Day: March 27, 2020

DEAR REWORKER: I DON\’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR EMPLOYEE RAISES

Dear ReWorker,
I\’m a small business owner, and like most small business owners, I\’m not rich. I put every penny into my business and only draw a reasonable salary myself. I don\’t have any extra money for employee raises, but when a valuable employee has another job offer, I\’ll make a counter offer to keep them. I realize this probably isn\’t the best practice, but I really don\’t have the extra cash to provide raises. If I do give a raise to keep someone, it comes out of my pocket—I literally have to cut my pay to give someone a raise. Is there a way out of this cycle?
Sincerely,
Vicious Cycle
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Vicious Cycle,
Yes, there is a way out of this cycle, but it\’s going to involve two painful things. So, take a breath and keep reading.
Step One: Give Everyone Who Deserves a Raise a Raise
Yes, this takes money out of your pocket, the very thing you\’re trying to avoid, so why am I advising this? Because you can\’t keep your best employees if you are paying them below market rates. You need to take a really hard look at everyone\’s salaries and make sure you\’re paying them the market rate.
That can be a bit difficult in a small business—after all, almost every employee wears many hats. Salary.com doesn\’t have an average pay for someone who takes care of IT, Marketing and ordering office supplies, but you may well have someone who has that exact job description.
So, if you can\’t turn to traditional sources for salary information, where do you turn? This is where networking comes into play. Networking is helpful for more than hiring talent and finding customers. The people you want to talk to are people in your geographic area who have similarly sized businesses. It\’s not critical that they are your direct competitor—in fact, your non-competitors are more likely to speak up.
Figure out who you are underpaying and bring them up to an appropriate wage. Of course, a superstar should make more than similarly situated people at other businesses and a slacker should make less.
Step Two: When Someone Quits, Say, \”We\’ll Miss You\”
Yes, that lump you feel in your throat and the sense of panic are normal. Just how are you going to meet your deadlines if Jane leaves? Well, I don\’t know, but you have to say this—because you\’ve made a counter offer more than once, your employees know getting another job is the way to get a raise. You can\’t do it anymore. So, the next time someone says they are resigning, say, \”We\’ll miss you and I wish you well in your new career. Let\’s make a transition plan for your last two weeks.\”
These two things will stop your problem. You\’ll keep your employees as long as they are happy. This doesn\’t mean that everyone will stay for ever—small businesses can\’t offer the growth and opportunities big companies can so people have to leave for new opportunities—but it will stop people from jumping ship just for more money.
If you can change this dynamic, you\’ll likely see an uptick in your business as your employees recognize that they are treated well, which might end up fixing your cash flow problem and fattening your own paycheck.
Your ReWorker,
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: I DON\’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR EMPLOYEE RAISES

Dear ReWorker,
I\’m a small business owner, and like most small business owners, I\’m not rich. I put every penny into my business and only draw a reasonable salary myself. I don\’t have any extra money for employee raises, but when a valuable employee has another job offer, I\’ll make a counter offer to keep them. I realize this probably isn\’t the best practice, but I really don\’t have the extra cash to provide raises. If I do give a raise to keep someone, it comes out of my pocket—I literally have to cut my pay to give someone a raise. Is there a way out of this cycle?
Sincerely,
Vicious Cycle
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Vicious Cycle,
Yes, there is a way out of this cycle, but it\’s going to involve two painful things. So, take a breath and keep reading.
Step One: Give Everyone Who Deserves a Raise a Raise
Yes, this takes money out of your pocket, the very thing you\’re trying to avoid, so why am I advising this? Because you can\’t keep your best employees if you are paying them below market rates. You need to take a really hard look at everyone\’s salaries and make sure you\’re paying them the market rate.
That can be a bit difficult in a small business—after all, almost every employee wears many hats. Salary.com doesn\’t have an average pay for someone who takes care of IT, Marketing and ordering office supplies, but you may well have someone who has that exact job description.
So, if you can\’t turn to traditional sources for salary information, where do you turn? This is where networking comes into play. Networking is helpful for more than hiring talent and finding customers. The people you want to talk to are people in your geographic area who have similarly sized businesses. It\’s not critical that they are your direct competitor—in fact, your non-competitors are more likely to speak up.
Figure out who you are underpaying and bring them up to an appropriate wage. Of course, a superstar should make more than similarly situated people at other businesses and a slacker should make less.
Step Two: When Someone Quits, Say, \”We\’ll Miss You\”
Yes, that lump you feel in your throat and the sense of panic are normal. Just how are you going to meet your deadlines if Jane leaves? Well, I don\’t know, but you have to say this—because you\’ve made a counter offer more than once, your employees know getting another job is the way to get a raise. You can\’t do it anymore. So, the next time someone says they are resigning, say, \”We\’ll miss you and I wish you well in your new career. Let\’s make a transition plan for your last two weeks.\”
These two things will stop your problem. You\’ll keep your employees as long as they are happy. This doesn\’t mean that everyone will stay for ever—small businesses can\’t offer the growth and opportunities big companies can so people have to leave for new opportunities—but it will stop people from jumping ship just for more money.
If you can change this dynamic, you\’ll likely see an uptick in your business as your employees recognize that they are treated well, which might end up fixing your cash flow problem and fattening your own paycheck.
Your ReWorker,
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: I DON\’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR EMPLOYEE RAISES

Dear ReWorker,
I\’m a small business owner, and like most small business owners, I\’m not rich. I put every penny into my business and only draw a reasonable salary myself. I don\’t have any extra money for employee raises, but when a valuable employee has another job offer, I\’ll make a counter offer to keep them. I realize this probably isn\’t the best practice, but I really don\’t have the extra cash to provide raises. If I do give a raise to keep someone, it comes out of my pocket—I literally have to cut my pay to give someone a raise. Is there a way out of this cycle?
Sincerely,
Vicious Cycle
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Vicious Cycle,
Yes, there is a way out of this cycle, but it\’s going to involve two painful things. So, take a breath and keep reading.
Step One: Give Everyone Who Deserves a Raise a Raise
Yes, this takes money out of your pocket, the very thing you\’re trying to avoid, so why am I advising this? Because you can\’t keep your best employees if you are paying them below market rates. You need to take a really hard look at everyone\’s salaries and make sure you\’re paying them the market rate.
That can be a bit difficult in a small business—after all, almost every employee wears many hats. Salary.com doesn\’t have an average pay for someone who takes care of IT, Marketing and ordering office supplies, but you may well have someone who has that exact job description.
So, if you can\’t turn to traditional sources for salary information, where do you turn? This is where networking comes into play. Networking is helpful for more than hiring talent and finding customers. The people you want to talk to are people in your geographic area who have similarly sized businesses. It\’s not critical that they are your direct competitor—in fact, your non-competitors are more likely to speak up.
Figure out who you are underpaying and bring them up to an appropriate wage. Of course, a superstar should make more than similarly situated people at other businesses and a slacker should make less.
Step Two: When Someone Quits, Say, \”We\’ll Miss You\”
Yes, that lump you feel in your throat and the sense of panic are normal. Just how are you going to meet your deadlines if Jane leaves? Well, I don\’t know, but you have to say this—because you\’ve made a counter offer more than once, your employees know getting another job is the way to get a raise. You can\’t do it anymore. So, the next time someone says they are resigning, say, \”We\’ll miss you and I wish you well in your new career. Let\’s make a transition plan for your last two weeks.\”
These two things will stop your problem. You\’ll keep your employees as long as they are happy. This doesn\’t mean that everyone will stay for ever—small businesses can\’t offer the growth and opportunities big companies can so people have to leave for new opportunities—but it will stop people from jumping ship just for more money.
If you can change this dynamic, you\’ll likely see an uptick in your business as your employees recognize that they are treated well, which might end up fixing your cash flow problem and fattening your own paycheck.
Your ReWorker,
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

How a Hospitality Degree Makes a Successful Restaurant

For those who love food, and have dreamed of opening a restaurant, obtaining a restaurant management degree should be a priority. Culinary experience and/or a wonderful idea for a restaurant are not enough to guarantee success. Many prospective restaurant owners are trained chefs, who graduated from culinary schools and/or have an impressive culinary resume. Others have business acumen and/or experience, and an idea for a restaurant niche they feel has yet to be tapped.
In either scenario, a sound education and training in hospitality management can be the key to learning about this unique industry, and will enhance a restaurant owner’s chances of success.

Three Ways a Restaurant Management Degree Will Increase Your Chance of Success
  1. Envision the Big Picture. The restaurant industry is known for being a challenging business in which to succeed. One in four restaurants close within the first year (PDF), and not all of these are due to financial failure. A hospitality degree program will provide the “big picture” as to what it means to be a successful restaurant owner, in terms of both personal and professional demands. The program’s comprehensive course listings will provide a strong foundation in :
    • Employment law
    • Accounting and Bookkeeping
    • The hospitality industry
    • General management
    • Management specific to the hospitality industry
    • Ethics in hospitality
Courses that focus on restaurant management will allow chefs, food lovers, and/or business experts alike, to hone skills specifically tailored to the food and hospitality industries.
  1. Learn to Impress the Banks. Banks are notoriously reluctant to lend money to new restaurant owners. Combine this with the fact that a lack of capital is one of the main reasons that restaurants fail, and it becomes a conundrum. One of the secrets to getting the loan approval(s) required to open a restaurant is to have a solid, professional, and realistic business plan. Accounting and bookkeeping courses, included in a hospitality management program, will enable students to have an in-depth understanding of the overhead costs required to run a successful restaurant. This will allow them to draft business plans with realistic projections and figures. Realistic business plans help prospective lenders to determine whether or not the client is a viable loan candidate.
  2. General Management Versus Hospitality Management. Even experienced business managers, or individuals with general business management degrees, can find it difficult to be successful in the restaurant business. This is because hospitality-based companies work much more closely with and for the public, in addition to their traditional business management obligations. A restaurant management degree prepares prospective owners for the complexities that arise in an industry where one is managing both kitchen and food preparation staff, front house food service, bar, and host staff, as well as meeting the needs of each unique customer that enters the establishment.
Ready to open your own restaurant? Contact the Admissions Office at Bryant & Stratton College. We offer restaurant management training designed to prepare future, successful restaurant entrepreneurs.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Meet Ed Dennis; Military and Corporate Relations Manager for Bryant & Stratton College Online

Ed Dennis joined Bryant & Stratton College Online in June 2010 to lead the Military Relations Department at Bryant & Stratton College Online. Prior to this, he served for 21 years in the United States Army, starting as a Private and retiring as a Major. Throughout his career he used the Army Continuing Education System to continuously develop himself personally and professionally. His extensive knowledge and first-hand experience with the armed forces brings invaluable expertise to Bryant & Stratton College to support the needs of active duty , veteran and military spouse students.Tell us about your military background.
ED: I entered the Army as an enlisted military policeman in 1989, and served in four different units before attending OCS (Officer Candidate School). Upon completion of OCS, I was commissioned as an Ordnance Officer and served as a maintenance officer for four years before attending EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) training. I spent the remaining 9 years of my career as an EOD Officer both overseas and in the United States until I retired in 2010. In that time, I served in leadership positions from team leader to Commander, with three years as an Instructor/TAC (Trainer Advisor Counselor) for LT’s and CPT’s in the Ordnance Corps. I found joy in teaching others, and now continue utilizing that passion as an Adjunct Professor for Bryant & Stratton College Online. Upon retirement from the Army, I wanted to enter a career that assisted fellow veterans and provided a sense of fulfillment. I had already served 21 years in the Army, and respect the work that is done by the Department of Defense Civilians, but wanted to apply my skills in the private sector. Throughout the job search process, I had to choose which path I wanted to take. My interview with Bryant & Stratton College Online really impressed me and the following dialogue with senior managers reassured me that this was the direction that I wanted to pursue.
Tell us about your work in the Military Relations Department at Bryant & Stratton College Online.
ED: Bryant & Stratton College Online understands that military servicemen and women have unique lifestyles and that they need personalized attention. They looked to me for guidance on how to help meet those needs. I approached this with three goals in mind: continuously improve our internal procedures, provide staff education and training, and form strong relationships with ESO’s (Education Service Officers). Since I served for more than two decades in the military, I know first-hand that career and education are two important (and often challenging) issues for military students and their families. I first took a look at the internal procedures and policies currently in place and how it related to the process military members use to request tuition assistance, in order to make that process as military friendly as possible for them. In addition, I looked at the policies for withdrawal, deployment, and any other unique circumstances service members could face. I then worked with the senior leaders at Bryant & Stratton College Online, to update the policies to benefit service members, family members, and Veterans. Based on the new changes, classes were developed and staff training began. My goal was to not only inform the staff of the new changes, but also give them a lesson in Military 101. Finally, once our internal procedures were in place and the staff informed about military affiliated students, I started to work on building relationships with the ESO’s by attending service level education events to meet with Education Service Officers and share with them the opportunities for service members and families at Bryant & Stratton College Online.
How can you help not only military service members but also their families in their education journey?
ED:With the high OPTEMPO (Operational Tempo), the military focuses much more on families than they did when I started in 1989. This is because it is not only the service member, but the family that endures the hardships of deployment. There is a very valid concern among spouses that they may need to enter the workforce at some point due to family support issues, or they desire to enter the workforce for personal and family goals. I think that in many cases it is harder for spouses during deployments, so I treat them the same as I would a service member or veteran when providing assistance.
Why is Bryant & Stratton College Online perfect for military families?
ED: Bryant & Stratton College Online provides a high level of support to all students and strongly believes in personalized education. This fits well with military families because there is accountability at every level. Students are not referred to a bank of “Academic Advisors,” but instead they are given an assigned Academic Advisor who focuses on guiding that student in achieving their personal career and educational goals while they are enrolled with Bryant & Stratton College Online. In addition, we are a career college that focuses on high academic standards. For students this translates into being better prepared for the career field they want to enter, and a higher degree of success. Finally, we offer several portable degrees that adapt well to the constant moves that military families face every couple of years.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

The Benefits of Studying Abroad

We asked Amanda Chin, an Environmental Studies major at UVM, about what she learned from her study abroad experience in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Exploring the Benefits of Studying Abroad:

Why were you drawn to study abroad?

The opportunity to travel and learn about a new culture sounded pretty appealing. A semester isn’t a terribly long time but it is enough to get a good sense of a place.

What made you decide to study abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico?

Primarily, I wanted to be in a Spanish-speaking country. Oaxaca is one of the most biodiverse and ethnically diverse states in Mexico, which was a draw for me given my interests in environment and culture. Since the United States shares a border with Mexico, it made sense to start there as I try to increase my global awareness.

How did you prepare for your cultural experience?

The main thing I did to prepare was take Spanish classes. It was hard, of course, to get a sense of what my experience would be like from research. What made the trip finally feel real was finding my host families’ house on Google Maps shortly before my trip. Additionally, talking to my friend who went on the program the previous year helped to get me excited. She knew my host family and told me that they owned a little shop, made their own chocolate, and had a dog named Toby.

Did you experience culture shock? Also, please describe your return to home culture.

There were things I missed about home while in Oaxaca, like hot showers, but nothing was completely jarring. Returning back was pretty strange and I felt afraid in my house. It’s not on a major road and has fewer people under the same roof, so it seemed really quiet. For some reason, the cleanliness of the streets in the United States still shocks me. And despite the fact that I missed food from home while in Oaxaca, I had a difficult time adjusting back.

What have you learned? How has travel abroad changed your perspective?

I learned some of the impacts of the United States on Mexico, especially relating to agriculture. For example, I learned that even though maize is native to Mexico from its ancestor teosinte, Mexico imports 90 percent of the corn they eat because small Mexican farmers can’t compete with the prices of subsidized transgenic corn in the United States. This is one of the many contributors of essentially forced migration because of the economic dependence the United States puts on Mexico.

What would you tell someone who is considering taking a UVM travel study course?

Definitely go abroad if you have the chance. It’s a huge privilege to be able to travel and you will learn so much. I would also say to integrate yourself as much as you can.
UVM Study Abroad
Amanda Chin is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in nature, culture, Justice and a minor in food systems
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

DEAR REWORKER: WHEN SALARIED EMPLOYEES TAKE TIME OFF FOR MEDICAL REASONS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR PAY?

Dear ReWorker,
I have a new (two-months-employed) salaried exempt employee that has been taking between three and six hours a week to go to doctor’s appointments. He says that this will not continue forever and should soon stabilize to a monthly appointment. He has expressed to me multiple times in writing that he does not expect to be paid for the hours that he is taking off. Can you shed some light on any laws that I should know about for salaried employees and taking time off?
Sincerely,
Stumped About Sick Time
________________________________________________________________________
Dear Stumped About Sick Time,
First of all, your new employee sounds incredibly thoughtful. He recognized that his medical appointments impact the business and volunteered to forgo pay.
Second, you have to turn down his generous offer.
Being paid on a salary basis means he receives a predetermined amount of compensation that must stay the same every pay period, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act. This is true regardless of how many days or hours he puts in, as long as he has completed some work, with very few exceptions. You can dock his paid time off (PTO) for the missed time, but you can’t dock his pay.
You can only dock an exempt employee’s pay for absences in strict circumstances—for instance, if these absences were covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which guarantees certain employees of companies with 50 or more workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year (with no threat of job loss) to care for a new child or seriously ill family member, or to recover from an illness themselves. In this case, however, because he’s a new employee, he does not qualify for FMLA, which requires individuals to have been employed for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours over that time.
Other exceptions would include if he takes a full day off work for something other than illness or if he’s exhausted all his PTO and needs a full day off for medical reasons. But neither of those applies here.
If you have 15 or more employees, you’re subject to the Americans With Disabilities Act. Unlike FMLA, which requires an employee to have worked for a set period of time to access coverage, there’s no eligibility period for this protection. The ADA requires that you make a reasonable accommodation for any qualified employee. I’d assume that his condition qualifies (though that’s just a guess, since I don’t know the specifics), but you should ask him to fill out paperwork regardless. In most jobs, taking three to six hours off per week for a relatively short period would be seen as a reasonable accommodation.
You could, of course, require him to make up the time, which he may be anxious to do anyway. But here’s what I would do if I were you. I’d have him fill out the ADA paperwork and agree to this accommodation based on the doctor’s timeline (since he’s indicated this a temporary situation). Then I’d help him in any way that you can.
Why? Because not only is this good for the employee, it’s also good for your whole office. Workers now know that if they get sick, you’re going to back them up and give them the support they need. Turnover is insanely expensive—in fact, it costs employers 33% of a worker’s annual salary to hire a replacement if they leave—so giving someone flexibility when they need it saves you a fortune in the long run.
A company that supports people through medical problems is the type of place people like to stay. When you allow exempt employees to truly take care of themselves, that will come back to you through improved performance at work. As long as this guy isn’t an entitled jerk (and since he volunteered to take the time unpaid, I’m guessing he’s not), he’ll appreciate the kindness you showed to him. And that’s worth whatever sacrifices you have to make in the short run.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker

WHAT CAN HR DO TO HELP PREVENT BURNOUT?

Have you ever felt just… done? Overwhelmed, utterly exhausted and detached or unmotivated at work? If that feeling persists for longer than a day or two, you may well be suffering from burnout as a result of chronic stress (often tied to your job).
In fact, the World Health Organization recently categorized burnout as an official health condition — and it’s not one to be taken lightly. In a systematic review of studies, burnout was found to be a significant predictor of numerous health problems including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatigue, respiratory issues, insomnia and depressive symptoms, among others. And companies with burned-out employees don’t fare well, either. According to a Gallup study, employees suffering from burnout are 2.6 times as likely to be actively seeking a different job, 63% more likely to take a sick day and 23% more likely to visit the emergency room. That’s in addition to the expected nose dive in productivity and engagement.
But there are many things businesses can do to help reduce burnout. (They cannot, of course, always prevent it. Family stress, financial problems or illness can all contribute to burnout, even if your job is fantastic.)
The Mayo Clinic identified these six causes of workplace burnout, and proper management and good HR can improve all of them: 
  1. Lack of control (over workload, schedule, assignments, etc…) 
  2. Unclear job expectations 
  3. Dysfunctional workplace dynamics 
  4. Extremes of activity
  5. Lack of social support
  6. Work-life imbalance
Let’s take a look and see what we can do to make it likely in your office.
Employees need control over their responsibilities. My kids have to do the dishes after dinner every night, and the goal is clean dishes. I don’t dictate whether they clear off the plates or the cups first. I don’t even care how things are arranged in the dishwasher as long as they get clean. There are some places where I, as the manager/mom, step in. Yes, you must scrape the dishes. That’s non-negotiable and will be corrected. 
Employees often have managers who focus on the order of plates versus cups, and it makes them feel out of control. If you couple this with a dysfunctional workplace, it can be a disaster. Can you imagine being the child with a mom who yells at you if you clear the cups first, but a dad who flips his lid if you start with the plates? Managers need to be crystal clear about what’s expected of their direct reports (including their priorities) and avoid micromanaging; trust employees to get their work done without unnecessarily picking apart the process. 
Both dull jobs and chaotic ones can lead to burnout. If certain work is more monotonous, allow employees to listen to music or podcasts to help break it up, if possible. Other jobs are just hectic by nature—for instance, a trauma surgeon will never have a perfectly scheduled day. But you can work with your employees to come up with suggestions for making things better in both cases. Listen when they tell you that it’s too stressful and examine ways to reallocate—or possibly eliminate—tasks to help ease the burden. 
Make sure your employees have a good work-life balance and the chance to build a social support system outside of work. If they’re putting in 12-hour days, they can’t possibly have a life outside of the office. All the perks that the big tech companies have—free meals, onsite gyms, onsite haircuts and everything else under the sun—sound amazing. But they trap employees to a degree. If those individuals aren’t encouraged to walk out the door, they can’t develop the strong support system needed to keep them grounded and happy.
Burnout isn’t entirely preventable, but well-managed offices will see less of it, and making a concerted effort can provide a massive difference to your employees.

DEAR REWORKER: WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN AN EMPLOYEE COMES TO ME WITH A PERSONAL PROBLEM?

Dear ReWorker,
What do you do when an employee comes to you with a personal problem? I’m not a therapist or lawyer. I don’t want to send people away from my office, but am I supposed to do anything with this type of information? People tell me about divorce, abuse, financial issues, kid problems — everything! Help!
Sincerely,
Overly Involved
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear Overly Involved,
This is a common problem for human resources managers. We are the people employees go to when they need to take time off for a health problem, so it makes sense that they want to discuss their health with us. We are the people they go to when they need help managing their relationship with your boss, so why shouldn’t they mention their marital problems?
When workers come to you, you need to divide everything into two categories: issues that call for you to act and those that don’t. Here is what goes where.

When You Need to Act

Health problems: If a condition qualifies for FMLA or ADA coverage, you’ll need to act immediately. Provide the employee with the necessary paperwork and instructions on how to speak with their doctors.
If the employee needs an accommodation, begin the process immediately. Yes, you can technically wait for the ADA paperwork to come in, but many accommodations are easy and you should be looking for a way to say yes. Helping employees when they are sick is not only the right thing to do, but it also ultimately benefits the business and reduces the likelihood that employees will leave down the road.  
Often, employees don’t know the laws that protect them, so they may not know when they come to you, say, upset about a spouse’s cancer diagnosis, that they may be eligible to take time off to care for their partner. Make sure you let them know.
And remember: Mental health issues can be covered by FMLA and ADA as well. Never discount a mental health problem. 
Domestic violence: FMLA can cover injuries resulting from domestic violence, including PTSD. If your employee is a victim of domestic violence, you’ll want to ask about security measures (transferring the employee to another site, changing phone numbers, providing a special parking spot close to the building, or any other number of measures), especially if the employee is in the process of leaving an abusive partner. Domestic violence may seem like personal drama that you’d prefer to keep out of the office, but ensuring the safety of all your employees should be a top priority.
Some states have laws specifically to protect the jobs of domestic violence victims. Make sure you know the law in your state.

When You Should Not Act

Finances, legal issues and therapy: Never give financial or legal advice. You’re neither a lawyer nor a licensed financial planner. You do represent the business, and if someone acts on your advice, you could put the company at risk.
You are also not a therapist and should not offer counseling. “Refer, refer, refer” should be your mantra. If you have an employee assistance program (EAP), direct employees to call for help from a specialist. You can coach an employee on how to interact with a supervisor, but you should advise the employee to seek out a marriage counselor to deal with communication problems at home. 
You can arrange a company-sponsored pay advance, but you should never loan an employee money out of your own pocket. If the company wants to give an advance to help with a financial issue, then it needs to be according to policy with the proper documentation and plan for repayment.
You can be a listening ear, but make sure you set proper boundaries and avoid the urge to jump in with friendly advice based on your own personal experiences. 
You want to have an open-door policy, but sometimes that open door means you learn things you didn’t want to know. Try your best to be professional, act when you’re required to and send people to the proper experts for everything else.
Sincerely,
Your ReWorker

DEAR REWORKER: IS THERE EVER A CASE FOR REHIRING SOMEONE YOU ONCE FIRED?

Dear ReWorker,
We had a long-term employee who was unreliable—coming in late, calling in sick often, leaving early—who we eventually fired. Now, three years later, he’s applied again. My boss says it’s better to hire him, as we won’t have to train. I’m hesitant to rehire someone who we fired in the first place. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Skeptical of Second Chances
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear Skeptical of Second Chances,
Let me get right to it. 
Rehiring people who you fired for poor performance, unreliability or cause? Probably not the best idea. 
This individual, in particular, was a long-term employee who repeatedly showed you who he was. You have no reason to believe that he’s changed. If you rehire him, chances are he’ll call in sick, come in late and leave early. (I am assuming that he didn’t call in sick, but “sick” and didn’t have a genuine disability or illness that would be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Family Medical Leave Act. If that’s the case, shame on you for firing him!). And you’ll likely want to fire him all over again.

Does rehiring former employees make sense?

Yes. It can make a lot of sense. Some companies even have alumni groups to encourage people to remain in contact and eventually rehire those people. You send your employees out into the world; they get training and experience elsewhere and can come back and contribute to your business on a higher level. It’s a great benefit to the company.
Rehiring people who you laid off for business reasons (not performance reasons) is also a great idea. You know what they can do, they know your business and it can be a great fit. If you’ve had layoffs in the past couple of years and need to hire, you can start by targeting these former employees. It can save you time in recruiting and training. 

But in your situation, why is rehiring this person a consideration?

I suspect that hiring might be difficult for your business right now. That’s not unusual, as unemployment is at record lows. Bringing on someone who you’ll want to fire in a few months isn’t a solution to that.  
What is the solution? Change. Check your salaries. Are you paying market rate? Do you need to bump them up? (Remember, don’t just increase wages for new hires, but for your current staff as well.) How does your PTO look? Do people have a sufficient amount of vacation and sick time? How is your health insurance? Does it compare to your competitors? 
I know you (probably) don’t have spare cash for all of this, and it’s easier just to hire this guy. But think of all the money you’ll spend managing him, coaching him, training and retraining him. Consider your overall turnover. Every new hire costs more than just their salary. You can save money in the long run by making your business a more attractive place to work now.

Are there times when you should consider rehiring someone you fired? 

Sure. For instance, the goof-off intern who is now 30 and has both experience and maturity is worth another shot. The person who was going through a terrible time in their personal life and explains how things are under control now? Sure. People can change.
But, as a general rule, rehire the people who left you or who you laid off—not the people you fired.
Sincerely, 

HOW TO RECOVER FROM A DECADE OF LOST EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Despite years of effort by HR professionals, Gallup’s latest findings indicate that 70 percent of the U.S. and 87 percent of the global workforce are disengaged or emotionally disconnected from their work, costing businesses billions of dollars each year. Little progress has been made on the state of employee engagement since 1999, when the Gallup Organization’s groundbreaking work First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently took the industry (and New York Times bestseller list) by storm. 
How is this possible?
Interestingly, a 2014 survey of HR leaders found the top three methods currently used to promote engagement are recognition, work-life balance and wellness. In the survey, retention was the most frequently used metric to gauge the effectiveness of engagement programs. Recently, I was pleased to see a Forbes post recognizing that corporate leaders are concerned that engagement has not been improving, then surprised to find its recommended solution: hosting “fizzy Fridays,” a random day for pizzas, or mid-day ice cream deliveries at the office.  
Though building a positive workplace is a worthy goal, employee satisfaction is not enough. We must be careful not to confuse workplace fun and contentment with engagement. Likewise, let’s not assume that improving retention increases engagement. Statistically, we are more likely retaining disengaged employees. (Blessing White would refer to them as “free loaders,” those who are content and deriving maximum satisfaction from the job but contributing little to the organization). 
So what are we missing? Gallup, CEB and White all point to the critical role of the immediate manager. Eleven of Gallup’s 12 engagement indicators are under the direct control or influence of the manager. CEB identified the “Top 50 Levers of Engagement,” 43 of which are controlled or influenced by the manager. 
Great. So let’s make sure all of our managers are engaged in engaging their employees, right?
But that brings us to the root cause of the problem. CEB found that 57 percent of managers would have opted for non-management roles if there was an option. Even more alarming, 65 percent of managers would “opt-out” of a management role if given a chance to take another equally attractive role. A CEB study of 9000 managers concluded that only 19 percent were both committed and effective at managing. Given the current state of management, we shouldn’t be surprised that employee engagement levels remain stagnant. We have been solving the wrong problems!
In Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workforce report, CEO Jim Clifton states, “The single biggest decision you can make in your job — bigger than all of the rest — is who you name manager.” I couldn’t agree more. Organizations must develop what I call “manager effectiveness systems” that include programs and processes for selecting, assimilating, developing, assessing, recognizing, rewarding and promoting managers to the next level. The role and expectations of a manager must be clearly defined. Those organizations who dedicate the necessary effort to manager effectiveness will reap the rewards of a more engaged workforce, an improved leadership pipeline and sustained competitive advantage. 

STAR EMPLOYEES AREN'T ALWAYS MANAGEMENT MATERIAL – AND THAT'S OKAY

My colleague once shared a story about managing that I will never forget. At the conclusion of her company’s performance management process, one of the new manager’s evaluations were the most thoughtful, honest and actionable she’d ever seen – despite it being his first time providing formal feedback. Unfortunately, it was also his last time. Upon realizing the effort required to manage people, the employee decided to relinquish his managing role and return to his passion as a software developer. 
I love this story because it highlights the importance of truly understanding people management. “Manager” is a responsibility – not just a fancy title – that requires a special set of skills and immense effort. And it’s not for everybody: It should be okay for ambitious high performers to decline the management career path.
The many consequences of ineffective and uncommitted managers take a high toll on organization effectiveness. Far too often, top individual contributors transition into management roles for the wrong reasons and without knowing what the role truly entails. In a previous post, I shared some alarming data from the Corporate Executive Board’s (CEB) Corporate Leadership Council research:
  • 57 percent of managers would have opted for non-management roles if there were an option.
  • 65 percent of managers would “opt-out” of their management roles today if given a chance to take another equally attractive role.
  • 31 percent of managers were neither committed nor effective at their management roles.
  • Only 19 percent (out of 9000 managers studied) were both committed and effective at managing.
In order to avoid the mediocre management syndrome, human resource professionals need to provide career path alternatives, help high performers consider alternatives and then carefully select qualified and committed managers. Below are three ways to cultivate the best managers for your company and determine the best paths for your employees:
1. Offer alternative career ladders
Commonly found in technology industries, dual career ladders allow those not well-suited or interested in management to advance their careers up a comparable professional ladder. “Distinguished engineer” might be the job-level equivalent of a senior manager or director, for example. And an engineering or scientific “fellow” may be the equivalent of a vice president.
2. Mentor aspiring managers
You can design a set of tools, programs and experiences to help top performers gain an understanding of the management path – and make an informed decision about whether it’s right for them. At 2020 Talent Management, for example, we developed a one-day program to mentor aspiring managers in Bangalore, India. During the pilot program, two engineers approached me after lunch, having already decided management was not right for them. This was a true win-win – the engineers avoided accepting an ill-fitting job and the company avoided appointing disengaged managers.
The next time I delivered the program in Boston, I shared the Bangalore story with the group. By 11:00 a.m. that morning, one of the participants told me he did not have to wait until after lunch – he already understood management was not the best fit. 
3. Design a comprehensive selection process
Jim Clifton, the chairman and CEO of Gallup Inc., said, “The single biggest decision you make in your job – bigger than all the rest – is who you name manager. When you name the wrong person manager, nothing fixes that bad decision.”  
Establishing a formal process for selecting new managers is critical to the future success of your organization. While the hiring manager is ultimately responsible for any decision, the smartest hiring choices are made in consultation with others (i.e. HR, Leadership Development, current colleagues). When selecting new manager candidates, consider their skills and experiences, such as leadership on informal teams or projects, collaboration and ability to establish relationships beyond their immediate team, as well as their personal motivation and commitment to being a manager. Consider utilizing standardized tools that assess attributes that correlate with manager/leader success, such as Emotional Intelligence and Learning Agility.

If you offer a mentorship or self-selection management program as described above, did the candidate take advantage of it? You can also ask candidates to work through a manager-oriented case study, such as the HBR case study, Is the Rookie Ready.

Great leaders foster engaged teams that deliver great results. By carefully selecting and developing effective and committed managers, you can enhance your organization’s competitive advantage and ensure a sustainable future for your company. 

STAR EMPLOYEES AREN'T ALWAYS MANAGEMENT MATERIAL – AND THAT'S OKAY

My colleague once shared a story about managing that I will never forget. At the conclusion of her company’s performance management process, one of the new manager’s evaluations were the most thoughtful, honest and actionable she’d ever seen – despite it being his first time providing formal feedback. Unfortunately, it was also his last time. Upon realizing the effort required to manage people, the employee decided to relinquish his managing role and return to his passion as a software developer. 
I love this story because it highlights the importance of truly understanding people management. “Manager” is a responsibility – not just a fancy title – that requires a special set of skills and immense effort. And it’s not for everybody: It should be okay for ambitious high performers to decline the management career path.
The many consequences of ineffective and uncommitted managers take a high toll on organization effectiveness. Far too often, top individual contributors transition into management roles for the wrong reasons and without knowing what the role truly entails. In a previous post, I shared some alarming data from the Corporate Executive Board’s (CEB) Corporate Leadership Council research:
  • 57 percent of managers would have opted for non-management roles if there were an option.
  • 65 percent of managers would “opt-out” of their management roles today if given a chance to take another equally attractive role.
  • 31 percent of managers were neither committed nor effective at their management roles.
  • Only 19 percent (out of 9000 managers studied) were both committed and effective at managing.
In order to avoid the mediocre management syndrome, human resource professionals need to provide career path alternatives, help high performers consider alternatives and then carefully select qualified and committed managers. Below are three ways to cultivate the best managers for your company and determine the best paths for your employees:
1. Offer alternative career ladders
Commonly found in technology industries, dual career ladders allow those not well-suited or interested in management to advance their careers up a comparable professional ladder. “Distinguished engineer” might be the job-level equivalent of a senior manager or director, for example. And an engineering or scientific “fellow” may be the equivalent of a vice president.
2. Mentor aspiring managers
You can design a set of tools, programs and experiences to help top performers gain an understanding of the management path – and make an informed decision about whether it’s right for them. At 2020 Talent Management, for example, we developed a one-day program to mentor aspiring managers in Bangalore, India. During the pilot program, two engineers approached me after lunch, having already decided management was not right for them. This was a true win-win – the engineers avoided accepting an ill-fitting job and the company avoided appointing disengaged managers.
The next time I delivered the program in Boston, I shared the Bangalore story with the group. By 11:00 a.m. that morning, one of the participants told me he did not have to wait until after lunch – he already understood management was not the best fit. 
3. Design a comprehensive selection process
Jim Clifton, the chairman and CEO of Gallup Inc., said, “The single biggest decision you make in your job – bigger than all the rest – is who you name manager. When you name the wrong person manager, nothing fixes that bad decision.”  
Establishing a formal process for selecting new managers is critical to the future success of your organization. While the hiring manager is ultimately responsible for any decision, the smartest hiring choices are made in consultation with others (i.e. HR, Leadership Development, current colleagues). When selecting new manager candidates, consider their skills and experiences, such as leadership on informal teams or projects, collaboration and ability to establish relationships beyond their immediate team, as well as their personal motivation and commitment to being a manager. Consider utilizing standardized tools that assess attributes that correlate with manager/leader success, such as Emotional Intelligence and Learning Agility.

If you offer a mentorship or self-selection management program as described above, did the candidate take advantage of it? You can also ask candidates to work through a manager-oriented case study, such as the HBR case study, Is the Rookie Ready.

Great leaders foster engaged teams that deliver great results. By carefully selecting and developing effective and committed managers, you can enhance your organization’s competitive advantage and ensure a sustainable future for your company. 

STAR EMPLOYEES AREN'T ALWAYS MANAGEMENT MATERIAL – AND THAT'S OKAY

My colleague once shared a story about managing that I will never forget. At the conclusion of her company’s performance management process, one of the new manager’s evaluations were the most thoughtful, honest and actionable she’d ever seen – despite it being his first time providing formal feedback. Unfortunately, it was also his last time. Upon realizing the effort required to manage people, the employee decided to relinquish his managing role and return to his passion as a software developer. 
I love this story because it highlights the importance of truly understanding people management. “Manager” is a responsibility – not just a fancy title – that requires a special set of skills and immense effort. And it’s not for everybody: It should be okay for ambitious high performers to decline the management career path.
The many consequences of ineffective and uncommitted managers take a high toll on organization effectiveness. Far too often, top individual contributors transition into management roles for the wrong reasons and without knowing what the role truly entails. In a previous post, I shared some alarming data from the Corporate Executive Board’s (CEB) Corporate Leadership Council research:
  • 57 percent of managers would have opted for non-management roles if there were an option.
  • 65 percent of managers would “opt-out” of their management roles today if given a chance to take another equally attractive role.
  • 31 percent of managers were neither committed nor effective at their management roles.
  • Only 19 percent (out of 9000 managers studied) were both committed and effective at managing.
In order to avoid the mediocre management syndrome, human resource professionals need to provide career path alternatives, help high performers consider alternatives and then carefully select qualified and committed managers. Below are three ways to cultivate the best managers for your company and determine the best paths for your employees:
1. Offer alternative career ladders
Commonly found in technology industries, dual career ladders allow those not well-suited or interested in management to advance their careers up a comparable professional ladder. “Distinguished engineer” might be the job-level equivalent of a senior manager or director, for example. And an engineering or scientific “fellow” may be the equivalent of a vice president.
2. Mentor aspiring managers
You can design a set of tools, programs and experiences to help top performers gain an understanding of the management path – and make an informed decision about whether it’s right for them. At 2020 Talent Management, for example, we developed a one-day program to mentor aspiring managers in Bangalore, India. During the pilot program, two engineers approached me after lunch, having already decided management was not right for them. This was a true win-win – the engineers avoided accepting an ill-fitting job and the company avoided appointing disengaged managers.
The next time I delivered the program in Boston, I shared the Bangalore story with the group. By 11:00 a.m. that morning, one of the participants told me he did not have to wait until after lunch – he already understood management was not the best fit. 
3. Design a comprehensive selection process
Jim Clifton, the chairman and CEO of Gallup Inc., said, “The single biggest decision you make in your job – bigger than all the rest – is who you name manager. When you name the wrong person manager, nothing fixes that bad decision.”  
Establishing a formal process for selecting new managers is critical to the future success of your organization. While the hiring manager is ultimately responsible for any decision, the smartest hiring choices are made in consultation with others (i.e. HR, Leadership Development, current colleagues). When selecting new manager candidates, consider their skills and experiences, such as leadership on informal teams or projects, collaboration and ability to establish relationships beyond their immediate team, as well as their personal motivation and commitment to being a manager. Consider utilizing standardized tools that assess attributes that correlate with manager/leader success, such as Emotional Intelligence and Learning Agility.

If you offer a mentorship or self-selection management program as described above, did the candidate take advantage of it? You can also ask candidates to work through a manager-oriented case study, such as the HBR case study, Is the Rookie Ready.

Great leaders foster engaged teams that deliver great results. By carefully selecting and developing effective and committed managers, you can enhance your organization’s competitive advantage and ensure a sustainable future for your company. 

HOW TO CREATE PERSONAL PERFORMANCE GOALS (HINT: THERE'S AN 'I' IN 'TEAM')

Over the past few months I have been exploring the reasons why I struggle with individual performance goals even though I am a professional in the performance management system design industry. What I keep coming back to is that individual performance management goals are difficult to write, time consuming to develop, and quick to become outdated. 
I also think that calling them “goals” is misleading. To me, a “goal” denotes special work that is accomplished outside of regular duties, something that has a finite beginning and end.

Bring the Team to the Individual

So what do we do? Perhaps we’re over-thinking the process. Perhaps it’s as simple as sharing team goals with all employees, augmenting them with one or two work statements that have an element of “regular job” with a component of added speed, accuracy or service to help work towards some of the team goals.
The team goals come directly from the team business plan, which is shared and dissected by the team, generating ideas that can lead to team success. It is not so much the process of breaking down the goals as it is collaborating on achievement. Even if an employee’s role is tangential to the work described, she can still participate in the accomplishment of the team business plan. By being involved in dissecting the business plan, she has ownership in the result.
Performance review dialogue for team goals can be a conversation about contribution — reflecting on what went well, and what didn’t.

Don’t Stop at Documentation

The reality is that, unless the administrative work of setting, reviewing, adjusting and documenting goals actually adds value to the organization, I challenge the need to do it.
The documentation is not the end game — the successful accomplishment of the work is the end game. We document to ensure that leaders are doing their jobs and developing and challenging their teams. After all, isn’t that what performance management really is?
So rather than going through the annual exercise of breaking organizational goals into individual goals, why not take the interim step to develop the team or unit plan to accomplish the organizational goals, sharing and dialoguing with team members about the plan, the successes, the challenges and the results, and engaging team members in making real meaning in their work by clearly seeing how it contributes to the whole.