The Online Newsletter for Clients of Express Services, Inc.

Becoming a Better Manager: Part Two of Three

      Last month's edition of e-Xchange discussed Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's book, First, Break All the Rules. It offered information on the four keys to effective management. This month's edition discusses Buckingham's second book, written with Donald O. Clifton, called Now, Discover Your Strengths . �

  ���Now, Discover Your Strengths argues that effective managers focus on employees' strengths, not their weaknesses. The authors define a strength as consistent near perfect performance in an activity. Each person possesses strengths of this nature, but may not even recognize them. For instance, a person whose strength is discipline may have always disliked clutter and completed work ahead of schedule. Because this is an ingrained part of who they are, they don't see it as a strength because they never really think about it at all. It's simply a part of them. If this is the case, how do people discover what their strengths really are?

  ���The authors addressed this issue by developing an online StrengthsFinder test to identify your top-five strengths. They explain each of the 34 strengths in detail, including achiever, communication, empathy, learner, self-assurance and strategic. By honing your top strengths and minimizing energy spent correcting weaknesses, the authors argue you will be more successful. In addition, learning your employees' strengths will allow you to help them focus on those areas, leading to a more successful team and happier, more engaged employees.

  ���With the growing recruiting crunch, utilizing Buckingham and Coffman's suggestions can help employers motivate employees and retain top performers. No one wants to be in a job where they have to constantly fight their weaknesses. Fitting employees to positions that best utilize their strengths will improve productivity and increase morale. Obviously, there are times when weaknesses must be addressed, but it should be viewed as damage control rather than development. An effective manager will realize that focusing on assisting their employees in developing their strengths will lead to a more efficient, motivated and loyal workforce. Employees who are able to spend the majority of their time performing tasks that utilize their strengths will be less likely to procrastinate and will be more passionate about their work, creating a more profitable workforce. They will also appreciate that their manager recognized their strengths and is helping to develop them. As the economy heats up, retention tactics such as these will become increasing valuable.

  ���Don't miss the next issue of e-Xchange, available June 10 on www.expresspros.com and in hard-copy form from your local Express Personnel office. It will discuss Buckingham's third book on management, The One Thing You Need to Know.

Back to Top

Using Training as a Retention Tool

     Generation Xers and Millennials cite training as the number one benefit employers can offer. As more members of these two generations enter the workforce, training will become even more important in the coming years. In fact, this trend is already picking up speed. Mercer Human Resource Consulting reports that nearly 50 percent of companies intend to increase their training budgets this year while the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that 82 percent of human resource professionals plan to offer additional training and development geared toward honing employees' skills.

     Companies are viewing training as a part of the larger strategic plan rather than a nice extra. Training can be used as a recruiting and retention tool. It can also help retain knowledge in the company by having more experienced workers pass on their wisdom to less-experienced workers. In addition, as the labor market tightens, qualified workers will be harder to find. As a result, some companies may have to hire workers with the potential to excel, but that lack the necessary skills for the job. They will then have to provide training to get these workers on track.

    Companies who offer several different training avenues will be ahead of the competition when it comes to recruiting and retention. The first rung on the training ladder is to offer basic skills training to new hires. This will help get them up to speed so they become more productive faster. It also helps increase employee job satisfaction and creates positive feelings toward the company. The next step is to provide skill enhancement training to all employees. There are many employees who enjoy what they do and simply want to become better at it, but aren't focused on receiving a promotion. These employees appreciate the chance to attend seminars or other training opportunities to improve on what they do everyday. Other training offerings, such as conflict management or listening skills are beneficial for all levels of employees.

     Next on the training ladder is offering development training to top performers who will likely move into management. Offering training now will give them the skills they need before they take on a more demanding role. They will be able to immediately become productive in a new position, and this will also be a motivational retention tool for these employees.

     Finally, the top rung of the ladder is providing training to managers and executives. Giving them tools to better perform their job will not only make them more productive, but will also trickle down to employees. Employees who have better managers and are confident in company leadership are much less likely to look for work elsewhere. By incorporating the various levels of training, organizations can develop a more productive, more loyal, more energized workforce.

Back to Top

Playing It Safe

     In honor of Natonal Safety Month this June, the National Safety Council has developed a host of safety tips and information for businesses to keep workers safe. It's great to pass these tips on to employees, but how do you actually get workers to follow them? �

  ���Developing an effective safety rewards program can help motivate workers to act in a safe manner. This will not only keep employees safe, but will reduce workers' compensation costs, increase productivity and raise morale. For a rewards program to be effective, management must demonstrate their full support for the program and for the well-being of their employees. If the program is touted only as a way to reduce costs, employees will not be as likely to care. Employers first need to convey that the program is for the health and well-being of employees, and then discuss the cost-savings effects.

  ���The rewards program needs to be part of the larger safety picture, incorporating return-to-work programs, clear instructions on reporting accidents, communication of safety tips, etc. A typical rewards program offers monetary incentive to employees if their department or team goes a set amount of time without an injury. Larger rewards could be given to employees who have gone above what's expected to make the workplace safer. Additional voluntary training could be provided, with participants receiving a bonus for satisfactorily completing the training course.

���� A common complaint about safety rewards programs is that they give employees an incentive to hide accidents. Companies can avoid this by requiring employees to sign a waiver stating that they could lose their job if they cover up accidents. If an employee is discovered covering up an accident, the situation should be dealt with swiftly and the employee should be disciplined. This will let employees know the company is serious about their safety policy. Companies can also use accidents as a learning opportunity. In addition, supervisors could pass out rewards such as gift certificates or a chance to be in a drawing for a larger prize to workers who are spotted working safely. This strategy encourages workers to truly act in a safe manner, rather than just covering up bad behavior.

One way to ensure that the incentive program is effective is to have workers provide input during development. Not only will this help you pinpoint what employees want, it will also cause employees to feel more responsible for the success of the program.

Back to Top

Employment Situation Summary

United States

Non-farm employment increased by 274,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.2%. �

Major Industry Employment for April 2005

• Construction: + 47,000

• Manufacturing: - 6,000

• Retail Trade: + 24,000

• Professional & Business Services: + 36,000

• Educational & Health Services: + 35,000

• Leisure & Hospitality: + 58,000

• Government: + � 18,000

Canada

Employment rose by 29,000 jobs in April with the unemployment rate falling from 6.9% to 6.8%. ��

Major Industry Employment for April 2005

• Construction: + 26,000

• Professional, Scientific & Technical: +23,000

• Educational Services: + 29,000

• Public Administration: + 23,000

• Natural Resources: +6,000

Back to Top