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Entries from January 2009

Retain, hire, empower – how to wheather the economic storm

January 27, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Dennis Wolff presented some timely advice today on the Bill Good Show on CKNW 980. Here’s the expanded version for those of you who missed the interview. You can also find this current post in this week’s edition of the BIV (page 20), or click here to read it online.

Throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, a significant number of companies are experiencing a hiring slow-down, if not a complete hiring freeze. This is the time to re-assess how to handle your most valuable asset – your human capital. It is your ability to retain and attract the best talent which might easily become the single most decisive factor in determining how well you will weather this economic crisis. Here are a few ideas on how to get a head start:

Retain your top talent: The good news is, top talent becomes hesitant to move in tough economic times. But don’t take your employee’s loyalty for granted. Smart employees will ensure they have an exit strategy, and will likely take precautions to find something more stable and rewarding. But not only do you want to retain your top people, you also want to reassure your staff that your company is stable, and set up to succeed in this market.

Think carefully when you have to dismiss: Tough times can call for unpopular measures and dismissing part of your workforce might become inevitable for the survival of your business. Make sure to focus on assessing performance records as opposed to strictly looking at job costing. The average cost to replace an employee can range anywhere between 30% and 150% of the employee’s annual salary. What might look like an instant quick fix can become very costly on a long-term basis.

Go and shop for new talent: Use your competition’s mistakes to your advantage: A lot of them might not be able to retain their most talented people. This is a great time to shop for new talent. Hiring during economic turmoil will also increase your employees’ confidence while setting you up to be way ahead of your competition once the economic circumstances become more favourable again.

Empower your staff: Economic challenges come with their own set of rules, and smart businesses recognize that this is a time to gain market share. In order to get ahead of your competition, you need to make sure that you have your whole team pulling in the same direction. Implementing a “war room” culture to actively tackle your competition and empowering your staff to come up with innovative ideas will drive your business and uncover new opportunities.

~ Dennis Wolff

Categories: Human Resources
Tagged: , ,

Being significant

January 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment

In the workplace, the key to happiness is not to have a job, it is to have a purpose.

Being successful is not necessarily what we need to focus on.  Being significant is what matters.  With your contributions in the workplace, success automatically happens, and you will be appreciated.     Surround yourself with people who know how great you really are, and this fuels your energy to make a difference.

I consider myself to be a happy person.  I love my job, but most of the time, it does not feel like a job.  It feels like I am meant to be here, and make my contribution, and make a difference.

I feel significant.

~ Jessica Rozitis

Categories: Uncategorized

Benjamin Zander. And the art of possibility.

January 20, 2009 · 1 Comment

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Be inspired.

I had the good fortune to see Benjamin Zander in Vancouver a few years back at an exclusive event.  My memory of him is still as strong as it was that evening. His ability to inspire is almost without competition!
Take the time to watch the entire length of this video. Some people nap in the afternoon to become recharged. Watch this video and become recharged.  Benjamin Zander: Classical music with shining eyes .   As with most TED.com posts, this one is just about 20 minutes. So go get a coffee, sit back and enjoy.

Intrigued?….you will find that Zander’s book, The Art of Possibility is as applicable in the boardroom as it is in everyday life.  If optimism is empowering, then this book will provide you with the tools.

~ Sarah McNeill

Categories: Leadership and Team Building

When is close too close. What to share.

January 16, 2009 · 1 Comment

Work versus Play – the age-old conundrum! As we engage in the pursuit of work-life balance, conflict is inherent, and this conflict becomes even more evident when developing workplace relationships.

As managers and employees, we should be mindful of our primary goal in each setting: at home, with our family and friends, our purpose is to socialize and strengthen our personal relationships; at work, our purpose is to work.

But is it really that clearly defined?

Most business professionals would agree that managers should make the distinction: work at work, play at home. We have all heard that supervisors should refrain from socializing with their employees and vice versa.

But what if the team wants to get to know you? Which, of course, they do!

Our company has social events every 2-3 months, and every member of the team is invited to partake in the fun. I think we all use our common sense when developing relationships at work. We socialize, enjoy spending time together, but avoid sharing everything about every aspect of our lives. While some co-workers share more with each other than with their boss, as managers we try to keep some of the more intimate details to ourselves.

Keeping a bit of distance between your work life and your home life isn’t such a bad idea. I’m sure we have all experienced some of the negative consequences of not doing so. Manage your credibility and respect confidentiality and you will never find yourself in a bind.

From my experience in working with many supervisors and hiring managers over the years, the things to keep to yourself are simple. If you don’t mind the whole company knowing then you can tell it. But best to limit knowledge of your latest argument with your spouse or partner, or details of ailments or illnesses you or a family member have had. Stick to experiences your team has together and you won’t find yourself crossing any invisible lines.

It’s up to you to ultimately decide what you say, but always consider the consequences of your actions. Your choices affect the image you project. And, ultimately, your image is one of your most valuable assets.


~ Cheryl Nakamoto

Categories: Leadership and Team Building
Tagged:

The Art of Laying People Off

January 8, 2009 · 1 Comment

bye byeOk. I guess this would be ‘offboarding’.  This is for all of you having to terminate staff, in good times or bad. Guy Kawasaki offers sage advice.

A quick summary of his key points:

1. Take responsibility. Your company needs a leader and the leader must accept this responsibility.

2. Cut deep and cut once. Multiple cuts are terrible for morale.

3. Move fast. Inform the team.

4. Clean House. It is an opportunity to terminate poor performers and positions you are eliminating.

5. Whack Teddy. Make sure competence counts over cronyism.

6. Share the pain. Key management may have to make adjustments.

7. Show consistency. Be mindful of claims of cutbacks and then over generous severance packages.

~ Sarah McNeill

Categories: Human Resources
Tagged: ,

Welcome Party 101. Your new employee.

January 5, 2009 · 2 Comments

Imagine this. You are sitting alone with an outdated manual on your first day on the job, waiting to learn which will be your workstation. Your new supervisor has all but ignored you, going about their usual routine, dashing in and out of meetings. Welcome aboard.

Think back to your first day on the job and what that experience meant to you. The recent buzz in employee orientation is ‘employee onboarding.’ Just as first impressions are the key to the success of most businesses, so it goes in the world of new employees. Familiarity breeds contentment; so does a solid employee onboarding program as a tool to attract the best talent.

Companies with strong employment engagement track records have clearly defined employee onboarding programs. The best talent is drawn to environments where effective programs exist and are demonstrated by high levels of employee engagement and low employee turnover. While it’s common sense to invest in creating and maintaining these programs, too often they are overlooked.

By simplifying the onboarding process, employers can expect new employees to hit the ground running, and be able to contribute more quickly to a corporation’s success.

So, keep it simple and you are more likely to stick with it. A few things to remember:

· Have your new hire’s desk ready with computer log-in, e-mail account and telephone system all up. Don’t forget about business cards.

· Assign a buddy for the first month – nothing breaks the ice more than with a person familiar with the company’s culture and core values. Most importantly – to greet them when they arrive on their first day and show them around.

· Take your new hire out for lunch on the first day – or coffee at very least

· Need we mention a concise orientation book- what to know about your company

· Define the deliverables for the new employee – give them a road map so that they can see their future with your company and feel a part of it.

· Communication is key – give them a feedback loop and encourage feedback, they may have new perspectives to share

· Inform your employees in advance of the new hire’s arrival.

Gain the reputation for having a strategic onboarding program which will encourage the best talent to be drawn to your company. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your welcome party initiative will most definitely provide long-term results.

~ Sarah McNeill

Categories: Human Resources
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