LinkedIn: Who Is Really Using It? [Data]

LinkedIn: Who Is Really Using It? [Data]

Research conducted by ZoomSphere highlights several interesting facts about LinkedIn users. In an Infographic originally shared on BusinessInsider.com, the data indicates that there are 157 million LinkedIn users throughout the world and 61 million users in the U.S. About 40% of LinkedIn users are between the ages of 35 and 54 with another 31% between the ages of 25 and 34. Surprisingly, 58% of all LinkedIn users work at companies of 1000 or more people. 58%! When you consider the fact that about 85% of all businesses are categorized as “small- to mid-sized businesses,” the 58% figure jumps out at you like a ton of bricks. For those of you interested in an industry break-down of LinkedIn users, check out the pie chart below. A disproportionately high percentage of users are in Higher Education (which may indicate several things, one of which may be that many of them are looking to switch jobs).

http://60secondmarketer.com/blog/2012/02/28/linkedin-user-data/

Leadership...Where Has it Gone?

Over the last few months I have been so surprised by recent lapses in judgement and leadership. I have to ask, why is this so rampant? Where has all of our character gone?

My first disappointment as of late was the whole Penn State, Joe Paterno scandal. I mean how does someone know about an incident of child abuse and NOT report it to the law. I don't care what loophole existed for working in a University. You have to put your morals and ethics first especially when it involves children. Joe Paterno died a few days ago, his legacy forever tarnished.

When does a Captain of a large cruise ship get off the boat before his passengers? And then try to convince the world that he (and his second in command) "tripped into the life boat?" How does this happen? Wasn't there training, scenario planning, procedures, and policies in place to draw from, when an accident of this magnitude happens?

How does an entire school system cover up a huge cheating scandal all in the name of bigger bonuses for higher performing schools? Teachers changed standardized test scores in order to have high scores that lead to better bonuses and recognition from the school system. This wasn't just one school or one teacher it was hundreds. The victims in this situation were the Atlanta school children.

In the examples above what strikes me as strange is that it wasn't just one person that had a lapse in judgement but multiple people in the situation did the same thing. How does one person's bad judgement rub off on those around him?

I believe the old adage is true, "a person's character comes out when there is a crisis situation." So, that begs the question for me:

Do leaders have character but it just for some reason lapses in a crisis or did the leaders lack character all along?

So, what is the answer? Is it parenting, education, training or religious beliefs? I don't have any research that states that the lack of character is a generational issue. I have heard anecdotally, that some older people feel character is lacking in our younger generation, but in the examples above they were all baby boomers or older.

I ask myself, what can I do. I guess the best we can do is be an example of what a leader should do no matter your role. You can be a leader in the classroom. You can be a leader as a janitor. Leaders come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

In this election year, we will hear about candidate's character and examples of their leadership. I encourage you to do your own research and figure out how the candidates have acted in a crisis. Look for their true colors when the going gets tough. I want a President that can call on his values, in a crisis, act like a leader and motivate others to do the same.

All of this made me think of Leadership Development in the corporate environment. I think this training should be scenario based with several simulations of crisis situations. I think in most organizations the environment is basically the same day in and day out. Leadership is most needed in extreme circumstances...how do we train to that?

I wonder how different the "big recession" would have been if we had strong ethical leaders in the banking and real-estate industry?

Original post: http://intellectualcapitalconsulting.blogspot.com/2012/01/leadershipwhere-has-it-gone.html

Internal emails waste of time!

Internal emails waste of time, feels Atos CEO; India Inc gives thumbs up

MUMBAI: Email is dead, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg declared famously last November. Now,Thierry Breton, chief executive officer of Atos, one of Europe's largest IT companies, wants to show the world how a 6-billion company can be run without internal emails. Breton recently vowed that after 2014 none of Atos' 80,000 employees will ever send an email to another. 

Breton, 56, is a former French finance minister and took over as the Atos CEO in 2008. He stopped usingemails a few years ago. 

"We use email for instant communication, which is a bad way to use emails," he told ET during a recent visit to India. "We use email for archiving data, which is a bad way to do it. We use email to send global information to everyone - this is also a bad way to communicate; we use email to manage processes, which is a bad way to do it. We have many bad usages of email." 

Breton plans to replace email with social networking tools, which he believes will be more efficient. 

Atos is now a year into what it calls the 'Zero-email programme'. Breton says a few hundred Atos engineers are developing new social networking tools and adapting existing ones. There is so much enthusiasm for new communication tools that once people start using them they don't want to go back to email. 

An average business user responds to over a 100 emails daily, recent studies have found. Atos estimates that many employees spend 15-20 hours every week just checking email, of which only 15% are really useful to them or customers. But employees still trawl through the rest for fear of 'missing out on something'. 

Breton's call to kill email has found resonance with some India Inc CEOs. "I've contemplated shutting down email for 3-4 hours everyday in office so employees can get work done," says Pramod Bhasin, vice-chairman, Genpact, India's largest BPO outfit. "There is no question there are a lot of useless emails and loss of productivity. 

When there's an email on your BlackBerry you end up answering it even though it may be less important than what you are doing. It's a habit." Senior-level executives and CEOs are supposed to be great at managing their time, but they are vulnerable when it comes to email, he adds. 

RPG Group-promoted Zensar Technologies has an email code of conduct which asks people not to 'copy' emails to anyone unless required. "We encourage people to push back if they feel they should not have been copied in an email," says Ganesh Natarajan, vice-chairman of Zensar and CII co-chair, National Knowledge Council. "This brings down unproductive exchanges." 

Zensar is currently working on applying social media in the enterprise though Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter-like tools. But Natarajan says he doesn't see these as replacement for email. "With good etiquette and discipline, email can be productive," he adds. 

Breton also said killing email will help companies go back to the basics of management. "I realised that our employees were managing too much through screens and did not manage enough by talking together," he said. 

He recalled being shocked to see managers arrive in the morning and send out emails to say hello to everyone, even if they were sitting on the same floor. 

Atos also found work emails were encroaching into employees' personal time via laptops and smartphones. "We believe that when you are at home you should be at home with your family," said Breton. 

In fact, well-being - not productivity gains - was the motivation for Atos' 'Zero-email programme'. 

Many India Inc executives are also struggling to cope with work-related email invading personal time. Unlike the US and Europe where the work-life demarcations are clear, work culture in India and most of Asia actively encourages a more flexible approach. 

"This is a large change of management and mindset," Breton said, referring to the move to dump email. "We are now in the process of training people and these people will have to train everyone." Atos wants to be email-free by 2014, although external emails will continue. 

The idea took birth in a management programme called 'Well-being at work', which Breton instituted after he joined Atos. The company recruits about 10,000-15,000 employees every year, mostly fresh graduates.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/internal-emails-waste-of-time-feels-atos-ceo-india-inc-gives-thumbs-up/articleshow/11531725.cms?curpg=2

Is the HR Generalist Dead?

Today I had a very interesting conversation with a few HR consultant friends of mine. We were discussing the status of the external HR Consultant who is a generalist versus a consultant that specializes in particular area of HR.

The consensus was that the generalist in the consulting world is dead. Maybe that is a strong statement, maybe not dead....but on life support.

The reasons had to do with an over supply of consultants that are generalists and the need for organizations to hire subject matter experts that are deep in their knowledge on a certain subject, like compensation for example.

I did raise the question about clients wanting a "one stop shop" approach for HR services. My thought was that HR Executives want to buy from one or two preferred vendors for efficiency and cost reasons.

What are your thoughts on the "one stop shop" theory?

So, then I starting thinking about the internal HR Generalist. What is their status? Dead, alive or on life support?

From my experience, I have seen a mixed bag of HR organizational models. I see larger organizations using specialists at the corporate office and HR generalist in the field. I have also seen the reverse, generalist at corporate and specialist in regions lending support to managers. Of course, these models are dependent on industry, size and organizational strategy.

For smaller companies, I definitely see more generalist then specialist as they have to wear multiple hats.

What are your thoughts on the internal generalists? Do we need to get out our black dresses and suits?

Original post: http://intellectualcapitalconsulting.blogspot.com/2012/01/is-hr-generalist-dead.html

Building Your Personal Brand: Tactics for Successful Career Branding

Building Your Personal Brand: Tactics for Successful Career Branding

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

What is it that all successful companies have mastered -- and what job-seekers looking to advance in their careers need to master? What is it about Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Starbucks, Disney, and McDonald's? What makes a consumer buy one product over another -- and makes one job-seeker much more sought after than others? The answer is marketing, but more specifically it is the power of branding. And branding isn't just for products anymore.

Branding can be described as many things, but it's best defined as a promise… a promise of the value of the product… a promise that the product is better than all the competing products… a promise that must be delivered to be successful. Branding is the combination of tangible and intangible characteristics that make a brand unique. Branding is developing an image -- with results to match.

Branding (some call it self-branding when talking about individuals) is essential to career advancement because branding helps define who you are, how you are great, and why you should be sought out. Branding is your reputation. Branding is about building a name for yourself, showcasing what sets you apart from others, and describing the added value you bring to a situation.

Most job-seekers are not proactive in establishing and building their career brand, letting their actions speak for them when seeking promotions or new jobs. But why not take the time to master some very basic tactics that can help build your career brand and make you a much more attractive employee or job-seeker? Remember, if you don't brand yourself, others will for you. And while you may be happy and secure in your job now, you really never know when that will change.

Management guru Tom Peters, writing in his book The Brand You50 (Reinventing Work): Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an "Employee" into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion! states: “Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are the CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc.” He adds, “You're not defined by your job title and you're not confined by your job description.”

This article takes you through five easy tactics for building and strengthening your career brand.

Gain Experience/Track Accomplishments

Building your brand begins with tracking your past accomplishments and gaining strategically important new experiences. Your accomplishments are the foundation of your career brand.

But before you seek out new work, take the time to plan and focus on what you want your brand to stand for -- and develop a strategy for gaining experience in areas of your brand in which you are weak.

So, besides doing your job, ask for new and challenging assignments that will build your brand. Consider freelancing or consulting. Use volunteering to gain experience. If you're a student, seek out multiple internships.

Complete Education/Training

For many careers, a minimum amount of education is necessary, but to excel in your career you may need to complete additional education, training, or certifications. Getting additional education can greatly enhance your career brand.

It may be hard in terms of time and finances, but find a way to do it. Some employers even offer an educational reimbursement benefit.

If you are unsure if you need more education -- and you probably do -- seek out a mentor, someone highly respected in your field (who has branded himself or herself well), and ask for advice.

Promote Yourself

You can have an amazing brand, but if no one knows about it, you are not going to have much success with your career development. And no one more than you has more reasons to promote your brand.

Throw modesty out the window? There is a fine line between bragging and promoting -- and you need to learn it -- but it's always better to err on the side of promoting your brand than not.

One of the oldest tools of promotion for job-seekers is the resume, and you certainly need to start there by listing all your key accomplishments, skills, and education on your resume. You may even have your positioning statement (qualifications summary) on your resume… but don't stop there.

Begin developing two career portfolios -- a print one and an online one. If you don't have a personal Website, now is the time to buy a domain (such as myname.com) and let the world read all about the benefits of your brand. Your portfolio should include all important brand artifacts: resume(s), mission statement, detailed accomplishments list, samples of work, articles and working papers, speech transcripts, awards and honors, testimonials, and more.

One interesting trend we've seen is of employers "Googling" the names of prospective job-seekers -- typing each name into one or more Internet search engines -- and basing initial candidate screening decisions partly on the number (and quality) of hits for each job-seeker. The lesson? Your brand needs to have a strong online presence.

And finally, don't forget to promote your brand on the job. Workers often assume the boss knows your accomplishments, but often times s/he does not. Certainly at review time, have a list of all you have achieved since your last review, but also consider finding ways to let the boss know your successes throughout the year.

Become an Expert

Nothing builds credibility in a career brand more than establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

Start by writing articles that showcase your knowledge -- and getting them published (ideally) in noteworthy media outlets. Consider self-publishing.

Seek out conferences and meetings where you can give speeches and presentations.

Play up awards and other recognition that can help label you an expert.

Get quoted by offering your thoughts, ideas, and opinions to journalists and reporters.

Consider constructing a professional Website where you can publish all your articles and speeches.

Build Relationships

Nothing in marketing is more powerful than a promotion tool called word-of-mouth, which can be defined as what people say about you.

Thus, nothing is more powerful in building your career brand than what your network of contacts -- your friends, colleagues, customers, clients, and former bosses -- say about you and your set of skills, education, and accomplishments.

And keeping your network strong involves nothing more than relationship building. Keep in good contact with your network and be sure they know of your most recent successes.

But the best brand-builders don't stop with their current network; these folks are in constant network-building mode. Search out new professional associations as well as the growing number of online networking communities.

Final Thoughts

Once you identify and build your brand, remember to continue strengthening and protecting it. There will always be competing brands (job-seekers) ready to fill any gap you leave behind. You are indeed founder and CEO of Me, Inc., and the more you do to cultivate your career brand, the more successful you'll be with your current employer and in the job-search.

To better understand how these marketing terms apply to job-hunting it helps to first understand the terminology. To that end, go to our Marketing Concepts Glossary. And for a general introduction to marketing and career development, read: Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

http://www.quintcareers.com/career_branding.html

Moving from HR Data to Organizational Insight

Over the last few months, I have been presenting and discussing the topic of HR analytics.

I feel that as a profession, HR is stuck. I think we have "got" the measurement part down pat. We can measure turnover, we can measure cost per hire, and time to fill.

But it's not really about these activity based measures anymore. It's about what you actually DO with the data.

You have to use the data in context with other data in order to really get to impact. For example, using customer satisfaction data and performance data to understand who is delivering the best experience to your customers and further determining how to sustain that experience over time...that's impact.

I have been giving some thought to why we are stuck at the Phase 2 on the above analytics roadmap. Why can't we make it faster to phase 5, where HR provides the business with BUSINESS INSIGHT that has significant IMPACT to the business.

Here are some of my initial thoughts:

1) It's the data excuse-Stop the madness. HR has more data than most departments. The issue is the condition of the data in most cases. Also, we have data in so many systems it is difficult to bring it all together. NOT IMPOSSIBLE just difficult.

2) It's the talent excuse-I don't have analytical people on my team. See last week's post on how to accomplish this one from two very smart HR professionals from Wells Fargo.

3) It's the "I don't have time excuse"-Find time before someone else takes over your data and does it for you. Enough said...

4) It's the "I can't get the data I need from other departments" excuse-Make a clear business case or state a compelling question that you need to solve that has impact on the business. State this at a high level meeting to get buy in and interest.

5) It's the "it's not important" excuse. keep thinking this while HR tasks are being outsourced and HR is suddenly being staffed with non-HR professionals who get analytics. Nay, it's not important.

I believe HR has the chops and smarts to get this done. Start small with one business problem that needs to be solved like:

1) How can I get my production workers to be more productive and get orders fulfilled on time when absenteeism is at an all time high and morale is at an all time low?

2) How do I increase our market share in a new market, where our competition has a strong hold and we have had problems recruiting talent that we need to make this happen?

3) How do I increase customer satisfaction in our call center, it has been dropping for two quarters straight?

Each one of these issues can be looked at with metrics and then analytics. It just takes asking the right questions, getting the right data and telling a great impactful story!

Why are you stuck? or...How have you moved past being stuck?

Author: Cathy Missildine-Martin, SPHR Atlanta, Georgia, United States

http://intellectualcapitalconsulting.blogspot.com/2011/11/moving-from-hr-data-to-organizational.html

Towards age-friendly workplaces

Is Singapore moving in the right direction with its mature workers? What are the challenges of facilitating an age-friendly workplace and how can they be overcome?

AGE discrimination can affect people of all ages and at every stage of their working life. However, there are three very good reasons why employers need to focus on the issue of older people at work:

·  the working population in Singapore is getting older;

·  people are working longer; and

·  we need to embrace equal employment opportunity, workplace diversity and inclusion.

Human resource strategic planning can help in reviewing the way people are treated at key stages such as recruitment, promotion, training, redundancy and retirement.

How then can older people be given a fair chance? HR and people managers can start by asking the following questions: Why should I take age seriously? How do I recruit older workers? How do I avoid stereotyping? How do I plan for future challenges?

Effective communication with older workers means focusing on training, career planning, performance appraisal and engaging them at large. Top management and leadership can take a strategic view on career and workforce planning which helps to address different career stages from recruitment right through to retirement.

Employers may even consider finding it worthwhile thinking about open job description, lateral growth and a mentoring role of older employees, to help develop and coach the younger generation to handle complex assignments.

Mentoring is about an older worker becoming a role model to a younger worker. The older worker is able to pass on his skills and offer support and encouragement.

Mentoring is an ideal way of hanging onto the huge investment in older employees, leveraging on their skills and expertise for the benefits of a multi-generational workforce.

Video Interviewing: A New Trend in Corporate Recruiting

Written by Heather Sandell, Staffing Manager


CareerBuilder.com is the nation’s largest job board.  I enjoy their site as they provide various surveys and tools that keep me up-to-date on current and future trends in corporate recruiting.  One of their recent surveys caught my attention.  It is the Top 10 Hiring and Workplace Trends to Watch in 2011.  This survey “…identified 10 key trends in business, hiring, work culture and job search.”  At FosterThomas we are always interested in the trends at large.  As a Staffing Manager, I want to ensure I stay current with our clients, their needs and the changing landscape of hiring tools and recruiting practices.

I was really interested to see that Video Recruiting made the list at #5.

#5 Video Interviewing – With smaller recruiting staffs facing larger amounts of job applications, employers are turning to technology to help identify viable candidates.  Six percent reported they have conducted video interviews with potential job candidates while 11 percent plan to do so in the New Year. (Source: CareerBuilder.com)

Initially I had mixed feelings about video interviewing.  Let me explain:  while it’s a great way to save money and get around scheduling issues and drive times for candidates, it leaves me with a few questions:

• Does video interviewing allow you to obtain the real face-to-face experience?
• Will it cause any undue stress or inconvenience to interviewer or interviewee?
• Can the video interview completely take the place of a face-to-face interview? 

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea and think this is a great cost-saving measure; after all Skype is free and a great alternative for small businesses that lack a sophisticated teleconferencing system.  Furthermore, it’s a great tool for busy (i.e., traveling), hiring managers and CEOs that like to be a part of the hiring process.  During inclement weather, there is no need to cancel an interview.  All parties can connect online and keep the hiring process moving.

When I’m interviewing on behalf of my clients, I am able to pick up mannerisms, voice inflections and behaviors that will help me push them to the next level.  Video interviewing may be even better than an initial phone interview, as it allows me to still have a personal, visual interaction with prospects.  I think time will tell, but video interviewing is here to stay.  As long as the interviewee maintains a professional look and feel via the video interview, remembering they aren’t on Skype with friends, all should go well.  It might even be a more laid-back interview which can show a bit more personality.

http://www.fosterthomas.com/blog/bid/35523/Video-Interviewing-A-New-Trend-in-Corporate-Recruiting

How to Look and Act Like a Leader

Savvy executives know the part, act the part and look the part. That's because they exude "executive presence," a broad term used to describe the aura of leadership.

For Janie Sharritt, now a vice president at Sara Lee Corp., an image makeover helped her gain the managerial gravitas that she needed to advance further up the ladder.

In 2005, Ms. Sharritt was a newly promoted middle manager for another consumer-products manufacturer. She preferred to wear a ponytail, scant makeup, khakis, sweaters and loafers. But by taking a "Power of Image" workshop led by image coach Jonna Martin, she got an expert makeover. Her revamped look included a sophisticated hairstyle, dressy slacks and jackets, pumps, colorful necklaces and extra makeup.

She thinks the changes boosted her self confidence, resulting in faster acceptance of her ideas by senior management. "In the past, [that quick buy-in] wasn't one of the things I was known for," says Ms. Sharritt. She joined Sara Lee four years ago.

Perfect Presence

To Improve Your Executive Presence:

• Sit on one hand if you gesture excessively
• Avoid interruptions by counting to four before you reply
• Stand or sit large to demonstrate you take up space
• Use few qualifiers as they imply lack of confidence
• Don't clasp your hands behind your back because you'll look deceptive
• Practice a firm handshake

Source: Dee Soder, founder of CEO Perspective Group, an executive-assessment and advisory concern in New York.

Executives with presence act self confident, strategic, decisive and assertive, concludes a study released late last year by the Center for Work-Life Policy, a New York think tank.

Presence plays an increasingly important role as companies grapple with a weak recovery and fewer management layers. "You have less time to make that lasting impression,'' warns Stefanie Smith, head of Stratex Consulting, a New York coaching firm. Today, 75% of her coaching practice involves enhancing clients' presence–up from 35% in 2007.

Several big businesses, including Intel Corp. and Morgan Stanley, recently launched programs to teach ambitious staffers about executive presence. Rosalind Hudnell, Intel's chief diversity officer, says she created a "Command Presence" workshop for its rising female technical stars last year after realizing they needed extra help selling their ideas within the company. Nearly 200 women at the computer-chip maker have taken the four-hour session.

Jonna Martin

Janie Sharritt, a vice president at Sara Lee says that a makeover in 2005 when she was a middle manager helped her advance up the ladder. Her before and after pics are shown here.

These mid-level staffers learn how to present effectively through a discussion of "constructive confrontation" and a simulated meeting with an executive audience, according to an Intel spokeswoman.

Ms. Hudnell recalls that her survival long "depended on my being able to command a room.'' She believes executive presence also involves the ability to command other leaders.

How can polish your presence? For starters, you should pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. "People are blind to their biggest derailers," says Karen Kaufman, a Philadelphia executive coach.

You could glean additional clues by keeping a journal based on workplace observations of executives with authoritative presence, says James Citrin, a CEO recruiter for search firm Spencer Stuart. Imitate their behaviors "that feel comfortable and natural for you," he recommends. Mr. Citrin cites a CEO candidate he recently watched being interviewed by the board search committee at a $10-billion company. Among other things, the prospect "looked the committee members alternately straight in the eye" as he answered their questions "slowly but very clearly.''

More on FINS

• Insulate Yourself From Executive Shakeups
• Cutting a Better Salary Deal
• Is Life on the Road a Dream Job?

Formal assistance may make an even bigger difference. It ranges from extensive sessions with an executive coach to voice lessons, presentation training and improvisational acting classes.

Jason Bernstein retained coach Dee Soder in 2009 to bolster his presence while an executive of a midsized technology company in suburban New York. "People who don't know him can miss his high energy and drive because he has such an easygoing style,'' says Dr. Soder, an industrial psychologist who founded CEO Perspective Group, an executive assessment and advisory firm in New York.

To correct this misperception, Mr. Bernstein says he embraced many of her suggestions. He tried to avoid a monotone in commanding his employees, sit upright during meetings and display powerful confidence at a conference table by marking his territory with a water bottle and notebook.

Video: Boss Talk

• J.Crew's Jenna Lyons
• Baidu CEO Robin Li
• Nike CEO Mark Parker

Dr. Soder also urged him to wave his hand slightly rather than nod his head in agreement when someone else speaks "to show you got it," Mr. Bernstein adds.

"Nodding your head is in some ways a gesture of deference,'' Mr. Bernstein explains. "It was one of the toughest things I found to work on.'' He says the executive-presence coaching "helped improve my performance reviews,'' which soon praised his board-level presentations and leadership ability.

Colleagues also notice flaws in your executive presence. But it's frequently hard to get frank feedback. "You have to take the responsibility to ask,'' says Gillian Christie, a managing director of a big financial-services firm. She remembers how coworkers at a prior employer only hinted about her tendency to show off during meetings because her behavior intimidated them.

Now, Ms. Christie continues, she often solicits associates' reaction following her presentations. Some reply, "You were a little off base.'' As a result, she tones down her strong delivery.

Intel's Ms. Hudnell finds male colleagues usually request her advice before they appear before the executive team for the first time. They want to know who will ask the toughest questions. Yet many Intel women only seek her counsel after a presentation "has not gone well,'' she says.

The insight inspired Ms. Hudnell to propose the presence workshop for emerging female stars. "You have to have executive presence in ways that will set you apart,'' she notes.

Write to Joann S. Lublin at joann.lublin@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904140604576498380000356032.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerManagement

Six Questions to Make Your Workplace Stress-Free

Many CEOs see stress as an intractable problem which would cost too much to tackle properly -- or alternatively something that only affects 'whiners' whom their organisations would be better off without. Employee assistance programmes, corporate gym memberships and flexible hours are seen as expensive, of dubious effectiveness, and in the worst case, as mollycoddling staff. Many organisations do the bare minimum to comply with legislation -- and some get stung for heavy penalties as the law gradually tightens up.

Let's look at stress in a different way. Stress is a drain on your organisation's productivity, morale and commitment. When you remove the causes of stress in your organisation, not only will everyone feel better about coming to work, your bottom line will improve. And if you can get the answers right to these six simple common-sense questions, codes of practice and counselling programmes won't come into the equation. Are you interested yet?

Why The Questions Are In This Form

We could ask questions that look at the situation from the outside, like "Do my team members have what they need to do the job?" This detached, third-party viewpoint is the way that managers have traditionally looked at 'people factors' in the past. This won't get you the whole answer.

In order to understand the subjective experience of your people -- which is what determines their morale, stress levels and performance -- you have to put yourself in their shoes, or better still, ask them. This is why the questions are in the form they are. The information you need is in the answers you will get when your employees ask themselves these questions. You can get a lot of information just by putting yourself in the shoes of each of your team members -- with their resources and attitudes -- rather than assuming that they think in the same way you do.

The Questions

1. Are my work patterns and environment healthy?

-- Is the environment safe, clean, and easy on the eye?

-- Is it well laid out, with the things you need easy to find and get to?

-- Is it as quiet as it needs to be?

-- Is there a 'quiet room' for thinking / relaxation?

-- Can I take a break every hour and a half or so (more frequently if doing intense keyboard and screen work, or hard physical labour)?

--Are my de facto working hours reasonable (no more than 8 hours a day, except in cases of dire need)?

As a manager you need to set an example -- you are the model for success, so if you don't take breaks and go home at a reasonable time, nor will your team members.

2. Do I have what I need to do the job?

-- Do I have the equipment I need to do the job?

-- Do I know what is expected of me?

-- Do I have the skills and training to do the job?

-- Does my job allow me to do what I am best at?

3. Do I know when I'm doing a good job?

Ask yourself 'How do I know when I'm doing a good job?' If the answer is, 'I just know', you can feel happy doing your job without external feedback, and may even regard it as an insult to your competence. You'll still need some feedback as a 'reality check'.

People who answer 'The customer tells me' or 'The boss tells me' (and you need people like this in, for example, a customer service role) will literally not know if they are doing well unless they get regular feedback. If all they get is a yearly appraisal, don't be surprised if they feel increasingly nervous as it approaches.

4. Do I feel my job is important?

People need meaning in their lives. If the job is meaningful to them, they will feel more motivated and more able to overcome setbacks and difficulties.

5. Am I recognised as an individual?

People also need to feel valued. If they feel they are just an interchangeable cog in the machine, their sense of self will be threatened. They will also feel nervous about being replaced or disposed of.

6. Am I learning and growing?

A standard concept in stress management is the 'Human Performance Curve' . The idea is that when you're under pressure, your performance rises to meet the challenge. Beyond a certain point, or if the pressure is sustained for too long, we get 'burnout' as the person becomes exhausted. But, if there is too little challenge, we get the mirror-image condition of 'rust-out', which is equally stressful.

If they are not learning and growing, achievement-oriented people will begin to fret about their 'competitors' getting ahead. Rust-out is particularly a problem in organizations which punish mistakes rather than viewing them as opportunities for learning.

If someone is under-utilised, but fears to take the initiative because they are worried about doing something wrong, they are in a double-bind. After all, they are at work, so they are supposed to be working. This is when we get 'presenteeism' -- being at work and appearing to be busy without actually doing anything.

Conclusion

If you and your team members could answer 'Yes' to each of these questions, any stress remaining in the workplace will either be a healthy response to immediate external challenges, spurring the organisation on to greater efforts, or will be the consequence of external factors in the individual's life such as family pressures.

A well-run, pleasant workplace in which individuals are valued and have the opportunity to learn and grow will aid recovery even from external stresses, rather than making them worse. Stress is antithetical both to individual well-being and organizational productivity. It makes sense to minimise it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4710