Category Archives: Management Excellence

What went wrong: a lesson about onboarding

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Companies with strong employment engagement usually have clearly defined employee onboarding programs. The best talent is drawn to environments where effective programs exist resulting in high levels of employee engagement and low employee turnover. While it seems like common sense to invest in creating and maintaining these programs, they are often overlooked.

Imagine a situation where a new hire has started at your company but there is no formal onboarding system in place. The new hire has a very important but sometimes undervalued role in the company as the Office Manager/Administrator.   The direct supervisor is a recently new hire themselves so there is no clear direction of what to do. The Office Manager has arrived with a job description in mind but no formal training occurs, nor do they have opportunities to receive weekly or even monthly reviews.  In addition, the busy sales company hasn’t had an Office Manager before as everyone just pitched in. It seemed like everyone assumes the new hire was clear on their job requirements and trained by the other team members.

The rest of the employees couldn’t draw upon history to assist the Office Manager in what to do. Frustration is building with the new hire and in a short time the Office Manager quits and everyone is in shock at what has happened.

This situation could create long-term damage to your corporate brand and could be prevented with an onboarding system in place. Ideally, companies need to plan their program before they start the hiring process. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Your company just needs a well thought out plan with a person accountable to see the new hire through a training-feedback process.

  • 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 supervisor who is accountable for training the new hire.
  • 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
  • Train the new hire with a concise orientation book about your company
  • Seek feedback from the new hire- they can tell you where they need more assistance, clarity or direction
  • Communication is key – use monthly reviews to provide feedback and encourage feedback
  • Inform your employees in advance of the new hire’s arrival. Onboarding starts as soon as the offer letter is accepted, not simply just the new hire’s first day at the company.

Without an onboarding program, the investment in a new hire is likely to be wasted away. 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.

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Posted in Human Resources, Management Excellence

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Interviewing Karma

Posted on January 5, 2012 by | 3 Comments

I recently came across this great blog post called Interviewing Karma and it has stuck with me…so much so that I wanted to share it with you.  The blogger is an anonymous manager in a large corporation who is sharing their knowledge along the way. I encourage you to check out some of the other posts they have written.

What I really like about this particular post is the simple message of being kind. Searching for a job has got to be one of the most stressful situations in anybody’s life. For those of you in the position as a hiring manager, please keep this in mind. Whether you hire the candidate or not, please make sure that the interview experience with you and your company is a positive one.

As the Greek author and philosopher, Plato said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

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Onboarding Strategies and your Seasonal Workers

Posted on December 2, 2011 by | Leave a comment

During peak periods – around the holidays, tax season or over the summer – it’s critical that businesses can easily manage the addition of temporary employees and quickly get them up to speed. And from recruiting and training to offboarding, seasonal employees can put your human resources software and processes to the test. Not only do you have to find and hire the right people, you have a very short time to train them and get them connected to your organization. Here, I’ve outlined a few ways to go above and beyond your normal onboarding process to get seasonal employees geared up and ready to go.

5 Tips for Onboarding Strategies

Some people may assume I’m focused on training when I say “onboarding,” but the fact is that the employee experience starts in the recruiting stage. With this in mind, here are a few key strategies to help you throughout every phase of the process:

1.  Tailor your recruiting strategies. Your recruiting efforts should be tailored to meet the specific needs of a seasonal workforce. It’s important to make the details of the opportunity clear from the get-go. Also, be wary of how you communicate potential for further employment, as you don’t want folks making assumptions.

2.  Perform due diligence. Don’t skimp on due diligence in collecting legal papers and monitoring employees’ schedules. “A lot of people short-circuit processes like verifying work eligibility or tracking hours correctly. It should go without saying, but you really need to be sure you’re following the law,” says John Rossheim, a senior contributing writer at Monster.com.

3.  Provide proper training. According to Forbes Woman columnist and onboarding expert Emily Bennington, onboarding should focus on integrating new employees in three areas:

  • Technical Skills: To what depth of expertise do seasonal employees need to be trained to perform their jobs?
  • Company Culture: How thoroughly do seasonal hires need to understand company policies and values?
  • Social Integration: In what ways can you connect seasonal employees to your organization so they feel like they are part of the team?

Furthermore, Rossheim suggests designing your seasonal workforce “to accomplish the task at hand, rather than haphazardly training everyone to do everything they may possibly have to do. Specialize rather than throwing everyone into the same bucket.”

4.  Know your capacity upfront. Whether you have a general human resources management system or a hodgepodge of spreadsheets and checklists – it’s important to know your capacity. Can your back-office system efficiently handle an increased volume in applicants and new hires?

5.  Make them part of the team. Seasonal employees can easily feel isolated if an onboarding program doesn’t successfully connect them to the organization. According to Eddie Baeb of Target Corportate Communications, Target is focused on engaging seasonal employees and making them feel just as valued as anyone else from day one. With nearly 40 percent (about 35,800) of seasonal team members joining as permanent employees last year after the holidays, they’ve got this down.

End Things on a Good Note with Offboarding

You may have discovered a few star performers you’d like to bring onto your team permanently. For the rest, though, Bennington says “there’s definitely an opportunity to establish brand ambassadors.” Offboarding provides a chance to make a lasting positive impression, while gaining insight into the worker’s experience.

Standard offboarding practices include surveying workers on their experience. Bennington suggests going beyond surveying, and having one-on-one exit interviews with select employees to get more candid responses.

This guest post was written by: Kyle Lagunas

Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice. On the surface, it’s his job to contribute to the ongoing conversation on all things HR. Beyond that, he makes sure his audience is keeping up with important trends and hot topics in the industry. Focused on offering a fresh take on points of interest in his market, he’s not your typical HR guy.

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Domo arigato

Posted on September 22, 2011 by | 1 Comment

How often do you thank your employees for their work? I try to say ‘thanks’ daily, but for sure every few days I thank my team.

I appreciate hearing it myself so I can imagine others do too!

We all want to keep motivated and I found the simple words of gratitude are very uplifting and encouraging and I keep doing more of whatever I was thanked for.

Employee motivation is a topic all Human Resource professionals ponder – and rightly so as look at the results – Increased employee motivation leads to higher employee engagement and finally retention increases.

So, how to motivate our employees?

Unfortunately there is not an exact science nor formula.  Too bad we couldn’t just fill in a check list we created tailored to specific “types” of people.  However, just as one employee is motivated primarily by money, then another employee is not. I have staff that appreciate personal recognition for a job well done just as much as that ‘extra’ bonus available.   Motivation should be as individual as the employees who work for us.

And it doesn’t just have to be the leader that recognizes their employees. In our company, employees are given opportunities to formally thank and publicly recognize their peers for going above and beyond their regular job to support the team.

Thank you!

~ Cheryl Nakamoto

photo credit: Anemone Letterpress

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Posted in Leadership and Team Building, Management Excellence

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Onboarding = Retention

Posted on June 16, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Both research and common sense tell us it’s wise to invest in preparing employees to be successful at their jobs. Follow up reviews and regular feedback can facilitate a positive relationship between the employer and new hire. Higher engagement equals happy employer and happy employee.

~ Cheryl Nakamoto

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For our Earth

Posted on April 21, 2011 by | Leave a comment

April 22 is Earth Day. Here at McNeill Nakamoto,  we are concerned about our environment. Team McNak has made a strong effort to conserve energy and recycle materials, because every little bit adds up and will help set a greener course for us and the world. Here are just a few of the actions we’ve taken to be a more environmentally friendly office:

We make sure that we have paper recycle bins located in each office.

Our printers are stocked with used paper, so we can use both sides. We think twice about the necessity of printing a document or email.

We have recycle bins in our kitchen for aluminum, glass, plastics, and paper goods.

We avoid using disposable paper towels, and use kitchen cloths instead, laundering only when required.

We use stainless steel cutlery and dishes, and avoid using plastic goods: forks, knives, spoons, etc.

We have installed energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout the office.

We recycle our printer cartridges.

We bring our travel mugs to the office, and avoid using disposable coffee cups.

We repurpose our marketing materials when a design changes.

At night will go around the office to ensure that all lights and equipment are turned off to save energy. This includes turning off printers, photocopiers, etc.

A staff member volunteers as our ‘green lead’…a person in our office who oversees all environmental initiatives.

Whenever possible, our staff walk or take public transit to work.

Please share what your company is doing for our earth in the comments below.

~ Jessica Rozitis

photo credit NASA Goddard Photo and Video

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Administrative Professionals Day

Posted on April 13, 2011 by | Leave a comment

A lot of people have the perception that Administrative Professionals Day  was  created by Hallmark to sell cards. Not true.

IAAP is the organization that first created “Secretaries’ Day”, which is now renamed to “Administrative Professionals Day”. It is a day when bosses and businesses are encouraged to honour the work that their administrative staff perform all year long.

The Vancouver chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) is proud to present “Administrative Professionals Day 2011”. This year’s theme is “Celebrate all office professionals”. The chapter invites you and your colleagues to join us at our annual morning event on Wednesday, April 27th in downtown Vancouver. Enjoy our hot breakfast buffet and keynote speaker, Krista Green, who will present “Maximizing Your Effectiveness in Business and in Life”.

Click here to download the event PDF with event details and registration info.

This guest post was written by Sigrid Otto. Sigrid serves on the event committee of the Vancouver chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).

Click on the thumbnails below for more information:

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Are you prepared for an emergency?

Posted on March 16, 2011 by | Leave a comment

The recent events in Japan have made us all stop and think about what we would do in case of an earthquake or major emergency. Are you prepared for such an emergency? What about your office? Your staff?

My husband was living in Kobe during the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 when approximately 6,434 people lost their lives. His neighbours across the street all perished during the quake when their house collapsed. My husband was one of the lucky ones. He managed to get out of his building alive, but could not live there for the next 3 months, as it was not safe. His only option was to live at his office. And even that wasn’t very easy. There was no water for one month.

When such an emergency happens, we all need to put ourselves in survival mode. Being prepared for an emergency can make a difference.

What has your organization done to equip staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to a disaster in a coordinated, safe and orderly manner? Most government emergency programs recommend that every home and office have enough food, water and essential supplies to last 72 hours.

At McNak, we have emergency supplies with first aid, food, water, flashlights, batteries etc.  We put together this kit a few years ago, and we make it a habit to ensure supplies are adequate.  We thought that we should be prepared because our staff could be stuck at work for a few days if nearby bridges and roads are destroyed.

As individuals, it would be smart to keep a backpack with additional supplies such as comfortable shoes, water, food, first aid kit and cash.

Preparing kits is one thing, but having an emergency evacuation drill with your staff is another. It would be a good idea to have drills with your staff every 6 months or so, and include emergency preparedness information in your onboarding process.

This horrific disaster in Japan has made us all pause, and think about what we would do. Being prepared is our first step. Time for us all to take that step.

~ Jessica Rozitis

photo credit: Suzie T

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Innovation – It Starts From Within

Posted on February 10, 2011 by | 2 Comments

We hear the word thrown around in business all the time. “We’re innovators; Innovation is key to our growth; innovation is what our business is all about.” The list goes on. I wonder how many companies out there have innovation as part of their mission statement, positioning statement or core corporate mantra? My guess is it’s a LOT!

In today’s rapidly changing world, innovation is key to being competitive. Without innovation, companies and their products quickly become relics of the past – the world keeps turning folks and with it a world of change with every spin.

Despite the never-ending need to innovate on the product side and a robust investment in product innovation and research and development, many companies neglect the innovation on the talent side and with it, leaders are hesitant to innovate from the inside out.

Fear of change results in a state of paralysis and again…if you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward. Technology, culture, capital, people, and the way they all work together are constantly changing, so if your team isn’t innovating on both a personal and cultural level, you can be assured others are, and in the process, leaving your place in the market, in the dust.

Innovation begins at the personal level – call it your spirit, your heart, your soul or whatever else works for you – but change needs to happen from within before it can be rolled out to a department, an organization, or an industry. And sometimes the most dramatic innovations that positively affect companies aren’t on the product or service side at all, but are aspects addressing the more intangible, such as talent, marketing, process, or culture.

As human beings we must adapt to change – it’s an inherent force of nature – as our environment changes, so must we in order to best thrive in our surroundings. Change isn’t always pleasant, nor is it always a fearless process of flawless execution. Quite often it’s scary, dubious, unsettling and packed full of ‘what-ifs’. But then isn’t that core to all challenges in life? Imagine a life without challenge and without personal growth and innovation…pretty boring stuff.

What all this comes down to is defining innovation and how it fits into your personal world and your company’s culture. Think about innovation differently. Innovate on the very definition of the word and through this process you’ll find personal and professional windows of opportunity for innovation that set you and your company apart from the pack.

Change – it’s a good thing. Well Martha said that until she found herself in a jail cell.

This guest post was written by: Guy Borgford , Vice President Strategy at FGI.com

Guy has worked in digital media and marketing for almost 20 years and has extensive Fortune 500 brand, agency, and publisher experience.  Previously, Guy led global marketing efforts for such sites as RollingStone.com, Rhapsody.com and Film.com, working with clients such as Microsoft, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sony, Coors, Hallmark, Hanes, Anheuser Busch and FOX.   In addition he has also worked with numerous web startups as a senior consultant as is currently the Vice President Strategy for FGI.com whose clients include Jones Soda, Paramount Pictures’ SceneIt?, Microsoft, Lexus and Redhook.

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It’s not in my box

Posted on December 9, 2010 by | 1 Comment

One of my favourite video clips. Many of you will have seen this before, but for me, I enjoy it every time.

A recent experience at a highly rated hotel in Arizona reminded me of a phenomena that seems to have limitless boundaries. It’s that little, nagging unaware habit that many people have always had or have developed over their lives. It’s something that can occur culturally in an organization or institution or, most disappointingly, in a customer service focused environment. That little habit is a blind spot. Its other nick name could also be called ‘it’s not in my box’. While the two phrases can found independent or inter-related to the other, it is its commonness that I find unsettling.

“An S.E.P.,” he said, “is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what S.E.P. means. Somebody else’s problem. The brain just edits it out. It’s like a blind spot. If you look at it directly you won’t see it unless you know precisely what it is. Your only hope is to catch it by surprise out of the corner of your eye.” – Life, the Universe and Everything – Douglas Adams.

What gave me hope to my ‘not in my box’ poolside ‘towel guy’ (it appeared that his only role was to put towels on a table and not to be aware that he could go and remove used towels from the chaises) was that while a number of others operated similarly to him in their own roles, at least a few gems had the ability to see beyond the basic framework of their job description and have awareness of service. And when those few people that had the ability to not let a small thing be ‘someone else’s problem’, the effect it had was tremendously positive.

Too often do people shut their mind or sight lines to edit out things that they may not wish to see. Most especially critical is when this habit or trait finds itself residing in those in leadership roles. As I reflect on my life, I think that I became more adept at seeing outside my box when I became a parent. As a mother, and to the chagrin of most children and young adults, “I’m always watching”. With some practice, I believe, that for the most part, you can take off the blinders that limit us and actually see things through a wider lense. It’s amazing the possibilities that abound and the effect it has on others. Employers, be aware of fostering a culture where people are encouraged to have a wide angle view of their workplace and of their surroundings. And for employees and for everybody, it takes practice. We are human, after all.

~ Sarah McNeill

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