Why You Need Company Policies For Internet, Email And Social Media Use

By Matt Crumble
Modern technologies can be a terrific asset for almost any business. The internet facilitates effective research and information management, email allows rapid internal and external communications, and social media can act as a great tool for engaging existing and prospective customers. The risks that these technologies can pose to a business, however, have led many companies to impose blanket restrictions on internet, email and social media use. While providing protection to businesses, these policies invariably impact on employee performance when effective company policies could help to unlock technology's productive potential.
But what are the specific risks that technologies present and how can company policies mitigate these risks? One of the most well-known vulnerabilities of internet and email use is that it's all too easy to accidentally download a virus or other piece of malicious software that could compromise computers across the network. This is often done by absentmindedly clicking on a link in an email that takes the user to a harmful website, and a company policy could easily help to deflect this threat. By informing employees of the potential threats and placing limits on the types of websites that they can visit, employers can lay out strict boundaries that minimise exposure.
Social media presents a number of complex and less well-known problems that companies sometimes struggle to deal with. One such problem is the way in which company social media accounts can be hacked, allowing a malicious attacker to sully the business's reputation or spread misleading information. To combat this, companies should place a strong emphasis on password security and educate employees on what makes an effective password. Company policy should also make clear that users have to sign in to these accounts each time they use them, rather than enabling the sites to 'remember' passwords and sign in automatically. This reduces the risk of unauthorised persons gaining access to company accounts.
Sometimes though, security breaches are not the result of malicious intent. Employees could inadvertently reveal sensitive business information through social media, simply because they were unaware of what constituted 'sensitive' information. While it's nearly impossible to prevent the occasional error, a clear policy that outlines appropriate social media use and the kind of information that should not be disclosed will help protect valuable information.
Finally, one of the greatest threats that technology poses is to employee productivity. Hundreds of hours are lost each year to employees checking their Facebook accounts, sending non-work related emails and procrastinating on the internet. One solution to this problem is to simply block access to any website that isn't specifically necessary for work and to enforce strict penalties on inappropriate email use. However, this could have a detrimental impact on employee morale, so it may be worth considering more flexible terms in your company policy that avoid tough restrictions on use while making clear the limits of company tolerance.
Aside from the specific problems that company policies solve, they're also important for more general reasons. Having strong policies that employees must sign up to creates a 'security culture' that increases awareness and caution. Furthermore, clear company policy is essential if businesses want to protect themselves from potential legal problems that arise from the actions of individual employees. The benefits of company policies addressing internet, email and social media use, then, are multifaceted and will help businesses to exploit the full potential of digital technologies.
Matt Crumble works for PBS UK, a leading HR and payroll outsourcing company. PBS has an online HR document shop selling a wide range of HR policies, from a Social Networking Policy to a Policy for Adverse Weather.
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Socially Immature Employees Can Damage Your Business

By Bruce W McCollum
Be Careful Allowing the Socially Immature to Destroy Your Business
A socially immature person cannot grow due to fighting to avoid criticism, is likely prone to feel criticized and quick to bully others, runs from challenges which complicates problems, and may have an inflated view of oneself and one's abilities and an ignorance of personal weakness which also stands in the way of personal and professional development. If they are sociopathic, some may even be insensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Some struggle just to pretend to care about other people.
In the care business - case management, assisted living, home care, etc. - these personality types can ruin your business model and cause you significant loss.
Let's be clear we are all managing some level of emotional struggle. Humans are complex and we are all affected by experiences - grief, loss, violations of our privacy and environments, disloyalty of trusted companions, business and personal failures and much more - and it is maturity which helps us to progress beyond it.
As you recruit and develop personnel you must collectively work together to be responsive to problems in the business, patient when waiting for plans and solutions to catch on, quick to respond to criticism and focused on regulatory compliance.
The right mix of ingredients will relieve much anxiety. Just be sure the right people are in the right places and the immature have time to develop before taking on key roles.
Judgmental behavior and suspicious behavior on the part of management is also improper. People have to be given a chance to demonstrate how they will respond to certain things. What is important is that we establish expectations and observe to what extent staff works to live up to them.
Interactions with customers and clients is an area of grave concern. These relationships need to be nurtured and must be managed by someone who gets how valuable relationships are. Those who find burning bridges no big deal or who take a selfish approach to all that life is supposed to be will never help you solve problems. Instead they will create more and damage relationships with people you need.
An employer can do things to heighten maturity by ensuring the right work environment exists. Show with your behavior what you expect and most will follow.
In addition the response of your staff to certain operational challenges, i.e. solution focused or drama focused - will be largely determined by the example you set. Will you do that?
Thanks for allowing me to share.
Bruce McCollum assists in arranging care as part of his role with American Case Management & Education Services, Inc. and authors training products for the care industry via Direct Care Training & Resource Center, Inc. He writes on entrepreneurial critiques for care driven entrepreneur and clinical competence.
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11 Low Cost or Free Suggestions for Employee Motivation

By Eugena Bellamy
There are many ways to motivate your employees and with a little creativity, easy and free or low cost options are available. Here are 11 suggestions to get you started:
1. Negotiate a reduced rate with your local gym for memberships and consider paying a portion of the fee for employees. Exercise is good for the body and mind and may help reduce health care costs and absenteeism.
2. Consider creating a rewards program. Either host in-house or contract with a rewards company. Provide cash incentives or points towards the purchase of goods or services in the program for various successes such as top sales, attendance, positive service comments from customers etc. Often, being able to "purchase" a item without spending any money helps create excitement without any of the "buyer's remorse."
3. Pay for a night away for top performers. No matter where you live, most of us have easy access to either a larger city or peaceful B&B in a little town that offers an opportunity for relaxation and/or entertainment. Just getting away from the norm, your typical environment and daily obligations is enough to rejuvenate and get the creative juices flowing again.
4. Saying thank you and offering special recognition to employees is something you can do for free and often goes a long way. Something as simple as having the President of the company stopping by an employee's desk to say he/she recognizes their efforts and the impact it is having on the company can pick up the spirits of even the most jaded employee.
5. If you have a special project, consider appointing someone who deserves recognition as the "Special Projects Manager" and have them coordinate team meetings and provide reports back to the department manager or President. Providing autonomy to direct an important event can encourage pride and a renewed interest in the company.
6. Sponsor a social event. Bring together all team members for a pizza party, build your own ice cream bar or Taco fest. Encourage employees to dine with team members they don't normally get to interact with.
7. Many local University's offer a Ropes Course or other team building program. Consider booking a morning and watch as your team develops.
8. Reward an employee who deserves special recognition with a free tank of Gas. With the cost of a gallon at the pump, this gesture will last well past the +/- 300 miles they will get from the gift and your investment is +/- $40.
9. Give out gift certificates for coffee, lunch, spa services etc. A break away will certainly help your employees improve their motivation and ability to focus and do a great job for you!
10. Consider sending your staff to a seminar. They learn new strategies and gain from increased knowledge. You benefit when they implement some of the ideas they learned to your business.
11. Go to the movies. Take half your staff to the first showing and the second half to the afternoon matinee. No need to shut down for the day and your staff gets to legally "play hooky" for a portion of the day.
Eugena Bellamy is the Marketing & Sales Coordinator for StaffScapes. For more information, please visit http://www.StaffScapes.com.
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Understanding and Managing Employment Relations

By Lily M Horn
To understand employment relations - also called industrial relations - and to be able to manage it properly, you have to keep in mind that there are three main parties involved - the employees and their representatives such as the trade unions, the company and the federal or state government as represented by the tribunals where the suits are brought and heard and by the existing laws.
These are the three parties involved in issues such as personal leaves, collective bargaining or enterprise agreement, carer's leave, termination of employment, annual leaves and parental leaves, maximum hours and redundancy. How these three parties interact while dealing with issues such as those mentioned earlier and the accompanying conflicts or resolutions are what make up the bulk of handling employment relations or industrial relations.
What Are the Requirements to Adequately Handle Industrial Relations?
1. Managing industrial relations demands expertise, experience and education because of the sheer number of issues and laws involved and because of the complexity of the processes, particularly those that require compliance.
2. You also need to be updated regarding the developments and the latest laws that affect recruitment and hiring, work conditions, equal opportunities, health and safety, and enterprise agreement.
3. Handling industrial relations well also require above average corporate communication skills and general communication skills.
4. You have to be knowledgeable regarding the changes in the company and its employees.
5. This task also demands an understanding of industrial relations management and reforms.
6. And you definitely need to have enough knowledge of the provisions and processes that are required by specific laws. One of the laws that easily come to mind is the far reaching federal law called Fair Work Act 2009. Fair Work Act is an aggregation of several federal workplace relations laws that affect a number of business activities and processes.
Towards Managing Industrial Relations Well
Obviously, handling industrial relations is not an easy task. The good news is that there are ways or options you can seek so that your company will benefit from topnotch management of industrial relations.
One option is to have continuous training. To be able to not just effectively handle conflicts by resolving them but also by preventing them, being constantly updated is crucial. Training provides this. That's why it's important to have a training program in place if industrial relations is being handled by an in house team.
Another option - and this is practical if you don't have an in house team that is prepared and more than able to handle industrial relations processes - is outsourcing. You can consider outsourcing by having a service provider deliver flexible training programs for your in house team or you can have the service provider manage the majority if not all of the processes for you.
Always keep in mind that the main goals - and this, of course, applies to both the outsourced team and the in house team - of employment relations are to:
* Gain commitment and high levels of performance from the employees which would bring beneficial results to the employer and employees
* Successfully balance corporate management with taking care of the needs of employees.
I am Lily Horn and I work with HR consulting and accepted a position with my current employer as HR Consultant I specialized in employment relations and services the needs of businesses in compliance and ethics. My responsibilities within the company are to update current educational and training programs and work together as a team to develop more effective programs.
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You Know That People Respond to Incentives, But Do You Know Which Ones Your Employees Respond to?

By John Grom
What organization would not like to boast about a stable employee population who are well suited to their jobs and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them, are innovative, productive and committed, if not passionate about achieving the organizational goals.
I had the pleasure of working for such an organization. The CEO would hold a staff meeting at the end of each quarter. He would present the current quarter's results with a series of charts and talk about what went right and what needed work. After some conversation with and among the staff, everyone left the room with their goals and objectives for the next quarter. As far as the CEO was concerned, the next quarter's goals were already achieved and he could go about his job of working the investment community to support the stock price.
The result of this environment of trust and confidence was a company that doubled sales and stock price every five years, earned ten to fifteen percent profit on sales, developed a steady stream of new products, constantly improved brand recognition, all while carrying very little debt.
However, I am acquainted with work environments where this is not the case. Where mistrust and suspicion are the norm, where stress and conflict are common, where the strong people with options leave and only the people with few choices remain. These companies frequently lose money, go bankrupt or are sold off.
The tragedy is that in most cases these unfortunate companies could have been success stories. The culture of an organization is not a static thing, it is always on the move either toward or away from optimal. It is no mystery that a culture of trust, confidence, cooperation and enthusiasm will always produce better results.
It is also no mystery that the culture of any organization reflects the mindset of the leadership in some organizations. I have become familiar with leaders that have obvious contempt for employees. Their actions scream the message loud and clear that employees are regarded as a necessary evil, that they are not trusted, they all find work objectionable and will avoid it at all costs. In most cases that is exactly the kind of workforce they wind up with. People, after all, tend to live up to expectations, both negative and positive.
I realize that respect and appreciation for all employees is difficult to achieve but the payoff is worth it. It starts at the top with a firm commitment from official leadership to create a work environment that is stimulating for all employees.
The fact is, people respond to incentives, and you have to ask; what incentives are they responding to and how are they responding? If an employee is getting nothing more out of a job than a paycheck, they will respond by doing whatever in takes to get paid and nothing more. However if that same employee is stimulated by being seen as an important part of a team, knows that their contributions are recognized and appreciated, that others depend on them to make the joint effort work, they will add more value to the organization.
It is never a waste of time to invest in the development of people. while you can not always point directly to a dollar for dollar payback from any particular developmental action you can almost always see an upward swing in performance.
Taking a step backward to look at your organization and analyze its culture is always a step in the right direction.
Please visit my website, http://www.cjohngrom.com for access to my commentaries on employee selection and personal job search techniques developed over a thirty year career as an Executive Recruiter and Staffing Manager. My career included over ten years on the corporate staff Of Rubermaid Inc. as Manager of Executive Recruitment. During that time Rubbermaid Inc. quadrupled in size and was twice named by Fortune Magazine as the Most Admired US Corporation. My contribution was to personally recruit over one hundred executives, including seven Division Presidents and half of the Corporate Operating Committee.
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Job Analysis Using Six Sigma

By Kanakdurgaprasad Dinanath Irabatti
Job analysis is a process of collecting, analyzing information regarding job description, job specification, and not the person doing that job. Job description refers to roles and responsibilities included in that job whereas job specification refers to skills, abilities, and level of knowledge required for that job. Basic purpose of this is to find and document employment related activities.
Utilizing six sigma techniques to this process is very interesting thing. Six sigma is a way of creating excellence in organization through an application of continuous quality improvement. Till now six sigma is applied to various functions in organization, but not to job analysis.
As job analysis is an essential process of HRM department, six sigma fits best here. Job description is an identification of various job roles required in company, so there should be a proper differentiation among every type of job role. To hire people with exact skills, abilities, knowledge, and experience job specification should be done properly.
Whenever jobs are analyzed, there might be change in internal structure, positions of earlier employees, flow of activities etc. Applying six sigma benefits organization to improve quality of work, reduce time, efforts and mistakes in process. A consistent but continuous approach is followed in organization. Applying six sigma process i.e. DMAIC for job analysis includes:
1. Define: It refers to setting goals and objectives. In this case, performance standards are set based on which actual results are to be evaluated. The inconsistencies in this process, which are to be corrected for achieving quality standard, are identified.
2. Measure: Data based on current process is collected and evaluated against set standards. Processes are converted into a flow chart which shows step by step actions. Flowcharts are used to identify instantly weakness present in process.
3. Analyze: Reasons for defects are identified. Cause and effect sequence is prepared and analyzed. Various analytical tools are used for it such as root cause analysis, cause-effect diagram, brainstorming, ABC analysis, fish bone diagram etc.
4. Improve: HR professionals try to improve on defects identified and analyzed in previous processes. Improvement in a sense that, they use various new ways, solutions, equipments and technology to reduce or cease defects.
5. Control: It includes controlling changes made during improvement stage. Control is especially required for implementation of new changes successfully. It helps to implement process of standardization in organization. Control is a long-term process that should continue further until future changes are made.
All the above steps in six sigma implementation needed to be applied for analyzing jobs so that HR department will achieve highest level of quality in various functions such as recruitment, selection, placement, training, compensation and performance appraisal of employees.
To sum up, applying six sigma to analyze jobs requires great attention; so if possible, find help of experts for implementing DMAIC process.
Kanakdurgaprasad Irabatti is the author of this article. He has been demonstrating his writing skills by writing the articles for human research from last two years. He also has a keen interest in writing stuff for job related topics. He has written various articles on Fresher jobs. He specialized in coverage of HR marketing.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?Job-Analysis-Using-Six-Sigma&id=7111473

Strategic Human Resource Management

By Jessie H Crouch
Strategic human resource management is essentially a more targeted approach to people-oriented management. It is known as a proactive management model that takes the functions of Human Resource Management or HRM and refines them so that they are specific to the company in which they are implemented. This all works together to benefit the company by providing a system with which it can achieve its goals through streamlined processes relating to its human resources - the people behind the brand.
By making use of strategies in HRM, a company becomes empowered to effectively manage its people. Strategic human resource management or SHRM is centered around valuing people as the human resources of a company and thereby adding value to the company. Investments are made in these human resources to the point where they become assets on an individual level as well as a collective one.
Aspects Of Srategies in HRM
• Making the staff the focus of every strategy, policy and procedure but in keeping with company goals and objectives
• Designing performance incentives strategies as a form of motivation
• Providing individual needs analyses and career assessments to ensure proper training and skills development opportunities
• Focusing on employee development on a holistic and continuous basis
• Using well-planned strategies to align the requirements and goals of the company with the needs of the employees to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the two
• Providing employees with the skills and aptitudes they require to develop on a personal and professional level in ways that benefit themselves as well as the company
Advantages Of Implementing Strategic Human Resource Management
The biggest advantage of SHRM is that processes are streamlined to the point where systems run smoothly and every cog in the machine serves the greater purpose of commercial success for the company.
By targeting strategies specifically toward company goals and objectives, it allows for further improvements in areas like recruitment & selection, interview techniques, training programs, discipline, reward systems, performance management and the like.
The enhanced focus on employees results in improved motivation among staff and this in turn leads better productivity. The employees feel more valued and therefore cultivate a sense of loyalty and good work ethic.
The happier the staff is due to SHRM, the better the staff retention of the company is. By retaining skilled staff, companies save time as well as hundreds and thousands of rands that would have been spent on recruitment, selection, training and mentoring of new staff members.
Implementing strategic planning implies that situations can be anticipated and planned for appropriately. Succession planning would be an example of this. This happens when one or more employees are groomed for a specific position so that when it becomes available, no time will be wasted on training and mentoring, the person can step in and start working effectively.
It can therefore be seen how SHRM takes the basic functions of human resource management and refines it even further. Strategic human resource management is guaranteed success for any business wishing to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with its employees.
A leading BEE owned executive search firm, Search Specifics has built a reputation on professional, top quality service in executive recruitment.
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A Short Look at the Dynamics of Job Creation and Why So Many People Are Confused About How It Works

By John Grom
It's an election year and we will hear a lot about job creation and employment statistics until after the second Tuesday after the first Monday in November. We have already heard enough to know that there is a lot of confusion about how jobs are created and why. Some of the things we have heard cause me to shake my head and wonder about our education system.
I have to admit though that I am convinced that some of the things I have heard, from what I assume to be educated people, are deliberate attempts to distort the truth and not the result of ignorance. In other words they are just plain dishonest.
I heard a spokesman for President Obama criticize candidate Mitt Romney in an interview, saying that in his time as CEO of Bain Capital, some of the companies he invested in were closed and people were laid off. He said that this was proof that Gov. Romney is not the job creator he claimed to be. The interviewer pointed out that other investments of Bain Capital during Romney's tenure created tens of thousands of jobs. Undetered, the spokesman charged ahead saying that Romney just made those investment to make a profit and not for the purpose of creating jobs. He really said that. In fact he said it three times.
I realize that very few people in the current administration have a business background but I assume that people operating at that level are all educated. I am trying to imagine an educational curriculum that does not include at least one course that contains material on how our economy functions. Even without a basic economics course it should be understood that business investments are not made for the sole purpose of creating jobs any more than a homeowner has a new roof put on the house for the sole purpose of providing work for the roofer.
Efficiency in the operation of a business is necessary for meeting the needs of the customers and that means getting the most production out of the fewest resources and employees are a resource.
Efficiency is a word not often associated with government at any level but it is essential to the wealth creation process. It is the overriding goal of any competitive company. It is what makes its products affordable to customers, generates a profit for its investors and makes it possible to hire people.
The pursuit of efficiency is also the thing that sometimes results in job losses. When demand for products falls off, it is necessary to cut back on expenses in order to save the business. Some politicians attack companies for the things they have to do in order to gain support from people who are already predisposed to anti-business feelings.
Not withstanding the fact that jobs can only be provided by companies that provide the right products or services at the right place, at the right time and at the right price, corporate greed is the favorite reason given for plant closings and layoffs.
It is helpful to realize that the concept of a job is relatively new to our culture. A job, defined as "A Position in Which one is Employed for the Purpose of Performing Regular Activity in Exchange for Payment" is common only to modern man. It was not that long ago, in the big scheme of things that we each produced most of the things we consumed.
Craftsmen may produce items such as shoes, saddles and jewelry for which we would barter but the idea of full time employment in the service of company was not widely known until the onset of the industrial revolution in the late eighteenth century.
In time, innovative people created products and the means to produce them as a way to make a living. People with investment capital financed the means of production for the purpose of sharing in the profits. If the venture was successful and the innovator did not go broke and lose the investors money, he would hire people to help make the products. Thus job creation... It would be a rare person indeed who would put effort and capital into a risky venture for the sole purpose of creating employment for others.
Two things that stand in the way of job creation are the unavailability of investment capital and uncertainty about the future cost of doing business.
While increasing taxes on the rich (whatever that means) has a certain egalitarian appeal it takes away investment potential that could result in job creation. Uncertainty about the effect of future taxes, regulations, health care costs etc. on production costs make it difficult for businesses to plan for growth and hire additional people. End of story.
Please visit my website, http://cjohngrom.com for access to my commentaries on employee selection and personal job search techniques developed over a thirty year career as an Executive Recruiter and staffing manager. My career included over ten years on the Corporate staff of Rubbermaid Inc. as Manager of Executive Recruitment. During that time Rubbermaid Inc. quadrupled in size and was twice named by Fortune Magazine as the most admired US Company. My contribution was to personally recruit over one hundred executives, including seven division Presidents and four of the eight members of the Corporate Executive Committee
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Resume Critique: Time Management

By WanTeng Wu
An effective resume critique session should result in a resume that clearly and concisely highlights the job-seeker's key skills and experience. A complete resume for a given job title should then be ready to customise to target a particular job posting. This requires the Job Developer (JD) to engage the job-seeker (the client) in the resume critique process in order to:

• understand the client's background and career goals,
• identify and address gaps in the resume, and
• highlight relevant skills and strengths.

While some clients need to be persuaded and probed with questions in order to elicit participation, a JD may occasionally find a client who is very eager to talk. This is fine if the talk is "on topic" and can be an indication of the JD's ability to build fast rapport with the client. The problem arises when the client happily goes on topics unrelated to the task on hand, while the time allocated for the session is limited. Instead of sitting in silent desperation while the minutes tick by, and not knowing how to interrupt the client for fear of being rude, the following are three techniques a JD can use to manage time during a resume critique session.
1. Manage Time with an Agenda
An agenda for the session should be placed on the desk between the client and the JD. As the JD introduces the purpose of the resume critique exercise, the topic for discussion is written clearly and boldly across the top of the paper: "RESUME CRITIQUE SESSION". The agenda for the discussion, along with the allocated time for each item, may also be written in advance, if writing in consultation with the client is expected to be difficult. For example, a 60-minute session may look like this:

• Item 1: Determine job title(s), in line with stated short-term career goal (10 mins)
• Item 2: Clarify experience and qualifications, and decide on type of resume to write (10 mins)
• Item 3: Write achievement statements (20 mins)
• Item 4: Select and write highlights or summary of skills (10 mins)
• Item 5: Finalising the format of the resume, including sections for Education (10 mins)

The JD should get agreement from the client by asking, "Do you agree this is what we should achieve today?" or "Do you think we can complete this agenda in (one hour)?" This outline of tasks can be referred to as frequently as needed during the session to indicate progress. It might help to have a clock on the wall or the desk to create awareness of time.
2. Drawing Attention by Using a Pencil
A piece of blank paper is useful to note items discussed, or the agenda above may include a check box that is marked as an item is completed. To bring attention back to the topic of discussion, hold the pencil pointing upwards at the client's eye-level - most people would momentarily pause when a pencil appears in front of their face. Quickly say, "Let's take a look at this item - we have another 5 minutes to have a go at it" or capture and repeat something that the client may have said that is even remotely relevant to the topic, and bring the pencil to point to the agenda item being discussed.
3. Comment and Ask a Question
Control of the discussion is important to keep the client participative and focused on the task. Whenever a client veers off topic, another way to encourage focus is to interrupt with a relevant comment to show interest and asking a question. For example, if the client was halfway through an anecdote about how he landed his first job (and likely to take another ten minutes to finish telling his tale), the JD might interrupt by saying,"You know, that's exactly what we want to do today - to write a resume that will get you an interview for a fantastic job." Follow up with a question to bring the client back on track. For example, "So can you be specific about your achievements in that last job?"
Finally, a word of caution - when interrupting a client, the JD needs to be aware of the client's reaction and make the interruption in a manner that conveys interest and eagerness to help, rather than showing impatience.
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How to Create an Outstanding Work Culture

By Becky Boyd
Your business is only as good as those who stand behind it. Employees need to be recognized for good work. Basically, we all do! Who doesn't like to get a pat on the back or an Atta Boy (Girl)! every now and then? It makes us feel good about ourselves and our job. We want to come to work every morning with a great attitude.
Having an outstanding work culture creates a great work environment where employees are positive and work for the common good of bettering the company and its mission. Here's how you can create a great work culture:
First and foremost: Identify the culture. Is it a family operation? Is it formal or informal? Is it straight-laced or more laid back? IBM and HP are both in the computer business, but they have different cultures. IBM has a more formal and stoic culture, while HP has a more casual environment.
Second: Communicate the culture. Once a business identifies what culture it wants for its employees, it needs to develop ways to communicate that to its employees. Initially, a business can draft a mission statement or company philosophy that summarizes what the owner or leadership expects of the employees. But the culture of a business is more than a mission statement. It is also communicated through the design of the work areas. Are employees in offices with doors or are they in cubicles? More traditional desks or modular workstations? Are employees encouraged to communicate in person or via e-mail or instant messaging? Companies have opportunities to communicate the culture in an ongoing way as well. Are there regularly scheduled team meetings to share company news or to obtain feedback from employees? This communicates that the company is open about what's going on and values its employees' opinions on how things are going and how they can improve.
Third: Once the culture is decided upon, it needs to be demonstrated. Management needs to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk". Below are some ways that the culture can be demonstrated:
Offer an outstanding rewards program that gives employees a better sense of value, growth, and commitment. Awards can be given for:
Years of service - Celebrate milestones in an employees' career, such as 5 years of service on up. As the milestones are reached, employees receive better and better awards, appropriate to the milestone.
Outstanding performance - Reward employees for results that make a difference to the company.
Great customer service - Involve customers in this one and let them nominate their client services rep.
Provide details about rewards to all parties involved - from the management team to front-line employees. Make sure that everyone understands what is required to win this award, how to win the award, and what he or she will receive if they win it.
Peer-to-peer recognition is a great strategy for inspiring everyone in the company to notice exceptional effort every day.
Coach and train management to recognize excellence in everyone and that this recognition is an integral, powerful part of the work culture, not just a program.
One way to build a successful team is to create a fun working environment and promote employee interaction. Hold a themed, internal team-building workshop routinely. It can be as simple as baking a cake together in the employee lunchroom to playing dodge ball in a local park. Whatever the event, the idea is for employees to interact and communicate.
To create an outstanding work culture through award management, contact FormoPro at info@formopro.com
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