Do I Really Want To Work Here? What Are You Doing To Keep Me Engaged?

Many of us have experienced that moment - that moment when the excitement of a new job or new role begins to wane and we feel less than enthusiastic about going to work every day – the engagement decline.

When you get that “Ugh, I so don’t want to come to work today…” feeling, often the catalyst can occur for many different reasons.  It could be changes within the organization, or the impact of outside environmental factors. Perhaps a lack of feeling challenged due to poor skills to role match, leadership changes or managerial style played a part, or maybe a technology or cultural change was the catalyst. Regardless, employee engagement has begun to decline.

“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.”
~ Anne M. Mulcahy, former CEO of Xerox

So – what can be done about the decline in engagement before it gets worse?

Building a successful business requires more than just saying you value employee engagement – it requires creating a culture of high engagement. If you want people to be engaged they need to feel valued, heard, and appreciated. They need to see where they fit into the organization, feel that what they are doing is making an impact to overall organizational performance, and feel as though the opportunity exists for ongoing learning and development. Simply put – they need to enjoy coming to work every day (ok, almost every day) and be inspired to give 100%.

So how do you prevent that moment when the excitement begins to disappear - the engagement decline – and show those working within (and with) your organization that you do in fact have a culture of high engagement?

High level – we’ll offer a few qualities that may trigger an engagement decline and a few that help create cultures of high engagement.

Low Engagement	High Engagement
Unclear performance goals and expectations	Clear performance goals and expectations
Non merit based pay and promotion	Merit based pay and promotion
Lack of leadership interest in employees	Leadership takes interest in employees
Minimal opportunities for learning and development	Ongoing opportunities for learning and development
Un-collaborative environment	Collaborative environment
Not all people feel equal and valued	All people feel equal and valued
Poor communication and feedback(voices not heard)	Frequent feedback and open communication (voices heard)
No recognition for performance	Recognition for performance
Lack of alignment of values and culture	Alignment of values and culture
Minimal interest in customer satisfaction	Concerned with customer satisfaction

Organizations are quickly recognizing that having a strong and committed workforce is a key success factor for creating a high-performing organization. Yet many are still uncertain about where to start designing employee engagement and recognition programs.

So how do you create an organization of high engagement?

For starters, here’s a thought – ASK YOUR PEOPLE! Many organizations have not actually elicited employee feedback regarding these types of programs. What do your people think – have you surveyed the workforce on their thoughts? Successful engagement and recognition programs require employee input. If you’re a leader, have you asked your employees what motivates them? If you’re an employee, has leadership in your organization asked what motivates you? If yes, has the organization taken your feedback and turned it into actions?

Short answer – use the 3 steps below to develop and excel in the “High Engagement” qualities listed above.

• Ask your employees what they want, listen, and take action. What types of knowledge and learning opportunities can help them better perform their jobs? What types of knowledge and learning opportunities make them feel challenged as individuals?  Why are the highly engaged so engaged? Why are the low engaged not more engaged? What would make them more engaged? Collect the data and act on it. Offer options based on employee input. One of the quickest ways to increase performance is to increase engagement. One of the quickest ways to increase engagement (or at least so we’ve found) is to make sure your employees feel heard, valued, and appreciated.

• Provide opportunities for learning and development. Brown bag lunch and learns, webinars – take advantage of various formats available for employees to share knowledge and interests with others who may benefit– to challenge others and feel challenged. Providing employees the opportunity to transfer knowledge increases an employee’s communication skills. This is an easy way to provide recognition, which contributes to making employees feel valued and heard, increasing engagement.

• Hire people who fit your culture and share your organizational values. When hiring people don’t just hire based on skills and experience. Hire also based on cultural fit. All people are different, some may excel in certain cultures and some may not. If you’re a creative entrepreneurial organization that doesn’t have an overly rigid structure, then hire people who thrive on that type of environment, not people who thrive in a more overly structured environment. Values alignment is imperative. Hire people who share the values of your organization not those who may be in conflict with them. Many tools and technologies are available to help in the assessment of cultural fit of new hires.  Once you hire people, who are skills and cultural fit, communicate early and often. Let people know where they fit into the organization, and make sure they understand how and what they are doing is making an impact to overall organizational performance.

• Understand your needs and admit you don’t know what you don’t know. If specific learning and development or organizational changes are requested by employees, and are of value to the organization and customers, and you don’t have the capability in house to deliver then look outside. Partner with other organizations or outside resources on learning and development, organizational communication and change, and leadership development and coaching offerings (not to toot our horn, though c’mon it is our blog, Tolero Solutions can help with designing learning and development programs and delivering employee engagement recognition strategies – contact us for more info)

“You shouldn’t be looking for people slipping up, you should be looking for all the good things people do and praising those.”
~ Richard Branson, founder of Virgin

Here’s hoping that most of you desire to have a culture of high engagement –and strive to create and maintain an organization where people really want to work!  What triggers your engagement decline feelings? What do you think are the impacts, if any, of not focusing on engagement and retention?

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions - an Organizational Improvement & Strategy firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

 

Bullies on the Bus – Bullies in the Boardroom!

I’m sure you’ve seen it in the news, or at least heard about it - the bullied bus monitor. A bus monitor, 68 year old Karen Klein, was bombarded with a stream of profanity, insults, jeers and physical ridicule by multiple middle school kids as she rode the bus. I’ll spare the specifics as to the obscenely rude and hurtful remarks uttered by these kids – one, because it really angers me personally and professionally, and two, because you can find what they said in the cell phone video and in various news stories.

Though as an organization development practitioner and trained behavioral scientist, and someone who works with organizations and the people in them – this story did get me thinking, both about today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders. You see they are one in the same - and that’s a bit concerning to me. Bullies on the bus can become bullies in the boardroom.

"The serial bully, who in my estimation accounts for about one person in thirty in society, is the single most important threat to the effectiveness of organisations, the profitability of industry, the performance of the economy, and the prosperity of society."

- Tim Field

Now, I’m not saying all kids are bullies, and I’m not saying all kids will grow up to be leaders (sorry to all those parents out there giving gold stars for every little thing, but c’mon, seriously). However, I am saying that as these bully kids grow up, and begin to enter into our larger and diversified global business world, they’re going to have to learn some tolerance, respect, and understanding for others– not to mention some self awareness - particularly those who want to become quality leaders!

So a bit of advice on why not to be a bully leader:

• People may do what you want if you bully them, they may be intimidated by you, though they will most likely never respect you. Without mutual respect, you usually can’t have an honest and trusting relationship – the type that is really productive both personally and professionally.

• Bullied people are usually not happy people. Unhappy people are usually not engaged people. Lower employee morale and lower employee engagement contribute to lower customer satisfaction and lower customer satisfaction contributes to decline in profits.

• Reputation is important for a quality leader. If you have a reputation for being a hardnosed, detailed orientated, assertive go-getter who still listens to others ideas and values and recognizes a job well done, that’s not necessarily a bad reputation. Actually,  some people thrive under that type of leadership. However, if you have a reputation for being a self serving, obnoxious, intolerant, tyrannical leader then most likely your bad reputation will precede you. If you have a bad reputation, good luck attracting the best and brightest talent to want to follow you and help you succeed.

Now, we all know bullies exist in the workplace, some may have been bullies on the bus and some may have become bullies as they escalated in their careers. Regardless, I’m sure you’ve most likely encountered one or more in your professional career.

So how do you deal with a workplace bully?

You deal with a workplace bully in much the same way you deal with anyone else who pushes your hot buttons – and for those details, I’ll direct you to our previous article: Are Your Buttons Getting Pushed? 3 Tips On What You Can Do.

 

Though in a nutshell:

• Breathe: Yes, I know we all do that anyway, but I mean really breathe. Just stop and take a few of those yoga style deep breathes.

• Communication: I know you’re probably thinking – well of course I communicate. Yes, we all do, both verbally and non- verbally. We also all have distinctive communication styles and preferences.  In short, if you feel your buttons getting pushed as someone is communicating with you, tell them.

• Feedback: Giving and receiving feedback is imperative to making sure your hot buttons don’t get pushed, and is imperative to helping to not push others – it’s a cycle.  And per these kids who think bullying others is cool – they won’t think it’s so cool when it’s the ones they’re bullying who grow up to be the quality leaders they report to in the workplace!

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”

~ Jim Rohn

And per Ms. Karen Klein – I certainly hope she uses some of that money everyone’s been sending her to start an anti-bullying non-profit organization – after all she is now in position to help shape some of the future quality leaders of tomorrow, and we can never have to many of those!

* As an update: It seems that the kids involved have in fact received punishment.  As of June 30th, they received one-year suspensions from school and regular bus transportation, they will be transferred to the district Reengagement Center, and will also be required to complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens and must take part in a formal bullying prevention program.

* As another update: Harassed bus monitor starts anti-bullying foundation

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Management firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

Raise Your Hand if Your Organization Can Improve Employee Development & Recognition!

Part One in a Summer Series on How to Improve your Performance: 

So how many of you raised your hand? It’s ok, we can’t see you – go ahead, be honest.  If we were to ask your employees if they feel your organization can improve employee development and learning and increase recognition– how many would raise their hand?

One of the most overlooked yet important assets a company has is their people.  If you don’t take care of the people – your long term goals are unlikely to be met – and you may never see how far you can really go with your business.

Reasons to improve employee development and learning:

• Most people want to learn. They want to be challenged. The more you can provide opportunities for them to do so, the more likely they are to remain engaged. The more engaged the workforce, the higher performing they are, the higher performing they are the more innovation and revenue are likely to increase.

• When people acquire new knowledge they find of value, they usually have a desire to apply that knowledge, and to share it with others. Not only does this increase organizational learning, it also helps increase team performance, via knowledge sharing and communication.

• When your people feel they can learn and grow with your organization, and they feel their knowledge and contributions are valued, then they are less likely to look for a job elsewhere.

“An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly,

is the ultimate competitive advantage.” 

– Jack Welch

 

Ok – so this is great, you say.  But how do I focus more on my people?

3 quick ways to improve employee development and learning:

• Ask your employees what they want. What types of knowledge and learning opportunities can help them better perform their jobs? What types of knowledge and learning opportunities make them feel challenged as individuals? Collect the data and act on it. Offer options based on employee input. One of the quickest ways to increase performance is to increase engagement.

• Provide for peer to peer learning. Brown bag lunch and learns, webinars – take advantage of various formats available for employees to share knowledge and interests with others who may benefit. Providing employees the opportunity to transfer knowledge increases an employee’s communication skills, and is an easy way to provide recognition and make them feel valued.

• Understand your needs and admit you don’t know what you don’t know. If specific learning and development is requested by employees, and is of value to the organization, and you don’t have the capability in house to deliver, then look outside. Partner with other organizations on learning and development offerings or bring in an outside resource.  (Not to toot our horn, though c’mon it is our blog, Tolero Solutions can help with designing learning and development programs and delivering employee recognition strategies – contact us for a free evaluation)

“Learning is not compulsory… neither is survival.” – W. Edwards Deming

 

Ok – so we know your attention span is short this time of year, particularly if you have a pool or beach nearby, so we’ll keep this short. We just covered one area to look at that will help improve your performance - employee development and recognition.  Our next installment will be about retention and engagement.

 

Need help implementing improvement strategies?  Have questions or comments? Contact us today to learn how Tolero Solutions can help you become a high performing organization!

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Management firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

How to Create and Honor a Culture of Employee Development

Earlier this week I attended a not so typical awards ceremony - The Apollo Awards, hosted by Helios HR and Smart CEO. As I think the concept of the awards is of value, and the vibe of the event was energizing – particularly for being held before 8am – here is a little free positive PR from someone who also works to help organizations develop, engage and retain employees.

The Helios Apollo Awards recognize Washington-area organizations that promote employee growth and development as an integral part of their organizational culture. Participating organizations recognize these programs are not only necessary in providing them a competitive advantage, but that they contribute to employee retention by developing strong managers and providing meaningful projects, credibility through enhanced certifications, and succession planning through promotional opportunities. Their efforts not only benefit the end client, but the individual and the community as well.

As a small business owner, and Organizational Development practitioner, I value the importance of positive organizational cultures. Many organizations find employee growth and development a daunting task, and are not sure where to begin in designing processes and programs that contribute to employee growth and development, and thus increase engagement and performance. When Tolero Solutions works with clients, we often help them with retention and engagement issues and stress the huge difference employee development can make in creating a productive, profitable and high performing organization.

“The Five Commandments of Effective Employee Development:

1. THOU SHALT BE A VISIBLE LEARNER

2. THOU SHALT TREAT ALL INDIVIDUALS INDIVIDUALLY

3. THOU SHALT FIND YOUR OWN VOICE

4. THOU SHALT SEE THINGS AS THEY OUGHT TO BE

5. THOU SHALT MODEL THE MODEL”

- (unknown author)

According to a study by the Corporate Executive Board:

• Employees of managers who are very effective at development can outperform their peers by up to 25%


• Organizations that focus on employee development have employees who are 40% more likely to stay with the organization


• Managers who focus on employee development have employees that are 8% better at responding to change than those who don’t place the same focus

Focusing on employee development does have a direct impact on organizational performance. A few simple things you can do to help develop, engage and retain your employees:

• ASK your employees about their learning and development needs – and take action


• Reevaluate and ramp up organizational communications


• Implement peer learning options


• Diversify and customize employee training and learning opportunities


• Have realistic performance goals tied to growth and development


• Recognize, recognize, recognize!

Seeing so many businesses of various sizes and industries succeed as models in developing and engaging their employees was, well, quite inspirational. I look forward to the event next year. My congratulations goes out to all the finalists and award winners. I thank them for partly reminding me why I do the work I do by serving as a positive example of what can be achieved by focusing on an organizations number one asset – and I’ve said this before – people!

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Management firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

Dear GSA: 7 Steps on How to Conduct Teambuilding for Under $823,000!

Anyone who has ever been part of a team can most likely tell you it’s not always easy forming the team and working together effectively. Structure, process, culture, politics, personality…teams are complicated. And if you’ve ever tried to better the working relationships of team members you probably know, that although not an easy task, that it doesn’t take $823,000 to establish functional high performance. I mean seriously, GSA, seriously! I’ve been to Vegas, for business and for fun, and trust me, both can be done enjoyably and efficiently on a reasonable budget. So, here are 7 stages to how to increasing team performance - for under $823,000:

• Orientation:  When teams are forming – members usually wonder – why am I here? Where do I fit? What is my role? Will others accept me? They require some kind of answers before continuing. Before proceeding with the work of the team, it’s necessary to define purpose and team identity. If these things go unresolved then the team can often begin with disorientation, fear, and uncertainty.

• Trust Building: People want to know about one another – who are you?  Team members want to know who they will work with, and what their expectations, agendas and competencies are, as well as communication styles, personalities, and work preferences. This occurs through sharing – sharing and a free exchange of feelings and ideas among team members lead to building trust. Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. If trust is not established then honesty, accountability, and respect don’t exist.

• Goal Clarification: As work begins to get done -  team members need to know – what are we doing? This starts with clarity about team goals and assumptions, what are the tasks and priorities to be accomplished, and includes the development of a team charter or vision. If goal clarification doesn’t occur, shared vision isn’t formed and skepticism and apathy can occur.

• Commitment: As the work of the team progresses - team members often wonder – how will we do it?  At some point, discussions need to end, and decisions must be made on how the work is going to be achieved. How will risks and issues be managed? What resources are required for success, and how will resources, time and staff be managed?  Without commitment, assigned roles and responsibilities, a clear decision making process, and proper resource allocation, high performance can be difficult to achieve.

• Implementation:  Eventually teams will turn a corner as they begin to sequence work and complete tasks and deliverables. Teams will have determined – who does what, when and where? This is a time of scheduling and a time of action. Clear processes have been defined, alignment is in place, and disciplined task execution is underway. The team has now begun to move from creating to sustaining.

• High Performance: When the above methods and processes are mastered, the team has begun to achieve flexibility. The team can now begin to adapt goals and tasks as needed for success, and can agilely respond to the environment and internal and external factors. The team members have prevented overload, disharmony and dysfunction, and have developed a synergy and achieved a successful working relationship. At this stage the team can pat themselves on back and proudly begin to surpass expectations on the way to high performance.

• Renewal:  Teams are complex and dynamic. Teams consist of people, and people can get tired or burnt out. Sometimes team members can wonder – why continue? To prevent burn out and boredom, it’s necessary at this stage for recognition and celebration of success.  And it’s time to make any changes in skills mastery and roles and responsibilities, reflect on best practices, and harvest lessons learned in preparation for the next cycle of action.

“To promote cooperation and team work, remember, people tend to resist that which is forced upon them. People tend to support that which they helped create.” - Vince Pfaff

 

So while reflecting on your own team, rest assured you don’t need a budget of $823,000 to become high performing. Though some investment in team building is necessary to ensure your goals are being met.  Have you ever been part of dysfunctional team? Have you ever been part of high performing team? What made the difference? Need help on where to start or with increasing your team performance? Contact us to learn more about how we can help.

 

*Based on the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model methodology.

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Management firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog | Facebook

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

An Improving Economy Could Mean Loss of Employees. Will They Stay or Will They Go? That’s Up To You.

When accounting for the costs (both real costs, such as time taken to select and recruit a replacement, and also opportunity costs, such as lost productivity), the cost of employee turnover to for-profit organizations has been estimated to be up to 150% of the employees' remuneration package. Can you afford that?

The US economy is improving. This is a good thing for companies and job seekers alike, though it’s also positive news for employees – employees who may have felt over worked and under-appreciated during the downturn.

Should you be concerned about retention and loss of employees?

Though employee engagement and retention should always be a focus for any high performing organization, additional focus should be placed on retention strategies during an economic uptick. When employees see external environmental factors such as the economy improving, and more opportunities available to them, organizations have to work harder than ever before to retain good talent. Many employees are willing to put up with job dissatisfaction during hard economic times for fear of losing their job and or not being able to find an alternative. Though an economic uptick is not a guaranteed sign that employees will jump ship, it is a contributory factor many consider when making a job change.

Though average employee tenure varies by work type and demographic; however, the days of long term tenure with an organization are not what they used to be.  Under stable economic conditions, it’s not uncommon for people to move jobs every few years. Factor in opportunities for new jobs presenting themselves, after years of stagnant wages and often increased workload and minimal recognition, and suddenly employee retention can become a serious issue.

“We are responsible for our own lives–no other person is or even can be.”
~Oprah Winfrey

It’s not just a poor economy that can lead to dissatisfied employees counting the days until their next opportunity. Many attributes of organizational culture, as well as leadership and management behaviors, contribute to employee dissatisfaction. Many of these attributes often tend to become enhanced and accepted in times of distress.  However, as the economy  improves, employee tolerance for many of these behaviors declines. As opportunities arise for employees to change jobs; these other non economic attributes that play a part in retention need to be reevaluated or addressed.

 Organizational Behaviors Negatively Impacting Employee Retention:

• Lack of honest and transparent leadership


• Poor communication top down, bottom up, and lateral


• Inflexible and un adaptable strategy


• Reduction in employee growth opportunities


• Unachievable performance goals


• Lack of recognition


• Reduced or non timely and relevant job training


• Minimal appreciation for diversity


• Non merit based pay


• Culture of distrust

I often get told “we can’t afford to keep our employees by offering higher pay and benefits.”  Sometimes an increase in salary and benefits is not a feasible solution to employee retention, particularly after several years of tough economic times. Now sure, will you lose some employees strictly due to salary and monetary benefits, of course. That said, you’d be surprised how understanding employees are willing to be if you show them you value them in other ways. That’s not to say money isn't a driver for many people, though it certainly isn't the only one.

So when options present themselves for employees to leave, what should you do to ensure you retain them, and the costly institutional knowledge they possess?

Organizational Behaviors Positively Impacting Employee Retention:

• Increase leadership honesty and transparency


• Reevaluate and ramp up organizational communications


• Revisit your strategy and targets


• Don’t reduce employee growth opportunities


• Have realistic performance goals


• Recognize, recognize, recognize!


• Provide training and learning opportunities


• Value and respect diversity


• Have merit based pay systems


• Create a culture of trust
  

  *For further details and actions regarding these behaviors see our

  
  

  Employee Retention Checklist: Organizational Behaviors That Positively Impact Retention

  
  

With the economy making a turn for the better, it’s largely up to you whether you make your employees want to stay or go. Do you have employee retention strategies in place? If so, have you revisited your engagement and retention strategies recently? Tolero Solutions can help you increase retention and engagement and design strategies best suited for your organization. With an estimated cost to replace an employee of up to 150% of the employees' remuneration package – can you afford not to focus on retention?

 

“The employer generally gets the employees he deserves.” ~Walter Gilbey

 

About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions Organizational Development & Change Management firm.  He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.

Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog | Facebook

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*All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, publication, and all other use of  any and all of this content is prohibited without authorized consent of Tolero Solutions and the author.

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them! Phase 3 – Target

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!
Phase 3 – Target

A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™ by Scott Span!




In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinar / workshop have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 3 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™
Target:

In Phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ I discussed the importance of communication; and in Phase 2 the importance in assessing the new Gen Y employees understanding of what they heard, and how they are going to apply that information. Phase 3, Target, focuses on targeting the best possible project and role for the new employee so they feel most productive and engaged.




Similar to Phase 2, Assess, once you have identified the employee’s skills and interests, it is imperative for engagement and productivity to Target a project and role that allows them to utilize their skills and interests while still providing challenge and opportunity for growth.

When targeting the new employee’s assignment, consider one that is congruent with the position they were hired to fill. If the employee was hired with specific expectations regarding role and deliverables, then those are what they expect to be doing – with some level of acceptable variation. It is highly likely they accepted the position based on the fact that was communicated to them was also something they feel qualified to do and in fact have an interest in doing. For example, if the employee interviewed for a marketing position with a focus on email marketing, then assign them to projects with deliverables in this area, not projects with deliverables that are more database marketing oriented or even in sales or account management. This contributes to congruence in the actual work they will be performing and what was promised.

One of the biggest frustrations and triggers of disengagement is incongruence in this regard, not properly targeting the tasks with the role they were hired to perform. If the project and role are not targeted correctly to allow for full utilization of the skills they have, and offering opportunity to acquire skills they may not have (particularly those that are required for success), then the new employee may feel they were provided empty promises and thus become frustrated, hurting productivity and engagement. Targeting a role or project that makes them feel useful and gives them comfort from the onset, while also offering opportunity to increase competencies in core areas to which they may be weak (as determined by assess phase), is key to motivation and retention.

Utilize feedback to listen to what the new employee tells you regarding their thoughts, feelings, and ideas on the project and role targeted and assigned to them. Check in often in the first several months. To keep productivity, engagement, and retention high, be open to making potential changes to their role and responsibilities as a result.

• Do they feel the work they are performing is what was promised and utilizing their skill set?
• Are they enjoying their work?
• Do they feel prepared and comfortable to deliver results?
• Does opportunity for challenge and growth exist?

Gen Y is much attuned to differences in “say vs. do”. If you mis-target the best project/role fit for the employee to feel utilized, competent, and challenged, then they may feel unprepared, overwhelmed and potentially unsuccessful in meeting the demands of the organization. This is why it is also necessary (as will be discussed in future phases) to have the proper feedback mechanisms in place that allow the employee to express thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. No one wants to feel this way!

We all want to feel utilized, challenged, prepared and set for success – both in work and in life.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Blog Series: Part 2 - So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!
A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™  

By: Scott Span, MSOD


Phase 2 – Assess

In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model, designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinar / workshop have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 2 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ 
Assess:

In phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ I discussed the importance of communication; however, how do you know if what was communicated was understood? That is where phase 2 comes in, assessing the new Gen Y employees understanding of what they heard, and how they are going to apply that information.

Let’s face it; we all hear things in different ways. Remember that game from when you were a child (though a Gen Y was probably busy playing Nintendo), 'whisper down the lane?' By the time the original message traveled through several people to the last person, it was never the same as originally stated by the first person.

It shouldn’t simply be assumed that the new employee has a solid understanding of what was communicated or that they feel comfortable with what they heard. Gen Y appreciates being asked for their opinions, and values the opportunity to share perspectives. It is important to check in and ask them to vocalize their understanding of what was communicated.

How did they interpret what was communicated?

What is their understanding of their new role and responsibilities as it was presented to them?

How do they view where they fit into the organization?
 
Then give thought to how these responses align with the organizations messaging and expectations.

What often happens is you may find two somewhat different interpretations exist of what was communicated. If the employee begins work and they and the organization are not on the same page from day one, it can lead to an immediate mismatch of a cultural fit and skill utilization, leading to decreased engagement and lost productivity. Listen to how the new hire tells you what they heard and how it was communicated, and be prepared to have further discussion. You should be open to make potential changes to their role and responsibilities as a result.

It is important to fully assess the new hires skills, and areas of interest. Often employees are squeezed into a specific role without the organization ever really exploring what they have to offer in other areas. Therefore, it should not be assumed that the new hire does not have skills of value outside the role they have been hired to fill. Various tools and methods can be used to thoroughly assess the employees understanding of their role and responsibilities, as well as their skills, competencies and interests. Gen Y enjoys being challenged, and they enjoy diversity of tasks. It is important to assess these things as it relates to not only the role they will be performing, but also the organizational culture and structure. You may find that they are best suited for a completely different role than they are performing currently; one which may be a better fit and increase engagement and productivity.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Blog Series: So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them!

A Tolero Solutions blog series on how to utilize Gen Y using the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™ by Scott Span!


Phase 1 – Communicate
In a previous post So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™! I provided a high level overview of my Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ model, designed to help recruit, engage, and retain Gen Y. The article and associated webinars/ workshops have generated positive feedback, and much discussion; due to the high demand, I’m writing a 6 part series that details possible strategies to get the most of your Gen Y employees.

Phase 1 of the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ - Communicate:

Gen Y values and thrives on communication in all directions. Open, honest, and transparent communication is essential from the onset of recruitment. This type of communication can be built into recruitment strategies in several ways. First, to successfully attract the broad array of demographics and skill sets for a competitive and sustainable organization, you can not simply take a one size fits all approach to recruitment. The recruitment strategy must be diverse. Different generations are attracted by different styles and vehicles of communication.

In recruiting Gen Y, develop a clear and concise message, and stick to it. Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Gen Y wants “Twitter” information, so sum up what you have to offer and how you see them contributing in 140 characters or less. To this point, utilize social media for recruitment: Twitter, Facebook and other venues. One of the first things Gen Y will think about when they consider joining an organization is – What’s in it for me (WIIFM)? Make sure your messaging highlights what they can expect and also what the organization expects from them. Being on the same page from day one helps assure a better cultural fit, and minimizes misunderstandings and frustrations further down the road. Additionally, treat Gen Y recruits as customers and be prepared for their desire to include peers and parents in their decision making process. Gen Y values the feedback of family and peers.

This strategy seems to be working well for one Fortune 500 global organization. Since they revamped their recruiting strategy and materials, to clearly and concisely communicate key messaging and expectations from a demographic perspective, attrition has significantly decreased and engagement has risen significantly, particularly among Gen Y.

Communication is also imperative for retention and engagement of Gen Y. Once they begin work, it is imperative to clearly communicate to the new Gen Y employee not only their roles and responsibilities and the organizations expectations, but also the organizational culture. Understanding “how works gets done, how we do things around here” is of great importance. For Gen Y to be engaged, they like to know where they fit in, and how their contributions are factored into organizational success. Again, it is important to be authentic in communicating with Gen Y; they are much attuned to incongruence.

Gen Y likes to feel connected to the organization on a personal level, so for increased engagement and retention discuss personal goals and values and how the company can help to support them. In developing communications strategies to recruit, retain and engage Gen Y be flexible, be concise, and be honest.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in additional strategies and learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at scott.span@tolerosolutions.com

Guest Post for Heather Huhman: 5 things Recent Grads Need to Know About Entering the Workforce!

Note: Written as a guest post for Heather Huhman as seen on her blog   5/24/10.

College graduates faced a tough job market in 2009, but will 2010 graduates face similar challenges? Although layoffs have slowed down, unemployment is at a 26-year high. The National Association of College Employers (NACE) 2009 Student Survey shows that just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one. And, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2010 Fall Preview, employers expect to hire 7 percent fewer graduates from the college Class of 2010 than they hired from the Class of 2009.

Competition is fierce. If you are lucky enough to land a job right of college, what should you do to improve your chances of easing the transition and keeping employment? For starters, understand a few things first:

You’re not the best thing sliced bread! It’s ok to express new ideas, to request new challenges, and to want to gain a promotion; however, respect the politics, culture and communication practices of your organization. Understand opportunities may present themselves – but you won’t be the CEO overnight.

If you have needs, communicate them. Don’t get frustrated if your organization doesn’t do everything the way you think is most beneficial to success. Don’t assume those around you are mind readers. Much like in a college lecture hall when you raised your hand to ask a question, speak up and communicate your concerns as well as ideas for positive changes. Ask questions to help better understand your roles and responsibilities and organizational culture, and do so in a manner appropriate to your organization.

You can’t do it all alone. The use of technology and drive for quick success can often impede the capacity to forge relationships. Some people from other generations may place more value on face-to-face communication as a way to build lasting relationships over time. Some day you will have your bosses’ job; however, not yet. Instead of focusing on what you will do when you get their job, focus on building relationships with them now. You’ll need support and mentoring as you progress in your career.

Pay attention to the culture. You’ll never find an organization that offers everything on your “work-life balance” list. Decide what’s most important to you. Two of the biggest complaints employers have of recent graduates is that they demand too much too fast, and they often leave the company within just a few years. If you understand the organizational culture, you can determine if it matches your needs; it then becomes much easier to avoid these types of obstacles.

Learn when to shut up. Open communication is a valued trait; however, that doesn’t mean say everything that is on your mind. This doesn’t mean don’t be yourself. However, sometimes it’s best to keep certain religious, political and social views out of the workplace. Be cautious to not over criticize those you work with, particularly in public. When utilizing forms of social media, be careful what you say about your organization and those who work there. Don’t just utilize social media to complain, if you like where you work share that with your friends; you may even get a referral bonus if they join your organization.

So what is the moral of the story? Recent graduates are still a fast-growing group within the workforce. Transitioning from college to “reality” can be a tough adjustment. As you make the transition, try and keep an open mind and maintain a level of understanding and communication with those at your new workplace. Remember, your boss isn’t your college professor; you can’t negotiate for your paycheck the way you may have been able to negotiate for you grades. For additional advice, read #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle.

As seen on the Ellen DeGeneres Show May 21, 2010, “Laugh, Dance, Graduate” and then be prepared for what lies ahead!

Guest Post for Selena Rezvani: 5 things Gen Y Needs to Know but no one is Telling Them

Guest blog written for Selena Rezvani as seen on her blog nextgenwomen

You’re not the best thing sliced bread!: It’s ok to express new ideas, to request new challenges, and to want to gain a promotion; however, respect the politics, culture and communication practices of your organization. Understand opportunities may present themselves - but you won’t be the CEO overnight.

If you have needs, communicate them: Don’t get frustrated if your organization doesn’t do everything the way you think is most beneficial to success. Don’t assume those around you are mind readers. Speak up and communicate your ideas for positive changes, and do so in a manner appropriate for your organization.

You can’t do it all alone: Gen Y’s attachment to technology and drive for quick success often impedes the capacity to forge relationships with other generations. Some people from other generations may place more value on face to face communication as a way to build lasting relationships over time. Some day you will have your bosses’ job; however, not yet. Instead of focusing on what you will do when you get their job, focus on building relationships with them now. You’ll need support and mentoring as you progress in your career.

Pay attention to the culture: You’ll never find an organization that offers everything on your “work life balance” list. Decide what’s most important to you. Two of the biggest complaints employers have of Gen Y is that they demand too much too fast, and they often leave the company within a few years. If you understand the organizational culture, you can determine if it matches your needs; it then becomes much easier to avoid these and other obstacles.

Learn when to shut up: Open communication is a valued Gen Y trait; however, that doesn’t mean say everything that is on your mind. This doesn’t mean don’t be yourself. However, sometimes it’s best to keep certain religious, political and social views out of the workplace. Be cautious to not over criticize those you work with, particularly in public. When utilizing forms of social media, be careful what you say about your organization and those who work there.

So what is the moral of the story? Gen Y is a fast growing group within the workforce. They are an innovative, talented, and ambitious generation. Gen Y can be a positive asset if properly understood. Understanding comes from communication. Gen Y needs to take some responsibility for increasing cross generational communication and understanding, and a first step in doing this is to acknowledge that they too still have much to learn.

So You Hired a Gen Y – Now Get The Most Out of Them Through My Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle™!

We can't escape the fact that Gen Y/Millennials are going to transform the workplace over the next five years. By 2014 there will be more than 58 million Millennials employed in various organizations in the U.S. alone. Employers must begin adapting to the challenge of these generations to remain sustainable. Having cross generational strategies for retention and engagement can save a company a significant amount of money every year in turnover, training, recruitment, and lost productivity.

In my previous Gen Y post Gen Y Recruiting Tips: The Candidate Perspective I discussed some positive ways to attract and recruit Gen Y. After the offer is accepted, the next step is on boarding, but it doesn’t end there. Now the organization must focus on engagement and retention.

To assist clients in this process I have developed the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ which consists of 6 phases. This approach is customizable pending specific organizational cultures and desired outcomes. I will discuss possible action items and solutions for each phase in future posts. In this post I will highlight the phases at a high level:

1) Communicate: Gen Y values and thrives on open, honest, and concise communication in all directions. Once they begin work it is imperative to clearly communicate (be specific, don’t assume) to the new Gen Y employee their roles and responsibilities and the organizations expectations. Communication should not stop there, explaining the organizational culture, “how works gets done, how we do things around here” is also of importance. Be authentic. Gen Y performs better within a defined (though not overly rigid) structure with clarity of expectations.

2) Assess: It shouldn’t simply be assumed that the new employee has a solid understanding of what was communicated and or that they feel comfortable with what they heard. It should also not be assumed that the new hire does not have skills of value outside the role they have been hired to fill. Assess the employees comfort level with what was communicated. Often inconsistencies and in congruencies can exist. Assess the employee’s skills, expertise and interests. Various tools and methods can be used to thoroughly assess the employees understanding of their role and responsibilities and their skills, competencies and interests. It is important to assess these things as it relates to not only the role they will be performing but also the organizational culture/structure.

3) Target: In determining the new hires placement in the organization it is important to target the best project/role fit that will maximize performance and engagement of the Gen Y new hire. In determining where they should be placed and what they will be working on, it is imperative to attempt to give them an assignment that is congruent with the position they were hired to fill. Gen Y enjoys a challenge; however, they also expect to utilize the core skills for which they were hired. Target for full utilization of the skills they have (giving them comfort from the onset), while also offering opportunity for them to obtain skills they may not have, particularly those that are required for success (challenge.) This approach gets them doing the work they feel competent to perform and increases competencies in core areas to which they may be weak (as determined by assess phase).

4) Utilize: Gen Y expects to be utilized. If they don’t feel they are being utilized to the fullest potential they often become promptly disengaged. From the onset, utilize the Gen Y employee to their fullest potential drawing on past experiences, knowledge and interests. To gain maximum productivity from Gen Y, it is important to make them feel both utilized and challenged. In offering them the opportunity to feel useful, by utilizing them in ways that allow them to apply interests and areas of expertise, productivity is likely to increase. In addition, attempt a role fit or job rotation that will allow for continued growth and development and provide the opportunity to acquire new skills to which they have an interest and may also be an asset to the organization.

5) Feedback: Gen Y places a high value on open and honest communication, in all directions. As frustrating as this may be for some other generations, constant feedback is an almost critical ingredient in performance and job satisfaction. It sometimes seems as if this younger generation has an insatiable appetite for praise. And if they don't receive the recognition they feel they deserve, they may be more likely to bail out of their jobs for greener pastures. The simple reality is that Gen Y has been raised in an atmosphere of high expectations, plenty of feedback and heaps of praise. They have received feedback on class assignments at each stage of development and are used to getting support throughout the completion of tasks and projects. Provide timely and meaningful feedback as to the employees performance as they progress. Create a safe and trusting work team where the employee can feel free to illicit feedback which may assist in productivity, growth and development and innovation.

6) Coaching: Gen Y values opportunities for growth and development. The next step beyond feedback is coaching. Coaching shouldn’t just be for managers and executives, after all if you can retain Gen Y employees they are eventually going to be the next set of leaders in your organization. To maximize productivity and retention, provide additional coaching for the employee as needed, providing direction to increase in certain competencies or skills, and in areas that may not be noticeable to the employee such as cultural nuances and politics. Coaching will increase the employee’s level of competence and significance and thus increase engagement, performance and retention.

Following the Gen Y Recruitment and Retention Lifecycle ™ can help you to get the most out of your new Gen Y employees. Additional steps and action items are developed at each stage, customized to your specific type of business and organizational culture. Customized workshops have also been developed around this approach. If you are Interested in learning more about how to implement positive Gen Y recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies please contact us or at info@tolerosolutions.com .

Gen Y Recruiting Tips: The Candidate Perspective.

Job ads for recruiters and HR Generalists are on the rise. This is a good sign that the economy is starting to improve. As Gen Y are an ever growing part of the applicant pool companies may need to reevaluate their Gen Y recruiting strategies to meet workforce demands.

Recruiting today seems to be a rush job and a one size fits all approach. Recruiters get a position description and scour the internet for a match. Recruiters find a CV that matches the position description and send an often canned, cold and generic email. Recruiting has become less and less personalized.

Many companies do not embrace a diverse recruiting strategy that mirrors the current diverse pool of applicants. This approach is not always the best means to attract certain qualified talent, particularly Gen Y talent. I’ve seen minimal use of cross generational recruiting; meaning lack of adapting the recruiting strategy and approach based on different demographics. A Baby Boomer will not respond to the same style and approach of recruiting as a Gen-Y’er.

Generations view things differently and thus expect different ways of being recruited. With an ever changing and more diverse workforce, recruiting must become more unique and customized if organizations wish to attract the best possible Gen Y talent.

First Contact: Gen Y values a personalized touch. A canned and generic email will often turn them off immediately to a potential new position. If sending an email inquiry to a potential Gen Y candidate, use their name, not “dear candidate.” Take the time to discuss why you think they may be a fit for the role as it relates to their own experience. This lets them know you have actually reviewed their CV and job goals and not just mass emailed based on a keyword search. Gen Y also values details, so for the quickest possible response, include the job description, and why you see them as a fit in the first correspondence.

Response: Gen Y is a tech savvy generation. If first contact regarding a possible new role peaks their interest, they waste no time in responding. They utilize the technology at their finger tips (Wifi, Blackberry email etc.) to promptly express interest. They expect the same in return. If your organization has high interest in the candidate, then don’t let communication lapse. Respond proactively, promptly, and personalized with establish next steps.

Expectations: Once the time for the first conversation has been set, use that time to set clear expectations with the potential Gen Y candidate. Take the time to explain in detail what they can expect in the new role and from the organization, and what would be expected of them. Be congruent, honest, and transparent about everything from salary and work life balance, to culture and roles and responsibilities. Gen Y is very tuned into organizational culture. One of the main reasons Gen Y talent tends to leave an organization within the first year is because what they were told they can expect is not the reality. Try and prevent this from the first conversation.

Interviewing: Be prepared for Gen Y to ask detailed questions regarding not just the potential role but the organization overall. Gen Y views interviewing as a two way process. Often recruiters don’t have the specific information required to answer certain questions. If this is the case, make sure the people the candidate interviews with are knowledgeable of the various parts of the organization and can answer specific questions.

Offer: If the process leads to making a job offer, then do not only do so in writing, but also make the personalized phone call. This call should come from the person who will be the candidate’s direct supervisor. Often disconnects exist between recruiting and the actual departments and managers who the employee will be working with. Gen Y values open and honest communication in all directions. Having the opportunity to speak directly with the individual they will be reporting to offers them the opportunity to begin to build a relationship immediately and get any last minute questions and concerns addressed.

After the offer is accepted, the next step is on boarding, but it doesn’t end there. Recruitment is phase one, once the employee joins the organization focus must be placed on engagement and retention. I will discuss more about these topics in future posts.


Helpful Info:

www.recruitingtrends.com
http://employeeengagement.ning.com