HR Consulting

Values – They’re only meaningless if you do nothing with them!

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A common feature of many of the successful businesses we deal with is that they clearly articulate, communicate and consistently reinforce their values.

In the context of a business or organisation, values can be seen as statements of “the things that matter”. They articulate what the business stands for, what’s most important to the business. They also define the key expectations we have of each other within the business. They set a standard, guide our actions and lay the foundation for the culture of the business. Read more →

HR Consulting

A New Look At Your Workforce

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The implications of what has been termed the ‘skills shortage’ need to be understood by every business owner. The ways we hire, train, remunerate and manage people will have to change, and so will the way we run our businesses.

Most countries have an aging workforce and a declining birth rate. What we call ‘baby boomers’ – a significant percentage of the workforce, are reaching the end of their working lives and are already beginning to retire. At the same time the declining birth rate means that fewer workers will be available to replace those who leave the workforce.

The Australian government identifies the following as the primary reasons for the growing worries about a shortage of skills:
the technology used in an industry changes
new technologies emerge
old industries move into different regions with a different skills base
job seekers’ interests in industries and occupations change.
A skills shortage does not necessarily mean that there are plenty of jobs for anyone interested in that area of work. Often there is only a demand for experienced workers with highly-specialised skills. The demand might only exist for a relatively short period of time; it might not be possible to train people to fill these positions before the demand falls once more.

But overall it means that it’s probably going to be harder to find skilled people for the jobs in your business. You’re going to have to pay more to get them and you’ll have to spend more to ensure they have the skills you need and to retain them. You’ll also have to make changes to the business itself.

The generations after the ‘baby boomers’, now called generations ‘X’ and ‘Y’ in the media, have entirely different attitudes towards work than their predecessors. They’re not as financially-driven and demand much more from their employers than just a regular pay-cheque and the occasional pat on the back.

Younger people want to choose not only the type of work they do but also to work for an ‘employer of choice’. They want to be part of an organization that reflects their own personal values and gives them opportunities to grow and develop in their work. Their skill sets are different from trades-trained workers of past generations and they have little interest in doing the same thing day after day.

How to keep the people you have
Research shows that an increasing value is being given by employees to their relationships with their employers. It is up to the employer to develop and nurture this relationship, as well as to keep it positive. The key requirement is that the employee feels they can trust their employer and that they are respected for their contributions to the organization.

This places unexpected demands on employers used to simply paying for what they get. In the future they’ll also have to create a workplace where their people feel good about where they are and what they do; they’ll have to share information about the business and offer forms of remuneration that motivate employees and reward them for the part they play in the organization’s growth and achievements.

Managers will have to be worthy of respect from their subordinates and not just lead by decree. They will have to improve their own skills to motivate and retain skilled workers, or risk losing them to employers perceived as being more desirable and progressive.

How to recruit good people
As skilled workers depart businesses around the world employers will have to change their recruiting practices from the prevailing use of third-party resources – recruiting firms and contractors. The days of employers being able to dictate terms of employment to get around industrial legislation are truly numbered.

Employers will have to take more responsibility for finding the right people for every position. They will have to exercise greater care in defining skills requirements and provide for more flexibility in job structuring and reporting relationships so these can be adapted to suit the people recruited.

To get the right people employers will have to be able to clearly articulate their organization’s values and project these into their business practices and their products. They will have to become more attractive to the decreasing pool of talent as well as differentiate themselves above their competitors.

How to be a better employer organization
According to a number of studies conducted to identify the characteristics employer organizations will need to have – or develop, these are some of the most important:
A system in place for gaining feedback from employees
Excellent communications with employees about the business and about their own performance
A willingness to develop employees’ skills, even if not directly related to their current position
Ethical and honest behaviour at all levels of the organization
A clearly articulated vision for the business
Work that is interesting and presents employees with challenges enabling them to grow
Managers and supervisors with demonstrable talent and abilities that create respect and trust
So, not only is it going to be harder to keep the people you have working with you; it’s also going to be harder to get new people to join your organization. Your future success or failure could well depend on your policies of recruitment and staff development and on how you respond to the challenges of restructuring your workplace.

HR Consulting

Team motivation

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What is team motivation?

Motivated team members enjoy coming into work and work hard, yet always have time for a laugh. Team motivation is a combination of workplace culture, organizational strategy and management style.
The benefits for employers are increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and higher profits.
So why don’t all employers do it? Because they don’t know how to do it, don’t make time for it, or mistakenly think it gets in the way of real work.
It is essential to strike the right balance in motivating a workforce. In order to be effective, motivational strategies must be incorporated into a company’s business goals and its philosophy.
A motivated workforce is driven by strong leadership and a committed management.
Creating and sustaining motivation requires open communication, honesty and respect.
This approach includes developing a culture that encourages team members to participate in organizational activities and share in workplace success.
Essentially, motivation is about bonding with the people who report to you.
This includes making an effort to know them, listening to them and valuing them for their particular contributions and potential. If this is done, they are more likely to help you in meeting the challenges faced by your business.
Benefits of motivating your team
Much research has been undertaken to identify both the visible and invisible benefits of a highly motivated team.

  • The findings show that teams who love their work and their workplace typically:
  • look forward to coming to work
  • actively and consciously contribute to the business
  • get more done and have more ideas
  • focus their energy on the positives rather than the negatives
  • reinforce the organizational culture
  • treat clients, co-workers and vendors with more respect
  • weather the \”tough times\” with you
  • serve as positive ambassadors for your business.

It is easy to see how these can benefit your business.
Apart from creating a harmonious day-to-day working environment, a highly motivated workforce can deliver financial gains through lower team turnover and recruitment costs, more satisfied clients and a more productive workforce.
This is why many large companies constantly monitor team morale. A happy company is a productive one – and more profitable!

How to motivate your team
While many businesses look to incentives or bonus plans to motivate their team, such plans only provide short-term superficial incentives, which fail to provide true motivation.
Research has repeatedly found that the prime team motivators are achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth.
In other words, although adequate salaries, incentive pay and bonus plans can avoid dissatisfaction, they do not lead to either job satisfaction or high motivation.
The best way to motivate your team is to recognize that people are motivated by their own individual goals, values and desires.
Get to know people and understand their needs, then give them project assignments in which they can become motivated by satisfying their needs.
People are motivated more by feelings and sensitivities than they are by facts and logic. It is common for people to quit high-paying jobs because they don\’t feel appreciated, don\’t feel challenged, or don\’t like the work environment.

Tips for motivating team members
There is no single set of activities that act as a magic formula for creating a highly motivated team.
However certain concepts and practices have proven to be winning combinations if used properly and sincerely. The seven best tips to improving team motivation are:

  1. Give your team something to cheer about
    Create and communicate an honest vision and mission for your business. Studies show that most people want to believe that there is some purpose and meaning to their work. If your team understand the purpose and direction of your business, and their role in making the desired outcomes happen, they might gain the sense of purpose and contribution that they seek.
  2. Encourage team members to grow
    Training, professional development, opportunities to try new skills or apply old skills in new ways and cross-training are mutually beneficial business tools. The organization deepens its \”bank of knowledge and know-how\” and the morale among the team soars.
  3. Hear their voices Welcome and provide venues for team feedback and participation and take appropriate action to consider and respond to their comments. When people don’t feel heard, or they have the perception that their ideas aren’t valued or at least acknowledged, morale will suffer.
  4. Be consistent Consistency breeds trust. Policies, roles, expectations, inspired leadership and effective communication are many of the areas that require consistency in order to achieve a high level of team motivation in your business.
  5. Communicate Keep team members informed and build their understanding of what is happening in the business, and why.
  6. Reward and recognize Arguably one of the most powerful ways to increase team motivation is to recognize and reward actions and behaviours that are outstanding or in line with the vision and mission of your business.
  7. Remember, it’s not all work Because the majority of your team will spend most of their waking time each day at work it is important to recognize the social aspect of employment. Morning teas, lunches, and celebrating birthdays can be fitted into the regular routines. Out-of-hours social activities are another way in which you can create a stronger sense of teamwork and a more motivated team. And don’t forget to celebrate your successes! At some level every team member performing a job enables the organization to achieve its wins. It is important to celebrate those moments as a group.
HR Consulting

Easy time management

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Every person in every organisation is well aware that by adopting even the most basic time management techniques they can become more effective, and hence more productive. Even if they don’t actually do it.

Businesses have to be able to bill accurately and profitably, and missing an important external deadline (such as a tax return lodgment) through being disorganised can obviously be very damaging to the business. There is nothing quite like the end-of-financial-year rush to make one swear to be more organised next year.

The vast time management industry is predicated upon the fact that the pressures to perform are becoming more and more intense each year, and that there are only 24 hours in a day and 168 hours in a week.

Nightmare statistics abound, such as the horrifying news that executives on average spend a total of three years of their working life in meetings, and two years playing telephone tag.

The mystery then is why only a few people are able to manage this rarest and most precious of business resources effectively.

Even more so, when the benefits arising from effective time management include giving a structure to the business day, and peace of mind through knowing that goals benefiting the business are being met.

It also increases productivity, ensures that nothing slips through the gaps, and engenders a feeling of accomplishment and well-being in the organisation. In addition, avoiding crises reduces stress levels..

Ohio State University in the US has classified the major time wasters into external and internal categories. By looking at these it is possible to establish the cause of an individual’s lack of efficient time management and pinpoint the old habits that need to be broken.

The external ones are: telephone interruptions; meetings; visitors; socialising; lack of information; excessive paperwork; communication breakdown; lack of policies and procedures; lack of competent personnel and red tape.

The internal ones are: procrastination; failure to delegate; unclear objectives; failure to set priorities; crisis management; failure to plan; poor scheduling; lack of self-discipline; attempting to do too much at once and lack of relevant skills.

To overcome these time wasters, employees must not only change their behavior, but also maintain and persist with it.

Self-discipline and control is needed to ensure that behavioral changes will become habitual.

However, a sense of balance is also needed – there is no need to be too rigid, as the classic time management rules don’t work for everyone. There may also be some elements of an individual’s work that cannot be controlled, or don’t need to be controlled.

The basic techniques are actually very easy and, once the systems are set up, don’t take much time.

The first step is to keep a log that will identify the applicable causes of time wasting and those tasks which are unimportant. Delegation is one of the key principles of time management, and this log will also identify what can be delegated.

The next, and most important, step is to set the goals that need to be achieved, and then prioritise them. By doing this, time can be allocated to the most important objectives.

Once the goals have been set and prioritised, daily “to do lists” can be drawn up – ensuring that sufficient time is allocated to the major projects. It is also worth remembering the 80/20 rule, i.e. that 20 percent of projects normally account for 80 percent of a firm’s revenue.

Additional ways to manage time include: using technology as much as possible; utilizing shortcuts wherever possible; investing in education and skills training, and buying planning tools – but only if they will be used.

When dealing with clients, it can also help to clarify all details at the outset; identify the decision-makers and stakeholders; analyse their culture; effectively manage meetings; and regularly request feedback.

The basic elements of time management are therefore relatively simple. There is no need to spend huge amounts of money on fancy systems or programs. The hard part, as ever, is actually putting the elements into practice. The only solution to that is to start immediately, and to remember that no one has ever successfully managed their time without at least writing down a “to do list”.

HR Consulting

7 People You Don’t Want to Be

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Running a business isn’t something you can usually do by yourself. One way or another, other people make their contributions to your enterprise. They could be members of your team, suppliers, co-directors or even family members who support you – and they all deserve some personal recognition from you for what they do.
However, not every business owner or manager combines the wisdom of Solomon with the personal relationship skills of Dale Carnegie. Some people who are highly successful in the financial sense manage to alienate just about everyone around them while they’re on the way up and there’s nobody to help them out when they eventually start to come down.

There are some classic personality and behaviour types that can alienate just about anybody. These are seven people you don’t want to be:

· The Great Dictator
Don’t share any of the decision-making powers. Don’t share any of the responsibility for running things. Keep it all to yourself and just tell everyone else what to do. Tell them it’s your way or the highway and when they desert you it’s only because they weren’t good enough to measure up to your standards.

· The Boss
Forget all that team nonsense. You’re the boss and the rest of the people around you are just employees, paid to do what they do. Treat them like interchangeable parts and if they wear out you’ll get another. And don’t let yourself become interested in the personal side of their lives; who cares about their families or problems anyway?

· The Cynic
Everyone’s out for themselves, so why should you appreciate anything they do for you? Be suspicious of others who give you advice or support since they’re in it for themselves and only want to put you in their debt. In fact, avoid other people because you’re the only person you can trust.

· The Procrastinator
There are tough decisions to be made but you can always put them off for a while longer. Your people come to you for some assistance or extra support when the workload gets too heavy but they can go on a bit longer until you finally decide what to do about it. You have to choose between two suppliers but just keep them both hanging while you think about it. Don’t decide – delay!

· The Gambler
You’d like to do something but others tell you it’s too risky. You’ve got a brilliant idea but nobody else thinks it’s financially viable. Never mind. Just go ahead and take the risk. Be a gambler and it might pay off. If it doesn’t you can always cut a few jobs and stop paying creditors for a while. Gambling is fun and you might get lucky.

· The Lone Ranger
This person works in splendid isolation, ignoring the marketplace and not worrying about the competition. Build a better mousetrap and everyone will somehow hear about it and beat the proverbial path to your door. Even better is to just keep on doing the same old thing year after year and avoid change like the plague.

· The Bully
Make a point out of putting everybody else down. Whenever you have the chance to pass comment on someone else’s work make sure to slip in some sarcasm or negativity. Make sure everyone knows that you’re the tough guy and remember that fear is a better emotion than love when it comes to getting what you want from others.

Of course you’re not like any of these, are you? Not all the time, anyway. But it’s really important to analyse your behaviour towards all the other people that you interact with in the course of your business and make sure you don’t become anything like these seven characters when you get stressed or want to impress somebody.

If you recognise any of these traits in yourself you need to consciously work to get rid of them – and quickly. Your relationships with those around you will improve and so will the performance of the business you’re running.

HR Consulting

Get Serious About Performance Management

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Sunday, 03 November 2013 10:35 | Written by Greg Mitchell

Why is this important?

Effectively managing staff performance is a key but sometimes challenging aspect of building even better businesses.

Indeed, having an effective, consistent performance management process in place provides the ideal opportunity to ensure that the expectations you have of your staff are clear, that there is a culture of individual and collective accountability and that staff development needs are identified and addressed – all of which contribute directly to building a profitable, sustainable business.

While the benefits are clear, developing and implementing an effective process can be difficult.

What to do

For those business owners or managers looking to get serious about performance management as a means to improving productivity, here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. Don’t give up your day job – While having a semi-formal or formal process in place to plan and reflect on performance a few times a year is great, it cannot be relied upon as the only mechanism for managing staff performance. Identifying and discussing instances of good performance, and opportunities for improvement, is something that needs to happen every day and not be reserved for special occasions.
  2. It’s not just what you do… – There is often a temptation during performance discussions with staff to focus only on what they do (eg. generating sales, processing accounts, maintaining records etc…), rather than how they do things (eg. levels of customer service, work quality, interaction with others in the team etc…). At the end of the day, both what your staff do and how they do it needs to be a part of performance management discussions – it’s no use having a person whose great at making widgets if they provide lousy customer service or constantly disrupt others in the team – they need to receive this feedback and clearly understand your expectations. If your business has clearly articulated values (which it should!), look for opportunities to also integrate them into your performance management process.
  3. It’s not just about feedback – While providing your staff with feedback is a key element of performance management processes, it should not be the only focus. Indeed, the discussions surrounding performance management also provide the ideal opportunity to prioritise and plan work for the coming review period, and discuss short and long-term staff development needs/preferences.
  4. It’s a two-way street – Just as the discussions that go along with performance management processes provide an ideal opportunity to provide feedback to staff, they also provide the perfect opportunity to seek feedback from staff. Ensure you and other supervisors/managers in the business take advantage of the opportunity to understand how staff are feeling about their role and the workplace, gather their ideas for improvements generally and also ask them how you can best support them.
  5. Collaborate and communicate – The old theory about people taking more ownership of things if they’ve had some input into its development is especially true for performance management. Depending on the nature of your business, look for opportunities to get some others involved in the development and initial implementation of your process. At the very least, ensure you spend some time telling people what it’s about, the objectives of the process, what they can expect, and how/when it’s all going to happen.
  6. Ensure supervisors are capable – Don’t assume that everyone has the capability to effectively discuss performance with their staff. While it may be quite natural for some, it may be a new skill or just downright confronting for others, meaning that you just won’t achieve the outcomes you are probably hoping for. Be sure you understand the capabilities of your supervisors/managers and provide access to support/training if they need it.
  7. Link to outcomes – Make sure your performance management process “does something” and is not just a catch-up chat. In order for the process to contribute to improved performance, it needs to be clear that things happen as a result. It could be taking the opportunity to recognise and value the contributions of your good performers, it could result in the development of improvement plans for poor performers, it could help you prioritise staff training needs and/or it may link to remuneration reviews – whatever it is, it needs to be seen to be a valid process by staff and earn its stripes by making a real difference to your business.
  8. Do it! – Once you’ve made a commitment to develop and implement a performance management system, make sure it is followed through. Implement it consistently across the business, continue to look for opportunities to improve it, and be patient – it will take diligence and time to maximise the benefits.
Business Strategy Consulting

Improve Your Training ROI

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Training is expensive, and businesses need to ensure they receive the maximum benefit from the training they pay for. The value of too many training sessions and seminars is lost because of a lack of pre-training and post-training support, or because what is learned during the training is never fully implemented or becomes unused.

Whether you’re training a member of your clerical staff in the operation of a new computer programme or a factory worker in the use of safety equipment, there are several principles that will help you obtain the maximum return on your training investment. If the training you pay for doesn’t make a positive contribution to your business, it’s usually because these principles aren’t being followed.

Training must be worth the investment

Training has a cost, and it should also have a value to the business. It should have a measurable result that translates into a quantifiable outcome. Some typical examples of training outcomes are: more efficient use of equipment, reduced risk of accidents, better management practices and enhanced productivity.

 

What savings will result from the equipment’s being used more efficiently? This should mean time savings and/or more productive use of staff time, both of which can be measured in financial terms. If the potential savings can’t be quantified the training could represent a poor investment of the organisation’s funds.

For best results structure your training

It’s insufficient to simply send someone off to a training course and expect them to come back with magically improved performance. All training should be conducted in a three-step process that prepares the person for the training, trains them, and then supports the implementation of what’s been learned.

  1. Preparation – The person being trained needs a complete understanding of the purposes of their training and what it’s expected to achieve. They should be given a clear picture of what they’re being trained for and how the training will be conducted. They should also be told the cost of the training to give them an appreciation of the investment the business is making in their development.
  2. Training – It’s your responsibility to see that the content of the course fully meets the needs of the business it is meant to address. If, for example, the business plans to upgrade its credit management software, personnel will have to be trained in the use of the new programme. The selected course must be specifically tailored for this software and also must be compatible with the equipment in your office on which it’s going to be installed.
  3. Implementation support – When the person returns from their training, review with them what they’ve learned. Be sure they have all the support needed to implement their new knowledge and that they can apply their newly acquired knowledge as soon as they return to their workplace. This can mean some form of IT support, assistance from other members of the team, or additional resources such as manuals or equipment. Follow-up to ensure the learning is correctly applied and that the anticipated value is received by the business.

Get your money’s worth

It’s important that you have an agreement with the employee that the training they undergo will be used to benefit the business as much as possible. Some possible elements of this agreement that can be summarised in your company’s policy and procedures manual are:

  • That what they have learned from their training will be applied to help them better perform their job responsibilities
  • That what has been learned from the training will be shared with other members of the team if it will help them perform in their roles
  • That you will support them in their implementation of what they have learned in the training
  • That they are encouraged to request any additional materials or equipment needed to ensure the successful application of what they have learned

Training is a management responsibility

Successful training requires management to have all the necessary elements in place including a way to identify the needs of the business and select the training that best meets those needs. Training must also satisfy the needs of the individual as well as the organisation. Management must follow-up after the training so that the knowledge is fully implemented and creates the intended value for the business. Only when training is appropriate, conducted correctly, and well-implemented will the ROI to the business be optimised.

HR Consulting

How to Develop an Effective Staff Recognition Program

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Tuesday, 27 August 2013 10:46 | Written by Greg Mitchell

 

Staff recognition programs can play an important role in helping staff feel valued and improving individual and collective performance. That said, there are a few pitfalls to be wary of. This article provides a few tips to help you on your way to developing and implementing an effective recognition program in your business.

So, you’re taking the plunge and are planning to implement a staff recognition program….great stuff! It seems easy enough – throw out a few bottles of wine or movie tickets, shake a few hands, smile for the camera and you’re done! Happy staff, happy workplace, more productivity and higher profits…hooray!

The bad news is that it’s often just not that easy. Despite positive intentions, staff recognition programs are unfortunately one of those things that can end up being a negative on the business rather than a positive. Staff end up dissatisfied because the “wrong” people get the awards, the “right” people never get them, the “reward” is lousy anyway (how many coffee mugs can a single person use, after all!?), and/or it’s seen as yet another passing fad that staff just need to ride out till it disappears.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. Staff recognition programs can indeed be very successful and live up to the expectations that we have of them – staff feeling valued, increased staff satisfaction, a bit of fun AND improved individual and business performance. Here are a few tips to help you on your way;

1. Get staff involved in developing the program – It sounds obvious enough, but it’s rarely done: if you want a program that delivers results, that your staff are comfortable with, that provides the genuine recognition that they want, then get them involved in helping to develop it. Let staff know what you are thinking, ask for a couple of volunteers to help you, and send out the draft program to all staff for comment. What do they think is important and should be recognised (refer point 2 below), what would they value as a form of recognition, how and who will decide who gets recognised? Getting them involved doesn’t mean you need to agree to all of their suggestions (free trips to Fiji for all staff could get expensive after all!), but it is important to genuinely consult and consider their suggestions.

2. Clearly link the recognition criteria to desired behaviours and/or business outcomes – One sure way to get a return on your investment in such a program is to ensure that the criteria on which the recognition is determined are clearly linked to desired behaviours and/or outcomes that are important to your business. What do you need and really value in your employees? What are those core behaviours and outcomes that will ensure your business succeeds? Is it teamwork? Exceptional customer service? Ability to generate sales? Make more widgets more quickly? Exceeding quality standards? The ability to be innovative, look for new ideas and follow them through? Is it the ability to effectively lead a team?

Whatever it is (and it might well be a few things), it is critical that you’re very clear on just what they are, that you communicate them well, and that as best you can you define the nature of the desired performance (eg. How many sales is worthy of recognition? How do we determine exceptional customer service as opposed to the usual standards required? – there may of course remain an element of subjectivity for some elements of your recognition program).

3. Reinforce, reinforce, reinforce the link…then repeat – Once you communicate the desired behaviours and outcomes on which recognition will be based, be sure to constantly reinforce those behaviours and outcomes when actually giving the recognition and communicating it to others. Eg. Jane is receiving recognition for providing exceptional customer service. When communicating, be sure to tell people exactly what the recognition is for and why it constitutes excellent customer service; “Congratulations to Jane who I am pleased to say is receiving recognition for her excellent customer service. Last Wednesday an elderly woman fell over in the store, grazed her leg and dropped all her groceries. Jane immediately called for first aid, stayed with and comforted the woman while she was attended to, called the woman’s son to come and take her home, then repacked all her groceries and had them put in the car for the woman. A great example of how we at XYZ seek to provide exceptional customer service – congratulations and well done Jane!”).

Done well, this is a key point at which you will get a return on your investment: Jane feels terrific, all staff have a great example of just what constitutes exceptional customer service, and hence are clearer about your expectations.

4. Avoid the common pitfalls, for example;

Recognition and/or Reward – Is your program about “recognition” and/or “reward”? If you use the term “reward”, then in my experience people may well expect a tangible (and sometimes large!) reward. My tip is to keep it purely as a recognition program – any gift that comes with it should be regarded as a token or symbol of appreciation rather than a direct reward as such. Cash bonuses, sales commissions and the like are better seen as part of your remuneration system, rather than your recognition system.

Freddo Frogs – handing out a few Freddos at a staff meeting does not in itself a recognition program make! Even worse, don’t single out people, say thanks and give only them a Freddo (yes, this was the practice in one workplace I worked with! Let’s just say the impact was not positive). This may have worked in kindergarten but is not appropriate in the workplace. They are valued staff members, critical to our business success, they are not performing seals!

Reward or Punishment? – Just as one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so is one person’s reward another person’s punishment. Public acknowledgement and communication is good and will help you get a return on your investment in a recognition program, but dragging the “lucky” recipient up in front all the other staff and asking them to say a few words is not everyone’s cup of tea. If they don’t want to, don’t push it – congratulate them, thank them, tell others exactly what the recognition is for, then leave it at that.

Fair-go for all – ensure your criteria for recognition is inclusive: sure sales are important, but not everybody in your business is in a role where they can get recognition for achieving the most sales. Good recognition programs include a range of behaviours and outcomes that give people in all roles an opportunity to be recognised.

Employee of the Month – whilst McDonalds seem to like it, I suggest steering clear of these sorts of schemes. What if a couple of staff have done great things this month; does one just miss out? What if no-one demonstrates exceptional performance and/or no nominations are received? What message does “sorry, no Employee of the Month” send to staff?

Employee of the Year – Programs that allow for frequent, multiple recognitions are far better than “big bang” recognition for one person once a year.

Winners and Losers – be careful about how you communicate recognition. Just because someone “wins” recognition shouldn’t mean the rest are losers! Be sure to communicate that you appreciate the efforts of everyone, though in this particular instance Jane went “above and beyond” and hence deserves this special recognition.

5. Maintain, then review – Launch your program, ensure it maintains momentum, don’t delegate the task of providing recognition just because you are too busy or have had too much cake, constantly reinforce desired behaviours and outcomes, and then review after 6-12 months. Again, seek staff input to ensure your program is having the desired effect.

6. Don’t give up your day job – An important part of any manager’s job is to provide constant feedback to staff. Just because you’ve launched your whizz-bang recognition program, don’t relinquish your day-to-day role of supporting and encouraging staff. Apart from being common courtesy, a simple “thanks” or “job well done” will still be an important part of your armoury in getting the best out of your staff.

So, Staff Recognition Programs….not as easy as they might first appear, but nonetheless, properly developed and implemented they can be a valuable tool in maximising people performance.

HR Consulting

Managing Employee Termination Risk

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Wednesday, 11 September 2013 11:44 | Written by Greg Mitchell

 

Why is this important?

Terminating the employment of a member of staff as a consequence of poor performance can be fraught with danger.

Apart from the risks associated with terminated employees seeking recourse under relevant provisions of the Fair Work Act, businesses terminating staff may also experience negative impacts through suffering damage to their reputation and the diversion of often significant resources to defend claims made against them.

While it can be difficult to eliminate the risks entirely, undertaking an appropriate process in advance of the termination can significantly reduce the risks.

What to do

Consider the following tips:

1. Ensure you are able to demonstrate that the employee has been made aware of the expectations/standards required (via an up-to-date position description, regular performance reviews, specific and documented conversations about what is required, for example).

2. Ensure there is evidence that the employee has been made aware of shortfalls on at least a couple of occasions (via previous performance review discussions, verbal warnings evidenced by diary notes plus at least one written warning, for example).

3. Ensure you are able to demonstrate that the employee has been offered reasonable support to achieve the expected standard of performance (time and/or reasonable access to training if needed, for example), and that they have been given an opportunity to explain any other issues that might be temporarily impacting performance. A reasonable period of time needs to be made available for the employee to achieve the standard required.

4. Once you get to the point of having formal meetings with the employee regarding their performance, give them adequate notice (minimum 24 hours), ensuring they are aware that the meeting is to discuss performance issues and, particularly if termination is at some stage a possibility, offering them the opportunity to bring an observer (note: lawyers acting in a professional capacity are specifically excluded from this role). It is generally wise for the employer to also have an observer in attendance.

5. When discussing performance issues it’s important to not be seen to pre-empt the outcome. Discuss the issues, seek an explanation and, if the explanation is not sufficient, then formulate and issue a formal warning after the meeting.

6. Formal warningsshould include details of the standards to be achieved, any support that has been or will be made available, other relevant issues discussed, the date on which performance will be again reviewed and the possible consequences of not achieving the required standard (up to and including termination of employment, if indeed this is a possibility). The employee should also be provided with a further opportunity to formally respond to the issues raised. The precise details of standards to be achieved could be documented in a PerformanceImprovement Plan or similar.

7. Have the employee sign as having received and understood the relevant documents (they don’t have to agree with your assessment, just acknowledge their receipt and understanding). If they refuse to sign, make a note to this effect on the documentation.

8. If the matter does proceed to termination, ensure that reasons for the termination are clear, that the termination is confirmed in writing and that requirements relating to providing adequate notice of termination are met.

Businesses may be able to ‘shortcut’ the above process in certain cases such as in the event of serious misconduct and/or where an employee is to be terminated early on in their employment.

This article provides general information only. Employers are encouraged to seek professional support that takes account of specific requirements.

HR Consulting

The Importance of Recruitment

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Wednesday, 06 June 2012 18:44 | Written by Greg Mitchell

 

In talking the other day with a new client about their recruitment and selection practices, I was reminded of a conversation I had a while ago with a then potential local client about how they find and select the best people to work in their business.
Their response was along the lines of “We’re really lucky Greg. It turns out that as soon as someone leaves we usually have someone walk into the shop within a day or 2 looking for work. If they look OK, we put them on!”. After congratulating them on their good fortune and offering a couple of suggestions to inject a bit more rigor into their process, I wished them well and went on my way.
No more than a couple of months later I received a desperate phone call from the very same person seeking assistance, as their most recent recruit had turned out to be far from successful!
This experience comes back to me every now and again to reinforce the value of a properly-considered recruitment and selection process. All too often we are so keen to fill the position in an effort to ease the workload that the calm and considered approach goes out the window. Sometimes we can get away with it, but it’s almost inevitable that at some point we will be burnt by such hasty decisions.
Here are some quick tips to help review and as required “tweak” your current practices to the benefit of your business:
  1. Be clear on what you want in terms of skills and experience, but also temperament. What personal attributes does the candidate need to have to not only produce the quality of work that you want, but also “fit in” to and be a positive contributor to your business?
  2. Write it down in a position description! – all very boring I know, but good position descriptions attract the right people and help stop you making hasty decisions (contact us for a complimentary template/guide).
  3. Consider where the best candidates are – It may be that they are reading the local paper, but maybe they are also scanning the internet job sites, professional/trade magazines etc… Maybe they are walking past your office! Think where they might be and go and get them!
  4. Make the offer attractive – Your ad needs to be attractive, your recruitment and interview process needs to be professional and your salary/benefit offering needs to be able to compete with the market standard.
  5. Use structured interviews – typical interviews have been shown to have a predictive power of 0.15, whereas structured interviews have a predictive power of 0.4. Ensure questions are tied to valid selection criteria and ask the same questions of each candidate.
  6. Use candidate assessment tools – There are plenty of good quality tools out there, such as McQuaig WORD Surveys, to help predict candidate behaviour on the job and prevent expensive mistakes. Depending on the nature of the job, skills assessments can also be beneficial. Such tools have been shown to have a predictive power of 0.4-0.5, so using them in conjunction with structured interviews can significantly improve your hiring success rate.
  7. Referee checks – It’s amazing how many don’t do them and ultimately pay the price. Indeed, a survey of SMEs by CPA Australia has indicated as few as 2% of businesses use referee checks as a standard part of their recruitment process. Be sure to get the most out of referee checks by going beyond general chit-chat to really explore the candidate’s suitability for the job you have available.
Recruiting Right – It’s not hard, but it is one of the keys to achieving Success Through People.
Feel free to call us to discuss how we can support the recruitment function in your organisation.