Lee and I recently attended certification training for one of the assessments we use and found the training to be quite good. The part that made it memorable is the fact that we were asked to use the assessments in real-life scenarios. That type of training sticks, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Simulation Shows What It’s Like to Be Boss: That realistic feeling is a big reason companies such as NetApp use simulations to help train managers in complex subjects such as strategic thinking. Experts say adults absorb information better when they use it, not just hear it. There is a quote from earlier in the article that is… Read More
Continue ReadingA Reason To Web Commute
Is there a better anecdotal piece of information to support web commuting – $5.20 per gallon gas: Five dollars and 20 cents for a gallon of gas. The number says a lot. Yes, it may be the most expensive gas in America. But $5.20 doesn’t begin to explain essence — the rich, off-beat, some might say, eccentric, essence of Gorda, Calif.
Continue ReadingWeb Commute
That is a term coined by Citrix and one I suspect we will see with some frequency. If gas goes to $4/gallon, I suspect these articles will publish daily. ManageSmarter.com offers up an article discussing the preference of today’s workers to have technological flexibility in their job. The key here is the demographics of the results (emphasis mine): …U.S. workers aged 18-34 prefer flexible working conditions two-to-one over other age groups. In fact, 70% of survey respondents agreed that working remotely would be a welcome opportunity. In an era where acquiring and retaining good employees is a challenge, and the workforce is becoming increasingly young and mobile, offering the ability… Read More
Continue ReadingRetention Is The Toughest Challenge
Inc.com has a short article reporting the survey results of HR professionals that shows a shifting trend: In a survey of 413 HR professionals, more than half identified talent management as their top priority, and were planning to improve their rewards and benefits programs. Most employers cited employee retention among their five toughest challenges, ahead of health-care costs, the survey found. Last year, 80 percent identified health-care costs as their biggest challenge. I fully expect retention will move into the top spot and stay there for quite some time (i.e. years) as the Boomers retire.
Continue ReadingThe Cleanest Cities In America
Maybe the list from Forbes.com (via ABCNews.com) provides some assistance in recruiting candidates for relocation? The Twin Cities is ranked no. 9 on the list. A definite advantage until weather (i.e. winter) is discussed. Miami, FL Seattle, WA Jacksonville, FL Orlando, FL Portland, OR San Francisco, CA Oklahoma City, OK Tampa-St. Pete, FL Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN San Jose, CA
Continue ReadingJobs In Paradise
ABCnews.com offers a completely tempting story to those of us stuck up here in the frozen tundra. With a snowstorm heading our way this evening, I am stuck on this thought: “We also have a ‘chief of village,’ which is sort of a cross between a cruise director and general manager,” Moeller said. “This is the most aspired-to position for many of our [employees]. It is like being queen or king of the roost.” There is a recruiting opportunity here: Most of these companies that cater to an international clientè have structured recruitment programs to draw worldwide talent. Bases are set up on multiple continents to sell the idea of… Read More
Continue ReadingBenefits Of A Recession
BusinessWeek.com offers up a provocative article about the slowing economy – The Upside of Recession. Interesting opening: Pop quiz, hot shot: What do MTV, Trader Joe’s, and the iPod have in common? Yes, of course, they’re all now ubiquitous and make our lives much more agreeable. But to us, the most interesting thing about all three is that these great brands were born during recessions. (Trader Joe’s: 1958; MTV: 1981; iPod: 2001, if you are scoring at home.) The authors are just warming up: Cutting (ed.- lay offs) across the board is the coward’s way of dealing with a downturn. It assures that no one is going to yell—how could… Read More
Continue ReadingOffice Meeting Heresy
I give you CareerJournal.com’s Another Meeting? Good. Another Chance To Hear Myself Talk: Mr. McKay’s confession helps answer the question of why, if everybody hates meetings so much, do we have so many of them? Great question. The gentleman referenced in the article misses meetings in his new company! My word, I cannot relate to that sentiment. Here is the stunning research results: Steven Rogelberg, a professor of industrial organizational psychology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and a group of colleagues found that among people surveyed about their last meeting, 69% rated them at least “good,” while only 16% rated them “poor” or worse. And although 50% said… Read More
Continue ReadingSatisfied Salespeople
Clayton Shold over at Saleopedia offers up some stunning survey results from a recent SalesDog.com survey. Check this out (my emphasis): Despite the job pressure, 70 percent of respondents reported being happy with their management, while 64 percent of those taking the survey said they felt adequately recognized for their achievements. A surprising 75 percent of respondents believe their management’s sales expectations or quotas are realistic. I’m sitting here cruising at 70mph in Northern Minnesota as I write. I should clarify that Lee is driving, I am geeking it up in the passenger seat. We have been talking about these results for miles. We often hear of how discontented workers… Read More
Continue ReadingA Soft Hiring Trend
Manpower’s quarterly survey is often considered a bellwether of the upcoming labor market. The Wall Street Journal reports on this trend in Hiring Plans Soften Across Industries. The title sounds a dire alarm, but there is an interesting quote within the article: Jonas Prising, president of Manpower North America, characterized employers’ hiring plans for the upcoming quarter as “softening.” He noted the decline is less sharp than the steep drops seen at the beginning of the decade. In some quarters of 2000, up to 25% of employers planned to hire, but then employers’ hiring plans declined sharply, and the portion planning to hire hit about 5% by early 2002. “This… Read More
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