How Do You Build Trust In The Workplace? (infographic)

How Do You Build Trust In The Workplace?

Do You Do HR Right? Know the Dos and Don’ts of HR – infographic

DNA of an Engaged Employee

Thank you Ceridian!

Engagement Tips from Xerox for Open Enrollment – Please Copy!

Know the audience: Each interaction with an employee – by phone, email or face-to-face – is an opportunity to learn more about life stages, attitudes, needs and preferences. This information should be collected, tracked and used to motivate employees with more relevant communications.

Get personal: While most open enrollment information appeals generically to a mass audience; employees are more likely to act if the company personalizes documents, e-mails, etc. with variables such as the employee’s name and life events like marriage or the birth of a child.

Be creative: Employees are more responsive to informal communications from their employer. Experiment with virtual benefits fairs and training courses to allow employees to connect with benefits representatives and learn about options when it’s convenient for them.

Mind the channel: Not all employees prefer the same communications channels (direct mail, e-mail, online, mobile), so deliver information through their desired channel, in terms they understand, at a time when they are most likely to take action.

Educate: Wellness programs are key to reducing health care costs for both employers and employees, while improving productivity and reducing absenteeism. These programs improve a company’s bottom line and should be clearly communicated to employees, who may not be aware such resources exist.

Keep it simple and relevant: Too many choices and information overload actually impair an individual’s decision-making ability. Simplify the benefits’ decision-making process by providing relevant examples and incorporating individualized data to explain their options.

Stay ready for reform: Outsourcing helps employers comply with new healthcare regulations and reforms, navigate complexities, simplify delivery to employees, and identify potential savings.

From Xerox HR

Happiness. Success. At Work, Even!

HR Must Embrace Social

Motherhood Kills Focus, Hedge Fund Billionaire Claims

Here we go again. Some rich white guy says that female employees lose their laser focus when they have babies. At least he’s unintentionally funny about it, “As soon as that baby’s lips touched that girl’s bosom, forget it.” Funny, as many men lose their laser focus when their lips touch a girl’s bosom too… (and….let’s just quickly point out the word “girl” to describe a breastfeeding mother, think briefly about what may be wrong with that word choice, and what that might show us about his view of the female of the species…)

It’s the same old story – companies want their employees to be automatons who only focus on the company and work. Lip service is paid to worklife balance, but in fact, in many industries, and I would guess hedge funds are one of them, it’s really not desired. I’ve said it before, it’s the Google-ization of the workplace – offer all these perks to keep your employees tethered to their desks longer. But really, most people, as they get older in particular, don’t want to identify everything about themselves through their workplace. They do have outside lives and interests. That hedge fund guy probably has a wife at home in Connecticut, with 3.7 children and 2.8 cars in the garage. And she probably has a lot of stuff and money, but she and the kids probably don’t have a lot of time with him.*

Companies of course want their employees to have laser focus on their work – and ultimately, making the company profitable. But companies are made up of people, and people have all sorts of shit going on in their lives. It’s why corporations shouldn’t be considered people. Because corporations don’t have kids who may have asthma attacks and need to be picked up early from daycare. Corporations don’t have elderly parents who may need their adult children to get them when their dementia leaves them wandering in a shopping mall.

A truly great company recognizes that they can’t achieve anything without those real people who work there, and should give them some space and support to fulfill their outside needs and obligations. People work better when they’re happy and engaged with their work. Happier people lead to more productive people. This isn’t just about women having babies. This is about how companies treat their employees in general. Take a look at your culture. How do you measure up?

*Of course, given his comments, she’s probably quite happy for him to keep his laser focus at work….

What Do You See When You Look at Your Workforce?

HR’s perception of its workplace isn’t always an accurate one. Kenexa’s research report shows a stark divide between HR’s views of engagement and how employees feel. Read on and weep… or wipe your tears and start looking at your workforce clearly.