COBRA administrator, they will also be able to assist you.

We would recommend that employers not react in a way that could jeopardize existing employees when reviewing the benefits currently provided. You have offered benefits as a retention tool and that same reason to continue benefits remains.

The important thing to remember is to be organized, follow the guidelines, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and hopefully you will be able to exit March as a lamb.

Lola Kakes, CEO EffortlessHR

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COBRA Alert – New Rules & Changes from ARRA Stimulus Package

Building a Team – How to ACE it

Lola Kakes — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:13:08 +0000

There are many types of teams – there are sport teams, debate teams, dance teams, teams of horses, and there are of course, business teams. There are even more types of teams, which you could probably list if you wanted. Teams can be good, bad, so-so, or great.

If you look at just these few listed here, what do they have in common and what makes a great team? All teams are comprised of more than one person, and let’s face it when you get more than one person in the same room, the dynamics change. The individual is no longer dealing with one set of ideas or policies, or need. The dynamics of a group of people brings into play different ideas, comments, thoughts. The issue becomes, how to develop and build a great team.

In looking at teams and what they have in common, it becomes fairly obvious there are three underlying principles in building a team and it is how you ACE it.

ACE stands for:

A – Accountability

C – Commitment

E – Empowerment

Accountability is the first ingredient in team building. When putting a team together, make sure you set goals and establish the purpose for the team. It becomes the “job description” for the team and helps the team members understand their functions within the team. Effective leaders lead their people and inspire them by creating an environment that motivates them to ask, “What else can I do?” over and over until the results are achieved.

The daily activities that comprise people’s jobs must then be consistently in alignment with the targeted results. This can happen only if people understand the results they are supposed to achieve in the job they are to perform. Accountability is assuming responsibility for the actions and results that is the charge of your team.

Commitment, the second ingredient in team building is defined as the bond of an employee to the organization, the strength of which depends on the degree of employee involvement, employee loyalty, and belief in the values of the organization. In other words, the desire to do well, succeed, and make the team (the organization) look good is important to the team members, both individually and as a whole.

Empowerment

is the third ingredient in building a team. Empowerment is the ability for management to allow employees to make decisions. Building decision-making teams is often one of the models used in employee empowerment, because it allows for managers and workers to contribute ideas toward directing the company. When employees feel as though they can choose and can make direct decisions, they usually feel better about themselves and their jobs and the organization. Employee’s who are not constantly watched and criticized are more likely to consider work as a positive environment, rather than a negative one.

By working together for the good of the organization, teams can provide effective and efficient processes. Once the goal or purpose of the team has been reached, the team can be disbanded. The individuals can then be available for other teams to be established as needed. Team building is a fluid operation of the organization and changes with the needs and goals of the organization. In fact, some individuals may be participants in more than one team at a time. It all depends on the ability of the individuals involved and what they are tasked to accomplish.

If they establish their team structure and follow the guidelines, they will in fact, ACE it.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Building a Team – How to ACE it

Engagement, Performance, Retention – Where do Your Employees Fit?

Lola Kakes — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:16:39 +0000

The economic crisis of 2008/2009 has many companies looking at ways to save money and get through the hard times. What this normally means is that they look to lay off people, cut back benefits (which make good employees look at other opportunities), stop training programs, reduce marketing, and basically “hunker” down.

I feel like I am in a unique position as both a business owner and a human resource generalist to address this economic drama. Let me explain. As a business owner I am facing choices in doing business. Credit is hard to find and cash flow is tight. Clients still are there, however, and they still want and need my services. Sometimes, they just don’t know what they need. So, in my role as HR advisor, it is my obligation and the duty of my company, including my star employees, to help them understand what they need.

I don’t believe this is the time to “hunker” down. If you do, you won’t be prepared when things start moving upward. What you do need to do is spend wisely and use your people efficiently. How, you may be asking, do I do this?

Imagine what would happen if everyone of your employees were in a job that best used all their inherent talents. Imagine your company being empowered with employees who were engaged in their jobs and were interested in helping you succeed. I know that as a business owner, I would love to have that type of workforce and feel blessed that I do have this kind of workforce. I also know, as your human resource advisor how to help you have this type of workforce too.

I believe that in order to get through these rough times and keep the right people actively engaged, performing well, and keeping them on board requires business owners of all sizes to use all the tools at their disposal. This can be done with various tools but the tools I am most familiar with and which I use most effectively are the Profiles International, Inc. assessments. These assessments, along with your company standard hiring and training processes will help you develop a better understanding of the people you employ. This will help you solve many of your most critical and expensive problems.

Reliable information makes HR decisions easier to develop and you can successfully fit people to jobs in which they will excel, retain good employees, become a better manager, improve customer service, and build an effective team.

The foundation of your success is the best use of your assets. If you talk to any management expert, they will tell you that your human capital (your employees) is your most valuable asset. The problem is that only a small percentage of businesses use a pro-active, systematic, analytical process to select, manage, retain, and plan for succession for employees.

I believe if you use the available tools to see results from selection, to coaching and performance management, you will achieve greater productivity and profitability through your human talent.

Imagine the difference in your company. You may need to invest a little to gain a lot. Don’t hunker down – look forward and inspire the best in yourself and in your people.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Engagement, Performance, Retention – Where do Your Employees Fit?

The Importance of Employee Management

Lola Kakes — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:09:42 +0000

A 2006 study conducted by Cornell University associate professor Christopher Collins, Ph.D., in effect showed that small businesses could grow if they are more effective in managing their employees. As a small business owner and a Human Resource Generalist, I agree completely. That is one of the reasons I have been so actively supportive of strong employee management programs for small businesses, and why I developed EffortlessHR.

Professor Collins’ study showed that compared to companies who do not practice employee management strategies, those companies who do can experience:

22% higher revenue growth
23% higher profit growth
Over 66% reduction in employee turnover

Why is employee management so important? I will give you my thoughts, from my perspective.

I started out as a single person operation, a consultant. Many entrepreneurs start out as a single person business entity and many never want to change. They do not want to grow to the point where they need to hire employees. They do not want the bother. That is a whole other issue that we can discuss at a different time. For now, I want to concentrate on why I think have a strong employee management program is important and why I incorporated that type of philosophy into EffortlessHR.

Effective employee management understands what the job is, the type of individual that would fit the job and the company, empowering the employee to do the job, and treating employees with respect. You cannot be effective, however, if you are not organized. Therefore, the first step is to get your office in order.

Many business owners are so busy they put off filing (I know I have), or they put things in piles or in drawers, thinking they will get to it later. Later never comes and before you know it, the employee you thought was going to be a wonderful addition to your business opportunities is not really working out, but you can’t seem to find all the information on him or her. You have misfiled the application (if you even have one) or the resume. You may not have completed the paperwork on the reference checking so you may not remember what you discovered.

You may not even remember what job duties you discussed, training that may have been agreed to, or any number of important details. You know you did all this, but – where is the documentation? If you filed it, is it in compliance with state and federal guidelines? Can you easily put your hands on what you need, when you need it?

If you take the time to organize your files and keep information current and easily accessed, you have the start of an effective employee management system.

Small businesses especially must be more effective, because the affect a single person has on a small company is greater than the affect a single person may have on a larger company. For example, if a small business owner hires incorrectly, the time and training and effect on who handles the job is much more pronounced than in a larger company who have possible employees who can fill in until replacements are found.

In addition, by being better organized, you have a better understanding of the skills needed to do the job. If you understand the job, and you have hired correctly, then you can empower the individual to do the job without you standing there holding his/her hand. This frees you up to do other things. This also shows the employee that you trust them, which goes a long way in retaining good employees.

One of the reasons I designed EffortlessHR was to have a place small business owners could capture certain information about their employees in a simple and effective manner. It is like building a personnel file on line. All the information you need is there, you just have to enter it and use it. If you do, you will be a more effective manager and you will have an Employee Management System.

Being better organized will allow you to work on your business, not in your business.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | The Importance of Employee Management

Small Business Economic Bailout Plan

Lola Kakes — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:40:23 +0000

No, we don’t have $700 Billion earmarked for small businesses. We can’t go hand out to our legislatures for financial assistance. We don’t make the 6:00 pm news as a “business in trouble”. We are small businesses who have to provide our own bailout.

How do we do this? We look at ways to support one another and our customers and our employees. We check our budgets, roll up our sleeves and get down to work.

1. Check Budgets

Are there areas where we can cut expenses? Can we bring our lunch to work and not eat out as often? Can we initiate “green” assistance by turning off lights, recycling paper, and keeping better inventory control on supplies?

We are all wasteful – we waste paper, water, time, energy, food, and everything else. If we just took a look at what we could reuse or save, think about the money we can save.

2. Roll Up our Sleeves

Can a project be completed at home or by someone else? If you have staff that you are responsible for, have you thought outside of the box to see if some of your business associates would be interested in “sharing” a worker or “renting” an employee. Maybe if you have 4 employees you can work with an associate company with no employees who may be looking for a temporary person.

3. Prepare

If this is the end of your fiscal year, prepare a budget that is as complete as you can possibly make it and be prepared to follow it. As you prepare the budget, talk to your staff, especially your supervisors and managers to get their input. This will not only help them understand the situation but provide them with the opportunity to possibly share a good idea.

4. Dust off the Business Plan

Many businesses write the required business plan and then file it away. This may be a good time to get it out and look at the research you did in preparing the plan to determine if you are still on track. If not, why not? If you are, did you plan for any emergency? This is the time you can update your plan to accommodate the current financial crises. This, along with your budget, may offer the road map you need to navigate through the next few months.

5. Think Out Side the Box

Is this a good time to look at a new product or service? Are you in a position that might help other businesses make it through the economic downturn? Only you know your business and what you might do to make a difference.

Will it be easy? No. Will there be a need to make hard decisions? Probably. But, if you are honest with yourself and your staff and your clients, hopefully you will find a way to make it all work. Good luck to all of us.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Small Business Economic Bailout Plan

Have I Got a Deal for You… — Business Ethics and Conduct

Lola Kakes — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:34:46 +0000

A few years ago the news was all about Enron and how the “books were cooked”. Today we are going through an economic downturn with a major issue in sub-funded home loans. Many home owners will not only lose their homes, but will be faced with financial issues for years to come. In addition, many mortgage companies have folded and employees have lost their positions and it has gone on to affect banks and financial institutions.

What is wrong with this picture? I believe it is a breakdown in not only individual ethics but a disregard of business ethics and business conduct. Business ethics and conduct is all about values and principles and help businesses define who they are as an organization (and also as an individual). I believe every organization should have a business ethic policy, communicate it to their employees and clients, and follow it very carefully.

What is a business ethic policy? It is a statement of what your organization believes in, how they treat one another, and how they do business. It is not just a compliance issue – it is the integrity of the organization and a statement of support and belief in that integrity.

Employees need to have this policy and that the company they are working for has set high standards that are important to them and that the employee is supported by management if they are faced with a difficult ethical decision.

I believe that in the case of Enron and the mortgage debacle we are currently going through, the collapse of organization’s business ethics and code of conduct is the primary reason for the failure. This failure cost the business to collapse, their employees to lose their jobs, and in some cases resulted in legal repercussions that are still being felt today. If these businesses had policies in place, they ignored them.

What can employers and employees do? I believe there are several steps that we can take:

1. Reach an agreement as to what each of you mean by business ethics and what conduct will be appropriate in your place of business.

2. Train employees in how to conduct business and respond to requests and let them know the consequences of not following your policy.

3. Define and explain conflict of interests so there is no misunderstanding of how employees are to conduct business either in or outside of the organization.

4. Provide assistance and support in reviewing how to identify and deal with potential conflicts of interest.

5. Protect your own business secrets and product information with non-disclosure documents so that every employee understands that certain information is proprietary and important to your business.

Business ethics and conduct are too important not to be a major statement within an organization. Make sure your organization has one.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Have I Got a Deal for You… — Business Ethics and Conduct

Dealing with Reality in an Economic Downturn

Lola Kakes — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:43:40 +0000

In my July company newsletter, the Employer’s Advantage, I highlighted stress and how to deal with it in the workplace. There can’t be anything more stressful in today’s marketplace than coping with an economic downturn. Gas prices are sky high, which impacts the cost of goods and services in all industries; large corporations are laying off workers; the housing market is struggling to rebound; and employees are wondering what will happen next.

Human Resource or Personnel departments are dealing with management teams planning on how to be more cost effective and looking at budgets to determine where they can trim costs. Employees are looking at how to balance their home budgets against rising costs in all commodities, while dealing with organizations who are not in a position to give increases to accommodate the cost of living increases.

All of this creates STRESS. What is the answer? There is no quick fix but there are ways companies can assist employees looking at monetary crisis.

* Talk to your insurance broker and ask if they have any programs you can present in-house to your employees to discuss:
o
+ Wellness and health cost saving techniques
+ Financial planning
+ Budget preparation
+ Access to financial assistance
* Communicate with your employees to make sure they are comfortable and aware of what is going on. It stops rumors and makes the employee feel a part of the process.
* Survey your clients to let them know you care and you are looking to be a resource to them during the rough times.
* Look at your budget and see where you can effectively save time and money, without compromising quality and service.

One area that might be beneficial is looking at your HR programs. The last thing you need or want is stress over a possible lawsuit. Make sure you are in compliance where needed and if you don’t know for sure, get someone with experience to do an audit to make sure you are doing all you should be doing. If you have an Employee Manual, make sure you are following your own policies. If you don’t have a Manual, look into putting one in place.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance. Stress will continue to be there – you just need to learn to manage it.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Dealing with Reality in an Economic Downturn

Checking and Giving References – Both Sides of the Coin

Lola Kakes — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:49:52 +0000

Many HR professionals and training/business coaches tell their clients that they need to check references on all new hires. The problem is that due to the fear of lawsuits, companies are told they should be cautious in giving references. Because of these two diverse thoughts, we are caught in a on-going circle of debate – to reference or not to reference.

Providing inaccurate or inappropriate information or asking inappropriate questions may provide grounds for discrimination, defamation, or invasion of privacy lawsuits. Employers may not ask about or give out information about any of the issues protected by state or federal law. These issues include age, race, religion, national origin, or disability. Also, employers may not give false statements that damage a former employee’s reputation; nor may they provide any embarrassing personal facts.

However, it is important that employers understand they have an obligation to provide information about harmful tendencies and failure to provide that type of information can lead to negligent hiring issues by the new company and lead to claims of misrepresentation.

Many companies skirt the issue by only providing “Name, Rank, and Serial Number”, which is only a verification of title, date of hire and salary or earnings. This approach cannot help the company seeking information and may in fact harm the chances of good employees finding a good job. If the employee cannot find a job, they may file for unemployment, which may affect the old company and add to their unemployment taxes.

What is the answer? Employers can limit their liability and still provide useful information by:

Develop and follow a written policy on reference checking that specifies who may give references, what information may and may not be given, to whom may information be given.
Limit the number of people in your organization who may give references and make sure they are trained in how to give information to others.
Always make sure you have the written consent of the former employee to provide a reference, and if possible indicate that the reference could be based on past performance reviews.
Ask for a written release of liability from the employee (usually provided through the new company) before a reference is given.
Give only truthful, job-related information based on your documented facts.
Do not give references with prejudices or malice and never, ever, make statements about the character of an employee.
Make sure the person you are giving the reference to is authorized to receive it and has a legitimate need for it.
Train those who give and receive reference on how to do it legally and correctly.
Document all reference requests and what information you provided.

Finally, when in doubt, check with your state to see if you are immune to civil liability for good-faith references and if necessary, ask legal counsel for guidance. This would be especially true if there are issues that may seem to be “delicate”. No matter what side of the coin you are on, do your due diligence and check and give references when needed.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Checking and Giving References – Both Sides of the Coin

The Past, Present and Future Workforce

Lola Kakes — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:21:55 +0000

As a “seasoned” Human Resource generalist, it is interesting to listen to all the pundits and professionals talk about the generational differences in the workforce. That is not to belittle the fact that there are generational differences, but I believe most of those differences could be captured and utilized effectively if organizations would look to the past and the present to determine how they will get to the future.

According to business surveys, there are currently 4 generations in the workplace. Those born before 1945 (called Veterans), those born between 1945 and mid-1960 (called Boomers), those born between 1965 and 1980 (known as Gen Xers), and those born after 1980 (either Nexters or Gen Yers). This creates a minimum age span difference of at least 35 years.

This may not seem to be significant by itself, but I remember when I turned 21, I thought 35 was ancient. Now that I am a part of the seasoned generation (also known as the middle of the road between the Veterans and Boomers), 35 is a youngster. What I believe business owners need to understand is how the past that employees and clients bring to the marketplace influences the present and which in turn will influence the future.

The life span of the average individual is much longer today than it was 100 years ago. Moreover, some experts say it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the life span over the next 50 years will increase from the current 75 or 80 years to 100 to 120 years. What does this mean to the workforce of the future? Most likely, it means that individuals will be extending their work years, so the workforce may include not just the 4 generations of today, but 5 generations working together.

If, we as business owners, can prepare our businesses and our staff for the changes in the workplace, the impact on our revenues, our hiring, and our client retention will be better understood. I believe we get to this understanding by remembering where we came from.

The Past

The Veteran generation came out of the depression era and a world war. It was a time when radios ruled the airwaves, telephones were party-lines that you shared with your neighbors, where reading was the norm, and communication was through writing letters. In an office, typewriters were the predominate office equipment and there were no copiers, you made carbon copies when you typed a document. Telephones where managed through the cord systems and most jobs were held by men. Few women worked and usually only before they married. Self-sufficiency was the norm as you learned to make due with what you had. I grew up “poor” but I didn’t know it because everyone else was in the same boat.

The war (WWII) brought the first major changes to the economy and to the workforce. With the men off fighting the war, women became a predominate feature of the workplace. They found they could do the same jobs as the men they replaced and still be a wife, mother, sister, etc. They were the start of the multitasking need in the workforce. WWII and its aftermath brought other changes, such as television, time saving appliances like refrigerators, electric stoves and ovens, washing machines and dryers, mixers, etc. Why were these important? They gave the homemaker free time and with that time came the need to do something – like work. I asked my Mother, on New Year’s Eve 1999, “What was the most important invention of the 20 Century?” I thought the answer would be the computer, microwave, or air travel. Her answer surprised me, as she believed it was the invention of the electric washer and dryer. Laundry day used to be an all day chore with ironing and hand washing. The electric washer and dryer freed up time for the busy homemaker to pursue other avenues, such as working outside the home. Thus the Boomer generation was born.

The Boomers came from a more affluent time, when technology was starting to blossom and that technology brought more time for work and more time for leisure. Vacations, education, and volunteering were a part of the landscape, where they were only for the rich and famous before. This time also brought unrest. Civil rights, politics, assassinations, and riots were also part of the scene. Changes in music – from the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller to Elvis made it difficult for parents and children to communicate. Flower Power was in – much to the dismay of many parents. Reading was still important, but television and movies were there to bring the stories to life. Writing letters was still important to the communication process, however.

In the workplace, the Boomers brought technology to a high place – electric typewriters made life much easier, copiers provided instant renditions of documents without the pain of multiple carbon copies. The old cord switchboards were replaced with PBX systems and at the outer fringes was the unknown computer.

From about 1965 to 1980 saw the biggest technological changes since the Industrial Revolution. These changes are still being felt today. Not only did we set foot on the Moon, we started to look at our quality of life – both in the home and in the office. It was the start of the “Instant” or “Now” generation. We had instant coffee, instant juice, instant news.

The era from 1980 to the new Century brought huge changes – both in our home and work lives. At home, we saw both parents working so the youngsters became self-sufficient and in some cases, selfish. Fast food and fast music became a part of their generation. The technological advances included cell phones, video recorders, television 24 hours a day and most important, the immergence of the computer as a staple in our lives and the introduction to the Internet.

Reading was not as important, as we became a more visual society with block-buster movies and made for TV dramas. Moreover, the art of writing became lost with the use of text messaging and email and Internet websites. This generation of workers saw more family disharmony, less family togetherness and thus, in my estimation, became more self-centered. They wanted to know what was in it for them. They also wanted more “free” time to do what they wanted to do while not at work. Work was not as important to them as having the freedom to take a trip when they wanted. They saw companies lay-off and let go their long-term employees without any obvious concern so they decided they wouldn’t care either.

In the workplace, technology also changed the landscape. Now, typewriters are outdated and computers sit on every desk. Even in the manufacturing environment, computer kiosks are available to check policies, benefits, and other company information. Voice mail and automated telephone systems now rule and even sales clerks in department stores are now Service Centers where the customer goes to get help instead of the sales clerks/representatives seeking the client out to help them.

The Present

All of these generations bring us to the here and now – the Present. How we interact with one another, both from a family perspective and from a work perspective, are part of what generation we are coming from. Veterans and Boomers are more inclined to tell stories and listen carefully. GenXers and Yers are more self-centered and independent. One generation wants to tell the other generation how to do something (like it use to be done in the past) and the new generation doesn’t want to take advantage of the past history – they want to do it themselves.

The biggest problem is that while the new generation will probably find their way to get it done, and will get it done beautifully, if they would just take time to listen to the older generation they might get it done more timely and efficiently.

The present workplace is full of technological advances. These advances have allowed workplaces to become more flexible and to even provide opportunities for working from home (in some cases). The Internet has changed our approach to sales and marketing as more and more people use the Internet for their personal shopping mall. It has also brought frustration in that you can find it difficult to speak to a real person as you keep pushing numbers to try to get customer satisfaction.

Because of the generational differences in the home and workplace, there doesn’t seem to be as much loyalty as there was during the Veterans and Boomers era. Employment during those years was for life, while the average time with a company today is anywhere from three to 5 years. Workers today may have as many as three different careers in their life. There is more emphasis put on the work/life balance than ever before.

The workers of today are more concerned about the environment and what they and their organization need to do to go green. While we are not in a worldwide war, we are in conflicts around the world. Both sets of parents probably still need to work, but the care of the children and the home are being shared by the parents.

The Future

The education of the youth of today, who will become tomorrow’s workforce, is in dire need of an overhaul. The reading, writing and arithmetic philosophy need to be reestablished. Text messaging a report in the office will not cut it. Technology will continue to change the environment in which we live and work. However, in order to succeed, the generations need to stop and talk to one another and to understand where they are coming from.

Business owners need to be able to identify the different skills that the generations have and to utilize them more efficiently and effectively. This will not only benefit the organization, but will help the workers get along better and thus be able to help one another adjust to the changes they encounter.

The GenXers, GenYers and the Newbies (those born after 2000 that are not yet in the workplace) have to keep in mind; someday they too will be the seasoned worker, dealing with those pesky youngsters. And, those pesky youngsters will have the opportunity to learn from the past as they deal with the present and get ready for the future.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | The Past, Present and Future Workforce

Top 10 List to Avoid Litigation

Lola Kakes — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:31:37 +0000

Many employers are looking for tips and advice to survive the maze of employment issues that come with having employees. While there are many important factors to consider, the following is my Top 10 List of ways to avoid litigation.

Take a good hard look at your employment application, as well as all other employment work related documents that an outsider may look at and say the documents seem to be biased or slanted.
Your applications and any offer of employment should not only outline the job but should be signed, so make sure you have the candidate sign both of them.
Do not hire over-qualified individuals as they will most likely become bored and will probably not stay engaged. On the flip side, don’t hire under-qualified individuals if you don’t have a way to bring them up to the standards you are working at or if you cannot train them effectively.
Insure against charges of “I was never told” by requiring every new employee have an orientation that includes the reading of the company employee manual and the signing of an acknowledgement form.
Let employees know that you want to hear their complaints and want to resolve any problems in a timely manner by letting them know the company communiction process .
Put in place a formal review program and commit to it. Don’t rush through the process and hand out ineffective evaluations, but be honest and help develop the employee’s performance.
If it becomes necessary to discipline or terminate an employee, make sure you review his or her personnel file and look at length of service, other infractions, how their evaluations have been in the past, and how serious is the infraction they are being disciplined for now.
Be especially careful if you are going to be laying off employees. You need to consider the age, sex, or race of those being laid off and if your company is of a certain size (100 employees) you may be required to follow government layoff requirements, also known as WARN.
Respect and courtesy go a long way in fending off litigation. Treat your employees the way you wish to be treated.
When in doubt, get professional assistance from an employment lawyer. Most offer free or reduced fee consultations and may be able to help you in your quest to stay out of court.

There are probably many more tips. If you have more, please share them with us.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Top 10 List to Avoid Litigation

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