|
|
Recently in Training Category
In March, I explored a reader's question on Hiring Inexperienced vs Experienced Workers. Today, I'd like to talk with you about this a bit further. Many employers seek to bring new ideas and new perspective to their organizations. This sometimes means there are two experienced seasoned executives or professionals applying for the same job, but from different industries. Much like I explained with Southwest's hiring strategies, often the job will go to the candidate with experience outside the field to get new perspective; this doesn't mean that the experience someone has isn't relevant or is outdated, it just means that sometimes companies want to bring in a personality type, not the experience. For example, bringing in someone with a strong retail background into a hospitality business (or vice versa) may bring the leadership experience and perspective in a different background. Always consider the choice which is not the most convenient, and you may find a better fit.
Do you have an employee who likes playing managers against one another? Do you someone who tries to get the answer they want to hear by asking people the same question over and over?
To stop people from playing this "Manager Game", a good sit-down to go over expectations with the employee may not work. Employees of this type should be discussed in a forum by the management team to ensure that everyone is aware of what this person is trying to do.
Once it is out in the open what this employee is doing, developing a consistent game plan ahead of time to deal with questions by this employee may be the best approach.
On Tuesday December 8th at 1pm, my students at SUNY Delhi at SCCC in Schenectady will be debating hot issues in human resources.
If you are interested in attending this free event, please contact me at braathrj@delhi.edu.
Five debates will take place, and each will be followed up by questions and answers from the audience and students.
A question I often get asked is "How do I show experience with (insert software here) without actually having a job using that software?" Often, candidates will disqualify themselves prior to applying for a job just because they don't feel they can compete with those who have the experience already.
However, in many cases, this is not a reason not to apply for a position with a company. There are so many tools out there in any field (whether it be HR, accounting, presentation tools) that allow you to download a free-trial or low-cost version to test out and try out for yourself. For example, Time Forge, which is a tool I use in my classes for HR, allows a multi-day trial with full-functionality to manage your labor schedule force, payroll and attendance. Zoho.com gives free versions of its products on everything from presentation software to HR systems and project management tools.
So, if next time you go into an interview you don't think you have the qualifications, or get asked "What experience do you have with (insert software here)", have a good back story like "while I don't have experience in an office setting, I have been using a trial version of (insert software here) for 6 months to prepare myself for entering a role using it, and have found it has several advantages and uses which are X, Y and Z." You'll be able to land a role by being creative in your ability to grow into new roles and opportunities.
The World Series is upon us, and baseball shows us what many managers need to know, which is how to deal with those who underperform.
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has not been hitting throughout the playoffs. Manager Joe Girardi took him into the office and told him he would not be playing last night. He then informed Jerry Hairston he would be stepping in for the day. Girardi let Swisher know before anyone else knew the reasons behind the decision, rather than have everyone question why the lineup change took place. Swisher reacted as a good athlete will, by not wanting to sit out but respecting the decision of his manager.
Another way to confront a non-performer indirectly in baseball is to not even allow them to participate in a critical moment of the game. Mariano Rivera typically pitches 1 inning per game, but because the bullpen has been shaky, and this is a critical time, Rivera has been pitching 2 innings per appearance in must win games. This may shake up the other pitchers out there to have more focus and learn by watching how Rivera handles such situation.
Similarly, in the workplace, you may have critical deadlines coming up, and you may want to use one of these methods to get the right people on board. Whether you choose to take someone off a project short-term or give your best work to the best under-pressure performers, handling these decisions requires respecting those who you are in effect removing from key business decisions.
Whether it is retail, hospitality, medicine, law, and really any other field, ongoing training is the most effective method of keeping your employees on the cutting edge of their field and on top of the best communications methods.
It doesn't matter whether the scope of your business is the size of the Walt Disney Company or Ma and Pa Kettle's Diner, having effective training that breathes life in to your business is a must.
Many organizations and HR departments feel putting together a one-off workshop will solve issues within organizations; rarely do these one-off ventures provide lasting impact.
Take a look at your initiatives in your organization, and see how you can breathe new life into them by incorporating them into daily activities, rather than yearly meetings.
There's a marked difference between managing by walking around and managing by sneaking around.
Good managers who use MBWA effectively by making their presence felt, even if they aren't present. Changing the pattern of your MBWA by changing the time, frequency, and route you take can create a consistently operating workforce. One might say if the MBWA route is too consistent, it can lead to employees only working hard when they know that you are making your daily walkby at 2pm.
On the other hand MMBSA (micromanaging by sneaking around) can be an aftereffect of too much variety in your MBWA. If you only are changing your MBWA method to catch people doing things wrong, you will create an atmosphere of distrust.
Use MBWA effectively, and you will earn the trust and respect of your employees, and also keep them on their toes. As well, you will see your customer service and productivity metrics improve dramatically.
The probation period (30/60/90) days at the start of employment or new opportunities can be an effective way to allow both the company and the employee to test the waters and see how well things match up between all parties.
Framing the probation period appropriately to not make it "do this or be fired" scenario can be a delicate exercise in diplomacy. Someone asked me recently what I felt about their policy of telling people "if you don't do well in 90 days, we aren't keeping you." I commented that their needs to be a more delicate approach, and that taking such a hardline stance might set people up with the expectation that they are being watched on every move.
The probation period should be a give and take exercise, where management can monitor, make recommendations, and adapt training if necessary. Likewise, it should be a time where the employee should feel comfortable to address concerns that may affect their continued employment.
Putting together job descriptions solves a multitude of problems, from the pre-hiring and recruiting process all the way through severance of employment. Many people I talk to can't find exactly what their job description is, and often are surprised at its contents once it is "discovered."
A great tool to determine what to include and what to leave out of the job description is the web site provided by O-Net. This site allows you to look up job descriptions for multitudes of jobs and job titles, and can allow you to see what you do (or what you should have your employees do) in each role critical to your company.
If you don't have job descriptions in place already, this is the place to go to setup your frameworks of job descriptions.
Visit O-Net at
http://online.onetcenter.org/
Q: I was selected for a management training program for a retailer based on my professional background and my interest in working for the company. I made it clear in the interview that my long-term goal was to be in administration with the company. A few months into training, I realize that that is where my heart lies. How do I handle this yet keep my chances solid of pursuing a greater role in this company?
A: I was in a similar situation as you many years ago. How I handled it was to enjoy what I was doing at the time, and making connections with the department I eventually landed myself in. Doing the very best at the role I was in, I made it clear that I was passionate about the company, even if inside I knew my heart was in a different role. Then, based on the relationships I had in the new department, I worked out some opportunities to shadow their operation and get to see if that was what I really wanted to do. Sure enough, in time, it was the right match, and the right opportunity came along.
I would work as hard as possible in the retail setting, and clearly keep the ear of your leaders by keeping in mind what you want to do long-term. It is those dedicated to whatever role they are put in that are the most likely to get the roles that they seek.
|
|
Recent Comments