Do you appreciate your employees? 10 ways to show it!

Today's post comes from G.Neil's HR Library. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Sitting down to a delicious Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without giving thanks for all the good fortune and happiness of the past year. High on the list are the friends and family who bring us joy and enrich our lives.

Are you extending this same attitude of gratitude to the workplace? It’s been said that “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” This is as true in the workplace as it is in our personal lives. Unless you’re focusing on the things your employees are doing right and rewarding them in immediate, tangible ways, your gratitude is as effective as a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

Here are 10 easy ways to express your appreciation and show employees that you value what they bring to the workplace:

1) Recognize birthdays and anniversaries. Most employees would be pleasantly surprised to receive a greeting card on their birthday or work anniversary. Especially if it’s signed by senior management and includes a personal message, it’s a small gesture with big impact.

2) Say thank you. “Thank you” – two small words with tremendous power. Whether you express it in a handwritten note, pull someone aside in the hallway or call out an accomplishment in a packed meeting, managers and supervisors should look for every possible opportunity to say thank you.

3) Point out performance. No achievement is too small, especially when it propels a bigger project or contributes to the overall success of your business. Give a pair of movie tickets to someone who reached her sales goal or a restaurant gift certificate to an employee who spearheaded a new initiative.

4) Establish an employee recognition program. If you haven’t done so already, kick off an employee-of-the-month program or wall of fame in 2012. These programs are ideal for demonstrating your appreciation on a consistent basis, while acting as an incentive for other staff members to step up their game.

5) Offer free food. It’s amazing what bagels in the morning or a sandwich platter at lunchtime can do to boost employee morale. In addition to enhancing everyday work routines with tasty fare, look for bigger ways to reward through food, like a luncheon for the department with the highest quarterly revenue.
 
6) Show respect. While this seems obvious, your demeanor with your employees makes a world of difference. No matter how stressed you are, you shouldn’t swear, lose your temper or ignore your employees. The little courtesies add up, so say please and thank you, keep your office door open, watch your body language and give your full, undivided attention when employees come to you with issues.

7) Touch base with employees. Hold meetings with individual employees or groups of employees several times throughout the year to address any lingering questions or concerns. Be open to their feedback and reactions to new company policies or developments, and update them on the steps you’ve taken to solve problems discussed in former meetings.

8) Let them park it. Reserve your best parking spots for employees who’ve gone above and beyond for the company. A prime parking space could be one of the rewards for the winner of your employee-of-the-month program.

9) Flex their hours. Flex time is a perk that most employees appreciate above all others. Explore ways to let employees telecommute, work a compressed workweek or leave early one day a week (assuming they’re meeting their obligations otherwise). Loosening the reins on a rigid work structure is a fantastic way to reward employees who have already earned your trust.

10) Conduct an employee satisfaction survey. Perhaps you don’t know what’s making your workers unhappy – or what they really want. An employee survey is a great way to capture their opinions in a safe, non-threatening manner. Break the survey into sections (such as “working conditions” and “company culture”), set up the survey in a format you can easily administer and discuss the results (and takeaways) among company management.

Do you appreciate your employees? 10 ways to show it!

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.

Paid sick leave gets a healthy boost in Seattle

If employee engagement and retention are your biggest concerns, you're not alone

According to a survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee engagement will be the biggest HR challenge employers face in the next three to five years.

The concern ranked "very important," topping the list for 69 percent of HR professionals. Close on its heels was employee retention (63 percent), followed by employee recruitment (53 percent) and culture management (51 percent).

Luckily, 80 percent of the HR professionals who participated in the survey also shared that their companies have an employee recognition program. This is good news because recognition can be a big factor in whether or not employees are "plugged in" and, as a result, loyal. It's all related: Recognition feeds engagement, and engagement feeds retention.

Looking for ways to motivate your employees? Here are 10 simple ideas to ramp up your recognition efforts:

1. Leave a handwritten thank you card at their desk.

2. Appeal to their sweet tooth. Chocolate, candy and cookies always do the trick.

3. Buy them a small gift certificate to their favorite coffee shop.

4. Invite them to join you for lunch.

5. Sit down with them and have a sincere, non-work related conversation.

6. Recognize a star employee’s recent efforts at a company meeting, and give the employee a personalized certificate to mark the moment.

7. Find small gifts for hard-working employees to keep at their desk. Anything from fun-shaped sticky notes to a smart-looking pen will work.

8. Create an event. Have a crazy hat day or favorite sports team day; give an award for the best dressed.

9. Bring breakfast to the office.

10. Call employees into your office to tell them what a great job they’ve been doing lately.

Remember what Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

It’s up to you to motivate your employees on a daily basis. Even something as small as a thank you note can go a long way.

If employee engagement and retention are your biggest concerns, you're not alone

One in three employees is ready to walk

"Hello, I must be going." With employee loyalty hitting a three-year low, this might be the rallying cry of more and more employees in the coming months.

In its 9th Annual Study of Employee Benefits Trends, MetLife reports that one in three workers hopes to find a new job in the next 12 months. And they're confident they'll be successful in their search. According to another study (this time a survey by Glassdoor.com),  four in 10 self-employed, full-time and part-time workers believe it's "likely" they will secure a job that matches their experience and salary in the next six months.

Many factors are to blame for the morale free-fall, including stagnant wages, busted bonuses, longer hours and heavy workloads. The combination is stressing employees out and testing their loyalty to their current employers.

"Businesses are understandably focused on expenses," says Ronald Leopold, vice president of MetLife's U.S. business."But they're taking their eye off the ball with human capital issues, notably what drives employee satisfaction and loyalty."

So now what? Do you resign yourself to the situation at hand -- or get serious about boosting employee satisfaction? Are you ready to tip the balances in favor of your employees, especially those you'd hate to see leave?

Let's dip into the HR Forum vault for some great ways to boost employee morale no matter how tight the budget:

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. For the parents, make school assemblies, musical productions and end-of-the-year 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.
   
Next, 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.

One in three employees is ready to walk

Will they stay ... or will they go?

Lose 10 pounds … cut back on caffeine … learn a new language … get a new job. With the lifting of the recession and the ringing in of the new year, many employees are taking a long, hard look at their careers and planning their exit strategy. And a big reason for their departure may surprise you: lack of trust.

According to Deloitte LLP’s fourth annual Ethics & Workplace Survey, one-third of the nation’s employees will renew their job search as the economy revives. Approximately 48 percent of the respondents cite a loss of trust in their employers as a motivator for seeking a new job. At the same time, 46 percent blame a lack of transparent communication from their company’s leadership as a reason for looking elsewhere.

What’s going on here? And more important, what can management do to regain employee trust and pull back the curtain on the major decisions affecting the workplace?

While you can’t eliminate the economic uncertainties that linger even in the new year, you can invest in the mental well-being of your employees. Here are some steps in the right direction:

1. Create a clear sense of purpose. When budgets get cut and staffs downsized, employees often wonder when a pink slip is coming their way. Managers can allay fears by meeting with employees after a layoff or restructuring to revisit corporate and departmental goals. Remaining employees must understand they are critical to the ongoing success and profitability of your company. Meet regularly to share revised goals and expectations. Clearly define roles and responsibilities. And most of all, let employees know that “we’re all in this together.” Getting through challenging times is easier when everyone is working toward a common objective.

2. Get employees involved in what’s next. Once employees understand they are important to the ongoing viability of your company, encourage them to uncover and share ways to improve efficiency – to find a better way. If employees believe their ideas will be heard and implemented, they are more likely to go above and beyond. Attaching rewards to great ideas and sharing them corporate wide also cultivates an environment of value and security.

3. Dole out “thank yous” and compliments. When raises aren’t possible in tough economic times, it is imperative that leaders and managers increase their efforts to bestow positive praise on a regular basis. Heartfelt words of recognition and encouragement have a way of immediately lifting spirits. Look for ways to call out a job well done, whether it’s submitting an error-free report, staying on task with a high-profile project or working well with others on a team initiative. For most employees, being valued and praised for their hard work is just as important as a paycheck.

Previous posts:
Through thick and thin, it’s the people who matter most

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

Will they stay ... or will they go?

They're back! Employee benefits slo-o-o-o-wly returning as economy rebounds

Like a slumbering bear awakening from his long winter’s hibernation, the economy is showing signs of life again. It’s still a little sluggish, but it’s stirring and has stepped into the light of day.

That’s good news, as is the fact that more employers are bringing back the benefits they were forced to freeze during the worst of the recession. During tough times, many companies slashed 401(k) matches, merit-based raises and bonuses, and other employee perks to help cut costs. A recent USA today article, however, shares some encouraging results from a report from human resources consultancy Towers Perrin:

=> Nearly two-thirds of firms that locked in salaries last year will start offering raises again in 2010

=> Approximately one-third of firms that dropped 401(k) matches will increase or restart those company contributions next year

And many of these companies are reinstating these benefits for the best of reasons: To motivate and retain their most valuable employees, so they don’t walk out the door as the economy (and job market) strengthens.

"When you start coming out of a recession, people remember how they were
treated," says Fred Crandall, a Watson Wyatt senior human resource consultant. "Some people who feel like they've been given a raw deal will jump ship." USA Today

Yet many of these benefits won’t be as robust as they once were. Gone are the days of the usual 401(k) match of 50 cents on the dollar, up to 6% of pay. Many companies, like FedEx, will offer smaller matches. Other companies will look at certain factors when adjusting benefits, such as tying 401(k) matches to quarterly or annual financial performance.

And what about raises? They may return in 2010, but not in an across-the-board, one-size-fits-all fashion. Four in 10 employers in the Towers Perrin report stated that they will differentiate among employees when considering salary increases, doling out the highest raises to only the highest achievers. A weak employee may see no raise at all.

While these re-emerging benefits will be a welcome change to employees in the new year, employees shouldn’t assume it’s business as usual in 2010. Most employers will be extremely cautious when reinstating benefits, keeping a close eye on the economy’s recovery.

“More organizations are being much more clear that benefits such as 401(k) matches are discretionary,” says Brad Kimler, executive vice president of Fidelity’s Consulting Services business.

What about your company? Are you in a position to start bringing back some of the benefits you placed on the back burner in 2009? Do you see the economy - and your business - rebounding enough in 2010 to reinstate 401(k) matches, raises and other benefits? We'd love to hear what's happening in your corner of the world!

They're back! Employee benefits slo-o-o-o-wly returning as economy rebounds

The Carnival of HR is in town! Welcome!

Step right up! We have an amazing carnival for you today! Experience the thrills of new opportunities, the heartbreak of termination. See the magic shows, costumed clowns and daring feats on the high wire. Welcome to the Carnival of HR!

Staging the show

A great carnival depends upon everyone doing their part to make the show great. And not everyone can be the stage manager. Learning how to be an excellent cast member is the subject of Dan McCarthy’s post on 10 Ways to be a Great Follower

Clowns get to hide behind make-up and costumes, but in our online world, should bloggers get to do the same? Trisha McFarlane explores the concept of anonymous bloggers in her post.

Then blogger Lance Haun deals with other side of the issue in his post on the Workplace Implications of Facebook Friending/Defriending, where he suggests that a little bit of costuming might be preferable to the complete transparency of a Facebook connection with coworkers.

That theme is echoed in Jessica Miller-Merrell post about maintaining a Social Media Mullet (business in the front, party in the back) whenever we connect with colleagues online. And Melissa Prusher serves up advice on using Twitter as a part of that online conversation with clients and colleagues. (No sign of the popcorn and cotton candy, yet, Melissa. Sorry!)

What's your show about?

Every carnival needs a description of the shows, performers and events. And the same applies to the workplace. Creating clear and accurate job descriptions is critical to the success of the show as well as the performers, according to blogger Becky Regan in her post The Single Most Important Tool You Need to Practice Sounds HR Management.

One of the keys to a successful carnival is keeping it fresh. Problems need to be addressed as they arise, shows need to be reviewed and plans need to be made. That on-going process of adjustment works for your employees, too, according to Louise Barnfield in her post on transforming the dreaded annual review into a constantly updated tool for growth.


The cast and crew

Before you accept your role in the carnival as a given, Steve Boese’s HR Technology blog offers advice on getting a better deal at work. We may not be famous athletes or even the star of the show, but his post “Help You, Help You” offers suggestions about applying the techniques professional agents use to negotiate the big bucks.

Everyone wants to be a star, right? Wrong! Some people are choosing to pass up a chance at that management position, especially when they see current managers struggling with insufficient resources, lack of training and minimal support from higher-ups. That's the subject of HR Bartender Sharlyn Lauby post. (Oh and thanks for the mention in your post! Like all performers, we like seeing our name out there on the marquee...or at least in a post or two.)

We all know there's no show without the performers, right? No matter what their position, making sure your people are committed, content and creative is the message behind Melanie Quinn's post on Keeping Your Employees.


When the show goes wrong

Even in the best of carnivals, shows will flop, rides will break and even the clowns will cry. PunkHR blogger Laurie Ruettimann offers advice on seeing these as chances to grow and develop character in her post Coulda Been a Contender.

And when that crash takes the form of a termination, Gautam Ghosh offers some advice on exit interviews, and why they can't tell as much as we think.

Feeling like your safety net is full of holes? Grab on to your trapeze and fly over those job gaps, lay-offs and career changes with grace, thanks to the advice being offered up in Amit Bhagria’s post on managing resume dilemmas.

Stage directions and union rules

Even in the world of carnivals, there are rules and procedures that keep the rides going and the games stocked with unidentifiable stuffed animals (is it a bear, a dog or a…duck?) The same is true in our HR world (minus the ducks), as we try to stay on track with ever-shifting federal and state rules and regulations.

Blogger Giressh Sharma offers some advice on determining FMLA eligibility amid a fun-house of regulatory changes and employee recordkeeping.

PseudoHR's April Dowling brings us an example of a rule gone mad, in her story of exempt employees required to punch a time clock. Risks of legal repercussions aside, she explains why sometimes what looks like a little rule can do big damage to morale.


Tricks of the trade

Everyone knows that side shows rely on smoke and mirrors to perform their magic. Blogger Wally Brock thinks the current hype around the concept of employee engagement would fit right in with those ever-popular acts.

Jon Ingham offers a different view, with the mirrors stripped away, and a clear spotlight on the value of employees in his post on The People Factor.

Kelly Dingee's post on finding time for sourcing even when there is no time available goes beyond advoce to recruiters, and offers something we all need to do if we want to succeed -- Find the time to do what needs to be done to take our careers, companies and clients to the next level.

When the lights go down

After the crowds leave, it's time to count the money. Cathy Missildine-Martin thinks that even after the economic recovery, CEOs will be expecting a lot more counting and numbers from HR, as the focus on metrics continues.

_________________________

We're stepping out of the ring for now. Enjoy the show, visit all of the talented performers who contributed posts, and let us know what you think.

Thank you all for coming to our carnival. We appreciate the participants, and you the readers. Y'all come back now, you hear?

The Carnival of HR is in town! Welcome!

Hiring, salary freezes to melt within the next year

A majority of U.S. employers plan to reverse some of the changes they’ve made to pay benefits and other HR programs, according to the latest survey results from Watson Wyatt.

The survey discovered that 62% of companies that made hiring freezes and 69% of companies that froze salaries plan to eliminate them within the next 12 months. Almost half (48%) of companies that reduced their employer 401(k)/403(b) matches also plan on reversing their decision within the next year.

Unfortunately, not all of the affected employer benefits will experience the same changes. One in five employers plan to keep salary reductions in place and 46% of employers do not plan on reversing the increases in the percentage that employees now pay for health care premiums.

"While more employers now feel the worst of the current downturn may be behind them, most are not expecting to go back to 'business as usual'," said Laura Sejen, global director of strategic rewards consulting at Watson Wyatt. "The challenge for companies will be to determine which cost-cutting changes can be reversed and which will become ingrained into the permanent business environment." (Yahoo! News)

In the next three to five years, companies expect staffing issues including difficulties in attracting and retaining skilled employees to extend long-term. They also expect staff sizes to be significantly smaller than pre-economic levels.

Compared with pre-economic crisis levels, the companies surveyed expect the following changes within the next three to five years:

• 45% foresee difficulty retaining critical-skill employees
• 41% expect increased difficulty attracting critical-skill employees
• 50% expect no increase to current salary levels
• 52% expect to see a decrease in staff sixes
• 76% expect no change in employer contributions to defined contribution plans (e.g., 401(k))

The survey also found that nearly one quarter (24%) of the companies surveyed believed their results have “bottomed out,” double the number of survey participants that said the same in April.

"Laying off workers and cutting back on pay and benefits are never easy decisions to make. Now, companies are now looking to the new economic landscape that lies ahead," said Laurie Bienstock, U.S. strategic rewards leader at Watson Wyatt. "The challenge for employers is to reassess short-term cost cuts and ensure they have the right workforce and resources in place to meet the organization's long-term financial goals." (Yahoo! News)

Hiring, salary freezes to melt within the next year

Top employee retention tips and advice

With the economy the way it is right now, many businesses are worried about losing top talent only to be short staffed when the market turns around. Today it’s all about employee retention strategies that will keep employees happy and motivated in their current positions.

You could be like Google and use a mathematical formula to calculate when a staff member is most likely to leave the company, but most would probably reach for a more conventional method. Luckily, there’s a world of valuable resources out there to help you discover the best option for your team.

Here are some of the top blog posts and articles on employee retention from across the Web:

• Along with being “desperately” short staffed in skilled jobs, many leaders are also facing an increase in the number of toxic employees and their impact on the organization. Read how leading with gratitude can make your workplace better from Globoforce.


• Though budget cuts and layoffs may be a necessary evil during a recession, organizations can boost morale by giving employees challenging assignments that promote growth. Read more on how to incorporate “stretch goals” in this recent BusinessWeek article.


• Times are tough everywhere, but it’s still no excuse for bad management behavior. Read what Jessica Lee from Fistful of Talent would tell a badly behaving manager who’s worried about employees leaving.


• The revolutionaries at Renegade HR take a slightly different approach and suggest that you shouldn’t focus on employee retention at all. Instead, “recruit great people and inspire them to do amazing things.”


• And for a little laugh, check out the top three retention strategies that didn’t quite make the cut from Upstart HR. One tip: Don’t use a hitman.

Top employee retention tips and advice

Achieve more with small goals?

The recession has been creating adverse effects across the business world, from a severe drop in sales to stressed-out employees. Right now, everyone seems to be feeling the pain.

Research shows that financial stress has a direct impact on employee performance and morale, landing many businesses in a state of immobility. Whether it’s from shock or stress, it’s difficult to get moving.

Companies across the country are searching for a stimulus that will cure the paralysis that has been plaguing employees and motivate them to move forward. Instead of overwhelming yourself and looking at it as one giant task, some experts suggest that baby steps are the best way to go.

Setting smaller goals is the secret to improving employee performance during tough times, as Dan Heath and Chip Heath explain in their Fast Company article, Set Smaller Goals: Get Bigger Results.

Dan and Chip believe that during times when we feel empowered, stretch goals are a great way to spark motivation. However, when we're feeling overwhelmed, stretch goals can cause immobility.

They recommend setting "whisker" goals, with targets that fall just slightly lower than average.

From the Fast Company article:

We need these more modest steps because they help us get past the "startup costs" -- the apprehension and fear -- that deter us from doing the tasks we hate.

Adversity calls for change, and change doesn't arrive via a miracle: It arrives via a kick start.

For most organizations, now is not the time to make major changes. Many are focused on working through the adversity in order to land safely on the other side.

Whisker goals could be the solution to kick starting any team that is stuck in a rut. It takes small steps to get the ball rolling.

Start a movement in your organization with small goals and keep that movement going with small recognition. By focusing on the small stuff, you may find that the big problems just don't seem so big anymore.

Do you think it’s possible to achieve more at work with small goals? How does your organization work to get employees motivated during difficult times?

For more information on goal setting and employee recognition, take a look at a few of these posts and HR Library articles:

• How to beat stress in the workplace
• Remodeling morale at Home Depot
• Build employee morale during good times and bad
• 7 low- to no-cost employee incentive ideas
• Raise the bar with effective performance management

Achieve more with small goals?

Access to technology keeps workers creative and efficient

The majority of U.S. workers place a high value on technology in the workplace, some would even take drastic measures to work for companies that value technology in the same way.

Almost 40 percent of workers would consider changing jobs to work for a company that is more committed to providing access to and training in the latest technology, according to a national survey commissioned by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA).

Key findings of the survey include:

• Four out of five workers said access to technology is important to their ability to be creative (78%) and productive (80%) at work.
• 80% of workers said that such technology gives their employer and edge in the marketplace.
• 39% of workers would consider leaving their current jobs for an employer that makes better use of technology with access to more up-to-date technology.
• 37% would contemplate a job change if better technology-related training were offered.

Retaining top performers is key to an organization’s success and is many times their top worry during a recession. Holding on to prized employees is a top concern for employers, even in today’s economy, according to a survey developed by Robert Half International.

Nearly four out of 10 (39%) of senior executives cited employee retention as their greatest staffing concern, according to the survey.

Another top concern included bringing in new employees (22%) along with productivity and employee morale (17%).

“Many firms are operating with lean teams in which every staff member plays a key role in the business, making retention a greater concern,” said Max Messmer, chairman and chief executive of Melo Park, Calif.-based Robert Half International. “Companies that lose top performers may not only experience declines in productivity but also incur significant costs in replacing these professionals.”

If your business is concerned with retaining top performers, maybe it’s time to take a look at the technology your employees are using to complete their daily tasks. Making an investment today to update your in-house technology and offer technology training may save you thousands of dollars in diminished productivity and the hardship of losing top performers in the future.

Access to technology keeps workers creative and efficient

Improve teams, invest in talent with corporate training in a recession

Businesses are coping with the economic downturn in a number of ways from slashing budgets to downsizing. It is more important than ever to get the best return on investment in every aspect of your business.

Industry experts like George Colony, CEO of Forrester Research, advise companies to deal with the economic recession by investing in existing talent.

At a recent dinner Colony hosted for top CIOs, discussion on politics and the economy led to a list of recession strategies companies can use to successfully ride out an economic slowdown.

In a recap of the dinner on Colony’s blog, some of the best practices for a recession include:

• Outsourcing is not a silver bullet. Use the recession to build internal skills.
• Use a slowdown to improve the team -- look to bring in great people who have been laid off elsewhere.
• Cut training and development last. That resource is critical to success in the post-recession period.

Instead of limiting the development of your team by cutting training programs, learn how to stretch your training dollar in a free webinar from Training Time - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession.

Training and development should remain a priority during tough times because:

• Trained workers perform more efficiently with less errors and delays
• Training boosts employee loyalty by encouraging career development
• Employees taking on extra work quickly learn how to get up to speed with the right training
• Training improves employee morale and confidence
• Your best asset in business is a well-trained employee

Experienced training professionals will share tips and ideas to find better, more cost-effective training opportunities including the pros and cons of in-house versus outside training, the benefits of group versus individualized training, virtual training and tapping into expert talent within your company.

Good training doesn’t have to be expensive. Join us on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at 1 p.m. EST for the free webinar - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession. Space is limited, reserve your seat now.

Improve teams, invest in talent with corporate training in a recession

Online tool measures impact of retiring employees

With one quarter of the U.S. workforce nearing retirement age, conversations about a potential “Baby Boomer brain drain” have been heard across the HR world. Transferring corporate knowledge, talent shortages and phased retirement plans have all become growing issues for worried companies.

It’s estimated that by the end of this year, 17% of the Baby Boomers holding executive, administrative and managerial positions in the private sector are expected to have retired.

“The problem is, HR often doesn’t have the data to back up the belief that their companies will be affected as the baby boomers leave the workforce, experts say.”

To back up those beliefs, AARP created the Workforce Assessment Tool to help business owners gauge how much of an impact retiring employees will have on your business. The 80-question online tool is confidential, free to use, and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

After answering questions about the composition of your workforce, workplace practices and company benefits, the tool generates an individualized report. The report outlines how the aging workforce may affect your organization, recommends how to better accommodate workers of all ages, maps out your current employment practices and areas of improvement and creates an inventory of your workplace strengths that could enhance your employer brand.

Try out the Workforce Assessment Tool today and find out how much of an impact retiring employees may have on your business.

Online tool measures impact of retiring employees

New study: Employee loyalty weakened by gas prices

As gas prices stay high, workers continue to make sacrifices and many are considering leaving their jobs for opportunities closer to home in order to cut down their commute.

Over one quarter (26%) of employees are considering changing jobs to improve their commutes, according to a study conducted by BusinessWeek Research Services and commissioned by TransitCenter.

Almost half (48%) of employees reported that their commute is getting worse and they’re looking at their employers to ease the pain, according to the study. About 65% of employees are expecting their employers to do something to help tackle the problem.

The top four commuter-related benefits employees find most appealing in a new job are:

• Flextime (79%)
• Telecommuting (72%)
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (54%)
• Subsidies for their pre-tax commuter benefits (47%).

TransitCenter is a not-for-profit organization that provides tax-free transit benefits as a means to promote mass transit use. Visit their website for a copy of the full press release on employee loyalty and gas prices.

New study: Employee loyalty weakened by gas prices

Build employee loyalty with open communication

Employee loyalty is built with open communication, not with monetary rewards like raises, according to the latest Management Action Programs Inc. (MAP) Quarterly CEO Survey.

Open communication, employee recognition and involving personnel in decision making are the top three qualities people value most in a company, according to the MAP survey.

“Clearly, a work environment where employees are recognized as part of the team is more valuable than simply receiving a paycheck,” said to Lee Froschheiser, president and CEO of MAP, in a press release.

The survey revealed “open communication between management and employees” is the number one factor contributing to employee loyalty. Open communication was mentioned almost twice as frequently as “receiving raises.”

The most perceptive business leaders realize the enormous value of motivating employees in non-monetary ways, according to Froschheiser.

“Most of all, clearly communicating the company's vision and mission, as well as making employees feel they're playing an important role in the business' overall success are among these CEO's top employee-retention strategies,” Froshchheiser said.

Effective communication can contribute to a company’s profitability according to the recently released Communication ROI Study by Watson Wyatt.

Companies with the most effective communication programs had a 47% higher total return to shareholders from 2002 to 2006, compared to companies that communicate least effectively.

Those companies with effective communication are four times as likely to report high levels of employee engagement as compared to those with less effective communication.

The Watson Wyatt study identified that the highest-performing companies:

• Focused managers and employees on customer needs.
• Engaged employees in running the business.
• Helped managers communicate more effectively.
• Utilized the communication talents of internal communicators to manage change effectively.
• Measured the impact of employee communication.
• Branded the employee experience.

Build employee loyalty with open communication

Rising gas prices force workers to make sacrifices

American commuters are feeling the strain and making sacrifices in order to buy the gas they need to get to work everyday. Last month, CareerBuilder.com surveyed more than 8,700 workers nationwide, revealing some interesting statistics.

Of the 89% of workers who said they drive to work, almost half (47%) reported they had to give up something in order to afford the gas needed for the commute.

Workers reported they had to give up the following in order to pay for gas:

• Dined out less – 35%
• Spent less on entertainment – 31%
• Bought less expensive groceries – 27%
• Shopped for clothing less – 24%
• Did not take a vacation – 21%
• Eliminated cable, magazine subscriptions, etc. - 11%

Factoring in the cost of gas, 60% of workers said they would be willing to drive up to 20 miles to the office and 29% would only drive up to 10 miles.

“One-in-ten workers said they would take a pay cut for a job with a shorter commute,” according to Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com.

Employers can help alleviate the burden of high gas prices by looking into transit subsidies, promote carpooling, adopt flexible scheduling and allowing workers to telecommute for part of the week.

For more information, read a previous post on how employers can help ease the pain at the pump for employees.

Rising gas prices force workers to make sacrifices

Hold effective business meetings with more audience chatter

Research has shown that speakers retain 90% of what they share. Listeners hang onto only 5% of what the speaker said. “When speakers talk they fire up multiple intelligences, garner ‘aha’ moments, and retain most of what they teach," according to Brain Based Business.

Since talking benefits talkers more than listeners, getting more people involved in the conversation can improve retention. Keep your audience awake and involved by turning the tables at your next business meeting - create speakers out of listeners.

Here are some simple tips to hold effective business meetings and boost listener retention:

Share the stage. Break up presentations so that others can take the stage and explain a few points for you. Multiple speakers will help break up the presentation and keep the audience’s attention.

Say something funny. Laughing lightens the mood in the room and fosters openness, allowing you to share more and connect with your audience. It’s also a great way to mix it up and surprise your audience with some humor during an otherwise boring meeting.

Keep the lights on and skip the slides. Sit a group of people in a dark room in the afternoon and you’re just asking for a nap or two. Keep the lights on and keep everyone awake and focused on you.

Encourage conversation. Rather than read through a long slide presentation, have a conversation with your meeting attendees. Talk about the issue and come up with some solutions together. Attendees will retain more information if they were actively involved in the meeting.

Hold effective business meetings with more audience chatter

Work/life balance: Key to employee retention

Implementing flexible employee work schedules to foster a healthy work/life balance can be a nerve-wracking and seemingly unattainable goal to achieve. Through experimentation and a little trial and error, many companies have discovered how to retain employees by allowing flexible schedules.

“Inflexible work arrangements are a primary reason top talent leaves an organization.”

The top priority of most organizations is to attract top performers. After bringing them onboard, the real challenge is retaining those bright stars.

An article published last month out of Workforce Management looked at a few recent surveys indicating more employees are actively searching for better work/life benefits.

A 2005 Merrill Lynch survey showed that 16% of the baby boomer workforce was looking for part-time work, and 42% would only sign up for a job that allowed time off for leisure.

Another Pew Research Center survey from 2007 found that more than 50% of working mothers prefer part-time work, as a way to fulfill domestic responsibilities while also contributing to the family income.

Younger workers are also looking for companies that value work/life benefits. Unlike their older counterparts, Gen Y and the Millennials refuse to sacrifice family and leisure for their careers.

The article notes that implementing flexible work arrangements can be difficult, but it is possible. It may be as little as allowing time off for doctor appointments and school visits, or as much as telecommuting a few days out of the workweek.

The Workforce authors surveyed six firms to uncover how they are successfully applying flexible work arrangements.

Here are some of their key findings on the most important factors that contribute to the success of implementing flexible work arrangements at any company:

Alternative work arrangements must make sense for your organization. Not every position or company is suited for flexible schedules. It also depends on the individual, some personalities just can’t handle it. Be sure that flexible schedules will work for specific positions and people before implementing anything.

Remember that the goal of flexible work arrangements is employee retention. “If you want high levels of employee satisfaction, your organization needs to recognize the overlap between life and work.”

Keep communication lines open. “Successful implementation of flexible work arrangements takes a commitment to communication.” Commit to an open and honest line of communication with any flexible employee.

Ensure employees have the tools to succeed. Depending on the type of work, employees may need tools like laptops, cell phones or PDAs to stay in touch and do their jobs effectively. Managers and employees should set clear expectations of how and when an employee can be reached, and also allow for downtime.

Allow for an adjustment period. Self-management can be tough for some employees and may take time to learn. “It takes about three years to adjust for a flexible work arrangement. You need to learn what you should and should not be doing by going through it.”

Put all judgement aside. Working a flexible schedule is not “wrong” or a reflection of the employees dedication to the company. Flexible work arrangements should be considered “without judging the employee’s personal priorities.”

Success depends on employee satisfaction. According to one company surveyed, “for its company to succeed, their people need to succeed - not just at work, but in all areas of their lives.”

“Success takes time and experimentation,” especially when implementing a band new program involving flexible work arrangements. Managers must listen to their employees to determine what is working and what may need to be adjusted, until the program finds success.

Work/life balance: Key to employee retention