Using Social Media to Get Beyond the Online Application

Applying on-line is the first step of a lengthy recruitment process to join another organization. Social media can help advance your candidacy.

After identifying the position that is right for you on-line through either a job board or a company web site, you sit back and wait for a response. For most applicants, you wait and wait and wait. This is due to the vast number of qualified applicants for most postings.

In one instance, a large company recently posted a trademark lawyer position exclusively on their web site. They received roughly 400 applicants, nearly all of whom were lawyers. More importantly for them, about 200 applicants had some trade mark law experience.

Trademark lawyers are a fairly specialized area of a field that has many "barriers of entry". As compared to many other fields, they would have a smaller pool of qualified applicants. For example, a posting of someone with 5 years experience for a salesperson, IT professional with SAP experience, external PR expertise, financial analyst, etc. in the same manner would generate considerably more qualified applicants. Thus, simply applying on-line is not enough to get your resume reviewed and secure a phone screen.

There are three actions to move from the total applicant pool to the "small pile" of applicants that get a phone screen. Social media is a core element.

First, establish an objective of advancing your candidacy beyond the pool of total applicants. This step enables the candidate to realize that applying on line is the first of many steps in the process.

Second, use all resources to identify potential network contacts that currently or recently worked at the organization. The goal is to connect with someone inside the organization and have them reinforce your efforts from the inside. Specifically, you want them to inform the hiring manager or department of your candidacy with an encouragement to review your application.

Third, social media can be an effective tool to identify people at an organization. Ideally, you'd like to begin with a network contact, someone you know or through someone who knows you. This will increase the likelihood of them helping you. A few sites that are helpful here are: linked in, Facebook, My Space and Twitter. Each environment enables you to speak to a wide range of people you have a relationship with about your very specific need-someone who works at XYZ inc.

Each site has its own norms around inquiring about information from others on the site. Be considerate of the guidelines, but tenacious in your efforts. The benefits of finding an inside contact are substantial.

Once you've identified a person or two at the firm, provide them with the tools and rationale to get your candidacy to the "right" persons. These actions increase the likelihood that your application/resume will be reviewed. Based on the strength of your application, you will advance to the next stage of the process.

By Dwain Celistan

CareerAccelerationCoach.com

Dwain Celistan is an executive recruiter, coach and author. His latest book is "You're Hired" Actions to Get and Keep the Job of Your Dreams. He can be reached at 630-455-0172 or dwain@reinvent2achieve.com. Check his web site for FREE information on job search http://www.CoachDwain.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dwain_Celistan

Helping Employees Through The Economic Downturn

As we all know by know by now, our country is in crisis. Our economy is at its worst since the 1980's. Job losses have hit a record high and unemployment rates are soaring. The national average is 9.4%; here in Florida, we are at 10.2% and it seems as if it is not getting better. People who are out of work are fearful, anxious and demoralized, often not knowing which way to turn to seek new employment opportunities.

People who still have a job are equally fearful and anxious over whether they will see a pink slip in their box. This level of emotionality can be a barrier for employee engagement, performance, and productivity. There may also be higher levels of absenteeism as workers suffer the side-effects from stress, anxiety and depression.

So, how can organizations help their employees through this period of uncertainty, while keeping morale and productivity healthy? There are several ways that organizational leaders can help their employees keep focused and productive.

1. Communicate - this is probably one the most important steps leaders can take. Let your employees know what is happening within the organization. Talk to them about their feelings and what is going on, as to how the business is doing within its industry. If employees don't know what is happening in the workplace, they will start to deduce and expect the worst. Schedule both formal and informal team meetings. Have an open door policy; this is not the time to dismiss employees. They need reassurance now.

2. Make them feel valued - show them you are glad they are your employees. Value their skills and contributions. Create a valued environment - create a caring culture. Say thanks or let them know how their skills are making an impact on the bottom line. Encourage teamwork and sharing of ideas. Research has shown that employees highly value acknowledgment from their supervisors often times more than traditional rewards. In lean times, you don't have to spend money to show employees you care.

3. Keep focused on organizational goals and outcomes - keeping employees focused on their job tasks and outcomes will leave them little time to worry about the state of the organization or a potential job loss. Work will get done, which will lead to a level of job security and elevated emotional levels. When the work gets done, management is happy, customers are happy, which can trickle down to create happy employees.

4. Promote your EAP -If you find employees feeling overly anxious, which is adversely affecting job performance or that your team is impacted, then it time to tap into those benefits you offer. Be sure to promote EAP services to employees so they will feel comfortable seeking services. Accessing EAP services can often be seen as a stigma for those in need ("you're crazy"), which prevents them from seeking services. It is the strong that recognize they cannot carry the burden alone. If management supports EAP services, then employees will also.

5. Bring in outside resources, as necessary - it may be a good idea to bring in outside resources, such as a coach or therapist who specializes in careers and in working with stress and anxiety. They could meet with employees, both individually and as a group, to teach them ways to recognize their stress triggers and how to cope with them. Often, this helps employees learn from each other and gives them the chance to be the expert. This could facilitate improved communication, teamwork, and a supportive environment. A coach could help employees understand how to manage their careers, which will empower them to always be prepared in case there are layoffs. A coach could help managers feel secure in their leadership skills and to assist in the creation of a healthy work environment.

We are all riding out this economic wave. Businesses that are proactive and take care of their employees will be the ones that survive and come out stronger. Following the steps outlined can create a positive and healthy culture, create trust between employees and leaders, and keep employees engaged and focused on achieving organizational goals.

Dr. Barbara Seifert, CPC, is the President/Owner of Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting, which offers individual and organizational performance solutions. Services are aimed at increasing personal and professional development and enhancing organizational wellness through coaching, training and EAP services. Focus areas include career planning, generational diversity, and workplace wellness. Barbara is a certified coach, a licensed psychotherapist and an adjunct professor. To learn more, visit our website at http://www.cyscoaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Seifert_Ph.D._CPC

Increasing Efficiency in the Workplace

Efficiency is the key to any business - whether with regard to daily business operations, customer and company communications, or long term expansion. Moreover, with the economy in a temporary dip, increased efficiency can help save businesses a significant amount of money - not to mention valuable time.

So what are some ways your business can increase efficiency, and what are the most appropriate tools to help you get there?

One way to effectively cut down on company costs and increase efficiency is to invest in business tools which essentially "multi-task". For example, why not opt to purchase an all-in-one scanner, printer, copy, and fax machine, rather than investing separately in each individual tool? You'll not only save money, but all-in-one type business tools are also much more compact in size - so you can conveniently keep then anywhere in the office or workplace.

What's more, you'll be able to find printers that cater to the type of business you run - whether it's a graphic arts firm or a company that requires high-load copy and printing jobs. All-in-one printers are among the most popular tools for increased businesses efficiency, and now it's easy to see why.

Another way to operate your business more efficiently is to consolidate your IT infrastructure. Companies will often employ different service providers for IT-related needs such as the internet, office phone networks, web conferencing tools and communications managers - ideal if, for instance, you require extensions with a mix of telephony and data functions.

However, there are various benefits to consolidating all your communications systems under one comprehensive provider. To begin, you're bound to get a better deal if one provider handles all your business IT needs. Secondly, if anything goes wrong within your IT department and you happen to require assistance or support, you'll only ever need to contact one company rather than multiple providers. Having one provider for various services simplifies the processes involved with IT operations in the workplace, ultimately enabling you to focus on other important aspects of your business.

Therefore, it is important that you consider how you can increase efficiency and decrease costs in running your business, and cope with the economic climate with every move you make. With so many business tools available on the market, there really are a host of solutions to help you achieve your business goals while staying on track with regard to efficiency and company expenditures.

About the Author

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

What You Need to Know about E-Verify

What is E-Verify
E-Verify was originally introduced to employers as the Basic Pilot Program. The program was developed to provide employers with a free internet-based system where they could determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. The system is operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Employers are able to verify the employment eligibility of their employees, regardless of citizenship. Based on information provided by the employee on his or her Form I-9, E-Verify confirms this information electronically against records contained by DHS and SSA databases.

E-Verify Registration
Currently, E-Verify offers employers the best option to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. You can register online for E-Verify. Upon completion of the registration process, you will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that supplies the terms and agreement between you the employer, the SSA and DHS. The MOU must be signed by an employee with the proper authority to do so.

After you register for the automated system, The MOU, User Manual and Tutorial contain instructions and other related materials on E-Verify procedures. You must complete the tutorial before using the system.

Do I Still Need Form I-9?
The use of E-Verify does not replace the requirement that all employers in the U.S. and all post-November 6, 1986 hires complete Form I-9. E-Verify is processed in addition to the mandatory completion of Form I-9. Currently, USCIS does not offer the use of the electronic Form I-9.

After hiring a new employee and completing the Form I-9, you will be required to submit the following information:

• Employee/s name and date of birth
• Social Security Number
• Citizenship status
• An A number or I-94 number, if applicable
• Type of document provided on the Form I-9 to establish work authorization status
• Proof of identity, and expiration date when applicable

The response to your initial query is sent within seconds of submitting the information. Please note that documents provided from "List B" for the Form I-9 must have a photograph.

When Can I Run an E-Verify Query?
An employer may not initiate a query until an individual accepts an offer of employment and after the employee and employer complete the Form I-9. This query must be initiated by the employer within 3 business days after the new hire's actual start date.

Employers participating in E-Verify must verify all newly hired employees, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Employers are not to use the program to prescreen applicants for employment, confirm current employees hired before the MOU was signed or re-verify any employee who with temporary work authorization.

E-Verify cannot be used to verify immigration status, only a new hire's employment eligibility.

Additionally, E-Verify cannot be used for employees who do not yet have a Social Security Number. If you have an employee with this issue, you should complete the Form I-9 process with him or her and wait to process the E-Verify. Make sure you note on the Form I-9 why you have not yet run an E-Verify query. In the meantime, you will have completed the Employment Eligibility process with your employee and verified his/her work authorization so that your employee is permitted to work temporarily without a Social Security Number. Once the employee has received his/her Social Security Number you may run the E-Verify query.

Is E-Verify Mandatory?
Participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most employers with some limited exceptions. Many states have begun making E-Verify mandatory for their public contractors and the federal government enacted its own amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation ("FAR") mandating E-Verify for many of its contractors and some of their sub-contractors.

Employers that enter into a contract with the federal government and are required to enroll in E-Verify must register with E-Verify when the provision takes effect. After enrolling in E-Verify, the employer is responsible for reporting to the DHS if it continues to employ an individual after receipt of a final nonconfirmation notice. Continuing to employ the individual exposes the employer to a fine in addition to civil monetary or criminal sanctions that may be placed against the employer.

Under the existing E-Verify program, employers are only permitted to verify the employment eligibility of new hires - current employees cannot be processed in E-Verify. However, large contractors feel that it would be too big a task administratively to monitor their E-Verify obligations with respect to employees assigned to the contract and new hires where numerous federal contracts are in place and the workforce varies. This has resulted in the Department of Defense and DHS creating a provision under the Federal Contractor E-Verify Rule whereby an employer may choose to query all of its existing employees hired after November 6, 1986, rather than just those assigned to the contract.

It should also be noted that with the recent changes in our administration, the proposed mandate for federal contractors to be processed through the E-Verify program has been delayed until September 8, 2009. The postponement of the mandate for federal contractors came as a result of a federal lawsuit filed by business members against the DHS. The main concern being raised is the accuracy of the E-Verify data. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the DHS E-Verify system incorrectly lists some legal citizens as ineligible to work in the U.S., and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce feels that the system has not been tested enough.

E-Verify: Pros and Cons
E-Verify may or may not make sense for some employers depending on the particular circumstances of the employer. Prior to enrolling in E-Verify, employers should give thought to conducting an internal I-9 audit and consulting with counsel. An employer may also want to consider the states in which it conducts business, review its current procedure for employment verification and weigh the pros and cons of E-Verify.

The Pros:

• E-Verify quickly verifies employment eligibility and almost eliminates Social Security mismatch letters.
• Employers utilizing E-Verify may presume that they did not knowingly hire an unauthorized worker.
• Employers in some states may be able to pursue certain types of business (state contracts).
• Protects jobs for authorized U.S. workers.

The Cons:

• Participating employers allow the SSA and DHS to perform periodic audits.
• E-Verify has been known to have mismatch problems, carrying a risk of false nonconfirmations that expose an employer to legal action.
• Employers must make an administrative commitment to the program to include training and timely management of the program.
• Improper use of the E-Verify program for pre-employment screening or to re-verify current employees exposes employers to liability.
• There is uncertainty regarding the technical capacity of E-Verify to handle a heavy load and the ability of the SSA to quickly resolve numerous confirmation issues.

Visit the USCIS E-Verify page for the most up to date information.

About the Author

Shelley Phelps is a Background Screening Specialist with Corporate Investigations, Inc., a national provider of pre-employment background screening services headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

From Employed to Engaged

Mary Weather is one of your key employees. The customers ask for her by name and she is one of your best team leaders. Today she comes into your office and tells you that she has accepted an exciting opportunity. You are taken aback. What happened, you ask yourself? Of course, you'll have an exit interview, but it's too late to save Mary,

Turnover is costly:

At least one and a half times an entry level employee's salary - much higher for management level staff. Affects other employees - someone will have extra work until the new person is hired· Delays the company in meeting its goals Upsetting for the customers - they don't like to "train" new people The latest buzz word with regard to employee retention is "engaged". Will we recruit another body to be "employed", or do we want someone committed to the organization, "engaged".

What are the characteristics of an engaged employee?

They love with they do - job content is the key· Engaged employees are leaders as well as team players· They have a positive attitude - enthusiastic for new opportunities Engaged employees understand the importance of customer service· They are committed and will go the extra mile. What is the secret to building and maintaining an engaged workforce.

1.) Recruit carefully

Define the job - know what you're looking for· Determine performance criteria· Don't hire in haste! Leave the position open until you find the right fit. 2.) Make "Onboarding" meaningful

Appoint a coach or mentor to ease the new employee's transition into the workplace· Communicate what is expected during the introductory (probationary) period and who the employee can go to for assistance· Little things mean a lot - have all the basics in place like computers, office supplies, business cards, etc. 3.) Provide opportunities

Employees will leave a job if it doesn't offer career development and challenges· If you are a small company and promotions are not readily available, important project work that provides for skill development should be considered to keep employees motivated.· Offer opportunities for continued professional development, i.e., seminars, membership in professional organizations, etc· Where possible, offer flexible work schedules/telecommuting. Today's diverse workforce faces challenges regarding child care, elder care, etc. A flexible employer is an employer of choice. 4.) Get the Wrong People Off the Bus!

From Good to Great: Why Some Companies make the Leap...and Others Don't by Jim Collins advises employers to get the right people in the right seats, and to get the wrong people off the bus. People get frustrated with co-workers who do not pull their weight. Companies who tolerate poor performance will drive off the good employees

5.) Senior Management

Needs to "walk the talk". So often it's do what I say, not what I do.· Make a decided effort to know the employees on an individual basis.· Identify and weed out poor supervisors· Communicate on many levels, not exclusively by e-mail and text messages. 6.) Also Important

Reward employee contributions - do this in creative ways and do it often!· Recognize the generational differences and provide opportunities for employees of all age groups to work together. Conduct period employee surveys - CAUTION - do not ask for suggestions if you have no intention to do anything with the feedback. This doesn't mean you must act upon every suggestion, but surveyed employees need to have their input acknowledged.· Make certain that your salaries and benefits are competitive. Strive for an Engaged Workforce. Your turnover will be lower, your customers will be more satisfied and your profitability will increase!

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois. Cathy obtained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in December of 2004.

EffortlessHR is an online Human Resources Program for small businesses. This program will guide you through the maze of human resource laws and issues. You will have access to your employee information anytime, anyplace. Federal and State laws, personnel forms, "How To" guides, posters and reports are at your fingertips.

For more information, go to http://www.effortlesshr.com/ , or call us at (520) 546-3947. We now have business forms available at http://www.effortlessforms.com/

About the Author

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois.

Three Concerns When Inquiring About Applicants' Past Criminal Convictions

One extremely useful facet of using employment applications in hiring is the ability of the employer to directly ask an applicant if he or she has a criminal history that would show up if a thorough background check was conducted. Yet, to their detriment, many employers use language that is either too narrow, too broad, or too ambiguous to successfully accomplish this - each of these mistakes can lead to legal quagmires or bad hires continuing to slip through the cracks and potentially endanger businesses. To make this reality perfectly clear, let us go over each of these scenarios in greater detail:

Too Narrow

An example of a question that is too narrow is to only ask about felonies. Many standard employment applications only ask if an applicant was convicted of a felony. That allows the application form to be used in all states. However, misdemeanors can be very serious. Under California law, for example, most employers would want to know if an applicant had a conviction for offenses such as fighting with a police officer, illegal possession of weapons, spousal abuse or child abuse, commercial burglary, assault and many other offenses. Yet in California and other states, these can all be misdemeanors. Many serious offenses are plea-bargained down to misdemeanor offenses as well. Without the proper language, an applicant can honestly answer that he or she has not been convicted of a felony even though there may be serious misdemeanor convictions an employer needs to know about. A best practice would be to utilize an application form that asks about past criminal conduct in the broadest language allowed by law in your state

Too Broad

On the other hand, some employers ask questions that are so broad that it improperly covers matters that are protected. An example may be, "Have you ever committed a crime?" Or "Have You Ever Been Convicted of Any Crime?" There are a number of limitations under state and federal law concerning what an employer may legally ask about or "discover" concerning an applicant's or employee's criminal record. In fact, it can be a misdemeanor in California for an employer to knowingly violate some of these rules. Furthermore, if an applicant is placed in a position where he is forced to reveal information about himself that he is legally entitled not to disclose, an employer can actually be sued in some states for "defamation by compelled self-publication." In other words, if forced to say something defamatory about himself, an applicant may be able to file a lawsuit against the employer for defamation.

Too Ambiguous

The third mistake is to ask an applicant, "Have you ever been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor?" or "Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence?" or a similar question that calls for an opinion. The problem occurs when an applicant is called upon to make a judgment about his own offense. To determine if a crime can be labeled as "serious" can call for a very complex legal and factual determination on which lawyers and even judges could disagree. At times an applicant may be simply confused by court proceedings and may not understand the results or what they mean. By asking a question that is ambiguous and leaves waffle room, an applicant can argue that in his or her mind the offense was not serious and a "no" answer was truthful. That is why a question cannot contain any ambiguity

About the Author

Lester S. Rosen is an attorney at law and President of Employment Screening Resources , a national background checking company located in California offering employment screening services such as employee background screening, job verification, and credential verification.

Wage and Hour Violations Burden Small Businesses

Employee lawsuits against employers have almost doubled in the last six years. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), if an employer is found to be in violation of the Wage and Hour laws, the Secretary of Labor may bring suit for back pay and an equal amount as liquidated damages, plus attorney's fees and court costs. Small businesses are feeling the burden and must be cognizant of complying with all laws.

To understand the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), you have to first learn what jobs are exempt from the requirements and which are not. This is not as easy as you think, and there are numerous penalties that can come out of noncompliance with the law. The federal statute enables an employee or former employee to go back either two or three years to collect for unpaid overtime compensation. In the case of willful violations, a three year statute of limitations applies. Also, criminal penalties may be imposed for repeated violations. In addition to back pay, fines can range from $1,100 per minimum wage or overtime pay violation, or $10,000 for each child worker employed illegally. The Wage and Hour investigations can be very broad in scope and not limited to the circumstances surrounding a single complaint. As a consequence, an employer opens the door to a total review of the company's payroll in these situations.

As an employer, knowledge of the requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act is critical in order to avoid penalties for noncompliance. For more information, go to the Department of Labor's website, Fair Standards Act Advisor*.

Employers who call their workers independent contractors merely to avoid unemployment, workers compensation insurance, and federal and state tax withholding etc. are headed for serious trouble with the Department of Labor (DOL) and/or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS announced in May of 2007 that worker classification cases would be a major area of emphasis in 2008. In March of this year the DOL investigated a Texas water company and found that over 200 employees had been incorrect misclassified as independent contractors. The company ended up owing nearly $600,000 for two years of missed overtime pay.

Is my worker an employee or independent contractor? Ask these questions:

1. Do you tell the employee when and where to report to work? 2. Is the employee given instructions on how the work is to be performed? 3. Is the work supervised by anyone on your staff? 4. Is the employee covered by any of your fringe benefit plans? 5. Have you issued the employee a company ID card? 6. Are you providing business cards, stationery or other company property?

If yes to the above, the worker more than likely is an employee, not an independent contractor.

The IRS recently updated its test for determining whether or not an employee is an independent contractor. The following information was copied from their website:

Facts that provide evidence of the degree of control and independence fall into three categories:

Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job? Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker's job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.) Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business? After reviewing the three categories of evidence, if you are still unsure if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, the business can file Form SS-8, Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding (PDF) with the IRS. The form may be filed by either the business or the worker. The IRS will review the facts and circumstances and officially determine the worker's status. Be aware that it can take up to six months to get a determination, but a business that continually hires the same types of workers to perform particular services may want to consider filing the Form Form SS-8 (PDF).

*http://www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois. Cathy obtained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in December of 2004.

EffortlessHR is an online Human Resources Program for small businesses. This program will guide you through the maze of human resource laws and issues. You will have access to your employee information anytime, anyplace. Federal and State laws, personnel forms, "How To" guides, posters and reports are at your fingertips.

For more information, go to http://www.effortlesshr.com/ , or call us at (520) 546-3947. We now have business forms available at http://www.effortlessforms.com/

About the Author

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois.

Ten Ways to Create an Employee-centered Workplace

An employee-centered workplace is one in which all individuals, programs, processes, and systems are focused on helping employees become fully successful. Individuals who feel valued will provide excellent products and service, which will result in the achievement of organizational goals. In such an environment, everyone wins: workers, management, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders.

Unfortunately, this scenario does not occur naturally. Rather, management must make a conscious decision to create an environment in which everyone and everything is aligned with employees' success. Below are ten actions organizations can take to create or enhance a positive workplace that motivates employees to perform their best. Some practices can be implemented immediately, with little or no cost; others will take some time and effort. Please note that these actions are not one-time fixes; rather, they represent a long-term way of interacting with employees. Short-term "solutions" for long-term issues are seldom effective, and workers can tell the difference.

1. Assess your employees' level of satisfaction with their supervisors. For example, consider issues such as whether the supervisor listens to what they say, and how he/she treats employees when they make mistakes. Take immediate action to correct any deficiencies.

2. Ensure that every employee sees the organization's "big picture" and his/her contribution to it. Employees who feel connected to the organization have a vested interest in its success.

3. Learn employees' names and use them often. As a corollary, learn a little about their families and outside interests. Ask them about things that are important to them personally on a regular basis. Be genuine when you ask; people know when you are being disingenuous.

4. Recognize employees' contributions to the organization in ways that are meaningful to the individuals involved. Research shows that the most effective forms of recognition are those that create memories for workers and their families.

5. Ensure that employees view organizational procedures and decision-making processes as fair. Research shows that even when employees do not like the outcome of a given decision, they are likely to accept it if they believe the rules that led to that outcome are fair - e.g., transparent, free of bias, and open to employee input.

6. Ensure that values such as trust and respect are a core part of your organization's culture. This outcome arises when each employee knows what those values "look like" in terms of his/her behaviors on the job and when leaders exemplify those values every day.

7. Provide employees with a meaningful voice. This means they feel that they can offer their opinions freely and safely, even when they disagree with management, and they believe that their views will be taken seriously.

8. Incorporate appreciative approaches in the workplace. Seek out things that people do well, and build on those strengths. Ask questions that have them searching for positive answers instead of negative ones.

9. Ensure that all employees are in the right jobs - i.e., that their talents are appropriate for the work they must do. Few things are more miserable than doing a job for which one is not a good fit.

10. Hold every manager accountable for helping employees become fully successful.

About the Author

Pat Lynch, Ph.D., is President of Business Alignment Strategies, Inc., a consulting firm that helps clients optimize business results by aligning people, programs, and processes with organizational goals. For additional articles please visit our web site at www.BusinessAlignmentStrateties.com. You may contact Pat at Pat@BusinessAlignmentStrategies.com or at (562) 985-0333. Copyright 2009 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.

Top Tips for HR Professionals

Documentation / Policies & Guidelines One of the main tasks for a HR Professional in any business is the development and update of business documentation, including policies and guidelines used for new staff and existing staff. There should be continual review of these policies, potentially with help and guidance from other departments, for example when developing the 'IT Use' policy. Keeping abreast of changing technologies is useful, for example including 'social networking' into your usage policies ensure that all staff have a clear understanding on where they stand and what a companies policy is on using social media websites in work hours.

Candidate References When you are looking at prospective candidates to employ it is vitally important to not only ask for, but to follow up on personal references. It is becoming more common for HR Professionals to not follow up on references, or instead to simply let departmental heads take care of this aspect of the recruitment process. You should ensure that this process is kept within the remit of the HR department as sometimes this process gets overlooked when more pressing business requirements come up. If potential references cannot be contacted for whatever reason, ensure you allow the candidate to provide you with additional references. Getting positive references as a method of vetting prospective candidates can help save a big headache later on.

Active Enrolment Many times when a new starter joins a company their first impression is a lasting one therefore it is important that an effective new starter enrolment programme is designed and implemented. For example documentation could include information to hand out to new starters detailing facts on the company and office. As a company policy it may be a good idea to create an enrolment training day for new starters as this can be helpful to impart the company philosophy. Ensuring that new starters are also escorted around the building to be shown facilities and meet other members of staff is also important, however many times this exercise is not carried out effectively when left to individual departments, therefore the HR team should take responsibility for this. HR should also oversee that IT systems are put in place prior to a new starter joining a company. It looks (and is) unprofessional for a new starter to join and find that their IT system are not in place.

Incentives & Recognition For any individual it is important to feel that what they contribute to a business is not only recognised, but also can aid their long term career though either incentives or career progression. A HR department's role is to ensure that these recognition and incentive schemes are put in place as this helps to motivate employees and improve overall performance. Whilst salary primarily tends to dictate a persons motivation other incentives and rewards, which can have little financial burden to a company can pay dividends long term. Starting creative incentive schemes with fresh new ideas can aid moral and also help lengthen to time employees stay at a company.

Understanding your Business Whilst as a HR professional you are focused on your core responsibilities, learning about the business and marketplace that you are working in can aid the development of your HR programmes. Understanding the specific requirements relating to an industry can help you understand some of the more complicated HR issues that you might come across in your role. For example, HR professionals who work in surveying marketplace could keep updated on training events held by trade bodies such as the RICS. This would help employees with their personal development.

Ensure Compliance Whilst it is important to have a good grounding and understanding of the business in which you operate in as a HR Professional it is also vitally important that you stay abreast of any developments in the HR industry. Monitoring trade journals and magazines should become a routine habit, the attendance at trade fairs and expos should also be carried at frequently. Ensuring that you are aware of any changes to legislation is vitally important. Any changes to HR laws and rules will have a big impact on how a business operates with at worse companies that fall foul of any new legislation could find themselves being sued by individuals.

Appraisals Ensuring that there is an effective appraisal and personal development programme implemented is important. In many companies appraisals are carried out haphazardly. However this is a mistake as an appraisal not only allows a company to get feedback from the employee on how they feel about their role and the company in general it is also an opportunity to help map and plan an employee's career within a company. Whilst many employees leave a company due to salary or because they are looking for a different challenge, many employees also leave a company due to a feeling of dissatisfaction with a company in general, therefore a highly tailored appraisal process can help alleviate this problem. You should look towards implementing a goal or target orientated appraisal programme that gives both a company and an employee something to work towards as this can help keep motivation high.

Disciplinary Procedures Whilst having to carry out disciplinary procedures is one of the tasks that would preferably be avoided, in many circumstances it is a necessary part of the role of the HR team. Whether disciplinary procedures are carried out by employee's line managers predominantly, it is still important for HR to be involved in this process to ensure that internal processes are followed correctly as any mistakes here could leave the business open to tribunal actions or claims. HR teams should instruct management personal to follow a selection of simple guidelines to keep the disciplinary process professional. Managers should: ensure that they stick to facts and not to bring up irrelevant information that is based on hearsay or gossip. Should not get 'personal' or violate confidentiality. Follow disciplinary procedures correctly and not 'skip' steps. Managers should also consult the HR team in any doubt and formal procedures should be put in place by the HR team to allow this.

Exit Interviews When a person leaves a company it is an ideal opportunity to gain some constructive criticism as to why that person is leaving and what they think could be changed within the company. It is important to ensure that the exit interview remains not only impartial, but confidential as in many cases an employee may not feel comfortable talking about certain things, such as if they are leaving because of issues with their line manager. It is important to understand that many industries tend to have 'close knit' communities and individuals can end up working with the same colleagues again at a different company. As a HR Professional with constructive feedback from departing employees you are in a position to action company policy and feedback to departments any changes that could be made for the better.

Time Management A great skill for any HR Professional is time management, ensuring you can allocate your time effectively is important as it means that you can keep on top of your work load. One of the best ways to ensure that your time is allocated correctly is to write a to-do list and then prioritise each action with a different priority level. This helps you keep on top of your work load. Time management is also useful for the majority of people in your company therefore getting relevant people onto time management workshops can help the productivity of the workforce immensely.

Enhance Your Career HR professionals can develop their careers through a number of accredited training channels such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) or other training organizations that offer HR courses. Ensuring that you are constantly enhancing your skill set allows you to not only develop further in your career but also have better skills to help progress and develop the HR policies where you work.

About the Author

Rachel Samuels is a freelance writer and loves to write on a wide range of topics

Practical challenges for PHR & SPHR

Nowadays, companies are laying off their staffs. Though, it is extremely tough to find talented pool of employees. So, companies need good managers to counter the cruel recession. Sphr phr certification ensures that they are approving the potentials which have capabilities to counter all these hurdles. Credibility of such certifications provides relief to the companies and let them concentrate on their core task.

Sphr study guide shows ethical approach towards the term 'human resource'. The guide ensures that in resource could never come ahead of 'human'. After all, how can we disrespect 'humanity'! So, sphr human resources mean handle all human being as the resource with delicate/sensitive touch. Here, we will try to understand those practical aspects which are all about spontaneity or maturity of the human resource experts because each and every possibility can not be mentioned in any book or study guide.

Sphr & phr (professional in the Human Resource) strongly favor succession plans. According to them, such plans must be in place to make sure that good people are at key position. But a conscious professional never forget to mention that abiding with succession plans do not mean to recruit internally. However, poaching from another company is also not so bad deal if you are getting absolutely ideal candidate.

Graduate fast track schemes also have always remained very effective and popular medium for finding and recruiting the best talent. Often the combination of huge potential and theoretical knowledge did not prove enough for the companies. So, they arrange training session for the fresh breed.

Online social media is also rapidly growing up as a big challenge. Nowadays, employees have power of social community websites. They can defame any company on the basis of few specific reasons. For instance, if employees are not happy with company's hr policies then they can expose such policies through social community websites or forums. This sort of approach of employees may weaken company's reputation on World Wide Web. So, here comes a new challenge for phr and sphr. Either keep you employee happy or recruit a special team who will take care of company's reputation on World Wide Web.

About the Author

PHRSPHRTraining.com providing human resource certification, PHR Certification Course, SPHR Certification Course passing PHR Exam, SPHR Exam from sphr study guide and PHR/SPHR training course material easily and quickly.

Get More Done With Less - The Right Employee Makes All the Difference

Face it, today we have to get more done with less. The recession has limited many organizations' spending and the most significant reduction has affected manpower and headcount. Over the past 9 months, several million employees have lost their roles - victims of our challenging financial times. With fewer employees remaining in virtually every business, these employees must now not only do their work, but also the work of others. Though some at the moment may feel appreciative for the work, today's workers must now shoulder a more significant workload. Having the right employee in the right role is key to getting more done with less; the right employee makes all the difference.

Today's intellectual workplace requires greater employee thinking as part of daily performance. Since all roles require very specific thinking, and not all people think the same way, not every person is a good fit for every role. Studies show employees who are a good fit for a role (the "right" employee) are those who are good at what they do and passionate about doing it; these employees are more engaged, fired up and consistently outperform all others. If an organization must have fewer employees, then those who remain must be the right ones. Having the right employees as surviving employees allows for a smaller and higher performing workforce. This will be key in surviving today's recession - right people, right roles, less expense.

To help your employees get more done with less, start first by assessing whether the right employees are in the right roles. Proper employee alignment is management's responsibility and requires that management clearly create (what I call) a "Talent Matrix" for each role. The Talent Matrix identifies the critical performance talents needed to do the role well (they know how to do the role and are passionate about doing it), the team talents needed (for employees to fit into the organization's culture), and the skills and experience that will help the employee be successful in daily performance. These attributes allow for a thoughtful and bias-free process to assess whether employees are in the right roles. The better matched employees are to roles that use their talents, values and interests, the greater their performance. Using the Talent Matrix creates an effective process to determine who will be part of the core team that remains, and who will be laid off. This removes much of the emotional component of the layoff, and redirects the attention on performance, impact and results.

After first assessing and realigning existing employees to better roles, you may still see that critical roles in the organization are not staffed by the right people and the right people are not currently part of your workforce. This means that you must find your critical talent outside of your organization. Today, while others are firing, you could be hiring. There is no mandate that in tough economic times, you only lay off. With an increased supply of talented unemployed workers, now may be the time for you to bring in new employees who will be more capable than your existing employees in particular roles. Again, one right employee will significantly outperform several of the wrong employees. Not only will performance increase, but critical payroll costs will decrease. It is important to get more done with less so having the right employee who may need to be brought in from outside of the organization may be the right response.

Many people (some famous, some not) have recently said, "never waste a good crisis." Tough economic times challenge us to be more clever, creative and to know the performance abilities of our teams. It is up to us to ensure we have the right people in the right roles, even if we have to go outside of the organization to find them. It has forced us to look for the very best employee for each role, to hold each employee more accountable for results and to spend wisely regardless of the times. It has forces us to be more involved in the process of hiring the right employee and realigning employees based on their talents and contribution.

Having the right employees (those who are good at what they do and are passionate about doing it) is the key to all great performance. These employees have to get the job done, and done well. Our customers depend on it. Our vendors rely on it. If they are connected and engaged, they will perform. If they are miscast, disengaged and disinterested, performance fails.

Today, we must get more done with less. The right employees are ready for the challenge. Hire or realign employees into roles that they are good at and are passionate about and they will perform. They will be your core workers. They will help you weather this financial storm. They will help you to be ready for whatever else comes your way. Not every employee is the right employee. You'll know you have the right employee because this employee will make all the difference.

Jay Forte, a former financial executive and educator, now performance consultant, speaker and author, is a nationally ranked Thought Leader and President of Humanetrics. Jay teaches organizations how to ignite passionate performance in managers, employees and individuals using his MaxImpact Core approach. He has helped many organizations and individuals become more performance-focused by learning how to connect to organizations of all sizes, become more performance-driven and financially successful.

As an expert in guiding and activating performance, he is regularly interviewed by national publications and as a guest on business radio programs. His many articles have been nationally and internationally published. He is the author of the new book, "Fire Up Your Employees and Smoke Your Competition; How to Invite, Incite and Ignite Employee Performance", an innovative, practical, hands-on manager guide to activate exceptional employee performance. His new program, "Stand Out and Get Hired" is due out shortly and is an interactive program that helps job seekers assess their talents, link to careers that support their talents (to create greater employment opportunities) and learn how to create the new and powerful talent-based resume that gets noticed and hired.

See his websites at http://www.HumanetricsLLC.com and http://www.FireUpYourEmployees.com He can be reached at jay.forte@humanetricsllc.com or at 401.338.3505.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Forte

Seven Practical Steps to Improve Workplace Productivity.

By: PLMitchell

Seven Practical Steps to Improve Workplace Productivity. One of the biggest problems in the workplace is how to increase labor productivity. The secret lies in the leadership of your people. You can make huge capital investments in systems and machinery but unless you provide good leadership then you're never going to release the potential of your people.

This hidden potential is worth a huge amount of profit. The normal way of trying to release this potential is to exhort people to work harder and longer. Yet the secret is to show them how to work smarter. Our tendency is to push people into producing more in the same amount of time. The intelligent leader knows how to pull people so that they do not work harder, just smarter.

When you push people, they push back and resist what you are trying to do. If you take people with you and show them how to work smarter, they go home at the end of the working day feeling much more fulfilled, and not as tired. The steps to take a simple but not always easy. They require thought and consideration as well as a considerable amount of discussion with the employees.

1. Set mutual expectations with your staff. Unless you set mutual expectations with your staff, you are always going to be on the back foot. This means that the only time you can mention expectations is when they're not being fulfilled. By then, it's too late. What do your people expect from you in your leadership position?

2. Agree that they are fair and reasonable. What do you expect from your people? Are your expectations are fair and reasonable? How do you know?

3. Measure current productivity. We are you going to start from? How accurate is your current productivity measure?

4. Set targets Setting targets with your people will involve them in the whole process. It will also give them an opportunity to contribute to, not only the targets, but also the milestones on the way to those targets.

5. Provide visible feedback. This is another high involvement area. Your team needs to work out how their progress is going to be measured, who is going to measure it and how is the feedback going to be presented. Is it going to be daily, or is it going to be weekly?

6. Discuss progress on a regular basis. How is this going to be accomplished? Is it through daily team briefing in the morning? Is it going to be carried out through one-on-one with the manager and supervisors daily? Are the results going to be posted on the notice board and then discussed weekly? The feedback is fundamental to the whole productivity improvement initiative. Without feedback you just won't work.

7. Celebrate milestones and achievements. Work out with your team how you are going to celebrate each milestone. Arrange this in advance so there is a sense of anticipation. Whatever happens, never let the pressure of work postpone such an important occasion.

Peter Mitchell has been an adviser to businesses of all sizes and types for the last 35 years. He has used all his experience to write a step-by-step guide for business owners and mangers which is complimentary. If you download this guide, you are eligible to buy his latest book "The Key to Productivity"at a special price for a limited time.

It is available NOW at http://www.thekeytoproductivity.com

About the Author

Peter Mitchell has 35 years of experience successfully managing and owning businesses. He strongly believes that increasing workplace productivity through staff is the most cost effective way of increasing and maintaining profits. He is the author of two books and countless articles.

Leading Through Emotional Times: The Fallout of 2008-09 Layoffs

By: Marci Rinkoff

In March of 2009, the unemployment rate rose by 694,000 to a total of 13.2 million people. We're at an average of 8.5% across the country. Clients of mine who are laying off people are wondering how to handle their own emotions as well as those around them. People who still have jobs wonder if they will continue to have their jobs. Read how one Sales VP managed her way...

In November of 2008, a VP of Sales for a major furniture company was facing a layoff of 25 sales staff. Sales were down 40%; the company was downsizing in other departments. In stress, her leadership style as a "Mediator" is to detach emotionally and blow through any obstacles. Through many trying months, she kept her doors closed, and focused relentlessly on restructuring the sales team. Coming home to her family after 9 was becoming a familiar habit. Employees were surprised by her tough and detached demeanor.

As she was preparing for a second round of layoffs, her true feelings suddenly came to the surface. Just as she was addressing her team, she removed her glasses and spoke from the heart. Her voice choked with emotion as she said, "The truth is that this is very difficult for me to do. I have been in this business for twenty years. You are like family to me. Some of the people leaving were mentors to me on the way up. These are good people and I'm proud to count many of them among my friends. I accept the responsibility for the decisions we've had to make and I understand why these people are leaving... but that doesn't change the fact that it breaks my heart to see them walk out the door." Then she took a deep breath, put her glasses back on, and continued with the rest of her remarks.

After the address, she expressed concern that she had "blown it" by getting too emotional with his organization. But instead, those 45 seconds of genuine emotion helped her regain her humanity and reestablish connection with the organization. Employees were reassured, empathetic, and even supportive. "That's the person I thought I knew," they said. "I was concerned that she had lost her soul, but maybe she was just trying too hard to be strong for us."

Showing her personal vulnerability didn't alter the necessity for making the tough calls, but it did jump-start the healing process by normalizing and validating the feelings of others. She earned back some trust that day.

Of course, saying the words "this is hard for me" or tearing up to show empathy is not a canned formula for facilitating grieving or reengaging employees. Forget about trying to fake authenticity!

The key lies in trusting people to accept the real you as you guide them through tough times in a way that is genuine and honest. "Lead from your own experience, emotions and empathy." Fair or unfair, others are looking to you to be both "larger than life" and "just like me."

In the book Leading with Authenticity in Times of Transition suggests that leaders can help their organizations through difficult transition by balancing operational and emotional leadership. Some suggestions:

Share information. Share the facts as early and as often as possible. Tell people the truth, acknowledge mistakes and be clear about your situation and prospects for the future. You probably don't know or can't share all the details of what's going on-especially given the huge uncertainty facing organizations today - but withholding information fuels speculation and increases anxiety.

Make room for emotions. You need to drive performance, but you also need to accept that people are experiencing loss and grief. People react in different ways to change and will adapt at various paces. Pay attention so you know when to push and when to back off or coach people through.

Be aware of your own reactions. Get clear on your own behaviors and reactions to change and challenge. Questions to ask yourself include: • Am I rushing the process and making everything equally urgent? • Am I avoiding ambiguity or downplaying uncertainty? • Am I stifling my emotions and isolating myself? • Am I overly optimistic to the point of raising questions about whether I'm in touch with the real challenges? • Am I investing enough time in meeting people where they are - in service of taking them where we need to go?

About the Author

Marci Rinkoff, CPCC, PCC, founder of MBR Coaching is a professionally certified coach and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with corporate and nonprofit executives and teams, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals. She began coaching in 2000 and received coaching certifications from the Coaches Training Institute and the International Coach Federation. Marci is President-Emeritus of North Bay Coaches, on faculty at the Marin Leadership Institute and at San Jose State University.

When You Should Promote From Within and When You Should Hire From Outside the Company

By: Anne Warfield

You must know WHEN you should promote from within and when you need to bring in new blood or you can KILL your company. So how do you know which one you should do? The answer is surprisingly easy yet I am amazed at how many companies miss it. I believe most companies miss it because they don't realize the importance of this ONE ingredient in the success of their company. The one key ingredient is YOUR CORPORATE CULTURE.

Their company was on the rise. They had gone from $50 million in sales to $250 million in just 10 years. They had a softball team, a family picnic every year, and a Christmas party that was so loved by everyone that groups of people would get blocks of rooms and stay the night to party together. Almost every Thursday the entire office would end up at a local bar for a few drinks together. Most of the Senior Vice Presidents made it on Thursday night as well.

And then the CEO decided to retire.

Two of the internal Senior Vice Presidents applied for the CEO position but were turned down because the board of directors decided it was time to bring in new blood to take the company to the next level. After all the board figured, how could someone internally take it any higher since all they had to learn from was the CEO and he couldn't take it any further?

Now at first the company grew under this new leadership. It actually went to $500 million in sales. On the surface it looked like the Board of Directors choice to hire from the outside worked.

What they didn't realize is that the corporate culture had switched to being one you worked at, watched your back, and did what you had to in order to get ahead. And then it happened...the corporate culture had switched so much that there was a mass exit of the top talented people and the sales dropped from $500 million to $300 million in only 5 years. In the last 3 years they have gone through 3 different CEO's and are still struggling today.

Can changing one person really have that kind of impact on a company? Is that normal?

ABSOLUTELY!

You must know WHEN you should promote from within and when you need to bring in new blood or you can KILL your company.

So how do you know which one you should do?

The answer is surprisingly easy yet I am amazed at how many companies miss it. I believe most companies miss it because they don't realize the importance of this ONE ingredient in the success of their company.

The one key ingredient is YOUR CORPORATE CULTURE.

If you have a great corporate culture promote from within your company. That way you are ensured that the values, integrity and character of the company will keep going. You are better off training a person on the new skills they need for the job than you are trying to train someone on what your company culture is.

If you don't have a good corporate culture or you wish to change the corporate culture, than hire from the outside. Look, not only at the individual, but study the corporations they came from as well. Have they learned under corporate cultures that you would like to duplicate or enhance? If so, they would be a great candidate.

Be leery if they have always been in organizations that are counter to your corporate culture. Remember they will practice what they have learned.

I have seen so many companies hire poorly with disastrous results for the department or corporation. I saw one company that was a driving yet balanced company hire a young woman that was a driven go getter. She came from corporations that rewarded you for the work you did, not the life you lead. She came in and disrupted the entire work flow, had 3 people in her department quit before the company had to fire her. That department is trying to rebuild itself today.

I have also seen companies that know their culture so well that they mainly promote from within. American Woodmark is a corporation that has a complete grasp of who they are. They have a solid seven year vision that each employee knows about and how they directly affect that seven year vision. They have a complete training program that builds on and molds people in their corporate culture. Matter-of-fact we are one of the only training companies they use from the outside. The reason our programs have worked for them is that we build our program to MATCH and ENHANCE your corporate culture. We realize that your behavior comes from your beliefs and so the more the training fits your corporate beliefs the more the training will be reinforced in your company.

Remember your company has it own culture, character, and flavor. If you like the way it is, than you are better off promoting from within and helping that person develop the skills to move to the next level. That is how you build loyalty, values, and love for the company.

About the Author

When people want to know how to say the right thing at the right time, they call Anne Warfield. As the leading Outcome Strategist, Anne helps people negotiate, present, sell and lead by managing perceptions, since perceptions become reality. She does this by showing you how to speak so people WANT to listen to you.

Training Managers to Lead Four Generations: Leadership Fad or the New Essential?

By now, anyone who hasn't been living under a rock knows that there are four generations of employees in the workforce (Millennials 1977-1998; Gen Xers 1965-1976; Baby Boomers 1946-1964 and Silent Generation 1933-1945). As a matter of fact, a rapidly growing number of organizations provide overviews, lunch 'n' learns, presentations, written material and/or online resources to raise management's awareness of the four generations.

These educational efforts do a decent job of raising awareness, but that's often as far as it goes. It's not far enough. Why? Because every manager needs substantive skills in multi-generational leadership, not just awareness of the generations, to recruit, hire, onboard, coach, engage, retain, and foster knowledge sharing across all four generational segments of the workforce.

For example, when a new hire comes on board, the manager helps the new hire find peer groups and understand expectations. This sounds pretty cut and dry until you take into account the new hire. A Millennial new hire, for instance, will expect the manager to provide him with a buddy and social network and to fill him in on the "unwritten rules." A Baby Boomer new hire, on the other hand, will want her manager to describe where her experience fits and to provide introductions to senior leaders and build her credibility.

Every level of manager, from newly promoted managers to first-line, middle, and tenured managers, is impacted by the challenge of the multi-generational workforce. Here's how:

• Recruiting & Hiring - Company recruiters can find candidates, but people go to work for a manager. Managers must adjust their interviewing approach when recruiting new talent. "By 2012, the US workforce will be composed of 3% Silent Generation, 27% Boomers, 33% Gen Xers and 37% Millennials." U.S. Census Bureau data
• Onboarding - New employees quickly make up their minds about their new managers, teams and companies. Managers must help new hires find their way into the culture as well as the work. "Most employees (90%) make the decision to stay with a company within the first 6 months." Bersin & Associates
• Job Mastery - Managers are expected to be on-the-job coaches and mentors, not just 'the boss.' Managers must know how to enrich entry level assignments, and keep work fresh for experienced team members. "Career growth and development is one of the top five retention factors for over 80% of the workforce." The Learning Café
• Retention & Engagement - People join companies but leave "bad" bosses. And they don't have to walk out the door to quit - they can mentally quit and come to work every day. Managers need to be savvy about the engagement drivers for each team member, and know how to make the department a great place to work. "Disengaged workers cost the economy $300 billion or more a year. Over 50% of the workforce reports being disengaged." Gallup
• Knowledge Sharing - Managers are the first line of defense in guarding precious organizational know-how. Managers must assess which expertise and skills are critical for the future, which are at risk, and ensure continuity. "43% of the 141 million US civilian labor force will be eligible to retire in the next decade." Wall St. Journal based on US Census Bureau data

As you can see, multi-generational leadership is not just a fad, it is the new essential. Providing managers with focused skill-building and tools to successfully lead across the generations is the new core, critical element for forward-thinking leadership development curriculums.

To learn more about the Five Roles of Managers in the multi-generational workforce, contact Diane Thielfoldt or Devon Scheef at www.thelearningcafe.net.

By: Diane Thielfoldt & Devon Scheef

About the Author

The Learning Cafe specializes in solving issues related to the four-generation workforce. Diane and Devon have helped organizations create strategies to manage their multi-generation workforces and bridge the generation gap. Their presentations, training materials and workshops provoke thought, change behavior and educate managers and employees on the importance of flexing to meet the needs of a changing workforce.

4 Key Fundamentals To Leadership

By: Rod Bragagnolo

Leaders are always in the game and in the game to win. They have a predetermined outcome already designed in their minds eye. They apply what Stephen Covey refers to as "Begin with the end in mind".

These 4 fundamentals are broken down to the following categories Influence, Integrity, Inspiration and finally Improvement

Let's review these Key Fundamentals of Leadership

Fundamental Leadership Key #1

Influence - ability to influence others to achieve a common goal. They do not bar orders they persuade and influence others to see and identify with the end goal in mind. They create buy in from those they are leading

Fundamental Leadership Key #2

Integrity - Leaders operate with a level of integrity beyond that of the average person. They have a level of awareness in their decision making process to ensure they say what they mean and mean what they say. Essentially this leadership quality is like an internal filter used prior to communicating with others. Its purpose is to ensure that what is being communicated is in line with the values and ethics of that particular leader. Bottom line is this leadership quality states "Am I going to do what I say I am going to do"

Fundamental Leadership Key #3

Inspiration - This quality allows the leader to inspire others, in creativity, free thought, achieving great heights, propelling one self to stretch beyond perceived or imagined boundaries. Inspiring others around them to realize the limitless potential that they have and in doing so excelling to achieve the desired goals.

Fundamental Leadership Key #4

Improvement - Leaders are always improving themselves. Leaders are constantly on a journey of self improvement and are not prone to arriving. This means they know they are always improving their skill and fundamental qualities to ensure they develop a level of mastery in the first 3 fundamental leadership keys.

Being a leader requires a commitment of ones self, a discipline, a love of what they do, and an unparalleled, focused work ethic. Developing mastery in the 4 fundamental leadership keys leads you along the path of success to what ever endeavor you choose

To learn more about this topic and business building techniques and strategies be sure to click the link in the resource box below.

About the Author

Ron Bragagnolo is a successful home business entrepreneur who specializes in internet network marketing. He teaches and assist people in developing powerful strategies in generating leads on line.

Ensure a Good Layoff Package for a Graceful Exit

By: Jeff Paul

When people are first hired, they can get overwhelmed with the compensation, benefits, and other incentives offered by their new employer. At this comfortable stage, perhaps one of the greatest mistakes is not to negotiate for a lay-off package right upon signing employment papers.

Securing a good severance package is actually comparable to purchasing a health insurance plan. By obtaining one, there is no need to worry should unforeseeable circumstances arise. For healthcare plans, that unfortunate event may be a life-threatening disease. For severance pay, it can be the unexpected termination that is so common nowadays.

This is especially important for those who are already middle-aged and deserve senior positions. When they get laid off, it will take quite some time, not to mention quite effort, to find a new employer who will treat them well and pay as much. Only when they face the prospects of being terminated do they realize its importance.

With an adequate severance pay, an employee will have in his hand on enough funds to sustain himself while in transition to a new job. Or for the entrepreneurial types, the pay can even be the seed money for a business. If the package is too costly, it can even be the reason for the company not to consider him among the candidates for termination in times like these.

While there is no law that requires an employer to provide severance package, an employee would do well to negotiate for one as early as the employment negotiations. If it is mentioned in the employment contract, the company will be legally bound to provide the layoff package.

Resource Box: Career Protection is a firm that provides assistance to executives and professionals in negotiations concerning employment, including those for a "layoff package". Visit http://www.careerprotection.com or call (877) 475-2948 for more information.

About the Author

Jeff Paul is a writer and copy editor who likes to share information on many different topics.

Small Businesses Beware: Top 5 Lies Told by Job Candidates

By: Shelley Phelps

While exaggerated and false résumé claims have always been an issue, job candidates are more likely than ever to lie on applications and résumés in these difficult economic times. Unfortunately, small businesses are more negatively impacted by falsified credentials and/or fraudulent job claims, as every employee in a small company has a significant impact on overall performance, employee morale and the bottom line. Compounding this problem is the fact that applicants are more inclined to lie to small businesses because they believe that these companies are less likely to conduct pre employment background checks.

A recent report compiled by HireRight outlined the five most common lies told by job candidates to potential employers. Here are the highlights of that report for you to keep a close eye on when you're hiring:

1. Exaggerating dates of past employment - It is estimated that as many as 34% of all resumes include discrepancies related to previous employment.

2. Falsifying the degree or credential earned - Approximately 20% of job candidates exaggerate or lie about education qualifications.

3. Inflating salary or job title - This is a common issue, as most job candidates are looking to get a better job or a higher salary.

4. Concealing a criminal record - Statistics show that about 11% of all background checks return a criminal record.

5. Hiding a drug habit - Since 42% of Americans admit to having used an illegal drug in their lifetime, screening candidates for drug use is a good idea.

Performing employment history and educational background checks, criminal record checks and pre employment drug testing will help to determine if the candidate you're looking to hire is being honest, or if they've told one of these five top lies.

About the Author

Shelley Phelps is a Background Screening Specialist with Corporate Investigations, Inc., a national provider of background check services headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Can't Find a Job? Think Outside the Box

This is a tough job market but there are jobs. With all the downsizing and layoffs, employers still have specific needs. This article is written for people of all ages who have specific job skills. These may be internet skills, technical skills, writing skills, proof reading, translation, being a virtual assistant, transcriptions, catalog layout, logo creations... I am just pulling these descriptions out of my head but these are jobs that are out there - posted on the web. There are thousands of opportunities. You just need to know how to access them. You need a Treasure Map.

The job market is changing. Optimistically, the shift that is occurring is an evolution. It is not bad but it is different from the work place that we all know. The world is moving very fast. In this technical age the needs in the workplace change faster than employers can adapt. Employers are trying to meet the needs of the market that they service. When you add unions into the mix, it gets very complicated because union rules and contracts are specific and the talents currently needed, require flexibility.

We initially focused on people wanting to live abroad and make a global income. This is appealing to the renegade Baby Boomers that are ready to retire now. This also appeals to the retirees that have seen their retirement portfolios "tank" with the recent economic down turn. Dr. Debi Yohn has lived abroad throughout her professional career and she has a very optimistic perspective. She advises people to "Think Globally".

Dr. Yohn and her husband, Winton Churchill (yes, he is related to Sir Winston) have a consulting business that coaches people of all ages to think globally, take control of their destiny and make a global income. Recently, this has gotten the attention of young college graduates that are having a difficult time finding a professional job. Many of our graduates do not have a work history but they have the skills. A college student often has computer skills and technology skills that surpass the baby boomer. Many were almost born with a lap top across their infant seat.

"I encourage young adults to use the Internet to develop their global income. It will look better on a resume than working at Starbucks plus this kind of experience will fine tune the technical skills needed in the current business environment." Yes, this gives the "geeks" a clear advantage but we help everyone discover the talents they can put on the global market place to supplement their income or to create an income.

Living outside the borders of the United States is adventurous but not for everyone. If you work on the global market place, you can work anywhere. This removes daily commutes, the need to wear suits and pantyhose, and the need to live in high rent areas. It gives individuals the freedom to live where they want. This can be in another country, a cruise ship, an RV, an isolated area and for those happy where they are, they can just stay home in their pajamas.

People of all ages can create profiles that attract businesses looking for their specific skills. There are monthly membership programs with weekly assignments with each week building on the week before. For those in the fast lane and need to come up to speed quickly, there coaching programs with one on one coaching. The business environment is changing but there is work out there that needs to get done.

So, put your skills on the global market place and take back control of your life and your income. You will no longer be dependent on large corporations and governments. You will be in control of your destiny. Find your serenity and your passion while earning a global income. That may be where your next job is. So get those shoes off and look outside the box.

Dr. Debi Yohn, Co-Founder of BareFoot Consultants and Counseling Psychologist, teaches you how to put your skills on the global market and increase your income 30% to 70%. This reduces your dependence on flaky governments, teetering financial institutions and oppressive employers... all of whom have too much influence on your life today.

Grab your FREE report "5 Ways to Put you Skills on the Global Market Place and Tap into your Global Earning Power". Go to http://barefootconsultants.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Debi_Yohn

Businesses Scramble to Educate Employees on Swine Flu Outbreak - What is going to happen?

Swine Flu - What Should I Do ? by Steve Thevenot

A new strain of flu called the "swine flu" is creating an international stir and is putting health monitoring agencies and doctors throughout the World on extreme high alert. This new mutant virus has the potential to become an international pandemic and can kill otherwise healthy adults - not just the young, weak or infirm. The spread of this potentially deadly new strain of flu is of great concern to the health community because it has popped up in the USA and Mexico and has potentially spread undetected so far to many other areas. The swine flu has already caused the death of scores of people in Mexico and many more people are being infected daily worldwide, including in the USA. An immunization for the swine flu is not widely available and it may be too late to produce enough to halt the rapid spread of this potentially deadly disease. If you develop any of the following flu symptoms you should consult your doctor.

I feel horrible! - do I have the flu or is it just a common cold? This question is usually the 1st one that comes to my mind when I get that lousy-all-over-feeling that lets me know I've caught a winter season bug. Some of the symptoms of all strains of the flu (influenza), including the potentially deadly "swine flu", are very similar to those common to the common cold, however, there are some flu symptoms that are not. Here are 8 symptoms that are common to the flu. These tips may help you determine whether you have the flu and a proper course of action if you do. If you suspect you have the flu and not just a common cold, see your doctor within 48 hours if possible. He may be able to prescribe medications that will help lessen the severity of your symptoms. After 48 hours the available antiviral medications are much less effective.

1.) Fever of 100.4 F (38C) or higher. Fever is rare if you only have a cold but fever over 100.4 F for 3-4 days is common in up to 80% of flu cases. 2.) Muscle aches that are widespread throughout the body. Muscle aches are not common with a cold and if they do occur are normally slight. 3.) Very tired or exhausted feeling. The degree of tiredness is usually much more pronounced with the flu than with a common cold. 4.) Headaches are common with the flu but fairly uncommon with a cold. 5.) Chills are common with the flu but are uncommon with a cold. 6.) Sore throats are common with both the flu and a cold. 7.) Stuffy or runny nose. These are common with both the flu and a cold but are more common with children who have the flu than with adults with the flu. 8.) Stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are sometimes associated with the flu - a more common symptom with children - but uncommon with a cold.

If you have any of the symptoms commonly associated with the flu, you should see your doctor ASAP - remember , as stated above, if within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms he may be able to treat you with antiviral medications that may reduce the severity of your symptoms and shorten their duration. After 48 hours the effectiveness of antiviral medications is substantially reduced. Here are a few other suggestions that may help get you through the misery of having the flu: 1) Get enough sleep - not only will sleep help your body recover more quickly from the flu but when you are asleep you are not suffering 2) take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Advil or other brands of ibuprofen or acetaminophen 3) keep your room warm (but not hot) 4) monitor your fever 5) avoid contact with others(except your doctor)until you are well 6) do not continue working or strenuous daily activities until you are well. Prevention is better. To prevent the flu: Ask your doctor if he recommends that you get a flu shot each year before the flu season begins. Certainly you should see you doctor immediately if you suspect you already have the flu. The flu can be serious and the swine flu is potentially fatal is serious and early detection is important. If you are living in a geographic area where the swine flu has been detected you should not hesitate to advise your doctor of your symptoms immediately.

About the Author

Steve Thevenot's website is www.superrxcard.com. Visitors to his website can print a free prescription drug discount card that is accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies in the USA.

How to Prevent Swine Flu - 4 Tips Employers Should Let Every Employee Know

How to Prevent Swine Flu- 4 Tips for Swine Flu Protection

How to prevent pig flu (or swine influenza)? If you want to know the answer to this question, you should know how the viruses enter your bodies first. Most of viruses like the pig flu enter your bodies from contact between our fingernails and the mucous membranes of eyes and nose. This article reveals the 4 simplest tips to pig flu protection.

Tip 1 If you want to cough or sneeze, be sure to cover your nose and mouth completely and use a tissue when possible. Make sure that you have dispose dirty tissues carefully and promptly. Some people may not form a good habit when coughing or sneezing, please tell the guy the situation we get and it is a big help to him.

Tip 2 In order to avoid pig flu, you should pay much attention to personal hygiene. Your hands need to be washed frequently with soap and water, especially after you sneeze or cough.

Tip3 Many hard products in your home are very dangers for your family. Much hard work should be done to clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles). Use a normal cleaned product without viruses can keep your family away from virus.

Tip 4 Avoid contact with infected pigs or persons with pig flu are the last and the most things you should do. Human-to-human spread of virus has been proved. It is thought to happen in the same way as other flu. Don't worry about eating pork products. Pig flu viruses would not spread by food if you handle and cook pork products properly.

The best way to prevent pig flu is boost the immune system and eliminate the flu virus. Did you know any home remedies for how to boost the immune system? It is a smart choice for you to strengthen immune systemin home to avoid pig flu virus.

About the Author

Did you know any home remedies for how to boost the immune system or How to Prevent Pig Flu by boost the immune system

US Rooting Around for a New Name for Swine Flu

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Is the name swine flu hogwash?

U.S. officials said Tuesday they may abandon the term swine flu, for fear it's confusing people into thinking they could catch it from pork -- which is flat-out wrong.

"We're discussing, is there a better way to describe this that would not lead to inappropriate actions on people's part?" said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "In the public, we've been seeing a fair amount of misconception ... and that's not helpful."

CDC scientists discovered the never-before-seen strain of influenza, a mix of pig, human and bird viruses -- and while scientifically it's part of the Type A/H1N1 family of influenza, they shortened the name to new swine flu.

Immediately, U.S. officials rushed to assure people that it's impossible to get pig strains of influenza from food. But by last weekend, China, Russia and Ukraine were banning imports of pork from Mexico and certain U.S. states, and other governments were increasing screening of pork imports.

Then came name complaints from abroad. Israeli officials on Monday suggested renaming it Mexican flu, saying the reference to pigs is offensive to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork. While the biggest outbreak and most serious illness so far is in Mexico, scientists don't yet have proof that's where the new virus originated.

Naming flu, in fact, has a problematic history. The infamous 1918 pandemic was first called the Spanish flu, although scientists today all agree it didn't start there. It may have started in Kansas.

What to call the novel swine flu now? CDC's Besser told reporters that the government hasn't decided yet on a change. But a Department of Homeland Security notice suggested the boring scientific route: "The current influenza situation should be referred to as H1N1 Flu Outbreak."

But a change would be hard, not just because "new swine flu" has entered the public lexicon. Even official health-advice Web addresses use it: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

Still, at the Agriculture Department, Secretary Tom Vilsack pushed a change, saying the American hog industry is sound; there are no known sick U.S. pigs.

"We have no indication that any swine from the United States has been infected," Vilsack said. "We are open for business. We believe that there is no reason to stop or ban pork or pork products from the United States."

Added U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk: "We want to make sure that a handful of our trading partners don't take advantage of this legitimate concern over public health and engage in behavior that could also damage the world's economy."

Groups representing the pork industry -- including the National Pork Producers Council, the National Pork Board and the American Meat Institute -- have all been in talks with the Agriculture Department asking officials to discourage the name "swine flu" and to reassure the public that pork is safe.

Workforce Swine Flu Pandemic Survival Preparedness Tips For Business

With U.S. officials confirming the first swine flu attributed death in the U.S. today and warning Americans to take precautions to guard against a likely swine flu pandemic, U.S. employers are asking what steps they should take to defend their organization and its people against the risk of a widespread outbreak among members of their workforce and the attendant lost time, health and disability costs, OSHA and other liability exposures and other personal and financial consequences likely to result from an outbreak.

Whether or not the swine flu outbreak reaches the level of an official pandemic, official reports reflect a legitimate need for concern. According to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, victims of the virus already have been reported in 10 states, and the number of people known to be infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza strain grew to 91 in the U.S. as of Wednesday. That number includes the first U.S. swine flu fatality: a 22-month-old child from Mexico who died of the illness Monday at a Houston, Texas hospital while visiting the United States. While swine flu victims have been reported in more than 11 countries, the majority of the incidents of the disease and deaths as of Wednesday morning had occurred in Mexico.

While the CDC says getting employees and their families to get a flu shot remains the best defense against a flu outbreak, it also says getting employees and family members to consistently practice good health habits like covering a cough and washing hands also is another important key to prevent the spread of germs and prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu. Employers should encourage employees and their families to take the following steps:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home when you are sick to help prevent others from catching your illness. Cover your mouth and nose.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Clean your hands to protect yourself from germs.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Employers also should be sensitive to workplace policies or practices that may pressure employees with a contagious disease to report to work despite an illness and consider whether the employer should adjust these policies temporarily or permanently in light of the impending health risk. For instance, financial pressures and the design and enforcement of policies regarding working from home and/or qualifying for paid or unpaid time off significantly impact the decisions employees make about whether to come to work when first experiencing symptoms of illness. Employers of workers who travel extensively - may wish to delay or restrict travel for some period.

Many employers may want to evaluate and appropriately revise existing policies with an eye to better defending their workforce against a major outbreak. If considering allowing or requiring employees to work from home, employers need to implement appropriate safeguards to monitor and manage employee performance, and to protect the employer’s ability to comply with applicable wage and hour, worker’s compensation, safety, privacy and other legal and operational requirements. They also should review and update family and medical leave act and other sick leave policies, group health plan medical coverage continuation rules and notices and other associated policies and plans for compliance with existing regulatory requirements, which have been subject to a range of statutory and regulatory amendments in recent years.

To help promote health habits within their workforce, many businesses may want to download and circulate to employees and families the free resources published by the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm. Businesses and other concerned parties also can track governmental reports about the swine flu and other pandemic concerns at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/index.html.

Businesses also should begin preparing backup staffing and production strategies to prepare for disruptions likely to result if a significant outbreak occurs. Employers also should be sensitive to workplace policies or practices that may pressure employees with a contagious disease to report to work despite an illness and consider whether the employer should adjust these policies temporarily or permanently in light of the impending health risk. For instance, financial pressures and the design and enforcement of policies regarding working from home and/or qualifying for paid or unpaid time off significantly impact the decisions employees make about whether to come to work when first experiencing symptoms of illness. Many employers may want to evaluate and appropriately revise existing policies with an eye to better defending their workforce against a major outbreak.

If considering allowing or requiring employees to work from home, employers need to implement appropriate safeguards to monitor and manage employee performance, and to protect the employer’s ability to comply with applicable wage and hour, worker’s compensation, safety, privacy and other legal and operational requirements. They also should review and update family and medical leave act and other sick leave policies, group health plan medical coverage continuation rules and notices and other associated policies and plans for compliance with existing regulatory requirements, which have been subject to a range of statutory and regulatory amendments in recent years.

Employers should begin preparing backup staffing and production strategies to prepare for disruptions likely to result if a significant outbreak occurs. Whether or not the disease afflicts any of its workers, businesses can anticipate the swine flu outbreak will impact their operations -either as a result of occurrences affecting their own or other businesses or from workflow disruptions resulting from safeguards that the business or other businesses implement to minimize swine flu risks for its workforce or its customers.

Businesses, health care providers, schools, government agencies and others concerned about preparing to cope with pandemic or other infectious disease challenges also may want to review the publication “Planning for the Pandemic” authored by Curran Tomko Tarski LLP partner Cynthia Marcotte Stamer available here. Schools, health care organizations, restaurants and other businesses whose operations involve significant interaction with the public also may need to take special precautions. These and other businesses may want to consult the special resources posted at http://www.pandemicflu.gov/health/index.html.

To view this blog online, http://cttlegalhr.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/hello-world.

Cynthia Marcotte Stamer and other members of Curran Tomko and Tarski LLP are experienced with advising and assisting employers with these and other labor and employment, employee benefit, compensation, and internal controls matters. Ms. Stamer in particular has worked extensively with health care providers, government officials, and businesses to plan for and deal with pandemic and other disease management and disaster preparedness concerns. If your organization needs assistance with assessing, managing or defending its wage and hour or other labor and employment, compensation or benefit practices, please contact Ms. Stamer at cstamer@cttlegal.com, (214) 270-2402, Luckett, jluckett@cttlegal.com, (214) 270-1407 or your favorite Curran Tomko Tarski, LLP attorney. For additional information about the experience and services of Ms. Stamer and other members of the Curran Tomko Tarksi, LLP team, see the www.cttlegal.com. If you do not wish to receive these updates in the future, click here.