The Online Newsletter for Clients of Express Services, Inc.

Becoming a Better Manager: Part One of Three

     In their book First, Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of The Gallup Organization present the findings of intensive research regarding the link between employees' views of their organization and business-unit performance. They discovered that length of employment and productivity of talented employees are directly connected to the employee's relationship with his or her immediate supervisor.

  ���The authors argue that the problem with most management training programs is that the programs teach there is only one best way to do everything. Instead, Buckingham and Coffman assert that research shows that each individual has certain talents that cannot be changed. What is best for one employee may not be the best for the next. Managers need to recognize these individual talents in their employees and work to cultivate that talent rather than try to remake the person into someone else. The book defines talent as a recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior, and argues that it is more important than experience, brainpower or willpower because talent is how people naturally react and therefore cannot be changed.

  ���The book lists four main questions that employees need answered in order to be completely engaged in their work. They want to know what they get out of the job, what they give to the job, if they belong at the company and how they can grow. The only way all four of these areas will be met successfully is with effective management. Accordingly, the book provides in-depth explanations of the four keys of great management: selecting talent, defining the right outcomes, focusing on strengths and finding the right fit. One of the biggest problems the authors identified is that many managers use promotions as rewards without really evaluating if the employee truly has the skills to excel in the new position. Sometimes moving up a rung on the corporate ladder forces people to use their weaker talents, and doesn't allow their stronger talents to shine as much as they did in their previous position. Great managers recognize this and reward and motivate employees based on their individual needs and talents, not on what would be best for most people.

  ���Don't miss next month's edition of e-Xchange, available May 20, with information on focusing on your strengths with the help of Buckingham and Donald Clifton's book, Now, Discover Your Strengths .

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The Health-Care Dilemma: Part Three of Three

      The April edition of e-Xchange discussed innovative programs that can be used to lower health-care costs. This month's issue focuses on suggestions for getting employees more involved in these programs.

      Employers need to show employees the connection between their habits and the increasing costs of health care. This can be done by offering lower premiums for non-smokers or those in a healthy weight group. Those who participate in a smoking-cessation or weight-loss program could be eligible for lower premiums, providing a direct correlation between their actions and health-care costs. Employers could also provide incentives for participating in pre-screening programs by allowing workers time off to go to a screening or by paying for a larger percentage of their premium for that month.

      The easiest way to get employees to make smarter decisions about their health is to educate them. However, different programs are needed to reach different types of employees. Holding focus groups or conducting a survey can help employers pinpoint areas that most need to be addressed. Looking at the company demographics also helps. Companies with a large population of younger workers may have a hard time generating interest in preventative care, but younger workers tend to appreciate smoking-cessation programs or discounts to fitness centers. They may also be more interested in family planning services. More mature workers tend to be interested in preventative care and screening programs. They want to know how to live a longer, healthier life. Targeting communications efforts to specific groups rather than providing a one-size-fits-all program will lead to a larger number of participants.

      There are a variety of ways to communicate with employees regarding health-care programs. E-mails, newsletter articles, flyers, paycheck enclosures and the company Intranet can all be used to distribute the message. New programs can be unveiled at employee meetings where there's an opportunity to ask questions. Whatever method is chosen for distributing the message, make sure to communicate it clearly.�Don't use a lot of jargon or technical language. In order for employees to participate, they need to clearly understand the program. Before sending the message, have someone who is not in management or human resources read the article for clarity. If it takes a lot of effort for employees to understand the program's benefits they are likely to simply ignore it. Also, don't think mentioning the program once will do the trick. Use a combination of the above suggestions to provide numerous reminders about the program.

      Parts one and two of this article explained why employers need to get creative with health care and provided some examples of new programs. However, those programs won't be much help if employees don't know about them. Make sure to communicate clearly and regularly about both new and existing health-care programs and educate employees about ways to reduce costs. Following these tips can help lead to a healthier and wealthier workforce.

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Illegal Immigration

     With concerns about security, talks of amnesty in both the U.S. and Canada , and groups like the Minutemen in the U.S., illegal immigration is becoming a hot topic in both countries. In the U.S., the Pew Hispanic Center estimates the illegal immigrant population to be around 10.3 million for 2004. To put that number in perspective, it is more than the population of Michigan. With increased security in the U.S. after 9/11, there was an influx of illegal immigration to Canada. In Canada, it is estimated that in 2003 between 100,000 to 200,000 people were in the country illegally.

�����With Wal-Mart recently being fined $11 million for using a third-party company that hired illegal immigrants, the issue of illegal immigration is something more businesses need to be cautious about. In the U.S. businesses can reduce the risk of unintentionally hiring illegal immigrants by verifying the Social Security numbers of all potential employees. This can be accomplished by calling the Social Security Administration hotline or by using Basic Pilot, a computer-based program run by the Department of Homeland Security. Canadian businesses should know that all Social Insurance Numbers that begin with the number nine signify someone who is not a citizen. They should check the expiration date to ensure that the number is still valid. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada can help businesses with problems in this area.

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Employment Situation Summary

United States

Non-farm employment increased by 110,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate decreased to 5.2%. �

Major Industry Employment for March 2005

• Construction: + 26,000

• � Manufacturing: - 8,000

• Retail Trade: - 10,000

• Professional & Business Services: + 27,000

• Educational & Health Services: + 23,000

• Leisure & Hospitality: + 10,000

• Government: + � 9,000

Canada

Employment rose by 4,400 jobs in March with the unemployment rate falling from 7% to 6.9%. ��

Major Industry Employment for March 2005

• Accomodation and Food Services: - 18,000

• Professional, Scientific & Technical: - 15,000

• Agriculture: + 8,000

• Public Administration: + 11,000

• Transportation & Warehousing: - 14,000

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