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.

Activity vs. Accomplishment: 6 Steps to Keep the Confusion to a Minimum

The urge to take action during difficult times is natural. But action without a plan or clear focus on the outcome wastes energy, resources and time. When small businesses are stressed for revenues and loyal clients, action without purpose can aggravate rather than overcome the challenge.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It's a well-worn phase that applies to everything from sports to growing a business. I'll bet you've even said this to a friend, a child or a co-worker. It's natural to want to do something in the face of adversity. This concept is used to develop the plot in many best selling books and movies. You know the kind; main character is down and out and is brought back to hero status to overcome some incredible odds and save the day. Well, it works for Hollywood and Harlequin books but what about real life?

In real life, people tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Depending on the severity of the threat, people can marshal incredible efforts to slay their dragon. Unfortunately, the problem all too often gets overblown which means the dragon is a lizard and the solution is an ax!

When your business has slowed or dried up as is the case for many businesses today, what's the appropriate course of action to take to insure action produces accomplishment? Here's a reality check list to insure your actions meet the challenge.

1. Get a handle on the true nature of the problem- Keep your emotions in check long enough to critically survey the situation. Sometimes, it's as simple as counting to 10. Other times, you may have to engage a close friend or colleague to help you see things clearly. However you do it, do it! Not clearing your head at the start can get you off course immediately. Maintaining decision paralysis won't make the problem go away. Neglecting weeds in your garden usually producing more of the same.

2. Create a list of all the possible suspects- It's not necessary to have the answer at this point; you're still searching for the right issues. Don't discount anything. In the heat of battle, it's the small things that can derail your efforts. If the dragon is causing you to back track and you don't see the edge of the cliff, it won't matter how big your sword is. If you have employees and your customer service is the problem, invite them to participate in the process.

3. Determine the most critical challenges to work on- From your list, rank the challenges and select the ones that when addressed, will bring the most benefit or resolve the greatest problems. It's a fact that 90% of all the things people worry about never actually happen. You'll be much more effective if you identify and focus on the 10% that's really at issue. Wasting time and money solving things that aren't broken, will throw you off track and bleed your bank account making it demoralizing when you figure out you've miss-diagnosed the problem.

4. Create a plan that organizing your actions in the appropriate order- When people feel threatened or overwhelmed by threats to their business, this step gets entirely overlooked. The usual tact is frantically and hastily making decisions to put solutions in motion. The result reminds me of another one of my favorite sayings from corporate- USA; 'If you don't take the time to do it right, you'll have to find the time to do it again'. It would be like a dentist deciding to remove a tooth before reading the x-ray.

5. Find people who play at the things you have to work at- In short, don't waste time trying to resolve things that you aren't equipped to handle. Spend you time on your area of specialty and get help with the rest. One of the most common examples of this is the business owner who wants to save money by doing his own books. If he's not an accountant, he's wasting time better spent on other things and possibly creating significant tax problems for himself at the end of the year. This reminds me of; 'walking past a dollar to pick up a penny'.

6. Have specific goals in mind to measure your results - Here's where activity can miss the mark on accomplishment. Stirring up the dust doesn't mean the floors are clean. All it does is cloud your vision and prevent you from focusing on a successful outcome. This is where a cool head counts. If you can 'see' the solution, your odds of achieving it are dramatically improved.

Our current economic environment is making it tough on all small businesses. It's hard to see the dragon on the horizon when you spend all your time deep in the woods. Take the time to survey your landscape so problems in the making can be dealt with while their on the low end of the list. And if that's not your area of expertise, get help from someone who plays at it!

About the Author

Steve Smith has lived and worked in the Orange County area for more than 15 years. As a sales and marketing professional he established himself as an expert in brand marketing, networking and sales team development. Steve decided to use these skills to help small business owners with the challenge of growing their businesses. This desire to help these businesses grow their bottom lines like the 'Big Guys' is what led Steve to OneCoach.

Guide to HIPAA Changes in the Stimulus Package

It is old news that President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, popularly known as the Stimulus Package, into law last month. What hasn't made the news are the dramatic changes the law makes to HIPAAs (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Security Rules. The changes subject business associates to the rules, requires notifications for breaches, expands who may seek damages and increases penalties for violations. Here are just some of the biggest changes to the HIPAA Security Rules.

Arguably the biggest change is the expansion of who is covered under HIPAA. The law now places the same security requirements to business associates as covered entities. This includes the administrative, physical, and technical safeguards mandated by the Security Rule. This will require every business associate to appoint a security official, develop written procedures, and train its workforce on safeguarding private health information. In short they need better data security from creation to shredding. A business associate is now also subject to civil and criminal penalties under HIPAA.

A second major change to the law is the addition of a security breach notification requirement. Now covered entities and business associates must notify individuals of security breaches. A security breach occurs when protected health information is exposed through accidental exposure or theft. Notification must be in the form of mail or email depending on the preferences of the individual. For large security breaches, defined as more than 500 individuals, a "prominent media outlet" must also be notified. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must also be notified. The law mandates a website run by HHS for public disclosure of breaches.

Penalties for security violations have also been significantly increased. The fine per violation grew from $100 per individual with a cap of $25,000 to $1,000 per individual with a cap of $100,000. There can also be a fine of $10,000 for willful neglect that caps at $250,000. Topping the list of fines is $50,000 if problems are not corrected properly with a cap of $1.5 million per calendar year.

The law expands who may bring suits for HIPAA violations. It is now possible for fines to go to individuals and their lawyers. This dramatically increases the incentives for lawyers to bring lawsuits. State attorney generals can also bring about action against covered entities and business associates on the behalf of their residents. This change is significant from the current system where only individuals could seek action by the HHS. It is not hard to imagine a land rush as lawyers and state attorney generals race to file suits against medical offices that violate the Security Rule.

But there is some good news for the medical industry. The HHS is now required to provide annual guidance for the most effective and appropriate information safeguards. The guidance must specify the technologies and methodologies that should keep private medical information secure. The goal is to reduce the confusion of what is and isn't acceptable electronic security.

Most of the new rules go into effective on February 17, 2010. However, some of the provisions have different effective dates that are unclear. Business associates and covered entities should examine each provision carefully to see which apply.
About the Author

If you are needing document shredding to meet HIPAA Security Rules then visit the compliance experts at Shred Nations.

EEOC Discrimination Claim - What to Know

The Act regarding Civil Rights passed in the year of 1964 states that EEOC(Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) should execute the legal matters regarding anti-discrimination. The EEOC, a federal agency, has authority to investigate and settle claims of illegal discrimination.

Filing an EEOC claim:

* Most of the states have individual agency for anti-discrimination issues. Go to the respective state government to determine if a local agency can assist you. * The deadline for filing complaints with the EEOC is 180 days starting from the act of discrimination. Sometimes, there are longer deadline if the state possess its own local inquiring agency. * You can file an EEOC claim by meeting in person, or by contacting through mail or phone with the number 1-800-669-4000. * You must provide your name, address and telephone number, and you must provide information on your employer. * Also give a concise description and the dates for the discrimination done against you. * Some points about EEOC claims: * You should furnish sufficient details to the EEOC for making an informed decision to proceed with the case. * More information is better. EEOC will judge as to which facts and events are important to your claim of discrimination. * You should include every text file that support your claim. * Also furnish other witness names and address who may be helpful. * If you wish to remain anonymous, you may not include your name while filing complaint. However, it may be impossible for the EEOC to investigate the claim without you revealing who you are.

After your claim is filed:

* After the EEOC receives your complaint, it will inquire the claim by contacting your employer, enquiring witnesses, visiting the jobsite, and looking the supporting information. * Your owner cannot take any action against you for filing a complaint or you assisting with the inquiry process of EEOC. This is known as "retaliation" and can subject the employer liable to additional punitive action. * If a local agency is present with anti-discrimination authority, the EEOC will not take any action for 60 days for allowing extra time for the agency for acting. In some cases, this time can be extended to as much as 300 days.

Resolution of your claim:

* If the EEOC determines the case really pertains to illegal discrimination, it asks for settling the issue between owner and worker, or the owner is sued in court. (In rare case it happens that the EEOC will sue employers. The EEOC doesn't have the resources to continually engage itself in lawsuits.) * A settlement will attempt to make the employee "whole." It may include front pay, back pay, promotion, reinstatement, reasonable accommodation, payment of employee's fees, and other sorts of remedies. * If the EEOC cannot determine if illegal discrimination occurred, or if settlement with the employer is not possible, it will dismiss the claim and issue "right to sue" notice, which gives the employee 90 days to sue the employer.

It is always best to contact EEOC soon if you come across any discrimination.


About the Author

Having been representing discrimination claimants as an experienced Cleveland attorney for several years, please visit our Cleveland attorney website at for more information on this topic.

Equal Opportunity and Diversity Failures

There was a time when discriminatory language and behaviour were tolerated and, in some cases, even encouraged in our society. The situation has changed significantly in the last few decades. However, outdated attitudes do still exist, and prejudice and discrimination are still around; subjects like race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, marital status, age and disability still divide opinions.

Workplace incidents arising from either outdated attitudes or a lack of understanding of the issues surrounding discriminations and prejudices can have serious negative consequences for employers, including claims of unfairness or, more seriously, discrimination. Employers who learn about such incidents but do nothing appropriate about them can find their apparent lack of commitment to equality counting against them. Such was the situation that Abbey National (part of the Banco Santander Group) faced in the UK landmark case of Chagger v Abbey National plc & Hopkins of 2006, where Abbey National's apparent lack of commitment to equality contributed to the Employment Tribunal's judgement of race discrimination, which, after Abbey National's refusal to comply with the Tribunal's order to re-instate Mr Chagger to remedy its wrongdoing, led to the record £2.8 million compensation order. The case provides important references regarding an employer's commitment to equality.

Balbinder Chagger, of Indian origin, was employed by Abbey National on a remuneration of around £100,000 per annum and reported into Nigel Hopkins. In 2006, he was dismissed ostensibly for reason of redundancy. The Tribunal found that Mr Hopkins had used the redundancy process as a means to remove Mr Chagger from his position, and that both Mr Hopkins and Abbey National had discriminated against Mr Chagger on the grounds of race in respect of his dismissal.

'Equal Opportunity' aims to prevent discrimination in society through legislation designed to influence behaviours. It is based on the moral and ethical case for treating people fairly and equitably. It focuses on groups (not individuals) and aims to secure fairness for all groups in society.

'Diversity' also aims to prevent discrimination in society. In contrast to Equal Opportunity, Diversity focuses on the differences of individuals (not groups). It is based on the commercial case for recognising and valuing difference, rather than the moral or ethical case.

Equal opportunity and diversity at work mean that all employees are treated with fairness and are not subjected to discrimination or harassment; meaning that all employees have fair access to the opportunities that are available. Fair and equitable treatment of all employees offers many benefits to employers, stemming from employees feeling valued and able to contribute to the best of their abilities. An equal opportunities employer is one who treats all employees with equal dignity and respect, provides fair access to jobs and opportunities based on employees' abilities, selects all employees based on merit, and values diversity in the workplace.

Employers can demonstrate their commitment to equality by providing employees with Equal Opportunity and Diversity training. The training teaches people what are and are not appropriate behaviours in the work environment; it aims to separate people's opinions from their roles and jobs at work. The Tribunal noted that Mr Chagger had tried to address his allegations of race discrimination directly with Abbey National and Mr Hopkins, through the company's own complaints and grievance procedures. However, Abbey National had not provided equal opportunity training to any of the managers it allocated to hearing and deciding on Mr Chagger's issues, there was a culture at Abbey National of tending to deny and refuse Mr Chagger's issues, and Mr Chagger's issues were dismissed out of hand. The Tribunal criticised both Mr Wilson and Mr Brener in particular (two of the senior managers that heard and decided on Mr Chagger's issues) for appearing to believe that if there was no overt 'racial prejudice' then there could be no race discrimination. The Tribunal found that Abbey National was in breach of the Code of Practice on Racial Policy in Employment by not providing the managers with equal opportunity training.

Employers can also demonstrate their commitment to equality in the workplace by implementing procedures that monitor fairness. The Tribunal also found that Abbey National was in breach of the Code of Practice on Racial Policy in Employment with regard to monitoring too. The Tribunal noted a multitude of monitoring failures, including the failures to take allegations of race discrimination seriously and to investigate them promptly.

Thus, Abbey National's apparent lack of commitment to equality contributed (amongst other factors) towards the Employment Tribunal's finding that Abbey National and Mr Hopkins had discriminated against Mr Chagger on the grounds of race in respect of Mr Chagger's dismissal.

About the Author

Abbey National plc & Hopkins v Chagger [2008] http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKEAT/2008/0606_07_1610.html Inappropriate Redundancy Selection Criteria http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Simon-King-5609/Abbey-56486.php

Team Building in Tough Times

Everyday we read of another round of layoffs or downsizing in companies around the country. Many workers have seen friends and capable co-workers disappear from their office or warehouse. The scene is being repeated all over the place. "Hey, that guy that I worked next to for 5, 12, 27 years. Where is he today? Gone? Moved? Retired? Oh! Who's going to pick up his load?......Oh."

The loss of friends, increased workload, insecurity and combining of departments has created a great deal of stress and trepidation in businesses everywhere. No one likes those feelings. Most employers don't want that for their people. Yet, in these times, it seems to be the norm for employees to be worried regarding any move being made by their company. The moves don't even have to be real, simply expected or perceived. So what can help? Now is not a time to sit back while everyone starts cannibalizing in the office as they jockey for position or maybe as employees start looking for greener pastures. Now is the time to assure your team that you value them as people and employees. Show them that through hard times, you should still take care of one another and that staying on through the storm will help the team to be stronger. That starts at the top.

If you are a decision maker in your company, you have tough choices to make when it comes to surviving cuts now and still investing in your people for the near and long-term future. Everyone knows you must keep your people happy and motivated to retain them and to be a strong team. Here are three simple suggestions to help. The three will be detailed in separate articles, but listed here you get the general idea.

1. Draw your people closer together - Don't give up on team-building. Merged groups, departments or transferred individuals need to build rapport and trust with their new co-workers. Downsized offices need positive experiences together. Your people need help understanding and 'unpacking' the new dynamics in their workplace. The temptation is to cut team building at the time when your people need it the most. A team-building event might mean a whole lot more coming from an outsider as employees might be cynical when it comes to the encouragement from management. You, as management, probably need the relief and positive lift too. 2. Develop the individuals - Strengthen your office/department by making your people better. Send them to training. Give opportunities to hone skills. Trust them and invest time with them on projects. They will feel more secure, valued and motivated. You will have a more productive, valuable and stable employee. You will attract valuable potential employees. 3. Be nice - When the going gets tough, people get mean! Defensiveness. Self-preservation. Frustration. Pressure. Departure of friends. Insecurity. Pay cuts. These are enough to put most anyone on edge. Stress is a great excuse to justify bad behavior. Don't fall into that. Put your people at ease by treating them well. That whole Golden Rule thing (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) is most needed in tough times. It is easy to be 'nice' and get along when things are all rosy. It's extraordinary to stay steady and personally put people at ease by being nice when you are being squeezed. By setting the tone as one who cares about them as more than simply an employee, you will help your people not to panic or live in constant tension in the workplace. These are tough times in business. The strong will survive. Make your people strong and your strength will shine. Circle the wagons drawing your people together. Sharpen your people as you develop the individuals. Set the positive tone as you have shown that you can be nice in tough times. Lead through this recession and you will be the one people will follow for a long time.

Steve Sweeney Senior Instructor Magnovo LLC http://www.magnovo.com

About the Author

Steve Sweeney has spent nearly twenty years working with high school and middle school students and their families. His extensive experience in conflict resolution, character development and motivating individuals to live extraordinary lives is unmatched. Steve has prepared and presented thousands of keynote speeches for diverse audiences. He is engaging, funny and personal in every environment. Leadership Training

Tips for Leading a Successful Transformation

Once a year, over one hundred former employees of AT&T Canada Long Distance Services get together to celebrate a major accomplishment. Ten years ago, they brought the company back from the brink. How do you lead an organizational transformation that has such an impact that those involved are still celebrating it together ten years later? Bill Catucci, former CEO of AT&T Canada LDS reveals that it is a combination of actions and leadership.

When Catucci took over as CEO of Unitel, re-branded as AT&T Canada LDS, the company was losing one million dollars per day. Employee morale was low, its products were inferior to competitors, and top managers had all jumped ship. Catucci was the fifth CEO in five years to take on the challenge of bringing the second-largest telecommunications provider in Canada sustainable, profitable growth.

Three Key Drivers of Change
According to Catucci, while there were a number of activities involved in changing the organization, there were three key drivers of success: the strategy management system, strategy councils, and shared compensation.

The strategy management system, with the Balanced Scorecard as the foundation, was a set of increasingly specific instruments to drive action from the vision to the budget. The trilogy of vision, mission and values defined where the organization was going, what its purpose was, and what was important. The strategy defined at a high level what the company was going to do in order to provide sustained profitable growth, and achieve the vision. The business plan further detailed the steps necessary to implement the strategy, and the budget filled its financial role, aligned through the strategy all the way back to the vision. The strategy management system communicated direction at varying levels of detail, all aligned to the primary goal of sustained profitable growth.

Catucci quickly realized that the traditional hierarchy and silos that he had successfully navigated over the course of 30 years was not useful in running the company. Instead, he came up with the second key driver, a plan for better management. Setting up four strategy councils, he eliminated all other leadership team meetings -- and excuses. To drive growth, he set up the Business Development Council; for productivity, the Business Process Council; for people, the Professional Development council; and for linking it all together, the Balanced Scorecard Council. Attendance was mandatory, and meetings started and ended on time. Since all other meetings were discontinued, even individual meetings with Catucci, all business was taken care of together in one of the councils.

The third key driver, shared compensation for executives, ensured that everyone on the leadership team was on the same page. Instead of receiving a bonus based on individual performance, the team was given a bonus out of the same pot based on overall company performance.

Deliberate Leadership
Beyond the three key drivers of the transformation, it is clear that there was more to the successful change effort than the mechanics of the key drivers. Effective leadership surely played a part. Within a short time of knowing Bill Catucci, it would be easy to come to the conclusion that he is a natural born leader. Articulate, intelligent and funny, he's the picture of the charismatic leader. When accused of this, Catucci is quick to reply, "If I'm a natural born leader, then that was an awful waste of training."

Catucci's leadership training started at the age of 17, as part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Learning leadership strategies from military science continued as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Korea. As he held jobs in operations and legal at AT&T in the U.S., he continually read books, attended leadership programs, and learned about successful leaders. Catucci says, "I had so many years of leadership training that if I didn't become a leader, something was wrong with me." Perhaps a more apt characterization would be that Bill Catucci became a leader ultimately because he wanted to be one.

Still, he had a few things to learn upon taking over the CEO role. At the top of the list was his personal time management. "It's easy to think you're spending time on important things when you're not," he warns. Catucci made the effort to be disciplined in his level of involvement in the operation. He struck a conscious balance between knowing what was going on without micro-managing.

As someone who believes that leadership is learned and not inherent, Bill Catucci has advice for how to become a transformational leader. The key to making organizational change happen, according to him, is being deliberate. "If it's serious enough, make it serious," he advises. For example, when he started the leadership councils, he made a point of being on time and staying until the end, not always an easy task for a busy CEO. While some members were tardy for the first couple of meetings, they quickly caught on that if he was there on time, they'd better be on time too.

Another important role for a leader is constant communication. "I considered myself to be the CEO: Chief Education Officer," Catucci asserts. "You can't assume people know everything." It's important for everyone to know the basics and to get people on the same page. The strategy management system helped -- on one page, Catucci could explain an individual's role in achieving the corporate goals.

The Results
In his three-year tenure as CEO, Bill Catucci led what has been considered one of the most successful turnarounds in Canadian business history. When AT&T Canada LDS was sold in 1999, its market value was four times what it had been in 1995 when Catucci took over the reins. Even more telling: employee morale moved from well below average to being in the Top 10% of North American companies according to Hay Associates.

Remarkably, Catucci moved on to prove that the results are repeatable. After leaving AT&T Canada LDS, he headed up global operations at Equifax and implemented the same three key drivers. From 2000 to 2002, shareholder value increased by $3.3 billion and Equifax had nine consecutive quarters of share price growth.

For Catucci, long-lasting satisfaction is from doing an important job and doing it well, and in sharing the success with the people who contributed to it. Clearly, as members of the AT&T Canada LDS class of 1999 demonstrate in their annual celebration, the success of the transformation fulfilled those criteria.

Additional Reading
"Bringing a Company Back to Life," At Work, May/June 1999.
"AT&T Canada: A New Strategic Governance System Quadruples Market Value," Balanced Scorecard Report, v2 #1.
"10 Lessons for Implementing the Balanced Scorecard," Balanced Scorecard Report, v5 #1.

About the Author

Heather Stagl is founder of Enclaria LLC, where it is her mission to equip individuals to lead organizational change. She provides coaching and other resources for mid- to senior-level managers who have taken on the challenge of transforming their organization. Find templates, assessments, articles and more at http://www.enclaria.com.

Team Building: Win Championships, not Games

There was a fable which most of us would have heard in our raw ages- how a sparrow was caught in a net by a chaser, tried hard to do break free, when other sparrow friends came to her rescue. They all got together and flew away to the forest along with the net. In the forest, a rat friend bit away the net with his teeth, and saved the sparrow. Moral: Together, a team can cross all hurdles. Such Team Building Aesop’s fables are commonly used today.

Team Building isn’t marked by the concepts of age, time or space. It’s something that is taught to us since nursery, is on the top-most-agendas list in management schools, and is given due importance in companies and corporate firms. The importance of Team Building is emphasized so much that there are special Team Building training institutes that conduct team workshops.

And if we talk about business firms, Team Building is an effort that is highly emphasized, and there is a correct need to do so. Today, a company’s manpower is so large, hundreds and thousands of people working together, sometimes even geographically apart, that Team Building becomes as much important as difficult to achieve.

To help learn Team Building lessons, companies conduct Team Building activities periodically. The highlighted aim of such activities is to let all the employees participate equally, share the responsibilities and understand the essence of Team Building. To create a positive impact on organizational growth, there are various institutions that conduct Team Building workshops. These workshops emphasize the team’s effectiveness in achieving the goals, and hone the team’s armament.

Great teams make great organizations, and this is precisely the reason of the mounting popularity of Team Building corporate learning institutes. There are many success stories of such institutes who have converted ‘a group of people’ into ‘a team’, and reaped huge benefits. Remember, alone you can win a game, but together you win championships!

About Author

Corporate Learning Institute offersTeam Building , Team Building Workshops, excellent training and team building services in Illinois and Chicago. For more information Visit http://www.corplearning.com.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-shelly-cruz-7519.html

How Crucial is Effective Team Building Training?

In a day and age where many companies are looking to for their employees to cooperate instead of working independently, team building is essential. In many cases, effective team building can be achieved through many different team building events.

A successful team building event can dramatically affect your company’s productivity for years to come. But, if these team building events are not properly facilitated due to poor team building training, the result could be worse than not performing a team building event at all. That is why it is so important to have a professional company that specializes in team building help organize and run your team building events.

A professional organization can help for many reasons. First, some of the most important qualities that a company is looking to improve upon, such as cohesiveness among group members, enhanced problem-solving, generation of ideas, and improved morale are best accomplished by those who have team building training. These organizations have been performing these activities for many years and know what does, or does not, work. Second, the knowledge that these companies have can be used to design a team building event that is not only unique to your company, but unique to the certain aspects your company is trying to improve. Many of the people who run these companies specialized in team building, and know the ins and outs of how they work. This knowledge allows them to understand a company’s specific problem and find the best way to solve it. And finally, a professional organization can take care of all the details that would bog down a member of your company. Many of these organizations already have locations, restaurants, and possible lodging already lined up if a company needs it. This ends up saving the company valuable time, and money, for other things.

How do these all affect effective team building training? All of these components are necessary in order for an event to work properly and successfully. And with these components, effective team building can be achieved, along with all the benefits that come along with it. That is why effective team building training is so crucial.

About Author

Corporate Learning Institute offers Team Building Training programs and excellent team building activities in Illinois and Chicago. For more information about team development training and Leadership Development Training Visit www.corplearning.com

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-shelly-cruz-7519.html

Follow The Leader

If you are engaged in direct sales of any form, and particularly if your business venture relies upon internet marketing, you are undoubtedly interested in being seen as a leader. Everybody wants to be a leader, and for good reason--the more people you are leading, the more money you are making. But guess what--even leaders need to follow leaders. The secret in becoming a sound and effective leader is in first becoming a sound and effective follower.

Internet marketing insiders refer to people new to the business as "newbies," which isn't intended to be a derogatory term but instead implies a lack of experience. To many people starting out in the network marketing industry, making the trek from newbie to acknowledged leader may at first seem to be a long, endless and painful one. It doesn't have to be so. The best, most effective--and easiest--method of becoming a top producing leader is to follow someone who has achieved the success you wish to achieve, and who is living the life you wish to lead.

And this is what makes the world of internet marketing so fascinating--and so lucrative. Unlike many competitive bricks and mortar businesses, where the "tricks of the trade" are really "trade secrets" that aren't shared, in the online community, entrepreneurs share their strategies and tools freely. The rationale is probably that the more people who become involved with internet marketing, the bigger the industry will become and the more money people will ultimately make. But for whatever the reason, it is extremely easy to find someone willing to share their expertise, and to help you to get started.

Of course, all leaders are not created equal. In order to optimize your chances of success, you not only need to find the right person to follow, but you need the right system as well. And that's where things can get interesting. The best leader in the world who is using an old school, out dated system would not be a good leader to follow. In today's hyper-fast internet marketing universe, it's as much about the tools being used as it is about the people using them. To pick a good leader for yourself to follow, start by looking at measurable success. First and foremost, you want to follow somebody who's already proven themselves in network marketing, not another newbie a few weeks farther along than you are. Find someone who shares values and a belief system that is similar to yours.

And finally, make sure they are using a proven and tested, turnkey system that works.

Anybody can become a leader in the direct marketing industry. But to be a leader, you must first follow one.

About the Author

Mae Lewis is a business coach and mentor based out Los Angeles, CA, that assists serious entrepreneurs in building a profitable online business with multiple incomes streams. Mae and her team have assisted hundreds of people, from doctors and lawyers to high-school drop-outs and single parents in generating profits that exceed $250K or more in their first year. For more information and to contact Mae , visit: http://www.my3ftcommute.com

The Dearth of Executive Talent

While the world knows that the Baby Boomer generation is now starting to hit retirement age, what they may not be aware of is the effect it will have on business everywhere. Baby boomers make up more senior management of leading companies than any other segment of the population. What will happen in business when this extremely important generation shifts their time to the beach, cruise ships and grandkids?

According to recent industry survey findings, more than 15 percent of senior executives with the nation's 1,000 largest companies indicated they were most concerned with baby boomer retirements as a trend that will most significantly alter the workforce in the next decade. Moreover, even as companies contemplate layoffs, many hiring executives also are hunting for new hires to fill those management gaps. One of the main reasons for this shortfall in talent has been the lack of grooming and training of employees to fill the roles of the retiring - either voluntary or involuntary - baby boomers.

So, top executives, it seems, are finally thinking about what knowledgeable people have been saying for some time: The retiring of baby boomers will change the workplace like no other trend in the past several decades. These potential talent gaps left by boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) will create a training vacuum in that there will be less and less mentors to help guide the next group of senior managers. Forward thinking companies have already commenced with a formal plan to consider part-time work for senior managerial baby boomers; allowing for flexible work arrangements via telecommuting; and offering them consulting arrangements to mentor and teach their protégées how to continue growing the business.

New Blood or Knowledge
In the United States, as compared to other developed countries, we have a strong penchant of putting our senior executives out to pasture perhaps before their time. Yes, new blood and new ideas are important; however, we are a society that is living longer, and following a healthier lifestyle, perhaps we should be leveraging this strength a little more. Our company believes that the potential exodus of millions of managerial workers will leave huge shortfalls in all industry sectors and in all geographical areas. Firms will realize that they are scrambling for talent if they're not well prepared for that phenomenon. Speaking from experience, as a former CEO of a $450 MM division of a Fortune 50 company, I was consumed with talent management, including training and development; client or customer transition management; smooth integration from one team to another; and, the impact of untested people on bottom line profitability. To this end, every CEO must be concerned on how to best divide their time between: Finding the right balance of interests of the shareholders; customers; employees and community at large; Setting the strategic vision of the company with the Board of Directors; Acquiring, developing and retaining talent at all levels; Preparing the company for continued profitable growth. Of course, you can't accomplish any of the above unless you have the right team in place and the right "guidance counselors" (most notably, baby boomers) to continue training and counseling the new leaders of today and tomorrow. To help execute this, here is a five-point plan to consider for implementation: 1. Accommodate your valued baby boomers with flexible positions and/or consulting jobs that keep them challenged with more "people," rather than tactical, assignments. 2. Implement a rotational assignment through various jobs so that new managers are better trained and exposed to other functions and, therefore, better prepared to deal with potential problems via decisive leadership. 3. Assign internal mentors, including the management committee members, to all mid-level managers and above to provide a sounding board and a healthy exchange of ideas. 4. Plan for your talent needs in a more proactive manner - you should not go to market for talent when you need to have that additional brainpower immediately - the industry leaders will have already scooped up the "A" players and you will have to settle for "B" players at best. 5. Finally, keep those baby boomers in play longer - for the lost opportunities and cost of finding, hiring and keeping new talent will be much more than the costs of keeping baby boomers on your payroll ranks in a less than full time role. Overall, CEOs and other senior managers will be under continued pressure to develop talent; build their bench strength; and have a better succession plan in place. Just look at some of the major corporations in America that had to scurry to find a new leader - and some industry pundits say that many of them settled with their choices. At the end of the day, be sure you're able to say "I know where I want to go, and I have the right team in place to steer the ship in that direction."

About the Author

John V. Jazylo is a partner with Epsen Fuller/IMD International Search Group. John has recruited CEOs, CIOs and other functional leadership for some of the most recognizable global industry leaders in financial services, as well as technology leaders across a broad base of industries. John is the author of several treatises in the delivery of financial services to consumers and corporations.

Management Training In The Workplace

Over the years, companies have been struggling to develop a better workplace and overcome problems and obstacles that may hinder or delay them from reaching their respective organizational goals. Rampant workplace issues such as low morale employees may cause them to be inefficient in their jobs, producing far below the company-expected output thus resulting to lower profit. A bad workplace could also mean higher employee turnover rate- the ratio between the number of employees a company must replace in a given time period to the average number of total employees. Companies are very much conscious about their employee turnover rate since talent acquisition costs money. Job advertising, new hire training, not to mention productivity lost and other indirect costs are incurred during the hiring process. And to do it every now and then to fill in empty positions becomes burdensome for companies.

To address these issues, most companies have resorted to conventional management practices such as performance based incentive systems. Though additional pay and privileges may seem to be a practical solution in changing work performance, management experts, and as other companies found out, point out that in today's working environment performance based incentive systems is not as effective as it is sought to be in the long run. Many experts are now acknowledging the impact of accountability in the workplace as a good means to solving corporate issues.

What is accountability and how could it help improve the workplace? Accountability is a concept wherein one is willing to accept responsibility in case problems or things undesirable happen. Accountability in workplaces is important as it does not only address the real issues that needs to be confronted, it also avoids people from being hooked into finding an excuse to blame or pass the responsibility to others instead of directly coming up with the right solution. Exposing employees to corporate training that explores the idea of creating greater accountability gives them the chance to develop their full potential as an important part of the company. Knowing that they are accountable gives them the feeling of being needed boosting their morale. But accountability training should be met with the right approach. This is why as a part of creating greater accountability in every level of the organization, business leaders are encouraged to take part in executive leadership coaching that steps out of the outdated management concepts.

About the Author

Visit Ozprinciple.com and find out how greater accountability as a part of management training and accountability training can solve workplace issues and help employees and companies as a whole reach their full potential.

Employee Grief Affects the Bottom Line!!!

Employers grossly underestimate the impact of grief in the workplace. Even this is an understatement. You rarely hear the word grief used when describing loss of productivity or being a cost to a company. The type of words you do hear to describe loss of productivity could be depression, stress, injuries or some kind of substance abuse.

The fact that grief remains a hidden issue only compounds the problem and prevents possible solutions. Solutions could help employees, foster increased employee loyalty and reduce the potential loss of productivity for employers. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!!

As with the rest of our culture, we expect people to “get on with life”, get “closure”, “buck up” and many more clichés we regularly hear. The lack of understanding in our culture, which includes the workplace makes this a serious issue to employers.

The Grief Recovery Institute in 2003 estimated the lost productivity in the USA due to the death of a loved one would be $37.5 billion dollars. The other losses such as divorce, family crisis, pet loss, financial loss to name a few totaled a yearly total of $75 billion dollars. Employers – wake up!!!

Companies do not have to spend a lot of money to increase awareness and understanding of grief in their workplaces. Just doing this would start the process of improving a corporate culture for those returning to the workplace after a death of a loved one.

There are many ways that can cost businesses money. These include absenteeism, mistakes being made, lack of concentration, employees leaving employment, workplace injuries, missed deadlines and irritability – to name a few. These are not surprising as the effects of grief are felt physically, emotionally, spiritually and cognitively.

What is obvious about the different ways productivity is affected is that it affects everyone – no one is immune to these reactions. The effects of grief can equally affect a CEO making decisions concerning thousands of dollars to a construction worker on a site. Both situations can have a negative effect to the bottom line of a business.

Organizations need to start to address this issue. It should start with Human Resources Managers. Many in this position also find addressing grief a difficult thing to do. The need for information on grief is required for all levels of staff from the front line to the CEO. There is a need for a formal process to disseminate information to other staff when an employee experiences a death in their family. This would ensure all staff receives the same information at the same time.

There are many types of activities that will provide comfort to those grieving. Allowing some staff to attend the funeral is one gesture that will mean a lot to the bereaved. If there is an Employee Assistance Program available to staff, the use of this should be encouraged. Supervisors need to have regular contact with staff for many weeks and months after the death. The inclusion of staff the bereaved staff member works with is essential to allow a productive and positive re-entry into the workplace after a death.

People who are grieving need to talk and hopefully some extra “chatting” will be overlooked when they come back to the workplace. It is positive when people return to work for many reasons. There is a much more positive affect achieved when people return to a workplace that understands this difficult time.

A mistake both supervisors and staff make is to think that these accommodations may have to continue for quite some time at some level. The death of a significant person in your life affects you for a long time. An employee not performing well six months after the death could absolutely still be feeling the effects of the death. Supervisors often do not connect these dots and assume there has been a change in work performance. A sad employee can often be interpreted as a bad employee.

For many reasons stated in this article and the millions of Baby Boomers that will soon (if not already) feel the effect of their parents’ death, companies need to make changes to their corporate culture that will help their employees and minimize the loss of productivity they most definitely will feel.

Jane Galbraith, BScN, R.N., is the author of “Baby Boomers Face Grief – Survival andRecovery”. Her book is available through the author directly at jane.galbraith@sympatico.ca or Amazon, or Trafford Publishing. More information about the book can be found at www.trafford.com/05-2319. Jane conducts information presentations and workshops to organizations on grief and it’s affects on the workplace.

© 2009 Jane Galbraith

About Author

Jane Galbraith, BScN, R.N., is the author of “Baby Boomers Face Grief – Survival andRecovery”. Her book is available through the author directly at jane.galbraith@sympatico.ca or Amazon, or Trafford Publishing. More information about the book can be found at www.trafford.com/05-2319. Jane conducts information presentations and workshops to organizations on grief and it’s affects on the workplace.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com

The Sweet Success Of Team Building

Successful team building is a delicate balancing act between organizational psychology and fun, and if it's done correctly, those that are taking part will only be aware of the fun. The purpose of these group development days out is to identify and overcome areas within team work that are not conducive to achieving a shared goal. In the workplace, even if it appears that we are working independently, we are in fact interacting with many people. It is essential that everyone within the same working environment has an ability to understand and respect fellow workers, and cooperate for a common good; but how exactly can tasks in team building events be transferred back into the workplace.

It seems implausible to anyone other than a psychologist that a day spent playing The Generation Game or a city-sized version of Monopoly can improve the everyday working environment for a group of employees. Running around and having fun, talking to people you usually barely blink at whilst passing the photocopier and having conversations that don't involve the topic of who had the stapler last can be a liberating process, and it can certainly help bring co-workers together on a more social level. The magic is not in social networking though, although obviously being able to speak to Brenda about something other than printer cartridges is a plus point.

The magic that is hidden within team building exercises is the ability of the event organiser to disguise personal development as a day of fun. By constructing games and activities to force colleagues to cooperate on a new level, weaknesses can be identified and overcome in a way that is so subtle that the participants barely notice. This not only benefits and enlightens the people involved in the team building event, it gives the people running the company a chance to see the way that the staff really interact with each other. This process can open up a whole new perspective on the dynamics at play within the working environment.

After the event, there is inevitably a shift in perspective and a change in the working environment. The purpose of the team development day was to identify weaknesses and strengths that are inherent within a working group or individuals and make adjustments accordingly. This can lead to changes in the working environment to reflect strong working groups, often incorporating the hidden skills of certain individuals whose talents and strengths were being overlooked in the daily routine. The tasks in team building focus on communication, organisation, self and team management as well as problem solving.

Although these skill sets seem obvious, the way they are presented to those involved makes them seem like a normal part of everyday activity, which to all intents and purposes it is, but in a development task, they are refined to bring about certain outcomes. If negative consequences arise, ones not conducive to a collective working environment, then the event organisers have the skills to change certain behaviours and ways of thinking through task development, or suggest counter measures to mitigate the undesirable behaviour or action. The results are always positive and constructive, producing a team that is strengthened and cohesive. Team building can be compared to a sugar coated pill; it does its job without leaving a bitter taste in the mouth.

Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://human-resources-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:
Dom Donaldson is an expert in the events industry. Find out more about Team Building and the packages on offer today from Accolade Corporate Events.

The Importance Of Equality And Diversity Training In Modern Business

The times they are changing. Not the beginning to a well known folk song but an accurate description of the way the world of business is facing up to some of the areas it has perhaps neglected in the past. It's easy to forget, given the way the typical office environment that exists today, that the office was once a much less friendly or accommodating place to do business.

It could be said that the office or indeed any working environment and space is a micro version of the society it finds itself in or a mirror on the world in general. The views and fashions that are heard and seen in any business tend to reflect the world around them. Whether that's the design of the building, the furniture that goes inside it or the prevailing attitudes of the employers this is usually the case.

There seems to be a trend right now for looking back to the 70's and 80's. These decades that were once considered naff and embarrassing in terms of fashion and trends are now being revisited and re-evaluated by a generation too young to have experienced them first time around. TV programmes like Life On Mars are fuelling this trend and it's done in a light hearted and entertaining way, but it's easy to forget that there were some things from that era that were particularly unpleasant even if at the time they were not considered so.

Companies are investing in their employees like never before to meet the demands of the modern workplace and to fall in line with changing attitudes towards gender, race and age. In one high profile case recently the Scottish parliament made it known that they would be looking for a company to provide staff with equality and diversity training. They want their staff to be aware of words or terms that could be deemed offensive to others.

It's a tricky area to deal with as you have to take on board the fact that what was once acceptable is no longer acceptable and, sometimes, vice versa. A person's perception of this will obviously be coloured by their background with factors like age and nationality coming into play. Although there is no definitive list of terms that are no longer acceptable there are obvious things that need to be addressed and the purpose of equality and diversity training is to highlight certain situations and change or adapt behavior accordingly.

Business doesn't function in a void, it is inherently connected to the real world and so has to act responsibly in order to thrive and move forward.

Specialist equality and diversity training is a significant part of this. It works best as part of the fabric of a company's philosophy but lots of companies that offer it as a training programme can tailor it to specific needs. This bespoke approach can be short term or long term but with the term 'politically correct' being used more and more the need for it has never been so great.

There are three areas that even the most basic training can address and improve.

1. Behaviour at work - We all act in a particular way. Our actions could be regarded as a reflection of our personalities an it's our personalities that give us the skills and aptitude we need to perform successfully at work, so the purpose of equality and diversity training isn't to stifle this but to make sure that appropriate behavior is maintained at all times.

2. Corporate Social Responsibility - It's not just the responsibility of the individual to be aware of issues surrounding equality and diversity. Corporations must ensure that their employees are given the necessary tools to perform effectively. Information received through equality and diversity training is just as important as a office equipment in performing tasks.

3. Cultural Awareness - Being sensitive to issues concerning age, race and gender I more important than ever. In an increasingly diverse market place where it is as easy to do business with someone on the other side of the world as it is to do business with someone next door it is vital that employees and employers are aware of cultural issues outside their immediate vicinity.

Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://management-communication.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the training industry. Find out more about equality and diversity training and modern business practice.

Five Common Hiring Mistakes Business Owners Should Avoid

Your business should consist of a number of systems that create predictable and consistent results. Hiring is no different. A system in your hiring process will take any guesswork out of the hiring process, and help you find the right person for the job.

Some business owners tell me that they don't need a system for recruiting new workers. What if there is a disaster or something beyond your control, and you suddenly have to hire 20 people? What if you become ill and someone else has to take over the job of hiring? How can you be sure that they will find the right person? Having a hiring process will make sure that your will find that special person for your business.

It is never too late to create the correct systems, even if you aren't looking for new employees right now. If you have systems in place, you will be prepared when the time comes that you need to look for someone. Then you won't have the added stress of creating a system on a deadline.

When you create your system, keep in mind the following mistakes, and build your process t avoid them:

1. Make sure you actually need a new employee. Often a business owner thinks he or she needs someone for a task, when they just need a new system that can be shared by other employees.

2. Hiring a person on the spot because they “just feel right”. This means you are recruiting from an emotional perspective. Your instinct can sometimes serve you, but hiring is not one of them. You need to be objective for this one.

3. Selling your company to the recruit. Your recruit should have done his or her homework, and should know about your company by the time they come for the interview. You don't need to sell your company. You need to make sure you hire the right person for the job.

4. Hire only based on what you see in the CV and in the cover letter, in other words, hiring on skill only. You need to look at the person's attitude and behaviour as well. It is a well-known fact that people get hired on skill and fired on behaviour. It therefore makes sense to test the behaviour of a new recruit before you hire them.

5. Not having a system in place with the right resources for the hiring process.

Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://human-resources-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:
Hannah du Plessis is an expert in Psychometric Testing, and can help your business with systems for communication and business relationships.

Why Are Employees Defensive About Their Performance?

John Beane

Defensiveness.

That is a word that we use in our coaching and hiring reports often because we see a lot of surveys that indicate the person is defensive. But just what does that term mean and how does it affect job performance?

The answer to that question is that defensiveness has a huge impact on job performance! According to Kathlyn Hendrics, Ph.D, a best-selling psychology author, "Defensiveness costs companies billions of dollars in productivity and results every year." This defensiveness is related to how a person feels about himself or herself which is their self-esteem.

Self-esteem, like all other emotional character tendencies, is determined by a combination of genetics and environmental influences and, perhaps, even health issues. Very high self-esteem can be secondary to an upbringing by parents who provide only positive feedback resulting in someone who feels they have no shortcomings. People with low self-esteem can appear to be defensive in an attempt to protect themselves but they are always aware of their shortcomings and open to improving their performance. Let's talk about the employee with very high self-esteem first.

You know this kind of person. This is the person that always has a reason why they are not responsible for anything that goes wrong-someone didn't give them the right information, their alarm clock malfunctioned, the stars and moon were out alignment-it is always someone or something else's fault. This is the person who has such high self-regard that they are unable to comprehend that they have any shortcomings or faults.

Now, if this person's work related character tendencies match the job requirements, then their defensiveness may not be much of a factor in his or her job performance. But consider this. Jane Doe #1 has very high self-esteem and very high consideration and work. She needs to feel helpful and to stay busy so she ends up taking on others' responsibilities instead of focusing on her own. Regardless of how many times her manager asks her to concentrate on her tasks, she is always able to justify why she is helping someone else.

This Jane Doe may be very capable of performing the responsibilities of a job but would she be a good hire? Probably not because she would not listen to what she is being told and, therefore, would never change her behavior. Or, she would require so much supervision that she would take more effort than would be worthwhile.

Now let's consider Jane Doe #2 who has very high consideration and work but low self-esteem. How will her job performance differ from Jane Doe #1? She still has the need to take on others' responsibilities but the difference is how she responds to the criticism of her performance. Even though she may still become outwardly defensive, she realizes she is wrong and listens to what she is being told and then may make changes in her job performance. According to Dr. Hendricks, "The capacity for learning on the job is a critical factor in business success."

So, it is that defensiveness that results from very high self-esteem that can cost organization money. Because, it is that employee who is not going to change or improve their job performance to become a better employee.

John M. Beane Staff Development Services Leland, NC 910-253-6471 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Beane

Dare to Stay Engaged: Individually and with Your Team - Like Never Before

Anese Cavanaugh

I was on a flight from NYC to Chicago a couple of weeks ago and sat next to a gentleman who'd worked for a large financial firm on Wall Street. He was now without a job and exploring options. As I spoke with this guy, what struck me was his attitude. He was looking at this "horrible" situation, one that was stressful and would have a large impact on his family (including a possible relocation), as an opportunity to re-assess and "start over." He said, "I've been so caught up in all of this for so many years, in many ways I've lost sight of what's most important and what I really want to be doing. While I'm not loving this; I'm scared and uncomfortable, I'm secretly excited about what's to come. I feel I have a fresh start." Hmmmm. Different mindset, wouldn't you say? And one that was already serving him greatly. (Do you ever notice the kind of intimate conversations you can have with perfect strangers at 33,000 feet?)

Another client of mine, a female business leader, shared that this is one of the most stressful times she's ever experienced in her firm, but in many ways one of the most rewarding. How is this possible? She's working her mindset - she's checking her thoughts - she's looking for the gifts and seeing how she and her team can be more efficient, more competitive and simply better. The result? A more focused and bonded team, creative and cutting edge offerings and solutions for clients, and an even higher level of joyful appreciation for closing deals and connecting with clients. Again, mindset. And not just her's, it's her team's and her organization's - they're picking up the peices from layoffs and budget cuts, identifying their edges, and finding the gifts. They're "leaning in."

See the themes? This is good news. What's even cooler is that all of this mindset stuff - is contagious. (If you don't want to catch it, stop reading now.)

Here's the thing, there's no doubt that sometimes the "wheels come off the wagon," things get tough and we need to "reset" in areas of our business and personal lives. Of course. It's life, we're human. AND with these events, there is also tremendous opportunity to come out better than ever, and to actually find joy in the process. It's a choice, and it comes down to mindset.

It doesn't mean tough stuff isn't happening or that we go into "pollyanna mode" to get through it. It means we consciously watch our thoughts, check our mindset and find productive solutions and opportunities from what happens. It means we take extra good care of ourselves. Not always easy, but so important (not only for yourself, but for your mission, and those you lead.)

As a leader in your company, you set the tone. It does not matter what your official "role" in leadership is - every single person in the organization has the ability and opportunity to lead. So whether you are senior leadership or entry level and you're reading this, know that your leadership and mindset is contributing to setting the tone. (Think about the implications of that. This isn't about waiting for others to lead or set the tone - it's about taking full ownership, right now, to set the tone by modeling leadership and "being the change you want to see.") Your mindset, outlook and attitude are your greatest assets and they're contagious. There's an opportunity here. It's an opportunity to be better, more streamlined, refined, and ambitious than ever. It's an opportunity to reconnect with that sense of mission, vision, and people. It's the opportunity to create a better place - internally, externally, at work and at home. Yes, it will take perseverance, devotion and some work - of course. But here's the thing --- it starts HERE NOW in your head - in your heart - in your "being" - and with your mindset. You start the change internally, and then it manifests externally.

How to do this?

Here are some ways to address staying engaged, "on your edge," and mindset. Pick the one(s) that resonate for you and work them. I challenge you to do this now, as you read. Don't read and then just think about it (thinking you'll revisit), I dare you to actually take the time to put something down on paper (post its are fine) and commit to one thing that will support you in this area.

1. Extreme self care. For you to be your most effective self, to be on your cutting edge, and to think clearly - what do you need? What kind of self-care do you want to engage in to help set yourself up to be the best instrument of change possible? How can you increase your energy, stamina and vitality? What boundaries may you want to initiate? What practices may you want to engage? This is something you can decide for yourself, I can make suggestions, but what's important here is that it resonates for you, and you feel good doing it. Commit to some kind of self-care starting TODAY. Right now, what are you going to do to treat yourself extra well? Mind, body and soul? This can be a commitment to clean eating, exercise, making a list of 25 things you LOVE to do (and then doing at least 2 of them a day - the "25 things to do" exercise is from Jack Canfield, by the way), body work, dance, skin care, white space, a weekend away, etc. Whatever works for you, make self-care a priority, pull it to the front; you, your organization and the people around you will benefit. (If you would like more information on more ways to do this, check out our "Engage Your Inner H.E.R.O." Product or "Lead Your Energy" Paper - both address self-care and its impact on leadership.)

2. Stay on your edge. LEARN. This is not the time to hide or wait. Lean in and learn all you can. Make yourself better, stronger, more aware. Check your mindset and beliefs (see next week's article.) You don't have to spend a ton of money to do it - buy a book, take an afternoon to ask yourself the BIG questions, take a class, work with a coach, purchase a self study program. Do it individually, do it as a team. But do it. (The new DTE Power Pack Program is a resource we can help you with here.)

3. Be grateful. What do you have in your life right now that you are grateful for? What's happening in your business, with your team, with your spouse, your kids? Did you take a shower today? Get a workout in? Eat a good meal? Do you have a business you care about deeply? Clients? Capture 5 things a day you are grateful for - FEEL the gratitude, express it, write it down. To me, gratitude is the QUICKEST mindset shifter I've ever experienced (that or a huge loss or tragedy and I prefer gratitude any day!)

4. Acknowledge. A close cousin to gratitude. What's your team going through right now? How are they showing up? Who are they "being" in the face of challenge and unknown outcomes? How can you be more helpful to them?

5. Make a plan. Nothing breeds greater clarity and a sigh of relief like actually making a plan. Whatever your current situation is - what's your plan? Doesn't have to be perfect - just jot down some next steps, get into action, and be awake in the process so you know when you need to make a left turn or switch gears.

6. Mission & Vision. Why are you in business? Why does your company exist? What's the impact you want to have? What's the overall vision here? Do you remember? Do you have one? Are you clear on where you're going? Individually, as a team? What are your shared values that will get you there? You can have more than one vision, for different areas of your life, but if you don't have at least one - it's going to be hard to get there. Having a mission, vision and shared values can pull you through times of adversity (and make it more fun in the process which in my opinion is a really good thing.)

7. Work with your team. Talk about what's going on. Be open about it. Invite them into the conversation. Tell the truth (be aware of and response-able for your impact here.) Brainstorm solutions. Give them ownership for creating solutions that will help you move through challenges together.

8. Develop yourself and your people - NOW. Now is the time to take advantage of some of the space you may have in your schedules and bandwidth to actually develop the people in your company. It may seem counterintuitive, but it can provide you with a stronger foundation so that when things pick up or more challenges arise, you're all better armed for it. There are a couple of ways I look at this: 1) Develop them while there's time, energy and bandwidth, 2) Give them something to focus on together that will move them forward in the long run and help them be better leaders, salespeople, designers, human beings, communicators, etc. Whatever the case, give them tools, resources and space to do so. Not only will it help them and make them feel seen and appreciated, it will strengthen your own bottom line, 3) Now is a great time to inspire people to lead, take initiative and grow themselves. It inspires people to be better at working with each other. Gives them common language and purpose, and invites them to step into a bigger place. When morale could take a huge dive, giving people the tools and resources to better themselves will boost morale and result in a higher level of personal ownership for your company's outcomes. BTW, you don't have to do this alone, and it doesn't have to break the bank.

9. Take advantage of down time. What are the things that you've been wanting to do, but haven't had the time? Now's the time to do them. Notice if you resist this one. Notice it. What are you really resisting?

10. Need a vacation? Some space, some time to clear your head and get strategic? Go. So there are 10 things you could start doing today that will help you move through this recession and the challenges of your business and life in a more peaceful, productive and engaging way. You'll notice there is action in here to ground it and make it real - but really - all of these stem from mindset and finding opportunity for moving forward. To make this concrete now:

1. Pick one, two or three. What are you committing to doing? For yourself, your business, your team?
2. Identify what needs to happen next and by when. ("Next 3 steps" is always good!)
3. What support will you need? (Accountability? A buddy? A coach?) Who will you need to engage? How do you want to be held accountable?
4. What impact do you INTEND making this commitment will have? (THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.)
5. How will you know you're getting your intended impact?

So go for it. Jot it down now. Take 10 minutes. You'll be so glad you did.

Ready? Set? Go!

About the Author

Anese Cavanaugh is a certified coach, author and speaker and the founder of Dare To Engage, Inc., a company devoted to helping leaders create a healthier, more engaged workforce and retain their top talent. To receive a free special report on "Energy & Results" go to www.DareToEngage.com