I was involved in a search recently that ended abruptly after the hiring company went through an exhaustive reference checking process.
After the second interview the candidate provided references and the HR Manager only did his job when he reached out to those references and began asking questions about the candidate. Those questions stimulated a deeper discussion about the position the candidate was interviewing for and then into a discussion about career path and so on.
When the call was over the professional reference called the candidate and said "what are you doing? and what would make you consider a job change in this current market?", the candidate immediately pulled themselves out of the process!
The learning experience was that references have always been and always will be a delicate and tricky process. You just never know what is going to happen. When the war for talent was on, the professional reference would call the candidate and try to hire them back versus in this case- tell them to stay put and wait it out. Beware out there!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Job Hunting After a Medical Absence: A Delicate Balance
by John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer
It’s a nightmare scenario for all too many Americans.
You fall ill, say, with cancer. You undergo months or even years of debilitating treatments and finally emerge with a good prognosis. Or maybe a family member becomes catastrophically ill, and you take an extended leave from your career to be the caregiver.
Meanwhile, you exhaust your Family and Medical Leave Act benefit, quit your job and find yourself in a deep financial hole. Now that you’re able to work, you need to land a well-paying job pronto.
Your dilemma: How do you explain this employment gap to hiring managers, without compromising your privacy, exaggerating your return to health or leaving lingering doubts that could taint your candidacy? “You’re walking a fine line of integrity,” says Shawn Desgrosellier, CEO of recruiting firm Vitality Group. “What do you say and not say? What can help you and what can hurt you?”
However you choose to deal with this difficult job-hunting circumstance, you must face it head-on. “It’s bad if you come in unprepared to talk about the medical issue,” says Cy Wakeman, an independent human resources consultant.
With that in mind, we share some experts’ opinions on what to say to employers and how to shift the emphasis to your qualifications for the job at hand.
What to Say About Your Medical Leave
First, keep it simple, advises Desgrosellier. “Say, ‘I had a medical issue and took care of it, and now I’m ready to get back to work,’” he says. “You need to think about the issue in advance and almost script it out for the interview.”
You can boost your appeal as a candidate by bringing forth relevant facts about your leave that aren’t too personal. “Do get detailed about details like the dates of your time off work,” Wakeman says. “But don’t get specific with the medical issue. Instead say, ‘I made the very difficult decision to leave my job; now I’m eager to get back to work.’”
You have the right to draw a line on revealing personal medical information that is not critical to the specific job you’re applying for. “The Americans with Disabilities Act certainly protects the prospective employee from having to divulge sensitive information,” says Michael Hoffman, director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College.
But be aware that prospective employers may weigh the bottom-line consequences of hiring someone who’s had a serious illness. It may be unethical or even illegal, but some employers, especially smaller ones, could consider how adding you to their health insurance rolls might drive up the group premium.
Which brings us to this hard truth: “Being forthright may backfire,” says Desgrosellier. So be honest, but try not to say more than you need to.
Be Bold About Highlighting Your Strengths
With skill and luck, you’ve been able to swiftly put the issue of your medical leave to rest with the prospective employer. Now it’s time to switch gears and promote your superior qualifications for the job. “Your candidacy has everything to do with your work history, whether you’ve worked for the right companies and had the right responsibilities and success,” Desgrosellier says.
Do beware of overpromising what you can deliver given your physical and mental condition. “The prospective employee does have a responsibility to respond truthfully when asked whether he can do the job and the tasks that go with it,” Hoffman says.
Answering Objections, Dispelling Doubts
Do you worry that your prospective employer still harbors concerns about your health? “Ask the employer, ‘What have I left you to wonder about?’” advises Wakeman. “Don’t defend against the employer’s concerns; acknowledge and respond to them.”
And accept this reassurance: Even leading candidates rarely come to a job opportunity entirely unencumbered. “Human resources isn’t looking for a risk-free bet; it’s looking to know and mitigate the risk,” Wakeman says.
Finally, be mindful of the employer’s point of view. “The employer is in a difficult position,” Hoffman says. “The company has responsibilities to stockholders, and is responsible for the safety of other employees and even customers.” These responsibilities may come into play if the employee falls ill again at work, for example.
Leave to Care for a Family Member
When your leave is for the sake of a sick relative, the job-hunting issue is perhaps less difficult.
In the case of a family member’s illness, be specific about your plan, Wakeman says. “[The employer will] want to know what you’ll do if you need to be out of work again [to provide care],” he says.
What if a family member has succumbed to a long illness? Wakeman advises: “If a relative passed away, it’s OK to say, ‘I did what I had to do, and now I’m clear. I didn’t want to cheat my employer.’”
It’s a nightmare scenario for all too many Americans.
You fall ill, say, with cancer. You undergo months or even years of debilitating treatments and finally emerge with a good prognosis. Or maybe a family member becomes catastrophically ill, and you take an extended leave from your career to be the caregiver.
Meanwhile, you exhaust your Family and Medical Leave Act benefit, quit your job and find yourself in a deep financial hole. Now that you’re able to work, you need to land a well-paying job pronto.
Your dilemma: How do you explain this employment gap to hiring managers, without compromising your privacy, exaggerating your return to health or leaving lingering doubts that could taint your candidacy? “You’re walking a fine line of integrity,” says Shawn Desgrosellier, CEO of recruiting firm Vitality Group. “What do you say and not say? What can help you and what can hurt you?”
However you choose to deal with this difficult job-hunting circumstance, you must face it head-on. “It’s bad if you come in unprepared to talk about the medical issue,” says Cy Wakeman, an independent human resources consultant.
With that in mind, we share some experts’ opinions on what to say to employers and how to shift the emphasis to your qualifications for the job at hand.
What to Say About Your Medical Leave
First, keep it simple, advises Desgrosellier. “Say, ‘I had a medical issue and took care of it, and now I’m ready to get back to work,’” he says. “You need to think about the issue in advance and almost script it out for the interview.”
You can boost your appeal as a candidate by bringing forth relevant facts about your leave that aren’t too personal. “Do get detailed about details like the dates of your time off work,” Wakeman says. “But don’t get specific with the medical issue. Instead say, ‘I made the very difficult decision to leave my job; now I’m eager to get back to work.’”
You have the right to draw a line on revealing personal medical information that is not critical to the specific job you’re applying for. “The Americans with Disabilities Act certainly protects the prospective employee from having to divulge sensitive information,” says Michael Hoffman, director of the Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College.
But be aware that prospective employers may weigh the bottom-line consequences of hiring someone who’s had a serious illness. It may be unethical or even illegal, but some employers, especially smaller ones, could consider how adding you to their health insurance rolls might drive up the group premium.
Which brings us to this hard truth: “Being forthright may backfire,” says Desgrosellier. So be honest, but try not to say more than you need to.
Be Bold About Highlighting Your Strengths
With skill and luck, you’ve been able to swiftly put the issue of your medical leave to rest with the prospective employer. Now it’s time to switch gears and promote your superior qualifications for the job. “Your candidacy has everything to do with your work history, whether you’ve worked for the right companies and had the right responsibilities and success,” Desgrosellier says.
Do beware of overpromising what you can deliver given your physical and mental condition. “The prospective employee does have a responsibility to respond truthfully when asked whether he can do the job and the tasks that go with it,” Hoffman says.
Answering Objections, Dispelling Doubts
Do you worry that your prospective employer still harbors concerns about your health? “Ask the employer, ‘What have I left you to wonder about?’” advises Wakeman. “Don’t defend against the employer’s concerns; acknowledge and respond to them.”
And accept this reassurance: Even leading candidates rarely come to a job opportunity entirely unencumbered. “Human resources isn’t looking for a risk-free bet; it’s looking to know and mitigate the risk,” Wakeman says.
Finally, be mindful of the employer’s point of view. “The employer is in a difficult position,” Hoffman says. “The company has responsibilities to stockholders, and is responsible for the safety of other employees and even customers.” These responsibilities may come into play if the employee falls ill again at work, for example.
Leave to Care for a Family Member
When your leave is for the sake of a sick relative, the job-hunting issue is perhaps less difficult.
In the case of a family member’s illness, be specific about your plan, Wakeman says. “[The employer will] want to know what you’ll do if you need to be out of work again [to provide care],” he says.
What if a family member has succumbed to a long illness? Wakeman advises: “If a relative passed away, it’s OK to say, ‘I did what I had to do, and now I’m clear. I didn’t want to cheat my employer.’”
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
What to Say to Customers (When You Don't Know What to Say)
By Paul Nunes
We've all had the experience. We see someone going through a difficult time and we just don't know what to say. Or, we sit down to write a note of condolence and our mind goes blank.
These days, with millions of jobs lost worldwide, and trillions of dollars of personal and business wealth vanished, it is easy to have the same reaction when communicating with customers. What can we say that can make a difference given all that has happened?
There are no easy answers, but insights from a sociological approach called "Conversation Analysis"--which examines the rules and patterns behind human conversation--can help. For example, learning about "interactive reciprocity," just one component in the mechanics of conversation, helps to explain why people shut down when others provide too much, or even too little, information about themselves.
We have observed that good marketing conversations--those created through customer "touch points" such as advertising, sales people and call centers--are defined in many instances by the same attributes that make for good conversations in any setting.
In planning what to say to customers today, then, keep five things in mind:
Be empathetic--without being pathetic. No need to don sackcloth and ashes: Despite the troubles that everyone faces, you don't want to drag your customers down further by striking an overly somber tone. Positive messages help convey real empathy. Bringing in terms to the conversation like "value," "sensible," "secure" and "affordable" can demonstrate you're on the same wavelength as your customers and buoy the conversation without being Pollyanna about it. Demonstrating real empathy also means putting one's own needs aside for a moment. So even if your business is in survival mode, it is best to forgo messages that imply the customer should help you reduce inventory and instead suggest the chance for them to obtain a well-deserved bargain.
Offer real assistance--not happy talk. Telling someone to call if they need anything is far less constructive than offering specific help. Likewise, companies that can make their proposals tangible can gain an advantage. Hyundai's recent offer to customers who lose their jobs that it will take back their cars was a powerful statement, and one that built affinity to the brand in millions more customers than those who actually purchased the Korean company' cars (though Hyundai's sales did increase, too, up in January from a year before, while other automakers experienced severe declines).
Adjust to your customers' changed behaviors. Not only have customer attitudes changed, but so too have their behaviors. They may be at work longer; they're probably shopping for discounts and eating out less. So bring the conversation to your customers: advertising in elevators and on everything from coffee cups to pizza boxes can reach people at the office, for example.
Address people's attention deficit. Not everyone will want to emulate Miller High Life's one-second Super Bowl commercial, but time-starved, on-edge consumers are likely to value advertising that's quick and to the point. Last point: You should make use of new technologies to gauge customer receptiveness and response--just as you would with body language in everyday conversation. Doing so is becoming significantly easier, as the number and quality of software tools that allow companies to measure the engagement of online site visitors and their reaction to Web advertising, for example, is rising daily.
Say something. Silence in a conversation conveys a message, too, and customers who hear nothing at all are likely to either forget you or to feel forgotten. Research shows that up to two-thirds of companies that "go dark" during a downturn diminish their relationships with customers. It also shows that those that continue to communicate with customers see a greater uptick when the upturn comes.And the upturn will come. Having a good heart-to-heart with customers today may well help it come a little sooner for your business.
Paul Nunes is the executive director of research at Accenture's Institute for High Performance.
We've all had the experience. We see someone going through a difficult time and we just don't know what to say. Or, we sit down to write a note of condolence and our mind goes blank.
These days, with millions of jobs lost worldwide, and trillions of dollars of personal and business wealth vanished, it is easy to have the same reaction when communicating with customers. What can we say that can make a difference given all that has happened?
There are no easy answers, but insights from a sociological approach called "Conversation Analysis"--which examines the rules and patterns behind human conversation--can help. For example, learning about "interactive reciprocity," just one component in the mechanics of conversation, helps to explain why people shut down when others provide too much, or even too little, information about themselves.
We have observed that good marketing conversations--those created through customer "touch points" such as advertising, sales people and call centers--are defined in many instances by the same attributes that make for good conversations in any setting.
In planning what to say to customers today, then, keep five things in mind:
Be empathetic--without being pathetic. No need to don sackcloth and ashes: Despite the troubles that everyone faces, you don't want to drag your customers down further by striking an overly somber tone. Positive messages help convey real empathy. Bringing in terms to the conversation like "value," "sensible," "secure" and "affordable" can demonstrate you're on the same wavelength as your customers and buoy the conversation without being Pollyanna about it. Demonstrating real empathy also means putting one's own needs aside for a moment. So even if your business is in survival mode, it is best to forgo messages that imply the customer should help you reduce inventory and instead suggest the chance for them to obtain a well-deserved bargain.
Offer real assistance--not happy talk. Telling someone to call if they need anything is far less constructive than offering specific help. Likewise, companies that can make their proposals tangible can gain an advantage. Hyundai's recent offer to customers who lose their jobs that it will take back their cars was a powerful statement, and one that built affinity to the brand in millions more customers than those who actually purchased the Korean company' cars (though Hyundai's sales did increase, too, up in January from a year before, while other automakers experienced severe declines).
Adjust to your customers' changed behaviors. Not only have customer attitudes changed, but so too have their behaviors. They may be at work longer; they're probably shopping for discounts and eating out less. So bring the conversation to your customers: advertising in elevators and on everything from coffee cups to pizza boxes can reach people at the office, for example.
Address people's attention deficit. Not everyone will want to emulate Miller High Life's one-second Super Bowl commercial, but time-starved, on-edge consumers are likely to value advertising that's quick and to the point. Last point: You should make use of new technologies to gauge customer receptiveness and response--just as you would with body language in everyday conversation. Doing so is becoming significantly easier, as the number and quality of software tools that allow companies to measure the engagement of online site visitors and their reaction to Web advertising, for example, is rising daily.
Say something. Silence in a conversation conveys a message, too, and customers who hear nothing at all are likely to either forget you or to feel forgotten. Research shows that up to two-thirds of companies that "go dark" during a downturn diminish their relationships with customers. It also shows that those that continue to communicate with customers see a greater uptick when the upturn comes.And the upturn will come. Having a good heart-to-heart with customers today may well help it come a little sooner for your business.
Paul Nunes is the executive director of research at Accenture's Institute for High Performance.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Top 10 Job Posting Tips for Employers
Best practices for optimizing your job postings by: Career Builder
1. Add Keywords
The primary job search method performed by job seekers is keyword. Many systems use some sort of relevancy when matching keyword searches to job listings. It is important to enter relevant keywords throughout the job title, description, and requirement sections. When these words are entered, it helps make sure that your job is appearing in the most relevant searches and you are attracting quality candidates. For example, if you are searching for a Claims Adjuster, you should make sure to include the following keywords: liability, insurance, claim, coverage, adjuster.
2. Use Familiar Job Titles
Make sure your job titles are clear and succinct. This is your first chance to tell candidates about the job so make sure they understand the job title the first time they read it otherwise they may pass over your job. Think as a job seeker and ask yourself “would I enter this into a job search?” If the answer is NO, then you probably will want to avoid using that term as a title. Essentially, use a spelled out title and be sure that it is simple and easy to find in a search. For Example: Business Analyst is a good, searchable title.
3. Proper Use of Abbreviations (In Titles)
Adding value to the title, you may want to provide an abbreviated title to compliment your spelled out title. It is recommended only if you are using titles that have widely recognized and frequently used abbreviations. The reason this is recommended is because there is ALWAYS a percentage of job seekers who will use the abbreviated term to search for jobs. If in your title you have that term, it helps the frequency of your job appearing in relevant searches. Make sure that you use a hyphen or forward slash when separating the terms so that the system you are using does not read the title as one complete term. For Example: Call Center Representative – Call Center Rep
4. Give ’Em the Details
Describe Position and Requirements-Provide the job seeker with a description of the position using your company perspective and definition. This quickly will let the job seeker know if they are meeting the requirements necessary to obtain the position. Also, list all other authorization, certification, skill sets, education and or specialty experience needed to obtain this position.
Explain Duties- Leave no stone unturned!!! Use this opportunity to provide as much information about the duties associated with this position. This information will also set the expectation for the position. Include such things as:
a. Hours and shifts required
b. Make Industry and Job Type Selections
Do Not Select (Other Industries/Other if possible)
c. Management requirements
d. Day to day operations of position
e. Travel requirements
f. Department position reports
g. Function and role position holds
h. Clients or customers this position will come in contact
Sell the company and opportunity- This can be done by providing a brief description of your company or the client you are recruiting for. This is a 2-3 line company overview that can include information about industry success, company background, and more.
Add Benefits and Intangibles- Not only are job seekers trying to sell themselves to you with their resumes; your company is selling itself to potential candidates. Providing a brief overview of benefits, travel, 401k, and other intangible offerings will go far in creating a positive image for your company.
5. Expand Your Location
Make sure to include surrounding cities and metropolitan areas in your searches. Sometimes jobs are located in suburb or rural areas. By adding declarative information about surrounding areas, it will help job seekers with a clearer vision of the actual location of the position. Furthermore it helps them determine travel/commute time. For example, if your job opening is located in Smyrna, GA, you should also mention Northwest Atlanta in your posting. That way, candidates who search in Atlanta will also understand the area the job is located.
6. Structured: Easily Read Posting
At one sitting, job seekers, as do employers, have limited time allotted to spend searching and posting jobs. For this reason, your job postings need to be structured in a way that is easy to read. An easy to read job posting directs the job seeker through the posting quickly and effectively. Using HTML, bullet points, italics, underlines, paragraph breaks, centering and other formatting features will help create postings that are comprehensible and well structured.
7. Add Compensation
Any time you can add pay or compensation information within the posting, it is highly recommended to do so. However, it is understood that at times, you may not be able to provide the job seeker with the exact hourly or annual pay information. When this is the case, please find an appropriate area within the posting to develop a benefit statement. This will let the job seeker know that you are cognitive and understand that ‘PAY’ is a heavily sought after piece of information. Especially adding compensation, especially when the salary is higher than the industry average, will boost applications to the posting. For Example: Great Pay, Commensurate Upon Experience, Bonuses Paid Every Quarter, Competitive Pay.
8. Show off Your Brand
It takes seven exposures before an individual begins to get familiar with a company. By placing or adding a company logo to your job posting, it will help increase your company branding while getting you added exposure. Placing your logo on your job posting also gives your company more credibility. Including your company’s website address is a great way to supplement the logo. Sometimes candidates are a little leery of recruiters. By showing off your professional company identity, you may be able to put some candidates at ease.
9. Associate with Multiple Industries
To take advantage of any system you use to post your job, it is recommended to associate the job with multiple and relevant industries. At times, job seekers will use industry searches to narrow searches and find jobs fast. By linking your job to multiple industries, it essentially will help the job appear in more industry searches. For example: If you are recruiting for a Public Relations Manager for a hospital, you should link your job to the Healthcare, Marketing, and Public Relations industries.
10. Check for Typos
Nothing says unprofessional like typographical errors in a job posting. Don’t just spell check your job posting; make sure it is free of grammatical errors. Read it aloud so you catch any strange words and confusing sentences.
1. Add Keywords
The primary job search method performed by job seekers is keyword. Many systems use some sort of relevancy when matching keyword searches to job listings. It is important to enter relevant keywords throughout the job title, description, and requirement sections. When these words are entered, it helps make sure that your job is appearing in the most relevant searches and you are attracting quality candidates. For example, if you are searching for a Claims Adjuster, you should make sure to include the following keywords: liability, insurance, claim, coverage, adjuster.
2. Use Familiar Job Titles
Make sure your job titles are clear and succinct. This is your first chance to tell candidates about the job so make sure they understand the job title the first time they read it otherwise they may pass over your job. Think as a job seeker and ask yourself “would I enter this into a job search?” If the answer is NO, then you probably will want to avoid using that term as a title. Essentially, use a spelled out title and be sure that it is simple and easy to find in a search. For Example: Business Analyst is a good, searchable title.
3. Proper Use of Abbreviations (In Titles)
Adding value to the title, you may want to provide an abbreviated title to compliment your spelled out title. It is recommended only if you are using titles that have widely recognized and frequently used abbreviations. The reason this is recommended is because there is ALWAYS a percentage of job seekers who will use the abbreviated term to search for jobs. If in your title you have that term, it helps the frequency of your job appearing in relevant searches. Make sure that you use a hyphen or forward slash when separating the terms so that the system you are using does not read the title as one complete term. For Example: Call Center Representative – Call Center Rep
4. Give ’Em the Details
Describe Position and Requirements-Provide the job seeker with a description of the position using your company perspective and definition. This quickly will let the job seeker know if they are meeting the requirements necessary to obtain the position. Also, list all other authorization, certification, skill sets, education and or specialty experience needed to obtain this position.
Explain Duties- Leave no stone unturned!!! Use this opportunity to provide as much information about the duties associated with this position. This information will also set the expectation for the position. Include such things as:
a. Hours and shifts required
b. Make Industry and Job Type Selections
Do Not Select (Other Industries/Other if possible)
c. Management requirements
d. Day to day operations of position
e. Travel requirements
f. Department position reports
g. Function and role position holds
h. Clients or customers this position will come in contact
Sell the company and opportunity- This can be done by providing a brief description of your company or the client you are recruiting for. This is a 2-3 line company overview that can include information about industry success, company background, and more.
Add Benefits and Intangibles- Not only are job seekers trying to sell themselves to you with their resumes; your company is selling itself to potential candidates. Providing a brief overview of benefits, travel, 401k, and other intangible offerings will go far in creating a positive image for your company.
5. Expand Your Location
Make sure to include surrounding cities and metropolitan areas in your searches. Sometimes jobs are located in suburb or rural areas. By adding declarative information about surrounding areas, it will help job seekers with a clearer vision of the actual location of the position. Furthermore it helps them determine travel/commute time. For example, if your job opening is located in Smyrna, GA, you should also mention Northwest Atlanta in your posting. That way, candidates who search in Atlanta will also understand the area the job is located.
6. Structured: Easily Read Posting
At one sitting, job seekers, as do employers, have limited time allotted to spend searching and posting jobs. For this reason, your job postings need to be structured in a way that is easy to read. An easy to read job posting directs the job seeker through the posting quickly and effectively. Using HTML, bullet points, italics, underlines, paragraph breaks, centering and other formatting features will help create postings that are comprehensible and well structured.
7. Add Compensation
Any time you can add pay or compensation information within the posting, it is highly recommended to do so. However, it is understood that at times, you may not be able to provide the job seeker with the exact hourly or annual pay information. When this is the case, please find an appropriate area within the posting to develop a benefit statement. This will let the job seeker know that you are cognitive and understand that ‘PAY’ is a heavily sought after piece of information. Especially adding compensation, especially when the salary is higher than the industry average, will boost applications to the posting. For Example: Great Pay, Commensurate Upon Experience, Bonuses Paid Every Quarter, Competitive Pay.
8. Show off Your Brand
It takes seven exposures before an individual begins to get familiar with a company. By placing or adding a company logo to your job posting, it will help increase your company branding while getting you added exposure. Placing your logo on your job posting also gives your company more credibility. Including your company’s website address is a great way to supplement the logo. Sometimes candidates are a little leery of recruiters. By showing off your professional company identity, you may be able to put some candidates at ease.
9. Associate with Multiple Industries
To take advantage of any system you use to post your job, it is recommended to associate the job with multiple and relevant industries. At times, job seekers will use industry searches to narrow searches and find jobs fast. By linking your job to multiple industries, it essentially will help the job appear in more industry searches. For example: If you are recruiting for a Public Relations Manager for a hospital, you should link your job to the Healthcare, Marketing, and Public Relations industries.
10. Check for Typos
Nothing says unprofessional like typographical errors in a job posting. Don’t just spell check your job posting; make sure it is free of grammatical errors. Read it aloud so you catch any strange words and confusing sentences.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
How to Motivate Today
The current state of the economy has affected everyone in America. Some have felt it like and earthquake and others have felt merely trembles and aftershocks. This dramatic set of events in our financial markets created unexpected changes in business and with these challenges have brought cultural shifts and changes among corporations worldwide. Renowned thinkers like Aristotle and Freud struggled with the nuances of motivation and human behavior centuries ago and in times like this; it has become even more complex to understand. As this business climate changed so did our corporations, some moved quickly made cuts and changed business strategies and just some stood fast and pressed on. Most corporations did not prepare and did not move quickly enough trying to thankfully protect the overall welfare of their employees and workforce. Most companies started with a positive approach and attempted to out run it and out work it. This caused a necessity for increased performance, market and customer diversification, early mornings and late nights. When that was not enough then the alternative had to occur, it was time for cost cutting measures that impacted people, salaries, hours, shifts, jobs, and business closures.
So here we are today on the other side of it. We are humbled, we remain uncertain, and want to be optimistic more than anything else. Attitude is everything right? I often hear, this thing will turn or the market is beginning to turn around again and when it does things will be different. So we sit here and wait it out and hope to get a glimpse of what our future may hold for us. We may be motivated to “not lose out job” but surely are not inspired to take over the industry with a new innovative product or service- we have been humbled too much and are realists more than ever before.
Managers are challenged with the responsibility to gradually and delicately create a strategy to begin improving the morale and attitude of the organization. It will not be easy; however that is why you need to understand how to motivate more than ever before.
The most effective way to change a company, department, or team is through camaraderie and promoting a culture that derives from teamwork, collaboration, synergy, and friendships. I have heard cases of task forces, committee’s, or SWAT Teams that were created to allow participation and buy-in from the entire organization where they discussed and implemented cost-saving and revenue-growth projects.
Employees are also motivated by their specific job or role in the company- can be referred to as job design. A hard look at every position in the company and making some sort of modification can invigorate and give an employee a higher sense of meaning and challenge. Allowing employees to learn new skills and accommodating their need to be trusted and challenged can provide a big impact.
Performance management is also important for motivation. If each employee is fully aware of the expectations of management and the process is transparent, open, and fluid there is a higher sense of obligation and commitment to perform.
Lastly, the secret is the combination of all three- camaraderie, job, and commitment or expectations. A change in one area will make an improvement but in no way will provide the same impact as the combination of all three working together. Each manager implementing the change can make even a larger impact by rolling up his sleeves and getting to work right alongside the rest of the team or department. Managers need to get out of their offices and out on the floor or out with the customers and out of their offices- that alone will change the attitude and motivation organizationally.
So here we are today on the other side of it. We are humbled, we remain uncertain, and want to be optimistic more than anything else. Attitude is everything right? I often hear, this thing will turn or the market is beginning to turn around again and when it does things will be different. So we sit here and wait it out and hope to get a glimpse of what our future may hold for us. We may be motivated to “not lose out job” but surely are not inspired to take over the industry with a new innovative product or service- we have been humbled too much and are realists more than ever before.
Managers are challenged with the responsibility to gradually and delicately create a strategy to begin improving the morale and attitude of the organization. It will not be easy; however that is why you need to understand how to motivate more than ever before.
The most effective way to change a company, department, or team is through camaraderie and promoting a culture that derives from teamwork, collaboration, synergy, and friendships. I have heard cases of task forces, committee’s, or SWAT Teams that were created to allow participation and buy-in from the entire organization where they discussed and implemented cost-saving and revenue-growth projects.
Employees are also motivated by their specific job or role in the company- can be referred to as job design. A hard look at every position in the company and making some sort of modification can invigorate and give an employee a higher sense of meaning and challenge. Allowing employees to learn new skills and accommodating their need to be trusted and challenged can provide a big impact.
Performance management is also important for motivation. If each employee is fully aware of the expectations of management and the process is transparent, open, and fluid there is a higher sense of obligation and commitment to perform.
Lastly, the secret is the combination of all three- camaraderie, job, and commitment or expectations. A change in one area will make an improvement but in no way will provide the same impact as the combination of all three working together. Each manager implementing the change can make even a larger impact by rolling up his sleeves and getting to work right alongside the rest of the team or department. Managers need to get out of their offices and out on the floor or out with the customers and out of their offices- that alone will change the attitude and motivation organizationally.
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