I recently read an article by Steve Bruce (published in the HR Daily Advisor Newsletter) and titled “They Never Told Me I Had to Go to Work on Time.”  I read the title probably 5 times before say aloud (out of pure amazement)…Is this for real!  According to the article the “they never told me” defense is widely and successfully used in employment lawsuits.

As everyone has experienced at some point in their life, people’s attitudes and actions feed off one another.  If one employee is late and the others don’t see/hear about the consequences, they are going to try it as well.  Two turns into three, which turns into four & so on and before you know it, you have “attendance monsters”.  So here is what you need to do…

1)      Create a policy

2)      Follow your policy, this includes getting your supervisors to do follow the policy as well

3)      Hold employees accountable for attendance & documentation

4)      Document, Document, Document!

5)      Follow through, fire employees with attendance issues

It is very simple; call your employees out on it!  You will start to see a change pretty quickly.

PS – I think the best one I ever heard was: I can’t go in to work because I don’t have money to pay my power bill.  Hello…how are you going to get money to pay your power bill if you aren’t at work?!

What are some of the crazy stories you have heard?

The biggest change and biggest effect the guidance letter will have on employers, is they no longer will tolerate “Bright Line Rules”, which they define as a blanket “no felons”, “no person with a criminal history” type of rule during the application process.  The EEOC recommends “individualized assessments” of applicants. Their reasoning being that each position needs to be based on the job duties.  Although not “required”, employers will need to evaluate if there are criminal offenses that have a “demonstratably tight nexus to the position in question”, in such that an individualized assessment may be circumvented. For example a child sex offender at a day care facility.  A person convicted of white collar embezzlement, being turned down for a factory line position stamping valve covers, may get the EEOC looking at your hiring policies.

Evidence an Employer should review:

1. Facts or circumstances surrounding the offense or conduct.
2. Number of offenses.
3. Age at time of conviction or release from prison.
4. Evidence that the individual performed same type of work “post conviction” without any known incidents of criminal conduct.
5. Length of employment before and after offense and rehabilitation efforts.
6. Whether the individual needs to be bonded under a federal, state or local bonding program.

The EEOC’s guidance recommends not asking about convictions on applications, but at this point has not put a blanket statement against it.  This concept is referred to the “Ban the Box” effort.  They want employers to ask only about relevant convictions to the position applied for on the application.

In summary the EEOC expects these “Best Practices”:

1. No Bright Line Policies.
2. Train your managers, hiring officials, and decision makers about Title VII and prohibition of employment discrimination, and keep records of the training.
3. Adjust your hiring matrix/adjudication module with your background company to reflect the new guidelines. (No Blanket Policies.)
4. Develop narrowly tailored policies for each position and convictions related to those positions.
5. Identify specific offenses that demonstrate unfitness for the job, demonstrate your reasoning in your policy.
6. Note and keep a record of consultations and research in developing your policies.
7. Limit inquiries to records that are job related.
8. Consider timing of the criminal history question, itself, so as not to deter qualified applicants from applying.
9. Keep all criminal history records confidential and separate from an employee personnel file.

I am sure there will be more debate about these new expectations as this guideline is combed through by every employment attorney in the country, but it is clear the EEOC wants to see employers better prepared in regards to defending their reasons for not hiring persons with a criminal history.  They do understand the reason you need to use criminal histories and agree it is a matter of due diligence for your company and should be done.

What are your thoughts and discussions?

EHow.com gives some tips on improving teamwork in the workplace. They include:

1. Establish Relationships. Employees do not need to be best friends, but by getting to know each other they can establish more effective professional relationships.
2. Hold Team Meetings. Schedule these meetings weekly. It will give team members an opportunity to discuss any issues or ideas they may have. Make sure these meetings are relaxed, as a comfortable team member is a more open team member.
3. Complete Team-Building Activities. These can include games and other activities that encourage interaction between team members.
4. Form Teams. Sometimes a team needs a little push to form together. Create teams according to the tasks at hand.

They say that two minds are better than one. Imagine what could result from three, four, five, or more minds!

We think this quote adapted from Henry Ford sums up great teamwork:

Coming together is a beginning.
Working together is progress.
Achieving together is success.

Article Sources:

http://www.ehow.com/info_7856309_tips-improving-teamwork-workplace.html

http://EzineArticles.com/3909595

It can cost between three to six times the person’s annual salaries to hire someone who doesn’t work out. This cost is made up from the time spent on interviewing and training, the person’s salary and benefits while they are learning the job, and the lower level of productivity in the first few months of any new hire.

Last fall, Extra Help began implementing a survey which provided resounding results that identify high risk applicants and the best fit candidates for the job. At Extra Help, we know that hiring people qualified and reliable is critical.

                What is Insight?

                Answer: Insight provides pre-employment screening services by administering surveys or tests which identifies for the employer if the applicant is prone to high risk or if the best fit for the job. Insight screens counterproductive behaviors such as drugs, violence, theft, workers’ comp, and dependability.

                Who’s using it?

                Answer:  Companies like insurance providers, large corporations, staffing firms like Extra Help, and recruiting agencies. Insight provides a great tool to eliminate potential applicants that may be a risk on the job.

                Why use Insight?

                Answer: Insight eliminates time and money on interviewing, drug testing, and background checks. Insight has been able to reduce the candidate pool by 25% when first administering the survey. The 41 questionnaire asks questions in different ways to gather intel from a potential counterproductive applicant. Insight can help reduce costs and turnover within an organization and overall improve productivity!

Insight has been a great tool at Extra Help. It has also been a great piece in selling our services versus our competitors. I get excited talking about Insight for I have seen the results in which it has produced for Extra Help. Not only have we been able to save our time, but also our clients continue to exude confidence in the services we provide them! The proof is in the pudding! Check out some client testimonials! http://extrahelpinc.com/about-us/testimonials/

I remember the thrill of being able to play the Oregon Trail as a reward during school hours when I was in the 7^th grade on one of the 4 computers the entire school shared.  When I was growing up you called your friends on the telephone that had a cord, played outside until the street lights came on and your parents worked at the same company for what seemed like forever. 

Times have changed and technology is an integral part of communicating with your workforce!  As much as companies or human resources want to keep the “human” aspect they need to embrace this new generation of employees.  If you can’t beat them join them!

Here are a few things that companies can embrace that actually may make their life easier as well!

1)      Direct Deposit: Who banks in person anymore? 

2)      Employee Self Service: No need to spend time filling out pay history requests, your employees can access previous check stubs online when it is convenient for them…even from their phone.

3)      Online applications that are accessible by smart phone or ipad

To keep up with your changing workforce you have to embrace technology and the Gen X & Y way of communicating.  This sounds contradictory but to keep the human aspect of HR you may need to remove the human, if not you will lose contact with your workforce!

- Never make your cover letter or introductory email longer than three paragraphs

- Don’t put your name and contact info on the side, bottom, or back of your resume.  They should always be on the top.

- Don’t include an objective (write a summary of your qualifications)

- Education should never be listed above exp. unless you have 5 higher education degrees

- Don’t be arrogant.

- Don’t break the one page rule unless you have more than 8 years of exp.

- Don’t include any time gaps without explanation.

- Don’t include skills that aren’t applicable to your job description.

- Whatever you do, don’t be cute.

Now that you have a good idea of what not to do, you may be wondering what you should be doing to make your resume as effective as possible. Careerbuilder.com gives some great tips about this. By following these simple steps, your resume may be able to avoid the dreaded “trash” pile.

- DO target the content. Tailor your resume to the position you are applying for. Highlight skills and experience that are relevant to the position.

-DO emphasize your successes. Rather just stating a responsibility you had at your previous job, state how you succeeded at it.

-DO choose your words wisely. Look for key words in the job description and try to incorporate them into your resume.

-DO sweat the small stuff. A misspelled word can make or break you. Revise, revise, revise!

-DO keep it simple and professional.

-DO use short bullet points rather than long sentences.

If you are ever unsure about your resume, ask a professional to review it. Be open to pointers and constructive criticism. At Extra Help, Inc., we are always here to give a professional opinion about any questions you may have. All you need to do is ask!

Read more: http://www.thetelegraph.com/articles/katubig-68526-business-help.html#ixzz1sCzfWlz1 ]]> http://extrahelpinc.com/2012/04/achieving-the-dream-entrepreneur-serves-as-mentor-to-women/feed/ 0 http://extrahelpinc.com/2012/04/21-ways-to-manage-stress/ http://extrahelpinc.com/2012/04/21-ways-to-manage-stress/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:12:47 +0000 Marcey Poshard http://extrahelpinc.com/?p=1499 Continue reading →]]> So I was talking to a client a month ago and we were discussing different programs available to their employees.  She gave me a packet that they gave to all their employees that month so I could have an example of things they do.  When I got back to the office I went through the packet and came across this wonderful brochure written by Personal Best.  It was a simple little article about dealing with stress and if anyone reading this knows me at all, you know that I am a type A personality and highly stressed person.  I did find some of the things to be very helpful and wanted to share them with you.  The article focused on 21 ways to manage stress.

1. Sleep well:  Lack of sleep decreases your ability to handle stress.  Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
2. Move more:  Regular exercise releases tense muscles and relaxes your mind.
3. Eat healthy:  Small, light meals eaten throughout the day provide energy and steady blood sugar levels.
4. Plan ahead:  When you know you have a stressful event happening, prepare for it in advance.  Plan out your days in advance.
5. Cut back on caffeine:  Drink more water instead of caffeinated beverages during stressful times.
6. Relax your body:  Once a day, tense and then slowly relax each muscle group from your head to your toes.
7. Relax your mind:  Take a mental time-out.
8. Take an imaginary vacation:  Close your eyes and picture a quiet scene.
9. Maximize your energy:  Schedule your most difficult work for when you’re rested and alert.
10. Get involved:  Being with and helping others keeps you from focusing on your own issues.
11. Avoid rushing:  Leave earlier to arrive on time.
12. Stop procrastinating:  Make a list everyday of the top 5 task you need to get accomplished.
13. Talk it out.  Use your friends, family and co-workers as a support system.
14. Blow off steam:  Release anger and tension in healthy ways.
15. Breathe out stress:  Stop and take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
16. Laugh:  Great way to relieve stress
17. Change negative self-talk:  Reverse “I can’t do anything right to I have what it takes to get it done”. 
18. Spoil yourself:  See a play, get a massage, go shopping, play golf or just call a friend.
19. Be thankful:  You’ll be surprised as to how much went right.
20. Get help if you need it:  Speak to a health care provider or professional counselor if you’re unable to control stress.
21. Accept change:  consider it as a natural state that offers opportunity

Wow!  I’m less stressed just typing this.  Seriously, once I read this, I could not believe how much it makes sense.  Here at our Extra Help office, we do so many of these things on a daily basis and don’t even realize it.  Last but not least, don’t aim to live a stress-free life, instead learn to be happy, confident and satisfied with who you are!   Take care everyone and have a GREAT stress free Spring!

A CSP is a title provided to professionals in the staffing industry from the American Staffing Association, that prove their knowledge by passing a 100 question exam. The exam consists of both federal and state employment law questions, based on the state of your business. We felt that by taking the extra steps as individuals, that the resulting knowledge and experience would be valuable to our company, our employees and also our customers. As soon as our deadline was set, we ordered all of the study materials, consisting of two textbooks and a workbook and we started on our “syllabus” and “study guide.”

As the months went by, we learned the laws and history of employee screening, interviewing, attendance, work eligibility, employee disciplinary action, EEO, FMLA, ADA and worker’s compensation. On February 27, 2012 (just to give us breathing room in case we didn’t pass the first time… ?), Sara and I passed our test on the first try!! We are proud to announce that we are now Certified Staffing Professionals, accredited by the American Staffing Association. Many of our other team members are currently studying for this exam and the Extra Help, Inc. staffing team will have many other CSPs very soon!

The American Staffing Association provides Extra Help with great tools such as Education & Training, and also information on the most current Legal & Government Affairs. To learn more about the American Staffing Association or to become a member check out their website http://www.americanstaffing.net/education/certification.cfm. ASA offers a range of great programs and services to expand your professional expertise and improve your company’s performance.

Kara Helmuth, a litigation associate at Danna McKitrick PC, was a first-time homebuyer in 2011. She found her agent by attending open house events, but also suggests getting recommendations from trusted contacts.

“It’s important that the agent has experience in the type of real estate you’re looking for,” she said, whether that’s a condo, ranch or townhouse. “Also, find out what geographic areas they specialize in.”

While searching for a home, you’ll spend a lot of time with your real estate agent, so choose one you feel comfortable talking to, Helmuth said. “Getting along with them on a personal level is important,” she said. “We talked about a lot more than real estate.”

Also try to determine how assertive the prospective agent is and about their negotiating style. “Will they push for you, or will they just roll over?” Helmuth said.

Teresa Katubig, president and CEO of employment, payroll and workforce services company Extra Help Inc., has purchased homes and residential rental property. She turns to personal and professional contacts for referrals to potential real estate agents, selects those who topped the list, then interviews them, she said. Ask about experience, how many transactions they close a year and references. “If they did $3 million in sales, was that one house or 23 different properties?” Katubig said.

“You have to find an agent who’s on the same page, knows what your motives are, whether it’s buying a home or rental property,” she said. “There are some people you just don’t click with.”

She agreed it’s important to find a real estate agent who matches your negotiating style, adding that one agent she worked with wasn’t comfortable going to the buyer with an aggressive offer.

It also helps to see a real estate agent in action. In one transaction, “We loved the seller’s agent and used them the next time, because we could tell they were doing a good job,” Katubig said.

Dave Heselbarth moved to St. Louis from Chicago to take a job as a project director for McCarthy Building Cos. McCarthy helped him find a buyer’s real estate agent in St. Louis, where familiarity with homes in the Central West End neighborhood he chose was paramount. “Not only familiar with the area, but individual buildings and streets, and could answer questions about the houses we were interested in,” he said.

Beyond geographic experience, look for an agent who listens to you and understands what you’re looking for, Heselbarth said. “When we first met, we spent a lot of time telling the agent about ourselves, what we were looking for, and asking about their experience with those types of properties,” he said.

On the selling side, be sure your agent will keep you informed about how other area homes are selling and give you feedback from open houses.

“You have to be able to trust this person,” Heselbarth said of real estate agents, “whether you’re selling a house, or buying a house.”