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Clients
and Friends,
Announcing HMK Express! We have received
many calls in the past few months from clients who are attempting to do more
with less - continuing to grow their businesses with less human resources
support. In response to these requests, we are delighted to announce a new
service. Simply email an hr-related question to us, and we will respond. The
question can be on any hr-related topic - policies, performance appraisals,
salaries and benefits, employee relations issues, etc. Some sample questions
we've heard from clients recently:
- I am planning a layoff. Do
you have any tips on timing and severance?
- I have an employee who
comes to work with her nose pierced. Her job is not a "front
desk" job but I don't think it's appropriate for her to come to
work like that. Can I ask her not to?
- I am hiring a new CFO. What
should I pay her?
- I have an employee who we
fired but who owes us company equipment. Can we withhold his final
paycheck until he gives us our uniforms back?
- I received an anonymous
email about a current employee, accusing him of drinking heavily and
abusing his spouse. What should I do about this?
The good news is - it is never dull! Contact
us at hmk@hmkassociates.com! With more than ten years in the business of
helping growing companies, there are still lots of questions we haven't
heard. . . . . but many we've helped resolve. The price is just $50 for this
service for current or former clients and $75 for new subscribers. We will
alert you when you contact us if the question is more complex than we are
able to answer under the terms of this service. There is no commitment to a
certain level of service, although retainers are also available over a
six-month period. We continue to believe that human resources support is too
critical to your business's success to "do without" during tough
times. We look forward to working with you. Call us at (412) 362-7355 if you
have questions on this service.
Words
of Wisdom
"People don't resist change. They
resist being changed."
- Peter Sholtes
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Q & A
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Question: "I
have an employee who is good at forging ahead without much supervision -
and who always gets the project completed - but who never reports in on how
he's progressing along the way. His review is coming up and I need to
address this." ·
Answer: Often, the most difficult part of
a discussion on performance is finding the right words to use when you talk
to employees about a problem. You want to encourage a change in performance
and at the same time, not discourage and demoralize employees by talking
"down" to them. Here are some tips:
- Prepare carefully!
Practice using words and phrases that motivate, rather than aggravate.
For example, avoid using "never" or "always".
- LISTEN. Find some truth
in what the other person is saying, conveying an attitude of respect,
even if you feel frustrated with their behavior.
- Put yourself in his or
her shoes. How would you like to have this discussed? Confine your
discussion to the employee's behavior, not personality traits.
- Acknowledge the
employee's strengths and contributions.
- Provide timely, specific
communication about the problem ("Three times in the past three
weeks, I have not had the information I needed")
- Provide clear information
on the impact of the poor performance ("I am embarrassed at the
monthly management meeting when I don't have answers I need. ")
- Make a request for change
with a time frame for improvement ("I'd like you to begin to let
me know each week what you're working on")
- Ask, "What can I do
to help?"
If your employees know that you want to
help them succeed, they will be more willing to do what it takes. Good
luck!
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Alternatives...Rewards
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When was the last
time you told employees they are doing a good job? According to a recent
survey by the American Productivity Center, it generally takes 5%-8% of an
employee's salary to change behavior if the reward is cash and 4% if the
reward is non-cash, such as an award, trip, dinner out, etc. Make sure to
ask employees what they want, rather than choosing an incentive for them.
Other ways to motivate and reward employees, according to Bob Nelson,
author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, are:
- Writing personal notes or
publicly recognizing good performance, mentioning the results achieved
- A "Treasure
Chest" from which employees pick, with movie tickets, a coupon
for lunch, coffee mug, etc.
- An afternoon off, when it
is least expected
Are you struggling to figure out how to
reward, review or incentivize employees to improve? HMK Associates is able
to help: design a performance management or incentive system, help with
individual performance or disciplinary issues or train managers in coaching
and counseling skills. Call us!
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Tip of the Month
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Have you addressed
the issue of cell phone use in your handbook? Some employers have created
policies prohibiting the use of cell phones for business purposes while
driving, since employers may be responsible for accidents that occur while
using cell phones for business use. Consider inserting a policy in your
handbook to address this issue.
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About Us
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HMK Associates,
Inc. was founded in 1993 with the goal of helping business leaders
effectively and efficiently resolve their human resources issues. We are
committed to helping your company thrive by embracing the challenges of
growth and change.
If you would like more information, email
us at hmk@hmkassociates.com and please forward this newsletter to a friend.
Next issue: Paid time off, vacations and sick time...
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