The Online Newsletter for Clients of Express Services, Inc.

Make Time Work for You

Part One: Self Management and Available Time

Work is piling up on your desk. Someone invites you to a luncheon and despite the need to address an immediate deadline, you accept. You find yourself constantly swamped with work and it seems to multiply by the end of each day, despite constant efforts to organize and prioritize. You wonder if the demands on your time will ever end.

Is poor time management wreaking havoc on your workday and adding stress to your life? If so, you’re not alone. Microsoft recently reported the average worker loses 17 hours of productivity in a 45-hour work week and that 66% of those surveyed said they have no balance between work and life because of work overload. Other reports note that in the U.S. alone, 21 million workers have so much overload that they take work home every day.

Recent studies suggest that part of the problem many people have with effective time management is a faulty perception of available time, resulting in overcommitment and responsibility overload. Experts say that people overcommit because they think they will have more time in the future than they do today. Surveyed professionals said they believe they will have more available time within the coming month than in their current situation.

Experts say the best way to manage the tendency to idealize time is to change your mindset. Plan projects and meetings around the knowledge that you will be as busy today as you are tomorrow.

The fact is, you cannot truly manage time. It won’t change its behavior or perform based on your direction of it; you can’t fire your clock and purchase a new one with 30-hour days. However, you can manage yourself, your actions and your commitments. The proper understanding of the term “time management” refers to what you do with the time you have; the emphasis falls on personal behavior and not time itself.

That’s why it’s important to understand how your personality and strengths affect what you do with time so you can stop blaming lack of time for your busyness and learn to manage your use of time. Remember, you have the same amount of time each day as Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo DaVinci and Mother Teresa, and in the time they had, they were able to accomplish feats that reached the world.

Check out upcoming issues for information about how different personality styles respond to managing time and for effective time-management tips for each style.

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Retention and Recruiting Strategies

Part Four: Harnessing the Power of Recognition

Previous articles in this series showed how retaining top employees can reduce costs, brand your organization as the best place to work and produce a well-seasoned, fully-equipped staff. Another important element in the retention and recruiting game is recognition.

It is commonly known that people enjoy receiving praise for their work. Less well-known is that the lack of appreciation is a top reason employees choose to leave an organization. Employees regard recognition in their employment decisions above categories such as job security, wages and working conditions. Yet according to Compensation and Benefits Review, 81% of workers surveyed said they do not receive any reward for increasing productivity, and only 3% of base salary separates average employees from outstanding ones.

The benefits of recognition include improved morale, increased productivity, reduced stress and absenteeism and decreased turnover of top employees. So, how can you reap the rewards of recognizing your employees?

Focus on being timely, sincere, specific, personal and positive when creating a recognition program. Recognize good behavior soon after it occurs to retain significance for the employee. Base all claims of praise on heartfelt appreciation. Know and share the details of each accomplishment and make recognition personal and in-person. Pay careful attention to the individual you are going to recognize and tailor your recognition to their personality style. Focus on the good points, and avoid tendencies to qualify praise, especially if recognizing work publicly. You can use recognition both to reward top performers and to encourage or guide average ones. To foster productivity and emphasize model behavior, recognize top performers with bonuses or higher-level recognition to differentiate them from average performers.

Follow an action plan when developing a formal reward and recognition program. First, define a specific, quantifiable, measurable and achievable program goal. Then, select a team to implement the program. Have the team outline a strategy including dates, schedules and rules. The team should also designate a specific type of award, ensuring it is worth required effort and within the budget. Develop a communication strategy to explain the details to your employees. Communicating the details of the program is the most important step, because it increases employee buy-in and clarifies possible confusion. Finally, start the program off with a bang. Have an event such as a kick-off luncheon with management so all employees can see company support for the program. It is also important to keep in mind the need to change, adapt and improve the program over time and to communicate the plan with new employees.

Remember that no matter what size your company is or what kind of budget you have to work with, recognition pays off. Without recognition, your best employees may soon be working for the competition. It’s worth the effort to retain top talent and increase morale, which will add dollars to your bottom line.

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Recognizing and Managing Identity Theft Issues

Part Three: How to Handle the Worst Case Scenario

No one is immune from the threat of identity theft – even the personal information of children is now stolen and used illegally to open credit card accounts. Previous articles in this series included tips on how to avoid the theft of personal information from your organization and the immense cost to businesses affected by identity theft problems. If the worst happens despite your best efforts, knowing how to properly handle an information compromise can help avoid the damage that comes with an identity theft crisis. The Federal Trade Commission offers some important steps to protect businesses and the individuals whose information is lost from identity-theft crimes.

First, if the loss or theft of personal information could harm a person or business, it’s important to notify law enforcement immediately. Call the police department and explain the details of the situation, noting specifically the possibility of identity theft.

Second, contact businesses other than your own that may be affected by the information loss, such as banks or credit bureaus. For example, if account access information is stolen, notify the credit institution to monitor the accounts for fraudulent activity. If your business collects or stores information for another business, contact those businesses as well.

Then, evaluate the need to contact individuals whose information has been compromised. It is necessary to determine the seriousness of the situation to avoid broadcasting a false alarm. Consider the type of information taken, the nature of the compromise, the potential damage to individuals and the likelihood of misuse. Consult with law enforcement and review state laws to determine when to contact customers or employees at risk. Also, notify law enforcement agencies before informing individuals of an information breach to avoid harming their investigations. In general, it is best to notify people who may be at risk for identity theft quickly, so they will have the maximum amount of time to stop potential identity theft crimes.

Finally, specify a central contact person in your organization to act as a conduit between your business and the individuals at risk. Suggested methods of communication include letters, Web site posts and toll-free information hotlines, depending upon the scope of the breach. Make sure to include details about the loss of information, how it could be used by thieves, current information about identity theft, law enforcement’s progress in the case, contact information for law enforcement and your contact person and what your organization is doing to solve the problem.

These basic guidelines should not take the place of legal counsel and necessary law enforcement aid when facing issues resulting from the loss of personal information at your organization. Properly handling such an issue can prevent negative publicity and portray your company as proactive and responsible in the midst of crisis. For more information, visit www.ftc.gov.

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Employment Situation Summary

United States

Non-farm employment grew by 169,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.9%.

Major Industry Employment for August 2005

• Construction: + 25,000

• Manufacturing: - 14,000
• Retail Trade: + 12,000

• Professional & Business Services: + 29,000

• Educational & Health Services: + 43,000

• Leisure & Hospitality: + 34,000

• Government: + 15,000

Canada

Employment increased by 28,000 jobs in August, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 6.8%.

Major Industry Employment for August 2005

• Construction: + 32,000

• Business, Building & Support Services: + 14,000

• Professional, Scientific & Technical Services: + 12,000

• Transportation & Warehousing: + 14,000

• Agriculture: - 8,000

• Information, Culture & Recreation: - 18,000

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