EffortlessHR Blog » Business Planning

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.

Searches for this article:

Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Back To School – Already?!

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)

Searches for this article:

Source:

Effortless HR Software

HR Blog

Do We Need Succession Planning?

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.

Searches for this article:

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.

Searches for this article:

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

How to Re-motivate Employees Back to Work After A Holiday Weekend?

Elsa Hidalgo — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:06:47 +0000

With Labor Day on the way and summer behind us, employers and employees alike look forward to a long weekend holiday. It’s so easy to motivate your employees to get their work done before a long holiday weekend. The good feeling of self appreciation for emptying out that big pile in your in basket and knowing that as we leave at the end of the week, we will start out fresh when we return to work next week.

But when we get back to work that following week, we just can’t seem to get ourselves motivated to get back in the work groove. Just remember this one simple rule – to stay positive. You can get any job done when you set your mind to it.

Searches for this article:

Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | How to Re-motivate Employees Back to Work After A Holiday Weekend?

Starting a New Business in a Recession

Ellen Kirton — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:54 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Is this the time to start a new business?

Having been a banker for over 35 years, I can tell you that some of the best companies were started during a recession because they addressed a need during an economic downturn that continued to be successful even as the economy rebounded. One such type company is the employee placement companies. When companies have to downsize and cannot keep on skilled individuals on a full time basis or pay them benefits, then employment agencies are an ideal answer to meeting the needs of completing a job without their having to have a full time employee. When the job is done, the temporary employee is returned to the agency until needed again.

When I would lend money to businesses, one of the areas I would review is the company’s ability to withstand a recession. What was especially effective was a company’s ability to expand and contract according to impending business. Another would be if they were in a commodity market where they sold a high priced product that was discretionary and therefore would have difficult times during an economic crisis.

If you are starting a new business like Lola Kakes did with EffortlessHR, have you considered it’s relevance in a recessionary market Is your product affordable, does it fill an important niche such as being an alternative to a higher priced product or service out there. In the case of EffortlessHR, timing works because it is an affordable product, internet based, starting at as little as $24.95 a month.

Why does this work Because it helps small business owners to replace what some business owners are spending hundreds of dollars for in HR processing and employment management and retention. That makes sense.

A very good example of an existing company taking advantage of the difficulties of one of the kind of companies that has a high priced product, is McDonalds coming out with a premium coffee that is half the price of Starbucks. Brilliant timing! Many are saying, I’ll have McDonalds during the week and treat myself on the weekend to Starbucks so I can put gas in my tank.

What is your idea?

Considering how much you’re spending for gas and food right now, would you spend money on what you’re proposing to sell?

Would it work now and when we have an upward turn?

It is especially compelling if you were in corporate America and was laid off and said to yourself, this is the time to go out on my own. While that is true and the majority of businesses being started today are small businesses, be sure you have the right ingredients for success in this economic environment.

Also see our friend Chris Brogan’s article on how being a small business is a weapon and Seth Godin’s great article on why small businesses should not whine.

Searches for this article:

Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Starting a New Business in a Recession

EffortlessHR Blog » Business Planning

Back To School – Already?!

Searches for this article:

Do We Need Succession Planning?

Related articles by Zemanta

Related Articles

Searches for this article:

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

Searches for this article:

The Importance of Employee Management

Searches for this article:

How to Re-motivate Employees Back to Work After A Holiday Weekend?

Searches for this article:

Starting a New Business in a Recession

Searches for this article: