Applicant Profiles

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:31:10 -0600

This article relates to the Human Resource Functions competency,commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It reflectsone employee's satisfaction with the manner in which her HRdepartment carried out their work. This competency examines howyour employees feel with regards to the quality andimplementation of the human resource role within yourorganization. A human resource department that is properlyinformed of employee issues, demonstrates a high integritylevel, and communicates effectively with staff and managementshould expect a high satisfaction level in this competency area.This short story, Human Resources at Work, is part ofAlphaMeasure's compilation, Tales From the Corporate Frontlines.It illustrates how a competent, compassionate staff can performtheir HR functions and really make a difference in the lives ofemployees, creating goodwill that spreads throughout theworkplace.Anonymous Submission: Human Resources at WorkI've worked at a few different com...

Making On-Job-Training Work

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:28:53 -0600

Many organisations rely on on-the-job training OJT without anyeffort to ensure it is effective in providing the skills andknowledge required for superior performance. This articlediscusses ways in which OJT can be managed to ensure employeeslearn the skills desired and perform at an acceptable level.IntroductionOn-the-job training is often seen as a way to ensure employeesare trained without hughe expense or with minimal disruption toproductivity. Surprisingly, many organisations simply don't makeany allowance for training; OJT happens by default rather thandesign. This laissez faire approach to OJT is a recipe forsubstandard performance and differing standards of performance.New starters simply stumble along asking colleagues how to dotasks and perhaps reading procedures manuals or learning fromtrial and error. Occasionally, new staff learn bad habits, poor, or incorrectprocedures from experienced staff who have shown theminappropriate shortcuts, unauthorised or inc...

The Synergistic Organization of Unique People (S.O.U.P) Model

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:32:44 -0600

IntroductionIn the past, many organizations have relied on genericpersonality profiling tools to assess, recruit and manage theiremployees. Though these tools have garnered a certain measure ofsuccess, there were many flaws that needed to be addressed forincreased workplace relevance. In view of these concerns, First Quatermain has developed THREEtools and has blended them into an integrated schema known asthe Synergistic Organization of Unique People S.O.U.P Model.This integrated model has been developed holistically forapplication in a workplace context. The three tools are:.WorkACTIONS Map .WorkSMARTS Map .Nature of Effective Organization NEO ProfileWorkACTIONS Map:The WorkACTIONS Map was developed based on the premise that ahuman resource profile tool must:. Be Relevant in a Workplace Context. It was discovered thatthere is a degree of dissimilarity in a person's attitudes andbehavior when at work, as compared to outside the workplace. For example, an em...

Factual Employment Screening - Part Two

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:13:26 -0600

An Employment Screening OutlinePolicy DevelopmentA policy of Factual Employment Screening; PersonalityEvaluationtesting; andor Drug Testing should be developed andembedded into the core policy manual rather than exist as asupplement or bulletin policy. This avoids any 'after the fact'ramifications, should the policy be challenged underdiscriminatory theories. The policy should have an effective date, and if the corporatephilosophy is for 'purification' of existing staff, then apolicy implementation should be evident, along with thereasoning for the retroactive purification of the staff. This iscommon practice following a recently resolved internal problem,where specific numbers of staff have been terminated for oneproblem or another. No justification is needed when implementingnew programs if the purification is in line with the philosophyof the company.Policy GuidelinesConsistency is the key when establishing new policies,especially when said policies enter into t...

Introduction to Hazardous Materials Safety

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:08:36 -0600

You don't have to work at Three Mile Island to be exposed topotentially hazardous substances. Indeed, almost all workplacesof any size contain at least a few substances that could posepotential safety hazards to your workers. For example, yourjanitorial closets may contain ammonias, bleaches, phosphates orother caustic cleaning solvents. Shops that house machineryoften contain petroleum products ' fuels, oils, and lubricants 'needed for their maintenance. Federal law requires safeguards to protect workers fromhazardous materials HazMat in the workplace. Originally, theHazard Communication Standard HCS ' the law requiringemployers to clearly communicate the hazards posed by dangerouschemicals ' applied only to the manufacturing industry. Since, though, the law has been updated to apply to allbusinesses, regardless of industry or size. If you havehazardous materials in your workplace ' for any purpose ' youmay need to update your HazMat program. What's involved F...

Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing in a Business

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:59:22 -0600

AbstractBusiness Intelligence has become a very important in thebusiness arena irrespective of the domain due to the fact thatmanagers need to analyze comprehensively in order to face thechallenges. To make the business intelligence effective, havinga Data Warehouse is an essential thing, because without thepower of a data warehouse, it is practically impossible toprovide all the information, reports and views required by themanagement. There are many technical concerns when it comes to atechnical implementation, but the business stakeholders need toshow the right direction if they are to achieve success. Thispaper discusses business concerns related to a BusinessIntelligence initiative together with a Data Warehouse. IntroductionBusiness Intelligence BI is an effort of increasing thecompetitive advantage of a business by intelligent use ofavailable data in decision making. Irrespective of the domainthat business is engaged in, the competition in today's businesswo...

NEGOTIATING TACTICS - HOW TO STRIKE A NEGOTIABLE OPENING SHOT

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:33:09 -0600

There is no right or wrong to fire up your opening negotiation'There may be a lot of people who are uncertain about the rightway to start off a fruitful negotiation with their counterparts.They tend to think or behave as though there is really a 'right'way to start it off, which eventually will make them expect themagic word 'yes' from their opponent. I speak from myexperience. There isn't any blueprint on how or what you shouldfollow throughout your negotiation tactics, but perhaps thereare several ways which you may want to consider.Here are the main important issues you need to consider whenopening your negotiation talks. aHear, understand and tacklethe main issues first and foremost bBuilding a cooperativeenvironment and getting the trust and respect from each other.Say no to guerilla negotiating' The first strategy is what Ishall say, the most risky kind of tactic you shouldn't employ.If you demand too much in the first place, you may provoke andoutrage the oth...

Team Building part 1 - Another Brick in the Wall!

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:22:38 -0600

Team Building part - Another Brick in the Wall?The first in a series of articles giving a slightly differentviewpoint on effective team building, condensed from an originalseminar presented by the author, John Roberts. John is aFreelance Training Consultant and director of JayrConsultingLtd. Part deals with selecting and building the initial team.The ideas expressed are personal opinions built up from manyyears of experience in the ElectronicsAerospace industry, theArmed Forces, the Telecoms industry and the Training industry.There is no suggestion of this being a solution applicableto or workable in all situations, but it is aimed at gettingpeople to think outside of the norm and question the&;normal' way of doing things.. Analogy - The bricks in the wallMost people have been on some form of &;team building'course. They vary according to contemporary fashion from thingslike &;learning how to work together, to build bridges outof sheets of pa...

Trend Setting

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:28:46 -0600

Does the way your employees perceive their physical workenvironment have an impact on their job performance? You betyour break room it does! In a recent study conducted by the Business Committee for theArts, in collaboration with the International Association forProfessional Art Advisors, researchers established a positiverelationship between on-the-job productivity and the presence ofart in the workplace. Along with productivity, the studyaddressed other human factors including stress, morale andcreativity. The survey polled employees from a variety ofcompanies across industry lines, and demonstrated that art inthe workplace:'Helps combat stress'Improves employee morale'Heightens creativity'Improves productivity'Encourages expression and creativity'Encourages diversity appreciation What are the implications of this finding?The inclusion of artwork in company offices has a strategicimportance in business planning. The inclusion of art in yourcorporate budget may a...

Avoid a Time Bomb

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:16:48 -0600

Over charges of sexual harassment are filed with the EqualEmployment Opportunity Commission every business day. What haveyou done to prevent sexual harassment in your workplace?Among the myriad subjects now commonly addressed in employeetraining is harassment. Sexual harassment, as well as age,disability and race discrimination, are among the types ofharassment employees experience in the workplace. But it wasn't until the early s that sexual harassment anddiscrimination training became a higher priority for companieslarge and small. During the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearingsin , sexual harassment was brought to the forefront whenThomas was accused of harassing an employee, Anita Hill. Thiswas a wake-up call for companies.Harassment and discrimination of all types can hurt businesses.According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionEEOC, in the past years, the average jury verdict in a caseof sexual harassment was ,...

Managing Your Home Based Online Business - 1

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:42:37 -0600

Working at home in their own business is something millions ofpeople strive for and dream of, but most in the Western worldnever actually get around to doing it. For those who do achieveit, how do they adapt if they have changed, for example, from anoffice environment, where they were employed, had a strictroutine imposed on them, and were told what to do all the timeby those above them in the company?How do you manage working alone from home? Now, that is not"manage" in the "how do you get by?" sense. It is manage in themanagerstaff sense. You work at home alone, you are the boss ofyour home based business. So who or what is there to "manage"?The profitability of any business, sole proprietor ormultinational, depends on the successful management of a numberof omnipresent departments: marketing, finance, human resources,computing, purchasing, and, if appropriate, research anddevelopment, and production.If you are working at home, alone, online, you have all thosemanag...

The Four Lessons Venus Williams Teaches Us About Business

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:06:12 -0600

Venus Williams's recent Wimbledon win has a real lesson forentrepreneurs. She lost the first match, won the second match,and was losing the third ' . It did not look good for Venus.But she did not give up. She fought on, stayed focus. And in theend, while playing the longest final in Wimbledon history, wasvictorious. So what does this mean for us entrepreneurs? The answer is verysimple. Do not give up. Even when it appears that you are losingthe game, you can still win the match. I looked at thetriumphant Venus, and you know what I thought ' She is a truewinner. Not just because she won the Wimbledon, but because shedidn't give up when it looked like she was going to be defeated.And as business owners, we have to have that same outlook. Whenit looks like we are going to be defeated ' go bankrupt ' don'tjust give up. When our client base is shrinking, rather thanexpanding ' don't give up. When our cash flow gets too low,don't give up. Venus's victory has taught me, a ...

Finding a Job Under Tough Circumstances

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:28:20 -0600

Copyright Joel VanceAnyone can find a job. That's right, I said 'anyone'. And Imeant it. But the caveat is: I didn't say what kind of job. Youcan go out and start flipping burgers, and whine about the toughbreaks life handed you when your company down-sized, or you canreach higher, and go for that job you really want, and know youhave the experience and enthusiasm for.Reaching higher means being on your toes, in every sense of thewords. You'll have to stretch yourself too- make that extraeffort to overcome the obstacles in your way. Nobody saidgetting the right job would be easy. But it's there, waiting, ifyou're willing to reach.To show you what we mean, I'm going to give you an example ofone executive's ego-crushing layoff. Down but not out, this mantook personal circumstances that could have held him back, andbuilt on them so that he stood on a solid foundation and putthat perfect job within his reach.Sean Davidson was a senior level marketing manager. His com...

Asking for Help

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:45:27 -0600

For many of us, asking for help is a difficult concept. It canrequire a certain amount of vulnerability. We may feel as if weare admitting a weakness that the world would not have knownabout, had we not asked for help.Ironically, it's been my experience that people who are able todeliver well-positioned requests for help are seen as verystrong individuals. When they demonstrate the humility to askfor help, they earn the respect of others. Recipients of aheartfelt request for help are usually honored by the request.In turn, we are strengthened by the very help that is provided.One of my clients we'll call her Kira, recently made a shiftin how she was interacting with her boss. When asked to preparepresentations, she assumed that she was expected to go away,develop the content, deliver it at the required meeting and thenwait for feedback from her boss. Her boss was highly-regardedfor the impact of his presentations, while Kira often felt thather presentations were lacki...

How to Handle Workplace Conflict

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:16:29 -0600

Workplace ConflictConflict is an inevitable part of business life and not allconflict is negative. Most people would agree that where thereare people there is conflict.Some workplace conflict is healthy and if viewed positively canbe an opportunity and catharsis for you and your business toeffect positive change! It's all how you think about it.However where unhealthy conflict raises its head repeatedly thishas potential risk to cause your business negative consequences.These negative consequences can have far reaching effects andadded costs to your bottom line if not nipped in the bud quickly.Common causes of workplace conflict may include' Poor communications' Mushroom effect ' no one knows what's happening around here' Unrealistic work expectations' Overwork' Stress' Personality clashes a lack of ability to get on or want toget one with people different from you' Favouritism' Poor leadershipCommunication is the glue that holds relationships together inyour bu...

Presenteeism - when your employee should be absent

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:37:05 -0600

Presenteeism is alive and 'not well' in many businesses today.It will visit your business or may even be present as you readthis article.Presenteeism may be described as 'attending the workplace withminor or serious illnesses' when in fact your employee or youshould be away recovering'!It's a fact of life that when we don't feel good we don'toperate at our best!Many of us have observed workers and co-workers who have come infor the day and seemed present at the job only to observe adecrease in productivity or an overrun of deadlines. Some of uswould have experienced this ourselves.Employees or managers attending your workplace with minorsicknesses such as asthma, irritable bowel, migraines,arthritis, stress, fatigue may cause your business serious risksuch as legal claims, productivity loss, declining employeemorale and a occupational health and safety problem.With more seious illnesses such as surgery recovery the effecton your business may lead to serious consequenc...

Handwriting Analysis for Employment

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:33:29 -0600

Handwriting Analysis for Employment There have been a lot of companies employing the use ofGraphology or handwriting analysis, and it has helped thesecompanies pin point the exact problems or potential problems ofjob applicants. Handwriting analysis can aid the human resources department ofcompanies to hire the best job applicant for the job and toavoid loses due to bad employees. Millions of dollars arereported to have been lost because of incompetent employees,which should have been avoided if only the character of thesejob applicants have been screen. The good thing about handwriting analysis is that it is precise,and is inline with the science of psychology. It is alsounbiased. Race, color, religion, cultural affinity and sex isnot detected through handwriting. Age is also not detectiblethrough handwriting analysis that is why it makes it a very goodtool to screen job applicants, especially those who are going tobe handling sensitive positions in a company. Handwr...