HR Forum: employee productivity

Showing posts with label employee productivity. Show all posts

Paid sick leave gets a healthy boost in Seattle

Seattle, a city famous for its coffee, alternative music scene and three seasons of rain just added another distinction to its list. This week, the Seattle City Council approved a bill requiring businesses with at least five employees to provide paid sick leave, starting in September 2012.

This makes Seattle the third city in the U.S. (after San Francisco and Washington, D.C.) to mandate paid sick days for employees to care for themselves or a family member when ill. The amount of paid sick days depends on the size of the business, as follows:

5-49 employees: at least five days
50-249 employees: at least seven days
250+ employees: at least nine days

Businesses with fewer than five employees are exempt, as well as businesses less than two years old. Otherwise, workers can start using their accrued paid time off after a six-month waiting period.

As you would expect, some people are giving the bill a thumbs up while others are less than enthusiastic.Councilmember Nick Licata, who sponsored the legislation, feels the bill is a positive, both for businesses and employees:

"It's wrong that someone has to choose between going to work sick or losing pay," Licata says. Seattle Times

Supporters add that paid sick days protect public health, help increase worker productivity and reduce turnover.

The dissenters, however, are concerned that the new paid sick leave requirements will put a strain on businesses already struggling with a weakened economy. One business consultant cautioned, "You're making it more expensive to do business and more difficult to create jobs."

Where does your business stand regarding paid sick leave? Check out this previous post for additional insight.

Time-management tips for working smarter, not harder

As a hard-working professional, you’re so busy you probably don’t even have time to read this post. But here’s why you should:

With some tweaks to your time-management tactics, you can stop feeling overworked and overwhelmed and start gaining some much-needed control in the office.

Let’s take a few minutes (just a few!) to explore some valuable tips and tricks:

Did you know … 43% of Americans consider themselves disorganized, and 21% have missed vital work deadlines? Nearly half say disorganization forces them to work late at least two times a week.

What you can do:

Write everything down. Don’t keep your to-do list bottled up inside. Write everything down and post your list in a highly visible place on your desk.

Prioritize your tasks. Put your to-do list in order, with the most important tasks at the top of the list. Knowing your priorities will help you focus more on what matters and less on what could wait until later.

Group like tasks together. It’s easier and faster to do similar jobs while you’re in that particular mental mode. Read and answer email in batches; make several phone calls at one sitting; allocate part of the day for writing and editing reports.

Just do it. If something on your to-do list can be completed within two minutes, do it right then and there. Completing the easiest tasks first will quickly eliminate tasks from your list and make you feel like there’s less on your plate.

Find your best time to work. Everyone has a part of the day where they get the most done in the least amount of time. Work on the most important tasks during the time of the day when you are most productive. You’ll produce better work, faster.

Take a break. Give yourself a break from time to time. When you start feeling stressed or tired, get up and take a walk. Whether it’s to the break room or around the building, a quick walk will help clear your mind and improve your personal productivity back at your desk.

Did you know … On a typical day, office workers are interrupted about seven times an hour (or 56 interruptions day), 80% of which are considered trivial?

What you can do:

Guard yourself. Avoid distractions at all cost. Shut the door to your office, schedule a meeting with yourself or put on headphones to block out any unnecessary distractions.

Build in some “buffer time.” Inserting a few minutes of buffer time between scheduled meetings and tasks helps you deal with emergencies and interruptions without falling too far behind.

Anticipate and avoid time-wasting encounters. This means, for example, holding stand-up meetings that discourage people from hanging out afterward; meeting with colleagues in their work area, which makes it easier to depart; setting up a prearranged signal to have an assistant interrupt a long-winded visitor or telephone caller; and using a vacant office or other space to do important work without being interrupted.

Manage the email onslaught. Consider turning off the email notification feature, check email only when you’re ready (and at set times of the day) and manage client and coworker expectations regarding your response (a 24-hour turnaround time is acceptable in most cases.) In more demanding situations, simply let the emailer know you got the message and are working on an answer/response.

Be aware. Do your best to focus on one task at a time and to fully engage in the activity. The more “centered” and less distracted you are, the more you will be able to accomplish.

The high cost of gas ... on our pocketbooks and our productivity

Soaring gas prices are a real pain. Not only on our personal finances ("can I afford this week's groceries AND a full tank of gas?"), but also on workplace morale. Not seeing the connection? The following article from G.Neil's HR Library sheds some light on the subject:

Most employers know about the impact of poor employee motivation, lacking of rewards or communication problems on employee morale and productivity. But have you factored in the price at the gas pump?

High gas prices are not only draining employees’ pocketbooks, but also their work productivity, according to Florida State University (FSU) researchers. In 2008, studies at FSU showed that the more employees must pay out at the gas pump, the more stressed they are at work, says Wayne Horchwarter, the Jim Moran Professor of Management at Florida State University’s College of Business.

Three years later, in an economy where job losses, underemployment and flat wages have hurt employee buying power even more, Dr. Horchwater's findings are even more significant. So what an employer to do?

Get creative with the high cost of employee commuting

The average commute time to work in this country is about 42 minutes. Double that to account for the trip home at the end of the day, and you have just under an hour and a half of non-productive employee time spent getting to and from work. And a lot of gas money.

For many employees, work means sitting in a an office or cubicle working on a computer monitor. So why all that driving? Habit. Tradition. Fear of loss of control. Maybe it's time to let those excuses go.

If your employees are suffering with the high cost of commuting, consider letting them work remotely two or three days a week. The savings in gas and auto wear-and-tear will feel like a raise to struggling employees. And your company will save on electricity, plus reap a reward in increase employee motivation and morale.

Flex your corporate muscles - and the schedule

In some businesses, being in a certain place at a certain time is critical. But does everyone have to start and end during rush hour? Offering employees the option of starting and ending before or after rush hour could save them money at the pump. Less sitting in traffic means a shorter commute and better gas mileage - a double win for employees hungry for fatter wallets and more time with family and friends. And a win for your company as employee motivation and morale starts to rise.

Pay salaries employees for work completed, not seats warmed

If a salaried employee comes in and works 14 hours on Monday, and 14 hours on Tuesday, and 14 hours on Wednesday, and gets everything on their plate completed, why are you making them come in on Thursday and Friday? Stop looking at work as hours on the job, or days of the week, and consider letting exempt employees work on a project basis instead. Apple, Google, Microsoft and other leaders in thought and technology work this way, so why not your company? Employees who are allowed to work on projects rather than hours report higher company loyalty, higher levels of employee motivation, and higher levels of productivity. And that doesn't even take into account the day or two a week of savings on gas and tolls.

If employee motivation matters, show it

When real buying power is dropping - and employee motivation and productivity is falling with it - employers need to address the problem. And when raises and bonuses aren't on the table, make sure something creative takes their place. Your business could depend on it.

Are your employees a good investment?

I know that no one likes to be thought of as "just a number" and that we talk a lot about morale, mood and other feel-good aspects of the workplace on this blog. But at the end of the day, a business needs to make money - and if its employees aren't contributing to the bottom line, there's a problem.

The term ROI - return on investment - is bandied about quite often in financial circles. But what if you applied this same formula to your company's personnel? How valuable is Ken, Katie and Karl to your business compared to the cost of employing them (salary, benefits and other company-provided perks)? Do your employees' contributions outweigh the cost of keeping them on board?

While it's not always easy to put a dollar sign on a person's efforts and achievements, it can be an interesting exercise - whether at review time or any time.

For example, is Ken in sales securing enough sales to cover his costs? While he may be pulling in great numbers, if his sales are spread around to multiple customers and require you to hire additional customer service representatives, his value isn't as strong.

Or how about Katie, the customer service advisor who's great with her team but moody on the phone? If her snarky attitude has caused a handful of customers to take their business elsewhere, her value suddenly drops. How much did each of these customers spend a year - profit that you lost?

Then there's Karl in the warehouse. He's a solid, hard-working guy, but a bit accident prone. In three years, he's been in two workplace accidents that involved lengthy and costly workers' compensation claims. Your investment in Karl, then, involves more than just his hourly wages.

When it comes right down to it, you're looking at the same qualities you typically consider: attitude and actions. The difference with ROI is whether those qualities are advancing the success of your business, making each employee a worthwhile investment. Ideally, your employees bring in a positive ROI, making your "personnel" portfolio as robust as your personal financial investments.

Why it's just as important to dole out the praise as it is the pay

We’re all too familiar with the saying “Money can’t buy happiness.” Well, it seems this sentiment is as true in the workplace as it is in our personal lives. Just as a bigger house, car or flat-screen TV can’t define our happiness at home, neither can a bigger paycheck, bonus or raise at the office.

What does bring more satisfaction, according to a recent McKinsey Quarterly global survey, is praise from our superiors. Recognition and support go a long way toward boosting an employee’s self esteem, building confidence and enhancing performance. Those are huge positives that, thankfully, don’t cost your recession-challenged business a lot of money!

Salary isn't everything

Conducted in June 2009, the McKinsey survey garnered responses from more than 1,000 executives, managers and employees from around the world (and representing a range of industries).

The survey posed the question, “Which incentives do you find boost employee morale and productivity most?” The answers were:

• Praise and commendation from immediate managers – 67%
• Attention from leaders – 63%
• Opportunities to lead projects or task forces – 62%
• Performance-based cash bonuses – 60%
• Increased base pay – 52%
• Stock or stock options – 35%

As the report outlining the survey results explains: “The respondents view three noncash motivators … as no less or even more effective motivators than the three highest-rated financial incentives. The survey’s top three nonfinancial motivators play critical roles in making employees feel that their companies value them, take their well-being seriously, and strive to create opportunities for career growth.”

How to keep employees engaged

The results of this survey are good news for cash-strapped employers still crawling out from under the recent economic downturn. “There couldn’t be a better time to reinforce more cost-effective approaches,” explains the report. Money’s traditional role as the dominant motivator in the workplace is taking a back seat to more intrinsic benefits.

So how do you act on this important message and motivate employees to give their best? Here are some simple, low-cost employee recognition ideas to enhance job satisfaction and performance:

Make a note of it
A hand-written thank you note shows you valued a person’s work enough to take time out of your day to acknowledge it. It’s a simple gesture with great impact. For even more impact, mail a card or letter home so the employee can share the praise with family members.

Point out employees publicly
Use a public forum, such as a staff meeting, to recognize excellent performance, so an employee’s moment in the spotlight is shared with others. Look for other creative ideas for employee recognition, such as company newsletters, intranets or even articles in local newspapers.

Little things mean a lot
It’s great to recognize the "big wins," but it’s also important to call attention to the everyday achievements. Reward employees for their “quieter” contributions with a thank you note and if the budget will allow, something extra like a store gift card, desktop award or free lunch.

Encourage peer recognition
Implement a program in which employees recognize one another. One version of this could be a "Pay It Forward" type of award in which the first employee who receives the award identifies the next employee who deserves the award.

Create a work environment that supports achievement
Display inspirational and motivational posters on the wall, introduce team-building or motivational games as a part of staff meetings, and provide occasional social events on company time to strengthen camaraderie among employees and management.

Keep in mind, too, that most employees enjoy new, challenging opportunities. Avoid micromanaging employees so they’ll gain a sense of control and mastery with their work, and involve them in (or have them lead) fresh projects that will expand their skills and stretch them creatively.

When the bride-to-be is busy planning her wedding on work time

I ran across an article on msnbc.msn.com that I found particularly interesting. First, because summer is a busy season for weddings and second, because I’ve known a few women who became a tad obsessed planning their walk down the aisle.

According to a survey of 1,000 women by TheKnot.com, WeddingChannel.com and ForbesWoman.com, brides-to-be spend about 10 hours a week planning their wedding – and nearly 30 percent of it is done at work.

But apparently it’s all in the name of multi-tasking. While nine out of 10 women who participated in the survey admitted to making wedding plans on company time, only a third felt their work was negatively affected.

Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of TheKnot.com, says that lunch time and Mondays are particularly busy times on her wedding planning website.

Cause for concern … or let it go?

OK, so what’s an employer or manager to do when Megan is more concerned about the bridesmaids’ dresses, guest list and floral arrangements than the latest workplace project or report?

If you feel the same way as Carley Roney, the answer may be to “not sweat it” because the productivity will come back that much stronger after the nuptials.

"Post wedding, people become much more serious and focused. They are saving for
homes, so they're not in the mind of changing jobs as much because they're very
focused on what their goals are ahead," says Roney.

So what do you think? Have you ever had to intervene because an employee was more concerned about her wedding than her work? Are weddings an inevitable productivity drainer – or can the bride-to-be strike a healthy balance and stay on task?

You've got mail? Save it for later!

So how many e-mails do you receive in a day? And how much time do you devote to these and other electronic intrusions?

According to an msnbc.com article, "Blunt the e-mail interruption assault", the average desk-bound worker loses 2.1 hours of productivity every day to interruptions and distractions, largely in the form of e-mail alerts, instant messages, buzzing BlackBerrys and cell phones. And the intrusions are nearly constant. Based on research by RescueTime, a firm that develops time-management software, a typical office employee checks e-mail 50 times a day and uses instant messaging 70 times.

And you know the next part: Time is money. Some experts estimate that e-mail overload can cost large companies up to $1 billion a year in lost productivity. The interruptions pull employees from the task at hand, chipping away at their attention spans, increasing stress and diminishing job satisfaction and creativity.

Then there’s the myth of multitasking. It’s not always the sign of a hard-working, hyper-efficient employee. Rather, science tells us that trying to tackle two or more thinking tasks at once (such as reading e-mail while on the phone with a client) taxes the brain, causes mistakes and can lead to burnout.

So what can you do to slow down the electronic onslaught and encourage employees to step out of their electronic bubble? Here are some suggestions:

=> A high-tech software company created Quiet Time, where the engineers work alone for four hours in the morning, with no message and phone contact allowed.

=> Companies like U.S. Cellular and Deloitte & Touche promote less e-mail use, encourage more face-to-face contact and have developed programs like “no e-mail Friday”

=> Put yourself on an electronic diet, only checking e-mails manually at your desktop and only three or four times a day at prescribed hours

=> Ask your staff to communicate with you by phone and to think twice before sending e-mail unless it’s important that the information be in writing (if you’re only checking e-mail a few times a day, your staff will learn not to expect an instant reply)

Morale, Schmorale -- Why treating employees badly now will hurt your business later

We all know the job market is a mess.

People with Masters degrees and years of experience are competing for entry level contract temp positions that used to go to college students looking to pick up some resume lines between their junior and senior year. Staffing levels at most companies are at all-time lows. And sales? Oh, let's not even go there.

By all accounts, this looks like a buyer's market when it comes to hiring and retaining talented employees. After all, where are they going to go if they express their discontent and write out that two week notice?

The answer may be "No where." And you may have them by the ... well, you know. But that's only for now. But like the proverbial elephant who never forgets, the mistreated, misused or abused employee will keep those memories for a long time. And when the economy recovers, you can bet your best and brightest will be out the door first, looking for greener pastures and better opportunities.

No matter how easy it may seem to keep people with no raises, lousy hours and triple assignments now, the best companies and the best managers know this kind of strategy will only doom their business in the long run. Sure, even the most forward-looking companies may be slashing their payrolls in order to ride out the storm, but they are treating their survivors well. They are paying attention to employee engagement.

And that means they are building a solid core of loyal, capable, well-trained and committed employees for the future.

When new hires come on board in the future, they'll need to learn the ropes and get some experience under their belts. And that core of solid, well-treated employees who lasted through the dark days and the down sales and saw their company's commitment to them will be the first to draw new staff members into the fold and make sure they understand just what a great company it is.

So what do you do when the budgets just won't bear a regular or standard pay raise? How do you say thank you to employees in a way that matters?

First, give 'em what you can. Even if it's a 1% raise or a one-time bonus, let the hard-working double-duty working employees you still have know you are stretching the limits to give them SOMETHING. Remember, a flat wage means your employees are actually losing money year after year. (A caveat -- make sure your pay increases for senior management are just as flat as those in the rank-and-file. They will find out, no matter how closely you try to guard that secret!)
Second, reward them with cost-free pats on the back. Let them take some time (during work hours, and of course, paid) to learn a new software, take a personal interest class at a local college or community center or volunteer for a favorite charity. Make school assemblies, little kid concerts and end-of-the-year school award ceremonies something they can attend without using their leave time. Boost their paid vacation time by one day, or declare their birthdays (or the next working day after it) a paid holiday for each employee. (I once worked for a company that did this, and it did make every employee feel special!)
Work on what they're called. Give them a title that honors all that they do, even if the pay isn't there just yet. Of course you have to make sure the titles don't get your business into trouble with FLSA rules, but even within those guidelines, there is plenty of room for more impressive (and morale boosting) job labeling.

Posted via email from G-Neil's Posterous

How engaged are your employees?

The better question might be, "Do you know how to measure employee engagement?" Too many business owners and managers try to gauge employee engagement by walking the halls and making judgments about what they see. But monitoring water cooler activity or the number of cars in the parking lot after 5 p.m. or how long employees are taking for lunch doesn’t always cut it.

I think the answer is part psychology, part productivity. First, you must understand what makes your employees tick and the type of work environment that keeps their head in the game.

What does “everyone humming along, feeling like their work matters” employee engagement look like? The Gallup Organization’s Q12, a 12-question survey that identifies strong feelings of employee engagement, can help you peel back the layers.

Consider how your direct reports, your team, your department might answer these questions:

• Do you know what is expected of you at work?
• Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
• At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
• In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
• Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
• Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
• At work, do your opinions seem to count?
• Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
• Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
• Do you have a best friend at work?
• In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
• In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

A negative response to any of these questions could reveal gaps – and of course, opportunities for improvement - in the areas of training and development, performance management and motivation and recognition. What deserves more attention from your managers and leaders to turn these negatives into positives?

After psychology, there’s the matter of productivity. Assuming employee engagement means more is getting done, you need a way to measure that output. Businesses small and large are well-served by systems that allow them to evaluate real-time productivity and key business performance analytics. This type of information can provide a much clearer snapshot of employee engagement and performance than laps through the building to see who has his nose to the grindstone and who is lingering too long at the coffee machine.

Again, having the ability to review division, department and employee performance data helps HR managers and company leaders identify areas of strength and weakness. Top performers are easier to identify (and ideally, be recognized and rewarded) and weaker employees can be given a chance to improve.

Watch out for witches at work today ... and every day

In fun-loving, Halloween-celebrating workplaces across the country, employees showed up today dressed as blood-sucking vampires, lumbering zombies, mischievous clowns and full-grown babies. Donning elaborate makeup, masks, outfits and accessories, many of us get a kick out of this once-a-year opportunity to shed our normal persona and “try on” an alter ego.

But this got me thinking. How different, really, are some of the characters we're seeing today from what we see daily at work? I don’t know about you, but I’ve encountered vampires, zombies, clowns and babies in the workplace on many occasions. They're just cleverly disguised in office attire and regular routines. On good days, these creatures can create an interesting, challenging work environment; on bad days, they can be downright frustrating and confusing. But people are people, so we all have to learn to get along no matter how ghoulish the circumstances. In smart, well-functioning workplaces, it definitely pays to play off each others' strengths (while understanding weaknesses) to keep peace and productivity humming along.

According to author Francie Dalton, founder and president of Dalton Alliances, Inc., a Maryland-based business consulting firm specializing in communication, management and behavioral sciences, most coworkers fall under these general personality types:

Commanders
Curt and controlling, commanders don't waste time on niceties. While they don't mean to offend, they often forsake tact to get their point across. As bosses, commanders often fail to delegate important assignments and as subordinates, they can seem overly aggressive. “Value and validate commanders for their ability to overcome obstacles, to implement, and to achieve results,” says Dalton.

Drifters
Averse to structure, drifters often have trouble with rules, work hours and deadlines. They lose track of details and can neglect to see a project through to completion. While they're warm and affable, their disorganization can be off-putting. “Value and validate drifters for their innovation and creativity, their ability to improvise on a moment's notice, and their out-of-the-box thinking,” says Dalton.

Attackers
Ill-tempered and contemptuous, attackers can have a dampening effect on workplace morale. They tend to criticize others in public, believing themselves to be superior. “Value and validate attackers for their ability to take on the ugly, unpopular assignments no one else has the mettle to do, and for their ability to make unemotional decisions,” says Dalton.

Pleasers
Considerate, sociable and friendly, pleasers rarely deny the requests of others and think of colleagues as extended family members. They have trouble coping with conflict, avoiding it as much as they can. “Value and validate pleasers for the way they humanize the workplace, and for their helpful, collaborative work style,” says Dalton.

Performers
Witty, charismatic and outspoken, performers engage and entertain others in the workplace. They are skillful at promoting themselves, taking credit - even when it's not due - for successful projects and appearing to be in a rush to get important things done. “Value and validate performers for their ability to establish new relationships, and for their persuasive and public speaking skills,” says Dalton.

Avoiders
Clinging to the status quo, avoiders shy away from increased responsibility because they fear it will make them more visible and accountable. Reticent and reserved, they thrive when working alone and establishing safe, closed-off environments. They do as they're told and do not take initiative. “Value and validate avoiders for their reliability, for their meticulous attention to your instructions, and for getting the job done right the first time, every time,” says Dalton.

Analyticals
Meticulous, thorough and cautious, analyticals can get mired in details. When presented with a new idea, they tend to focus on the reasons why it will fail and should not be pursued. They feel compelled to check, doublecheck and triplecheck their work for any inaccuracies. “Value and validate analyticals for their commitment to accuracy, and for their ability to anticipate and evaluate risk far enough in advance to allow risks to be reduced,” says Dalton.

So here’s wishing you all a Happy Halloween – and a workplace where attackers and analyticals, witches and werewolves, can put aside their differences and get along! Wouldn’t that be a treat?

Flex time: How far are you willing to bend?

The traditional, 9-to-5 workplace model is going the way of the typewriter, shoulder pads and pocket calculators. Flexible workplace scheduling - whether letting employees telecommute, work part time or leave early one day a week - is becoming more commonplace.

In fact, nearly all of the 1,100 companies polled by the nonprofit Families and Work Institute in a 2008 report provide at least one type of flexible work option. The Families and Work Institute considers flexibility “a way to define how and when work gets done and how careers are organized”. For employees, this may include:

• having traditional flex time (setting daily hours within a range periodically)
• having daily flex time
• being allowed to take time off during the work day to address family matters
• being able to take a few days off to care for a sick child without losing pay, having to use vacation days or make up an excuse for the absence
• being able to work some regular hours at home
• being able to take breaks when one wants to
• having a work shift that is desirable
• having complete or a lot of control over the work schedule
• being able to work part-time (if currently full-time) or full-time (if currently part-time) in one’s current position
• being able to work a compressed work week
• being able to work part-year in one’s current position

It’s no surprise that employees support flexible scheduling, where the payoffs include higher job satisfaction and commitment to their work, coupled with lower stress and job burnout.

"We know from the research that if you have choice or autonomy and you have the
support to make those choices and you're held accountable, those are the
things that most affect how you feel about your employer, as well as your
health and well-being," says Ellen Galinsky, President of the Families and
Work Institute.

To promote flex time in your workplace, Ilyse Shapiro, founder of the job search website MyPartTimePRO.com, recommends:

1. Make sure your organization’s culture supports work/life initiatives. “Flexibility” shouldn’t be just a catchphrase but a concept embraced throughout the organization.

2. Effective work/life balance programs should be nondiscriminatory, available to all employees, male or female, with or without children, regardless of income level, job title, exempt/nonexempt status or marital status.

3. Career advancement and training opportunities should be offered to those with flexible schedules as well as to those with traditional schedules.

What type of flexible work options do you extend to your employees? What are the challenges, if any, you’re facing? Post a comment and tell us more.

Substance abuse in the workplace, Part 2: Honoring Drug-Free Work Week

In our last post, we looked at the destructive effects of substance abuse in the workplace. That was the bad news. But today, we’ll focus on the good news: What you can do to protect your company from the dangers of substance abuse – and in turn, help preserve employee productivity, morale and safety.

Drug-Free Work Week is October 19-25, which means now is the perfect opportunity to launch a successful drug-free workplace program. Here are some ways you can make the most of it:

Implement a drug-free workplace policy – A workplace policy is the foundation of any drug-free workplace program. If you don’t already have one, you should create a policy that addresses how your organization defines substance abuse, what behavior is expected of employees, who is covered by the policy, when the policy applies (work hours only or at after-hours events, too?), who is responsible for enforcing the policy, and whether the policy includes any form of testing for alcohol or other drugs.

Promote your drug-free workplace program - Once you have a program, you’ve got to get the word out and get employees involved. Hand out Substance Abuse Fact Sheets to remind employees about the effects substance abuse can have on the workplace.

Train supervisors and educate workers - Be certain supervisors understand your policies (as outlined in a supervisor-specific handbook) for addressing substance abuse. In addition, provide guidelines and support materials that help supervisors deal with substance abuse legally and effectively.

Remind employees about the availability of employee-assistance services - These free, confidential services can help employees overcome substance abuse problems.

Offer health screenings - Let employees know about the resources available to them
to evaluate whether they have a substance abuse problem. Consider giving employees breathalizer alcohol detectors during holiday breaks when alcohol consumption is more likely and encourage them to test alcohol levels before driving.

Review your health insurance policy - Employees are more likely to seek help if your policy includes coverage for substance abuse treatment. Consider the cost benefit of adding such coverage over the cost of an accident and lost productivity.

Allow employees time to volunteer in community drug-prevention efforts - Organize a team of volunteers to help support local drug-prevention programs, or grant time off for employees who are involved in other drug-awareness and prevention efforts.

Create a drug-free workplace display - Dedicate an area of your workplace, such as a breakroom bulletin board, for raising awareness of your drug-free workplace policy through informative posters.

Feature Drug-Free Work Week in the employee newsletter or intranet - This feature can contain helpful information about the impact of drugs on the workplace, sources of help, and things workers can do if they think a colleague may have a substance abuse problem.

Distribute a payroll message listing helplines or a reminder about Drug-Free Work Week for employees - Include a message reminding employees about Drug-Free Work Week that contains a listing of resources available for them to learn more about substance abuse in the workplace.

Hold a social event celebrating safety and health - Put together a pizza lunch or other worktime activity to help reinforce the message that drugs and alcohol aren’t necessary to relax.

Substance abuse in the workplace, Part 1: How big a problem is it?

While certainly not pleasant to think about, the reality is that at this very moment, some of your employees may be high, drunk or hung over. And because of it, their work performance is suffering - as is your business.

According to the Department of Labor, 73 percent of all current drug users aged 18 and older are employed, which includes 6.7 million full-time workers and 1.6 million part-time workers. Construction workers (15.6%), sales personnel (11.4%), food preparation, wait staff and bartenders (11.2%), handlers, helpers and laborers (10.6%,) and machine operators and inspectors (10.5%) reported the highest rates of current illicit drug use.

The destructive, far-reaching effects of substance abuse in the workplace are well-documented. Substance abuse:

Lowers productivity –
Problems related to substance abuse cost businesses around $81 billion in lost productivity in one year.

Employees who abuse substances function at about 67% of their full potential.

Causes accidents and injuries -
Nearly 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of injuries are associated with substance abuse.

Employees who use drugs are 3.6 times more likely to get in a workplace accident and 5 times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Increases absenteeism and turnover –
Approximately 500 million workdays are lost annually due to alcoholism.

Employees who use drugs are 2.2 times more likely to ask for time off or to leave early, 2.5 times more likely to report absences of eight days or more and 3 times more likely to be late to work.

Raises an employer’s medical costs -
Employees who use drugs cost their employers about twice as much in medical claims as non-drug-using employees.

In less than two weeks, October 19-25, employers across the country will be honoring Drug-Free Work Week. If you haven’t already, now is the time to implement a drug-free workplace initiative that will have a positive effect on your company’s safety and productivity. Check out our next post to learn more about what you can do to keep your employees and your workplace “clean.”

The DOL encourages all employers to address workplace substance abuse because:

“Taking steps to raise awareness among employees about the impact of substance
use on workplace performance, and offering the appropriate resources and/or
assistance to employees in need, will not only improve worker safety and
health, but also increase workplace productivity and market competitiveness.”

What workers want most this summer: Time

Flexible schedules and leaving work early on Fridays are the the benefits employees want most this summer, a new survey by OfficeTeam suggests.

More than 450 office workers were asked, “Which of the following summer benefits would you most like to have?” They answered:

Flexible schedules 38%

Leave early on Fridays 32%

Activities (e.g. company picnic, potluck) 6%

More relaxed dress code 5%

“Employees appreciate flexibility in their jobs because it gives them greater control and enables them to handle other commitments without sacrificing their work performance,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam.

Flexible scheduling can be an inexpensive way to motivate employees during the summer months, adds Hosking. For businesses worried that customer service will suffer, he suggests staggering workers’ schedules to maximize the total number of hours employees are able to assist customers.

“Companies should pilot flexible schedule programs before rolling them out permanently,” Hosking recommended. “This gives businesses time to evaluate the impact on workflow and productivity.”

If flex time isn’t an option, allowing employees to occasionally leave early on Fridays can boost morale. Many workers plan activities and weekend trips during the summer months and would appreciate the extra time to get started, says Hosking.

How employees aim to impress during tough times

As eight out of ten companies continue to cut labor costs by such means as reducing salaries, worker hours and job perks, many employees are taking extra steps to ensure their jobs aren’t part of those cuts.

A recent Randstad survey revealed exactly how employees aim to impress their bosses and improve their job security during times of economic unrest. While some employees are willing to put in the extra work to make a good impression, most won’t take it much farther than working some overtime.

  Some key findings of the survey include:

Only 47 percent are willing to work overtime to impress their boss in order to create more job security for themselves

Only 37 percent reported a willingness to come in early or stay late to impress their bosses

Less than half of employees (43 percent) think their boss is open to new ideas

A mere 19 percent view their boss as their biggest advocate

Despite all that these employees are willing to do to impress their boss, taking a pay cut is not one of them (4 percent)

More women are willing to take on more work and responsibilities than men (11 percentage points more), 63 and 52 percent respectively

Mass layoffs and downsizing can have a severe impact on the morale of employees in surviving positions. The stress of watching their coworkers leave and working in an office with a growing number of empty cubicles may have some workers wondering if they’ll be the next to go.

Even companies that are economizing by eliminating low-cost perks like coffee cups and plastic utensils can be seriously damaging employee morale. While finding ways to save money, companies may be unintentionally pushing employees out the door.

“Employees’ professional development and morale should always be a priority for employers, and especially in an economic slowdown when employees may feel additional burdens,” said Eric Buntin, managing director, marketing and operations for Randstad USA.

“A healthy employee-employer relationship greatly contributes to an overall positive workplace attitude. Employers who connect with their employees create an environment where workers are more engaged in their jobs. Ultimately, this increases retention and productivity, both of which tie directly to a company’s financial success.”

As an employee, have you been doing anything differently to impress your boss since the recession began? As an employer, do you notice your employees putting in any extra effort to create better job security for themselves?

Please leave a comment and tell us all about it.

Chatty employees more productive than quiet coworkers

Though email and other communication technologies have made office communication more convenient, they may be doing little to improve workers’ productivity. A new study suggests that giving employees more time to chat around the water cooler could actually help them get more done back at their desks.

People who interact with each other in person are more productive than people who rely on electronic forms of communication, according to a recent report by researchers at MIT and New York University.

By outfitting workers in a Rhode Island call center with wearable sensor packs, or “sociometers,” researchers recorded details of individuals’ social interactions throughout the day. What they found was that employees who had more in-person conversations with coworkers tended to be more productive than those who did not.

The same team of researchers conducted a similar study last December that backs these recent findings. The December study examined a tight-knit team at an IT company, finding that face-to-face communication improved worker productivity by about 30 percent.

"The big idea is that what you do on your coffee break and over lunch really matters for productivity," says Sandy Pentland, a professor at MIT's Media Lab, who led the study. "Face-to-face networks matter, and the implications are huge."

Researchers cite two main reasons for the connection between in-person communication and productivity:

Face-to-face conversations help employees maintain strong relationships with coworkers, those relationships help workers solve complex problems and complete calls more efficiently.
Support networks among coworkers increases overall morale and job satisfaction - two major factors of productivity.

Researchers suggest that giving employees time to interact with each other will “likely bolster information transfer across individuals and departments,” a vital ingredient in organizational success.

"The underlying theme here is that humans are social beings," says Pentland. "Technology pushes us toward the abstract, and away from richer face-to-face communication."

The moral of the story: Encourage employees to interact and work with each other in-person. Improved face-to-face communication could be the key to your business’ success.

Fear, lack of paid time off drive sick employees to work

Despite daily news coverage of the swine flu outbreak and reports of flu-related deaths, U.S. workers continue to show up for work sick, according to a recent Monster.com poll.

The nationwide poll revealed that 71% of almost 12,000 U.S. workers who responded between May 11 and May 18, 2009, said they report to work even when feeling ill.

“Of those who go to work sick, 33 percent fear losing their job if they take a sick day, while 38 percent admit their workload is too busy to take a day off from work even when they are ill,” said Norma Gaffin, director of career content, Monster.com, in a press release.

When asked “Do you go into work sick?” respondents answered:

Yes, work is too busy for me to miss a day: 38%
Yes, in this economy, I’m afraid I’ll lose my job: 33%
No, I work from home if I’m sick: 10%
No, I rest up to get better: 19%

Even if they wanted to, many workers can’t stay home when they’re sick. An estimated 57 million working Americans have no paid sick days. For these workers, staying home from work means losing pay or possibly losing their job.

"The problem has really come into sharp relief the past few days," said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, which has long pushed for paid sick leave. "Many people don't even realize that almost half the private sector — 48 percent — has no sick days, not even a single one."

"We have officials telling people to stay home when they're sick," she added. "Well, guess what? That can be the beginning of economic disaster for many, especially in this economy."

A 2008 study on sick leave found that 68% of workers without paid sick days had gone to work with a contagious illness like the flu or viral infection. Additionally, one in six workers reported that they or a family member had been fired, suspended, punished or threatened with firing after taking time off to care for themselves or a family member, according to the 2008 study by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center.

Currently, the U.S. is the only country out of the top 20 world economic powers with no federally mandated sick days. But that may be about to change.

On May 18, 2009, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., reintroduced the Healthy Families Act (H.R. 2460), which would let workers earn up to seven paid sick days a year. Those paid sick days could be used to care for themselves or a sick family member.

“As Congress works hard to pass quality, affordable healthcare for every American, they must make sure workers are able to do the things necessary to keep themselves and their families healthy. Paid sick days benefit both workers and employers, as there is substantial evidence that it improves productivity and the bottom line,” said DeLauro in her address to the House of Representatives last week.

Our legal team will continue to watch the Healthy Families Act and how the legislation may affect your business. Check back regularly for the most up-to-date information.

Do you still show up to work when sick? Why? Do you think the U.S. should have federally mandated paid sick leave? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Lonely cubicle graveyards killing employee morale

Since the recession began, companies have been forced to make difficult decisions, including mass layoffs and downsizing. Among a list of other negative repercussions, those difficult business decisions are transforming once bustling gray mazes full of busy employees into barren “cubicle graveyards.”

Workers may now have more room to stretch out, but the ever-growing emptiness is having a harmful effect on remaining employees’ morale.

During the past year, the average square foot per office occupant has risen to 435 square feet, up from 415 square feet in 2008, according to International Facility Management Association (IFMA) in a recent MSNBC article.

Compared to last year, there are fewer people working in a greater amount of space. A spokesperson for the IFMA attributes the growing amount of empty space to the economic downturn and mass layoffs our country is experiencing.

While the sight of empty cubicles can be depressing to remaining employees, many organizations aren’t doing much to improve the situation.

"To some extent, companies are waiting until things stabilize so they can look at their options," says Ilene Gochman, an organization effectiveness expert with consulting firm Watson Wyatt. "People are not sure they have the right size organization yet. They don’t want to move people and then have to move them again."

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy on those left behind.

"Emotionally, workers look around the empty office, and it brings the depth of the economic crisis home for them in a personal way," says Leslie Seppinni, a clinical psychologist. "They wonder: 'Am I next?' and a tremendous amount of anxiety and depression builds as they try to figure out what steps to take next." (MSNBC)

Other workplace experts featured in the article offered some tips for offices dealing with cubicle graveyards:

If you’re an employee upset over the empty office landscape, speak up. Some managers may be unaware of how the empty cubes are affecting morale and usually all it takes is a simple conversation to bring it to their attention.

Rearrange the office and test different layouts. Take a look at how employees are using the space they already have and ask, “Do they need more conference rooms or more collaboration space, such as informal meeting areas?”

Let in natural light. A simple way to immediately improve the mood around the office is to allow more natural light flow through windows. Disassemble cubicles and give more employees a window view. Set up Wi-Fi in the office so workers can become more mobile and collaborate easier.

Want to cut costs? Send employees home.

To work, that is.

While it can hardly be considered a new idea in the business world, telecommuting may deserve a second look if your company is searching for ways to cut costs, according to a recent Entrepreneur.com article.

“Rather than thinking outside the box, you may want to think outside the office.”

In 2008, more than 17 million U.S. workers telecommuted at least one day a month, according to a WorldatWork report. Telecommuters account for slightly more than 10% of the workforce and their numbers have grown almost 40% from 2006.

Over the next seven years the U.S. telecommuter population will reach 63 million, amounting to almost a third of all U.S. workers, according to Forrester Research predictions.

Both U.S. business owners and their employees are proponents of telecommuting. More than 70% of the U.S. workforce and 53% of small businesses are interested in telecommuting, according to Citrix Online’s Worldwide workplace survey.

The benefits of telecommuting on the business’ side range from lower energy costs, to improved employee retention and lower payroll costs. About 1 in 5 workers are willing to give up 5% of their salary to telecommute just a couple days a week, according to the Citrix survey.

However, simply sending employees home to work won’t immediately reduce your payroll. There will always be some management and logistical issues to work out before putting an employee telecommuting program in place.

From Entrepreneur.com:

If people share workstations when they are in the office, you need a schedule of when they'll be home and when they won't. There's also the question of oversight and management--some business owners and managers want to see their employees (and, let's face facts, some employees need to be seen). Plus, not every business function is conducive to remote work. Point being you need to pick your spot.

There's also a technology hurdle to clear. To be effective, your remote workers need access to communications and applications and you need to figure out how to provide everything from a phone extension to secure IT access.

These days, every company is looking for ways to get more done with less and telecommuting offers a major advantage. After working out the logistics, telecommuting gives employees the benefit of flexibility and employers will stay competitive by cutting operating costs and having the ability to hire top talent regardless of their location.

Of course, telecommuting won’t work for every business or career, but it’s worth taking another look at. Depending on your situation, it has the potential to deliver some real perks.

Citrix’s “Worldwide Workplace: The Web Commuting Imperative” is available at www.workshifting.com.

Has your company saved money by allowing employees to telecommute? What benefits/drawbacks to telecommuting have you experienced?

Employees hit the road for National Start! Walking Day, tomorrow April 8

Thousands of Americans will bring along a pair of sneakers to work tomorrow and embark on a new journey to fitness that starts with one 30-minute walk.

The initiative is part of the American Heart Association’s National Start! Walking Day, a nation-wide effort to get more people of all physical ability levels on the path to wellness.

The American Heart Association chose walking as the main activity in their program because it’s the most accessible, affordable and successful of any type of exercise routine.

"With over 66 percent of Americans considered overweight and obese and nearly 70 percent of the population not engaging in regular light to moderate physical activity five times a week or vigorous activity three or more times per week, we realized there was a dire need to incorporate more walking into people's daily routines," said Timothy Gardner, M.D., American Heart Association president. "Just a few extra steps each day is a simple and easy way to take an active role in maintaining a significantly healthier life."

Research has proven that walking programs have the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity and are the most effective method to get employees to exercise during the workday without hurting productivity, according the the American College of Sports Medicine.

“It’s good business to have physically fit workers,” says David Josserand, executive vice president and chief strategic officer of The Dalton Agency in Jacksonville, Fla., and 2008-2009 national chairman for the American Heart Association.

“A recent four-year sutdy reported in the Journal of Occupational and Environmentla Medicine found that employers can save $1.65 in healthcare expenses for every dollar they invest in fitness programs. Reducing just one health risk in a workplace can increase productivity by 9%,” Josserand said in a Forbes magazine article (pdf).

In addition to healthcare savings, studies also suggest that implementing a workplace physical activity program can help companies reduce absenteeism and lower turnover rates.

Businesses can register for the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Recognition Program, which recognizes employers who advocate the health of their employees and work to create a culture of physical activity in the workplace. Nearly 1,000 companies were designated Fit-Friendly since the program was launched in 2007.

Participants in the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Recognition Program are given free access to program resources, including materials to promote employee wellness programs, internal newsletter templates and consultation on CPR/AED programs.

Encourage employees to wear their sneakers to work tomorrow and take a 30-minute walk outside. Even if you can't pull things together to get started tomorrow, set a date in the near future and put your company on the road to wellness.

You can find free, downloadable walking plans and a list of walking paths in various cities at startwalkingnow.org.

Related posts:

Obesity linked to more expensive workers’ comp claims

Economic stress impacts employee health, productivity

Employee wellness best practices: Offset the rise in health care costs

Rising health care costs motivate employee wellness programs

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