Category Archives: Managing in Hard Times

The Uses of Leadership Tests and Management Training

The biggest complaint about most management training efforts is that they are not measurable or quantifiable. There is often no way to know if an organization is creating effective leaders or not. Indeed all that often happens after many such efforts is that the people in the classes fade back into the company and disappear.

This can be avoided by applying effective leadership tests. Leadership testing involves identify potential leaders and surveying those who have taken the leadership training to see if it is effective. One of the best tests is to see the graduates of past management training efforts have actually taken on management roles.

Another is to survey them and see if they are actually putting the techniques, strategies and skills they learned in the training sessions to work. At the same time you can ask if those methods actually work or not and what results they have achieved in the real world.

If no discernable effect is detected you can assume that the training efforts have failed. If the results are negative you can also assume that you have failed. Yet you may also determine that some techniques work and some don’t.

This way you can decide which techniques are appropriate and which are not. In some cases, you may learn that only part of your training has actually worked. In others you may see that it has come close and failed. You might also learn which training is appropriate to your organization and its people or not.

A final leadership test that you can apply is to do an employ survey asking what leadership or management skills are lacking in your organization you might be surprised. You might learn that managers are not communicating with workers or that managers are unsure of what to do.

Once you do that you can redesign your training efforts in order to produce the results that you actually want.

Via EPR Network
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Management Training Encouraged in order to Jumpstart Future Leaders

Management training is seen by business owners as the best way to develop young stalwarts that show promise into fitting leaders for tomorrow.

Any good and responsible workplace knows the value of a few good leaders. There is a standard notion that says only a few good leaders are ever really born. With this idea in mind, management training has then been developed to make leaders instead of waiting for them to be born into this world. More and more corporations are beginning to realize the benefits of investing in a good management training program.

Good leaders come and go and to keep an organization running smoothly, there must be someone waiting in line to become the next big thing. Experts agree that it is better to train someone who is already immersed in the office culture or has been a long-term employee than taking a risk with someone completely new. It is also relatively cheaper to train an existing employee than to hire a brand new one for top management position.

Other benefits of sending an existing employee to management training include: loyalty on the part of the employee to the company, a solid foundation built on trust between the company and the employee and lesser risk over-all. If a company is looking to build someone up to be its next manager or supervisor, it is best to do a company evaluation to find out if anyone on their payroll is a good fit or shows promise.

Qualities top executives must look for in finding an individual to train are: competence in work and habits, good moral conduct and standing, an honest and open behavior, dedication to the job, a willingness to learn, enthusiasm and good energies. These are some basic qualities that a young leader must possess that would make him fit to undergo management training. A good management training program will sharpen one’s skills and make him fit to be a future leader.

Some early management training can already be done by supervisors upon spotting a rare bird in the flock. By way of mentoring, inspiring and teaching this person, older and more experienced employees are already building up his confidence and bringing out the spirit of a leader in him. It always pays to find time to set promising leaders aside and mentoring them. Any workplace can benefit from a true leader and the effects can be beyond imagination.

Via EPR Network
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Employee Surveys Encourage Leaders to Put Their Best Foot Forward

One of the most important things about being a leader is being able to take honest feedback through employee surveys. While opening up oneself to the criticism and judgment of others is no small feat, it is essential in improving one’s growth as a leader.

A leader may strive to have all the qualities expected of him in order to set a good example in the workplace. He may be inspiring, challenging and he may possess a good humor. He may be punctual, sets meetings at the right time and he may delegate tasks well. In his mind he may be living up to the best of his abilities and to the expectations of his colleagues and subordinates. But this is only in his mind.

A good leader is willing to open himself up to the criticism of those around him, especially those that he works with. Employee surveys are one way to gauge the true effectiveness of a boss or manager. They are questionnaires usually given out at different intervals of a fiscal year. Everyone from the delivery man up to the accountants and the top sales manager are required to fill in a survey that may pertain to a particular person holding a position of management.

Do keep in mind that these employee surveys are in no way meant to attack a person’s character. The questions that are normally listed down on these have to do with the abilities and qualities of the said person in relation to the workplace. Most of the questions serve to examine whether he is in conduct with the workplace code and employee handbook. There will also be queries on whether he is performing his tasks well or living up to his job title. These questionnaires are usually fuss-free and should be done in an hour or less.

A survey conducted on the effectiveness of employee surveys showed that companies that have integrated these into their development strategies have seen a marked difference in their top management’s performance. The rationale behind this is individuals tend to perform better when they know that they will be evaluated afterwards. It is also the concept that makes shows reality shows very compelling to watch. As the contestants know they are being watched, they tend to put on their best foot forward

All in all, employee surveys should be given a chance by all workplace environments looking for an increase in office productivity and top level management performance.

Via EPR Network
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Why You Need Employee Surveys

When you ask most workers: what is an employee survey? They will probably answer a waste of time, the boss will never pay attention it so why should I fill it out? Unfortunately, most workers are absolutely right when they give this answer.

Most organizations do not pay any attention to employee surveys until it is too late. Managers will send out the survey, collect it and store it away never to be read. Many employees will simply ignore the survey or worse give the false answer they know the boss wants to see.

This is a tragic waste of resources because employee surveys are one of the best ways for increasing productivity, employee engagement, employee morale and the effectiveness of the organization.

Employee Surveys for Effective Human Resources

A well-prepared employee survey can help a human capital team identify an organization’s major human resources problems. It can show them what they need to improve.

For example, an employee survey can help human capital identify the true causes of low morale or high turnover. A manager may believe that low salaries are the cause of this, when the real cause is poor morale. That means the organization could avoid a costly salary rise and instead focus on the real cause of the problem.

A survey could also tell human resources by how much salaries or benefits should be increased. It can also identify particular gripes of employees, for example high costs of commuting or frustration with the dress code.

When management is willing to pay attention to them, employee surveys can be a powerful tool for change. They can also be used to set smart goals that the human capital team can implement to solve problems.

A group of workers could feel frustrated because nobody is getting the bonus. Management could use this to improve morale by restructuring the bonus so workers can achieve it. Another complaint could be a lack of time off, management could improve morale by adding days off.

Employee surveys can be a cheap and effective human resources tool, if your organization takes advantage of them.

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Leadership Training is Vital to All Organizations

Leadership training is vital to all organizations, no matter what industry or field they operate in. Corporations, companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies all need visionary leadership.

In today’s world of limited budgets and dwindling resources, every organization needs creative and effective leadership. The best way to create that leadership is to develop it from within. Bringing in a hired gun leader is only a stopgap solution that will not address long term problems.

The only way to develop a healthy and effective organization is through leadership development. Effective leadership development involves far more than just management training. It involves a sustained program of mentorship, training and continuing education for promising employees.

Only organizations that develop effective leadership teams can survive. Those entities that do not invest in leadership training and development will not be able to effectively compete for resources and funding. Nor will they be able in the face of the many other challenges in today’s world.

Change management is impossible without effective leaders to implement the changes. The first step in a change management strategy must be to implement an effective leadership development strategy. Without leadership, change is impossible and smart goals are nothing but words on paper.

Organizations must start their leadership development efforts as soon as possible because the challenges facing organizations are growing in complexity everyday. Resources are dwindling and funds are drying up but the problems are growing worse.

Visionary leadership is more critical than ever in today’s world. Every organization needs it and more importantly a strategy to develop it.

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The Washington Post Names Leadership IQ book HARD Goals Top 5 Business Title

HARD Goals, a new book by Leadership IQ CEO and author Mark Murphy, has been selected by The Washington Post as a top 5 business title of the week. The top 5 list is based one-third on Amazon sales ranking, one-third on rating and one-third on customer downloads. HARD Goals examines why most people never achieve their goals and how a HARD Goals approach (goals that are heartfelt, animated, required and difficult) to goal setting can help everyone reach their objectives.

The Washington Post review reinforces the HARD Goal view that the reason most people fail to achieve their goals is because they set goals that are so mediocre that they don’t pay attention to them, take them seriously or even remember them. The review also states that leadership consultant Mark Murphy suggests a vastly different approach: Make your goals as difficult as possible, and set objectives that are absolutely essential to your continued wellbeing. Such ambitious goals actively engage you and focus your mind, says Murphy.

In addition to HARD Goals, Murphy is the author of other best-selling books, includingHundred Percenters, Generation Y and the New Rules of Management , and The Deadly Sins of Employee Retention. His articles, studies and analysis of leadership trends appear in national publications including Fortune, Forbes and Business Week, news networks including ABC, CBS and Fox, and he lectures to organizations and universities including H arvard Business School and Yale University.

Murphy’s Leadership IQ is a top-rated research and management training firm, specializing in employee surveys, onsite training and e-learning for some of the world’s greatest organizations. Murphy’s clients include Microsoft, IBM, GE, MasterCard, Merck, AstraZeneca, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins and hundreds more.

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New Staff Development Program Takes a Different Approach with Startling Results

93% of study participants reported an improved sense of wellbeing at work after completing Life Code Matrix, a new program that takes a fresh approach to staff development.

Dr Kathryn Owler who conducted independent research on Life Code Matrix, found the program differed from other wellness programs in that it appeared to create intrinsic motivation and the potential for sustainable change.

“People came out of the program with a clearer sense of identity and were able to align themselves more positively with their work” she said.

“They experienced their work more creatively with a sense of discovery. They were being fully ‘there’ at work.”

Unique aspects of Life Code Matrix that Dr Owler identified were that the process did not require mental effort; rather participants once they had identified who they were through the process were able to effortlessly be that person.

It was also efficient in that the process did not require constant repetition or reinforcement to create sustainable changes in behavior and attitude.

Life Code Matrix was initially developed by experienced business and life coach Cilla Sturt as a result of identity issues she experienced growing up in a different culture. Limitations she observed professionally with traditional coaching and staff development models led to the programs unique approach.

For more information go to http://www.lifecodematrix.com/research-results/.

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Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna’

Millions of Americans facing long-term joblessness may find greater success in finding a new career rather than trying to reclaim what was lost says Washington-based success coach Eva Jenkins. Jenkins, who is herself re-tooling due to the economic meltdown, suggests a path of self-reinvention modeled on the ultimate ‘quick change artist’…Madonna.

Career Coach Urges Out-of-Work Americans to ‘Be Like Madonna'

As corporate economic belt-tightening makes the prospect of new positions in old places unlikely, Eva Jenkins urges the more than 15 million Americans who are looking for work to think like Madonna. “Madonna has remained a top pop icon for nearly three decades,” observes the Washington-based career coached. “It’s because she has consistently reinvented herself to fit changing times.”

Jenkins believes that a Madonna-like willingness to let go of the past and see new possibilities in the future is “the best antidote to a toxic employment environment.”

Leading by Example
Jenkins, herself, is a victim of the times. The founder of V.I.P. Innovations, one of Washington’s premiere resources for managing ‘human capital,’ Jenkins spent 20+ years working within corporations to facilitate effective communication from top to bottom, inside and out. But as the corporate bean counters have slashed budgets and human resources programs, she has found herself with fewer and fewer clients. “I knew I had to find a new way to ‘spin’ my skills,” she explains.

She reassessed her strengths and nimbly made the transition from working with human resources departments to simply working with humans. She offers one-on-one career coaching to the newly and long-term unemployed. She calls herself a ‘guide,’ noting that she sought out this new role not by choice, but as a by-product of the current economy.

“My new role seems to be a true calling,” she observes. “And in the process of helping others find out who they are, I have also been discovering my own path.”

Jenkins strives to build positive business relationships with her clients. “The best way I know to inspire people as their coach is to ‘walk the walk’ not just ‘talk the talk,’” she says. In this way, Jenkins serves as a role model for her clients. “I model the behaviors I want my clients to emulate such as the willingness to take risks, and a willingness to be vulnerable, authentic and open in their communication,” she explains.

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Joe Kiedinger Launches Program To Help People Connect Better With Co-Workers, Spouses And Children

Joe Kiedinger, founder and Brander-in-Chief of Prophit Marketing of Green Bay, believes that the number one killer of employee job satisfaction and workplace engagement is tension caused by unhealthy relationships and perpetual misunderstandings.

To help employers reduce tension and ultimately increase the level of employee satisfaction with their lives at both work and at home, Kiedinger is launching the About Me Card Program, an employee engagement system combining breakthrough communication approaches with supporting software.

The core of the About Me Card Program involves a practical personal assessment that reveals individuals’ fundamental motivations that are most essential to their happiness. With this information, human resources staff, business owners and managers can better understand what drives employees at the deepest level and can assist them with performing their jobs in a more meaningful and productive way.

Kiedinger is holding a premiere event for the launching of the About Me Card Program at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, at the Meyer Theater in downtown Green Bay. The event is free and open to the public and is being held in partnership with Junior Achievement. The event will include a presentation by Kiedinger, a demonstration of the software, a panel discussion, and live entertainment featuring Let’s Be Frank Productions.

Appearing on the panel will be Mark Skogen, President/CEO of Festival Foods; Dan Swift, General Manager of Dahl Automotive Group; Angela Owen, President of TBL Leadership Partners; Tom Thibodeau, Director of the Servant Leadership Program at Viterbo University; Chris Elliott, Managing Director of About Me International; and Kiedinger.

At the event, attendees will get a glimpse of two About Me Card Programs that will be released in 2011, About Me Kids and About Me Teens, as well as several technological enhancements involving social media.

According to Kiedinger, the About Me Card Program offers important benefits for employers. “When this program is applied to a business, it allows people to communicate clearly without misunderstanding, reduce conflicts, cut tension, hire right and match employees to jobs that fit their talents. In short, this tool creates a whole new level of cooperation and connection between people at work,” he says.

Kiedinger adds that “while all of these factors contribute to increased profitability, what is special with this program is that it helps employers do the right thing—make life better for their employees.” In addition, he says the program is also unique in that it helps facilitate the development of leaders across organizations.

Kiedinger says the most notable feature of the About Me Card Program is its simplicity. “I like to call it a ‘Monopoly’ property card except that instead of being about property it is about a short list of rules to help people successfully connect with one another. The software enhances the experience by allowing people to communicate effectively at the click of a mouse. No other assessment offers this level of immediacy and practicality while providing relevant individualized information,” he says.

Kiedinger says the About Me Card Program is an ideal culture-building tool that can easily become a company’s training program or be integrated into an existing training program. He also says the program can help improve employees’ personal lives by minimizing if not eliminating workplace tension that they would typically bring home with them at the end of the workday.

The About Me Card Program is already being used by a wide array of organizations, and the initial results have been very positive, according to Kiedinger. Organizations that are currently using the program include the United Way of Brown County, Festival Foods, Trig’s, Dahl Automotive, Al Huss Auto & Truck, The Selmer Company and TBL Leadership Partners. In addition, the program is scheduled to be used by a Campbell’s Soup Company plant in Texas in May.

Kiedinger notes that the About Me Card Program continues to draw inquiries from a variety of interested parties, including some organizations from China.

A white paper on the About Me Card Program is available. “How to Produce Highly Motivated and Engaged Employees in the Face of Today’s ‘What’s In It For Me? Workforce’ ” is available at www.aboutmecard.com.

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Christmas Party Blues for Britain’s Small Businesses

It’s been a tough year for Britain’s small businesses, but even with the end in sight, hardworking business owners and staff are not in the mood to party. Almost half of SMEs (42%) are not going to have a Christmas party and 46% will not be paying any bonuses, according to new research from uSwitchforbusiness.com, the dedicated SME price comparison and switching service.

80% of SMEs have found 2009 to be a tough year. As the impact of the recession took its toll, 58% of business owners were forced to find ways to cut costs and only a third (33%) were able to leave staff perks unscathed. And it seems that 2009 is going to end on the same sombre note, with business owners keeping a tight lid on celebrations and bonuses so that they can continue to balance the books.

Staff may be disappointed, but in the longer term there should be much better news. 43% of small businesses can see some signs of economic recovery. As these greenshoots strengthen jobs should become more secure, companies will be able to ease back on cost cutting and hopefully be in a position to start rewarding loyal workers again.

Jake Ridge, SME expert at uSwitchforBusiness.com, says: “2009 has been a difficult year for SMEs so it’s not surprising that many feel forced to pull the plug on the traditional Christmas party and end of year bonuses. These are difficult decisions to make and could have an impact on staff morale and loyalty. For those employees hit by the double whammy it’s going to feel like a real damp squib of a Christmas.

“Things are looking up for next year though with 43% of companies saying they can see some signs of recovery. However, it’s early days so it remains vitally important that they continue to keep a tight lid on essential running costs. One very easy step is to cut down on the amount they are spending on energy by making sure they are paying the lowest possible price and by cutting down on the amount they use. By getting independent information and support in switching to a cheaper supplier, SME owners could save up to 70% on their energy bills.”

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Acas Urges UK Businesses To Tackle Mental Health In The Downturn

Acas, the employment relations service, is encouraging UK businesses and managers to prepare for the longer term effects of the recession and implement policies and procedures to help cope with mental health issues in the workplace.

In a recently published policy discussion paper, Acas looks at some of the lessons that can be learnt from tackling workplace stress. It advises business and managers to look at how they can anticipate and identify mental health problems in the workplace and what steps should be taken to respond to them.

Figures show that mental health problems cost UK organisations around £26 billion each year*. The latest figures also reveal that the total number of unemployed has now reached 2.47 million**, which could have a further adverse impact on employees’ wellbeing.

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chairman, said: “The economy may hopefully have seen the worst of the recession but the impact on workplaces will be felt far into the future.

“Implementing procedures to effectively deal with mental health issues in the workplace has strong benefits for individuals and organisations. Early intervention can play a critical part in reducing the problem of ill health at work and this ‘prevention over cure’ approach will ultimately help businesses and employees save time, stress and money.”

Measuring the impact of the recession on employees’ mental wellbeing can be difficult as the stigma associated with mental health creates barriers to measuring the true extent of the problem.

Acas is urging organisations and managers to implement effective policies and procedures to help managers deal with the long term impacts of the downturn and safeguard the health and wellbeing of employees. This might include:

– workplace training – to raise awareness of stress and
mental health so that line managers, in particular, can tell if an employee is
suffering from additional or excessive pressures

– Good interpersonal skills – to help nurture trusting relationships with staff who
may be anxious about disclosing their mental health problems

– A supportive organisational structure – that guides managers by providing clear
policies and procedures for managing mental health

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BT Business Research Shows Britain’s Workers On 6 Day Weeks To Keep Jobs

New BT Business* research has shown that overtime is becoming the norm for almost 50% of staff since the financial crisis began. More than a third of those Brits feel compelled to work over their contracted hours every week because of the current climate, with most working an average of 7 extra hours per week – the equivalent of an extra day – and collectively putting £200 million in extra hours into the British economy each week**.

The findings also show a clear gender split with men more likely to be putting in the extra hours, including 66% of men stating they are working over the recommended 48 hour week.

More than a third (37%) of the 4000 survey respondents put in extra hours to cope with growing workloads. Colleagues being made redundant (41%) and a renewed focus by companies on improving customer service (35%) were cited as the top two reasons for this. However, over 40% also cited that this situation was being exacerbated by time being wasted in the work place because staff are not equipped with the right tools to do the job.

“These findings reflect the length that employees are willing to go to, to keep Britain’s economy afloat”, said Bill Murphy, managing director, BT Business, “Employers should look to match these efforts by equipping staff with what they need to become more efficient. Financial incentives may not be an option, but companies should consider how working practices can eliminate wasted time and boost productivity. Using technology to support practices such as flexible working can help companies strip out the fat as well as helping their staff become more efficient with a better work life balance.”

The research also revealed a drastic change in the office atmosphere with 37% of workers stating there is less laughter in the workplace compared to over a year ago and greater pressure on staff to perform. 43% of respondents believe that the offer of flexitime would help to create a better working experience. Flexible working including the option to work from home and improved technology (33%) also equally factored highly in people’s aspirations on how they’d like their workplace to change.

Workers showed a clear willingness to go that extra mile to impress the boss. 43% of respondents admitted to being motivated to work harder to keep their jobs, with 60% feeling very lucky to have a job. 34% of those surveyed admitted to turning up earlier for work and a similar number (39%) admitted they are being more proactive and have generally pulled up their socks to keep in the bosses good books.

The research was launched at BT Business Experience, a free week-long event held recently in London. As well as leading entrepreneur Peter Jones, prominent business experts were on hand to offer one-to-one advice on key issues facing the SME (small and medium sized enterprise) community in these difficult times and how they may be able to use technology previously only available to large companies to help them succeed and thrive.

* Research conducted for BT Business in June 2009 and surveyed 4000 people.
* * Based on minimum wage of £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older. According to the Office of National Statistics there were 29,108,000 people employed (aged 16 and over February to April 2009

About BT Business
BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business through product collections including business broadband & internet, domainsweb hosting, data & voice networks, IT support and mobile services.

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Welcome to EPR Human Resources News

EPR Human Resources News is a new blog, part of EPR Network, that is going to be focused on and will be covering the human resources news and stories from press releases published on EPR Network.

EPR Network (EPR stands for express press release) is one of the nation’s largest press release distribution networks on Web. The EPR’s nationwide network includes 12 State based PR sites, one major PR forum and a number of industry specific PR blogs and what started as a hobby on Internet years ago turned out to be a rapidly growing business today. EPR Network is also known as one of the most trusted (human optimized, published, edited and monitored, spam/scam/low quality PR content free) PR sites on the web with more than 10,000 company and individual press releases distributed per month. EPR Network is putting your press releases on top of all major search engines’ results and is reaching thousands of individuals, companies, PR specialists, media professionals, bloggers and journalists every day.

EPR Network has thousands of clients around the world including global 500 corporations like Hilton Hotels, Barclays Bank, AXA Insurance, Tesco UK, eBay/Skype, Emirates, just to name a few. The network’s PR web sites are currently reaching from 150,000 to sometimes 500,000 unique visitors per month while our viral reach could possibly go to as much as 1M people per month through our presence across various social media sites. EPR Network was established in 2004 and as of May 2008 it had more than 800,000 press releases (pages) published on its network.

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