Terms Of The Recession

Here is one from the weekly Herman Trend Alert of which I was not familiar: “corporate cocooning” – staying put out of fear A rather appropriate construction for today’s economy, wouldn’t you say?  Here is the paragraph from which it is used: Due to “corporate cocooning” (staying put out of fear), the “unprecedented churning” of the labor market we have forecast in the past has not yet happened. Now, we again see a high level of expectation of job hopping. Wise employers will heed this warning and take steps now to engage their valued employees and avoid this unwanted turnover.

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Clandestine Conversation

I have noticed this of late – salespeople are having more discussions on their cell phone while in the office.  Maybe they go into a conference room, a hallway, lunch room, etc.  Is there a greater clue that they may be looking for  a new opportunity?  Granted, these calls may be nothing more than a personal call and not an employment opportunity.  However, I always become suspicious when I see that behavior inside an office.  Just an observation.

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The Straight-Up Truth

These are skittish times, aren’t they?  I have seen this among reps and myself – every little item is scrutinized.  Communication, email, reports…I find myself looking for subtle clues in all of them.  Is a layoff coming?  How bad is it?  What is going to happen next? These are not productive thoughts.  As a manager, how do you quell these fears?  There isn’t one move, tool or approach that will cure it, but a concerted effort will help to minimize your team’s anxiety. Selling Power offers up an article that has some feel-good points that I question.  However, there is something in the article that caught my eye: Don’t make… Read More

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Impending Movement

In sales there has always been career movement.  Most successful salespeople have a “hunting” ability for closing deals.  They also use this ability to close new deals for themselves in terms of a new job. I believe this approach is intensified in the younger generations – Gen X and Gen Y.  This current economy is going to erode much of their loyalty as they watch companies shed employees.  This downturn is far worse than that of 2001, but it is two career-altering downturns in less than 10 years.  That has to have an effect on younger workers. Some of this movement can be seen in this article from Managesmarter.com: Even… Read More

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Garden-Leave Clauses

Proprietary information is a nuclear topic when dealing with salespeople who are leaving a company.  Product info, service plans, actual costs vs. pricing are all hot topics.  But for sales, the one thing that keeps managers up at night is the security of the customer list. We see many companies who desire to hire a salesperson from the competition with the expressed hope that the salesperson will bring customers with them.  Quick note-it rarely happens, but that doesn’t stop companies from focusing their hiring strategy. CNNMoney.com provides an article that discusses the legalities of this approach.  In the article is a phrase that I have not encountered before – garden-leave… Read More

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Top Reasons People Change Jobs

These lists seem to come out on a regular basis with different results.  Yet, I’m a sucker for a list so I read them.  The one consistent piece of information I read is that compensation is often overrated.  People may say they changed jobs for a better compensation package, but usually it is some other factor driving them out of their current job.  I’m not sure that holds up well in sales. The top reasons people have changed jobs: Downsizing or restructuring (54 percent); Sought new challenges or opportunities (30 percent); Ineffective leadership (25 percent); Poor relationship with manager (22 percent); To improve work/life balance (21 percent); Contributions to the… Read More

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Jobhopping And Nomadism

I have a friend who is one of the steadiest guys in the world.  He is extremely talented, has worked for some large companies and has an impressive list of degrees.  However, he has been working on his career path since the moment he graduated college in 1992. He has worked for 4-5 year stints at a few companies before joining a company now that is the realization of his chosen path.  The humorous aspect of his journey is that his employer is an old company.  Their initial review of his stellar resume was this – he is a jobhopper.  I still laugh when I think about that line applied… Read More

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Director Of Career Mobility

Another good article here from WSJ titled New Career, Same Employer.  The gist of the article: Ernst & Young LLP last year named Nancy Harley director of career mobility for the Americas, a new position designed to help employees of the accounting firm move into new roles. “The longer someone stays intrigued and challenged, the longer they’re going stay with the firm,” Ms. Harley says. Observers say employers are creating or expanding these programs to improve retention rates in a competitive job market, particularly as Baby Boomers begin to retire. The initiatives typically include Web-based programs for evaluating employees’ career goals and suggesting relevant paths. Interesting title – director of… Read More

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Gen Y Retention Strategies That Work

Yesterday I posted on this “determine your own vacation time” approach to management.  It is totally foreign to me.  Today I come across another company with the same approach.  This HRE Online article – In Their Own Words – contains comments provided by Gen Y workers on a recent survey. First the vacation comment (my empahsis): CarMax “Time away from work policy instead of vacation and sick days. There is not a set amount of time you can take, you just work it out with your manager. The office’s atmosphere is very bright and open. Management is very accessible and will answer any questions that you have. They encourage management… Read More

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Retention Strategy – Limit Rules

BusinessWeek.com’s playbook section offers a very short, but highly intriguing article title How Netflix nets and keeps talent.  Here it is in it’s entirety: PAY LAVISHLY Higher-than-average salaries—and tying bonuses and raises to the market, not a pool—can make stars less likely to bolt. Money is no object in hiring. PROVIDE COMPENSATION CHOICE Employees are more likely to excel if they can pick how much of their compensation they get in stock rather than cash. FOSTER TALENT HUNTERS Encouraging everyone to hire the three people they’ve loved working with most during their careers creates an intense, fun workplace. LET THEM GO Don’t give B performers a middling raise. Give them… Read More

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