Most high performance teams have some kind of mechanisms in place to weed out the weak links in their group.
Its interesting that even low level employees that are paid minimum wage can create a huge expense for a company when there is 200% turnover. Average cost is still $5k per person.
When companies become too political, the employees tend to hoard information and not share with others. This is the complete opposite of what a learning organization should be.
From the video about Johnson & Johnson: The Credo
The have a big emphasis on decentralization and having Small Business Units (SBU's)
They have "The Credo" that incorporated into their values of how they operate. Its their true corporate culture.
They're smart and show their employees that they care about them from day one and not give them a "trial period" to see if they'll "cut it". It makes their employees feel valued and want to come to work.
The human resources department is the companies biggest "Asset" that a company has.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Response to class 3/30/10
Next class have rough draft ready
No class next week Thursday
Chapter 15 International HRM
"Hofstede's 5 Dimensions of Culture" is the most common form used in business
1. Individualism/ collectivism
The US places high importance on individualism compared to Asian countries his collectivism that is common throughout their culture
2. Power Distance
3. Uncertainty Avoidance
4. Masculinity / Femininity
5. Longevity
review table 15.1 in text Effects of Culture
When sending an employee on an international assignment, pay them very well.
That was interesting that a company would even offer to send someone oversees for two years with only seeing their family every six months. What a bunch of morons for even offering it. Even if he did accept the offer, his wife would either make him come back within two months or he'd be divorced within a year. Maybe it would make sense for a single person but not a married man with children. That reminds me of when I had to do a month long training out in Baltimore, MD away from my wife and kids. That was probably one of the longest months of my life. After one week I was miserable and ready to come back home. To think that someone would be able to do that for six months at a time is just crazy.
No class next week Thursday
Chapter 15 International HRM
"Hofstede's 5 Dimensions of Culture" is the most common form used in business
1. Individualism/ collectivism
The US places high importance on individualism compared to Asian countries his collectivism that is common throughout their culture
2. Power Distance
3. Uncertainty Avoidance
4. Masculinity / Femininity
5. Longevity
review table 15.1 in text Effects of Culture
When sending an employee on an international assignment, pay them very well.
That was interesting that a company would even offer to send someone oversees for two years with only seeing their family every six months. What a bunch of morons for even offering it. Even if he did accept the offer, his wife would either make him come back within two months or he'd be divorced within a year. Maybe it would make sense for a single person but not a married man with children. That reminds me of when I had to do a month long training out in Baltimore, MD away from my wife and kids. That was probably one of the longest months of my life. After one week I was miserable and ready to come back home. To think that someone would be able to do that for six months at a time is just crazy.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Chapter 16 - Creating and Maintaining High-Performance Organizations
Concept and Brief Description
A high-performance work system is the right combination of people, technology, and structure that makes use of the company’s resources and opportunities in achieving it goals. The elements are organizational structure, task design, people, reward systems, and information systems. On the way to achieving these goals, the system meets intermediate goals as high quality, innovation, customer satisfaction, job satisfaction and reduced turnover. Jobs should be designed to foster teamwork and employee empowerment. Recruitment and selection should focus on obtaining employees who have the qualities necessary for teamwork, empowerment, and knowledge sharing. Compensation should be linked to performance, and employees should be included in decisions about compensation. Technology can improve the efficiency of the human resource management functions and support knowledge sharing. e-HRM can let the companies employees help themselves to the HR info they need.
Emotional Hook
High-Performance teams should be compensated the best, if they produce results, and the right kinds of results. It’s very important to align their compensation to what is good for the company in the long run. It seems that when employees are faced with a short term gain by doing something “unethical” you have more cases of employees being unethical. Given the right motivation, compensation will empower the high-performance team to do what is best for everyone involved.
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
How do you attract the right type of individual for a high-performance team?
Will HRM management tools eliminate allot of the jobs in the HR profession?
Facilitative Question
What is the best kind of high-performance team for different business structures?
A high-performance work system is the right combination of people, technology, and structure that makes use of the company’s resources and opportunities in achieving it goals. The elements are organizational structure, task design, people, reward systems, and information systems. On the way to achieving these goals, the system meets intermediate goals as high quality, innovation, customer satisfaction, job satisfaction and reduced turnover. Jobs should be designed to foster teamwork and employee empowerment. Recruitment and selection should focus on obtaining employees who have the qualities necessary for teamwork, empowerment, and knowledge sharing. Compensation should be linked to performance, and employees should be included in decisions about compensation. Technology can improve the efficiency of the human resource management functions and support knowledge sharing. e-HRM can let the companies employees help themselves to the HR info they need.
Emotional Hook
High-Performance teams should be compensated the best, if they produce results, and the right kinds of results. It’s very important to align their compensation to what is good for the company in the long run. It seems that when employees are faced with a short term gain by doing something “unethical” you have more cases of employees being unethical. Given the right motivation, compensation will empower the high-performance team to do what is best for everyone involved.
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
How do you attract the right type of individual for a high-performance team?
Will HRM management tools eliminate allot of the jobs in the HR profession?
Facilitative Question
What is the best kind of high-performance team for different business structures?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Response to Class 3/16/10
What you can / can't do as a manager to discourage unions:
Can: Solve employee problems, let them know of the disadvantages, treat your employees fairly
Can't: threaten, promise extra stuff, punish employee, or spy
There are examples of finished papers online.
Outsourcing to foreign countries is becoming more and more common. There are allot of social or cultural differences between countries. Seems that the more integrated our countries become the more relaxed other cultures become.
Can: Solve employee problems, let them know of the disadvantages, treat your employees fairly
Can't: threaten, promise extra stuff, punish employee, or spy
There are examples of finished papers online.
Outsourcing to foreign countries is becoming more and more common. There are allot of social or cultural differences between countries. Seems that the more integrated our countries become the more relaxed other cultures become.
Chapter 15 - Managing Human Resources Globally
Brief Description
Its a growing trend for companies to enter the international market by exporting and operating foreign facilities. They need employees who understand customers and suppliers in other companies. They need to understand local laws and customs and be able to adapt their plans to local situations. The most important influence is the culture of each market. Countries are all different in how their labor markets are educated and trained. Some companies have different laws about how you hire and fire employees. You plan your staffing accordingly. Most companies hire employees from their local market, who have an idea of how the local job market works. Employees who are sent to operate in another country needs to be versed on how the local customs and culture are.
Emotional Hook
Would you move your family out of the country for a job? I know of a few people who took their family overseas to Japan or China to further their career. They had some pretty big advantages. One was that their kids got to experience a different culture. Another is that while they where there, all there expenses where paid, and the $80k /year went straight into a bank account. When he finally left his job, he was able to start his own business here back in the states.
Key points to elicit in discussion
Pay levels should be set accordingly to the local market.
Cultural issues like "women in the workforce" could be an issue with Muslim countries.
Facilitative Question
What organizations would benefit the most from outsourcing to other countries?
How would you staff it?
Its a growing trend for companies to enter the international market by exporting and operating foreign facilities. They need employees who understand customers and suppliers in other companies. They need to understand local laws and customs and be able to adapt their plans to local situations. The most important influence is the culture of each market. Countries are all different in how their labor markets are educated and trained. Some companies have different laws about how you hire and fire employees. You plan your staffing accordingly. Most companies hire employees from their local market, who have an idea of how the local job market works. Employees who are sent to operate in another country needs to be versed on how the local customs and culture are.
Emotional Hook
Would you move your family out of the country for a job? I know of a few people who took their family overseas to Japan or China to further their career. They had some pretty big advantages. One was that their kids got to experience a different culture. Another is that while they where there, all there expenses where paid, and the $80k /year went straight into a bank account. When he finally left his job, he was able to start his own business here back in the states.
Key points to elicit in discussion
Pay levels should be set accordingly to the local market.
Cultural issues like "women in the workforce" could be an issue with Muslim countries.
Facilitative Question
What organizations would benefit the most from outsourcing to other countries?
How would you staff it?
Response to class 3/11/10
Not all benefits are mandatory like: paid leave, group insurance, retirement plans, "family-friendly" benefits, other quality of life benefits.
Most companies are turning to paid-time-off instead of sick leave.
Providing on-site day care for employees is like giving that employee a $400-700 raise.
Align your benefits with the companies strategic goals.
Chapter 14
Union membership has dropped from 30% - 10%. Mostly due to the fact that America has switched from a labor orientated job force to more of a service.
For most companies that don't have a Union, the HR department acts very "unionish" instead.
The rigidity-of-employment index shows how easy or hard it is to do business in a country.
Most companies are turning to paid-time-off instead of sick leave.
Providing on-site day care for employees is like giving that employee a $400-700 raise.
Align your benefits with the companies strategic goals.
Chapter 14
Union membership has dropped from 30% - 10%. Mostly due to the fact that America has switched from a labor orientated job force to more of a service.
For most companies that don't have a Union, the HR department acts very "unionish" instead.
The rigidity-of-employment index shows how easy or hard it is to do business in a country.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Chapter 14 - Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations
Brief Description
A union is an organization formed for the purpose of representing its members in resolving conflicts with employers. Unions are associated with higher compensation and productivity but with lower profits. They can reduce a business's flexibility and economic performance. Today's unions are mostly filled with commie bastards who just want to spread their socialistic views. Just seeing if your paying attention. Management and unions have apposing goals of achieving organizations profits and employee compensation. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) supports collective bargaining and sets out the rights of employees to form unions. Later amendments to NLRA came by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959 which put some restrictions on what unions can do.
Emotional Hook
I remember working for a grocery store Safeway in Washington state that had a union. If you wanted to work for Safeway you had to join the union in order to get the job. I thought that was the biggest load of crap ever. You had to pay $90 just to join the union, then they took $30 a month out in union fees. For a high school kid getting paid $5 an hour, that's a lot of money. And the union didn't do anything at all since it was a good company to work for. I definitely believe in having the option to choose if you want to join a union or not.
Key points to elicit in discussion
Unions obviously formed out of legitimate need. If companies hadn't have tried to screw their employees so bad back in the past, unions never would have been formed in the first place. But are unions really needed anymore? I talked to allot of people in upper management in their companies, and most companies that don't have unions, have union-like run human resources.
Facilitative Question
If everyone would abide by good ethics, would unions be necessary? Are all unions ethically sound also?
A union is an organization formed for the purpose of representing its members in resolving conflicts with employers. Unions are associated with higher compensation and productivity but with lower profits. They can reduce a business's flexibility and economic performance. Today's unions are mostly filled with commie bastards who just want to spread their socialistic views. Just seeing if your paying attention. Management and unions have apposing goals of achieving organizations profits and employee compensation. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) supports collective bargaining and sets out the rights of employees to form unions. Later amendments to NLRA came by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959 which put some restrictions on what unions can do.
Emotional Hook
I remember working for a grocery store Safeway in Washington state that had a union. If you wanted to work for Safeway you had to join the union in order to get the job. I thought that was the biggest load of crap ever. You had to pay $90 just to join the union, then they took $30 a month out in union fees. For a high school kid getting paid $5 an hour, that's a lot of money. And the union didn't do anything at all since it was a good company to work for. I definitely believe in having the option to choose if you want to join a union or not.
Key points to elicit in discussion
Unions obviously formed out of legitimate need. If companies hadn't have tried to screw their employees so bad back in the past, unions never would have been formed in the first place. But are unions really needed anymore? I talked to allot of people in upper management in their companies, and most companies that don't have unions, have union-like run human resources.
Facilitative Question
If everyone would abide by good ethics, would unions be necessary? Are all unions ethically sound also?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Response to class 3/9/10
Chapter 13 - Providing Employee Benefits
So basically employees don't really pay attention to whats been given to them in the forms of benefits. I remember when a company I used to work for changed their benefits for the worse. The problem was with how they presented it. Instead of saying that times are tough, they tried to make it look like we were getting more for the money and that we should be grateful. You had to think it over to realize that they were screwing us and not really saving us anything.
Benefits that are required by law: Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance, and Family & Medical Leave
So basically employees don't really pay attention to whats been given to them in the forms of benefits. I remember when a company I used to work for changed their benefits for the worse. The problem was with how they presented it. Instead of saying that times are tough, they tried to make it look like we were getting more for the money and that we should be grateful. You had to think it over to realize that they were screwing us and not really saving us anything.
Benefits that are required by law: Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance, and Family & Medical Leave
Chapter 13 - Providing Employee Benefits
Brief Description
Benefits help attract, retain, and motivate employees. Employers can help tailor make their benefits package to attract the right type of employee. All employers must contribute to the Social Security fund. State law requires that all companies have workers compensation. The most common for of paid leave is vacation, sick, and holidays. Medical insurance is the most valued employee benefits. some offer cafeteria plans and fight the cost by doing employee wellness plans. Some companies still offer pensions and 401K programs. Some companies offer family friendly benefits like paid family leave, child care services and college savings plans.
Emotional Hook
My uncle works for Boeing, and they switched to "self directed" 401k's where they're able to choose what stocks to invest in. They all took a huge bath because they don't know how to invest. They know how to build planes but not invest.
Key Points to Elicit in discussion
What happened to the "pension" plans of the days of old?
What would be the best practices to attract sales people?
Facilitative Questions
Will "universal health care" help employees/employers or hurt them?
Benefits help attract, retain, and motivate employees. Employers can help tailor make their benefits package to attract the right type of employee. All employers must contribute to the Social Security fund. State law requires that all companies have workers compensation. The most common for of paid leave is vacation, sick, and holidays. Medical insurance is the most valued employee benefits. some offer cafeteria plans and fight the cost by doing employee wellness plans. Some companies still offer pensions and 401K programs. Some companies offer family friendly benefits like paid family leave, child care services and college savings plans.
Emotional Hook
My uncle works for Boeing, and they switched to "self directed" 401k's where they're able to choose what stocks to invest in. They all took a huge bath because they don't know how to invest. They know how to build planes but not invest.
Key Points to Elicit in discussion
What happened to the "pension" plans of the days of old?
What would be the best practices to attract sales people?
Facilitative Questions
Will "universal health care" help employees/employers or hurt them?
class repsonse for 3/4/10
Chapter 11
If you give employees a perk/punishment and then take it away, it demotivates them. I had a sales job where the always bought us breakfast every saturday morning for the weekly sales meeting. When they took that away we were all pissed, even though we didn't have it before that manager started doing it.
The Dept. of Labor will be able to tell you if the company should be paying you hourly or by salary.
Ben & Jerry's had a policy that their top management would only get paid 3x's as much as their lowest hourly employee. They struggled for a long time because they couldn't get a decent CEO to come work for them at that low of a wages.
Chapter 12
make the prise valuable to the employees. If you try to entice your employees by giving them tickets to a Christmas pagent, and most of your employees are Jewish, than it won't motivate them.
Piece work has a tendency for low quality since thier objective is to get it done the fastest.
If you give employees a perk/punishment and then take it away, it demotivates them. I had a sales job where the always bought us breakfast every saturday morning for the weekly sales meeting. When they took that away we were all pissed, even though we didn't have it before that manager started doing it.
The Dept. of Labor will be able to tell you if the company should be paying you hourly or by salary.
Ben & Jerry's had a policy that their top management would only get paid 3x's as much as their lowest hourly employee. They struggled for a long time because they couldn't get a decent CEO to come work for them at that low of a wages.
Chapter 12
make the prise valuable to the employees. If you try to entice your employees by giving them tickets to a Christmas pagent, and most of your employees are Jewish, than it won't motivate them.
Piece work has a tendency for low quality since thier objective is to get it done the fastest.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Chapter 12 - Recognizing Employee Contributions with Pay
Concept and Brief Description
Incentive pay is tied to individual performance, profits, or other measures of success. Companies select forms of incentive pay to energize, direct, or control employees’ behavior. To be effective, incentive pay should encourage the kinds of behavior that are most needed, and employees must believe they have the ability t meet the performance standards. The employees must want the rewards, have the capabilities to reach the goals, and believe the pay plan is fair. Companies may recognize individual employees through incentives like piecework rates, standard hour plans, merit pay, sales commissions, and bonuses. Common group incentives are gainsharing, bonuses, and team awards. A balanced scorecard is a combination of performance measures directed toward the companies long term and short term goals.
Emotional Hook
Its one thing to incentivize sales production, but how far do you go? I've seen standards set so high that in order to achieve the top levels, you have to lie or commit fraud to get there. If you put the top guy on a pedestal, and everyone knows that he's dishonest, aren't you just encouraging your employees to be dishonest?
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
Standard hour plans are how mechanics are compensated. If they finish a job early, its an extra bonus for being quick, not a punishment by paying them less.
Facilitative Questions
How can you tell when the standards you set for your employee's aren't achievable? How do you correct that?
Incentive pay is tied to individual performance, profits, or other measures of success. Companies select forms of incentive pay to energize, direct, or control employees’ behavior. To be effective, incentive pay should encourage the kinds of behavior that are most needed, and employees must believe they have the ability t meet the performance standards. The employees must want the rewards, have the capabilities to reach the goals, and believe the pay plan is fair. Companies may recognize individual employees through incentives like piecework rates, standard hour plans, merit pay, sales commissions, and bonuses. Common group incentives are gainsharing, bonuses, and team awards. A balanced scorecard is a combination of performance measures directed toward the companies long term and short term goals.
Emotional Hook
Its one thing to incentivize sales production, but how far do you go? I've seen standards set so high that in order to achieve the top levels, you have to lie or commit fraud to get there. If you put the top guy on a pedestal, and everyone knows that he's dishonest, aren't you just encouraging your employees to be dishonest?
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
Standard hour plans are how mechanics are compensated. If they finish a job early, its an extra bonus for being quick, not a punishment by paying them less.
Facilitative Questions
How can you tell when the standards you set for your employee's aren't achievable? How do you correct that?
Response for Class 2/25/10
Jeff Weber – Ancestry.com
Jeff had some good tid bits that I didn’t know. Here are a few. You must pay your terminated employees within 24 hours. Pay is the biggest expense for service companies. Netflicks pays above average pay, requires the best people, and only pays base pay, no benefits. Allot of companies are turning to “Restricted Shares” instead of options. That way they just are given a set number of shares with no price attached to them. Always be careful what you give your employees. They’ll start to expect it and it won’t be motivational to them, it’ll turn de-motivational if you take it away, like giving donuts every Tuesday.
Jeff had some good tid bits that I didn’t know. Here are a few. You must pay your terminated employees within 24 hours. Pay is the biggest expense for service companies. Netflicks pays above average pay, requires the best people, and only pays base pay, no benefits. Allot of companies are turning to “Restricted Shares” instead of options. That way they just are given a set number of shares with no price attached to them. Always be careful what you give your employees. They’ll start to expect it and it won’t be motivational to them, it’ll turn de-motivational if you take it away, like giving donuts every Tuesday.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Chapter 11 - Establishing a Pay Structure
Concept and Brief Description
Organizations decide on job structure and the pay that correlates for each job. They must establish pay levels or basically the average pay for all jobs. These decisions are based on the company’s goals, job market, legal requirements, and equality. All employers must establish equal pay for equal work regardless of their age, sex, race, or religion. Differences in pay must be established based on the current market and what that individual brings to the table. All companies must pay at least minimum wage and pay overtime for hours worked over 40 in a week. To attract and retain employees, employers must at least pay the fair market rate or they’ll lose to their competition. Paying above the market rate may hinder their competitive advantage but could also help with employee turnover and retention. Employees will usually compare their pay against the level of inputs to the company. If they thing they put more and receive less than someone else, they’ll gain a negative attitude and demand more pay. The HR department should regularly compare current pay to the pay structure to make sure they match.
Emotional Hook
The old saying of “Those who can’t, teach” seems to be very valid in allot of work forces. I’ve worked with many “sales” managers that said they were “awesome” but as it turned out, were full of it. Should you really pay a manager more if they don’t produce or “manage” an improvement?
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
Where do you go to find the average pay scale?
Facilitative Questions
What’s the best way to demand a raise when you know you’re getting underpaid?
Organizations decide on job structure and the pay that correlates for each job. They must establish pay levels or basically the average pay for all jobs. These decisions are based on the company’s goals, job market, legal requirements, and equality. All employers must establish equal pay for equal work regardless of their age, sex, race, or religion. Differences in pay must be established based on the current market and what that individual brings to the table. All companies must pay at least minimum wage and pay overtime for hours worked over 40 in a week. To attract and retain employees, employers must at least pay the fair market rate or they’ll lose to their competition. Paying above the market rate may hinder their competitive advantage but could also help with employee turnover and retention. Employees will usually compare their pay against the level of inputs to the company. If they thing they put more and receive less than someone else, they’ll gain a negative attitude and demand more pay. The HR department should regularly compare current pay to the pay structure to make sure they match.
Emotional Hook
The old saying of “Those who can’t, teach” seems to be very valid in allot of work forces. I’ve worked with many “sales” managers that said they were “awesome” but as it turned out, were full of it. Should you really pay a manager more if they don’t produce or “manage” an improvement?
Key Points to Elicit in Discussion
Where do you go to find the average pay scale?
Facilitative Questions
What’s the best way to demand a raise when you know you’re getting underpaid?
Chapter 10 - class response
Pay is usually at the bottom of the list for why people quit.
It's just as expensive to fire someone as it is for someone to volintarily quit.
We reviewed the exam for tuesday
It's just as expensive to fire someone as it is for someone to volintarily quit.
We reviewed the exam for tuesday
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Chapter 10 – Separating and Retaining Employees
Brief Description
Involuntary turnover is basically firing personnel when they would prefer to stay. Voluntary is just as it sounds, the employee’s decide to leave for reasons of their own. Both are costly to a company due to the need to recruit, train, and hire replacements. Employees continually evaluate whether the company is being fair with them or not. Consequences should be consistent, expected, and in proportion to the significance of the behavior. Employee discipline should not result in wrongful discharge, such as a termination that violates an implied contract or public policy. Discipline should be administered evenly and without discrimination. Reasons for disciplinary actions should be shared only with those who need to know them. When termination in part of a plant closing, employees should receive the legally required notice. Like a hot stove, discipline should give warning and have consequences that are consistent, objective, and immediate.
Emotional Hook
Who really likes to get fired? If you were going to get fired, how would you want it done? Outside of sales, I’ve been fired from almost half the jobs I’ve had. With sales, you can always walk to your next job so it was never an issue for me. Since my personality doesn’t fit in allot of places, I’m glad to have been fired.
Key Points
Right and wrong way to fire someone.
How much notice should both parties give?
Facilitative Question
Legally, what’s the best way to terminate an employee?
Involuntary turnover is basically firing personnel when they would prefer to stay. Voluntary is just as it sounds, the employee’s decide to leave for reasons of their own. Both are costly to a company due to the need to recruit, train, and hire replacements. Employees continually evaluate whether the company is being fair with them or not. Consequences should be consistent, expected, and in proportion to the significance of the behavior. Employee discipline should not result in wrongful discharge, such as a termination that violates an implied contract or public policy. Discipline should be administered evenly and without discrimination. Reasons for disciplinary actions should be shared only with those who need to know them. When termination in part of a plant closing, employees should receive the legally required notice. Like a hot stove, discipline should give warning and have consequences that are consistent, objective, and immediate.
Emotional Hook
Who really likes to get fired? If you were going to get fired, how would you want it done? Outside of sales, I’ve been fired from almost half the jobs I’ve had. With sales, you can always walk to your next job so it was never an issue for me. Since my personality doesn’t fit in allot of places, I’m glad to have been fired.
Key Points
Right and wrong way to fire someone.
How much notice should both parties give?
Facilitative Question
Legally, what’s the best way to terminate an employee?
Chapter 9 Response - 2/16/10
From John's part:
The more you like people, the harder a HR management job gets.
Don't show your cards early when it comes to negotiating pay.
Just because an employee is on salary, doesn't mean they're exempt from overtime.
If your company is too small for a full time HR director, hire a consultant or outsource it.
When you call on a reference, ask them if they know anyelse that worked with him that would give a reference.
The more you like people, the harder a HR management job gets.
Don't show your cards early when it comes to negotiating pay.
Just because an employee is on salary, doesn't mean they're exempt from overtime.
If your company is too small for a full time HR director, hire a consultant or outsource it.
When you call on a reference, ask them if they know anyelse that worked with him that would give a reference.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chapter 9 - Develpoing Employees for Future Success
Concept and Brief Description
Employee development is the combination of formal education, job experiences, relationships, and assessment of personality and abilities to help employees prepare for the future of their careers. Training is usually more focused on improving performance in their current jobs but do help with employee development. Companies may use formal education programs at the workplace or off-site, such as workshops, university courses and degree programs, company-sponsored training, or programs offered by independent institutions. Companies will use assessment processes to help their employees identify strengths and areas of improvement. Interpersonal relationships with a more experienced member of the organization, like a coach or mentor, can help employees develop their understanding of the organization and its customers. Many organizations use performance appraisals as a source of assessment information.
Emotional Hook
I think coaching is one the most valuable training tools there are. When I first started my career in sales, it was a nightmare. I went from company to company until I finally found one that worked. One of the best things they did for me was team me up with another salesman that had allot more experience than me. By watching and observing, I was able to get to the same level of performance. It’s one thing to read or be told how to do something, it’s another to actually watch and do it firsthand.
Key points it Elicit in Discussion
How do you entice an employee to coach or mentor another? Would they be afraid of training their replacement? How do you know and employee development program is worth investing into or if it’s a total waste of company resources?
Facilitative Questions
Besides sex and race, what other forms of “glass ceiling” exist? What about religion? Is there a problem in Utah about religious “glass ceiling”?
Employee development is the combination of formal education, job experiences, relationships, and assessment of personality and abilities to help employees prepare for the future of their careers. Training is usually more focused on improving performance in their current jobs but do help with employee development. Companies may use formal education programs at the workplace or off-site, such as workshops, university courses and degree programs, company-sponsored training, or programs offered by independent institutions. Companies will use assessment processes to help their employees identify strengths and areas of improvement. Interpersonal relationships with a more experienced member of the organization, like a coach or mentor, can help employees develop their understanding of the organization and its customers. Many organizations use performance appraisals as a source of assessment information.
Emotional Hook
I think coaching is one the most valuable training tools there are. When I first started my career in sales, it was a nightmare. I went from company to company until I finally found one that worked. One of the best things they did for me was team me up with another salesman that had allot more experience than me. By watching and observing, I was able to get to the same level of performance. It’s one thing to read or be told how to do something, it’s another to actually watch and do it firsthand.
Key points it Elicit in Discussion
How do you entice an employee to coach or mentor another? Would they be afraid of training their replacement? How do you know and employee development program is worth investing into or if it’s a total waste of company resources?
Facilitative Questions
Besides sex and race, what other forms of “glass ceiling” exist? What about religion? Is there a problem in Utah about religious “glass ceiling”?
Responses to class on chapter 8 - 2/12/10
Most companies fail right off the bat because they don’t track or hold accountable the actions of their employees
Allot of performance reviews are purely subjective and have no bearing on your skills
In my experience with car dealers, they use a variety of approaches to evaluate their salesman. The yearly reviews are pretty annoying. I know they try to use it as a motivational or character building exercise but is usually just ends up pissing me off and demotivates me.
Work and stress compared to weight lifting. You need rest and recovery in order to grow and recover.
Get organized or hire a professional organizer
Allot of performance reviews are purely subjective and have no bearing on your skills
In my experience with car dealers, they use a variety of approaches to evaluate their salesman. The yearly reviews are pretty annoying. I know they try to use it as a motivational or character building exercise but is usually just ends up pissing me off and demotivates me.
Work and stress compared to weight lifting. You need rest and recovery in order to grow and recover.
Get organized or hire a professional organizer
Chapter 8 – Managing Employee’s Performance
Concept and brief description
Performance management is the process that managers use to make sure their employees’ activities and outputs contribute to the organization’s goals. First the company needs to determine which aspects of performance are relevant to the company’s goals. Next, they measure the relevant aspects of performance through performance appraisals. Finally, managers provide employees with information about their performance so they can adjust their behavior to meet the company’s goals.
Companies use performance management systems to meet three broad purposes. Effective performance management helps the company meet their business objectives. It does this by helping employee’s link behavior with the company’s goals. The administrative purpose of performance management is to provide info for day to day decisions about salary, benefits, recognition, and retention or termination. The developmental purpose of performance management is using the system as a basis for developing employees’ knowledge and skills.
Emotional Hook
Imagine running a company where everyone just did what they thought needed to be done? Would anything really get done? If there were no clear job objectives who would be accountable? How would you hire anyone or fire anyone?
Key points to elicit in discussion
There are different strategies of performance appraisals that work best for different companies. Is it better to stick to just one or a conglomerate of appraisals?
Facilitative Questions
What strategy would work best for the company I’d like to start?
Performance management is the process that managers use to make sure their employees’ activities and outputs contribute to the organization’s goals. First the company needs to determine which aspects of performance are relevant to the company’s goals. Next, they measure the relevant aspects of performance through performance appraisals. Finally, managers provide employees with information about their performance so they can adjust their behavior to meet the company’s goals.
Companies use performance management systems to meet three broad purposes. Effective performance management helps the company meet their business objectives. It does this by helping employee’s link behavior with the company’s goals. The administrative purpose of performance management is to provide info for day to day decisions about salary, benefits, recognition, and retention or termination. The developmental purpose of performance management is using the system as a basis for developing employees’ knowledge and skills.
Emotional Hook
Imagine running a company where everyone just did what they thought needed to be done? Would anything really get done? If there were no clear job objectives who would be accountable? How would you hire anyone or fire anyone?
Key points to elicit in discussion
There are different strategies of performance appraisals that work best for different companies. Is it better to stick to just one or a conglomerate of appraisals?
Facilitative Questions
What strategy would work best for the company I’d like to start?
Chapter 8 – Managing Employee’s Performance
Concept and brief description
Performance management is the process that managers use to make sure their employees’ activities and outputs contribute to the organization’s goals. First the company needs to determine which aspects of performance are relevant to the company’s goals. Next, they measure the relevant aspects of performance through performance appraisals. Finally, managers provide employees with information about their performance so they can adjust their behavior to meet the company’s goals.
Companies use performance management systems to meet three broad purposes. Effective performance management helps the company meet their business objectives. It does this by helping employee’s link behavior with the company’s goals. The administrative purpose of performance management is to provide info for day to day decisions about salary, benefits, recognition, and retention or termination. The developmental purpose of performance management is using the system as a basis for developing employees’ knowledge and skills.
Emotional Hook
Imagine running a company where everyone just did what they thought needed to be done? Would anything really get done? If there were no clear job objectives who would be accountable? How would you hire anyone or fire anyone?
Key points to elicit in discussion
There are different strategies of performance appraisals that work best for different companies. Is it better to stick to just one or a conglomerate of appraisals?
Facilitative Questions
What strategy would work best for the company I’d like to start?
Performance management is the process that managers use to make sure their employees’ activities and outputs contribute to the organization’s goals. First the company needs to determine which aspects of performance are relevant to the company’s goals. Next, they measure the relevant aspects of performance through performance appraisals. Finally, managers provide employees with information about their performance so they can adjust their behavior to meet the company’s goals.
Companies use performance management systems to meet three broad purposes. Effective performance management helps the company meet their business objectives. It does this by helping employee’s link behavior with the company’s goals. The administrative purpose of performance management is to provide info for day to day decisions about salary, benefits, recognition, and retention or termination. The developmental purpose of performance management is using the system as a basis for developing employees’ knowledge and skills.
Emotional Hook
Imagine running a company where everyone just did what they thought needed to be done? Would anything really get done? If there were no clear job objectives who would be accountable? How would you hire anyone or fire anyone?
Key points to elicit in discussion
There are different strategies of performance appraisals that work best for different companies. Is it better to stick to just one or a conglomerate of appraisals?
Facilitative Questions
What strategy would work best for the company I’d like to start?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Chapter 7 Training Employees
Concept and Brief Description
Organizational training programs need to train their employee’s skills and behaviors that will help the organization achieve their goals. This process begins with assessing the needs of the company. They then organize a training program, implement the program, and evaluate the results. The needs assessment consists o f an organizational analysis, person analysis, and task analysis. Readiness for training is a combination of employee characteristics and positive work environment that permit training. The planning begins with establishing goals for the training program. The goals should define an expected level of performance or outcome, and the conditions on how they can be done. The training method used should be related to the goals of the training program. Classroom instruction is the most widely used. Audiovisual and computer-based training doesn’t require people to attend a class. Business games and case studies are other methods for practicing decision making skills.
Emotional Hook
It seems like the most sought after qualities in an employee can’t be taught in a class room. How do you teach someone to work hard? To be ambitions? To know how to get along well with others?
Key Points to elicit in discussion
What is the best way to determine the appropriate training methods for any given company?
Facilitative questions
How do you train every person in an organization to be 100% effective at what they do?
Organizational training programs need to train their employee’s skills and behaviors that will help the organization achieve their goals. This process begins with assessing the needs of the company. They then organize a training program, implement the program, and evaluate the results. The needs assessment consists o f an organizational analysis, person analysis, and task analysis. Readiness for training is a combination of employee characteristics and positive work environment that permit training. The planning begins with establishing goals for the training program. The goals should define an expected level of performance or outcome, and the conditions on how they can be done. The training method used should be related to the goals of the training program. Classroom instruction is the most widely used. Audiovisual and computer-based training doesn’t require people to attend a class. Business games and case studies are other methods for practicing decision making skills.
Emotional Hook
It seems like the most sought after qualities in an employee can’t be taught in a class room. How do you teach someone to work hard? To be ambitions? To know how to get along well with others?
Key Points to elicit in discussion
What is the best way to determine the appropriate training methods for any given company?
Facilitative questions
How do you train every person in an organization to be 100% effective at what they do?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Reponse to class 1/28/2010
Chap 4 Designing Jobs that motivate
When we talked about "task significance" about the extent that your job effects other peoples lives, it reminded me of a story I heard about a company in New York. It was an investment firm that had their offices located in one of the twin towers. After 911 they lost almost 40% of their employees during the attach. Once the firm was able to start business again they set a new company goal. 50% of all positive revenue would be donated to the families of their former coworkers that had died in the attach. After that, all the employees had a common goal to do better for the company and increase their performance. The following year their company grew by some crazy measure like 400% and it all came from a team effort and a desire beyond themselves that really made them push.
Another good idea came from Apple. How they do a weekly job rotation for their employees to join any other project throughout the week for one day. That brings in new ideas and innovation.
Chap 5
There are obviously huge labor surpluses in the job market right now. One of the few areas that are still looking for more employees is in health care, engineers, and apparently math teachers.
UVU did about every option available last year of downsizing to stay within their budget.
When we talked about "task significance" about the extent that your job effects other peoples lives, it reminded me of a story I heard about a company in New York. It was an investment firm that had their offices located in one of the twin towers. After 911 they lost almost 40% of their employees during the attach. Once the firm was able to start business again they set a new company goal. 50% of all positive revenue would be donated to the families of their former coworkers that had died in the attach. After that, all the employees had a common goal to do better for the company and increase their performance. The following year their company grew by some crazy measure like 400% and it all came from a team effort and a desire beyond themselves that really made them push.
Another good idea came from Apple. How they do a weekly job rotation for their employees to join any other project throughout the week for one day. That brings in new ideas and innovation.
Chap 5
There are obviously huge labor surpluses in the job market right now. One of the few areas that are still looking for more employees is in health care, engineers, and apparently math teachers.
UVU did about every option available last year of downsizing to stay within their budget.
Chapter 5 – Planning for and Recruiting Human Resources
Concept and Brief Description
To plan for an organization’s human resource needs, you first need to determine your personnel forecasting. By knowing your company’s strategy, you can start to build positions that will implement that strategy efficiently. Through analysis and good judgment, the planner needs to determine the supply and demand for various positions. They can look at several indicators to predict labor needs. To reduce a surplus of labor in your company, downsizing, pay reductions, and demotions are a very expedient way but also very costly to current employee motivation and loyalty. Transferring employees and sharing work are fast methods that are less severe. Hiring freezes, natural attrition, and early retirement packages is a slower method but less painful than layoffs. It can be easier to have a slimmer size of employees and either require them to work overtime, or hire temps during the busy season. Recruiting for positions can come from within the organization or by offering attractive salaries to hire from outside the company. There are many sources to compare and select job applicants. Some of the best come from recommendations. The recruiter has many roles. The quality and quantity of his recruits depends highly on his personal and ethical behavior.
Emotional Hook
We’ve all been hired, fired, or quit a job. If we know going into those jobs what we found out within the first two weeks of actually working, how would we have acted differently? Is it better to get a job that will “do for now” or wait for the “perfect job” that fits our personality and work style?
Key Points To Elicit In Discussion
Will how you compensate your employees have an effect on the applicants that apply? Will how you pay your recruiter? Will his pay have an effect on the quality of his recruits?
Facilitative Question
What is the best plan of action for staffing your new company?
To plan for an organization’s human resource needs, you first need to determine your personnel forecasting. By knowing your company’s strategy, you can start to build positions that will implement that strategy efficiently. Through analysis and good judgment, the planner needs to determine the supply and demand for various positions. They can look at several indicators to predict labor needs. To reduce a surplus of labor in your company, downsizing, pay reductions, and demotions are a very expedient way but also very costly to current employee motivation and loyalty. Transferring employees and sharing work are fast methods that are less severe. Hiring freezes, natural attrition, and early retirement packages is a slower method but less painful than layoffs. It can be easier to have a slimmer size of employees and either require them to work overtime, or hire temps during the busy season. Recruiting for positions can come from within the organization or by offering attractive salaries to hire from outside the company. There are many sources to compare and select job applicants. Some of the best come from recommendations. The recruiter has many roles. The quality and quantity of his recruits depends highly on his personal and ethical behavior.
Emotional Hook
We’ve all been hired, fired, or quit a job. If we know going into those jobs what we found out within the first two weeks of actually working, how would we have acted differently? Is it better to get a job that will “do for now” or wait for the “perfect job” that fits our personality and work style?
Key Points To Elicit In Discussion
Will how you compensate your employees have an effect on the applicants that apply? Will how you pay your recruiter? Will his pay have an effect on the quality of his recruits?
Facilitative Question
What is the best plan of action for staffing your new company?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Reponse for class - Chapter 4
Sounds like if you work for any government organization in New England, your damned if you do and damned if you don't. I understand you have to take discrimination seriously but sometimes it gets a little carried away. If they were smart about it, they would have thrown out the test results and not tell anyone. It was only until they advertised the results that people got mad about them.
The burden of proof is always on the employer. I understand the business owner who only wanted to hire Polynesian LDS workers, but where he messed up was by getting caught. I wouldn't have been to hard to still hire those guys and have all the documentation you'd need to justify the hires.
One problem with job descriptions is the fact that they usually change once you actually start working. Allot of employers tailor each job to what the individual is good at and has them focus at that.
A good job description will help find the right person for the right job. You don't want to put someone with an "engineers" personality into a customer focused sales position, and vice verses.
The burden of proof is always on the employer. I understand the business owner who only wanted to hire Polynesian LDS workers, but where he messed up was by getting caught. I wouldn't have been to hard to still hire those guys and have all the documentation you'd need to justify the hires.
One problem with job descriptions is the fact that they usually change once you actually start working. Allot of employers tailor each job to what the individual is good at and has them focus at that.
A good job description will help find the right person for the right job. You don't want to put someone with an "engineers" personality into a customer focused sales position, and vice verses.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Chapter 4 Analyzing Work and Designing Jobs
Concept and Brief Discussion
Work flow analysis identifies the amount and quality of work being performed, and identifies the inputs to carry it out and produce the outputs. Organization’s structure depends on the jobs or services being performed. The structure may be centralized or decentralized depending on their functions. Job analysis provides a foundation for carrying out many HRM responsibilities. The Labor Department publishes general background information about jobs in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Many organizations are “dejobbing” and viewing work as what needs to be done instead of a series of jobs. The goal of ergonomics is to minimize physical strain on the worker by structuring the physical work environment around the way the human body works. Employers are always looking for ways to reduce mental and physical strains.
Emotional Hook
If someone was to do a work flow analysis for my job, what would it look like? Does my job even really qualify for a physical analysis or is it all mental? How do you know your personality best fits the job your performing?
Key points to elicit in discussion
Designing an organization all starts with the lowest person on the totem pole. How does each step have an effect on the next?
Facilitative Questions
How can applying work flow analysis help me in my current job? How can it help is starting a business?
Work flow analysis identifies the amount and quality of work being performed, and identifies the inputs to carry it out and produce the outputs. Organization’s structure depends on the jobs or services being performed. The structure may be centralized or decentralized depending on their functions. Job analysis provides a foundation for carrying out many HRM responsibilities. The Labor Department publishes general background information about jobs in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Many organizations are “dejobbing” and viewing work as what needs to be done instead of a series of jobs. The goal of ergonomics is to minimize physical strain on the worker by structuring the physical work environment around the way the human body works. Employers are always looking for ways to reduce mental and physical strains.
Emotional Hook
If someone was to do a work flow analysis for my job, what would it look like? Does my job even really qualify for a physical analysis or is it all mental? How do you know your personality best fits the job your performing?
Key points to elicit in discussion
Designing an organization all starts with the lowest person on the totem pole. How does each step have an effect on the next?
Facilitative Questions
How can applying work flow analysis help me in my current job? How can it help is starting a business?
Reponse for class 1/21 Chap 3 & Articles
One of the best nuggets I got out of class was about how to fire someone. When you fire someone, you MUST document your reasons for the termination. With HR, allot of it falls back on documentation. The lady in class told a story about how the employee that wreaked the company truck got his job back through "affirmative action". That obviously shouldn't have happened, but if there was no supporting evidence, I can see how it got caught up. Based on this lesson I can tell that we really need to know our Civil Rights Act, Title VII, and Americans with Disabilities Act. Know what is covered and not covered. Another thing I learned was that alcoholics are covered under the disabilities act. Makes sense if your not a drunk but they're trying to fire you because you still go to AA. Another tid-bit was about Affirmative Action. It only really applies to government agencies or companies that are so big the government steps in and says it has to apply.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
HR Legal News Articles
I chose two different articles in regards to workplace legal issues. One is "Are Non-compete Agreements Valid?" and the other on "Religion and the Workplace" both by Jeffery Steinberger in Entrepreneur Magazine.
"Are Non-compete Agreements Valid?"
I’ve always thought the idea of having an employer make you sign a non-compete clause was always such a weasel thing to do, if not totally illegal. I remember when my wife was working at a car dealership in Provo and was forced to sign one or be “terminated”. I thought to myself, why would a SECREATARY really need to sign a non-compete? How can you tell someone that they can’t work anywhere else? What if you fired them, created a hostile work environment, or just because they wanted to make more money by going somewhere else? That’s crazy. Based on this article, as a general rule, non-compete rules aren’t valid. Most states have specific laws that allow people to seek lawful employment.
"Religion and the Workplace"
Another problem is religion in the workplace. How do companies handle people’s “Religious Beliefs” or “Holidays” like the ones you see in the Las Vegas commercials? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that an employer must provide “reasonable accommodation” of an employee’s religious beliefs and practices, unless accommodation would constitute “undue hardship” for the business. An employee must first notify the employer of the conflict between his or her religious beliefs and an employment requirement. Without such notification, an employer can legally discharge an employee for excessive absences from work, regardless if they’re for religious purposes.
"Are Non-compete Agreements Valid?"
I’ve always thought the idea of having an employer make you sign a non-compete clause was always such a weasel thing to do, if not totally illegal. I remember when my wife was working at a car dealership in Provo and was forced to sign one or be “terminated”. I thought to myself, why would a SECREATARY really need to sign a non-compete? How can you tell someone that they can’t work anywhere else? What if you fired them, created a hostile work environment, or just because they wanted to make more money by going somewhere else? That’s crazy. Based on this article, as a general rule, non-compete rules aren’t valid. Most states have specific laws that allow people to seek lawful employment.
"Religion and the Workplace"
Another problem is religion in the workplace. How do companies handle people’s “Religious Beliefs” or “Holidays” like the ones you see in the Las Vegas commercials? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that an employer must provide “reasonable accommodation” of an employee’s religious beliefs and practices, unless accommodation would constitute “undue hardship” for the business. An employee must first notify the employer of the conflict between his or her religious beliefs and an employment requirement. Without such notification, an employer can legally discharge an employee for excessive absences from work, regardless if they’re for religious purposes.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Providing Equal Employement Opportunity and a Safe Workplace
Concept and Brief Description
The legislative branch of the government develops laws to govern equal employment opportunity, worker safety, and health.
The executive branch creates agencies to enforce the laws.
The judicial branch hears cases related to employment laws and interprets the law.
Many federal laws have been passed requiring equal employment opportunity:
The Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1871 gives all citizens equal legal rights.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 "Equal jobs receive equal pay"
Title VII of CRA forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 for employees over 40
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires affirmative action for people with disabilities
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1973
Americans w/ Disabilities Act of 1978
Executive Order 11246 Requires affirmative action in hiring women and minorities
Civil Rights Act of 1991 same as Title VII
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994
Employers can avoid illegal discrimination by having standard hiring practices that don't discriminate.
Organizations can prevent sexual harassment developing policies that train employees to spot it, the procedures to follow if it occurs, and the consequences associated with it.
Employers can keep their work environment safe by following the OSHA's guidelines.
Emotional Hook
What kinds of discrimination have you seen in the workforce? How can a culture of sexual harassment affect your business?
Key points to elicit in discussion
Does "Reverse Discrimination" happen very often? In Utah? Outside of UT?
Facilitative Question
How can a fair hiring process and safe work environment benefit your business?
The legislative branch of the government develops laws to govern equal employment opportunity, worker safety, and health.
The executive branch creates agencies to enforce the laws.
The judicial branch hears cases related to employment laws and interprets the law.
Many federal laws have been passed requiring equal employment opportunity:
The Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1871 gives all citizens equal legal rights.
Equal Pay Act of 1963 "Equal jobs receive equal pay"
Title VII of CRA forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 for employees over 40
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires affirmative action for people with disabilities
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1973
Americans w/ Disabilities Act of 1978
Executive Order 11246 Requires affirmative action in hiring women and minorities
Civil Rights Act of 1991 same as Title VII
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994
Employers can avoid illegal discrimination by having standard hiring practices that don't discriminate.
Organizations can prevent sexual harassment developing policies that train employees to spot it, the procedures to follow if it occurs, and the consequences associated with it.
Employers can keep their work environment safe by following the OSHA's guidelines.
Emotional Hook
What kinds of discrimination have you seen in the workforce? How can a culture of sexual harassment affect your business?
Key points to elicit in discussion
Does "Reverse Discrimination" happen very often? In Utah? Outside of UT?
Facilitative Question
How can a fair hiring process and safe work environment benefit your business?
What A Crazy Start To The Semester
Better late than never I guess :) I hate being late or out of the loop in class but this first real week of class really kicked my "U Know What" My wife had our fourth child last Monday January the 11th. Little Brylee Helen Christensen weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces. She's my "reason" for missing class Tuesday and playing catch up this week. With the new baby, our 18 month old other daughter who "wants to be baby still", my 5 year old daughter w/ ammonia, and spending 40+ hours at work, HYRUM'S BEEN A BUSY BOY!!
Well no more pitty seasons or excuses for being late from me. Looking forward to a great semester.
Well no more pitty seasons or excuses for being late from me. Looking forward to a great semester.
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