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Teamwork Knows No Position or Title: Teamwork Involves Everyone

Teamwork begins at the top, most of us will set back and nod our head as people and training organizations tell us that teamwork is important, but we don’t realize that applies to us. We think yeah it would be great if the technology department would be a team or if our Human Resource department would step it up together. We don’t realize though that the team effort of a business starts at the top. It is the executives, managers, supervisors and leaders that set up the environment of team work.

If a leader isn’t willing to enforce teamwork then they are wasting their breathe when they try to implement teamwork among departments if they themselves are not willing to adhere to the same team values. For instance a team is willing to accept ideas from any of its team members, no matter what position they hold. As a leader in the organization are you willing to do that? Not just listen and not but evaluate and give feedback and perhaps even implement the idea? If not then you are undermining the very principle you want implemented.

How is your team rewarded for performing as a team? Often organizations teach teamwork, expect it and say that is the core of the company but then the only people who get rewarded are individuals who had the most public role in the project. Instead of rewarding people, reward teams for doing the job. Maybe give them a budget to through their own team party. Or give each team member tickets to an upcoming sporting event or play. Or even bring in a caterer for lunch to reward the group as a team. This fosters working together rather then competing.

Finally remember things that are done well and recall them often. Say things like remember when the sales department collectively sold out our entire water bottle product line. Recalling these experiences will inspire other teams in your organization to earn your recognition but they want to earn it as a team because that is who you as a leader praise.

Teamwork can push your business to new heights if it fostered in an atmosphere that emphasizes its importance. Learn the tactics that will truly inspire your organization to work together rather to work against each other.

Teamwork can increase your productivity, improve your work environment and foster creativity. Why not invest the time it takes to form this valuable resource? There are ways to start creating it today, but you may also consider hiring a corporate trainer to come in and motivate your team.

Bart Icles has seen organization that have benefited from teamwork and organizations that we’re in desperate need of a solid team. He would recommend to anyone to contact CMOE and learn about their Teamwork and Strategic Management training.

Customer Loyalty achieved by Active Strategic Management

Businesses know that it is a important to create a culture where the customer feels they are receiving value and being valued. It is ultimately the customer that is supporting your business and their words and their feelings are what are going to keep your business successful. Leading your organization in a way that encourages customer orientation takes some strategic management.

First, make sure everyone understands the priorities. If there is confusion on what the real priority is there will be confusion on what should be happening. If customer value is truly important to your organization then communicate that to your teams of people. In meeting communicate this important topic, make sure your team leaders convey it every chance they get and remind all areas that this priority is first and foremost. Also reward individuals and teams that excel or make an extra effort for this priority.

As a leader in the organization you need to not only preach this priority every chance you get but live it always. Your organization and/or team is watching your actions, make an effort to make this priority visibly important. If customer service and value is important make sure the way you talk about your customers is respectful. You can’t sit and degrade or complain about them in your planning meeting and then expect your staff to go out and treat them with the highest respect they can.

Feedback is vitally important in an organization. Give your staff immediate and factual feedback. They need and want to hear how they are performing. This feedback is another time to convey the importance of customer service. If they are doing a good job let them know, and you will find they try even harder. Don’t just let they fact that you are ‘allowing’ them to keep their job be the only way you let them know they are doing well. People love hearing they are performing well and it inspires them to continue to perform well. Of course if they are struggling let them know and challenge them to do better.

When you strategically manage your staff so they see, hear and know that customer service is priority in your company you will see your business sore in that area. Making your priorities known in strategic and effective ways will inspire your staff to be the team you want and need the to be. Start today to make the focus of your business known to everyone in your company.

Bart Icles recommends getting professionals come into your business and train them in the major topics such as Strategic Management and Teamwork. Topics like this will have immediate and long term effects on your business.

How to Implement Change in the Workplace Without Sending Your Staff to a Psychiatrist

It seem that the only time people are open to change is when what they have always done no longer works for them. In other words when our needs are no longer being met by previous behaviors, thought patterns or procedures.
Your task as a CEO or manager is to show your staff that this applies to your business as well. When certain procedures and practices no longer meet the needs of your business or organization change is needed.

To facilitate this change you must show respect for both the needs of the business and employees. When your business needs for increased efficiency, profitability and productivity take priority over the needs of your staff you are bound to increase stress and create resistance to any proposed change. There must be a balance between the two.

Here are thirteen suggestions to help you bring about change without sending your entire staff to a Psychiatrist.

1. Keep your staff informed especially when the change you want to effect is going to impact them personally. Explain the why and the how of your decision to change.

2. Stress how the proposed change will benefit your employees. When people begin to perceive a forthcoming change as a definite benefit to them and when they feel a sense of ownership in the process they more eagerly participate in, welcome and adapt to any changes made. Ownership and participation are essential. People are motivated by self interest

3. When your staff perceives a specific change as something done to them without consultation and input they build resistance instead of co-operation.

4. Get your people involved in the planning and the implementation of any change.

5. If you do ask for input from your staff make sure you use some of their suggestions. If you ask for input and ignore any suggestions given you will stop the flow of participation dead in its tracks.

6. Provide adequate training and practice in any new procedures. This is required to develop a new comfort level and replace the old. It usually takes about four weeks to develop a new habit so provide adequate training with this in mind. Avoid giving a 4 hour seminar on a new procedure or technology and expecting everyone attending to be proficient after one or two sessions. Invite them to tell you when they feel comfortable and confident with the new change.

7. Have a mentoring program set up until a new comfort and confidence level is achieved. Training the trainers and having them available and easily accessible is vital. Have your mentors offer tutorials on request.

8. Never assume that you as a CEO or managers have all the wisdom and insight on any issue. Remember that wisdom is cumulative and resides within the collective. When my wisdom and insights are added to those of others we become wisdom and insight rich. This is when great things begin to happen.

9. Never rush into change. Look upon it as a process involving information, discussion and patience. When you give it time you get the results you want plus a strong commitment from your people.

10. Avoid the bandwagon. A lot of workplace change is initiated by a manager or supervisor getting excited about some new program or technology after attending a conference. They return thinking they have found the motherload. Always research any new idea. Test drive it with a few willing volunteers and then make a decision as to whether you want to commit to full implementation based on their response to the test drive.

During a speech on workplace stress to a group of office workers recently I asked what the most stressful part of their job was. The vast majority said supervisors and managers who discover new software to make their jobs easier and just when they are getting used that new technology the same supervisors discover something else to make their jobs easier. It seems to be never ending. They also claimed that in-service on the new software took them away from their jobs and caused them to fall father and farther behind.

11. People are resistant to change and must be shown that any new way of doing things is going to make their lives less stressful and more enjoyable. Never forget that people are motivated by the search for pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

12. Affirm, appreciate and praise your employees frequently especially during the period of change implementation. Appreciation and praise are powerful human motivators.

13. Foster a climate of humor in the workplace. People working in a climate of humor and employment enjoyment are more flexible and open to change.

The only change people are comfortable with this the change that jingles in their pocket.

Mike Moore is an international speaker and writer on human potential and humor. You are invited to check out his books, tapes, special reports and manuals at http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?mpstore

Is every Manager a Leader?

Top management sometimes plans extensively for strategic changes in an organization, but places very little emphasis on how to handle the transition from the old way to the new. When this happens, the new goal, system, organization or project is simply presented as a direction or decision to a work team. When the team has not been consulted, this comes as a shock. The change is announced and implementation is left to the group. When this happens to you, as the manager involved, you are put on the spot. You need to produce results but you can only do this when your team is fully behind the changes. Top management too often considers implementation of the change a footnote to their plan. Your work team may consider the same change as a crisis of the first magnitude.

Most of the difficulties manifest themselves in this transition period. This is where people get stuck. They become confused, anxious, angry, and often unproductive. Your job as manager is to move your team through change in the smoothest possible way, regardless of how well or poorly the change was introduced.

Gaining control by giving it up
A major lesson in leadership is that you can not move through change and keep previous levels of tight control over your staff. The lesson is to gain control over change by giving it up.

In effective organizations, people share basic goals and communicate clearly, directly and regularly about what they are doing. Each person goes about his or her work with greater flexibility than is common in less effective organizations. If you manage an effective organization you will benefit during change by exercising a new type of leadership. You will be less of a controller and more of a coordinator. Only you and your staff together can make things happen. You must learn how to delegate intelligently some of your control to your team.

As a manager, you have special responsibilities to maintain strong upward lines of communication. If you keep the information you receive from above to yourself, or feel you are the only one who knows how to handle change, this will not be helpful in implementing changes. Your staff will not learn, will not have the information they need to make changes and will not feel they share in the change unless you involve them by giving up some of your control.

Power and influence
Most of the major organizational changes you will experience in your career will not be initiated by you. You may be able to anticipate change or see it coming (for example, the need for new technology); however, most of the time change will be handed to you as a fait accompli. When this happens, a typical reaction, regardless of level, is an attitude of helplessness. What can I do? or Has anyone taken us into account? can lead to inactivity and frustration and workers will spend their time bemoaning the change, dreaming of the old days, or criticizing the judgment of top management.
Your task as change agent is to direct energy away from the feeling of powerlessness, and security from the past, and towards seeing the opportunities of the future. You can do this by calling attention to the ways in which your team can make a difference.

Marcia Granger MCC Leadership Coach helps those in new leadership positions create the perfect work/life balance. Find out how having the right Leadership tips and tools can change your life at http://www.1stleadershipcourse.com

Is There A Place For Humor In The Workplace

Lighten up! Okay, that may be hard advice for anyone who hears that phrase on the job, but humor in the workplace is more than possible and without getting served a pink slip either. A good laugh now and then will do wonders for you, as smiling and laughing lowers your stress levels (a godsend in the sales industry), wins you a friendly reputation, and helps your usually tense coworkers and bosses unwind (and thus not take their frustrations out on you). Humor on the job does plenty for your career, but there are some things to know before becoming the office comedian.

Keep in mind that there are some jobs where humor isn’t a good idea. There’s always exceptions to every bit of advice you’ll hear, so have the good judgment to know when your workplace shouldn’t involve humor.

One of the biggest rules with fun in the workplace is to avoid controversy when you’re joking around on the job. It’s stifling, but no one can deny that the current atmosphere of most businesses just isn’t friendly towards controversial or racy humor. Stay away from joking about politics, race and religion, for starters.

Sex is another dangerous topic, though it may be easier to make jokes about sex without offending others, so long as you’re aware of the exact definition of sexual harassment in your workplace and stay well within the lines of decency.

Never poke fun at other people within your organization, as you’re trying to win friends among the people you work with, not alienate them. If you can’t help yourself, be extremely careful with exceptions to the rules and be cautiously creative if you must have some fun with the topics you should avoid.

Poking fun at the very job you do or the industry you work in is a great way to earn some smiles from your coworkers and supervisors. While these types of workplace jokes may not be so funny at home or amongst friends, as they really don’t understand the pressures or quirks of your employment, the people who are around you in your job will certainly appreciate humor about their frustrations and will be able to laugh over situations instead of grumbling.

One consideration for workplace comedy is choosing the right time and place to joke around. Naturally, the best time for some humor is when you’re not working, but still around the people you work with, such as a coffee break, lunch, or during the commute. You can also try to be funny on the job, but when you’re working, it’s a good idea to use humor much more sparingly than you normally do. A tactful wisecrack now and then won’t hurt your career, but if you don’t show some professionalism and good taste, you’re asking for trouble.

Start off adding humor to your workplace slowly, by trying out a few small jokes that you know are safe. All you really want to do is laugh a little and have the people around you smile as well. You’ll feel more relaxed and the tension in the air will drop. You may even give your career a jump start, as people will want to be around you more often.

John Edmond owns and writes regularly for Careerbuilder Jobs where you can find more information and advice on all aspects of employment and succeeding in your career.

Open Door Policy? Open Mind Policy?

I was giving a presentation on ” the Value of Recognition” to the office workers of a large Canadian City. The City Commissioner ended his welcome to those present with these words, ” I have an open door policy so I want to encourage you to come and talk to me when you have a concern.” When he left I heard a couple of people in the front row say with a hint of sarcasm,
” Yeah sure. He has an open door policy as long as what you have to say is flattering and doesn’t rock the boat.”

We all have known leaders like this and we all have had similar reactions to them. It is quite apparent that many managers and supervisors don’t listen well and are easily threatened when a challenge or criticism is made by someone over whom they have authority.

I recall having a supervisor ask me to schedule an appointment to see him. He wanted to tap my brain. I should have been suspicious right from the start because in over 20 years he had never once asked my opinion on anything. In spite of this I prepared thoroughly and was eager to finally have the chance to share my wisdom and experience. Maybe he was turning over a new leaf.

When the interview began the supervisor fell asleep within minutes. Is that all the time it took to “Tap my mind?” Since I pride myself on being a rather dynamic and energetic speaker I was really taken aback by this. What a blow!! It was a relief to find out later that he suffered from sleeping sickness and had a difficult time staying awake at the best of times. I dismissed myself from the meeting saying that perhaps I could return when he was feeling better. ( I won’t tell you what I really wanted to say.)

Along with proclaiming to have an open door policy I think we would all benefit from people in leadership positions declaring that they had an open mind policy as well. Managers with an open mind listen attentively to the thoughts, ideas and opinions of others without becoming upset or threatened when a contrary or critical position or opinion is presented.

No one person, no matter what their position or level of expertise, has a monopoly on wisdom, insight or correct thinking. Wisdom resides in the collective and not in any one individual. The following story illustrates what I mean by this.

It seems that a rather prestigious country club was having a problem with disappearing bottles of shampoo in the mens’ shower room. No matter what the management did the bottles kept disappearing. Signs were posted and meetings were held encouraging the members to leave the shampoo bottles where they found them. Nothing worked.

One day the manager of the club was inspecting the shower room while a custodian was mopping the floor. When the manager saw that another shampoo bottle had disappeared he expressed his anger and frustration to the custodian, ” We’ve tried everything.

Nothing works. What more can we do?” The custodian stopped mopping, looked up at the manager and said, ” Why don’t you take the top off each new bottle of shampoo and throw it away? Nobody will take a shampoo bottle without a top.” When the manager asked him why he hadn’t offered this great solution before, the caretaker replied, ” Nobody ever asks my opinion. Nobody gets my opinion.”

This is the sad reality in far too many businesses and organizations. If you want a happy, healthy and more productive workplace access the wisdom and experience of the group. Cultivate a genuine “Open Door Policy” and combine it with a genuine ” Open Mind Policy” and watch great things start to happen in your workplace. By the way it works effectively in your family as well..

” Boat rockers should be considered cherished resources not pains in the neck.” M. Moore

Mike Moore is an international speaker on the role of humor in human relations. Mike’s articles and cartoons have appeared in publications throughout the world. For more on what Mike can do for your organization visit
http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?motplusarticles

Why it Pays to put More Humor in Your Workplace

1. Humor reduces stress levels and stress is the number one problem confronting employees today.

2. Laughter boosts morale while stress erodes staff morale. It is in the best interest of any business to invest in the happiness of its employees. Laughter is an effective barometer of just how happy your people are.

3. Keeping things in perspective tends to boost morale and humor helps us keep things in perspective.

4. Humor helps facilitate change. Change is inevitable and people who laugh well and often tend to be more flexible and adaptable.

5. Communication improves when humor is used appropriately. The timely use of humor can get a point across effectively and assists in the process of problem solving.

6. Laughter and humor relieve boredom and increase creative energy.

7. Humor builds confidence. When we laugh at ourselves we are less rigid and more spontaneous. We tend to bounce back more quickly when negative things happen. Humor also makes us less fearful of making mistakes and more confident about overcoming setbacks.

8. Laughter and humor promote positive relationships. When you hear a funny story your first impulse is to tell someone and share the laughter. When laughter is shared a natural bonding takes place.

9. Humor promotes happiness and joy. It’s good to be alive.

10. Quality relationships are measured by the amount of laughter present. When relationships are good, people laugh a lot. The same applies to businesses. When employees enjoy one another and laugh easily and often, we see performance improve and profits increase.

11. The humor I speak of here must never be based on laughing at someone, racism, sexism, put downs, sarcasm or ridicule. These forms of humor are destructive attempts at making one look good by making another look and feel badly. There is enough good humor to last a lifetime. Just look for it.

THEY WHO LAUGH…………LAST

Mike Moore is an international speaker on Humor in the Workplace/ Humor and Stress Management/ Humor and Staff Potential

Get a copy of his free cartoon ebook on humor and staff morale here http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?begin

Employee Motivation - The VERY Easy Way!

We all like to be acknowledged, but for thousands, even millions of employees, such recognision never happens.

From one day to the next, there are no positive messages for their contribution - yet as their boss, you can do this - and it will pay untold benefit for your business, organisation and, of course, you and your people.

Encouraged by the recognition, Sarah Lewsiton went home from work that day, full of self-belief and wonder that she had made the leap at last.

In her last job, she had always felt that she was unsuitable, in fact below par, for the place. On her very first day at this new job, it was different. On the very first day, her supervisor had recognised her in a way that no-one had done before.

At 17, she had gone into the workplace ready to conquer the world. A positive girl, she had never understood that her hard work, unstoppable enthusiasm and keen willingness might not be enough.

At the last place, where she had worked for nearly two years, they had, subtly, yet consistently, knocked that out of her, through criticising, embarrassing and slighting her.

So much so, that she had changed to be cynical, sceptical and sarcastic. In the end they had to part, badly, and it had taken a few weeks for Sarah to build the courage to go for another job.

Yet on the very first day in the new place, someone had made her day, just by saying two little words - ‘Well done’.

In life, especially in our busy workplaces, there sometimes seems to be no time to say, ‘Well done’.

Yet we all know how it feels when we are on the receiving end, just as Sarah did. It costs nothing, except a few moments and a bit of focus - but it makes the world of difference.

For Sarah Lewsiton, tomorrow would be another good day, because the culture was naturally supportive, encouraging and enlightened. And her place of work would come to benefit over the years she would stay.

She would contribute more, become a great team player, work well when delegated to and have simple, yet constructive ideas about how to take the business forward.

Two little words, ‘Well Done’ - that’s all it takes.

Making Time for Team Building Relationships

Whatever else you are doing - STOP! - whenever you engage with someone in conversation. Ignore pagers. Put off interruptions. At the very least make sure that you ‘honour’ the space that you have when you are in any sort of one-to-one with someone else.

If you have ever been in conversation with someone who was being continually interrupted, how did you feel? I guess you felt pretty devalued by their lack of focus on you, what you were saying and the issues you were discussing. In the busy lives we lead it is so difficult not to get disturbed. Here are some incidences of what you might look out for and beneath, some ideas on how you can do it differently:-

- Letting the phone take priority
- Having poor boundaries such that others disturb you whatever you would wish for
- Letting your boss do this to you
- Having an ‘always open door’ policy
- Not apologising and getting back to people if it is that urgent you must be disturbed
- Failing to keep appointments for one-to-ones
- Being distracted (checking e-mails when on the phone is typical)
- Talking too much
- Raising your own issues rather than listening fully to others

There are more!

What you can do to resolve this:-

1. Set standards where interruptees know they must not interrupt you in such circumstances

2. Fully focus on the other person

3. Find times to talk when you are less likely to be disturbed

4. Don’t start a conversation when under time pressure and scoot off before completion (conversely, learn tactics to ‘escape’ when cornered by especially verbose individuals - just do it nicely!)

5. Close your door and mean it when you want focused one-to-one meetings

6. Have calls held when you are ‘people’ busy

7. Clear your desk and switch off computer screens

8. If senior management appear unexpectedly, give them feedback to avoid recurrence. Maintain commitments to your people.

9. Follow through on commitments you make

10. Show how you value people by acknowledging the contribution they make

11. Be consistent

The time invested in making people feel valued will make for great team spirit amongst your people and show yourself as a fine leader worthy of excellent followers!

The rewards will be immeasurable over time.

How Showing a Little Appreciation Motivates Employees

There are a whole load of resources you can find on ‘motivation’. Books, tapes, internet etc. Yet it need not be so complicated…

Recently, I had the opportunity to show appreciation to someone. I was really surprised to hear back from her the following, “Are you being sarcastic?” It turned out that she had never been appreciated. No one had ever said a simple “Thank you” to her.

That’s it this week, notice good work and say thank you.

When?

When can you apply this? Well, it’s easy to apply it to everything you see good in people and their performance. But, if it’s been something you haven’t made a habit of in the past, you need to be a bit smarter than that, to avoid your people wondering what’s going on - even worse, they might end up being rather suspicious of what’s going on.

So in this case, try and pick out special efforts of each of your people at least once a week to start with. Be fair and consistent with everyone. When that embeds, try it twice a week. Be real though, saying thank-you and giving greater appreciation when it doesn’t really mean anything, will end up with a response like I heard above.

Where?

Where can you use this simple encouragement? It’s easy. Find the moment when you experience something good from your team members and share your appreciation in the moment if you can. It is so powerful to say it as it happens. And again, even if you forget at the time, don’t give up on it, being able to say, “I meant to tell you earlier, but I missed the opportunity, thank you for the way you…”, still works.

In fact this can be even more powerful - that you meant to say something, forgot, yet still found the time not to miss the opportunity show how much you really care. Strong relationship building stuff!

Back to the point - where? Anywhere that you notice.

Keep praise informal and frequent so that your people come to appreciate it when it’s due (them appreciating you eh?). So not just in an office, but out in the workplace - in the moment.

Why?

Why bother? Well now, let’s see. When was the last time someone thanked you for a great piece of work? When was the last time someone thanked you for your help today?

If you haven’t been on the receiving end, then I’m sorry. But when you have been, it’s a great warm feeling when you are recognised for the efforts you’ve made. Going home at the end of the day feeling that your contribution is valuable and valued is a very strong motivator.

Your people will feel much more inclined to come back the next day, to a job they do well and feel appreciated for.

So if you have had that experience - share it with your people and if you haven’t, try it out on others and see the benefit it creates.

Being appreciated is one of the strongest motivators I know for people - give it a go - and there’s no time like the present!

The Power of Employee Recognition

What does it take to truly motivate an employee? What breaks an employee’s resistance to showing up on time and lets them work with joy? What makes employees brag about the company that pays them?

How do successful corporations succeed in keeping loyal employees? Not by fear or intimidation. Once pressure is applied ‘to perform or produce,’ either more or better, the average employee becomes less effective.

Many employees are completely self-motivated and never need any outside impetus. They are content with fulfilling their own inward goals. Others need some inspiring, positive feedback in order to apply their most creative and heartfelt energies to a job. They need an incentive to feel they belong, to have a sense of identity with the corporation they work for. The desire for recognition resides in all of us and having this need acknowledged is an important part of one’s work life.

Although an employee is an individual and works as an individual, there is always a need to be aware that the employee is also a part of the whole group, the total corporation, and that each individual is important. When the corporation treats the employees as someone important, the employees will also feel the corporation is important and will feel proud to be a part of its success and growth.

The secret of employee performance comes from the awareness by management or peers that a person is doing a great job and then outwardly recognizing that performance. One proven technique is giving corporate awards that recognize the unique contribution that an employee provides. To be powerful, this award needs to be of a lasting nature and something that others will be able to see and recognize. A sincere compliment is always welcome, but material objects such as rings make the difference in employee loyalty. The inspiration received from a corporate gift can transform an entire department. Motivation to do an even better job enlivens the atmosphere.

Employees aren’t usually going to blatantly ask for recognition. Actually, when singled out for a special award they will appear shy and mutter something about not really deserving it. However, inside they are glowing and are probably having a hard time holding back tears of appreciation — making acceptance speeches isn’t part of one’s everyday activity in ordinary corporate life. When an employee receives a reward in the form of a pay raise, the reaction is usually one of relief. “Whew! I actually got it!” When one receives a Safety Award Ring or a Company Ring with a special inscription on it, awkwardness can be expected. The implication, silently stated, is, “You are unique and special! We truly appreciate you.” Acceptance of this appreciation is often best expressed with eyes meeting in trust and a nod of the head.

The power represented by an award of this type goes beyond the dollar value in a corporation. Without loyal, fantastic employees a corporation doesn’t exist. Those who are the life blood of the corporation truly deserve all the awards and recognition that are bestowed upon them.

Dave Cohen founded Onera Company Rings in 1990 to create employee service recognition incentive awards jewelry that can be worn with pride. Dave has been in the jewelry business 25 years.

Decision Making Processes - Doing the Best You Can

Ever been frustrated by someone who made a decision that seemed to be the wrong decision?

Of course you have - we all have.

Have you ever made a decision that was deemed to be the ‘wrong’ decision?

You got it - we’ve all done this.

Did you make that wrong decision intentionally; wilfully; on purpose?

Of course not.

In fact, if you’re anything like me, maybe you wrangled over which way to go.

Exactly which was the best decision.

Perhaps not for you, but perhaps for the circumstances that you found yourself in (maybe the wrong reason, but hey, who’s for a peaceful life - there is a whole other thing here about going with your heart etc., but that’s for another piece).

You made a considered decision, for the best reasons and, frankly you did your best, didn’t you?

And maybe you still were deemed to get it ‘wrong’. Maybe you got yourself chewed off too.

I wonder how you felt when after all your deliberations and doing your best - you still got it wrong.

Pretty frustrated eh?

Let’s swing it around 180o.

If one of the people you manage makes, in your eyes anyhow, a ‘wrong’ decision, how will you handle that?

This is important, because it is fundamental in how you build relationships with every one of your people.

The way you respond to their ‘best effort’, a decision they have made to the best of their ability, in that moment, their very best effort, is crucial to what you get from that person.

If it is a pattern, it is vital to the whole relationship with everyone in your team (and if it happens with one, it is probably a pattern!).

Thinking about how you handle ‘incorrect’ decisions in your people is worth time and consideration - careful consideration.

Getting it right hugely accelerates the trust they place in you.

Performance results from motivated and on-side people, people who trust you - even when their best efforts didn’t quite go to plan - of course, your plan.

How to Make a Difference Every Day

Every day, everyone can make the world a better place. It’s simple; it’s quick and it is free.

All it requires is a recipe containing you (yes, that’s YOU!), awareness and a natural disposition to be brave enough, to change the day of everyone you come into contact with in a positive way.

Appreciating what people do for you, whenever you come into contact with them is the first step.

It may not sound much, but saying a sincere ‘Thank You’ means much to many people - sadly, it is not what they experience normally.

This can be a ‘Thank You’ to someone who holds a door open for you, or maybe to the guy you buy your morning paper from. It can be to an employee who you manage, for something, for goodness sakes, for anything they did well - in the moment, sincerely.

The next step, when it is comfortable for you, is to explain what it was they did that was great.

So, as an example, it could be to an employee who you manage,

‘Thank you for that piece of work, your effort has made such a difference to it’.

It could be a ‘Well done’ as you stand in front of a display of merchandise…

‘What I especially like about it, is how you made such a great impact with the cornflakes display’

Outside your place of work, you buy a sandwich,

‘Thank you - can I just say what a great job you did putting that together for me; I truly appreciate it’.

Sharing positive observations that people might not see in themselves, because there is not enough positive feedback in the world creates positivity.

You can make a difference to literally dozens of people every day and makes their lives brighter.

And how do you think they will respond to the next customer; and the next.

Research shows that they will be buzzing for the next 5 interactions with others. Maybe they will ‘Pay it Forward’ as in the film. (Not seen it? Do!).

This is about small things that you can do every day.

And if you can’t do it consistently? Just do it sometimes - that is much, much better than never at all.

You may never know the positive difference you have made to someone you spend a little time, a little courtesy with - but you will have to live with that delicious ‘not knowing’!

Tip? Set yourself a target of doing this five times a day - and if you do, give yourself a pat on the back!

This works in business and the real (:-)) world too!

Looking for Creative Gift Ideas for Staff?

Gone are the days when employee incentives are confined to department store gift vouchers and cash bonuses. In order for companies to attract and attain the best staff companies are now becoming more and more creative in how they reward and incentivise their staff. Now human resource departments are presented with a wide range of options when making decisions on innovative incentives.

In fact, their bestselling options include dive holidays, trial instruction flight lessons, pamper-me packages as well as a helicopter twilight dinner. Indeed, these incentives will truly work their way to thrill employees and provide them with the rewards that they truly deserve! The great thing about giving activities as a way reward staff is that it gives them an opportunity to experience something that they may not ordinarily do or buy.

If you are thinking that these activities may be too costly or are only single-person experiences, think again! Many of these activities can start from as low as a $50, and they are just as fancy as higher priced incentives. Some examples of these would include body massages, coffee training courses or even rollerblading classes, all of which are relaxing and fun!

Alternatively, innovative activities for groups are also a great and fun way to build strong work relationships and foster greater team work amongst staff. After all you tend to spend a third of your day stuck in an office together, why not do something fun outside of office hours and have something exciting to talk about together. This naturally creates are much more harmonious workplace that is more conducive to greater productivity which is great for staff and the company concerned. For teambuilding, relaxing as well as some healthy intra-organization competition, activities such as corporate well-being programs, flying trapeze or go-kart mini grand prix, all of which will do nicely to help boost employee morale.

Extreme or high adrenalin sports are also very popular will would make great and attractive packages for the younger staff. Amongst these are shark dives, abseiling, AUSCAR driving courses, acrobatic air-show display flights and even jet-fighter flights. All of these are just great ideas and will definitely work their magic in encouraging employees to attain their goals.

At the end of the day staff want to know that they are not missing out on the finer things in life and feel as though their workplace is contributing to their work life balance. After all isn’t life all about the experiences we do and share together. Why not make your workplace a place where experiences are shared.

Terence Young - For more great gift ideas visit http://www.surpriseinabox.com. Where every gift is an experience.

Hybrid Mentoring Solution to Nursing Shortage

A productive nurse mentoring program requires time, effort, and commitment - resources no registered nurse or healthcare-related organization can afford to waste these days. With web-based mentoring software, it cuts attrition in half in less than six months and streamlines the administration of nursing mentorship in direct care, education, administrative and research work environments.

Mentoring new nurses helps acclimate them to their new job roles and corporate environment. It boosts JCAHO compliance scores, nursing recruitment, nurse retention, staff nursing development, and ultimately, the quality of patient care. Also, a mentoring nursing program has a potential expense reduction of $50,000 per retained nurse (based on average turnover costs) according to a 1999 Nursing Economics financial implications analysis. In addition, a nurse mentoring program is an important criterion to attain Magnet Hospital status. Unfortunately, with the current nursing shortage, there aren’t enough nurses to do patient care, let alone mentoring.

A successful mentoring program has many positive benefits and outcomes. In spite of that, it has its pitfalls. A blend of traditional face-to-face mentoring and eMentoring addresses two major issues found in mentoring situations - time constraints and distance constraints. This “hybrid” Mentoring in Healthcare Management System is “a personalized, on-demand collaborative mentoring experience that uses web-enabled technology and integrated knowledge sharing and management to quickly build knowledge, nursing skills, and capability to optimize human performance, anytime, anywhere, while providing the ability to track and measure results”. Mentoring partners should use HIPAA compliant collaboration tools, such as e-mail, video conferencing, Instant Messenger and file transfer to discuss patient information, maintain patient confidentiality, and to carry out aspects of mentoring.

Hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, associations, schools and other healthcare-related organizations need customized mentoring solutions precisely tailored to their requirements. This solution would be used enterprise-wide or for a small group to automate the process of filling out forms, templates, and reports typically used to coordinate time-consuming and antiquated paper-based nursing mentoring programs. With a web-based system, after a nurse mentor or nurse preceptor completes a profile, a sophisticated matching algorithm will find a perfect match based upon such factors as skills, personality, personal information, and career background. The mentee or preceptee should choose his or her own nursing mentor or nursing preceptorship.

Best-practice mentoring guidelines need to be based on nursing research gleaned from the most respected nursing journals and nursing articles. Also, nursing staff development and training to manage and close gaps in organizational knowledge, nursing competency, and skills across an enterprise needs to be provided. Ideally, mentoring partners would be able to pick and choose from thousands of web-based staff training courses such as “JCAHO regulations”, “JCAHO inspection”, and other nursing contact hours.

A web-based platform needs to be easily adaptable and would also help administer a nursing preceptor program as well as a coaching, learnership, externship, internship, apprenticeship, residency, diversity, and tutoring program for nurses, new nurse graduates, nursing students, physicians, medical students, residents, pre-med students, and allied health professionals.

With a hosted, pay-as-you-go, and collaborative mentoring software solution, the system would need to be delivered on-demand from secure servers without any hardware, infrastructure or IT people necessary.

Tony Colon, RN-C is a Mentoring in Healthcare Specialist. Find out how a customized, web-assisted mentoring program in your organization boosts recruitment, development, retention, and patient care at www.HealthcareMentoring.com

Learn How To Interview Applicants

So you are hiring new employees and have narrowed your stack of resumes to the 10 or so top candidates, now it’s time to start setting up interviews. If you dread this portion of the process, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are some ways to put both yourself and the candidates at ease - and make sure you get all the information you need to make a smart decision. Start by preparing a list of basic interview questions in advance. While you won’t read off this list like a robot, having it in front of you will ensure you cover all the bases and also make sure you ask all the candidates the same questions.

The initial few moments of an interview are the most crucial. As you meet the candidate and shake his or her hand, you will gain a strong impression of his or her poise, confidence and enthusiasm (or lack thereof). Qualities to look for include good communication skills, a neat and clean appearance, and a friendly and enthusiastic manner.

Put the interviewee at ease with a bit of small talk on neutral topics. A good way to break the ice is by explaining the job and describing the company - its business, history and future plans. Then move on to the heart of the interview. You will want to ask about several general areas, such as related experience, skills, educational training or background, and unrelated jobs. Open each area with a general, open-ended question, such as “Tell me about your last job.” Avoid questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” or that prompt obvious responses, such as “Are you detail-oriented?” Instead ask questions that force the candidate to go into detail. The best questions are follow-up questions such as “How did that situation come about?” or “Why did you do that?” These queries force applicants to abandon preplanned responses and dig deeper.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

-If you could design the perfect job for yourself, what would you do? Why?
-What kind of supervisor gets the best work out of you?
-How would you describe your current supervisor?
-How do you structure your time?
-What are three things you like about your current job?
-What were your three biggest accomplishments in your last job? In your career?
-What can you do for our company that no one else can?
-What are your biggest strengths/weaknesses?
-How far do you think you can go in this company? Why?
-What do you expect to be doing in five years?
-What interests you most about this company? This position?
-Describe three situations in which your work was criticized.
-Have you hired people before? If So, what did you look for?

Your candidate’s responses will give you a window into his or her knowledge, attitude and sense of humor. Watch for signs of “sour grapes” about former employers. Also be alert for areas people seem reluctant to talk about. Probe a little deeper without sounding judgmental.

Pay attention to the candidate’s nonverbal cues, too. Does she seem alert and interested, or does she slouch and yawn? Are his clothes wrinkled and stained, or clean and neat? A person who can’t make an effort for the interview certainly won’t make one on the job if hired.

Finally, leave time at the end of the interview for the applicant to ask questions - and pay attention to what he or she asks. This is the time when applicants can really show they have done their homework and researched your company, or rather, that all they care about is what they can get out of the job. Obviously, there is a big difference between the one who says, “I notice that your biggest competitor’s sales have doubled since launching their Web site in January. Do you have any plans to develop a Web site of your own?” and the person who asks, “How long is the lunch break?” Also, candidates who can’t come up with even one question may be demonstrating that they can’t think on their feet.

End the interview by letting the candidate know what to expect next. How much longer will you be interviewing? When can they expect to hear from you? You are dealing with other people’s livelihoods, so the week that you take to finish your interviews can seem like an eternity to them. Show some consideration by keeping them informed. During the interview, jot down notes (without being obvious about it). After the interview, allow five or 10 minutes to write down the applicant’s outstanding qualities and evaluate his or her personality and skills against your job description and specifications.

Jeff Casmer is an internet marketing consultant with career sales over $25,000,000. His “Top Ranked” Earn Money at Home Directory gives you all the information you need to start and prosper with your own Internet Home Based Business.

Employment Agencies On The Rise

As more and more people are being laid off and replaced by technology, more and more people are finding themselves unemployed. It is sometimes difficult to find a new job in today’s competitive job market. Every year thousands of people are turning to employment agencies as a way to aid them in their job search. Employment agencies specialize in placing individuals with companies that would be a good fit. These agencies have access to thousands of companies that are looking for employees. By signing up with several different employment agencies you are sure to increase your chance of finding the best job available for you.

Employment in UK is becoming harder and more difficult to find every year as more people are graduating from universities and expanding the talent pool. Employment agencies are always looking to add new companies to recruit for, and new employees to place within these companies. While employment in UK continues to become more competitive, employment agencies such as Adecco, which is very popular in the United States, continue to garner more business every year.

A big plus of employment agencies is that they work for you. They do not get paid by their clients, unless they place you with them. This makes the agency more urgent to get you a job, because if they do not, they may be joining the unemployment ranks.

Like employment agencies in the United States, employment agencies in UK generally do not charge the employee for searching a job out for them. Generally speaking employment agencies find you work cost free! They collect all of their fees from their clients. But nothing is that easy, is it?

Employment agencies also do a good job of screening job seekers. They make their money by placing quality employees with their clients, and relying on repeat business. Therefore agencies must screen applicants to ensure that they will provide quality work. Screening may consist of checking into the applicant’s background, as well as testing at their office. Both language and math may be tested. For the majority of applicant these tests are no problem at all. Employment agencies realize this, but must administer these tests as to cover themselves if something does not work out with their client.

Employment in UK is growing every year, which is a positive sign for job seekers. The growth of the technology sector has opened up jobs for many new graduates, as well as experienced professionals.

Though more jobs are becoming available, competition is also heating up! Employment agencies realize this and are prospecting on a daily basis looking to add new clients, and new applicants to place into jobs. The jobs available do come in thick and fast so new clients will keep all those positions within those new jobs filled.

If you are having a hard time finding a job the traditional way, such as classified ads or networking, check out your local employment agency. They should be able to match you up with a job that fits your needs and skills. What do you have to lose?

Kevin Dark is an online marketer. His upcoming project on employment agencies directory is now available.

Why Does Work Not Get Done?

There are perhaps as many reasons why work does not get done as there are unfinished tasks laying around.

But lets talk about two major reasons and I guarantee you if and when you fix them, life starts getting easier because work is getting done. By the way, one always assumes “work getting done” means that the particular work done actually bring about a product, which is really needed and can be valued by someone else as useful. And only then will another be willing to pay for it or willing to give something in exchange.

For instance, doing all kinds of work to be organized might well be lots of man-hours wasted for nothing. I am not saying that one should not be organized, one must in fact be organized, but being organized for the purpose of being organized means little or nothing. It very often means only “being busy”!!

So, every task done must have a clear product, which clearly contributes to the end product the company wants to produce. There is much more about this to be said but I hope that the few words will give you enough of an idea so that you maybe take a few moments and look over all action you and your staff do and see what actions simply might be eliminated because they simply do not contribute enough to the end result.

Actions, which do not bring enough return, can and usually do cost you, the practitioner, more money than all the bad investments you ever made.

Work not getting done, even in a small business, over a lifetime means millions of dollars lost. Millions of dollars, which could be used for better servicing patients, even more expansion of your practice and that expansion of course could buy many nice things for you and your family, including having time off!!

The two reasons why work is not getting done are:

1) Not enough people to do the job.
2) Wrongly given orders by executives. (Here we mean that even the smartest person in the world could not execute the orders.)

Number One - Not enough people:

Not enough people to do the job have everything to do with the under-estimation of what it takes to do a certain task. Most bosses as well as workers grossly underestimate the time it takes to perform an action. This underestimation does not even put into calculation the fact that there are always other unexpected tasks that turn up. Unexpected and uncalculated jobs like more work during tax season, some computer break down, an employee becoming sick or otherwise just not having a great day, and I am sure you could have nightmares if you think of all the unexpected and uncalculated tasks which just happened to appear.

Don’t ever think that “Now all the unexpected tasks are done!!” They never will be done and will ALWAYS continue to pop up!!

You see, some management people try to tell you that IF YOU PLAN WELL this will not happen. First of all that is BULL and second of all, if it would be possible, you still would have to have someone doing the task and it still would be true that you would have to have more people do the job!!

Be honest with yourself and look at it - it is not only your employees who do not get the job done in the time you think they should, YOU, the boss, is just as guilty of it. Go ahead, be honest with yourself - the above will make much more sense and will open the gates to getting the jobs on hand done and thus make money hands over fist. At this moment you probably think that it is impossible to have more people because you already cannot make payroll. I understand but at this juncture you have not much choice than trusting me. Most of the tasks not getting done are usually tasks that have to do with the creating of new patients and selling them, treating their needs.

Number Two - Wrongly given orders by executives:

This is equally as devastating as not having enough staff. Probably even more so, since I, after all, know lots of doctors and business people who have plenty of personnel and still get nothing done! Sure, it is easy to blame the workers, and no doubt, I know from personally having been in charge of up to 1000 workers that some employees definitely must go. Some employees are simply beyond repair and are down right lazy, or more correctly, are unwilling. But more often than that, it is the UN-DOABLE ORDERS from executives, which snarl the whole production progress up.

You see, I am a bit lazy too which is why I have learned how to give correct orders which can be executed so I don’t have to do it all myself!

I have written a long article with some real life examples for Doctors called “How to Get the Job Done” which you can later read but for now lets just get to the basics.

Most orders that an executive gives are actually not executable because the order talks about something, which means something different to different people. Like it or not, “clean the room” means something very different to a 12 year old than to a meticulous housekeeper!

“Organize the office” - means what? To me personally, it would maybe mean to get everyone on the phones and call clients and prospects and get them in the office so we can enlighten them about our service. To you it might mean clean the office, put the boxes away, etc. To your office manager it might mean to get into the computer to clean up the misspellings in the patients’ records and tell the rest of the workers to be friendlier to patients as well as work harder. (”Being friendly and work harder” of course would be another set of undoable orders)

Can you see that?

What is friendly to one is not necessarily friendly to someone else. Even “file the patients charts” obviously needs more explanation. This above example may jog your memory so you can look over all the times you or your executives gave one of those more or less undoable orders.

Now, remember to look and search for some more concrete examples but please to not forget, or underestimate the effort it will take to start giving DOABLE ORDERS!

Look doctor, you worked hard on getting yourself so well educated and it took quite some effort. What would you think if your son or daughter would tell you that going to school and putting in some sweat and enduring some inconveniences is not worth it and he or she rather start washing dishes in some restaurant or doing filing work in some office because it makes immediate money and is not so demanding on their social life!

What would you think or do?

You doctors, being well-educated and having paid some dues and having all the pressures in life, are sometimes very much inclined to NOT LEARN NEW THINGS because they involve too much time, sweat and inconvenience. But you will, pay the price (as your children would) in the form of unnecessary hardship for many years to come. You know that success would be almost impossible!

Now that you have read this issue I can honestly say that any “financial hardship” or having to work hard without the appropriate rewards which you may encounter in the future, WILL BE SELF-IMPOSED!

You don’t have to do all the work yourself - in fact you can’t. But you also must learn what all the great leaders somehow know or have learned: give do-able orders. It’s easer done than said! Yes you heard me right - it is easier done than said.

Try it - or better, just DO it and love it!!

Read the issue “How to Get the Job Done” in our Mass Marketing Program.

Contained in this issue are examples only, and only some very few examples - you must work daily on breaking your orders in series of doable steps ensuring the results you envision. It is sort like an illness. You don’t say get the fever down. So why would you say “get collection up”? No, you say “do test 1, do test 2, do test 3″. Then you say: “Give that medicine and do that and that”.

OK, have fun giving orders, which can be executed, but most importantly start making money because work is getting done.

Helmut Flasch is a marketing consultant who uses Un-advertising rather than the traditional advertising methods. Find out more information about his marketing strategy at Un-Advertising Info.

Advantages of a Hybrid eMentoring System & eLearning Platform

To make a blended eMentoring & eLearning initiative a reality, a healthcare organization would need a web-based, total communication solution which would allow individuals to collaborate anywhere and anytime for improved productivity. Specific collaboration tools would include: Email, Instant Messaging, Video Conferencing, Desktop Sharing, Co-browsing, File Sharing, Internet Phone with Voicemail, Group Collaboration, Discussion Groups, Web Collaboration, and Virtual Classrooms.

In particular, one of the challenges of any new mentoring relationship is the availability of time. Traditional mentoring requires that both parties be available at the same time to meet in person. While time is always a factor in any mentoring partnership, it is not necessary for both participants to be available at the same time in a virtual mentoring relationship. Advantages include open correspondence, access to more geographically isolated regions, and efficiency of communication.

Many healthcare professionals feel that there isn

A Four Step Process to Easily Reduce Employee Turnover

Would you like to reduce employee turnover? Who wouldn’t? Do an internet search of “reduce employee turnover” and you will get lots of technical and complicated advice. Actually reducing turnover is a lot simpler than what many of the articles prescribe. The solution is simple, place the right people in the right job, recognize their performance, reward them occasionally, and treat them with respect. Yes money and benefits are important but study after study proves that they aren’t the most important factors in employee retention.

So why do companies not focus on this issue? There are lots of reasons I hear but frankly they all amount to weak excuses. Take a look at the companies in any industry and you will find a number with high turnover and some with low turnover. The difference is caused by just subtle, but very effective, differences in their hiring and retention strategies. Of course the first step is to have a strategy! Here is a simple four step process to get your employee turnover lower.

First, use a validated and legal pre employment test to screen out people with a poor work ethic and bad attitude that make it through normal hiring processes. They typically take about 20 minutes and they reveal more about that candidate then you will ever get in an interview, job app or background check. Average cost $20. Let someone else hire the riff raff.

Second, use a job fit assessment to match the right people to the right job. A person may interview well, have the right education and background, but doesn’t mean they fit the job. Find out if they have the same profile as your top performers. To do this is very simple with the employee assessment tools available. They are easy to use and understand, and will help you determine if the candidate fits the job. Average time is about 30 minutes with a cost under $100.

Third, do employee evaluations regularly. People need feedback, good or bad. How can we expect change if we don’t communicate? Use a simple online system, so administration is a snap and there are no excuses for not getting them done. Remember, people leave supervisors, not companies. They take about an hour to prepare and about the same to present, with a cost of about $25.

Finally, implement an employee recognition program. Reward employees with gifts on service anniversaries or to recognize significant achievements. People need this recognition and, once again, there are all sorts of online employee recognition programs that are easy to implement. You control the budget but a nice $25 gift says a lot and only takes a few minutes to do. Most importantly, say thank you. It’s free and it goes a long way to making people feel happy and appreciated.

So for a modest investment and very little time, you can reduce employee turnover significantly. That will give you a substantial return, given the high cost of turnover. If you are a company suffering from high turnover, take a look at these four easy steps and get on the road to improvement.

For information on the solutions to handle this issue, contact Robert A. Cameron. He helps employers improve the effectiveness of employee selection, hiring and development. They can be reached at 954-385-8701 or visit their website at http://www.racameron.com

How To Select Appropriate Business Gifts

Business gifts are a good way to build goodwill toward the company. An appropriate gift creates a professional image for the company and leaves a positive and long-lasting impression of the company. They are an ideal way to show appreciation for the association of the clients and strengthen the relationship between the company and its associates. THey help the company to motivate and retain the employees.

An appropriate one is memorable. Appropriateness of the gift depends upon the purpose, the cost, and the benefits supplied by the recipient. While selecting it, focus should be more on the quality rather than quantity.

It is important to consider the etiquette and policies of the company during the selection. Some companies have limitations and guidelines concerning them. Learn these limitations and guidelines from the companies’ personnel departments and follow them. For example, it should not exceed the restricted monetary value. In some situations, companies do not exchange or accept gifts.

Ideas
There are many choices. However, selecting an appropriate one can be a challenging job. Always look for unique items. It should be distinctive in nature.

Personal accessories, mementos, mugs, fridge magnets, journals, pens, calendars, wall clocks and business card holders with the company’s logo are good options for business gifts. A company logo on such items promotes the firm. The personal accessories should not be too intimate. For example, do not give jewelry to any client or employee. Don’t choose the personal gifts until the clients’ taste is known.

A basket is also a good option. There are a wide variety of baskets. Savory food baskets, fruit baskets, cigar baskets, wine baskets, and flowers are some of the examples. Vacation packages are a welcome release from the rigors of the work environment and can be an incentive to be a top performer.

Occasions
Business gifts are generally distributed on special occasions. For example, always present a gift to a person, who is retiring from service. Silverware is a good option as a gift item in this case. In order to encourage a colleague or immediate boss’s promotion present a gift as a wish for good luck. At a time of extra perk benefits or pay hikes, employees can use gifts to honor the employers.

Sometimes companies distribute them during events and meetings to thank their associates. Employees receive them for their good performance and contribution towards the company. Companies can give leather wallets, bags, briefcases, caps or conference pads to motivate their executives, shareholders or investors.

An innappropriate gift will do more harm than good. Be sure to follow protocol whenever engaging in this activity. Do not give away gifts without a proper reason behind it.

David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes afree weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

The Keys To Effective Employee Training

Businesses have begun to realize the importance and the benefits of employee training and development. When employees are trained properly and assessed periodically, a business definitely improves. Training gets the employees up to date on the latest techniques used and helps the business achieve customer satisfaction and retention. They are better equipped to deal with problems and reduce outsourcing or calling specialists to deal with certain problems. Proper training is necessary for the growth of the employees as well as the business. An analysis of the company’s needs is helpful in determining what kind of training best suits your employees and getting the most out of the training process.

Some companies give a lot of importance to training and determining what the result of the training should be, such as an increase in profits, better performance of employees, reduced costs, and fewer chances of mistakes due to employee errors. They even provide new employee orientations for a period to ensure the employees become familiar with the business, its policies, its products and their duties.

Get The Most Out Of Employee Training
The key to getting the most out of employee training is to do a careful analysis of what sectors of the business need extra guidance, what kind of training to give, and what the expected end results are, such as, improved job performance. They must determine the costs involved in training employees, monitoring the personnel periodically to see if they have implemented any changes due to the training and if there is an improvement in the business.

They must have a need for the training as well as opt for training that will be best suited to meet their needs. The cost of the training should be reasonable and not too heavy on the pocket book. Training employees is essential, as it will equip them to do their duties efficiently and improve business significantly. Businesses have realized that employee training is vital for the efficient functioning of the business and that it presents a good return on investments.

Planning carefully and getting the most out of employee training will greatly increase job satisfaction, morale, motivation and efficiency, resulting in financial gain and reducing employee turn over. Training equips new employees with the capacity to adapt to new technologies and methods and to help implement new strategies and products confidently and successfully.

Getting the most out of employee training is done by understanding which areas need training, what kind of training suits your needs, how much you are willing to spend, how you monitor employees, how you assess their performance and how the employees use their training to improve business significantly.

Additional Help
There are firms that offer products and services to help new entrepreneurs run a business smoothly. This includes software geared toward educating employees in business strategies and the overall management of companies.

David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

Insure Your Business Against Crimes By Employees With Employee Dishonesty Coverage

As a small business owner, you are probably concerned about crime by employees and its fallout on your business. To safeguard against any losses arising out of crime by employees, insurance companies offer employee dishonesty coverage. This insurance covers loss of money, bonds, or property.

It is meant to cover your business against criminal acts of any kind committed by your employees. It could be theft for the employee’s financial gain, or willful damage to your property with any motive.

1.Theft
When employees steal money, equipment, property of any kind, or securities like passwords or bonds, you can suffer huge financial losses. The coverage safeguards you from such loss.

2.Damage to Property
Willful damage to property by an employee out of rage, revenge, or any other motive can also cripple your business. It covers this kind of damage too.

Drawbacks
One of the main drawbacks is that the burden of proof lies with the owner. Insurance companies pay for losses only if the owner can conclusively prove that the loss was due to theft by employees. It does not cover the following list of things.

1.Unexplained disappearance of Property.

2.Loss of employees’ property.

3.Damage that has been covered by another insurance policy.

Basics
It is meant to protect your business against any crime committed by employees. Some of the basic facts about employee dishonesty coverage are discussed below.

1.It offers blanket coverage for your business against theft by employees. All employees are covered under this policy.

2.The insurance limit is calculated on the basis of occurrences. If more than one employee is involved in a single instance of theft, the payout will be for a single occurrence.

3.The knowledge and discovery period of the crime covers the time elapsed between the theft and its discovery by a senior official.

4.The loss limit of liability is a one-time payment with no yearly aggregate.

Recognize The Threat
Employee theft is a real threat to businesses. Most insurance policies do not cover this kind of damage to business or property. It is a good idea to opt for employee dishonesty coverage. Don’t just pass it off as a hypothetical situation. If you have employees for any length of time, regardless of how well you screen them, the chances are some of them will end up stealing from you at some point in time. Be prepared for this occurence.

Additional Help
If you have any queries regarding the insurance coverage you should opt for, you can approach a small business consultant or insurance agent to help you choose the right employee dishonesty coverage for you. After all, you never know when a disgruntled employee may damage your property, or embezzle funds from your account.

David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com