Who needs employees anyway?

A digital pat on the back from the boss: What's it worth?

2012-01-27T05:39:00.001-08:00

Some companies that are too busy for face-to-face recognition of their employees' efforts are turning to recognition software. But will it make a difference to a star staffer with options?

FORTUNE— Call it the itch. Many employees catch it, that desire to find the next great job, discover what new opportunities are out there, search for a more sympathetic manager, and perhaps a raise.

But the employees who actually take the plunge are often the top 10% of performers -- the engineers who create products, the marketers who sell them, the creative ones who develop new revenue streams. And you certainly don't want to lose them.

A December 2011 survey of 3,000 workers conducted by the employment agency Randstad revealed that 47% of employees plan to test the job market in 2012. Complacent employees often sit tight while the ambitious go-getters primed to move up consider new options. But some companies are taking steps to retain their talent and discover why their most valuable staffers might want to depart before it comes time for an exit interview.

Read the full story: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/26/employee-recognition-retention-software/

4Cs EMPLOYEE SURVEY
A powerful system for getting the most out of employee engagement and satisfaction surveys.

Employee Engagement in a Multigenerational Workforce

2012-01-25T06:43:00.001-08:00

The drive towards equality has in part led to the practice of employers being largely indifferent to the ages of employees in a drive to treat everyone the same. Yet it is through this very indifference that subliminal prejudice can creep into workplace practices resulting in employers consistently failing to maximise the talents and strengths of their staff.
The employment demographic is challenging employers.
Strangely, although the Government’s drive is towards a later retirement age the main employment figures produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) concentrate on men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. This despite the fact that figures for the quarter to December 2010 show older full time employees at 270,000 with a further 600,000 working part time. Combine these statistics with the current levels of youth unemployment and an interesting pattern appears. The employment demographic is shifting and in the process throwing up challenges for employers.
Same, same but different

The fact is that understanding the differing needs and aspirations of the workforce will enable employers to both align employee engagement and maximise productivity. In this respect true equality means helping people to work to their individual strengths rather than treating everyone the same.

Read the full story: http://www.articlealley.com/employee-engagement-in-a-multigenerational-workforce-2406491.html

More Canadian workers looking for new jobs

2012-01-24T17:04:00.001-08:00

Firms in good position to attract new talent

The amount of Canadian workers actively looking for a new job has increased over the last quarter, according to Randstad's latest labour mobility index.

Overall, compared to third quarter results, the mobility index has risen from 103 to 105 points (levels last seen in the first and second quarters of 2011). This increase indicates more employees worldwide expect to be employed elsewhere over the next six months, said Randstad.

In a global context, no other country has experienced greater movement in the labour market in the fourth quarter as Canada has, with an increase of 12 points over the last quarter. Belgium (up eight points) Switzerland (up five points) and Argentina (up five points) have also seen an increase while Singapore (down seven points) has experienced a decline in the fourth quarter, found the index.

Full story on Canadian HR Reporter

Are your employees in Canada fully engaged and committed to your organization for the long haul? A 4Cs engagement survey from Insightlink Canada can tell you.

To Best Employer Hopefuls: It’s Not About the Perks

2012-01-24T11:34:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to all the recipients of the Fortune Magazine annual Best Companies to Work For list. Call me an employee engagement geek but I look forward to this annual report even more than the holiday Neiman Marcus catalog. Primarily for the same psychological reason: The list of perks sparks the same sparkly envy synapses that those over-the-top toys do. It scratches the same itch: The need to know what goodies are the cool kids getting this year.

There are only 100 annual slots for the official Fortune magazine round-up of Best Companies to Work For. But here’s the good news: Any organization can be a great company to work for, no matter what your perk budget may be. It’s not about the perks. It’s not even about being a Best Company to Work For. It’s about giving your best talent a place where they can invest their passions in a community of equally passionate people. You can do that.

Read the full story:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/full_list/

Larry Page: Google should be like a family

2012-01-23T07:16:00.001-08:00

FORTUNE -- Almost since the day it set up shop in a garage, Google has been known as one of the world’s best places to work -- if you could get your foot in the door. Crazy-free perks were the reward for graduates of elite schools who had high grade-point averages and who could endure the company's grueling interview process. The perks remain, but as Google (GOOG) has grown, it has gotten more realistic about recruiting -- and kinder about tolerating underperformers. As of last year, the company began recruiting at such nonpedigreed institutions as Texas A&M and the State University of New York at Buffalo; interview sessions that often involved as many as 12 screenings now average between four and five. In an exclusive interview with Fortune, Larry Page, Google's original CEO, who reassumed the position a year ago, speaks with obvious pride about the "family" environment Google tries to encourage, how it differs from his own grandfather's workplace, and how free food encourages people to eat less. And while he doesn't rule out charging for those meals one day, don't count on its happening anytime soon.

Read the full story: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/19/best-companies-google-larry-page/?section=magazines_fortune&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmagazines_fortune+%28Fortune+Magazine%29

You can increase job satisfaction and employee engagement at your company using Insightlink's 4Cs model. We are the only provider of the proven 4Cs Employee Survey methodology.

Promote Employee Engagement to Enhance Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction

2012-01-20T07:30:00.001-08:00

Disengaged employees often lead to disgruntled customers. A destination no company wants to reach. But for those employees who feel connected to their company and the service they provide, employee engagement and customer engagement walk hand-in-hand. In fact, 75 percent of employees working for organizations that are customer experience (CX) leaders deem themselves highly or moderately engaged, as opposed to 30 percent at companies that lag behind today's CX leaders.

The "Temkin Group Insight Report: Employee Engagement Benchmark Study" surveyed 2,435 U.S. employees to explore current employee engagement levels. According to Temkin Group, there are four customer experience core competencies: purposeful leadership, compelling brand values, customer connectedness, and employee engagement. However, employee engagement proves to be an area of struggle, as it has been the lowest scoring competency for the past two years despite being crucial to achieving superior business results.

Read the full story: http://www.1to1media.com/View.aspx?DocID=33377&From=RssDocument&utm_source=RSSDocument&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=01-19-2012

Short-sighted Frugality? Employers Who Rein in Compensation Too Much Could Pay a Price Later

2012-01-19T17:34:00.001-08:00

As economic malaise bleeds into another New Year, employers are making hard-nosed decisions about benefits and compensation. That means for many in the nation's workforce, compensation remains flat, health care premiums are up, the 401(k) match has disappeared and bonuses are smaller or nonexistent. The result is not hard to guess. When workers feel that "the company is doing fine, but somehow I'm doing worse, at some point there has to be some dissatisfaction with that. It's not sustainable," suggests Wharton management professor Adam Cobb, who studies labor, worker benefits and income inequality. "I think there's a general feeling of: This system is rigged and not in my favor."

A recent survey of 2,500 workers by career website Glassdoor.com found that 17% of workers said employers had cut or eliminated bonuses and 15% had slashed perks such as commuter subsidies. About one quarter said their companies were in a hiring freeze, and about half reported that employers had cut pay or laid off staff in the last six months. January, once warmly anticipated for a year-end bonus, may be remembered in 2012 as the month that year-end gifts -- along with other perks, pay and benefits -- disappeared.

Read the full story: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2931

Where does your company stand on each of the
critical "4Cs" of employee satisfaction?

Commitment
Culture
Communications
Compensation

Discover this critical information with Insightlink's
benchmarked and validated 4Cs Employee Survey.

There’s No Such Thing as Organizational Change

2012-01-18T07:39:00.001-08:00

It is everywhere. . .

. . . Political leaders promoting changing policies.

. . . Organizational leadership touting new products or strategies.

. . . Team leaders outlining a process improvement.

Leaders everywhere think their job is to create change across their team, organization or industry.

And they are all wrong.

You can create broad change across people and distance, but you can’t do it by changing the organization.

You can only achieve by helping individuals make the choice to change.

In other words, organizations don’t change, people do.

Read the full story:

http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/leadership/theres-no-such-thing-as-organizational-change/

Insightlink Communications works with you and your team to understand and create solutions for your unique needs - and we do it with unmatched expertise, efficiency and value.

Is Your Target Success or Significance?

2012-01-17T09:47:00.001-08:00

In my work with senior executives, a key question that I ask is, “What are you trying to accomplish: success or significance?” It’s a more difficult question than it seems on the surface.

The “success to significance” journey originated with Bob Buford, founder of the Halftime organization.

Most leaders’ performance is measured on success metrics – net profits, market share, sales growth, etc. These tangible targets are important and desired outcomes for businesses and their leaders. Profits help their enterprise remain viable.

AND, what are the logical consequences of leaders being held accountable only for success metrics? The result is a leadership population (around the globe) that is exclusively focused on success; little else matters in their world.

Often leaders will respond to my question with, “What do you mean, significance?” I try to get them to tell me what significance is, to them. I facilitate a conversation about their personal purpose and about their values. I ask whether the work they do each day enables them to live that purpose & those values – or not.

Read the full story:

http://drivingresultsthroughculture.com/?author=1

An Insightlink employee survey can help you effectively identify problem areas within your organization. With this valuable insight, you have another tool that can be used to improve your company's bottom line.

10 Employee Engagement-Destroying Perceptions You Cannot Afford

2012-01-16T14:37:00.001-08:00

If you want to improve employee engagement, boost employee morale, and maximize employee productivity, you cannot simply do the “right things.”

It’s not enough to model best practices demonstrated by employers such as Zappos, Southwest Airlines, and other denizens of the various Best Places to Work lists. You need to identify and eliminate the “wrong things.”

By “wrong,” I mean the organizational and managerial practices that squelch employee engagement and crush employee morale. If you’re doing these, you can guarantee that your workforce is running on only a couple of cylinders. If you are doing these, you can also guarantee that your employees are only mildly interested in producing the best quality product or service.

In fact, it is arguably more important to eliminate the negative than it is to implement the positive. At the very least, it is imperative to quickly identify and eliminate the engagement-damaging and morale-damaging practices before focusing on implementing positive best practices.

http://www.tlnt.com/2012/01/13/10-employee-engagement-destroying-perceptions-you-cannot-afford/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tlnt+%28TLNT%3A+The+Business+of+HR%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

How process leads to the idea

2012-01-13T13:29:00.001-08:00

By Jeffrey Hayzlett

“It’s not that Jeff doesn’t care about ideas, it’s just that he knows those are byproducts of performing the CMO job as a true leader.” That’s what FastCompany.com’s Drew Neisser wrote about me, and what that means is it all comes down to process. Some people get caught up in the idea rather than the process, but I think the process leads to the idea.

Change agents know what most business leaders often find out the hard way: When companies are growing rapidly and changing dramatically, things can easily go awry. That’s why change agents, before they shake things up, like to get things under control.

Read the full story:

http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2012/01/12/how-process-leads-to-the-idea/

Insightlink Communications is your one-stop source for employee surveys, exit surveys and other research tools for measuring employee attitudes and opinions. We work with you and your team to understand and create solutions for your unique needs - and we do it with unmatched expertise, efficiency and value.

5 Top Sales Tips for Employee Engagement Success

2012-01-12T11:50:00.001-08:00

Employee engagement is the name of the game as we dive into 2012. Talent retention is your priority. And maybe, if there must be great talent on the move, let them be someone else’s and you can snap them up. (You know that carnival machine with blowing dollar bills? That’s what I’m picturing right now, only in this case those bills are Grade A resumes. And you’re the one wildly grabbing at them as they flutter by.) You traditionally tap into your HR team and corporate communications geniuses to develop your employee engagement initiative. It’s time to bring a new corporate player to the talent retention table: Your sales stars.

Read the full story: http://hrcareersuccess.com/career/employee-engagement-success

Make the Most of Criticism in the Workplace

2012-01-11T08:17:00.001-08:00

Constructive criticism from your boss can be a gift in the way that a free gym membership can be a gift: Even if you didn't want it, it can benefit you greatly.

Count yourself fortunate if you have a boss who is thoughtful enough to let you know early on that your performance isn't where it should be. Many bosses simply let a poor performer slide until it's too late and their job is at risk. If your boss pulls you aside to let you know that you're just not cutting it, consider the following:

Read the full story: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/01/10/make-the-most-of-criticism-in-the-workplace

More than just an "off-the-shelf employee survey", the 4Cs Employee Survey can be easily customized to fit your organization's needs with additional topics and/or questions to address specific areas of concern you may have. With Insightlink's 4Cs approach, you are not just getting a survey, you are getting survey experts.

New Jobs Report Looks Good. Are We Out of the Woods Yet?

2012-01-10T07:09:00.001-08:00

Bullish news for the US economy: this week the ADP employment report and the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that the economy added 200,000 jobs in December and the US unemployment rate dropped to 8.5% (down .6% since August). Many of these jobs are in non-cyclical businesses (healthcare, food service, and manufacturing), which shows that companies are starting to invest for growth.

It’s clear to me (and our research confirms this) that businesses are now investing again. In our most recent research to senior HR executives around the world, 35% of respondents told us that one of their top three challenges was “attracting critical talent in growing markets.” This number is nearly double what we saw a year ago. And many of these new positions are outside the US, located in the emerging economies (India, China, Eastern Europe) where demand is high.

Read the full story: http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2012/01/06/new-jobs-report-looks-good-are-we-out-of-the-woods-yet/

What you need to know about employee handbooks

2012-01-06T07:11:00.001-08:00

If you’re a growing small business largely operating under a set of unwritten rules, now might be a good time to consider developing an employee handbook. Having a set of clearly spelled-out guidelines could boost efficiency, make relations between your workers smoother and save you from getting into legal trouble in the future.

This also might be a good time for businesses that have employee handbooks to review their guidelines and to update policies addressing new issues, such as the use of social media in the workplace.

Read the full story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-small-business/what-you-need-to-know-about-employee-handbooks/2012/01/04/gIQAJKI6cP_story.html?wprss=on-small-business

Companies lose $350 billion a year because of employee disengagement. Your company does NOT have to be one of them. Disengaged employees impact your business' productivity, level of innovation, and ultimately the bottom line.
The Insightlink 4Cs employee survey lets you see where your company stands on each of the critical 4Cs of employee engagement and satisfaction.

Employees With Flexible Work Hours Are Healthier

2012-01-04T20:44:00.001-08:00

Are employees in flexible work arrangements better off than those who stay in the office from nine to five? Researchers led by University of Minnesota sociology professor Phyllis Moen analyzed longitudinal data collected from 659 employees in Best Buy's headquarters before and after the Results-Only Work Environment initiative was introduced in 2006. They compared changes in health-promoting behaviors and well-being between employees who focused on measurable results instead of when and where work is completed and those who passed on the program.

Start the New Year with Progress

2011-12-29T09:41:00.001-08:00

To get yourself and your team off to a good start for the new year, focus on progress. Our research discovered that fostering progress in meaningful work is the most important way to keep people highly engaged at work — even if that progress is a "small win."

We call this phenomenon the progress principle; it works because people want to feel that they are contributing to something that matters. The new year presents a great opportunity for managers to put the progress principle into action.

First, note the progress made by your team or organization over the past year — the major accomplishments and the small wins, too. And communicate the list broadly. All too often, progress gets ignored as people move from one task or project to another. Simply noting what was accomplished and how it contributed to the goals of the organization can have a big impact on how people feel about themselves, the organization, and the work they do. Wesley, a researcher at a chemicals firm that participated in our study, made clear how much it meant to him when his VP did this at a holiday celebration: "We had a wonderful Christmas celebration, during which time our VP and Director of R&D reflected on our terrific achievements over the year."

Read the full story:

http://blogs.hbr.org/hbsfaculty/2011/12/start-the-new-year-with-progre.html

You can increase job satisfaction and employee engagement at your company using Insightlink's 4Cs model. We are the only provider of the proven 4Cs Employee Survey methodology.

Listen Up, Mr. Scrooge! PayScale Compensation Plan Advice

2011-12-28T08:36:00.001-08:00

What We Would Teach Ebeneezer Scrooge About Compensation

“Bah, humbug! Why should I pay my people another dime?”

Beware, Managers, don't follow Scrooge’s miserly ways when it comes to compensation. As the classic tale goes, through various ghostly visits, our friend Mr. Scrooge learns to get into the holiday spirit and finally rewards his hardworking employee, Bob Cratchit, with a raise and a "discussion of his affairs." How would PayScale advise Scrooge to adjust his compensation philosophy for long-term success?

Here are a few compensation tips for Mr. Scrooge and miserly managers everywhere to keep the spirit all year long.

Read the full story:

http://blogs.payscale.com/compensation/2011/12/scrooge-money.html

With Insightlink’s specialized tools, you can immediately see and use your findings to effectively create positive change within your organization.

A New Idea to Combat Workplace Stress: Mental Health Days

2011-12-27T07:40:00.001-08:00

According to a WHO Health and Work Performance Questionnaire that assesses sick days, depression was cited as the number one reason for absenteeism on the job. And a February 2010 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter found that depression and anxiety were among the top five reasons for absenteeism.

Americans are clearly suffering. According to the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, about 26% of American adults aged 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year.

Wouldn't it be great if America's workers could take time off to rest, manage their stress, or even see a mental health professional? I am proposing that businesses should institute two or three paid "mental health days" a year as part of their employee benefits package.

Over and over, we psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals hear people say: "I can't take another day of work," or "I'll go crazy if I have to return to work tomorrow." The list of remarks illustrating the sense of dread that many people feel about their workplaces could go on and on.

Read the full story: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/two-minute-shrink/201112/new-idea-combat-workplace-stress-mental-health-days

Only Insightlink's 4Cs Employee Survey can show you a picture of your workplace and let you hear how your employees feel about their experience at your organization.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Insightlink Communications!

2011-12-23T10:42:00.000-08:00

We wish you all a safe, peaceful & prosperous 2012.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

The Beginning of the End of the 9-to-5 Workday?

2011-12-23T04:58:00.001-08:00

The traditional eight-hour workday may soon be the exception rather than the rule. New evidence shows that we’re reaching a tipping point in terms of workplace flexibility, with businesses seeing the wisdom of allowing employees — young ones especially — to work odd hours, telecommute and otherwise tweak the usual 9-to-5 grind.

One of the top 12 trends for 2012 as named by the communications firm Euro RSCG Worldwide is that employees in the Gen Y, or millennial, demographic — those born between roughly 1982 and 1993 — are overturning the traditional workday.

The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation estimates that by 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be Gen Y. As early as next year, this group of younger Americans will comprise 60% of the employees at companies like Ernst & Young. And increasingly, companies are creating workplace-flexibility programs because it makes good business sense, not in the least because that’s what their employees are demanding.

Read the full story: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/12/21/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-9-to-5-workday/#ixzz1hMVZBznD

When you choose Insightlink Communications, you will get much more than just a way to efficiently collect survey data. With our specialized tools, you can immediately see and use your findings to effectively create positive change within your organization.

10 Predictions For How The Workplace Will Change In 2012

2011-12-21T08:04:00.001-08:00

It’s that time of year again when we reflect back on our hits, misses and lessons learned over the past 12 months. While this is important, I think it is just as useful (and perhaps more fun) to look forward and predict what the New Year will bring.

I think that 2012 will be a fascinating year for business as concepts that may have been considered “trends” over the last few years become solidified as standard operating procedure and new ideas that challenge our ways of thinking emerge. Here are 10 predictions to show you what I mean.

Read the full story: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-our-work-habits-will-change-in-2012-2011-12#ixzz1hBZF4RfL

5 Signs that Employees are in Survival Mode

2011-12-20T11:58:00.001-08:00

Today’s workplace is a reflection of the times: uncertain and unstable. As employees navigate this short-term, fast-paced, tension-filled terrain, they develop an attitude that creates an uneasy environment: survival mode.

The workplace used to be focused on the planning and execution of short, mid-range and long-term growth objectives. It was a place where careers were born and legacies were created. A place that encouraged teamwork, unity and advancement, fueled by collaboration, partnerships and client relationships. Today, long-term business goals have been eclipsed by short-term personal goals: survive the unknown long enough to stay in the game. For employees this means adapting to a role where time management is unmanageable and where everything is a priority.

As you think about the dynamics in your workplace, watch out for these five signs that your employees are in survival mode:

See the list here

Looking for an easy solution for 360° Assessments? Look into Insightlink360.com

We Can’t Allow the Payroll Tax Cut and Unemployment Benefits to Expire

2011-12-20T05:18:00.001-08:00

Allowing Them to End Will Threaten the Economic Recovery

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan compromise Saturday to prevent the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits from expiring at the end of the year. The House will hold a critical vote on the measure later today.

If the House doesn’t approve the measure, the current payroll tax holiday will expire at the end of the year. As a result, taxes will go up for 160 million workers, starting with their first paychecks of 2012. The typical middle-class household tax increase in 2012 will be about $1,000. The combined effect of this across-the-board middle-class tax increase on consumer demand would seriously threaten the fragile economic recovery.

Congressional inaction through 2012 would also cause unemployment insurance benefits to run out for more than 5 million workers. The unemployment rate is still 8.6 percent, and for every one job opening, there are four people actively looking for employment. Cutting off unemployment benefits would not only create vast uncertainty and hardship for affected families, but it would also cause the economy to lose about $50 billion in demand, which would further hinder the recovery and cost more jobs.

Read the full story:

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/12/payroll_UI.html

Improving A Leading Indicator of Financial Performance: Employee Engagement

2011-12-19T06:13:00.001-08:00

I don’t think there’s any question that engaged employees are more productive. Research by the Gallup organization shows that they are also “…more profitable, more customer-focused, safer, and more likely to withstand temptations to leave. The best-performing companies know that employee engagement improvement strategy linked to achievement of corporate goals will help them win in the marketplace.”

Over the years Gallup has supported organizational efforts to improve the level of employee engagement and created some metrics that help business leaders determine their ratio of engaged vs. not engaged employees. According to Gallop, their “…engagement ratio is a macro-level indicator of an organization’s health…”

You might be interested to know that Gallup identifies that world-class organizations have a ratio of 9.57 engaged employees to every employee that is not engaged. The average organization is 1.83:1—that’s a big difference.

After more than 30 years of in-depth behavioral economic research involving more than 17 million employees, this is what the Gallup organization says about engaging employees:

“Actively disengaged employees erode an organization’s bottom line while breaking the spirits of colleagues in the process. Within the U.S. workforce, Gallup estimates this to cost more than $300 billion in lost productivity alone. In stark contrast, world-class organizations with an engagement ratio near 8:1 have built a sustainable model… As organizations move toward this benchmark, they greatly reduce the negative impact of actively disengaged employees while unleashing the organization’s potential for rapid growth.”

Read the full story:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2011/12/14/improvinga-leading-indicator-of-financial-performance-employee-engagement/