Good Company Blog

How to Keep Your Employees (so they don't take the emergency exit!)

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:23:37 -0500

Everyone goes through an interview as part of the job hiring process. Some people even go through an exit interview when they leave an organization. And for managers and supervisors that need to be reminded, there are "stay interviews," or simply put, ways to communicate with employees that help them feel more worthwhile at work. Good managers conduct informal stay interviews on a consistent basis and benefit from their value in the form of better employee retention and productivity.

During a time when more and more employees are thinking about jumping ship (or should I say jumping plane, like flight attendant Steven Slater’s departure out of JetBlue’s emergency exit, beer in hand), it’s just hard to understand why more managers aren’t trying their best to engage employees about ways to make their work environment less stressful and more fulfilling. According to CareerBuilder, one-third (33 percent) of employees will start hunting for jobs when the economy picks up.

Taking the time to ask your employees questions and listen to what is really going on doesn’t cost anything. The cost of replacing employees who leave? It starts at about 150% of whatever salary they were making when they left. Read this for more information on exactly what costs (e.g., training, recruitment, etc.) go into calculating employee turnover, depending on the particular position and size of your organization. And consider the impact your lack of interest in your employees’ well-being has on their intentions to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Good managers invest time in their employees and help them grow in their positions while checking in every once in awhile to see what could be better. And better doesn’t always mean more money. Plenty of employees would be happier to work from home once a month or have more flexibility to spend doing non-work stuff, but you will never know what motivates your employees unless you ask them.

As Roberta Chinsky Matuson points out in her Fast Company blog post Employees Taking Flight, if “someone would have taken the time to listen to the concerns Slater had regarding his work as a flight attendant” maybe JetBlue’s PR disaster could have been avoided. Matuson further points out the important of going beyond an annual review – “employees need to talk to a real live person who can respond with empathy and who can influence management to take a serious look at some serious matters.” Sounds like the same principles behind a stay interview to me, but maybe the word interview is misleading, perhaps stay “discussions” or “check-ins” would be more accurate.

Either way, the real question is, how could you afford not to ask?

For tips on ways to conduct a stay interview, check out this Good Company Blog post: Ask Now or Pay Later.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/acidcookie / CC BY 2.0

Strap on the Feedbag

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:52 -0500

In this recurring feature, we'll highlight some of the blogs we subscribe to. This month -- favorites from friends and colleagues. If these aren't already in your feed reader, you're missing out on great content about benefits, communication, wellness, work-life issues, leadership and more.

The Benz Communications Blog - Employee communication, benefits, health care and wellness (@jenbenz on Twitter)

Connecting Career and Life - Workplace flexibility, work-life issues and organizational effectiveness (@leanneclc on Twitter)

free-range communication - Communication, HR, and the connection between business and individual health and well-being (@femelmed on Twitter)

Incentive Intelligence - Aligning individual and corporate goals through incentives, rewards and influence (@incentintel on Twitter)

Total Rewards Blog - News, trends and opinions about compensation, benefits and total rewards (@dsjanus on Twitter)

Wally Bock's Three Star Leadership Blog - Leadership, management and career issues (@wallybock on Twitter)

Work Engagement Blog - Engagement, burnout, leadership, teamwork and training (@workengagement on Twitter)

Work + Life Fit Blog - Work+Life issues and flexibility as a strategic imperative (@caliyost on Twitter)

Work Life Nation with Judy Martin - Work-life balance, workplace culture, flexibility, work and family concerns (@judymartin8 on Twitter).

Enjoy!

Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/kafkan / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

It’s Not What You Make, It’s How You Like Your Work

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:52:48 -0500

The Hay Group and WorldatWork recently published a report suggesting that money and pay were less motivating than non-monetary incentives, such as leadership. This means that how much you pay people means a lot less than putting them in a positive work environment with strong leadership.

Though this may seem like a revelation to some, it really shouldn’t be. In 1968, Frederick Herzberg published a book in which he argued that there were two different elements at play in the workplace: hygiene factors and motivators.

Hygiene factors were elements that if not considered could cause greater levels of dissatisfaction at work. That is, increasing hygiene factors beyond a certain level had no effect on worker attitudes. It was when they fell below certain levels that organizations had problems.

Motivators were factors that needed to be focused on to improve satisfaction. These were factors that needed continual attention because this was where managers and leaders could improve motivation.

Interestingly, pay (among others) was considered to be nothing but a hygiene factor, whereas achievement, recognition, and advancement (among others) were considered to be motivators.

Though our terminology has changed (we talk more about engagement than satisfaction), the ways to increase those positive outcomes has not. You could pay people all the money in the world, but if they do not like the work they do, if they are not recognized for their achievements, and if they stagnate in their positions, they will become disengaged.

This is obviously not to say that pay is unimportant. Pay is important, but only to a certain point. You have to pay people what they feel they are worth or you run the risk of sending them mixed messages (like, you are important, we just won’t pay you much). So, in a way, you have to reach a certain threshold when it comes to pay. However, that is just to keep people from becoming dissatisfied (or disengaged). If you want to take them to the next level, try something else.

Try giving them a positive work environment, with leaders who care and leaders who inspire. Try giving them the opportunity to excel. Try giving them opportunities to make their work more meaningful. Try giving them opportunities to grow and develop, personally and professionally.

Maybe I’m way off base here, but most people want their work to be fun and meaningful. Giving them the context in which to make their work fun and meaningful is the best way to motivate them. You’ll be glad you did.

The Psychological Dimension of Wellness

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:07:33 -0500

I am at the National Wellness Conference this week. Many people, when they think about wellness, think about making changes in diet and exercise. But did you know that the most expensive medical cost to business is depression? And it is 70% higher than the next most expensive cost, diabetes. Yet many wellness programs do not address the costs associated with mental health disorders, or do so only indirectly. This is the bad news.

The good news is that there are psychological tools that can be learned that are associated with lower medical costs for mental health disorders. The even better news is that these same skills are important business skills. Mindfulness, optimism, and resilience have each been linked, in empirical research, with reductions in relapse rates and prevention of depression, anxiety, and other diagnosable mental disorders. Mindfulness has also described by the Hay Group, a consulting firm at Harvard University, as a critical skill in leadership. Optimism has been studied by Martin Seligman, Ph.D., who noted that it is a key component in successful sales teams. The U.S. Army has initiated a project to teach resilience to soldiers, family members and Army civilians in an effort to reduce the incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, lower suicide rates, enhance coping skills and help them thrive.

The Wellness movement helps people to function at a more optimal level. The psychological dimension is a critical component, something that the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award winners have discovered for themselves. What is your wellness program doing to address the psychological health of your workforce?

Dogs in the Workplace

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:45:45 -0500

The benefits of allowing dogs at the office can include increased motivation, work-life flexibility and stress relief for employees (and their best friends). Granted, it does depend on the workplace, employees and company culture. For dog owners and lovers though, having that cuddly soft fur, wagging tail and contagious enthusiasm with them while at work can make all the difference.

Check out this recent article on the dozens of dogs who accompany their owners to work on Capitol Hill and see just how easy it can be to accommodate dogs in the workplace. (Make sure you check out the slideshow, it’s cute.)

Bull in china shop jokes aside, even Replacements, Ltd., one of our PHWA winners, allows dogs to roam the floors of their china warehouse and cites the many benefits, as does another PHWA winner, Healthwise.

So for the rest of us, what can we do to educate our employers about such a great (free!) perk? The Humane Society of the United States publishes a book that covers policies on dogs in the workplace and other topics such as getting buy-in from management and how to prep your pooch for her office debut. If the culture at your organization lends itself to such ideas, put some feelers out there and see if it’s something your employees would like. You never know until you ask, and engaging them in the exploration of a new office perk will help them feel involved in the process and excited.

Above all else, if you decide a pets-at-work policy could work for your organization, make sure your company has clearly stated guidelines and rules in place before the first dog bounds through your doors – this will help ensure that everyone is wagging his tail.

Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/iampeas / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A Video Overview of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:29:32 -0500

Check out the video, below, to learn about the components of a psychologically healthy workplace and the link between employee well-being and organizational performance. The video also includes interviews with some of our award winners and highlights from our 2010 award ceremony. You'll hear directly from award-winning organizations about their commitment to creating a healthy, high-performing work environment and the results they've achieved.

Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program Overview 2010 from Healthy Workplace on Vimeo.

Gallup’s Five Well-Being Indicators: Seems Like Something’s Missing

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:15:14 -0500

Gallup recently came out with the revelation that there are five types of well-being: (1) Career, (2) Social, (3) Financial, (4) Physical, and (5) Community. I have not seen any of the behind the scenes empirical work validating these five types of well-being, but the five do seem to make conceptual sense. They are clearly not completely separate types of well-being, as poor career well-being might result in poor financial well-being or social well-being. But, the general premise seems to make sense.

Having read several different pieces on the topic, though, something seemed to be missing. As I was reviewing the most recent Gallup Management Journal article, it finally dawned on me. There seems to be an important element of well-being missing from Gallup’s conceptual framework: Mental Well-Being.

You could make the argument that Gallup’s five types of well-being will likely have some effect on mental well-being. If someone lacks career well-being, for example, then that person may experience greater stress which reduces mental well-being. However, you could also argue that poor mental well-being, perhaps resulting from depression or anxiety, could be the precursor to reduced career well-being. Hence, mental well-being could have implications for most, if not all, of the other five types of well-being.

Though it is unlikely that Gallup will re-consider its “five” types of well-being (after all the books and articles have already been printed), I would encourage practitioners to consider that there might be something missing from the list.

For years and years, our healthcare insurance focused primarily on physical health and well-being coverage, with little attention paid to mental health and well-being coverage. It seems to me that Gallup has done the same thing.

Failing to consider the extremely important mental well-being element means that, at least for some employees, no matter what you do to improve the other five types of well-being, you will not optimize your results.

Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/yannconz / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A Healthy Workplace Based on Trust

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:54:21 -0500

[Since Dr. Michael Leiter was the one who suggested the poll item, described below, I was curious to hear his reaction to the results and he was gracious enough to accept my invitation to contribute this guest post to our blog. If you're on Twitter, you can follow Dr. Leiter at @workengagement -DB]

The Psychologically Healthy Workplace poll asked a question that goes to a core issue for workplace health and productivity: I can rely on my co-workers when I need help at work. We didn’t ask whether people trusted anyone at work nor did we ask if they trusted everyone at work. Rather, the question went to whether they had a general sense of trust towards co-workers.

The good news. Of the 243 people responding, a solid 2/3, agreed or strongly agreed with this statement.

The not so good news. One third of respondents did not agree, with nearly 1/8 of respondents strongly disagreeing.

Trust describes a meeting of the minds: people are willing to reach out and others are willing to respond. Trust is a big issue when asking for help. It gives confidence that others have both the wherewithal and the willingness to lend a hand. Trust shapes how others respond to requests, as well: people share cheerfully only when they have confidence in the other person’s good intentions.

Mistrust of colleagues poses a serious problem in today’s work world. Mistrust separates people, introducing speed bumps in the flow of information, energy, and emotional support. People hesitate to ask and to respond.

As put succinctly in the Job Demands/Resources model the availability of effective resources is a major determinant of whether people will experience work engagement or burnout in the face of intense demands at work. In an information/service economy people find the most relevant resource in the energy, knowledge, and abilities of their colleagues.

Work today invariably involves teamwork. For example, in hospitals, high quality care for a single patient draws upon the talents of various providers across shifts. Individual providers cannot address every dimension of care over an extended period. This shared quality of work pervades every economic sector.

Good working relationships have implications beyond productivity. A career is more than a means of making money or an opportunity to ply one’s craft. Careers bring membership in a community. The richness of relationships within that community contributes a lot to a person’s potential for fulfillment.

The vision of my research and consulting focuses on enhancing workplace communities. Improving the quality of working relationships has huge leverage for both productivity and workplace health. Solid working relationships, worthy of trust, underlie anything a team strives to do. Civil, respectful working relationships are the infrastructure of worklife. They permit resources to flow without the hiccups of mistrust, resentment, misunderstanding, or fear. One potential approach is CREW (Civility, Respect, and Engagement with Work).

Recognizing Mistrust within a Workgroup

Info Gaps. When talking with members of a workgroup, you find that they lack key information available to other members of the group.
Complaints. When lacking trust, member of groups complain to people outside of a group. In time, those complaints circulate around an organization or even with outside partners.
Low Morale and Energy. Mistrust is an unhappy experience. So much of what makes work fun occurs among people who enjoy one another.

What to Do about Low Trust?

Talk about Relationships. When delivering progress reports, leaders can ask about working relationships. Working relationships become part of the conversation.
Define Projects With Team Building Potential. Ideally, leaders can integrate team building experiences into their workflow, while dealing with actual tasks.
Get Serious about Core Values. A group needs to make its commitment to a positive quality of worklife a top priority.

Questions

How do you determine someone’s trustworthiness? Words, nonverbal communications, actions?
Are most employers today deserving of trust from their employees?
What has your organization done to build trust in the workplace?

Michael P. Leiter holds the Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health at Acadia University while also serving as President of Michael Leiter & Associates, an organizational consulting firm with a mission of enhancing the quality of worklife. A major initiative is Civility, Respect, and Engagement at Work (CREW) that leads groups to experience supportive relationships. A registered psychologist, he received degrees in Psychology from Duke University (BA), Vanderbilt University (MA), and the University of Oregon (PhD). You can read Dr. Leiter's full bio here. Additional information is available at www.workengagement.com and http://cord.acadiau.ca.

Techniques for Managing Workplace Stress

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:39:55 -0500

Stress is universal: all people are affected by it in varying degrees. However, the causes and how people deal with stress are different. Stress is becoming more of a problem because of modern workplace pressures and uncertainty. Your goal is to control stress so it does not control you. We can learn about stress by thinking of a violin string. There needs to be a certain level of tension on the string so that it can make music. If the string has no tension, it will not create a musical sound. If it has too much tension, it can snap. Stress through life events creates the tension on the string; people are the string and wood of the violin. People have different levels of abilities to work within and tolerate stress, just like the violin string.

Some events that cause tension are:

employment uncertainty
uncertain Future
marriage/divorce
illness
financial problems
change
workload - deadlines
lack of support
continual conflict

Some effects of tension are:

tight neck muscles
churning stomach
increased blood pressure
headaches
ulcers
anxiety
increased alcohol or tobacco use
clenched fist - clenched jaw

Today’s workplace is filled with stress because of: change, uncertainty and economic fluctuations. This last year we have seen unprecedented numbers of people out of work and the highest unemployment rates in decades. Psychologists are seeing many people with stress related problems because of employment and unemployment uncertainty. For each person, we need to identify the causes of stress and how to manage it.

The following steps will help you in managing your stress:

Identify your causes for stress: for example workplace uncertainty, time, family, money, work-related conflicts, too many demands or self-doubt.
Identify your actions/signs of stress; for example, short-tempered, not finishing projects, feeling overwhelmed, angry, blaming others, withdrawing.
Find ways to lessen stress: voice the unexpressed, discuss causes of stress with a friend or write out the causes. Reread the written causes, underline important issues, and develop an action plan. Instead of worrying about statements that you have already made in anger—control your worrying by working out a best/worst case scenario. When you define a worst case, you can then figure out how to deal with it. You can also realize that a best case may be the outcome. Either way, you have mapped out the consequences of your angry statement and, by doing so, can eliminate the worry and feel in control.
Be honest with yourself — don’t try to accomplish more than what is possible in a given period of time.
Take at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted time for yourself daily. Leave your immediate work area and take a brief walk outside or have an informal discussion with a coworker. These activities can relax you and even enhance productivity.
Tension Discharge Rate: Find an approach for releasing stress: take a walk, read, do deep breathing exercises, listen to music.

You can control stress instead of letting it control you by controlling your thoughts and attitudes toward situations and people.

Are Employers Facing a Deficit of Trust?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:54:05 -0500

While waiting in the airport recently, I noticed that the guy sitting next to me had taped paper over the webcam at the top of his laptop. I chuckled to myself at first at his apparent paranoia. Then I thought about that kid in Philadelphia who sued his school for taking photos of him on his laptop without his knowledge. So who could blame this young professional at the airport for being cautious? It is more than a little creepy thinking that your boss might be watching you in your hotel room on a business trip. Which got me thinking about trust.

Trust is lacking in many workplaces today. Employers don’t trust employees. Employees don’t trust employers. We see it in the survey business all the time. Clients hire my firm to conduct their employee surveys in part to ensure anonymity of respondents and confidentiality of results. And yet no matter how it’s communicated some employees will never believe their survey responses are anonymous. And so, with the fear of big brother looking over their shoulders, many employees miss the opportunity to provide honest feedback that might improve their workplace.

In a world where it’s not uncommon to pick up a newspaper to see CEO led away in handcuffs, maybe it shouldn’t surprise us that many employees simply don’t trust their company’s leadership. Based on research that we’ve done with our clients at Questar, nearly 18% of employed adults do not trust their company’s senior management – and another 24% say they’re not sure. And that lack of trust leads to negative organizational outcomes. Employees who report a lack of trust in senior leadership are more likely to leave their job, more likely to join a union, and less likely to put in extra effort when compared with employees who trust their company’s leaders.

So what’s the solution? There are concrete things that leaders can do to build trust among their followers. Research shows that the drivers of organizational trust are a lot more intuitive than you might think.

Communicate changes promptly and honestly.
Treat all employees with respect, regardless of job level.
Show through company actions that employees are important to its success.
Support people in taking work-related risks.
Conduct business with honesty and integrity.
Hold senior managers accountable for living the values and helping the organization fulfill its vision and mission.
Practice what you preach about diversity, ethics and values.

The hardest part for many organizations is to acknowledge and confront concerns about trust head on. Trust is reciprocal, so placing trust in employees is also likely to inspire trust in leaders. And of course – actions speak louder than words. But you already knew that, didn’t you?

Psychologically Healthy Workplaces are Real Snoozers

Tue, 18 May 2010 17:38:28 -0500

Work stress causing you to lose sleep? It may be the other way around. Your poor sleep habits could be wreaking havoc with your work life.

In the most recent issue of our Good Company Newsletter, Dr. Larissa Barber reports that while health promotion initiatives are gaining popularity in the workplace, healthy sleep gets little (if any) attention.

In her article, Barber reviews the research and argues that employers should promote healthy sleep practices, since poor sleep can negatively affect employees' psychological and physical health, as well as their functioning at work.

I have to admit, I never really thought much about how my sleep affected my job performance until I returned to work after my first child was born. In those first few months of sleep deprivation, I was all too aware of how impaired I was (and that was after a relatively short period of time). As someone accustomed to thinking, moving and talking at lightning speed, the experience of feeling like I was in slow motion didn't sit well with me.

Even worse, when my supervisor would pop by first thing in the morning to ask me a question, I frequently had to say that I'd have to get back to him. The answer was swimming around somewhere in my head, but I just couldn't retrieve the information. Not a fun experience in an office full of psychologists who were likely assessing my cognitive deficits and thinking about scheduling an intervention.

Fortunately, as we settled into our new routines and sleep improved, I returned to something at least close to my previous level of functioning. I was, however, left with a new-found appreciation for how difficult life must be for people with chronic sleep problems, as well as a better understanding of how quickly poor sleep can affect one's job performance. So, the next time you're wondering what the mind-body connection has to do with work, my advice...just sleep on it.

Dealing with Stress in Your Organization

Wed, 12 May 2010 09:41:54 -0500

Is your organization reeling from these stressful economic times? Many employees work in large organizations/systems that support the work they do but also result in challenging work environments. Financial stress can have noticeable effects on the work environment.

There are several characteristics that you might notice:

The focus of the management in the organization is on perceived risk
Short-term solutions that are narrowly targeted to a specific problem are preferred and long-term objectives are treated as less important
Communication may suffer, lacking details
Communication is often reactive, with attention focused on the most recent failures and on affixing blame
Skills degenerate under stress and normally talented members of the organization do not perform at their best
There is a higher expectation for compliance rather than discussion and collaboration

This group of response tendencies, developed in humans who faced potentially life-threatening dangers, can make it difficult to thrive in a profession that is already difficult to practice. It seems overwhelming when the organization also becomes a source of the problems rather than being a place to receive support.

If this were not complicated enough, in such an environment, you might share some of these same characteristics. This can make for unproductive conversations and increased animosity resulting in a negative spiral of rising stress reactions.

Fortunately, there are some things which can be quite productive in dealing with your organization.

Identify and focus on the long term goals of the organization and the benefits of continuing to work productively toward those goals.
Whenever you are in a dialogue with the management of the organization, consciously slow down your thoughts so that you are responding rather than reacting.
Establish a working team atmosphere so that you are you are creating shared understandings (mental models) of your goals and the goals of the organization.
Over communicate! You will find that there is a great capacity to misunderstand each other or to avoid areas of potential conflict.
Gradually move from a risk prevention strategy to a growth oriented strategy.

In times like these, these are useful starting points to improve the function of your entire organization. It is helpful to remember that this is a long-term process. It takes all the patience and skill that you employ in your professional activities.

Do You Value Rewards or Recognition?

Mon, 03 May 2010 06:03:15 -0500

I was recently interviewed on Real Recognition Radio, along with Dr. David Ballard. We were asked to discuss the various elements of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace. As a part of the interview, we discussed a couple of key issues related to rewards and recognition.

I want to talk about one of those today: the difference between rewards and recognition. There are a lot of gray areas within this discussion, perhaps largely because of the lack of empirical research on the topic.

So, what’s the difference between rewards and recognition? I’d bet that most people have never stopped to think about this issue. I’ve thought a lot about these issues, so I’ll be the first to admit that it can be difficult to wrestle with some of the gray areas. But I’d also argue that the distinction between the two is real and important. So here is my take on the subject in a nutshell. Rewards focus primarily on providing people with economic exchanges for accomplishing some sort of performance goal or set of performance goals. You exceed your sales goals, you get a bonus. You perform well during the year, you receive a raise. You earn points for participating in a wellness program, you can cash those points in for trips, iPods, and other stuff. Essentially, rewards serve strictly as extrinsic motivators. You do X, you receive Y. It is very impersonal, and you don’t have to even know the exceptional person in order to provide a reward, because it is based strictly on some measurable outcome.

Recognition, on the other hand, appears to be much more focused on contributions and effort, rather than strictly on performance goals (starting to get a little blurry here, isn’t it?). Recognition is designed to be personally meaningful. That is, rather than simply attempting to provide an impersonal economic exchange, recognition emphasizes touching people on a more sentimental level. With recognition, we seek to show people that we genuinely value what they contribute as people, not just as workers. We can recognize people for providing exceptional service to a customer, even if that service does not result in meeting some performance goal. We can recognize people for helping to create a positive work environment, even if that is not within their official job description. But recognition means nothing if it is given out wantonly or if it seems insincere. You don’t connect with people that way.

If used properly, rewards and recognition can complement one another. Since rewards are usually tied to formal and objective aspects of job performance, they can be used to maintain performance at core job functions. For example, a commodities trader can be rewarded for net gains on investments made each quarter, a lawyer can be given a bonus based on the number of cases won each year, and a roofer can be compensated for the number of repairs completed each month. In each of these cases, the employees are performing the duties of their jobs that would traditionally be found on their job description. When they perform exceptionally, they are given monetary rewards to match that level of performance, which can help to encourage people to be more efficient and effective at attaining concrete, job-related outcomes.

Recognition, on the other hand, can be used to acknowledge employees’ ancillary contributions to the organization. Whether this comes in the form of innovation, commitment, or going above and beyond what is required, these intangible forms of performance can be just as important to the company’s overall performance. Furthermore, recognizing one person publicly can help to communicate to other employees that these behaviors (although not written down or quantifiable) are important to everyone’s success.

For both rewards and recognition, whoever is receiving them must value what they are receiving. Years of service awards mean little to employees, because they are being recognized simply for not leaving the organization, usually given by someone who does not even know what contributions that person has made. Cost of living raises mean little because the net salary increase is often negligible. So, whether you want to give out rewards or recognition, they need to be perceived as valuable and desirable.

I guess what this all boils down to is that there are a couple of important distinctions between rewards and recognition. Rewards can be given out by anybody and the size of the reward determines its ultimate value for somebody. Recognition must be given by someone whose opinion we trust and respect. In addition, it is easier to recognize someone’s contributions when we genuinely value the behaviors and contributions we observe. If we don’t, then our recognition may be perceived as insincere.

A second distinction is that rewards, by nature, are only given out at finite intervals. We cannot provide a meaningful reward every time someone performs well. So, we have to prioritize in terms of types of performance outcomes to be rewarded, levels of performance that lead to rewards, size of the rewards, and reward intervals. With recognition, though, we are not limited to finite intervals. We can recognize people much more often. In fact, you can recognize people on a daily basis if you want. Just make sure it is meaningful!

So, there are upsides and downsides to the reliance on rewards as a primary motivational tool, and there are upsides and downsides to the reliance on recognition as a primary motivational tool. Obviously, a comprehensive approach would rely on both rewards and recognition, but until we understand the difference between the two, it seems that too many organizations will continue to default to “total rewards” programs that fail to integrate the potential power of effective recognition!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/djwhelan/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Keep Your Employees Safe and Healthy

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:12:21 -0500

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), an estimated 2.3 million people die as a result of work-related injuries or diseases a year. Additionally, 337 million workplace accidents occur each year that result in extended absences from work. Take today, World Day for Safety and Health at Work to read more about the risks employees are exposed to in the workplace and dig deeper to help keep your employees safe and healthy. Here’s a great starting point for resources, statistics, and information on health and safety at work, as well as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) website full of information and industry-specific resources.

Take notes from our winning organizations that have policies and practices in place that help ensure their employees’ safety and promote employee health and well-being.

The American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) has an internal wellness program that not only helps the organization stand out as an industry leader, but also delivers high participation rates and measurable results, with a return on investment (ROI) of 2:1. Also, check out this video on ACIPCO’s psychologically healthy workplace practices.

Leaders Bank, in Illinois redesigned their employee stress management program to better suit the needs of employees, based on employee feedback, and it’s worked. Employees are taught specific methods for recognizing the early warning signs of stress and how to implement prevention and stress management interventions. Read more about that program here and check out this video to see more of Leaders Bank’s healthy workplace practices.

Pacific Shipyards International’s safety program nicknamed An Extra Pair of Eyes helps keep their employees safe by using statistical information, task analysis, and behavioral science concepts to develop preventative safety protocols and simulations. Read more about the details here.

Our Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award winners and Best Practices Honorees show leaders that employee safety is priority and striving to improve employees’ health everyday is worth the investment. Take the opportunity to learn more now and take a proactive approach to your employees’ health and safety. Your employees and their families will thank you.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chego101/ / CC BY 2.0

Moving Tips: How to Maintain Calm Among the Chaos

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:58:54 -0500

Moving House? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 35 million people move each year. Around 20 percent of those people relocated because of work, but even those who moved for reasons like a bigger house or better neighborhood still have jobs, and moving wreaks havoc on your life, the effects of which can spill over at work.

In preparing for an upcoming move myself, I started thinking more about the impact my life has had on my moving strategy. I counted, and this will be the 26th time I’ve moved, which basically qualifies me as a moving expert or professional (in my mind anyways). When you move that much, the actions become automatic and make sense because you are constantly in moving preparation mode.

Moving makes us stressed, less organized, exhausted, and just plain cranky. Finding new health-care providers, coordinating schools for our kids, and developing new routines take time, so flexibility from our employers goes a long way. Moving an office can be stressful as well and relocating for a job (essentially moving house and office) is even more of a hassle. Check out APA’s Help Center for resources on dealing with stress.

Yes, moving is a pain. But it can also be a time to simplify your life. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way that can help keep you organized so you’re not overwhelmed. Maintaining some semblance of normalcy during your move will help you juggle your work and home demands, even though your entire life is packed away in boxes.

Plan Ahead (as much as possible).
Give yourself time to prepare, prep, and pack. Start early and do what you can in spurts so it’s not one big undertaking on moving day.

Pick one place to keep important documents, like a laptop or designated bag so anyone who needs that receipt or confirmation number for turning on the electricity in your new place knows where to find it.

Collect used boxes and packing supplies that you can use for your move. Grocery stores generally have loads of boxes they are happy to offload. Save your newspapers and check online listings for people that have already moved and want to get rid of their boxes and left over moving supplies.

Swing by a bicycle shop at the end of the day and swipe some of the boxes the bikes get shipped in -- you can easily fit wall frames in them and most even have handles cut into the box!

If you have to buy boxes, check out some of the greener moving companies – many have options that allow you to rent durable plastic “boxes” that are cheaper than cardboard boxes, don’t require tape and delivery and pickup is included in the price.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.
Keep It Simple. Ask yourself: How much stuff do we really need? How much better do we feel after letting go of clutter?

Streamline your life where possible so it’s easier to stay on top of work demands amid the clutter that will temporarily be taking over your living space.

Organize everything on one, electronic calendar that you can access remotely and preferably on your phone. Keeping your work deadlines and personal obligations on one calendar is the simplest way to make sure you don’t miss anything important. This way you can see how your workflow meshes with your moving tasks and the inevitable appointments and time off you’ll need to take to get your family situated in a new home. I include as much detail as I can, like the phone number for appointments, just in case I need to cancel, or the address to places so I can quickly plug it into my GPS.

By automatically adding the extra information when you add the event to your calendar, you save yourself time and hassle, not to mention stress, if you end up needing it at the last minute. I also send my husband an invite if it’s something he needs to know – with just a few clicks, I can let him know he’s supposed to pick up his parents from the airport (and their flight number) and he can’t hold me responsible if he forgets!

Coordinating schedules with your spouse will also make it less stressful to figure out which one of you will take time off work to stay home and meet the cable guy, based on your workloads.

Go Through Everything.
This is also a great time to do a home inventory – it will come in handy for insurance claims if anything terrible ever happens to your home and/or belongings. This way you’ll know exactly how many pairs of designer shoes you had or the brand of electronics that need to be replaced.

Sell what you can on eBay or craigslist and donate what you cannot sell. This way there will be less stuff for you to pile out on the curb when you leave, you’ll make some extra cash, and you’ll feel good about someone else being able to reuse your stuff.

Find out in advance where to dump the stuff you cannot recycle or throw in the trash, like batteries or electronics. If you don’t have time to drop them off or need to use them up until you move, tape the address where they need to be deposited to the item or keep it in a central location.

Streamline Paperwork.
Take stock of all your paper files and clippings. What can you archive electronically? Our house is filing cabinet free and we keep important original documents in a fire-proof safe. Streamline by scanning and archiving documents and back them up on discs or a removable hard drive, just in case. You may also want to back up your documents online using something like Google Storage, or a combo like Dropbox which allows you to save documents on your computer and then access them remotely.

Recycle those stacks of paper after you’ve scanned them, or, even better, repurpose them by shredding and turning them into packing padding for your fragile items.

Set up a folder on your laptop to save electronic confirmation emails or other important messages that you may need for your move. There may be a gap of time in between houses that you don’t have Internet service, so make sure you have pertinent work files saved somewhere you can access them while in transition.

Things Change. Like Your Address.
If you are relocating for a job, make sure to ask the recruiter or HR person if the company offers a relocation package or any type of moving assistance. Don’t forget to check if you can deduct moving costs from your taxes.

If you are staying with your current employer – coordinate with your HR, payroll, and benefits department and make sure they have your new address. Among the other important places you need to change your address, start with the post office to ensure you receive your mail.

Pack It Up.
You know all the sheets, towels, and bedding you have to pack? Roll them around breakables like picture frames and knick-knacks and you’ll save on bubble wrap. If you need something a little more snug to pack your china, consider Geami – it’s cost-effective and easier to use than bubble wrap or those annoying loose fill packing peanuts that make a mess, plus it takes up less space and keeps your valuables safe. I personally love this stuff and the fact that you can reuse it.

What about the oversized luggage you never use? Or the pack you trekked around Europe in? Use all the bags you have in your house and fill them up. Since they are especially good options for packing your clothes and shoes, in my house, we leave bags for last minute items like clothes and toiletries that you use up until moving day. One last note about clothes – don’t pack all your work clothes or workout gear too soon, you don’t want to be without your clothes!

Readers – What tips do you have? How do you juggle the demands of moving with work? Any job relocation resources to share?

Photo Credit: Jessica McKenzie Peterson