Essential Skills require for HR Professionals

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If you are in a position that requires you to manage even a small team, here are the five essential skills you would be wise to develop.

1. Fine-Tune Your Communication Skills

Communication involves more than just being able to speak one-on-one to another individual in a clear and fluid manner so that your message is understood. If you have great communication abilities, you can captivate an audience of hundreds, even thousands, with your presentation skills. You can sit quietly, without interruption, and listen as a subordinate expresses his opinion and then empathize with his viewpoint.

A manager with good communication skills knows how important it is to keep her team (and boss) in the loop by providing them as much information as possible about projects or changes in the work environment. It means having the ability to write a comprehensive report that anyone can understand.

If you want to work on your communication skills - that means being able to speak, write, and listen in an effective manner - watch those you admire and emulate them, take courses at your local college, or join a writing or public speaking group.

2. Work on Your Relationship-Building Abilities

As a manager, you need to interact with a variety of people at all levels, both inside and outside the organization. That means you need the ability to relate to the janitor as well as the president.

Gain confidence by developing your professional presence, social poise, and self assurance. Be respectful and considerate of others and their time, regardless of the position they hold. Be comfortable with others by being comfortable with yourself.

3. Learn How to Develop Your Team

No matter what company you work for or how large your staff is, working as a team is vital to the success of your department and the organization. If you were brought into an already existing team, you will need to learn about each member's talents and abilities. That is the only way to ensure that each person is being properly utilized to their fullest ability. If you are creating a team from scratch or replacing an open position, you will need to understand the process of identifying and hiring the best candidates who fit with your team and company culture.

As a manager, you need to understand team dynamics and be able to bring people together by building and maintaining the right employee talent base. Once you understand the members of your team and where their talents lie, you will be able to help them work together cohesively.

4. Enhance Your Project Management Know-How

Managing people and managing projects are two completely different things. You might think that if you can do one you can do the other, but that is not necessarily so. Some people are just better at dealing with differing personalities and others are best at implementing projects and processes. As a manager, you need to be able to handle projects and people.

That means establishing and meeting project goals through effective time management techniques and fully utilizing the tools and manpower available to you.

5. Become a Problem Solver

Your boss doesn't want you to bring all your issues to him to resolve. As a manager, it's imperative that you learn how to identify and solve problems, and then keep your boss in the loop as to the status or outcome.

Creative problem solving requires you to assess the problem, ask questions, brainstorm for options, and search for alternative solutions. Once you have solutions for the problems you encounter, then you can seek out your boss and offer not just the problem, but the best way to resolve it.

40 Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview

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Most job hunters, realizing that networking is critical to their search, work hard to arrange face-to-face meetings with contacts. But setting up appointments with all the friends, professional acquaintances and corporate bigwigs you can is just the first step. More important is knowing what to say once you arrive. Since wasting contacts' time is unacceptable, you should prepare an agenda before each meeting. Decide what you would like to find out from your contact, then prepare questions to elicit that information. 
To simplify the query-writing process, review the following list of questions. Pick those that are most appropriate, then tailor them to fit your personal situation and speaking style. Formulate some of your own as well, but don't try to squeeze in too many questions. It's better to leave contacts wanting more than to wear out your welcome.

What Work is Like

1. Could you describe one of your typical workdays for me?
2. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis? 
3. What parts of your job do you find most challenging? 
4. What do find most enjoyable? 
5. Are there any negatives to your job? 
6. How many hours do you work in a typical week? 
7. Which seasons of the year are toughest in your job? 
8. How would you describe the corporate culture?

Keep in mind that you can use information that you know about the company or industry within your question. This shows your knowledge base and seriousness. An example of how to make question #7 more relevant: “As an accountant at a medium-sized local firm, I’d imagine that your busiest seasons revolve around your clients’ fiscal year ends, which can vary. What would you say would be the most demanding times of the year for your firm’s accountants?”

State of the Industry

9. Is this field growing enough so that there's room for someone like me? 
10. Are too many or too few people entering this profession? 
11. What developments on the horizon could affect future opportunities? 
12. This industry has changed dramatically in the past five years. What have you seen from inside your company? Where do you think the changes will happen in the next five years? 
13. How frequently do layoffs occur? How does it affect the morale of employees? 
14. Why do people leave this field or company? 
15. Who are the most important people in the industry today? 
16. Which companies have the best track record for promoting women and minorities? 
17. Are there opportunities for self-employment in your field? Where? 

An example of how to make #11 more relevant: “I’ve noticed that the state and federal governments have devoted a great deal of funding to the biotech industry in Western New York. As a salesperson for Life Technologies, what kind of effects have you seen from this extra funding, and how do you anticipate the industry and your company expanding due to this revenue?”

Money and Advancement

18. What would be a reasonable salary range to expect if I entered this field? What is the long term potential?
19. What is the advancement potential in the field? What is a typical path?
20. How did you get your job?
21. If you could start all over again, would you change your career path in any way? Why?
22. How long does it take for managers to rise to the top?
23. What is the background of most senior-level executives?

An example of how to make # 19 more relevant: “From the alumni database, I see that you graduated from the MBA program just four years ago and you are already a vice president at the bank. That’s impressive. Please share with me the typical path from entry level to a VP position in the banking environment, and what people can do to move fast within that process.”

Skills and Experience

24. What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in this field?
25. What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?
26. How do most people enter this profession?
27. Which of my skills are strong compared to other job hunters in this field?
28. What do you think of the experience I've had so far? For what types of positions would it qualify me?
29. Can you recommend any courses I should take before proceeding further with my job search?
30. What companies or industries do you think I should target?

An example of how to make #25 more relevant: “I read through some of the job descriptions on the HR section of your Web site in preparation for our meeting today. Most jobs I’d be interested in listed communication, teamwork and decision making skills as necessities. Can you tell me how those skills are used in this profession? Also, what other skills do managers look for that are not written in the typical job descriptions?”

Fitting In

31. Do you think my objective is clearly stated, realistic and achievable?
32. Considering my background, how well do you think I would fit in this company and/or profession?
33. How does your company compare with others we've discussed?
34. Would the work involve any lifestyle changes, such as frequent travel or late-night business entertaining?
35. Considering all the people you've met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?
36. Taking into account my skills, education, and experience, what other career paths would you suggest I explore before making a final decision?

An internship-focused alternative to #36 might be: “Thinking about the most successful interns you have had, what was it about their character, work ethic, abilities, etc. that made them exemplary?”

More Information

37. Where can I write to get up-to-date information on salaries, employers, and industry issues?
38. What professional journals and organizations should I be aware of?
39. Is there anything else you think I need to know?
40. Who else would you recommend I speak with? When I call, may I use your name?

Remember to express your appreciation and to follow up with a thank you letter or email. If you are referred to another professional for assistance, make sure you let the original contact know the result of your outreach to that new referral.

Employee Turnover: How to Handle It ??

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Most leaders do not focus on turnover until it is already a problem. As the economy slowly continues to recover, surveys are telling us that a larger number of employees are likely to seek out a job in a different organization over the next year. 

Some of the common misconceptions about turnover include:

1. All Turnover is Bad
   
   
   There is good turnover and bad turnover. When a highly valued employee leaves your organization, that is bad. When an employee who does not live by your organization’s values leaves, they can brighten up the whole office on their way out.
2. People Quit Most Often Because of Pay
   
   
   Although most people of who quit do end up finding a job with higher pay, pay is not the best predictor if an employee will leave your organization. Research tells us a better predictor is the relationship with their immediate manager or supervisor, promotion opportunities, lack of ability to learn new information or skills, and having to deal with ongoing conflict or stress. Most often, the motivation to conduct a job search was something other than pay.
3. There is Nothing a Manager Can Do to Decrease Turnover
   
   
   Many leaders are fond of saying that high turnover is part of their industry or business. Although this may be true, some leaders and businesses in the exact same industry have much lower turnover ratios than others. It is important to remember that employees agree to work for your organization because of your reputation (or they just really needed a job). Most often, employees voluntary leave your organization because of a lack of relationship or lack of confidence with their immediate supervisor or manager. Reputation is responsible for recruiting but the reality surrounding leadership and the culture they create is what retains employees.
4. The Numbers Are Not Important
   
   
   There is some truth to this. You turnover percentage has to be taken into context. Factors that contribute to turnover ratios include things like industry and geography. A fast food or retail turnover ratio of 30 percent in San Diego may be considered outstanding. An aeronautical company’s turnover ratio in Seattle WA of 10 percent may be considered high. Turnover is a complex topic and the reasons behind the turnover are much more meaningful in planning actions to deal with the problem.
5. Turnover Does Not Impact Profitability
   
   
   Some managers believe that since turnover is inevitable, you just have to deal with it and find new workers. Research has demonstrated over and over that companies with lower turnover have as much as four times greater profitability than companies with higher turnover. It makes sense. Long term employees have the ability to build even stronger relationships with customers. Employees with strong customer relationships who leave your organization are at a high risk of taking your clients with them.
   Having conducted employee opinion surveys for the past twenty years, our data consistently indicates that what matters to employees more than pay are the following aspects of their employment:
   • Having a good working relationship with their immediate supervisor
   • Ability to learn and grow in their jobs
   • Promotional opportunities
   • Doing work that is meaningful
   • Feeling like they are a valued, respected member of a team
   • Being recognized for the contributions to the organization’s success
   • Having autonomy and the authority to effectively do their job
   • Having flexibility in hours worked
   • Fair pay
   It is clear that you’ve got to be paying people a fair market wage in order for them to continue to align their efforts with your organization. However, beyond pay, which managers typically have little control over, there are a multitude of other variables that are within your control.

Consider the following tips to help ensure that you’re putting as much focus on your people as you have been on your own survival during changing times.

Hire Right

Interview candidates carefully, not just to ensure they have the right technical skills, but that they are also a cultural fit for the team and organization. To ensure success, have multiple people interview the candidate. You will receive multiple perspectives and more people will feel committed to the new hire’s success.

Put People First

More than ever before, today’s workforce values a blend between work and life. Acknowledge your people as unique contributors and value their time away from work. Entertain flex schedules and allow for telecommuting. When possible, provide comp time after an extensive project. Try to promote a happy, productive, stress-free environment that acknowledges the fact that people have a life beyond work. Make it a priority on a daily basis to touch base with team members, asking them, “How is it going today? Do you need any support from me?” On a regular basis, let your people know how much you value them. Be visible, approachable and accessible.

Keep People in the Loop

We’ve never done a survey that resulted in employees saying that they received too much information. Now, more than ever, over-communicate. Give people all the information you can, as often as possible. Talk about what’s going well, and share your organization’s vision, goals, and challenges. You can communicate this information in emails, formal and informal meetings, and, most importantly, one-on-one conversations. If you can’t answer their questions, respond honestly, then try to get them answers.

Provide Training Opportunities

When you provide training for your employees, it is a win-win situation for everyone. The organization will have employees who are more knowledgeable and efficient, and the employee will be able to increase his or her value to the organization, improving their future chances of moving up in your organization. This will result in fewer feelings of stagnation and frustration which translates to a more committed workforce, during and after the recession. Investment in the training that your employees need is an investment in the employees’ future and shows your long-term interest in him or her.

Create an Exciting Environment

Focus on keeping the tempo up. Get to know what type of work excites particular employees. Give more opportunities to do challenging work. Delegate something meaningful. Provide training, resources and learning experiences to help the employee grow and learn. Get people involved in determining the team’s vision and setting goals. Be both the coach and cheerleader!

Spend More Time Leading and Less Time Managing

Employee trust in management is at an all time low. Help rebuild trust by giving employees more opportunities to direct their own time and work. Be open to creative approaches for accomplishing work. Listen to your team members and use their input about how to improve a process, handle a customer challenge or increase efficiency. Serve as a mentor. Model what you want to see. Look for opportunities to praise and recognize work and behavior that adds to the team’s efforts and the organization’s overall success.

Make Retention an Organizational Commitment

Now more than ever, employee retention is critical to your team’s success. Know your employees and what’s important to them. Don’t assume you know; ask and listen carefully to their responses. Ask them to tell you what they like about their jobs, and what they’d like to change. Get their input and use their ideas where possible. Conduct “stay interviews,” asking your team members about what retention factors are important to them. Make changes based on what they say is an important “stay” factor to them.

Review Compensation and Benefit Packages

At least annually, review compensation and benefit plans to ensure competitiveness and alignment with employees’ true needs. This includes not only base and variable pay scales, but long-term incentive compensation, bonus and gain-sharing plans as well as health and wellness benefits.

Conduct an Employee Opinion Survey

Now is a great time to get in touch with the pulse of your organization. More than ever, you need to know your employees’ perspectives on what’s working and what’s not. Before the floodgates are opened and employees have the choice to leave, get a current read on employee engagement and take action to address some of their concerns. Taking this proactive step may well avoid losing the top talent in your organization. Most leaders know what to do, but often become too busy to focus on what employees say is important to them. But…if you are too busy now to focus on creating an environment that keeps employees, how will you find the time to replace people when they leave?

5 Questions That Will Help You Choose the Right Career

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Here are a few great questions to ask as you decide:

1. What are you good at, and what do you love?

Yeah, I know. You’ve heard the “follow your passion” line since the day you were born. While some people have a clear passion, many of us find ourselves lost in the “passion puzzle,” paralyzed with fear that we’re not doing it right if we don’t have one burning career goal to pursue obsessively. And even if you do have a passion, chances are high it’s something vague and out of reach, like becoming the next Stephen King.

The problem isn’t the idea of pursuing things you’re good at and that you love; it’s that your aspirations are too broad and difficult to act on. Think of your passions as a starting point. If you want to be the next Stephen King, break that passion down into writing and editing. Then do a “skills inventory” to determine just what else you bring to the table.

Are you good at providing feedback and coaching other writers? Then becoming a writing teacher or tutor might be right for you. How about really digging into a subject, synthesizing a ton of research and guiding editorial direction? Then becoming a tech writer or editor might be a better fit.

Your skills inventory could take the form of a checklist, a mock resume or interviews with friends, family members, mentors and former employers who can provide an outside perspective. You can then return to a tool like the one provided above and more carefully match your skills and interests to job titles, narrowing in on those that are both best suited to you and have the best prospects for growth.

2. Are you promotion- or prevention-focused?

Feeling motivated is an essential aspect of job satisfaction. But causes for motivation vary widely from person to person. In general, there tend to be two main motivation types: promotion-focused and prevention-focused.

Promotion-focused professionals are classic creatives and entrepreneurs. They work quickly, seize new opportunities and think abstractly. The downside is that they can be impulsive, overly optimistic and are likely to make bigger mistakes.

Prevention-focused professionals are just the opposite, focused on maintaining the status quo and protecting all they’ve worked on. These professionals prefer planning, reliability, thoroughness and analytical thinking.

While we all need a little bit of promotion- and prevention-oriented thinking, it’s important to determine which way you lean before diving down a career path. A prevention-focused person, for example, would do far better as a developer in a major corporation than launching her own startup. A promotion-oriented person will likely feel suffocated in a traditional 9-to-5, thriving instead in a more creative environment with bigger risks and bigger rewards.

3. What is the best environment for your personality type?

For similar reasons, it’s often helpful to do even deeper personality tests like the Myers-Briggs. This will help you furtherpinpoint just what you need in your work environment to thrive. Particularly important is determining whether you’re more of an introvert or an extrovert, as the two personality types differ widely in their needs.

An introvert, for example, may be more attracted to a quieter research role, while an extrovert will thrive in a busy, loud sales office. Public speaking, amount of teamwork required and frequent contact with clients are also factors to consider.

But as Susan Cain articulates so well in her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, introverts and extroverts can both thrive in roles better suited for the opposite personality type, as long as they’re passionate about the cause or are able to adapt the job to fit their style. This is why stopping to think out your passions is important, though you’ll also discover many along the way.

4. What kind of lifestyle do you want?

Most jobs start off with at least a few years of hard labor at lower pay than you’d like. What’s more important is looking ahead at people well into a career track to determine whether the lifestyle they lead is desirable to you. Some factors you might want to consider include the amount of control they have over their own time, their salary and the amount of travel involved, among other factors.

I’m not saying you need to have a distinct goal like “$150,000 per year or bust.” I’m saying that what’s acceptable to you is highly individual, and it’s important to do what will make you the most comfortable.

If giving back to the community gives you the most job satisfaction, then perhaps being a social worker with a relatively low wage will satisfy your needs. But if you’d prefer to turn off work at the end of the day and go live your “real” life, including eating out, travel and play, then perhaps a higher salary goal is more appropriate.

Again, these are things you may discover as you go.

5. Where do you want to live?

While not essential for every career type, determining where you want to live can be an important part of the career search process. This is especially true for jobs that are focused in certain regions. If you want to work in the magazine industry, then you’ll probably need to move to New York City. Wheat farmer? The Midwest. Anthropologist? Just about anywhere.

Beyond geographical region, think again about the lifestyle on offer in the places you’ll be headed. Do you seek a metropolitan lifestyle with restaurants and cultural attractions on every corner? Or do you need the beauty and quiet of a rural setting?

Business Goals and Objectives

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Goals should be tied to the strategic plan which is a written document that articulates an organization’s strategy for achieving its mission and vision. The goal development process looks at this strategy and determines the necessary steps to get there.

Goal writing does not have to be overly complicated, but it does require commitment and discipline to follow through and complete the required action steps.  Business goals need to be thought through and detailed enough to achieve desired results. Many organizations use the SMART goal model to do this.

SMART Goals are:

Specific – Is the goal specific enough for clarity?

Measurable – Is there a way to measure the goal? In other words, how do you know you achieved the goal?

Attainable – Is the goal truly attainable? Or is it such an outlandish goal that it looks good on paper but is nearly impossible to complete.

Realistic – Did you write the goal realistically? For example, did you address all the challenges of completing the goal and provide the necessary resources.

Timely – Is there a timeline associated with the goal to ensure a completion date?

“If you can’t measure and monitor your goals, chances are that your employees will never achieve them and you won’t know the difference…” Managing for Dummies

Organizational goals should be written around activities that contribute to the organization’s ability to move forward – increasing revenues, decreasing costs and improving the customer experience.

Examples of SMART Business Goals:

1. Reduce overall budget costs by 10% by 20xx
2. Increase market share by 5% by 20xx
3. Increase revenues by 20% by 20xx
4. Increase customer satisfaction by 5 pts by 20xx

If you take one aspect of budget costs, which could be supply costs, you can write SMART goals to reduce them.  The goal development process includes a discussion with the appropriate people and should answer the questions:  who, what, when and how. These four questions help to facilitate a discussion and thought process that flushes out the details needed for writing effective goals.

Once the questions are answered a goal setting worksheet can be created as an easy visual of the goal plan.

One of the most important things when writing goals is the follow-up and completion of goals.  A goal document is no more than a piece of paper if there is not a person held accountable for achieving those goals.

This makes it so important to use the document as a tool to help manage the performance of the employees assigned to complete the action steps and should also be part of the annual performance appraisal process.  Managers should use this as a guide throughout the year and reinforce deadlines outlined in the document.

A structured performance management process, which includes rewards and recognition for employees, is critical to ensuring goal completion.  An organizations’ ability to write and accomplish annual goals is critical to achieving corporate objectives.

Tips to Get Employees in the Holiday Spirit

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It’s too late to plan a big company holiday party – and you and your staff have been too busy to deal with it. Now, all the venues you wanted are booked up and the caterers are busy. No worries.

Below are 6 last-minute ideas you can still pull together in time to celebrate the season with your team and get your employees in the holiday spirit.

How to Get Employees in the Holiday Spirit

Volunteer

Celebrate the season by giving back to your community. Does your business already have a local charity or community group you work with? Do you or your employees have favorite causes that you love to help out?

If so, find out what these organizations are doing and what they need help with this time of year. If not, check your local newspapers’ listings or talk to your chamber of commerce, Lions, Kiwanis or Rotary club to find out how you can help.

Also think outside the box: Homeless shelters often have more volunteers than they can handle at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but charities such as animal shelters or battered women’s centers may be less swamped.

Eat and Be Merry

Have a potluck lunch at your business where everyone brings in a traditional holiday dish.

Or get creative: Have staff members bring in food from their family heritage, set a theme like Mexican or Cajun cuisine, or do a dessert bake-off where everyone brings in a sweet treat. (Bonus: You’re sure to have leftovers people can take home).

Be sure to decorate festively and plan for appropriately themed music and silly games. Put an enthusiastic employee or employee committee in charge, give them a budget and see what they come up with.

Secret Santa

There’s still time to put together a Secret Santa exchange. Keep it affordable (under $20 or even $10) so no one feels put upon. You can make it more fun by doing a Secret Santa grab where everyone gets three chances to “steal” a gift from someone else.

Holiday Contests

Hold an ugly holiday sweater or holiday costume contest where everyone dresses up. Offer prizes for the winner(s) such as gift cards to local retailers or restaurants. Or have a cubicle decorating contest to see who can come up with the most over-the-top desk décor.

Take Time Off

If you don’t have time to plan an event, chances are your employees are as stressed out and as overloaded as you are. If your business schedule allows, consider giving everyone an afternoon off with pay. They’ll appreciate some extra time to get their holiday shopping done or just catch up on all the obligations of this time of year.

See You Next Year

Instead of stressing about not having a holiday party, why not plan a New Year’s celebration?

Rates for venues and caterers are likely to be lower after the holidays, and you’ll have more options available to you. Plus, you and your team will be more relaxed once the holiday rush is over.

Bonus: In addition to looking back at the past year, a post-New Year’s party gives you a reason to look ahead and get everyone psyched up about the plans you’ve got for even greater business success in the coming year.

Handle Employee Grievances?

6 Easy Tips on How To Handle Employee Grievances?

It is the duty and responsibility of every good human resource professional to handle grievances at the workplace.

Upset or disengaged employees will limit your ability to deliver the type of customer service experience that creates loyal customers. It is therefore the a critical requirement of any good human resource personnel to equip himself or herself with the knowledge and skills required to handle grievances without fear or favor.

In this article we give a general outline on how to go about grievances.

1. Acknowledge grievances

Every time employees walk to your office lamenting, they expect that someone will lend them an ear as they vent out what has been offending them. Listening is an art, and good managers listen more than they talk. Allow the workers to express themselves fully, after which you acknowledge their grievance formally. It makes them go back to their work station with an assurance that someone has listened to their cries and is willing to do something about it. This is not a bad thing. If anything, it improves the environment and makes it conducive for constructive activities to go on.

2. Act quickly upon ascertaining the facts

Once you have acknowledged the resentment, the next step is to set on a mission to establish the truth. The aim is to ascertain whether the employee’s allegations are a true reflection of the state of affairs as at that particular time. Numerous avenues exist for this purpose, and it is upon the management to decide on the best way to accomplish this objective. Once you have the facts, do not take too long to act. Taking too much time before decisive action is taken can result in some unrest which will escalate the grievances. You ought to deal with these formal objections as fast as you can before things get out of hand.

3. Eliminate the root cause of the problem

Going the quick fix route can be costly and detrimental to the organization. Once an employee formally launches a complaint, it should be addressed once and for all. If you do not get a lasting solution, you can expect the employees to come back to your office every day with the same complaint, which for your information is quite annoying. The key to finding a good solution lies in the ability of human resource personnel to identify the real cause of the problem. Solving this quagmire guarantees you that no one will bother you with a similar complain. The action taken should ensure that the grievance is addressed fully.

4. Communicate the decision to the parties concerned

Once a decision is made, there should be no time wasted in communicating the resolution. The action taken might not be agreeable to all employees, but they have to understand the stand of the management. The course of action to be taken must be clear in the minds of all those concerned.

5. Maintain a good grievance policy

Grievance policies determine the actions to be taken. It is important in coming up with solutions which should be fair to all those involved. Having well documented policies makes it easier to handle grievances, as the policies provide a framework which will be followed in settling disputes. These policies should be assess-able to all, including employees. They should actually read the policies before forwarding their complaints to you. Policies ensure that justice prevails, as it is highly unlikely that decisions which are outside the framework will be made

6. Carry out post implementation reviews

After implementing the resolutions, it is always healthy to look back to evaluate the impact of the resolutions. If the employees are happier and settled, then you handled the grievance well. If it had the desired outcome, it should be incorporated into the policies for future reference.