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  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 12/17/2012 • 1 Comments

    3 Building Blocks for Employee Engagement

    The National Conference Center recently released news about the value of employee recognition, training and development and developing credible leadership.

    “For every employer, being ‘engaged’ could translate into any number of different things,” said National Conference Center General Manager Kurt Krause. “When we analyzed our top accounts at The National Conference Center, we saw a trend in training and development—78 percent of the programs from our top 30 accounts focus on training.”

    The organization offers three building blocks of an engaged workforce.

    Employee recognition—According to Fred Lang, a former chief learning officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce, “Valuing [an employee’s] skills and talents is one of the greatest retention tools.” Employees receive a confidence boost from in-person coaching that enables them to improve their skills and develop new ones. When managers recognize skills that employees aren’t utilizing, training can be offered to improve and develop those skills that boost employee engagement and, as a result, can increase company financial performance.

    Training and development—On-going training throughout an individual’s career provides them with the tools they need to succeed. Margie Kersten, a learning leader at Ernst & Young, says one long-term company benefit is that participants who receive training feel more connected to co-workers who are also in training. As a result, they are more engaged in their work, invested in the company and much more likely to stay. 

    Credible leadership—What makes a leader credible? Someone who is trained on business policies, ethics and has the skills to lead the organization to success. Every senior-level executive needs the skills and leadership abilities to be an effective manager, and in turn, ensure satisfied and engaged employees. While identifying future leaders within the organization is an important practice Lang believes in, he explains that you cannot identify people for high-level leadership positions and expect them to automatically possess the skills and leadership abilities required of them. Lang insists, “You have to start lower. Leaders are leaders, but some of the leadership skills can be learned from other organizations that do it well.”

    How are you creating an engaged workforce at your business? Please let us know in the comments.

    (Story materials from the National Conference Center.)



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 10/16/2012 • 2 Comments

    A Job is Valued if it Aligns With One's Signature Strengths

    Character strengths can be defined as morally positively valued attributes, such as self-control, teamwork and friendliness. Strengths that are peculiar to a person and frequently used by individuals are called signature strengths. Each person typically has three to seven. For the first time, Claudia Harzer and Willibald Ruch from the Department of Personality Psychology and Diagnostics at the University of Zurich have shown in two studies that a job is particularly valued if it aligns with one's signature strengths. In fact, employees will have a more positive work experience due to enjoyment, sense of purpose and satisfaction.

    In the first study, Harzer and Ruch surveyed more than 1,000 workers about the expression of their character strengths, whether they are able to apply these strengths at work and how positively they experience their work. In their second study, besides self-assessments the scientists also analyzed how the test subjects' colleagues rate the applicability of the character strengths.

    The degree of positive experiences increases with the number of signature strengths applied. In both studies, people who are able to apply four or more signature strengths at work have the highest values in terms of positive experience. They enjoy work more, are more wrapped up in it, perceive their work as more meaningful and are more satisfied with their job. These people also perceive their work more as a calling than people who are able to apply three signature strengths or fewer in the workplace.

    The researcher's findings provide insights that might be useful for the selection of personnel, human resources development and workplace design.

    "If it is clarified which character strengths are central for the job before a position is filled, a person can be recruited based on these strengths," Harzer said. "Employers and employees only stand to benefit from this.

    (Story materials via the University of Zurich and AlphaGalileo.)



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 06/22/2012 • 1 Comments

    Social Media Use Can Help You Get Promoted

    I'm noticing more and more meeting professionals using social media tools every day, and it makes my heart go pitter patter. When used well, these tools can accentuate face-to-face relationships. 

    They can also help you get promoted. 

    According to recent Google research on how social tools are being used in the European business world, 86 percent of frequent users have recently been promoted, with 72 percent saying that they are likely to be promoted. Compare those numbers to 61 percent and 39 percent, respectively, of non-users. 

    Furthermore, more than a third (38 percent) of social media users are very satisfied with their jobs compared to 18 percent of non-users. 

    “It says something about the organisation; often a sign of confidence in the employee that they may make free use of Internet and social media, people thrive better in their environment and they will therefore work faster and more efficiently,” said a junior executive frequent user from the Netherlands in the report.

    Social media is primarily about connections, so it's no surprise that companies encouraging social media use are finding success. 

    "High growth companies are also significantly more likely than others to be using social tools to improve quality of work and enhance creativity and innovation, highlighting the role social tools can play in helping employees to generate new ideas and to take a fresh approach to the way they collaborate with colleagues," the researchers said in the report. "Most organisations now appreciate the need to embrace social media to communicate, market and sell; perhaps now is the time for a similar revolution to take place as regards the use of social tools within the workplace; to grab the opportunity to improve and enhance internal processes and attract and retain the best talent."

    Are you a frequent social media user? How do you use the tools? Does your company encourage social media use? 

    (Hat tip to Mamta Saha at TechRepublic for making known the research.)



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 03/21/2012 • 0 Comments

    Corporate Executive: Not a Desired Job Anymore

    We talk a lot about getting a seat at the table, being part of the C-suite, etc. However, maybe we should be talking more about how to be an entrepreneur or freelance worker. 

    According to a survey of more than 1,000 people, more than half aspired to be entrepreneurs or work as an independent, while not a single respondent aspired to be a corporate executive.

    The results of the Intelligent Office survey point to an evolution of work styles and the development of a different type of worker that is defined by a desire for mobility and flexibility typically found in the entrepreneur and/or independent business owner.

    “We believe there is a paradigm shift happening in our culture as it relates to work style,” said Tom Camplese, COO for Intelligent Office. “We have been watching this shift take place over the course of the last few years at Intelligent Office by talking with entrepreneurs, business owners, and mobile executives on a daily basis. The Work IQ survey put this into hard numbers.”

    Additional highlights include:

    • Nearly 65 percent of survey participants desire to work as an entrepreneur or independent
    • 61 percent of people surveyed desire more flexible work hours than the traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • People are looking for a new balance—work hard/play hard; Nearly half of the respondents want a work hard/play hard work-life balance
    • Technology remains an invaluable resource to more than 45 percent of the respondents
    • Overwhelmingly, people aspire to have more mobility in their work life
    • 66 percent responded that they aspire to have a laptop or tablet that affords them freedom and mobility

    “What we continue to hear from people is that they increasingly need and expect services that will help them grow and be more successful, but they want those services to match this new work style—flexible and mobile,” Camplese said. “Overall, they are seeking more balance and freedom in everything, including the services that support their business efforts.”

    Do you agree with these findings? Would you rather be an entrepreneur/independent than a member of the C-suite? Or maybe that decision isn't mutually exclusive? Please let us know in the comments.  



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 03/07/2012 • 0 Comments

    Follow This Advice If You Want Unhappy Employees

    The Washington Post published an interesting story yesterday: "How to completely, utterly destroy an employee's work life." 

    Yesss...go on...

    Teresa Amabile, a professor and director of research at Harvard Business School, and Steven Kramer, a developmental psychologist and researcher, have studied for more than 15 years what makes people happy and engaged at work. In turn, they learned how to keep them unhappy. 

    The No. 1 way to make employees miserable is to keep them from making progress in meaningful work.

    "People want to make a valuable contribution, and feel great when they make progress toward doing so," Amabile and Kramer wrote. "Knowing this progress principle is the first step to knowing how to destroy an employee’s work life."  

    Another way to wreck an employee's work life is to block progress on projects. 

    "Every day, you’ll see dozens of ways to inhibit substantial forward movement on your subordinates’ most important efforts," Amabile and Kramer wrote. "Goal-setting is a great place to start. Give conflicting goals, change them as frequently as possible, and allow people no autonomy in meeting them."

    If you're truly devious and you want to destroy your employees' work lives, check out the story for more ways to do so. 

    Have you done these things to your employees (not on purpose, of course)? Have you had these things done to you? Please let us know in the comments.  



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 02/27/2012 • 0 Comments

    Many Employees Want More Involvement in Company Decisions

    Transparency was the flavor-of-the-month a few years ago until it got pushed out of the way by concepts like collaboration and innovation. Even though executives may not care as much about transparency, it's still important to lower-level employees. 

    In fact, many employees feel their organization’s workplace practices are ineffective—an assertion supported by 44 percent of a recent Fierce Inc. survey of more than 800 corporate executives, employees and educators across a wide variety of industries. Respondents claim that their company’s best practices actually hinder employee productivity and morale. Another 47 percent reported that their organization’s current practices consistently get in the way of desired results, rather than optimize the overall success of the business—a primary function that a company’s best practices are meant to fulfill.

    While these practices are established with the best intentions, it’s clear that most are missing the mark when it comes to supporting the needs of their workforce. When asked which practices hold their organization back, nearly 50 percent of respondents identified a lack of company-wide transparency and too little involvement in company decisions as key areas of concern. In addition, nearly half of survey respondents identified the most beneficial practices as those that encouraged accountability, development and individual empowerment within the organization. It’s clear that in order to implement practices that are beneficial to the individual—as well as the organization as a whole—companies must foster an environment where individual efficacy is encouraged and where communication is both elicited and valued.

    While the survey supports the notion that today’s employees are seeking transparency within their organization, it doesn’t stop there. The results also indicate a widespread desire for businesses to elicit diverse opinions from all members of the organization around which company practices need to be modified or adjusted, such as:

    • 70 percent of respondents said they would candidly approach decision-makers within their organization if they felt that a company practice needed to be re-evaluated or adjusted.
    • Among respondents who reported limited benefits from their organization’s current practices, less than one third felt that their company was willing to change practices based on employee input and feedback.

    “These widely accepted practices are not only ineffective, they are costing our companies billions of dollars, driving away our most valuable employees and customers, limiting performance and stalling careers,” said Halley Bock, CEO of Fierce Inc. “This survey should encourage managers to question the practices in place and actively engage their staff in creating new policies that are geared more toward transparency and employee empowerment.”

    Does your company promote transparency? How are employees empowered at your workplace? Please let us know in the comments. 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 02/23/2012 • 2 Comments

    I Have This Great Idea! Are You Listening?

    I would say that I'm an ideas man. I have tons of them, and I'm not afraid to share my work-related ones with my boss. 

    Apparently, I'm not alone, because  most employees claim they regularly propose ideas to their boss, according to a survey by Right Management. Half of the survey respondents claim to make 20 or more suggestions each year and another quarter between 10 and 20. 

    The survey was conducted in January and February, and 497 North American workers responded to the question:

    How often do you offer suggestions to your boss at work?

    • 54 percent—More than 20 suggestions each year
    • 24 percent—Between 10 and 20 each year
    • 15 percent—Fewer than 10 each year
    • 7 percent—I don’t offer suggestions at work

    “Despite research that indicates workers are disengaged, on the whole they want to be helpful and have their say on issues or problems that arise in the workplace” said Monika Morrow, senior vice president of Career Management for Right Management, which provides talent, career and outplacement services to Fortune 500 companies. “We find again and again that employees want to contribute. By making suggestions they demonstrate that they’re thinking about getting the job done, and done well.”

    Morrow advises employers to take advantage of workers’ ideas. 

    “Of course, the boss has to judge which suggestions are worthwhile, but employee concern or enthusiasm should be encouraged and their willingness to participate in problem solving is the sign of a healthy workplace,” she said.

    At a time when many employees feel stifled in their job, it is even more important that employers show that they are listening. 

    “Make sure employees know they have a voice and a say in what happens at work," she said. "Be proactive in seeking their input and sharing ideas. It should be more than a gesture, but a genuine effort to reach out. Tap them for fresh ideas that could improve productivity or customer service.”

    The best employers know how to unleash the potential in people, Morrow says. 

    “This is a crucial management skill when talent so often is what provides a company with its competitive advantage,” she said.

    What about you? Do you offer up lots of ideas throughout the year? Do you feel that your ideas are listened to and seriously considered? What's the best idea you have for our industry? Please let us know in the comments. Thank you.



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 02/16/2012 • 0 Comments

    Most Employees Participate in Sweethearting

    Humans have bartered with each other for thousands of years, so it's not surprising that almost 70 percent of U.S. service employees trade or give away goods and services, which costs companies billions of dollars a year, according to a new study out of Michigan State University (MSU).

    Clay Voorhees, study co-author and a MSU assistant professor of marketing, says one of the best ways to combat this illegal practice (called “sweethearting”) is through better job candidate screening.

    “Our results show that by adding a few screening questions that focus on the potential employee’s risk-taking, ethics and need for social acceptance, employers could identify ‘bad apples’ up front and simply avoid hiring them,” Voorhees said. “In the long run, this approach would address the issue.”

    In the short term, Voorhees says, education and training are needed about the ramifications of sweethearting and how it damages a firm. 

    “Simply reminding individuals of their ethical obligations can greatly reduce deviant behavior,” he said.

    The study, which will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Marketing, is the first to look at sweethearting specifically. Voorhees co-authored the study with Michael Brady and Michael Brusco of Florida State University.

    Employee theft costs U.S. firms about $200 billion a year—40 percent of which stems from sweethearting, according to previous research.

    Voorhees and colleagues surveyed nearly 800 service employees and customers in restaurants, hotels, car washes, cable television installation and repair companies, tanning salons and other retailers and service providers.

    Some 67 percent of respondents said they had participated in sweethearting in the past two months. Many employees surveyed said they were motivated by the prospect of receiving better tips and similar sweetheart deals at the customer’s place of business (“tit-for-tat”).

    “I was surprised by how pervasive this behavior was across a wide range of service industries,” Voorhees said. “I fully expected to see this behavior in bars and restaurants, but I was surprised at how prevalent it was in industries like retail, sports and recreation, and even with insurance claims.”

    So, meeting industry professionals, is sweethearting a rampant issue? Do you consider it bad? Do you practice it yourself? Please let us know in the comments.

    (Story materials provided by Michigan State University.)



  • Posted by Marj Atkinson at
    12:00AM 07/06/2011 • 0 Comments

    Employee Perks Prove Beneficial

    In a recent article by Amy Winter on creators.com, she notes that perks really do make a difference. Top incentives to keep top talent include: "performance bonuses, 401(k) with employer contribution, vacation/personal time, flexible schedules, health/wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, telecommuting or onsite child care/subsidized child care." These are important to not only current employees, but future ones. She gives tips on how to find out about a company and its benefits before the interview.

    What are ways you find and keep top talent? 



  • Posted by Jason Hensel at
    12:00AM 06/05/2011 • 3 Comments

    Happy Employees = Loyal Customers

    It amazes me that research is still being done on the long-term value of employee satisfaction in relation to a company's profitably. Apparently, though, not enough CEOs and managers are getting the message, and until they do, then please bring on more research and proof. 

    Consider a new study from the University of Missouri, which has found that CEOs who pay attention to employees’ job satisfaction are able to boost both customer satisfaction and “repurchase intentions,” or the number of customers that intend to purchase products from the store.

    “You might think that as an owner, you only need to pay attention to the customers, providing them with what they want. Yet, we found that keeping your employees satisfied with their work experience, providing them with challenges and allowing them to have a sense of ownership in the business can have a tremendous effect on customer satisfaction and loyalty,” said Christopher Groening, assistant professor of marketing in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business. “The link between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is almost twice as strong when you have high employee satisfaction compared to when they are not satisfied with their jobs. This double-positive finding stands in contrast to the idea that a firm can neglect to satisfy their employees as long as they pursue customer satisfaction.”

    While Groening and co-authors Heiner Evanschitzky from Aston Business School in the U.K., Vikas Mittal from Rice University and Maren Wunderlich from T-Mobile International studied a large franchise, they believe the results would be comparable with a business of any size. In their study, the research team reviewed a European retail franchise system that has approximately 300 outlets with 933 employees and more than 20,700 customers. Satisfaction data was obtained from employees and customers regarding either working for or buying from the business. The study was published this month in the Journal of Service Research.

    “This is not a one-way street where companies implement policies and can expect to experience gains solely through customer service,” Groening said. “The relationships among the CEO, the employees and the customers are all linked. It’s important for CEOs to know that they can have a large impact on customer service without ever talking with a customer or implementing a new customer service policy.”

    Following his study, Groening recommends the following actions, based on answers from the employee survey questions, to increase employee satisfaction:

    • Train and empower employees so they have the tools to make decisions. This allows them to make decisions that are beneficial for the company and each individual customer–instead of following a simple flowchart and possibly upsetting a customer with the final outcome.
    • Hire managers who serve as examples and also can be mentors with employees. If a company policy is established, it should be honored by managers as well as employees. Additionally, managers should help employees know what is expected in order to advance in the company.
    • Create good working atmospheres. Offer incentives or intangible benefits, such as flexible working hours, if possible.

    “While many of these actions might seem like common sense, they can be very difficult to maintain,” Groening said. “It’s also very important to hire the right people in management positions who will take part in these activities–for example, serving as mentors–or employers might have difficulty meeting their goals.”

    (Story materials provided by the University of Missouri.)