Day: March 7, 2020

Earning Experience to Land your Dream Job

The infinite cycle of needing a job to gain experience but needing work experience to get that job leaves some job seekers dizzy – and perhaps a little panicked too.  This stipulation can seem an especially cruel obstacle if you’re a new graduate or starting a career in a new field. So, when every job posting today seems to require one to two years of experience, how can you meet it before getting the job?
What is work experience?
Work experience is any time spent actually doing a job. It can come from part-time jobs held before or during college or work placement internships or from working experience gained at a previous job or career. Work experience is most valuable for employment opportunities if it is in the same field as the job sought.
Bryant & Stratton College hosted a “Job Ready or Not?,” an Employability Summit featuring HR and hiring experts from several top companies. Below are some thoughts these experts had on gaining experience as a new graduate.
Create a pitch that explains your skills gap
All job seekers should start with an honest assessment of their individual skills and strengths. “Know yourself,” said Carleen Haas, Vice President of Talent Strategies at Humana, Inc. “If you’re not aware of your strengths and your character flaws, if you’re not aware of what you are passionate about and how you like to work, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. You really need to do some internal landscape work to really understand what you’re about.”
Not only is this helpful in creating your professional story and sharing with employers why you would be a good fit, but it can also unearth any gaps in skills and experience you may have in filling the open position. “Really understand where the gaps in your experience may be,” said Heather Tinguely, Program Manager of Global Talent Labs at Microsoft. Ms. Tinguely suggests coming up with a short pitch or sentence about how you would overcome lack of experience or a weak skill in the first six weeks of a job.
Going the unpaid route
One way to get experience for a job is to look for unpaid positions, like internships or volunteer opportunities. Once you’ve identified your experience or skills gaps look for positions that will help you fill them in. “I think that it’s important, first and foremost, when you’re doing anything unpaid or extracurricular, to really go about it in a very strategic way,” said Ms. Tinguely. She recommends job seekers to think about volunteering on two levels, “I’m going to give unpaid time to X organization, one, because I’m a good person and I love the organization, but secondly, because I feel like perhaps that organization has a good reputation, and they’re going to give me in return some skills in a real-world setting that I need, as well as some references.”
How to Find your Dream Job
Holding out for your dream job is understandable. If you’ve put in the hard work to earn a degree, you’re eager to put what you’ve learned to work. But, sometimes getting your foot in the door is just as important as finding the perfect position. By taking a position that isn’t your ideal job you are earning experience that may be transferable in the future. Soft skills are something all employers value and they can be earned in every type of position. Sometimes the path to your dream job is not a direct path.
Additionally, even if you don’t have your dream job that doesn’t mean you can’t take on additional activities that earn you beneficial experience in your desired career field. It may be hard work and require an investment of time but that preparation could pay off. “I think you have to take advantage of every single opportunity to volunteer and do things that I would call extracurricular, outside of your day-to-day work or your day-to-day life as a student, if that’s the situation,” said Jessica Lee, Director of Digital Talent for Marriott International. “It takes a sheer amount of hustle and hard work and a willingness on your own end to really dig deep and say, ‘I’m going to take it a step above, beyond what everyone else is doing.’”
Some ideas Ms. Lee suggested were start a blog, Tweet about professional topics, or reach out to friends and family members to see if they have opportunities available that could help you gain experience.
Whatever you do, don’t lose hope if you are not able to land your dream job right away. Today’s employment landscape can be challenging but with a little persistence and some grit you’ll fully launch your career in no time!
Bryant & Stratton College is dedicated to helping students improve their employability skills and become job ready. Through outcomes-based education and career training, Bryant & Stratton College helps students learn the technical skills as well as the soft skills they’ll need to be successful in a career. If you are interested in learning more about the online degree programs at Bryant & Stratton College, please call 1.888.447.3528 to speak with an admissions representative

Make Sure Your Professional Brand Stays With You

By now most of us have gotten the message that we’re all self-employed, regardless of whom we work for. We’re in charge of our careers and job opportunities, and that means being ready to land on our feet should a pink slip happen to land on our desk. And a big part of that “being ready” is making sure that you’ve built up professional visibility – your brand – outside your employer.
Although losing a job is tough, finding a new one will be much easier if you’ve taken steps to become professionally visible outside the universe of your company and co-workers. What are some of the ways you can do this?
Use social media to build your reputation.  Although having a robust LinkedIn profile is pretty much a career “must have,” where LinkedIn can really help you build your professional brand is through your engagements with career-relevant groups. Join ones that are appropriate for your field, then begin contributing by asking thoughtful questions, commenting on others’ posts, and sharing resources/information. This will distinguish you as an individual, rather than as an employee, to those who read your contributions. Similarly with Twitter and other social media tools, the more active you are, the more people recognize your name and associate it with your value as a professional, rather than with your role as an employee of a specific company.
Consider developing a specialized expertise.  Almost every field has hundreds of areas of specialization or emerging trends. To really stand out in your profession, consider developing an interest and expertise in one area related to your work and then sharing your knowledge with others through conference presentations, articles, perhaps a blog, or via a social media tool like Twitter. Or consider joining (or starting) a LinkedIn group on this topic to share your findings (and showcase your expertise). Your goal is to distinguish yourself as a contributor to your field and a person who’s continuing to grow and learn professionally, beyond whatever job you may have.
Become active in professional associations.  Whether at the local or national level, becoming active in associations is a terrific way to build visibility as someone willing to invest time and energy for the good of the profession. The reputation you build among fellow association members will be based on your efforts rather than on your job title, a benefit that also holds for any community associations you become active in. And of course an additional advantage of association involvement is the network of connections you’re building!
Use a personal e-mail account.  If your social media and similar accounts all have your company e-mail account as the contact point and you lose your job, you will also lose access to your company e-mail and you ability to gain access to your online accounts. So make sure that in the settings for your online accounts you have your personal e-mail address listed as either the primary or secondary (if an option) contact account. Otherwise you may be locked out of the very tools you were using to build your professional visibility (as evidenced by thousands of “orphaned” Facebook and Twitter accounts!).
Building your individual professional brand outside your company doesn’t mean that you can’t still be a terrific and loyal employee. After all, the brighter your star shines, the smarter your employer looks for having you as part of the team. But if you’ve taken the steps to establish your professional reputation as an individual, then you won’t suffer the added loss of career invisibility if you happen to lose your job.

Is a Medical Reimbursement and Coding Degree Right for You?

Are you looking to enter a health-related field but are more interested in technical responsibilities over patient care? Earning an associates degree in medical billing and coding may be a good fit for you then.
Medical reimbursement and coding is a growing career field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts employment in the field will grow 21 percent by 2020. With an aging Baby Boomer population and surging population growth worldwide, the healthcare system will need more trained and qualified professionals to track diagnoses, procedures and services. The BLS describes this profession as the organization and management of “health information data by ensuring its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security in both paper and electronic systems. They use various classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, for databases and registries, and to maintain patients’ medical and treatment histories.”
Earning an associates degree in medical billing and coding and entering the profession is a great option for anyone who is detail oriented and enjoys interpreting guidelines and legalities. Professionals in this field need to understand the International Classification of Disease, the United Nations-sponsored, World Health Organization’s standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management and clinical purposes. This guide sets the standard for which alphanumeric codes need to be assigned to a patient’s record. Coders and “reimbursers” can work in a variety of settings, but most often they work in hospitals or physicians’ offices.
Their job is primarily relegated to a back or billing office with little patient interaction. However, that does not mean they sit at their desk all day. These professionals do need to reference specific guidelines or may need to go find a doctor or a nurse in order to clarify an entry on a patient’s record. This is where medical coding and reimbursement professionals will need to fall on their soft skills of diplomacy and good communication. Some people may react harshly to having a mistake in a patient’s record pointed out, but a good technician knows that every interaction is about building a relationship so handles it delicately and professionally.
According to the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), “coding is fairly independent work but interaction with other coders, medical billers, physicians, and ancillary office staff is essential. Medical coders are usually placed on fairly tight production schedules and are expected to complete a certain number of notes each day or to keep their lag days at a specified timeframe.” The field of medical reimbursement and coding can be an exciting and fulfilling field, especially if you are an analytical person who has an eye for detail and has strong technical skills.

A Family Physician Shifts Her Focus to a Degree in Public Health

Obesity, substance abuse, and depression are chronic diseases Kathy Mariani, M.D., sees every day practicing medicine.
Even in a state like Vermont – consistently ranked one of the healthiest places to live – Mariani finds plenty of work to do, especially when it comes to public health.
Public health is no longer just about managing epidemics in faraway, impoverished nations. Instead, public health is becoming an integrated component of pediatrics, family and internal medicine. The Affordable Care Act has a strong emphasis on the integration of public health and primary care, and many quality measures and approaches were part of the law, she explains.
Over the next decade, Mariani sees public health becoming more integral to primary care practices right here in Vermont.
Kathy Mariani, M.D.

Kathy Mariani, M.D.
“Across the world and Vermont, public health is evolving to have less of a focus on infectious diseases and more on chronic diseases issues,” says Mariani, a student in UVM’s Master of Public Health online program and assistant professor at the UVM College of Medicine. “Environmental changes and issues are impacting health here in Vermont, as well as across the world. Unfortunately, the issues that we face in Vermont, such as substance abuse, depression, obesity, and diabetes, are major issues everywhere.”
With 18 years of experience as a family physician, Mariani became the medical director of UVM Medical Center’s South Burlington Family Medicine in January. The practice is one of UVM Medical Center’s 11 patient-centered Medical Homes, which provide comprehensive, team-based, coordinated, accessible, and quality health care.
This approach to health care allows patients to spend more quality time with their primary care provider and actively partner with their care team to take control of their health. The work at a medical home is closely aligned with the practice of public health.

Pursuing a Degree in Public Health

Studying public health online at UVM prompted Mariani to change direction in her career and lead a patient-centered medical home. Prior to joining South Burlington Family Medicine, she was the Women’s Health Coordinator at the UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing.
“My studies in public health gave me new knowledge and understanding, and served as a catalyst for me to be interested in leaving student health to become a medical director at one of the new medical home sites in Vermont,” says Mariani, a mother of three. “I believe this is an opportunity to be part of the solution to challenges in health care in Vermont and across the country.”
Even with nearly two decades of experience as a physician, Mariani says studying public health will enhance her skills as a primary care physician.
“It will help me recognize big picture issues impacting the health of my patients, including the challenges around access and health insurance,” she says. “As a medical director, I will be better prepared to improve quality in our office and UVM Medical Center’s primary care network.”
Mariani says she’ll also be better prepared to create and be involved with community health projects as a UVM faculty member. She also plans to focus her studies and master’s project on global health, possibly involving women’s health.
“As a primary care doctor, we are constantly trying to care for the consequences of long- term exposures and poor health decisions,” she says. “It’s important that clinicians be involved in planning for prevention.”

UVM Students Gain Perspective in Ecuador

Traveling to Ecuador tends to be a reality check for students.
A rural family of seven can live on as little as $80 a month in Ecuador. According to The World Bank, 35 percent of Ecuador’s population – about 4 million people – live in poverty. One and a half million Ecuadorians live in extreme poverty and cannot meet their nutritional requirements even if they spend everything they have on food.

Study Abroad – Ecuador

University of Vermont faculty member Pete Shear leads the UVM Politics of Land Use: Indigenous Politics, Alternative Social Models & Agroecology travel study program in Ecuador. He believes that spending two weeks in Ecuador will certainly change a student’s perception of the world we live in.
“For a lot of my students, this is first time they have seen poverty and how poor people live,” said Shear, a native Vermonter and UVM alumni (M.A. in geography) who moved to Ecuador 17 years ago and lives on a 25-acre farm. “What people like about this course is that they’re not staying at five-star resort. We live with families in their homes and have a chance to really understand the culture.”
Now in its 10th year, Shear’s Politics of Land Use course is the longest, continuously running study abroad program at UVM. The popular course focuses on the social dynamism of Ecuador through volunteer work, community home-stays, and talks with political activists, students, campesino and indigenous organizations, and the rural agrarian people. The program is offered over winter session in December and January.
The course also has a strong environmental component. Almost half of Ecuador´s surface is covered by forests; the 18% percent of its territory is considered a protected area in order to conserve its unique biodiversity. But much is at stake. In Shear’s county, there is a proposal to establish a copper mine, and massive deforestation is an issue in Ecuador.
Students examine environmental issues and focus on solutions, actively participating in sustainable agriculture and small-scale economic development projects being implemented on Shear´s permaculture farm and rural community.
Shear’s students work at envisioning and create a different future, particularly through sustainability, ecological economics, and agriculture.
“We look at oil, copper, coffee, and bananas as case studies,” Shear said. “We have students start thinking about their participation in the producer-consumer chain, and lifestyle choices.”
Laura Greenwood, a global studies major, participated in the program last year and attended a fall information session to talk to students interested in the program. Shear’s program had a profound effect on her.
“We were constantly reminded of how even our individual choices for consumption affect the greater scheme of the world due to this growing age of globalization,” she said. “The fact that a country as geographically small as Ecuador can house the largest amount of biodiversity in the world speaks wonders to how important every ecosystem is to preserve. I’d like to think I’m a more conscious consumer now; someone who understands that under every international contract or development project lays a local impact and population that speaks truth to what is really needed.”
The course also includes hiking and spending time on Shear’s farm, where he grows coffee, avocados, and pineapples.
Shear returns to Vermont once a year in September to visit family and meet students interested in the program. Working with UVM students in Ecuador gives him hope for the future.
“When young adults come to Ecuador and I see them really thinking about things, it gives me hope. On a global level, these students are in the top strata of privilege and will be running the world 20-30 years from now,” Shear said. “When they talk about dedicating their lives to sustainability, conservation, or social work – part of the solution rather than part of the problem – it really gets me psyched about how much this generation is capable of creating a just and sustainable future.

Medical Assisting Grant Now Available to New Students

UPDATE: The Medical Assisting Grant offered for the September 2016 semester is no longer being offered. To determine if you’re eligible to receive grant, scholarship or loan funding to help pay for your education, please contact the financial aid department at Bryant & Stratton College.
Bryant & Stratton College has recently introduced an exciting educational grant program for new Medical Assisting students who begin their degree program in September 2016. Students enrolling in the Medical Assisting associate degree at Bryant & Stratton College, this fall, now have another way to help pay for school.
New students enrolling in the Medical Assisting degree program may be eligible for up to $6,000 in grant funds that will be applied to their tuition cost. This grant provides students valuable savings as students complete some of the most important courses of their 60-credit associate degree in Medical Assisting. The Medical Assisting associate degree program provides a high-quality education designed to propel graduating students into the medical assisting career field.
In addition to academics, Bryant & Stratton College focuses on career-ready education as a cornerstone of this program. Key employer feedback was utilized in determining the courses and career preparation which make up this degree program. A strong mix of classroom and lab work ensures student complete the program with a foundation in the theory and practice necessary to succeed as a Medical Assistant. With the Medical Assisting grant, students will gain a decided financial advantage towards a degree program in an exciting, growing professional field.
Upon applying for the Medical Assisting program, students will work with their personal admissions and financial aid representatives to apply for the grant. If eligible, the grant will be applied to their tuition costs in separate increments as they complete the degree program, ensuring the tuition savings are spread across multiple semesters.
To learn more about this exciting grant program, call 1-888-836-9748 or apply today!

Staff Spotlight: Lauren Watt, Associate Admissions Representative

Giving is a key word for Lauren Watt. One of Bryant & Stratton College Online’s most outgoing and friendly Admissions Representatives, Lauren also finds time outside of work to give back to others.
Lauren graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY with a major in adolescent education in mathematics. She is also certified to teach math in grades 5-12. In addition to being a self-proclaimed mathlete, Lauren is also an avid dancer and many outdoor activities. Even though Buffalo is best known for snow, Lauren takes full advantage of the countless summer activities in Western New York. She has her boating and motorcycle license and can be found at nearly any concert you name during Buffalo’s wonderful summer months.
When there’s snow on the ground Lauren is on the slopes honing her skills as a snowboarder. However, dance is Lauren’s true passion. She teaches classes to this day and has been dancing herself since she was four. Lauren says acrobatics is her true passion (she can walk on her hands) and she’s earned four separate scholarships for tap as well. The team here can always count on Lauren to brighten their spirits on a weekly basis and her personality glows outside of the workplace as well. In addition to the dance classes she teaches, Lauren teaches a special education dance class at a local school along with doing additional volunteer work for both children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Favorite thing about Bryant & Stratton College: I love learning all about my students and their stories – their history, why they want to go to school, their life goals, and helping them to achieve it. My co-workers are also amazing and so fun to work with. There’s always someone willing to help out and it’s a great environment to be in.
Most Memorable Student: Definitely Amy S. I had only been working here a short time and she was actually one of the first students that I enrolled – I was so nervous and had so many questions to make sure I was doing the right things. After she had been in classes for a while, I touched base to make sure everything was going fine and to see how classes were going. She wrote me a very long and sweet email of how much she loves school and everything was going great. She also mentioned how nervous she gets at starting new things, but I made her feel at ease the entire process and she was so thankful that I was the one to work with her. I was so happy to hear that my new-girl nervousness didn’t transfer over the phone and that she was so successful!
Advice for new students: Keep your eyes on the prize and remember why you started this journey in the first place. College may not always be a walk in the park, but the end result is something that nobody can take away from you. Remember [and use] the support that you have from your advisors here at Bryant & Stratton College Online, and keep in touch with us – we love to help and hear your success stories!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

The Fastest Ways to Complete Your Degree Online

At Bryant & Stratton College, we understand busy students want to fast-track their new career by pursuing the fastest online degree possible. There are several things students can do in order to accelerate their academic journey from point A to Point Z. With a little planning and careful attention to detail, receiving an online degree in your desired field of study may require less time than you think.
Here are tips on how to acquire the fastest online degree to enhance your career and amplify your earning potential.
  1. Plan carefully. While it’s true that a degree increases your earning potential, it’s important that your degree is in a field you’re interested in or is relevant to your career goals. If you aren’t sure what you want to do, make an appointment with a career counselor. Pay attention to your strengths and weaknesses to hone in on the areas of study that interest you most. Your coursework will proceed more efficiently if you pursue an online degree in an area of study that highlights your strengths, and will be useful to you in your future career(s).
  2. Transfer credits. Have you taken the occasional college class here and there? Did you attend a 4-year university but drop out before you completed your studies? Don’t negate any transcripts you have on record at previous colleges or vocational schools. Work with admissions counselors and prioritize programs that are the most accepting of your previous credits. You may need to be your own advocate when it comes to transferring certain credits but your diligence will pay off. A few credits accepted here and there could shave months off the time it takes to get your degree, and will save you money as well.
  3. Go full speed ahead. It can be hard to imagine how a part- or full-time class schedule will fit into your busy life. However, the fact remains that approximately 6.7 million students are finding the time to take online classes each year. While it may be tempting to get your degree class by class, the path to the fastest online degree is the one that includes the most credits completed per semester. Try to take as many classes as you can at a time. Remember that online classes are incredibly flexible, which makes it easier to take multiple courses at once.
  4. Look for accelerated programs. Since online classes are so flexible, many colleges offer accelerated programs that allow students to get through their courses more quickly. Here at Bryant & Stratton, we offer courses that are 7.5 weeks long, which can help students move through their degree program at an accelerated pace.
  5. Take advantage of financial aid. If you are concerned about finances, make an appointment with a Bryant & Stratton Financial Aid Counselor. You may be eligible for grants and scholarships that don’t have to be repaid. Low-interest education loans can also be used to fund your education and they can be repaid using flexible payment plans. The sooner you complete your degree, the sooner you will be able to get that coveted promotion, or climb the career ladder towards a higher paying job.
If you are looking for the fastest online degree in your desired area of study, contact the Admissions Office at Bryant & Stratton College. Our counselors will design a graduation plan to fit your time frame.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: HOW DO I GET RID OF BAD GLASSDOOR REVIEWS?

Dear ReWorker,
We are a relatively small company of about 100 employees. We currently have only five reviews on Glassdoor—and three are negative! As the HR manager, this really bothers me and I\’m afraid it could affect our recruiting in the future. What can I do to get people to write positive reviews? Can I require it of managers? Can I give people incentives to do it?
Sincerely,
Reading Reviews
___________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Reading,
You are smart to think about how your Glassdoor reviews can affect your recruiting. Gone are the days when only the employer does background checks. Smart candidates learn everything they can about the company—the good, the bad and the ugly.
There is absolutely something you should do about your bad Glassdoor (or any other online) reviews: Fix the problems that the reviewers point out.

Don\’t Cover Up Problems—Solve Them

Of course, you can ask people to write positive reviews, but the real solution is to address whatever caused the bad reviews in the first place.
If the bad reviews discuss areas beyond your control, such as a tough commute or the bad condition of the office park, then bummer. HR can\’t fix that. But, that kind of information is useful for candidates when they consider how far they\’ll have to travel and if they want to work in an ugly environment. (Yes, it does make a difference.)
But, most likely, the reviews do tackle areas that your company can improve. Is an employee unhappy with the pay? Then work on getting your salaries up to the market standard. Did someone complain about benefits? Shop around for ways to offer better options. You may get pushback from those controlling the company purse strings, but you cannot expect your organization to attract the best candidates if your pay and benefits aren\’t as good as your competitors\’.
If the reviews call the business out for poor culture or management, that\’s precisely the type of work HR should be prioritizing. Work with managers to train them to be more responsive and engaged with their direct reports. And address the culture issues head on—culture starts at the top, so you may have to have some difficult conversations with the CEO, but that\’s in your job description.

Bad Reviews Can Be a Good Wake-up Call

A bad review doesn\’t mean a bad company, but it can point out the problems. With only 100 employees, it\’s probably pretty easy to guess which employees (or former employees) wrote the reviews. If the employees are still active, by no means should you hold this against them. Instead, be grateful that they brought the problem to your attention.
And if you\’re actively working on fixing the issues, let candidates know! Say: \”I\’m sure you\’ve read the Glassdoor review that refers to our \’all work and no play\’ culture. This is true—we\’re hard workers around here, but we\’ve realized that a balance is needed. As a result, here\’s what we\’ve changed to ensure that people unplug when they aren\’t at work.\”
Don\’t do this insincerely. Make the changes real. If you do this, I guarantee you\’ll get your positive Glassdoor reviews, without asking a single person to write one.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

BOOKMARKED: HR EXPERT SUZANNE LUCAS ANSWERS YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS

Editor\’s Note: This post is the first in our \”Bookmarked\” series, where we ask some of our favorite HR experts, analysts and business professionals to answer questions about their career, life and aspirations for the future. Be sure to bookmark it for next month!
Suzanne Lucas, also known as The Evil HR Lady after her wildly popular blog, is a bit of a legend in the HR space. After spending a decade in corporate HR where she hired, fired and managed the numbers, she moved on to become a full time writer and HR consultant focused on helping people have great careers, be better managers and sort through all of the questions and nuance that come with managing people. Her work has appeared in Inc. The New York Times and our very own ReWork, along with many other places.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: SHOULD I RISK LOSING MY EMPLOYEE\’S TRUST BY REPORTING HARASSMENT TO HR?

Dear ReWorker,
If an employee reports harassment to their manager, is it the responsibility of the manager to report it to HR? What should if the employee doesn\’t want the complaint to go to HR, and the manager doesn\’t want to lose the employee\’s trust? And, what should a manager do if the employee describes the situation, but doesn\’t provides the name of the alleged harasser? Does a manager need to take any steps if an employee goes directly to HR and claims they don\’t want an investigation?
Sincerely,
Reluctant to Report
___________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Reluctant,
When an employee comes to you with a complaint, the subject of the complaint is critical.
If your employee says, \”I can\’t stand working with James because he\’s always talking about Minecraft and it drives me insane! Can you do something about it? And please, don\’t tell him I said anything,\” then you can decide how to best handle the situation. You can tell your complaining employee to suck it up. Alternatively, you can go to James and say, \”Hey buddy, can you knock off the Minecraft talk?\” without mentioning who brought it up. Or you can ignore the complainer entirely. Easy peasy.
It\’s not a big deal because a Minecraft discussion, while annoying to some, has no legal ramifications.
But, if your employee comes to you about racist jokes or sexual comments made by a colleague, then you\’ve got a problem that you can\’t ignore. As a manager, you are now acting on behalf of your organization and once the company is aware of a problem, it has to act. If you ignore this or tell the person to suck it up, you are opening up the company to legal liability. Here\’s what you need to do to handle the harassment, while protecting the employee that reported it:

Follow Your Company\’s Procedures

Your company should have a spelled-out protocol for reporting illegal harassment complaints—follow it! Most likely, you\’re required to report the incident to your manager and/or the HR department. That\’s right, it\’s your responsibility to turn it over to HR, no matter what your employee requests.
Why can\’t you just handle it yourself? Because procedures need to be followed. This isn\’t just because your HR manager loves paperwork—it\’s because consistency is important when it comes to legal matters and ramifications. If you simply tell the accused to knock off his racist jokes and assume that the problem is taken care of, it seems like a decent solution until you find out that Sonja in another department was suspended for making racist jokes. Suddenly, you\’ve made the company susceptible to a gender discrimination lawsuit from Sonja, since her punishment was more strict than James\’ for the same offense.

Tell the Reporting Employee Why You Must Involve HR

This is the hard part, but you\’ll have to be honest with the employee that brought the harassment to your attention. Try a dialogue like this: \”Jane, I really appreciate you coming and telling me about this. We take sexual/racial/religious harassment very seriously. I know you want to keep this quiet, and I respect that. However, the company has to investigate your claims and solve the problem. I promise you that you will face no retaliation for coming forward, and we will do our best to protect your privacy.\”
Your employee may not like hearing that, and that\’s unfortunate. But, this is a situation where you can\’t respect an employee\’s request to do nothing.
The law and your company policies require action. When you report the problem to HR, make clear that you promised your employee that this would be handled in the most professional and confidential manner possible. That should be standard, but it never hurts to remind people.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker
Suzanne Lucas, Evil HR Lady
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: SHOULD I RISK LOSING MY EMPLOYEE\’S TRUST BY REPORTING HARASSMENT TO HR?

Dear ReWorker,
If an employee reports harassment to their manager, is it the responsibility of the manager to report it to HR? What should if the employee doesn\’t want the complaint to go to HR, and the manager doesn\’t want to lose the employee\’s trust? And, what should a manager do if the employee describes the situation, but doesn\’t provides the name of the alleged harasser? Does a manager need to take any steps if an employee goes directly to HR and claims they don\’t want an investigation?
Sincerely,
Reluctant to Report
___________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Reluctant,
When an employee comes to you with a complaint, the subject of the complaint is critical.
If your employee says, \”I can\’t stand working with James because he\’s always talking about Minecraft and it drives me insane! Can you do something about it? And please, don\’t tell him I said anything,\” then you can decide how to best handle the situation. You can tell your complaining employee to suck it up. Alternatively, you can go to James and say, \”Hey buddy, can you knock off the Minecraft talk?\” without mentioning who brought it up. Or you can ignore the complainer entirely. Easy peasy.
It\’s not a big deal because a Minecraft discussion, while annoying to some, has no legal ramifications.
But, if your employee comes to you about racist jokes or sexual comments made by a colleague, then you\’ve got a problem that you can\’t ignore. As a manager, you are now acting on behalf of your organization and once the company is aware of a problem, it has to act. If you ignore this or tell the person to suck it up, you are opening up the company to legal liability. Here\’s what you need to do to handle the harassment, while protecting the employee that reported it:

Follow Your Company\’s Procedures

Your company should have a spelled-out protocol for reporting illegal harassment complaints—follow it! Most likely, you\’re required to report the incident to your manager and/or the HR department. That\’s right, it\’s your responsibility to turn it over to HR, no matter what your employee requests.
Why can\’t you just handle it yourself? Because procedures need to be followed. This isn\’t just because your HR manager loves paperwork—it\’s because consistency is important when it comes to legal matters and ramifications. If you simply tell the accused to knock off his racist jokes and assume that the problem is taken care of, it seems like a decent solution until you find out that Sonja in another department was suspended for making racist jokes. Suddenly, you\’ve made the company susceptible to a gender discrimination lawsuit from Sonja, since her punishment was more strict than James\’ for the same offense.

Tell the Reporting Employee Why You Must Involve HR

This is the hard part, but you\’ll have to be honest with the employee that brought the harassment to your attention. Try a dialogue like this: \”Jane, I really appreciate you coming and telling me about this. We take sexual/racial/religious harassment very seriously. I know you want to keep this quiet, and I respect that. However, the company has to investigate your claims and solve the problem. I promise you that you will face no retaliation for coming forward, and we will do our best to protect your privacy.\”
Your employee may not like hearing that, and that\’s unfortunate. But, this is a situation where you can\’t respect an employee\’s request to do nothing.
The law and your company policies require action. When you report the problem to HR, make clear that you promised your employee that this would be handled in the most professional and confidential manner possible. That should be standard, but it never hurts to remind people.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker
Suzanne Lucas, Evil HR Lady
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: SHOULD I RISK LOSING MY EMPLOYEE\’S TRUST BY REPORTING HARASSMENT TO HR?

Dear ReWorker,
If an employee reports harassment to their manager, is it the responsibility of the manager to report it to HR? What should if the employee doesn\’t want the complaint to go to HR, and the manager doesn\’t want to lose the employee\’s trust? And, what should a manager do if the employee describes the situation, but doesn\’t provides the name of the alleged harasser? Does a manager need to take any steps if an employee goes directly to HR and claims they don\’t want an investigation?
Sincerely,
Reluctant to Report
___________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Reluctant,
When an employee comes to you with a complaint, the subject of the complaint is critical.
If your employee says, \”I can\’t stand working with James because he\’s always talking about Minecraft and it drives me insane! Can you do something about it? And please, don\’t tell him I said anything,\” then you can decide how to best handle the situation. You can tell your complaining employee to suck it up. Alternatively, you can go to James and say, \”Hey buddy, can you knock off the Minecraft talk?\” without mentioning who brought it up. Or you can ignore the complainer entirely. Easy peasy.
It\’s not a big deal because a Minecraft discussion, while annoying to some, has no legal ramifications.
But, if your employee comes to you about racist jokes or sexual comments made by a colleague, then you\’ve got a problem that you can\’t ignore. As a manager, you are now acting on behalf of your organization and once the company is aware of a problem, it has to act. If you ignore this or tell the person to suck it up, you are opening up the company to legal liability. Here\’s what you need to do to handle the harassment, while protecting the employee that reported it:

Follow Your Company\’s Procedures

Your company should have a spelled-out protocol for reporting illegal harassment complaints—follow it! Most likely, you\’re required to report the incident to your manager and/or the HR department. That\’s right, it\’s your responsibility to turn it over to HR, no matter what your employee requests.
Why can\’t you just handle it yourself? Because procedures need to be followed. This isn\’t just because your HR manager loves paperwork—it\’s because consistency is important when it comes to legal matters and ramifications. If you simply tell the accused to knock off his racist jokes and assume that the problem is taken care of, it seems like a decent solution until you find out that Sonja in another department was suspended for making racist jokes. Suddenly, you\’ve made the company susceptible to a gender discrimination lawsuit from Sonja, since her punishment was more strict than James\’ for the same offense.

Tell the Reporting Employee Why You Must Involve HR

This is the hard part, but you\’ll have to be honest with the employee that brought the harassment to your attention. Try a dialogue like this: \”Jane, I really appreciate you coming and telling me about this. We take sexual/racial/religious harassment very seriously. I know you want to keep this quiet, and I respect that. However, the company has to investigate your claims and solve the problem. I promise you that you will face no retaliation for coming forward, and we will do our best to protect your privacy.\”
Your employee may not like hearing that, and that\’s unfortunate. But, this is a situation where you can\’t respect an employee\’s request to do nothing.
The law and your company policies require action. When you report the problem to HR, make clear that you promised your employee that this would be handled in the most professional and confidential manner possible. That should be standard, but it never hurts to remind people.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker
Suzanne Lucas, Evil HR Lady
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

MANAGERS: ENSURE YOUR EMPLOYEES MEET THEIR ANNUAL GOALS WITH THESE FOUR STEPS

Remember December, when you were completely snowed in under a pile of work and you had to do all those employee reviews and outline goals for 2018? Phew! You got it done and you haven\’t thought about it since.
While that\’s quite normal, it\’s also bad management. There\’s no point in doing year-end evaluations and setting goals for the coming year if you don\’t plan to follow up on your team\’s progress throughout the year. Just think: If you do check in with your teams, come December 2018, writing those performance reviews will be a lot easier. And you\’ll likely see better performance if your employees are engaged and actively working toward their goals all year long.
As the second quarter comes to a close, it\’s the perfect time to check in with your employees on their progress towards their 2018 goals. Here\’s how to do it:

1. Make a Formal Appointment

Discussing an employee\’s progress when it comes to reaching annual goals isn\’t something you can bring up casually after a meeting. You need a formal, one-on-one meeting with each employee. That way, this serious matter won\’t get lost in the shuffle.

2. Prep Your Employee

Employees don\’t like year-end reviews, and they won\’t like mid-year check-ups either. It might feel like a punishment, which it\’s not. Tell them the following to set the stage effectively:
We\’re halfway through the year, so it\’s a good time to follow up on goals. Can you take a look at your goals for 2018 and come prepared to talk about how you\’re doing? We especially want to look at:
  • Goals you\’ve completed
  • Goals that don\’t make sense any more
  • New goals that we should add
  • Any concerns you have
  • Any specific support you need to achieve 2018\’s goals
By preparing your employees in this manner, they\’ll know what to expect and will also start to realize that it\’s okay if things aren\’t going perfectly. Pay special attention to the second point—lots of people feel like year-end goals are set in stone, but businesses change quickly and there really may be things that don\’t make sense any more. The key is to adjust goals to reflect any changes.

3. Hold the Meeting

Go over your employee\’s goals and take careful notes. If she comes to you with concerns, make sure you focus on how to help tackle those. Does she need additional support or training? Identify ways to empower her to be successful through different learning opportunities.
Make the meeting an open dialogue. It shouldn\’t be a situation in which you\’re lecturing your employee on how poorly she has performed. Rather, it\’s a check-in to make sure things are going well, and if they are not, it\’s an opportunity to fix them.

4. Make Plans to Follow up Again

Ideally, you should continue to check in regularly with your team to make sure they remain on track. Your employees should feel comfortable coming to you and saying, \”I need help\” or \”I\’ve been focusing on X. Can we add it to my official performance goals?\”
This approach helps build a supportive environment where employees feel engaged. And engaged employees are better performing employees.
Photo: Creative Commons
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

5 LESSONS TO TEACH RECENT GRADS TO SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS

With college graduation season behind us, chances are you\’ve probably just hired a few recent graduates. Eager to enter the workforce and ready to learn, this new wave of workers may have the brains to do the job, but they\’ll still need some time to adjust to being in the working world.
Here are five lessons you\’ll want to teach them to set them up for success, starting on day one:

1) Deadlines Are Real

In school, the only real deadline was the end of the semester. Otherwise, the professor chose the deadline to accommodate her schedule and to maintain the pace of the class. The professor picked Tuesday at 5:00 pm as the due date for that pesky paper, but she wasn\’t going to get around to grading it until Thursday anyway, so often, students could get some flexibility.
You\’ll need to make it clear that, in the business world, other people are waiting for your work and it\’s important that you get it in on time. Projects can\’t go forward if parts are missing, and clients get angry when deadlines aren\’t met. Encourage your new hires to talk to their boss as soon as they think they might not hit a deadline and ask for help.

2) Flexibility Doesn\’t Mean What It Did in College

As college students, your new hires were probably able to schedule their classes around their social life, but now they need to schedule their social life around their jobs. To set expectations effectively, you need to clarify what your company wants when it promises flexibility.
Make it clear that employees still have to put in eight hours once they turn their computers on, even if they have flexible start and end times. Explain that working from home means working all the time—not ducking out for coffee with friends. Meetings, especially for entry level roles, are mandatory, and not something that can be skipped.

3) No One Is Assigned to Care

Colleges provide students with academic counselors, mental health counselors and advisors of all kind. But, in the workplace, there aren\’t people throughout the organization who are assigned to offer these services. Yes, most bosses, HR managers and coworkers are kind people who will care about new employees and help however they can, but there\’s no guidance counselor.
Tell your new hires that if they want a mentor, they\’ll need to take the lead on finding one. Direct them to any career growth or learning resources that your company has made available, and urge them to use these tools regularly. As for personal crises, most companies have employee assistance programs (EAPs). Make sure all hires know how to use this program when necessary.

4) At Work, Group Projects Are Awesome

No one likes group projects in school—there are always slackers who know that someone will do the whole thing for them because they don\’t want to get a failing grade. But, in the business world, there are project managers that prioritize the team\’s success, delegate work and support their colleagues. Plus, slackers get weeded out pretty quickly at the corporate level.
Show your new hires that teamwork can be a great way to contribute to the success of the organization in their early days of employment, get to know other workers and find their strengths. Put them on a team project as soon as they start to help them assimilate into the organization and its culture.

5) Managers Want Workers to Succeed—For the Company\’s Sake

While your new hires were in college, there were people who were paid to help them succeed. In the working world, their managers and colleagues also want them to thrive, but mostly because they want the business to thrive. This is perhaps the toughest lesson for recent grads to learn: their personal success will be irrelevant to most of their coworkers and bosses. In fact, they may even come across competitive colleagues who will try to sabotage them.
Unlike at school, everyone can\’t get an A—only a select few people get the promotion or the bonus. Remind them: success in business means helping the company succeed, and with that, personal success will follow. Urge them not to get bogged down by little victories or failures. Instead, they should get used to receiving all kinds of feedback, holding their heads high and working hard.
The daily grind can take a while to adjust to, so try to stay positive about your new hires. Remember, we all started somewhere, so do your best to guide them until they figure out how to make their mark.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1