The problem existed even before dramatic demographic shifts began reshaping today's talent pool: employees would just about rather have a root canal than read their employee handbooks. 

A recent communications study* quantified this problem for both the general employee population and Millennial employees (adults who are currently 18 to 34 - and the group who by 2016, is expected to surpass Generation X and Baby Boomers to become the largest part of the workforce).  The study found:

• 30% of non-Millennials have not read most of their handbooks.
• 43% of Millennials have not read most of their handbooks.
• 11% of Millennials have never even opened their handbooks.

• 23% of non-Millennials don't even know where their handbook is anymore.
• 36% of Millennials don't even know where their handbook is anymore.

​

• Only 1 in 3 non-Millennials find their handbooks helpful.
• Only 1 in 4 Millennials find their handbooks helpful.

Virtually all employers agree handbooks are critical communication pieces, but very few leverage their handbook's full communications potential.  Three inter-related reasons why:

• The Forgotten Audience.  One of the cardinal rules of effective communication is “know your audience” and write for/speak to them accordingly.  Most contemporary handbooks have lost sight of this all-important rule.  The tone, language and content of today's handbooks is at best dry and boring…at worst, heavy-handed, condescending and legalistic.  Today’s handbooks are not written for employees but for their authors (the employers and the lawyers) who want to ensure the company is "covered" and "protected".

• Runaway Employment Litigation. The US Department of Labor's website* reports states, "In the federal courts alone, the number of suits filed concerning employment grievances grew over 400 percent in the last two decades. Complaints lodged with administrative agencies have risen at a similar rate..."   Over three decades of handling numerous employee grievances and litigation, PhoenixHR has observed the merits of these cases to vary widely.  While many were merited, a considerable number were frivolous, filed by disgruntled employees looking to “get back” at their employers and/or win some “easy money”.  But valid or not, the reality is that all employment litigation burdens employers with defense costs that drain their bottom-line.  So it makes sense that handbooks have been significantly hardened over time to serve as the employer's main "armor" in this escalating legal battle.  Unfortunately, this hardening has stripped most handbooks of any sense of personality, inspiration or character that would encourage employees to read it.  

• Poor and/or Unimaginative Templates.  Understandably, the vast majority of handbook authors do not write their documents from scratch but use templates.  Sadly, handbook templates vary widely in quality of content.  "Quality" in this instance does not refer to legal compliance or accuracy, but (once again) to engaging content that employees will actually want to read.  Imagination has long been a key part of success in American business (consider Apple, Disney, IBM, HP, and Xerox) so it is ironic that a document as essential to any company’s success as an employee handbook is so often devoid of any imagination. 

Thoughts for improvement:

• Understand the Opportunity.  Like the rest of the new hire boarding process, the employee handbook is critical in shaping how employees - Millennials and non-Millennials alike - perceive their employers.  Employers and HR practitioners should regard an employee handbook as not just a collection of company policies but as an opportunity to communicate in different and memorable ways how much it values its employees. Whether creating a new handbook or modifying an existing one, the content should not only excite readers about joining the company, but help foster the desire to work (and stay) there.  There is no turn-key solution for how to make an employee handbook unique, relevant and interesting.  The approach will vary widely based on each company’s values and philosophy, which is why templates don’t even try to address this challenge.  It therefore falls to each company’s HR function to rise to the occasion.  After partnering with company leadership to thoroughly understands the business it supports, HR must apply its best and most creative writing skills to produce content that makes the handbook a showcase of effective communication.

• Optimize Communications.  Remember that today's workforce is increasingly mobile and Millennial workers are increasingly tech-savvy.  Employers should design (or redesign) their employee handbooks as electronic documents which are easy to access, navigate and read across multiple devices and platforms.  Such optimization should include applying a user-friendly layout and meaningful visuals and graphics to make the handbook a "painless" resource to refer to.  Equally important, communication of handbook content should move beyond new hire orientations and be sprinkled throughout the employment experience in imaginative ways that steer employees back to the handbook.  There are many low-cost to no-cost methods which can turn the employee handbook into the centerpiece of a communication strategy for  periodically reinforcing selected key topics or educating on company benefits and employment law  updates in fun and engaging ways.

• Minimize The Legalese.  It is a given that all employee handbooks should comply with applicable employment law and be reviewed by an attorney prior to publication.  However, a legal tone should not overtake an employee handbook.  With extra care in composing and editing, it is possible to craft a handbook that preserves legal validity and protections without making employees feel marginalized or "talked down" to.  This extra effort in handbook optimization is often overlooked because templates do not provide such guidance and HR is often under pressure to "just get it done"...but it is not impossible and given the importance of the document, will pay dividends for how employees perceive their handbook and their company.

 
Employers click here for a free quote to write/update your employee handbook or develop more effective handbook communication programs.  Related:

• Click here to explore our website
• Click here to like our Facebook company page
• Click here to follow our LinkedIn company page
• * 2014 communications study on employee handbooks
• * US Department of Labor post on employment litigation

Recent news reports describe a job market that is both contradictory and Halloween-scary: more jobs but slower hiring mixed with job growth worries and more planned layoffs.  Some sample headlines:

• 09/09/2015: “US job openings soar to record highs in July, yet hiring is slow to follow” - Associated Press
• 09/16/2015: “HP to shed up to 30,000 jobs as part of restructuring” - LA Times
• 10/03/2015: “Global woes squeeze U.S. job growth” - LA Times

From these mixed messages comes one overarching message: the competition for jobs remains fierce and the job seekers who win interviews are those with compelling, powerful resumes that grab the attention of increasingly cautious employers.

As we assist our clients with recruiting, the PhoenixHR LLC staff is surprised at how many resumes remain in circulation which don’t even come close to doing their owners justice.  Fatal flaws typically fall in one of two categories: content that *should* be in a resume (but isn’t) and content that *should not* be in a resume (but is). 

Crafting content that *should* be in a resume is half-art (the art of effective writing) and half-science (insider knowledge used to clearly identify your unique skills and align those skills with the qualifications hiring managers are looking for).  PhoenixHR LLC has both the "artistic" knowledge and the "insider" knowledge to help serious job seekers with content that *should* be in their resumes….so this post will focus on the top 5 things that *should not* be in your resume.  Once you get rid of what *should not* be in your resume, we can work together to take that new (and very valuable) blank space and reinvest it on what *should* be in your resume and help win you interviews.

1.  Lose the Selfie.  Don’t put a head shot in your resume.  A resume photo can lead to discrimination issues for prospective employers by giving clues to criteria which are protected by US employment law (such as nationality, race and religion).

2.  Bye, Bye "Objective".  It’s surprising how many resumes still state objectives that go something like this: “Seeking a challenging position where I can utilize my skills and grow with the company.”  Duh.  Such statements tells  a prospective employer nothing.  Ditch the “Objective” and reinvest that space to build a specific and meaningful summary of what skills you possess which fit the job you are applying for.  (There's that "art and science" thing again which we can help you with,)

3.  No “Cute” Email Addresses.   A resume is a business communication, so keep your email address business-appropriate.  Regard your email address as a a small (but important) opportunity to promote your unique professional brand.  For example, if you’re going for an accounting position, substitute that “hotbuns@gmail.com” email address with something like “accounting-professional@gmail.com”.

4.  Avoid“Anti-ATS” Content.  These days, before your resume can get in front of a human being who can call you for an interview, it often has to get past resume scanning software (known as an “Applicant Tracking System” or “ATS”).  ATS systems will typically reject as much as 75% of the resumes they scan, often because the rejected resumes have content that an ATS cannot read.  Translation: your resume should have  NO logos, NO tables and NO unusual colors or fonts.  (Resumes by PhoenixHR LLC are not only custom-made to reflect your unique background and abilities, but use universally readable and ATS-friendly formats.)

5.  Just Say No to "References Upon Request".  Like “Objective”, this statement is another well meaning waste of space because its a given.  If prospective employers want references from you, they’ll ask…if and when the time is right and if and when you (and your resume) make it far enough in their interview process.

We hope you found this post helpful and thank you for sharing it with your friends.

SPECIAL OFFER NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2015: Order your resume from PhoenixHR LLC and we will include our customizable cover letter solution for FREE (a $25 value)

• Click here to explore our website.
• Click here to get a free resume analysis.
• Click here to like our Facebook company page.
• Click here to follow our LinkedIn company page.
• Related: Click here to read our post, "A Robot Wrecked My Resume".
• Related: Click here to read our post, "Are Cover Letters Dead?"

Only a couple of years ago, a Fortune magazine article all but declared the cover letter dead when it said, “...90% [of hiring managers and recruiters] ignored them and 97% made a decision whether to interview or not based only on the resume.” 

One reason given for the cover letter’s decline: technology.   An ever-growing number of companies were (and still are) adopting software (known as “Applicant Tracking Systems” or “ATS”) to automate their resume review process.  (See the link to our earlier blog, "A Robot Wrecked My Resume" at the end of this post).  The increased efficiency came with the limitation that many ATS programs could not read or interpret a cover letter.  That was then, this is now.

As with technology in general, ATS solutions continue to rapidly evolve and this constant evolution makes for “survival of the fittest” in the current job market.  Today, the job seekers who "survive" and win interviews are those who leverage the best practices that keep their covers letters (and resumes) effective.   Not only are ATS solutions emerging which are able to read and interpret cover letters, but it remains true that many jobs are won through person-to-person networking...a human forum where crisp and clear cover letters still have a place and a purpose.  Some tips to take advantage of the cover letter's "revival"…

Stick to the Purpose.  A great resume effectively communicates to multiple employers what your skill set can do for them.  A great cover letter supplements your resume and effectively communicates to a specific employer what your skill set can do for their specific job opening.

Don't Repeat Your Resume.  This is perhaps the most common (and fatal) flaw of most cover letters.  Take the time to analyze the job posting you are applying to,  Select the most posting's important duties and qualifications then focus your cover letter on highlighting your experience and skills which meet those specific duties and qualifications.

Keep It Short.  Let your resume be the document that communicates the more complete story of your value.   For cover letters, PhoenixHR LLC recommends a 3-paragraph approach:

• Paragraph 1 - Introduce yourself with passion.  Avoid "generic" and "template" cover letters; instead grab your reader's attention with your enthusiastic identification of why you want to work specifically for them.  Look for some connection between you and the specific employer from sources such as reviewing their job posting and company website.
• Paragraph 2 - This is the key paragraph where you sell your unique value-add as tailored to the specific job opening, then refer them to the resume for further details.
• Paragraph 3 - A strong call-to-action closing paragraph where you suggest next-steps or (especially if networking) suggest a date and time for follow-up.

Think Like An ATS Robot.  There are still many ATS systems that won't let you submit a cover letter.  For those that do, remember that all ATS’ basically look for a match between your content and "keywords" which are usually taken from the job posting.  All ATS’ also have rules on what formatting they can (and cannot) read…use the wrong format, and the ATS will scramble your data.  To keep your cover letter ATS-format friendly, your all-important paragraph 2 should use a simple bullet-point structure (not tables!) similar to the following:

• Your Requirement: text.  (This is where you quote the relevant language right out the job posting.) 
• I Offer: text.  (This is where you briefly state your value-add experience and/or skill that fulfills the requirement).

When read by an ATS, the above format creates an instant "keyword" match by giving their job posting's key requirements.  When read by humans, this format quickly communicates the match between the posting’s qualifications and your unique skills and/or experience.

We hope you found this post helpful and thank you for sharing it with your friends.

SPECIAL OFFER NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2015: Order your resume from PhoenixHR LLC and we will include our customizable cover letter solution FOR FREE (a $25 value).

• Click here to explore our website.
• Click here to get a free resume analysis.
• Click here to like our Facebook company page.
• Click here to follow our LinkedIn company page.
• Related: Click here to read our post, "The Fight for Jobs".
• Related: Click here to read our post, "A Robot Wrecked My Resume".

Our September 4, 2015 blog titled"Is Diversity Destroying Your Company?" (see link at the end of this post) explored how “diversity” differs from “inclusion” and why focusing on diversity alone may cause the efforts of many well-meaning employers to fail.

A real-life illustration of our blog’s message appeared on September 8, 2015 when newswires reported the story of a “Muslim flight attendant for ExpressJet who says she was wrongly suspended from her job...because she refused to alcohol to passengers, citing her religious beliefs.”

A review of the details (link to the full USA Today article appears at the end of this blog) shows that ExpressJet started off on the right track: after flight attendant Charee Stanley had converted to Islam and learned that her faith prohibited the handling/consumption of alcohol, Stanley approached ExpressJet management on June 1 to request religious accommodation. 

ExpressJet accommodated Stanley's request by having the employee work out an arrangement with her fellow flight attendants.   This well-meaning support dovetails nicely with advisories published on the EEOC’s website which states in part (underlining added): “The law requires an employer or other covered entity to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs or practices... [e]xamples of some common religious accommodations include...modifications to workplace policies or practices.”  So far, so good…diversity upheld.

On August 2, the article continues, a fellow ExpressJet employee filed a complaint that Stanley was not fulfilling her duties.

On August 25, ExpressJet responded by revoking the religious accommodation and suspending Stanley.   

Such actions appear to severely dilute ExpressJet’s diversity and accommodation efforts, all the more given certain remarks in the fellow employee’s complaint, i.e., that Stanley had a “book with ‘foreign writings’ and wore a head scarf." These comments imply a lack of understanding on the part of this fellow employee that could have been remedied by education.    

Our earlier blog post observed, “Inclusion is creating a work environment where every employee feels they are safe, can contribute and can succeed.”  Did ExpressJet add inclusion to its diversity efforts by educating the fellow employee about “foreign writings” and “head scarfs” before deciding to revoke Stanley’s religious accommodation and suspending her?  To be fair, if ExpressJet did attempt to so educate the fellow employee, the article doesn’t say so.  

But a clue lies in the formulaic press statement made by ExpressJet spokesperson which – to our earlier blog’s point – takes into account only half of the equation (diversity) and omits its essential companion (inclusion).  As reported in the news article, ExpressJet spokesperson Jarek Beem told CBS: “We are an equal opportunity employer with a long history of diversity in our workforce."  That’s good to hear, but we don’t see the word “inclusion” in the spokesperson’s statement…do you?  

Pioneering psychologist Carl Jung said, "You are what you do, not what you say you do."  When we do diversity and  inclusion as two halves of the same coin - not separately and not just in words - then we all prosper and succeed...employees and employers alike.

We hope you enjoyed this post and we thank you in advance for sharing it with your friends, especially any small or mid-sized business owners who need assistance with their HR needs.  We'd love to hear your comments and as a firm that is experienced with HR outsourcing, offshoring HR and effectively managing offshore resources, we invite you to explore the full scope of the services on our website.

Regards, PhoenixHR LLC

Click here to read the USA Today news article cited in this blog.
Related: Is Diversity Destroying Your Company?
Click here to explore the rest of our secure, mobile friendly website.
Click here to Follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page.
Click here to Like us on our Facebook Company Page.

Fueled by current events across the nation – from anger over suspected racism and police brutality to a clarion call for hiring more women in technology and exaltation over the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage – “diversity” is once again a buzzword on the lips of the American public, including many employers.  As a result, many companies have (or will) step up their diversity efforts – and many will fail.  Some thoughts as to why:

Diversity Is More Than Just Numbers

Some employers consider their diversity responsibilities met once they have dusted off their Affirmative Action Plans (AAPs) and received sign-off from legal counsel and/or the OFCCP…or when they look across their conference rooms and see the “visual” diversity of employing various minority groups.  But AAP statistics and “visual” diversity are not enough.  For a company’s diversity efforts to bear fruit, it must also encourage diversity in how their employees think.  True diversity in the workplace means encouraging all employees to openly exchange ideas and – by working together – develop strategies that achieve company goals and solve business problems.  Consider: 

Diversity, Meet Your Other Half

Numerous studies have found that diversity alone actually lowers performance, morale and corporate financial performance.  To truly succeed, diversity must be integrated with inclusion.  Some employers think diversity and inclusion are the same thing; they are not.

Diversity in the workplace is about a company assembling a mix of different people…across genders, race, religion, skills, generations, etc.

Inclusion in the workplace is about action - it's what a company does with that mix,.  It's the deliberate steps a company takes to actively engage and support a diverse work-group in every phase of employment from new hire orientation to performance management to career development.  Inclusion is creating a work environment where every employee feels they are safe, can contribute and can succeed.

In the title of an article published by the American Bar Association, attorney and diversity consultant Vernã Myers described the difference between diversity and inclusion with brilliant simplicity: “Diversity Is Being Invited to the Party; Inclusion Is Being Asked to Dance.”

Inclusion Is Evergreen

To be successful, inclusion must be an ongoing action: every day, every month, every year.  Inclusion is at its most powerful when it is:

• An integral part of the workplace culture, demonstrated at every level of the organization beginning with top leadership. 
• A part of everyday workplace language and focuses on the person, not their differences.  Examples: not using dated or offensive terms such as “handicapped” or “crippled”, and saying, “Jane got promoted today” instead of “Jane – that girl in the wheelchair – got promoted today.
• Demonstrated through brave action.  Example: when HR sees 2 candidates – a male and a female being hired with apparently equal qualifications and experience but with the female being paid less, that HR professional has an obligation to question the difference.
• Displayed through meaningful corporate initiatives: ongoing education.  Diversity/inclusion training.  Programs for collecting and responding to employee feedback.  Tackling issues of company-wide relevance through work teams that cut across functions, departments and generations while encouraging creative thinking and leveraging diverse talents.
  

Yes, doing Diversity and Inclusion together and in proper balance is a lot of work.  But as "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas" author Hunter S. Thompson once observed:

We hope you found this post helpful.  Thank you in advance for sharing it with your friends, especially any small or mid-sized business owners who need assistance with their HR needs.  We'd love to hear your comments and invite you to explore the full scope of human resources and resume services on our website.

Regards, PhoenixHR LLC 

• Related: Is Diversity Destroying Your Company? THE SEQUEL
• Click here to explore the rest of our secure, mobile friendly website.  
• Click here to Follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page.
• Click here to Like us on our Facebook Company Page.

We hope you found this post helpful.  Thank you in advance for sharing it with your friends, especially any small or mid sized business owners who need assistance with their HR needs.  We'd love to hear your comments and invite you to explore the full scope of human resources and resume services on our website.

Regards,  PhoenixHR LLC 

• Click here to explore the rest of our secure, mobile friendly website.  
• Click here to Follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page.
• Click here to Like us on our Facebook Company Page

When training or counseling supervisors and managers, I often ask, "What's the hardest part of your job?".  For three decades, the answers have been nearly unanimous: terminating an employee.

“How do you make doing a termination easier?” they wonder.

“You don’t,” and seeing their puzzled looks, I'd explain my reply.

"Terminations never get easier, no matter how many you do.  It’s not about making a termination ‘easier’.  It’s about making every termination as ‘graceful’ as possible...for you and the employee.”

I remember spearheading a particularly difficult termination meeting which the employee’s supervisor also attended as a management witness.  In the debriefing which followed the employee leaving the premises, the supervisor said, “I hope if I am ever terminated, you are the one that does my exit.  You made him feel like a person”.  To this day, I regard that comment as one of the greatest compliments an HR professional could receive...and as a validation of what I have long called my “philosophy of grace”.  Today's business world has given my philosophy a new name: “emotional intelligence” or “EI”.

EI 101

Definitions of "EI" vary but typically have 4 parts.  For the purpose of discussing EI and employee terminations,  this 3-part definition published in “Psychology Today” seems more relevant:

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is generally said to include 3 skills:

1. Emotional awareness, including the ability to identify your own emotions and those of others;
2. The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problems solving;
3. The ability to manage emotions, including the ability to regulate your own emotions, and the ability to cheer up or calm down another person.

So now, a quick primer on conducting employee terminations with grace - er, check that - with emotional intelligence:

Plan

• Make sure you have adequate backup documentation to support the termination and that it has been reviewed by your company’s human resources or legal representative.
• Plan what to say – and equally important – how to say it (more on that below).  Think about questions you may be asked by the employee and how you will answer him or her. (EI-Tie In: “…the ability to identify your own emotions and those of others”).
• Determine who else should attend; sometimes a witness is helpful if you think there might be difficulty at the meeting or if you suspect the meeting may be misrepresented to outside parties post-termination.  The additional party could be the next-level manager or your human resources representative. Like you, they should also plan out what they will say…but think through the need for additional attendees carefully so that it does not backfire with the employee feeling “ganged up” on. 
• Plan out and confidentially pre-schedule exit-related activities, such as back-up of the terminated employee’s computer files and email, timing the cut-off of system access, logistics for the identification and return of any company equipment, etc.
• Make the necessary arrangements with human resources and/or payroll to ensure that all final pay which is due to the employee being terminated is ready in accordance with applicable employment law.

Setup

• To the greatest extent possible, always do termination meetings face-to-face.   If the employee is virtual and you absolutely cannot meet in person, then at least do a live telephone meeting…but never terminate someone by email (or postal mail).
• Arrange the meeting to be held privately in a closed-door office or conference room that is removed from fellow employees and where you will not be disturbed.
• Schedule the meeting at the start of a week and preferably at the beginning of the subject employee’s work day for their local time zone.  To maximize the employee’s receptiveness to what you have to say and minimize negative reactions, stay away from holding termination meetings at the end of a day or a Friday, or before a holiday or scheduled vacation. (EI-Tie In: “The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problems solving”).

Implement

• How you deliver the termination message is key.  Remember you are talking to a human being.  Someone with feelings, bills to pay (and often a family) whose entire world is about to be turned upside down.  The real business world is not a Donald Trump reality show…so saying, “you’re fired!” is not recommended.  As a personal preference, I try to avoid using the word “termination” because it sounds cold, callous and impersonal, much like the concept of  execution that is often associated with the word.  Once an employee hears, "termination" is is not unusual for him or her to stop listening to anything you say afterwards.  To soften the blow and keep the employee mentally engaged, I prefer to say “your employment will be separated today” or that “your employment with (company) is ending today”.

• Some companies do not believe in giving reasons for termination...and if they engage employees under an “at-will” employment relationship, they legally and technically do not have to give a reason.  However, I have rarely found the “no reason” approach to work.  As thinking adults, employees who are being terminated typically want a reason.  If the terminated employee is not given a reason, (s)he will usually fill the information void with negative emotions and/or assume discriminatory reasons for the termination.  
• If you do give a reason, keep the content short, to the point and factual.  Don’t be harsh, critical or judgmental.  Make eye contact with the employee and explain your reason in a calm, direct manner. 
• Use your earlier preparation efforts to convey your confidence in the termination decision and make it clear that the decision is final.  (I’ve watched even senior executives botch up this confidence element with ugly results: the termination meeting goes twice as long as it should and the employee argues the decision all the harder.)  If the employee remains contentious or starts to react emotionally, maintain your own composure.  If need be, consider ending the meeting early and rescheduling when cooler heads prevail. (EI-Tie In: “The ability to manage emotions, including the ability to regulate your own emotions and the ability to…calm down another person”).
• Close out with a review of separation-related topics such as benefits (e.g., insurance continuation, 401(k) rollovers, any applicable severance), company policy on references, reminders on maintaining confidentiality of company information and the recollection of assets.
• If circumstances permit, end the termination meeting on a positive note by voicing your appreciation of the employee’s attention and cooperation under difficult circumstances and wishing the employee the utmost future career success.

“One More Thing”...as an added plus, following the above can significantly reduce the odds of a terminated employee deciding to sue you and your company.

We hope you found this post helpful.  Thank you in advance for sharing it with your friends, especially any small or mid sized business owners who need assistance with their HR needs.  We'd love to hear your comments and invite you to explore the full scope of human resources and resume services on our website.

Regards,  PhoenixHR LLC

• Click here to explore the rest of our secure, mobile friendly website.  
• Click here to Follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page.
• Click here to Like us on our Facebook Company Page.

Beneath the vigorous (and very public) debate over the New York Times’ recent article on Amazon's "bruising" workplace, a great opportunity is emerging:  a chance for employers and employees to better understand one another...an understanding which can restore some much-needed balance to today's workforce.

Over its 3 decades of providing Human Resources services to some very entrepreneurial clients, PhoenixHR LLC has been in a unique position to assess the workplace from the perspective of both employer and employees.

We've seen (and helped enforce) legislation implemented over the years to (deservedly) protect employees from various forms of workplace abuse; we've also seen employees who try to take advantage of that legislation with false claims and frivolous lawsuits in attempts to get "easy money".    We've seen hard work and sacrifice by both employers and employees, sometimes properly recognized and credited, sometimes overlooked or taken for granted.  We've seen the "aggressive" side of employers who constantly demand excellence from employees; we've also seen many employees who give as little effort as possible to their jobs while expecting maximum pay and maximum perks.  We've held the meetings for employees laid off due to business downturns, comforting them as much as possible through their tears.  We've also attended the meetings that most employees never see where management has agonized over making the tough decisions of being forced to cut good people.  Net-net, it's time for employers and employees to get back to some level-headed basics:

• Employees:   There is nothing wrong, illegal or unfair about an employer expecting every one of its employees to work hard and excel.
• Employers:  How you demand excellence matters...comply with employment law in making your demands, and in how you treat employees.  Don't think of your employees as human "capital" - they are not disposable commodities or equipment.  Instead, think "human being" and “valuable talent".   When you receive the excellence you demand, don't take it for granted.  Recognize your employees' efforts (and remember recognition doesn't necessarily have to cost money).

• Employees:   Don't leave your work ethic at home.  Bring your A-game to work every day.  A job is the delivery of services for income, a job is not an entitlement or a welfare program.
• Employers:  Excellence in the workplace does not happen magically.  Hire the right candidate for the right job the first time....and once you have him/her, train and educate properly.  Don't expect excellence if you leave your new hires on their own to sink or swim.   

• Employees: Mentally change places with your employer every once in a while.  Have you ever thought about how hard it is to start a successful business from scratch?  We guarantee your employer knows first-hand.  Remember that raising a business is like raising a child.  Business owners are "parents" and their business is their "child"....a "child" born from months (often years) of hard labor.  So of course business owners are "passionate" about their "child" and want to maximize their child's success.  Think about all those "behind the scenes" meetings which all employers have that you’ll never hear about...meetings where hours are invested finding ways to improve or maintain employee benefits in the face of ever-increasing costs or trying to avoid layoffs.  Just because your employer doesn't publicly say "we love you, we love you" every five minutes doesn't mean your employer doesn't care.
• Employers:  Communicate with your employees clearly and frequently, especially your virtual employees.  Employees who feel "disconnected" from the company, are unsure of how it is doing or what it is striving for are less likely to care about excelling in their job.

• Employees: Remember that it's not all about you.  Remember that everything you do in your job directly - or indirectly - affects both your internal customers (your fellow employees) and your external customers (without whom your company has no jobs to offer you or anyone).  Wasting company resources hurts everyone you work with, not just your employer.  Ditto for the damage done by frivolous lawsuits from employees trying to "get even".  Frivolous lawsuits cost a lot of money to defend...and steals money that employers can reinvest in improving the company and rewarding deserving employees.
• Employers:  Avoiding (or at least containing) frivolous litigation is easy in concept, but sometimes harder in practice.  There is no magic formula, but cultivating a sense of fairness and doing the right thing when dealing with employees is key.  Peter Drucker (a renowned management consultant, educator and author whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation) said it best: "Management is doing things right.  Leadership is doing the right things".

Thank you in advance for sharing this post with friends...we'd love to hear your comments and invite you to explore the human resources management and resume services on our secure, mobile friendly website.

Regards, PhoenixHR LLC

• Related: Employee Terminations & Emotional Intelligence.
• Click here to explore the rest of our secure, mobile friendly website.  
• Click here to Follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page.
• Click here to Like us on our Facebook Company Page.