Train managers on union-related dos and don'ts

As employers anticipate the new National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) poster they must display as of January 31, 2012, many are wondering how they can counter the pro-union message of this mandatory notification with their own union-free philosophy.

While there are many things you can do to achieve a balance, you'd be wise to start with your company's management.

Your supervisors and managers play a critical role in your business, contributing as much to a cohesive, satisfied workforce as they do to one that’s broken and disgruntled. Qualified, well-trained and supported supervisors go a long way toward keeping your company union-free. But you need to invest in their success.

Now, more than ever, you need to meet regularly with your supervisors to discuss any issues that may be brewing, as well as conduct periodic training workshops that address the latest trends in union organizing, red flags in the workplace and how to lawfully remain union-free. After all, “Union prevention is simply good management in action.”

An important part of any training program is outlining the dos and don’ts of unionizing efforts. Your managers and supervisors must be aware of protected and unprotected employee activity. According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) website, they may not:

•    Prohibit employees from discussing a union during non-work time, or from distributing union literature during non-work time in non-work areas, such as parking lots or break rooms
•    Question employees about their union support or activities in a manner that discourages them from engaging in that activity
•    Fire, demote, transfer, reduce hours or take other adverse action against employees who join or support a union or act with co-workers for mutual aid and protection, or who refuse to engage in such activity
•    Threaten to close their workplace if employees form or join a union
•    Promise or grant promotions, pay raises, or other benefits to discourage or encourage union support
•    Prohibit employees from wearing union hats, buttons, t-shirts, and pins in the workplace except under special circumstances
•    Spy on or videotape peaceful union activities and gatherings

Ideally, your company will never become vulnerable to this level of union interest and activity in the first place. But ensuring that management knows the rules of the game can protect you from additional, costly consequences.

Train managers on union-related dos and don'ts

Is your cube-mate super laid back ... or dead?

What a dead-end job.
There was stiff competition for the position.
She must have been dying for a promotion.

The puns are running amok over the story of a Los Angeles County employee who lay dead and slumped over in her office cubicle for an entire day before anyone noticed. Last seen alive at 9 a.m. the previous Friday morning, the 51-year-old auditor was found by a security guard doing his rounds on a Saturday afternoon. The woman most likely died from a stroke or heart attack.

Your first inclination may be to snicker, but the honest truth? This is absolutely horrible PR for the business, the woman's manager and the woman's coworkers. Instead of chuckling, HR managers and corporate leaders should be looking at this incident as a wake-up call.

What type of manager is so disconnected with his or her staff that an employee could pass away undetected? Even mediocre managers touch base with their employees daily, if just to say "Hi" or "Have a great weekend" on a Friday afternoon. And happy coworkers - team players - would certainly notice a neighbor in distress.

Focus is a great thing in the workplace, but not to the point of being clueless. We don't have to be best friends with everyone we share office space with, but social niceties go a long way. Take enough interest in the people around you that you'd recognize if they were in trouble ... certainly if they were unconscious! There is an opportunity for every HR professional in America to use this unfortunate event as a point of discussion regarding the level of interaction between managers and employees.

It's too easy to make light of this story, but the reality is this: Someone died while on the job and it took nearly 24 hours for anyone to notice. Could this ever happen in your workplace?

Is your cube-mate super laid back ... or dead?

How to deliver an Olympic-worthy performance in the workplace

As I sit glued to my TV screen each night watching the highlights from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I can’t help but draw some parallels between the performances on the ice and snow by the world’s top athletes - to those by everyday working folk in businesses large and small. Granted, the working professionals of the world aren’t competing for Olympic gold, but the challenges they face each day – and the tools they need to keep their head in the game – share some interesting similarities.

=> Let’s start with the obvious: training. Every Olympic athlete logs countless hours in local practice rinks, tracks and gyms honing their skills before they ever set foot on the world stage. Without this discipline and dedication, we’d never know the likes of Lindsey Vonn, Apolo Ohno, Shani Davis, Evan Lysacek and Shaun White.

And without regular, focused training to keep their individual technical skills sharp, and their contributions in line with the company's goals, most employees will remain merely average. Employee training and development is the biggest opportunity you have for increasing productivity, improving morale and boosting employee commitment. Neglect this and some of your best employees (or, potentially, your best employees) may forever remain in the shadows and on the sidelines.

=> Right on the heels of training comes tools. What are the resources you’re providing employees to get the job done? An Olympic figure skater wouldn’t arrive at the rink with broken skates, or an alpine skier to the slopes with a cracked ski. Neither should your employees expect to do their best with outdated equipment and tired processes. You know the saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”? Athletes are constantly tweaking their training routines and trying out the latest sporting equipment in the hopes of performing faster, stronger, higher, longer. Perhaps it’s time to explore some new, affordable HR resources to give your employees a competitive edge and keep your business running more smoothly.

=> With nearly every sport, the coach plays a huge part in an athlete’s development and ultimate victory. In the interviews following a winning performance, an Olympic athlete almost always gives credit (often with a lot of tears and fist-pumping) to the coach. Are your managers acting like coaches – supporting and inspiring their direct reports on a daily basis, but also playing tough, when necessary, and pushing them to perform better? It’s a delicate balance that sets the great managers apart from the good managers. Again, with the right tools and training, your finest managers can achieve that balance and become something even more valuable to your organization – leaders.

=> Feedback is another important part of the athlete-coach relationship. In fact, it’s the essence of effective coaching. Athletes don’t practice in a vacuum, expecting their coaches to remain silent as they struggle with a certain move – or on the flip side, failing to cheer them on when they nail a difficult maneuver. Your employees need constant dialogue from their managers and supervisors, too. They should have the advantage of working side by side with someone that understands their challenges, praising them when they do well and providing thoughtful intervention and support when they fail. Performance management isn’t a once-a-year occurrence at review time but rather, a day-to-day dynamic that keeps the lines of communication open between an employee and a manager.

=> Finally, there’s the main event. After years of training and selfless dedication, the Olympic athlete gives the performance of a lifetime, beating all odds and leaving the rest of us speechless. Later, we swell with pride as these awe-inspiring athletes step up to the podium and graciously receive their gold, silver or bronze medals. And while the achievements in the workplace may never compare to the latest, gravity-defying trick on the half pipe or the fastest time on the Super G, they’re just as crucial to the advancement and success of your business. Don’t assume your best-performing employees know their worth and that’s enough. Reward them with the thanks and recognition they deserve – either through inexpensive perks now (such as a desktop award, title change or nicer office) or monetary benefits later (such as a raise or extra paid days off) when the economy picks up again.

So what about you? When the 2010 games officially close on February 28, and the Olympic torch is extinguished, will you remember the many lessons our top athletes have taught us? Let’s honor their accomplishments and keep a little of that Olympic spirit alive right here in our workplaces!

How to deliver an Olympic-worthy performance in the workplace

Employees just say ‘no’ to management

Preparing the next generation of managers has become one of the leading workplace issues since the recession began, but many employees are lacking preparation and/or interest in taking the next step toward management.

In 2009, 52% of employees surveyed for the annual Randstad World of Work survey felt there are not enough qualified managers in their organizations and 45% see a shortage of qualified managers in the future.

The survey also revealed that a majority of employees don’t want to become managers.

“It’s roughly a 50/50 split but it’s still a pretty startling realization. Up until now the assumption has been every employee aspires to become management, to work up the corporate ladder and end up in the corner office with a window. But it seems they don’t. And at this point, the people with the most experience are the least likely to want to become a manager.”

Why not? Increased stress was the number one reason why employees don’t want to enter management. When asked why they don’t want to be managers, employees said:

- Increased level of stress (82%)
- Handling disgruntled employees (74%)
- Increased paperwork (63%)
- Having to terminate or layoff employees (63%)

What can be done to change employees’ perception of management positions? According to the survey results, it may involve a rethinking of management all together.

The desire to become a manager is not driven by money or power, said most survey respondents. Instead, the top two reasons for wanting to become a manager were sharing knowledge with others and having more responsibility for the success of the organization.

“It seems that employees are asking their companies to reconsider and rethink the job of “manager” and how that person relates to the workforce. Just over half of the employees surveyed in 2009 felt the roles of managers need to change. Fifty-two percent saw a difference between the managers of today and the ones of tomorrow. Employees are looking for more than a new generation of managers; they are looking for a new generation of role models.”

Employees just say ‘no’ to management