Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget ppt

Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget Authors: Jim Guttmann, SPHR; Melissa K. Miller, PHR; Leslie T. Gordan, CPA; Candace Rorrer; Joni K. Humphreys; Ted A. Kirchharr; Melanie Rhodes; Holly McLeod, PHR; Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR **** Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget Copyright Landrum Human Resources Companies, Inc. 2010 Authors: Jim Guttmann, SPHR; Melissa K. Miller, PHR; Leslie T. Gordan, CPA; Candace Rorrer; Joni K. Humphreys; Ted A. Kirchharr; Melanie Rhodes; Holly McLeod, PHR; Elizabeth Oakes, SPHR Published by Landrum Human Resource Companies, Inc at Smashwords 6723 Plantation Road, Pensacola, Florida 32504 http://www.LandrumHR.com ***** Table of Contents Introduction Acknowledgements Chapter 1 - Mentoring Chapter 2 - Cross Training Chapter 3 - Training Costs – From Pricey to Priceless Chapter 4 - Wellness Chapter 5 - Community Outreach Chapter 6 - Personal Development Library Chapter 7 - STEP it up Book Club Chapter 8 - Financial Peace University Chapter 9 - Fun in the Workplace Chapter 10 - Focus Groups Appendix About the Authors Social Connections ***** Introduction Numerous studies have confirmed what most employers and managers already know – an investment in the professional development of employees increases employee satisfaction and retention. As organizations grow increasingly more complex, it has become even more important that they retain the knowledge and experience the best employees have spent years acquiring. It has also been demonstrated that professional development enhances employee satisfaction. We at Landrum are convinced that high employee satisfaction is an important driver of customer satisfaction. What is often lost in discussion of professional development is the role small self- implemented programs can play in developing your staff. Many of these programs are inexpensive to operate. Certainly conferences, conventions, college courses or other professionally developed training opportunities can play an important role in your program. But we have developed and implemented a number of low-cost programs within our company. The purpose of this book is to share some of these practices with you. These articles have been contributed by members of the Landrum team and many of them appeared on our Blog, LandrumHRBlog.com. We hope you will find these techniques useful as you look for ways to develop your own employees. We believe it is a journey well worth taking. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help you along the way. ***** Acknowledgements Thank you to all those who contributed to the process of publishing our first eBook: Ted A. Kirchharr, Editor Holly McLeod, Copy Editor Joni K. Humphreys, Layout and Production Kevin Holcombe, Website Coordinator And all of the Landrum staff members who shared their HR expertise and contributed to the writing and development of our eBook. ***** Chapter 1 Mentoring Programs By Jim Guttmann A challenge that all employers face is how to attract and retain good employees. It is a sound business principle that if you take care of your employees, they in turn will likely take good care of your customers. Other than receiving competitive pay and benefits, employees also want to enjoy what they do and to reach their fullest potential. A mentoring program can help meet those objectives by developing employees for possible promotion or providing avenues for self-improvement to help them grow with the company. From the many positive experiences of Landrum employees, we highly encourage any company considering the implementation of a Mentoring Program. This is a wonderful opportunity for many of your employees to enrich the lives of their co- workers by sharing information, skills and abilities. The goal of this “no cost” program is for participants to find and draw out that untapped potential that resides in each individual. Participation in the program by employees should be entirely voluntary. Those interested in being mentored (a.k.a. Mentees) come forward, often knowing of an area in which they want to further develop and improve. Areas for improvement may include Verbal Communications - persuading others or conflict resolution; Written Communications; Technical Area – such as improving computer skills; Project Management; and Personality Traits – improving self esteem and confidence. It is ideal to find pairs where the needs of the Mentee match a competency of the Mentor; there is a high potential for success, and a positive chemistry exists between the two individuals - along with a high level of trust. When considering the ideal qualities of a Mentee, look for someone who is enthusiastic, has a clear idea of what he or she wants to get out of the program, who shows initiative, wants to improve weak areas, is open to constructive feedback, takes responsibility, is a proactive listener and shows flexibility. These qualities are essential since it is the Mentee that drives the success of the relationship. An ideal Mentor is trustworthy (i.e. capable of keeping things confidential), optimistic, dependable and available, a seasoned leader or contributor within the company, influential, a good listener and has excellent interpersonal skills. There are some critical success factors that need to be covered to ensure the success of the mentoring program: •The Program is voluntary. The mentoring relationship exists only because both participants in the relationship are truly committed to its success •The Program’s Purpose is clearly communicated. When the program is formally “kicked off” it is important to establish its overall purpose to the staff. During introductory meetings, any potential misconceptions about the program can be addressed. No false promises are made, such as that participation ensures a promotion. •A Steering Committee can provide the proper tools and guidelines in helping Mentee and Mentor get the relationship off to a good and productive start. Guidance may be needed in such matters as communicating expectations, involvement level and comfort zones, identifying needs, goal setting, sharing information, encouraging dialog, learning from assignments, debriefing experiences, building organizational connections and developing an action plan. •The Mentee’s Supervisor is supportive. Mentors should be encouraged to get with the Mentee’s supervisor before the new relationship formally begins. The supervisor can provide valuable insight to the Mentor that may help in getting the mentoring relationship off to a good start. •Mentors and Mentees are allowed the time for meetings and their time together is respected. All members of management need to take the program seriously and understand its benefit to the employees and company alike. •Expectations on the part of Mentor and Mentee are clearly established up front. This is a vital part of the initial meeting between Mentor and Mentee. There should be a clear understanding as to roles of each party, where and how often meetings will take place, what happens when meetings have to be cancelled, what specific goals will be worked on, how success will be measured and when the relationship ends, etc. •Confidentiality as to what is discussed between Mentor and Mentee is respected. There are often frank and honest discussions about strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. Sensitive feedback often occurs in these sessions; these are private matters that others do not need to know. •The mentoring relationship is guided by the company’s culture and values. There is a clear expectation that mentoring relationships exhibit a high degree of professionalism. The conduct of participants should model the company’s core values •Specific and realistic goals are established that provide a means to measure success. Specific goals should be encouraged such as giving a presentation, learning a specific skill in Excel, completing a project, developing an action plan, etc. Goals that are vague such as “I want to be a better person,” or “I would like to improve in all areas” are not that helpful and don’t encourage accountability. •Success stories are documented and celebrated. Keeping a record of the program’s achievements affords an opportunity for others to learn from the positive experiences of mentoring teams. For additional information about Landrum’s mentoring program or implementation of a mentoring program at your company, you may contact Jim Guttmann, SPHR at (850) 476- 5100. ***** Chapter 2 Cross Training: A Win–Win–Win Situation By Melissa K. Miller Investing in employee development through cross training is a wise choice. When training budgets are tight, finding creative ways to engage employees in learning opportunities can be challenging. There is a strong business case for cross training employees. Not only does cross training enrich employees, it can also increase organizational capacity. Capacity, that is, to provide essential services to clients in the absence of key personnel. Done right, managing capacity can be as much about employee development as it is about business continuity. Landrum has developed a comprehensive Capacity Management System (CMS) that meets both objectives (and then some). The CMS provides a uniform format for managers to document all functions within their department and keep adequate numbers of staff members trained to perform each function. Staff members are engaged in the process from the very beginning. Employees collaborate to compile a comprehensive list of duties for their department. On an individual basis each employee then rates their proficiency at each task. This information is the basis of a conversation between employees and their supervisor. Together a cross training plan is developed that will meet departmental needs and provide growth opportunities for the employee based on their goals. Employees who have mastered certain tasks assume leadership roles in training other employees. Cross training is a win–win–win situation. Trained employees win because they feel valued, the trainers win because they have had an opportunity to share their expertise, and the organization wins because employee satisfaction has increased and continuity of service has been enhanced. ***** Chapter 3 Training Costs: From Pricey to Priceless! By Leslie Gordan Conference registration fees can be very expensive. Traveling out of town is costly, and customer service can suffer from several people being out of the office at the same time. What is a small office to do? At Landrum, knowledge is valued by our senior leaders. Development of staff is one of our corporate goals and lifetime learning is part of our culture. Almost one-third of our staff is certified and must obtain continuing education credits to keep licenses or certifications current, and training dollars must be spent there first. But what about the rest of our motivated staff who want to learn new skills to improve their performance? To get the most out of every dollar spent on training it’s helpful to capitalize on in-house knowledge, which can have a two-fold benefit; employees have exposure to a wide variety of learning opportunities, and staff members have the opportunity to develop their presentation skills in a safe environment. You may be thinking that sounds great, but how exactly do I do that? When someone at Landrum travels outside of the office to attend training, they are responsible for sharing what they learn with co-workers who could benefit from the same information. Depending on the course attended, there are several ways that this can be accomplished: 1. Give a three minute summary of the training at an employee or department meeting. If there is interest, an informal brown bag lunch can be arranged so co-workers can learn more. If the information is of a technical nature, a regular training session might be scheduled. 2. Write up a one-page summary for Department Heads to share at their individual department meetings. 3. Post a one-page summary on the staff bulletin board. 4. Pick up extra handouts to share (if available). 5. Obtain an electronic version of the presentation to post on the company network for co- workers to access. These ideas work and can be adopted by any size organization. However, holding attendees accountable to effectively share conference information with the rest of the organization is how you get your money’s worth. Here are a few suggestions: 1. When approval to attend the conference is given, go ahead and schedule the meeting when the employee will be presenting the learned information to other staff members. 2. Have a standard policy that states one cannot attend training unless knowledge sharing of previously attended training has occurred within a certain period of time. If that employee does not have time to share their knowledge, take outside training off of their agenda for a period of time and give someone else the opportunity. 3. Include knowledge sharing in the performance review process of employees who participate in outside training. 4. Include attendance at in-house presentations in the performance review process. 5. Conduct a brief survey that helps determine effectiveness of the presentation. This has several benefits: •Did co-workers find value in the knowledge gained? •Can this information improve job effectiveness or efficiency? •How might the presenter improve their presentation? •Should this subject be considered for future in-house training? If more than one person from the organization attends the same conference, prior workshop coordination can prevent duplicity and can ensure coverage of the most important sessions. Many conferences offer free or reduced registrations for presenters. If your staff has the knowledge and the talent, encourage them to volunteer to facilitate a workshop or give a presentation. Allow them to practice and fine-tune their presentation in-house. Allow your workforce to explore all aspects of your industry by exposing them to a wide variety of learning opportunities. If the subject has limited applicability but a lot of interest, offer it as a brown bag lunch that employees can attend on their own time. If the subject matter is related to the individual employee’s job duties, allow attendance on company time. You just may ignite a passion for a new career path – and that is priceless! Knowledge is power. Share the knowledge! ***** Chapter 4 A Wellness Program for Your Employees By Candace Rorrer Envision a company motivated to be physically active; employees walking to co-workers’ desks to discuss issues face-to-face instead of sending an email, joining peer groups to walk or run after work or during lunch, and participating in charitable races on the weekends as a company team. Not only will employees acquire the benefits of being in good physical shape, but the company will enjoy lower medical costs due to a decrease in illness, increase in work productivity and an increase in attendance. The Wellness Committee at Landrum offers educational opportunities for employees by improving health awareness in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, and emotional well- being. To promote nutrition, the wellness committee has invited local experts to come in and educate employees on properly reading nutrition labels and provide tips on eating healthier. To promote physical activity the committee created a walking program - a run/walk team that trains for local races and a “boot camp” and yoga class that takes place in the office after hours. The committee promotes emotional wellbeing by inviting motivational speakers to teach the staff. Classes cover the topics of health and humor, stress, and managing emotions. There are a number of ways to promote wellness in the office while promoting positive reflections to a company’s bottom-line. Start by organizing the following strategies: •Maintain Senior-level support •Determine goals and objectives •Recruit a team •Develop a budget •Promote activities •Decide on incentives •Have a kick-off celebration •Sign up participants •Evaluate progress Have little to no money to put towards a wellness program? Check your organization’s insurance carrier for discounts. Most insurance companies offer discounts to gym memberships, weight loss programs and educational materials. Contact local gyms, spas or weight loss programs to see if they offer a company discount. You also might want to consider employees paying a registration fee to put towards a cash prize for the person that logs the highest number of steps or miles walked, as an example. Here are a few web-based tracking programs that start promoting physical activity. http://www.startwalkingnow.org http://www.americanonthemove.org http://www.acsworkplacesolutions.com/activeforlife.asp Let's get active! ***** Chapter Five Community Outreach By Joni K. Humphreys Establishing a community outreach program for your business can be beneficial to employers, employees and recipients alike. Employees can develop relationships and leadership skills through community outreach opportunities. Allowing employee-led groups to identify and coordinate community service projects not only builds camaraderie, it also builds employees’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Landrum started a Community Outreach Committee comprised of employees from all departments and all levels of our company, and we found it to be very successful in multiple ways. There are many ways to go about starting and implementing a community outreach program. Here are some things that have worked for us: 1. Throughout the year employees are encouraged to nominate organizations and projects to be supported during companywide fundraising and community service projects. 2. After the activities have been decided upon, employees take charge to lead the company project from inception to completion. Employees have the opportunity to exercise leadership and public speaking skills as they coordinate activities with the recipient organizations and internal staff. Community service events provide a unique opportunity for employees to become more acquainted with senior leaders from other parts of the company as they work side by side for a common cause. Here is a sampling of ways to encourage employee participation in fundraising and volunteer activities: •Give employees the opportunity to nominate charitable organizations as part of the selection process for a fundraiser beneficiary •Organize an email-based silent auction of homemade baked goods or dinners with proceeds going to a selected charitable agency •Plan pot luck breakfasts and/or lunches with proceeds going to a selected charitable agency •Put together a recipe book made up of all the delicious meals made by your employees during your lunch and breakfast events and sell them for a nominal amount (they make great client gifts too) •Conduct seasonal supply drives, such as school supplies, pajamas, winter coats, and Christmas gifts for foster kids as well as newborn baby supplies and groceries for needy families •Allow employees to showcase their talents; hold drawings for employee-made crafts, jewelry or woodworking projects with proceeds from ticket sales going to a selected charitable agency •Allow groups of employees to volunteer on a local phone bank for a non-profit agency telethon •Participate as a company in a community-wide work day such as the United Way Day of Caring •Invite local non-profit agencies to your company staff meeting for a check presentation so that the employees can share the moment and hear more about the agency A dedicated community outreach program can be successful for many businesses. Landrum’s commitment to our community is a solid part of our corporate culture, and we can say from experience that it is very rewarding for all involved. We encourage you to consider developing your own program. Remember, the key to having a successful volunteer and community outreach program at your workplace is to keep the FUN in FUNdraising. ***** Chapter 6 Personal Development Library By Ted A. Kirchharr [...]... Strategic Management Specialist and holds an Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) certification from the Disaster Recovery Institute Melissa facilitates strategic planning sessions, coordinates business continuity planning and provides a vital connection between staff and management through employee focus groups and feedback surveys Leslie Thomas Gordon, CPA, Landrum Human Resource Companies,... realizing it was okay to have fun at work My colleagues and I underwent training with the Meyers Briggs Temperament Indicator a few years ago This teambuilding exercise measures a person’s personality type and helps an entire team to understand the natural differences everyone has and what each person has to offer The exercise that stuck out in my mind was one where the facilitators laid a rope on. .. resources to establish your library You can augment your library with new materials acquired at conferences, trade shows or industry publications, etc Additionally, used book stores, charity sales, and even garage and estate sales can provide additional material for your library Our company took an underutilized closet and turned it into a useful library Checkouts are entirely on the honor system And though... retention He is PastPresident of the Florida Sterling Council and has a Master’s in Administration from Central Michigan University Melanie Rhodes, Financial Analysis and Reporting Manager, Landrum Human Resource Companies, Inc Melanie develops, interprets, and analyzes reports from accounting and financial systems She also develops systems and reports to enhance management’s decision-making capacity... in America – one in four – are seriously financially distressed and dissatisfied with their personal financial situations.” (Financial Distress among American Workers, by E Thomas Garman) The statics are overwhelming: The majority of the American workforce is in serious financial trouble To make these statistics scarier, they were compiled prior to the financial crisis that started in late 2008 Imagine... where employees are unhappy In contrast, think of your least favorite restaurant experience My guess is that the wait staff might have been absent or slow and you probably saw very few smiles Not a whole lot of fun going on there, I’m guessing Getting a fun atmosphere in the workplace will take some trust on the part of all parties involved and an open conversation on a regular basis to make sure everyone... to seek the financial education program that would be most fulfilling and beneficial And find it, they did Financial Peace University, Workplace Edition, is a 13-week program on personal finances developed and trained by radio and television personality Dave Ramsey, via DVD After reviewing several options, Financial Peace University (FPU) was determined to be the most comprehensive program we could offer... Chief Operating Officer, Landrum Professional Employer Services and Landrum Consulting Services Ted is responsible for Landrum’s strategic planning, benefits administration, risk management, human resources and marketing He has helped hundreds of organizations pursue strategic planning, institute quality control management, hone organizational development, instill leadership training and improve employee. .. how many more of us are deeply concerned with our personal financial duress than we were prior to this time! Even the Federal Reserve Bank spoke up In a publication developed jointly by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Banks state that “Employers benefit from a financially educated workforce in several ways.” That same publication suggests that a well-executed... including long range planning and budgeting Melanie was instrumental in the development of Landrum’s Staff Training and Education Process Holly McLeod, PHR, Human Resources Manager, Landrum Human Resource Companies, Inc Holly has over fifteen years of human resources experience in the corporate, healthcare, manufacturing and consulting environments She manages Landrum Consulting Services and contributes a weekly . committee created a walking program - a run/walk team that trains for local races and a “boot camp” and yoga class that takes place in the office after hours. The committee promotes emotional wellbeing. enhances employee satisfaction. We at Landrum are convinced that high employee satisfaction is an important driver of customer satisfaction. What is often lost in discussion of professional development. personnel. Done right, managing capacity can be as much about employee development as it is about business continuity. Landrum has developed a comprehensive Capacity Management System (CMS) that