Keep Employees Engaged Through Development Opportunities
According to Gallup research, companies with highly engaged employees report 22% higher profitability, 37% lower absenteeism, and 48% fewer safety incidents. Clearly, making the effort to keep your employees engaged and motivated is good for business.
There are many factors involved in employee engagement, including communication, leadership, culture, recognition, challenging work, and growth opportunities. The one I’d like to talk about today is growth opportunities – giving employees a sense that they have room to grow, whether that’s improving their skills in place, or moving to the next level in their career path.
Many business owners shy away from career conversations with their employees because the company isn’t large enough to provide a “next level” or there just isn’t a budget for training. Yet avoiding the conversation could result in losing that employee (the #1 reason employees leave is for career advancement) as the employee looks for growth elsewhere.
Here are some easy and economical tips for providing growth for your employees (and thereby increasing their engagement).
Keep job descriptions current. Having clearly defined job descriptions for each job in the company is the first step in creating an environment for growth. Identifying and documenting skills and requirements will also help you with recruiting and hiring, performance management, and promotion decisions.
Create career paths, if applicable. For jobs where there is more than one level, be sure that your job descriptions define the additional skills, competencies and experience required for each level. This will ensure consistency in making promotions and help employees understand what they need to know or do to achieve the next level. If there are clearly defined career paths, document them and share them with employees so they can see the opportunities.
Have the career conversation. Show interest in your employees and their aspirations by having a career conversation. You may find that they have under-utilized skills or interests that you could leverage elsewhere in the company, or call upon for a new project or business opportunity. The career path doesn’t necessarily have to be vertical; especially in smaller companies, providing cross-functional experience can be beneficial to both employees and the organization.
Tie career planning to performance management. Too often performance reviews focus on fixing what are perceived to be “weaknesses” even though the employee may not need or want to use those skills. Certainly if it’s a job related skill, development is necessary. But be sure it’s tied to the employee’s career goals and that you are also leveraging and developing their strengths. And remember that development doesn’t have to be formal training. Development comes in many flavors – mentoring, coaching, job shadowing, cross-training, reading, online resources, etc.
Follow up, follow through. Once the career plan is in place, follow up with the employee to check progress and follow through on what you said you would do to help in their development.
Demonstrating that you care, and showing employees that they have a future within your company is key to helping both your employees and your business thrive.
Why Employees Leave and How to Keep Them
Although employees leave their jobs for a variety of reasons, it’s long been thought that the #1 reason was due to a bad relationship with their manager. A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn, however, found that the #1 reason employees leave is because they want greater opportunities for advancement.
LinkedIn surveyed more than 7,000 people from five countries, including the US, UK, India, Canada and Australia.
Other surveys reveal additional reasons along that same theme: bored and unchallenged by the work; lack of opportunities to use skills and abilities; low meaningfulness of job; and management’s lack of recognition of employee performance.
We all know the high cost of turnover. But even if an employee doesn’t leave physically, without clear opportunities for career growth and development, many are just “going through the motions” and are not engaged in their jobs, or in the company. These partially or fully disengaged employees are also costly, both in direct costs related to productivity and in the indirect cost of low employee morale. A Gallup Report, The State of the American Workplace: Employee Engagement Insights for U.S. Business Leaders, indicated that “of the approximately 100 million people in America who hold fulltime jobs, only 30% are engaged and inspired at work.” The other 70% are either not engaged (50%) or actively disengaged (20%).
So what’s the answer? Showing employees you care about their career goals and interests by creating development opportunities and clearly defined career paths is a great way to re-engage your employees and prevent your top talent from walking out the door. Next time we’ll talk more specifically about how to do that.
Tips for Transitioning from Coworker to Manager
You’ve been working with the people on your team for three years, and now suddenly you’re their manager. Are you excited? Of course. A promotion is a step in the right direction. And are you somewhat nervous? Absolutely. Moving from coworker to manager adds an extra level of stress to the challenge of any new position. Here are some tips that will help make your transition smoother.
Meet with the team. The formal announcement of your promotion should come from HR or your manager. As soon as it does, however, schedule a meeting with the team to talk about the transition and allow some open discussion about concerns or issues. This will be your earliest opportunity to establish some authority and credibility as the manager, so be careful not to let this meeting turn into a gripe session. Focus on talking about your leadership style, what your expectations are of them, and what they can expect from you.
Pace yourself. As a team member, you probably noticed a lot of things you’d like to change, given the opportunity. Don’t make big changes too quickly. Based on input from the team, consider some quick successes you can achieve to help establish your credibility and team confidence.
Step back. You’ve probably established some personal relationships among the team. As the manager, you’ll need to step back a bit to avoid the appearance of favoritism. This will be especially important if there was someone else on the team who wanted your position and may harbor some resentment. If you know that someone else on the team wanted the position or was being considered for it, make an opportunity to have an open discussion with them to acknowledge their value to the team and enlist their support.
Get training. Take advantage of any leadership development opportunities offered and/or coaching from your manager. Find a mentor. Managing people has many rewards, and also many challenges. You can’t be expected to instantly know how to handle all of them. Leadership training and networking with other leaders will strengthen your ability to deal with issues as they arise.
Ask for feedback. Let your team know that you believe in two-way communication and are open to hearing their positive and constructive feedback. Creating an environment of honest, open communication is one of the best ways to succeed as a manager.
Promotions to Leadership – Getting It Right
We often think that the natural next step for a star employee is to become a supervisor or manager of their own team. It’s the ultimate acknowledgement for a job well done, right? Maybe. Maybe not.
Often the criteria for these management promotions is merely knowledge of the company, knowledge of the function, and/or seniority. Although these are good reasons to acknowledge an employee, they don’t necessarily make for good leadership qualities. And in the absence of other qualities necessary to succeed in a management role, often result in less than optimal outcomes for both the employee and the company.
If you are considering promoting someone to a leadership role, put on your “recruitment” hat and evaluate that employee just as you would someone from the outside. Yes, their company and functional knowledge give them an advantage, but as they move into leadership those qualities will be secondary to their ability to influence, to make decisions, to manage conflict and to do all the other activities required of a manager.
Before you make that promotion, do the following:
- Define the skills and responsibilities required for the role. What are the specific skills required for someone to succeed in the role? Think about the additional responsibilities of the team manager and then map those responsibilities to requisite skills. Be as detailed as possible, including budgetary responsibility, signing authority, key internal/external relationships for the role, etc.
- Define the leadership traits and competencies required for this specific role. Consider the function, the members of the team, how the team fits into the overall organization. What aspects of leadership (e.g., leading through people, setting a vision, coaching) does the manager of this team need to have?
- Now think about the person you are considering promoting relative to the skills, responsibilities and competencies you’ve outlined in steps 1 and 2. Where are the gaps? Are the gaps improvement areas that you are ready and willing to address? Is the individual teachable?
Once you’ve determined that the individual would be a good fit for the manager role, be sure you have a conversation to determine their interest. And be sure that once the promotion is made you put together a plan for leadership development and ongoing coaching and support for them.
Keys to a Rewarding Summer Intern Experience
Earlier this month I wrote about the benefits of hiring summer interns and the guidelines
for determining whether the internship should be paid or unpaid. Now I’d like to go a little deeper and talk about the importance of the experience you give your summer interns.
Every person who interacts with you and your business is a potential advocate or detractor. You know this about customers, but also keep it in mind when you are interacting with job candidates, temporary employees and summer interns. At the end of the summer interns will be going back to their respective campuses and relaying to other students (perhaps some of your future job candidates) the experience they had at your company. Be sure you make it a good one. Here are some tips for doing that.
Provide a mini “onboarding.” Take them on an office tour, discuss expectations, introduce them to the people they’ll be working with during their stay. Remember that they may never have worked in an office before so confirm they know how to use the photocopier, printers and any other office equipment they may need to use.
Assign a buddy or mentor. Interns are there to learn, so by definition they will have questions. Assign an experienced employee within the department where they’ll be working to be the “go to” person for their questions and/or concerns. Be sure that person is a good representative of the company and the culture. Encourage the buddy/mentor to take the intern to lunch at least the first day, and to check in with them frequently during the first week when interns (or even regular employees!) often feel a bit lost.
Give them opportunities to learn about the company. Interns with a good summer experience can be your best “ambassadors.” Invite them to company meetings, as appropriate, “Lunch and Learn” events, and team meetings where they can observe business in process, learn about your products and services, and have a more integrated experience.
Create opportunities for them to learn about their chosen field. Help interns set up “informational interviews” with selected employees who can provide them with practical guidance and “lessons learned” from their experience in the field.
Make it fun. Consider hosting a barbecue or breakfast or other special event during the summer where interns can mix with other employees and management in an informal environment.
If campus recruiting is one of your workforce development strategies, providing positive, rewarding internship experiences is a great way to increase your effectiveness in the competition for new graduates.
Commuter Benefits Program Now a Requirement
A newly approved Commuter Benefits Program requires Bay Area employers with 50 or more full-time employees to offer their employees at least one of four types of commuter benefits. Employers in the following nine Bay Area counties are affected by the requirement and must implement their selected options by September 30, 2014.
- Alameda
- Contra Costa
- Marin
- Napa
- San Francisco
- Santa Clara
- San Mateo
- Sonoma
- Solano
The goal of the Commuter Benefits Program is to reduce the number of single-occupant commuters by encouraging employees to use public transportation, vanpool, or carpool to get to work.
To comply with program requirements, affected employers must:
1. Designate a Commuter Benefits Coordinator. This is typically the person who handles payroll and benefits.
2. Select at least one of the commuter benefit options:
Option 1: Allow employees to pay their transit or vanpool fare using pre-tax dollars to the maximum allowed by law.
Option 2: Provide a transit or vanpool subsidy of up to $75/month.
Option 3: Provide free or low-cost commuter transportation service for employees.
Option 4: Provide an alternative commuter benefit that is at least as effective as Options 1, 2 or 3 in reducing single occupant vehicles.
3. Submit a registration form to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)/Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) at 511.org.
4. Notify employees of the commuter benefit option to be provided and how to take advantage of it.
5. Update registration information annually.
6. Maintain accurate records of the program and provide program information to the Air District/MTC as requested.
Employer benefits identified from the program include potential payroll tax savings, enhanced employee recruitment, improved employee retention, reduced employee health costs, and reduced employee stress.
Summer Interns – Talent Pipeline Potential
If you are thinking about hiring interns for the summer, April is a good time to begin preparing. If you haven’t thought about hiring interns, maybe you should. Summer interns can help you build a pipeline for future talent needs, bring new perspectives and energy to the workplace and can serve as “ambassadors” to promote knowledge about your company with their peers. Here are some tips for hiring and managing interns effectively.
Determine whether you will use paid or unpaid interns. If you hire paid interns, the same minimum wage and overtime laws apply to them as apply to your fulltime employees. And you have more flexibility in terms of the type of work you can have them do. If you hire unpaid interns, be sure you understand the California Department of Labor guidelines for determining whether the intern is entitled to wages.
Create a detailed job description. The intern may have little or no work experience. Be clear about expectations, supervision, etc. Ideally, tie the work to their school curriculum (this is especially important for unpaid interns). Consider what tools and resources – and training – they might need to fulfill expectations and include that in your planning.
Start early, i.e., now. Many college campuses have summer intern fairs. The best, most ambitious students will be accepting intern opportunities early to make sure they have something secured by summer.
Develop relationships with local college career centers. There are a number of campuses in the Bay Area. Reach out to them to learn their guidelines and get on their list as a source for internships. Some of their students may be your future workforce!
Make the internship a positive learning experience. In addition to providing them skills and knowledge related to their area of study, help them learn the workplace skills they’ll need when they transition from campus to office – time management, networking, effective communication, email etiquette and other skills and behaviors that will help them succeed.
Done well, summer internships can be a very rewarding experience for both you and your interns!
Using Job Descriptions in Employee Management
In my last blog I talked about the components of effective job descriptions. Once you get them written, be sure you are using them effectively in all aspects of employee management – from hiring to termination. Here’s how.
Recruiting and hiring. Create your job posts with the essential elements of the job description. Make the posts detailed enough to attract the right applicants yet discourage applicants who are not qualified for the position. Use the job description to develop relevant interview questions and to provide candidates with information about the role.
New employee onboarding. New employees need to understand early on the specific requirements of their role, how they fit into the organization, and the skills and competencies that will help them succeed. Having these items clearly defined in the job description and sharing it with the new employee as part of their orientation will get them off to a good start.
Performance management. It’s easier – and more defensible – to review and rate an employee when the responsibilities and expectations are clearly defined in an effective job description. Faulting someone for not meeting an expectation they didn’t know about doesn’t hold weight.
Goal setting. Job descriptions should state how the position fits into the organization. This can be a useful tool when establishing employee goals that tie to the overall goals of the organization.
Employee development. Job descriptions should be dynamic documents. As the needs of the organization change, job requirements often change. Keeping job descriptions up to date can point up areas where employees have opportunities for development.
Compensation. Effective job descriptions are helpful in compensation research and in establishing a compensation program with minimum and maximum levels for each job.
Legal compliance. A detailed job description not only protects you when you terminate an employee for non-performance, it also ensures you comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other legal requirements.
Writing an Effective Job Description – Include the Details!
Job descriptions are an essential management tool – for hiring, performance management and employee development. Yet, it’s amazing how many companies either don’t have written job descriptions or have job descriptions that are out of date or incomplete. Don’t fall into this category!
In addition to providing a benchmark for hiring and performance, job descriptions can provide the documentation necessary to protect you in legal disputes over employee non-performance of requirements.
An effective job description should include:
- Job title
- Job location
- A summary of the job objective/purpose
- Scope of responsibility
- Reporting relationships
- Qualifications required (experience, skills, competencies)
- Key functions and duties (including standards)
- Physical requirements
While you need to incorporate flexibility into the document to allow for personal growth and organizational changes, it’s important to be as detailed as possible, especially in areas that are critical to job success.
One area that often isn’t detailed enough is the “physical requirements” area. Be sure that if the job requires lifting a certain amount of weight that you specify the weight. If it requires bending, stooping, reaching, and/or walking on uneven surfaces, for example, document that in the description. Also, note any particular characteristics of the work environment, such as exposure to the elements or the need to go in and out of a freezer.
The more detailed you can be in the job description, the more likely you are to find and keep the right person for the job.
Serving Alcohol at a Company Event? Know the Risks!
While the economy has reduced the number and “flair” of company parties, most companies still take the opportunity 
at least once a year to gather for socializing, recognition and/or team building. And these parties often involve alcohol. Because of concerns around corporate liability should something happen as a result of an intoxicated employee, many companies are developing drinking guidelines as part of their event planning process. These range from “drink responsibly” messages to establishing a two-drink maximum, to providing van or cab rides home. Creating guidelines to protect employees and the company is a good idea. However, if you merely create the guidelines and then don’t follow them, you could be putting your company at risk.
Take the example of Marriott Hotel, who in Purton v. Marriott International was found liable in a “wrongful death” following a company party. Prior to their holiday party in 2009, Marriott Del Mar Hotel management decided that they would give each party attendee only two drink tickets and would only serve beer and wine. An employee of the hotel, who was a bartender, arrived at the party having already had a couple of drinks, and bearing a full flask of whiskey. At some point during the night, the employee was able to refill his flask. He left the party and arrived home safely. Shortly after he arrived home, he left again to drive an intoxicated coworker home. While driving the coworker home, the employee hit another vehicle at 100 mph, killing the occupant. He received a six-year sentence for vehicular manslaughter.
Now you might think that Marriott’s responsibility ended once the employee had arrived home safely. However, in the “wrongful death” suit filed by the victim’s family, the court held that “an employer may be found liable for its employee’s torts as long as the proximate cause of the injury (here, alcohol consumption) occurred within the scope of employment.” They also found irrelevant the fact that the effects of the employee’s negligent conduct occurred when the employee was no longer acting within the scope of his employment (i.e., after he had left the party.)
Had Marriott enforced the rules they implemented to protect themselves, things might have turned out differently.
As you plan for your summer and holiday parties this year, keep these things in mind:
- Be consistent in enforcing safe drinking guidelines.
- Assign someone to monitor alcohol consumption.
- Remember that your responsibility doesn’t end when an intoxicated employee gets home.
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