Workforce Solutions Blog

The Hidden Cost of Overtime

Rebecca Barnwell — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:22:00 GMT

Many employers focus only on the increase in wages when calculating the expense of overtime, but this can be a costly mistake. Here are a couple of other factors to consider when assigning overtime:

Productivity—Managers often only focus on the additional hours worked, but uninterrupted overtime affects all hours worked. As employees begin to experience fatigue, productivity decreases. In the first few weeks of overtime, there is an influx in productivity that is greater than the regular 40-hour week. However, around the 7^th week of labor, productivity is no greater than a regular 40-hour week. If the amount of overtime persists, productivity will diminish to the point that all previous gains have been nullified. This means that the amount of work produced will eventually be even less than if no overtime had been worked.

Employee Health and Welfare— Most employees want some opportunities to supplement their income without having to seek work outside of their current employment. However, according to a study of more than 10,000 workers by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, when overtime becomes a regular occurrence employees had a 61 percent greater risk of suffering an occupational injury or illness. Accidents in turn cause workers’ compensation premiums and claims to increase exponentially, a huge blow to a firm’s financial budget. For more information on the impact of overtime on occupational injuries: http://ow.ly/9cLOF

Compulsory overtime also increases employee dissatisfaction in the workplace. Long periods of time away from home and family may cause some highly productive employees to search for employment elsewhere. Filling positions vacated by skilled employees can slow production and the cost of recruiting and training new employees is far greater than retaining your valuable current employees.

There are times when overtime is essential (i.e. sudden increase in demand, encroaching deadlines, a lack of time/resources to train new employees). However, sustaining overtime for a prolonged period of time can be detrimental to the workforce and the employer’s bottom line. A smart solution to consider is hiring temporary staff or new permanent employees to decrease the amount of overtime paid.

MAU Workforce Solutions can make that recruitment process straightforward and effective. We have industry-specific expertise, with almost forty years of experience in the industrial, manufacturing, financial, engineering and technical fields.

Our contacts with recruiting networks can provide a nationwide reach to identify suitable recruits, and offer access to industry specialization requirements. Our specialist knowledge and experience can make all the difference in saving you the unexpected cost of assigning overtime.

Use the "Triple Threat" in Your Workforce to Beat the Competition

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:39:00 GMT

Today I want to talk to you about a triple threat. In sports, we commonly refer to a football player as a “triple threat” when he exhibits the ability to run, kick and pass. In terms of the arts, we refer to theatre performers that can sing, act and dance, as being a “triple threat”. Finally, physicians that are world class researchers, survive on self-supporting grants, and teach with the skill of Socrates also possess a “triple threat”.

Generally speaking, a triple threat describes someone in a particular field who exhibits three skills that are necessary to excel. In business, one that operates with excellence in three areas can also be considered a triple threat.

How can you design your workforce to give you the benefit of a triple threat?

MAU Workforce Solutions is here to help you transform your business into a triple threat by identifying your core, non-core critical and non-core non-critical processes and functions. We’ll also help to align your workforce around them through implementing the Innovative Workforce Model. Within this model, there are three types of workforces; full time, outsourced and flexible. Incorporating all three types of workforces will result in an increased focus, increased capability and increased capacity within your company.

Our job is to help you identify what jobs, functions, and processes your company should maintain their focus on every day. By doing so, your company will experience increased focus.

We also propose bringing in outsourced business providers. Outsourced business providers have expertise in non-core areas of your business. This step of the Innovative Workforce Model provides increased capability. This is because outsourced business providers have skills, resources and technology that you don’t have.

Through implementing and maintaining a flexible or temporary workforce, your company will be better prepared to handle sudden changes in demand. Therefore an increase in capacity will occur.

Now that you’ve heard all about developing a “triple threat” within your business, contact us today so we may begin the process of transforming your workforce to achieve an increase in focus, capability and capacity.

MAU Workforce Solutions Employee Testimonial

Stephanie Hutchings — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:08:00 GMT

The following is a testimonial from Amy Hagerman, a Staffing Supervisor at the Anderson Branch of MAU Workforce Solutions.

Q: How long have you worked for MAU? Why do you like it?

A: I’ve been with the company for a little over a year now, and I can honestly say that I have never been happier because this company operates with a level of moral integrity that I have never experienced in any other company. It is evident not only in the way they treat their internal employees, but also clients, associates, applicants, etc. It is evident with everyone the encounter in the course of doing business.

Q: What sets MAU apart from other staffing companies? Or other companies in general?

A: They seem to understand what a lot of other companies don’t, and that is the most important part of business is the way you treat the other people that you do business with. And, that no amount of hard work in any other area is going to compensate for a lack of commitment to treating people with the respect and consideration they deserve.

Q: What do you think is the best thing MAU offers to its Applicants, Clients and Employees?

A: Of course MAU excels in all of the other areas of business, but I think it’s that fundamental aspect of the way they treat their people that makes it the best place to work.

How to Keep the ‘Family Feel’ Alive, Even as Your Business Grows

Aubrey Howard — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:03:00 GMT

It is important that during times of growth, businesses don’t lose sight of their ‘family feel’. An environment that harbors respect, care, and room for personal and professional growth is essential for employees to thrive.

Within a small agency, employees engage with coworkers and their boss on a daily basis. They are held accountable and strive to meet goals and gain additional responsibilities which increases employee happiness and decreases turnover rates. Below are 5 suggestions to help your business keep that tight-knit relationship among team members, even during periods of expansion:

Pay Attention. Make your commitment to your employees obvious. Management must take time to recognize performance, both positive and negative. Accomplishments should be awarded publicly; whereas, poor performance should be addressed discreetly with respect. Bad apples do ruin the bunch, so be sure workplace issues do not go unaddressed and that communication stays open between everyone. This will also keep up morale.

Support the Team. In order for employees to operate like a team they must feel as if they are a part of the team. Organize mixers and fun social events so employees are able to get know coworkers and management outside of work. This will humanize managers and employees, creating a lasting bond. Also, make sure that decisions are made in the best interest of the team.

Allow Growth. Great employees never want to stop growing. Consistent internal training and creative exploration are ways to keep employees from being bored and feeling stifled. The more employees a company hires, the more team members need to feel included.

Give Feedback. Feedback is important in any growth process to make sure that the company stays on the right track. One on one or small group meetings are great to discuss plans for new objectives, decide if previous goals were met, and analyze why or why not the team met its deadline. This shows employees that management is actively involved in the entire process and builds confidence in the group as a whole.

Hire With Morale in Mind. Spirit is just as important as talent, because without it, the talent may be undirected. Each member should be equally enthusiastic about achieving the company’s mission. With a larger team, an increased amount of management is required to keep all the members working together to achieve set goals.

If you’re in the process of expanding your business, keep these 5 tips in mind. It is absolutely possible to run a successful large business, complete with a ‘family feel’.

Safety News Update: Safety – NOT Lost in Translation

Rob Loose — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:59:00 GMT

It was just after mid-morning break and leadership representatives from CB Radios-R- Us were beginning to assemble for the weekly safety round-up meeting. On this day, a handful of new employees were experiencing for the first time the unique style in which CB Radios-R- Us conducts all meetings. Let’s listen in:

Hank, Plant Manager at CB Radios-R- Us sits at the end of the long conference table and leans into his microphone to begin the meeting. Many of the attendees are not yet seated and ready for the meeting.

“Good morning all! Let’s begin our meeting. I have a 10-44 that is urgent. Does everyone in here got your ears on?”

A resounding “10-4 Mr. Hank!” echoes through the room as folks take their seats.

“Let’s try to behave ourselves today. We’ve got a 10-12 situation and we want to make a good impression. Gene, give us a 10-36!” commands Hank.

“9:05 am, sir,” hollers Gene from the back of the room.

“9:05…we’re five minutes late!” Hank disappointedly shakes his head, giving a scolding look toward his audience.

“I’m sorry, sir! We had a 10-43 at the break room this morning that prevented many of us getting to the meeting on time. We’re ready now for the 10-65,” announces Jose in a respectful but not so apologetic tone.

“Okay, okay…let’s get started. Close the door Gene. We may cover some 10-35 and we don’t want any 10-77 to result from misdirected 10-5.” Hank pauses for a moment as Gene closes the door with a loud thud.

A moment later, April quickly jumps up from her chair and makes a B-line for the door. “Sorry Mr. Hank an emergency 10-100 came over me and I got to go!”

The three new employees in the meeting give bewildered looks toward each other and wonder how they were going to understand anything at this meeting.

New employees at CB Radios-R-Us may not get the safety message because they are unfamiliar with 10 codes; hence, not translate the meaning. Can good safety communication be smothered by creativity? It’s possible! Management-to-employee safety communication is critical, especially for establishing culture. Many companies with whom I work have a high-level safety commitment. The challenge I see is harvesting that high-level commitment to the ranks below the management team. This management-to-employee message is where safety gets lost in translation!

For those of you that enrolled in a communications class in the past, you may remember a communications model that looks like this:

In this communications model, a sender (in this case, management) encodes a safety message. Next, the receiver (let’s say the employees) decodes the message as he or she receives it. At this point, a response is generated and feedback is hopefully received, affirming the message delivered its defined purpose. All the while, noise threatens the intended message in various ways.

To apply this model, the safety message management sends arrives at its target exactly accurately and feedback is received, affirming the success of the communication. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out this way. For example, did you know that studies have shown that fewer than 25% of employees that identify safety concerns actually speak up about them? To confirm, management has made it clear that everyone that sees a hazard is supposed to speak up. Why this outcome? Could it be a fear of retaliation, not wanting to make waves or not being heard -- possibly all of the above? It’s hard to know. The bottom line is 75% of people choose not to call out hazards! Mysteriously, accountability for carrying out the point of the communication gets lost in the message to report hazards.

The internet may not be large enough to list all of the reasons why a message does not produce a desired effect. In a June 2010 issue of Professional Safety magazine, Pamela Ferrante outlines some “pitfalls in message delivery” in her article titled “Risk & Crisis Communications.” According to Ferrante, the safety message may not produce a desired outcome because the message itself is too abstract and/or it contains rambling or examples and visual aids that are confusing or ineffective. She goes on to suggest some pitfalls that could threaten the trust the receiver has in the source like the message attacks the audience, blaming, trying to be too funny, the message contains unachievable promises and negative language.

In a meeting I attended recently, a high-level manager proceeded to blame his audience. As he did so, I witnessed his safety message fall flat on the floor as those in attendance began to pay more attention to their own defensive thoughts that, at the point of blame, blocked the manager’s safety message. That manager’s message became lost in translation. Unfortunately for that manager, the trust he possessed at the beginning of the meeting was lost after the choice of his blaming words he employed for his message. I love this quote that emphasizes the importance of our language: “Language is the dress of thought. Every time you talk, your mind is on parade.” (Anonymous) In this manager’s case, his language “dressed” his thought in an adversarial way alienating his audience and misdirecting his safety message entirely.

Every day, managers communicate powerfully and send clear messages about safety. When management’s message is received by trusting employees who then -in turn - magnify the point of the message and hold each other accountable, feedback is received and safety is achieved. Another name for this phenomenon is peer accountability. Matt Forck, author of Tailgate 101: Proven Stories to Begin Each Job Strong and Finish Safe, also calls this type of feedback “peer-to-peer accountability.” Peer-to-peer accountability works like this: Take the previously-mentioned example about speaking up about hazards. A manager tells her employees that it is everyone’s responsibility to point out hazards when they see them and encourages them to report hazards using their incident reporting process. Those same employees engage each other restating the objective and hold each other accountable to make it happen. After the meeting, two employees step over a trip hazard on their walk back to their work area. They stop, turn back and coordinate who will speak up about the hazard. Mission accomplished!

In his article in the December 2011 issue of Professional Safety, Mr. Forock suggests a four step model for peer-to-peer accountability:

Turn peer-to-peer feedback into a skill set that is defined and even proceduralized. Why not? We write procedures for most everything else! A well-written procedure breaks down the process into easy-to-follow steps benefiting those that are natural communicators as well as those that have difficulty.
Encourage peer-to-peer feedback and practice it constantly in your organization. Replace sit-and-listen meetings with meetings that contain peer-to-peer exchange opportunities.
Redefine the supervisor’s role with safety to include the responsibility of patterning peer-to-peer feedback. That supervisor will now look for evidence that peer-to-peer feedback is occurring and working as intended. As the supervisor listens to these exchanges he will verify the correctness of the message.
Finally, monitor the process for effectiveness, embrace it and let it spill over to the entire organization.

The point of implementing peer-to-peer accountability is to foster feedback that has a side benefit of support at lower organizational levels. This sort of feedback requires trust and unifies an organization top to bottom to a common goal of safety. If a communications model like peer-to-peer accountability is embraced and built upon a foundation of trust, there is a greater chance safety messages originating from a source and directed at a receiver will result in intended changed behavior, hence, creating safety. You will receive a resounding 10-39 and rest assured you achieved a 10-4! (Translated: 10-39 = message received and 10-4 = understood).

Safety communication must not get lost in translation. If a clear message of safety is sent and saves a life, then it’s worth the extra effort ensuring “noise” doesn’t threaten your point. Let us resolve to improve how we communicate the message of safety today!

Pamela Ferrante, Risk & Crisis Communication Essential Skills for today’s SH&E Professional, Professional Safety Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers, June 2010, pages 38 – 45, print
Matt Forck, Leading in Accountability – A New Model for Safety Success, Professional Safety Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers, December 2011, pages 50 – 51, print

Image: http://ow.ly/8PCGT

How to Communicate Within a Multigenerational Workforce

Stephanie Hutchings — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:24:00 GMT

Today’s business owners are struggling to keep their doors open amidst a failing economy, and an ever-changing workforce. Over the past several years, citizens lost millions of dollars in the stock market, forcing some to continue working past the age of traditional retirement. Many folks simply can’t afford to stop working. Others no longer have the financial means to attend college and must enter the workforce straight out of high school. Therefore, a 20-year-old may find themselves working side by side with an individual who is more than 50 years their senior. All in all, businesses today are comprised of a multigenerational workforce.

In order for a business to thrive, all employees must work together, supporting one another throughout each and every work day. For business leaders, this presents quite a challenge. They must learn the strengths and weaknesses of various generations, as well as how to motivate and reward them.

As generations evolve, so do forms of communication. If an employer only communicates via text message and email, then they’re missing those that prefer to communicate via telephone or in person. It’s important to think about how employees will best receive information, even though the overall goal in today’s world is to communicate as quickly as possible.

The World War II Generation: This generation prefers various forms of written communication including; memos, letters, personal notes, etc. When communicating verbally, slang and profanity will not be tolerated- especially in a working environment. The tone should be professional, and side conversations about one’s personal life outside of work should be kept to a minimum.

Baby Boomers: Baby Boomers tend to make phone calls, plan face-to-face meetings, and attend structured networking events when conversing with potential clients or co-workers. More-so then other generations, Baby Boomers see personal relationships and business as intertwined; therefore, discussing business over breakfast or lunch is appropriate. Also, make sure to ask about their personal life (i.e. - children, hobbies, etc.) when meeting because to a Baby Boomer, the personal relationship is just as important as the business relationship.

Generation X: Much different than Baby Boomers, Generation X prefers to communicate about business only via voice mail, email, etc. Communication should be short, to the point, and nothing else. Further, don’t waste the time of a Generation X employee. Instead of sending a plethora of emails asking for this or that, try and condense them into one long email that’s easy to navigate.

Generation Y: Digital communication via blogs, text messages, instant messaging, etc. is the preferred method of communication for Generation Y. Their messages are positive, and rarely contain sarcasm or cynicism. While they know how to write a hand-written thank you note or letter, a Generation Y employee will be just as happy sending an electronic thank you note.

Before sending another email, or picking up the telephone, think about how your co-worker communicates best. Doing so will yield more effective communication in 2012.

Limit Distractions and Stay Focused in 2012

Stephanie Hutchings — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:14:00 GMT

Did you achieve all of your career goals in 2011? If not, that’s ok. In this blog, we’ll uncover some great ways to limit distractions at work, and get you on your way to success in 2012.

1. Do Not Disturb. Schedule one hour of “Do Not Disturb” time in the morning, and one hour in the afternoon. During each hour, accomplish a few things that require deep concentration. Refrain from speaking with co-workers, or answering the telephone. After a few weeks, think about what you completed during this time. You will see that some tasks truly do require isolation.

2. Resist Multitasking. While multitasking may seem like the only option some days- resist the urge. Trying to do too many things at once is a surefire way to produce errors and less-than-desirable outcomes for co-workers and most importantly, your boss. Prioritize what you would like to accomplish for the day, and begin working on one item at time, ensuring that each is completed thoroughly before moving on to another task.

3. Seek Refuge in a Quiet Space. Is your office to noisy? Then move to a location that’s quiet. If you need to get some work done, it is perfectly acceptable to relocate to a peaceful environment. If possible, leave your office entirely and visit a local library of coffee shop. This way, your days at work won’t seem monotonous. It is in these quiet spaces that your best work will be created!

4. Clean off Your Desk. Make sure that you only have one project out at a time. If your desk is cluttered with a multitude of projects, it will be easy for you to feel overwhelmed, and unsure as to which project comes first. After prioritizing your to-do list, clean everything off of your desk, except for the materials necessary to complete your first task. A clutter free desk will lend itself to a clutter free mind.

5. Create a Schedule. If your to-do list is growing by the hour, and you need somewhere to begin- create a schedule. Write down what you’d like to accomplish during each hour of the work day. Sticking to the schedule will ensure that you’re working on a number of items during the day, yet avoiding the urge to multi task. Creating a schedule will also provide a feeling of order and structure throughout the work day.

Making an effort to limit distractions in the workplace will lead to greater efficiency, as well as an increase in the quality of work that you produce in 2012.

A Special Christmas Message from MAU President, Randy Hatcher

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:46:00 GMT

Click the image below to view a Special Christmas Video Message from MAU Workforce Solutions' President, Randy Hatcher.

Three Keys to Workforce Succession Planning

Stephanie Hutchings — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:39:00 GMT

With Baby Boomers retiring in record numbers, executives are now charged with the task of filling a large number of positions from a small pool of qualified applicants. This is due to the fact that the Baby Boomer generation far outnumbers Generation X and Y.

In order for companies to survive this transition, succession planning must occur. The key in succession planning is for executives to identify a match between their company and the aspirations of their employees. Further, the only way to keep employees long enough to fill a Baby Boomer’s position is to create opportunities for development and growth that will keep an employee from seeking a job elsewhere.

This may seem like a big undertaking…and it is. Below are two tips from the Harvard Business Review (and one of our own) to help companies get started with Succession Planning.

1. Determine Percent of Upcoming Executive Vacancies

Current executives must determine the percent of executive vacancies that may occur over the next several years, in conjunction with the percentage of those positions that may be filled through internal promotion or external hire. This will provide direction as to where time and money should be spent acquiring new executives.

2. Develop the Talent You Already Possess

Instead of focusing on planning for the future, executives must spend their time and energy on developing the talent they already possess. Then, the succession planning will take care of itself. This is because when employees are given opportunities for growth and achievement from day one, they tend to stay with a company for years. They feel as though their employer is invested in the future of their employees, as well as themselves. Companies with dozens of tenured employees will have minimal issues when Baby Boomers retire, compared with companies that experience a high rate of turnover.

3. Ask Yourself These Questions

In thinking about your own place of employment…

Where would you be if all the Baby Boomers or top executives left tomorrow?
Do you have a structure in place to fill these positions?

Succession planning will be the key to success for many companies over the next several years. Investing in this task will be time and money well spent to ensure that companies will exist for years to come with management that’s fit for the job!

Source: 4 Tips for Efficient Succession Planning- Written by the Harvard Business Review

Legal Update: How to Limit Your Co-Employment Risk

Adam Hatcher — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:14:00 GMT

Recently, I was invited to speak to an employers’ association about co-employment. During the conversation, I got to share a story from a recent EEOC Training Institute to which I went.

While I was at the event, I talked with a few regulators and attendees about co-employment. What came up most often was that many supervisors, and sometimes HR departments, are blind sided when they end up in litigation with an employee who was never on their payroll. They are even more surprised when their workforce solutions firm is not a part of the case at all!

Now, when staffing clients think about minimizing co-employment risk, they talk about not throwing a joint holiday party, wearing different uniforms, etc. While those things are good to think about, a staffing client’s most significant day-to-day co-employment risk is probably how their managers make employment decisions about the workforce solutions firm’s employees.

Many times, a staffing client will directly manage a staffing client’s employees, saying, “They’re not my employees. There’s no risk here.” This belief that a company is only liable for the employees on its payroll is a misunderstanding that I've heard many times. Let me assure you that the Plaintiff’s Bar and employment regulators do not share this misconception. With mismanagement, your company can end up liable for someone else’s employees.

For that reason, MAU has developed a few simple guidelines (see PDF below) to help our clients’ supervisors reduce co-employment risk, particularly as it relates to employment practices liability. In fact, click the button below to view my brief webinar on the topic. If you use a workforce solutions firm and have not asked your provider about what they’re doing to limit your exposure, you may want to have that conversation.

	Click Image to Download MAU's Co-Employment Checklist
	Adam Hatcher is MAU Workforce Solutions’ General Counsel. He’s the son of Randall Hatcher, the president of MAU, and the grandson of William Hatcher, the CEO and founder of MAU. Hatcher earned his B.A. degree in history from the University of Virginia in 2003 and his J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 2007. He is married to Courtney L. Hatcher and has one son.

Skilled Trade Workers Are in High-Demand But Short Supply

Stephanie Hutchings — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:57:00 GMT

While the newspapers are full of headlines about high unemployment, it might seem strange to talk about a skilled labor shortage. Yet that is what many American manufacturers are reporting, as they find it increasingly difficult to recruit workers who are equipped with the right skill sets for modern industry.

Even with 14 million jobseekers, it seems there is still a shortfall in key areas. A survey revealed that over fifty percent of US employers are experiencing difficulties in filling important positions in their workforce. The problem can be attributed to a skills mismatch, where many college graduates are leaving education without the skills and qualifications required in the modern workplace.

Many important positions in modern manufacturing industry, and in growth areas like telecommunications, require computer-science, math or science graduates with specific areas of knowledge and technical expertise. Colleges are still failing to match demand with supply, with many students opting for less-demanding social sciences courses.

Partly that is due to a residual image problem with manufacturing. Students have been encouraged to think of American manufacturing as in decline, or unattractive. In the 1990s, when manufacturing appeared, to some, to be moving almost entirely to China, career prospects were seen as unpromising. Those attitudes helped to create the workforce imbalance that is being felt today.

A decade on, those American companies, particularly in high-tech industries, that are maintaining production in the USA, are finding their demand for qualified staff is not being met. College students are still being channeled into management, marketing or financial careers. The result is a significant shortage of graduates with the necessary skills for industry.

Companies report delays of months while they try to find suitable recruits. In the long-term, the solutions to the skilled labor shortage lie in education, addressing the image-problem of manufacturing, and offering encouragement or motivation for young people to opt for math and science qualifications. Industry may have to work closely with the educational establishments to ensure a reliable supply of qualified recruits.

The best motivation may be the salaries that are on offer. In most cases, these companies are not offering low-paid jobs, but professional posts with generous remuneration. Skilled workers in high-tech industries earn salaries that are often in six figures.

This skilled labor shortage will take time to correct. In the meantime, manufacturers, and industries requiring a level of technical expertise are finding it tougher than ever to find suitable workers. It is apparent that employers need guidance in identifying and recruiting the right staff for their industries. Skilled staff are in high demand and companies are competing for their services.

MAU Workforce Solutions can make that recruitment process straightforward and effective. We have industry-specific expertise, with almost forty years of experience in the industrial, manufacturing, financial, engineering and technical fields.

Our contacts with recruiting networks can provide a nationwide reach to identify suitable recruits, and offer access to industry specialization requirements. In the current skilled labor shortage, our specialist knowledge and experience can make all the difference. Our expert recruitment methods save valuable time finding the right workers to fill that gap.

Are you looking to fill a position within your company? If so, please Contact Us today!

Exercise Improves Your Body, Mind and Work Performance

Stephanie Hutchings — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:52:00 GMT

We all know the basic benefits of exercise, but did you know that exercising may improve your performance in the workplace? Exercising increases the level of endorphins in the body. An increase in endorphins will cause an elevation in mood, energy, oxygen flow, etc. Exercising also leads to a decrease in anxiety and level of depression. All of these elements combined will lead to greater productivity, and therefore, greater workplace performance. The next time you’re feeling stressed at work, dealing with a case of “writers block”, begin to feel “blue”, etc. - leave the office and exercise!

1. Excercise Increases Oxygen Flow to Your Brain.

When exercising, oxygen rich blood circulates at a fast pace through the body, and most importantly- to the brain. The blood circulates at a rate much faster than if one is sedentary.

We acquire more oxygen due to the fact that we breathe deeply when exercising- more so than when we are not exercising. An increase in oxygen flow to the brain yields many positive affects including; an increase in energy, clarity and feeling of well-being.

2. Excercise Increases Energy.

It is common for working adults to consume energy drinks, coffee, soft-drinks, etc. just to get through the work day.

Dr. Tim Puetz, a researcher at the University of Georgia, believes that "We live in a society where people are always looking for the next sports drink, energy bar, or cup of coffee that will give them the extra edge to get through the day…But it may be that lacing up your tennis shoes and getting out and doing some physical activity every morning can provide that spark of energy that people are looking for."

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, citizens in the US spend 40 Billion on coffee each year. Instead of throwing money away on coffee to improve energy levels, employees should try exercising. It’s an inexpensive way to achieve the same feeling found after consuming a caffeinated beverage. The image below depicts the amount of caffeine that is contained in some of America’s most beloved beverages.

3. Excercise Reduces Anxiety and Depression.

According to an article published by the Mayo Clinic staff, frequent exercise reduces anxiety and depression in three ways

Releasing feel-good brain chemicals that may ease depression (neurotransmitters and endorphins)
Reducing immune system chemicals that can worsen depression
Increasing body temperature which may have calming effects

While an employee may not be able to eliminate their anxiety or depression through exercise alone- it’s a great start! In addition, a reduction in anxiety or depression may lead to an increase in the ability of an employee to function in the workplace.

All things considered, exercise may greatly improve an employee’s performance in the workplace. The next time fatigue sets in; we hope that an employee will reach for their tennis shoes instead of a cup of coffee. Taking small steps to increase our weekly amount of exercise will benefit our bodies, minds, and also- our careers!

Lean Blog: The Lean Journey – Are you Going to Take it Seriously or Treat it as Another Program?!

Bill Wolfe — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:56:00 GMT

There once was a plant in Utopia where a company was implementing lean manufacturing across the country in all their manufacturing facilities. The Utopia Plant Manager knew that this was another program that he would have to deal with for the next 2 to 3 years. He looked for any excuse to delay the program and was successful in flying below the radar for 2 years. In fact he did such a good job of flying that he was promoted and replaced by a crafty veteran from across the seas.

The crafty veteran had worked for a company that had supposedly implemented lean. As he told his new mentor about his experiences, that included Kaizens and pull systems, he felt very proud of these accomplishments. His mentor smiled and told him that lean was a lot more than just Kaizens and pull systems. Kaizens and pull systems were only a part of the lean experience and that he had a lot more to learn.

As part of the Sensei’s first visit to the plant he asked the veteran if he wanted him to take it easy on him the first time or to give him all the waste that he saw. Of course the veteran said that he wanted to hear it all. The Sensei looked at things completely different than the plant manager was used to and he quickly ran out of room to write. Also, the Sensei kept talking about waste even to the point of standing in one place for 5 minutes looking at waste! Who had ever heard of such a thing?! There was no waste in this plant (at least that was what the plant manager had thought prior to the visit).

When they got back to the office the Sensei began to give the plant manager the long list of “opportunities” and for some reason he kept smiling the whole time that he talked. It was probably because of the shocked look on the plant manager’s face. The plant manager felt overwhelmed and depressed and went home for some additional reflection. His reflection made him realize that his previous company had only been looking at a few parts of a true lean system. They were really not serious about long term continuous improvement. They had read the books and liked the idea of holding Kaizens to implement some quick successes but with no plan for sustainment. Also, having been through a workshop on pull systems, they liked the idea of reducing their working capital. With help from several different lean consultants they again gained some quick improvements but would they be able to sustain it and continually improve? We seriously doubt it.

So What Has the Crafty Veteran Learned so Far?

1) Over 80% of companies that attempt to implement lean are not successful. Could it be that some companies hope to achieve lean in a short period of time, while others gradually ease into it?

2) Lean must have upper level management support to be successful.

3) A lean journey must get employees at all levels in the organization committed to helping make improvements and to look for waste.

4) No part of a good lean implementation is more important than another element. They should all be connected and they should all be part of your story.

5) Learn from your mistakes. One of my favorite expressions is, “we reserve the right to get smarter as we move forward on our lean journey”.

6) Focus on the processes and the results will come. If you are not getting the results then go back and focus more on the processes and the results will come. It takes time.

If you’re interested in learning more about what lean can do for your business - please contact us!

Safety News Update: Football & Basketball Coach, Okay but Safety Coach?

Rob Loose — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:26:00 GMT

My father is a dyed-in-the-wool football coach. My sister coaches a gymnastics team, and my brother is a swimming coach. In fact, he even coached me for several years! It’s safe to say that coaching and athletics runs in my family. At an early age, my dad advised me to choose a sport and warned me that, if I did not focus on one sport, I risked becoming a “jack-of-all-trades/expert-at-nothing.” He often explained in his best coaching fashion, “you have potential to earn an athletic scholarship.” Thankfully, I followed his advise, chose one sport and eventually earned an NCAA scholarship, thanks in part to my brother’s coaching and Dad’s pushing. Having grown up in the thick of coaching and reaping rewards from its tutelage, it should be no surprise that I fully believe in the idea of coaches – but not just for adolescent and/or athletic experiences. Coaching translates to safety as well.

An article in the New Yorker Magazine titled Coaching a Surgeon: What Makes Top Performers Better? Dr. Atul Gawande, asserts that coaching can play a valuable role in a variety of life’s stages and environments. He tells of his experience working as a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital inBoston,MA. Though very accomplished, he sought out the help of a former medical school instructor for coaching. Ironically, this doctor was already at the top of his game and teaching surgery atHarvardMedicalSchool. He thinks he needs a coach? Exactly! He explains that world-class tennis players, golfers and other athletes and performers rely on coaches to help them continue to improve, why not surgeons? Coaching is applicable in disciplines even outside the athletic world. Further, coaching is a method for continuous improvement, and we all have the capacity to improve in any endeavor in which we dedicate ourselves.

To become proficient in a sport, occupation or pastime one must acquire aptitude and faculty. Dr. Gawande describes this continuous-improvement process as moving from (“Unconscious Incompetence”) or not knowing the barrier preventing improved performance, to a state in which the barrier impeding improvement is identified (“Conscious Incompetence”) and then eliminated (“Conscious Competence”). At this point, improved performance is achieved – at least for the moment. However, to become elite and experience a longer-term successful state, those acquired abilities must be put to practice and turned into habit. The new aptitude must become habitual (“Unconscious Competence”). According to Dr. Gawande, a coach is the essential stimulus for experiencing improvement and creating habits because he/she adds an outside perspective whereby flaws in performance unknown previously are corrected, eliminated and the improved skill is practiced and eventually becomes habit.

How does an organization go from unconscious safety incompetence to unconscious safety competence? With proper coaching of course! Before I describe safety coaching approaches consider this scenario in a factory I visited this past year. On this particular tour, my guide and I came across a roped-off area of the production floor where two workers were in a crane doing overhead work. We looked for a path around the guarded area and an employee of this organization tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You can cross the rope and enter at your own risk.” He pointed to some people that were lifting up the rope and walking right under the bucket with the workers in it. Sensing my trepidation, my guide found an alternative route around the roped off area. This organization felt that an at-your-own-risk approach to safety management was acceptable; hence, subjecting exposure to risk in the factory to one’s own personal view point. Not good for reducing risk, in my opinion…This organization needed safety coaching!

So there are three types of safety coaching. The first and most common is supervisor coaching. In other words, a manager or trainer of some sort observes employees on the operations floor doing work. When that manager sees somebody inching toward being unsafe he/she stops that employee and coaches them how to do it safely. This approach is better than not doing any safety coaching at all but I believe is not enough. Commonplace supervisor safety coaching may foster improvement but here are two additional methods that cover a wider organizational area and can help achieve “Unconscious Safety Competence.” Safety Leadership Strategy Coaching (SLSC) and Peer Assessment Coaching (PAC). The first targets an organization’s management cultural approach to safety and the second targets an organization’s method for promoting employee involvement with safety.

Have you ever talked to a teenager with big dreams but no plans? Like that well-intentioned teenager, some organizations have lofty-safety-performance dreams but no plan or strategy to achieve them. “Our safety goal is to be world class” may be printed on a banner in the lobby of that organization but really there is not a substantial plan to achieve that world-class standard. Failure to have a plan or following a misguided plan is ultimately management’s responsibility. SLSC is an often-times humbling process where you invite knowledgeable and respected safety professionals from outside your organization to examine your safety philosophy, goals, plan, systems and tools -- the things that management creates to achieve safety in an organization. These trusted safety coaches identify possible shortfalls and opportunities for better alignment within your organization’s safety goals. To make this type of coaching work, you must be willing to fully expose your weaknesses and be prepared to address them. You may learn that amazing safety programs you implemented recently may not be so spectacular after all. Keep in mind, thorough coaching points out all potential flaws without regard for preserving ego that may impede improvement. SLSC works best if it sincerely challenges management’s commitment to safety improvement and leadership stands ready to adjust accordingly.

Truth be told, coaching from management or an outside consultant is often less impactful than peer-to-peer coaching, orPAC. To illustrate, consider this personal example with my nine-year-old son. I’ve been trying to teach him to throw a football for months now and his friend from next door got through to him in a couple of minutes. I’m happy he improved but where did I go wrong in my coaching? I didn’t! His friend captured his attention in a way that I don’t. Peer teaching and learning is often effective because of the social and team building aspect peers possess by virtue of the relationship dynamics inherent with peer relationships. This goes for children and adults alike. PAC is a non-intimidating method of providing coaching between peers that captures attention better than management often is able. Behavior-based observation is a popular peer coaching method that employs peers as safety coaches. It typically works like this: One employee observes another employee performing a task and evaluates the observed employee based upon a set of criteria and, afterwards, provides coaching based on identified risks observed. Sometimes it feels better to learn how you can improve from a friend working along side you rather than from a manager.

I believe there is a place for all three methods of safety coaching; however, you miss the mark if your organization utilizes only one or two of these methods. Employing all three will get you closer to unconscious safety competence or a culture where everyone is seamlessly guided by being safe. It’s true, coaches hold a warm place in my heart and I do have a fond appreciation for the role they play in society. I firmly believe that safety can be coached in an organization effectively leading to world class achievement. However, the safety coaching must not be delivered at a management to subordinate level only but also challenge the safety cultural focus of organizational leaders and empower the good people at the shop-floor level as safety coaches as well. Special thanks to the great coaches that have provided the example for us all. May we model our safety coaching after them and be safer because of it!

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

Safety Professional with Manufacturing, HR and Health Care management experience, Rob has worked for MAU since 2006 supporting both HR and operations functions. A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, Rob now calls North Augusta, SC home where he lives with his wife, two kids and dog. He is proud to work for a company that values the health and safety of clients and employees alike.

Strengthen Your Hiring Techniques

Stephanie Hutchings — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:36:00 GMT

As a staffing company, we strive each day to perfect our hiring strategies. It is our goal to find the perfect candidates for our clients. Without proper planning, however, it may be difficult for a company to avoid biases, inefficiencies and inconsistencies when interviewing. This is why we devote countless hours to strengthening our hiring techniques. Below are three ways in which you can improve your own hiring strategies.

1. Analyze the Position.

Think about what the position entails. Are there certain qualities a candidate must possess to be successful at this position? If so, document them and then determine whether or not those you interview “fit the bill”. Taking time to speak with a client and properly understand the open position will result in a better hire.

2. Complete a Job Description.

Always develop and maintain a strong relationship with your clients. When it’s time to hire, you should feel comfortable asking the client all of the tasks and responsibilities that pertain to the position. With the information you learn, create a job description that contains all necessary details that you feel would attract job seekers.

3. Adhere to the Pre-Determined Interview Questions.

In order to be fair to all candidates, develop a set of interview questions far in advance of meeting with potential candidates. Doing so will ensure that the interview process is fair because each candidate will be asked the same questions. In addition, you won’t run out of material when interviewing. We also suggest taking copious notes and developing a scoring system when rating one’s answers during an interview. This way, you will have plenty of information to review after the interview to aid in the hiring process.

Improving Employee Performance Reviews

Stephanie Hutchings — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:20:00 GMT

As we begin the fourth quarter, many employees are thinking about their annual performance review. The outcome of these meetings may determine whether or not someone gets a raise and/or promotion. Due to the fact that this is serious business for those being reviewed, employers should work hard to develop a top-notch process for managing success and completing reviews.

Unfortunately, not all companies are successful when it comes to employee performance reviews. The following four tips are designed to help employers improve their review process and as a result, properly reward employees. Instead of looking at performance reviews as a bothersome, unimportant task, we hope you’ll look toward this task with vigor. Doing so will yield loyalty and dedication from those reviewed.

1. Meet in a Comfortable and Private Location.

An annual performance review, if executed correctly should not be a nerve-racking experience for your employee. When it’s time to meet with your subordinate to discuss their performance, make sure the location is comfortable and private. Anything less seems unprofessional. This is because no one deserves to have their strengths and weakness discussed in earshot of their co-workers.

2. Be Conversational.

A performance review should be a two-way conversation. Don’t spell out a checklist list of right and wrongs to your employee and then call it a day. This does nothing to improve your employee or motivate them in a positive way. Also, this conversation should be an opportunity for the employee to give you feedback as well. Ask them what they need from you as their leader to feel more confident, be more successful, improve decision making, etc.

3. Come Prepared.

Your employee has worked hard for 12 months. Make sure to spend time preparing for their review, so you are able to adequately discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Also, if you determine it’s time for a raise, you’ll need to articulate why to those in charge of approving raises. This will also help your subordinate to feel that their hard work is valued, and that they as an individual are valued too.

4. Encourage Feedback.

As I said before, be prepared to receive corrective criticism even though you may be the one delivering the annual performance review. Without employee feedback, you’ll never know if the system that’s in place to manage the successes and failures of employees is working or not.

When completing performance reviews, remember that no one is perfect. Not you. Not your employee. So, don’t always focus on one’s weaknesses. Make sure that you give equal weight to your employees’ strengths as well.

Hopefully these four tips will inspire employers to improve their process regarding employee performance reviews.

Preparing Your Team for a Leave of Absence

Stephanie Hutchings — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:52:00 GMT

Many times, it is necessary for an employee to take a leave of absence for medical or personal reasons. Regardless of the circumstances, we must prepare our employees to continue work when someone is absent. The following three tips will provide those planning a leave of absence with the tools necessary to properly prepare their co-workers.

1. Prepare for the Worst

Before leaving a company for an extended period of time, an employee should seriously consider anything and everything that could go wrong during their absence. As Murphy’s Law states, “anything that can go wrong will go wrong”!

Further, they should contemplate what simple assignments, projects, proposals, etc. that might be completed in their absence. Then, he or she must determine if their role in such assignments is significant. If so, it is crucial that one spells out in detail how matters should be handled.

Don’t forget the holidays that may occur during a planned absence. Think about how many employees may be out of the office and on which days they will not be present. Then, it is up to the person leaving to plan accordingly.

2. Create Lists

From menial tasks to large assignments, don’t leave any detail unsaid. When an employee is absent for quite some time, it can push an already stressed employee over the edge. This is why it is critical that an employee writes out all the tasks that must be completed, as well as how to complete them, during his or her absence. This process may seem painstaking, but employees will be happy knowing they’re completing tasks correctly. In addition, they will be less stressed because they have plenty of notes as support.

If at all possible, the employee on leave should remain somewhat accessible by phone or email. This will make co-workers feel as though they’re not alone as they try to complete their own jobs, in addition to the tasks of the individual who’s absent.

3. Consider a Temporary Hire

Don’t assume that a leave of absence will be tolerable for all employees. Think about hiring a temporary associate during leaves of absence. When overwhelmed, the overall quality of work declines. That being said, a temporary associate could easily pick up the work load that is left behind during a leave of absence. Upon the employee’s return after his or her leave, the temporary associate could be reassigned or stay onboard as a receptionist, assistant, coordinator, etc.

Submit a request for a temporary employee today: http://ow.ly/6Vl3D

Hopefully these tips will help those planning a leave of absence to do so effectively.

President's Blog Update: Benefits of Temporary Staffing During a YoYo Economy

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:37:00 GMT

In the past few weeks, our economy has seen good news and bad. Here are a few of the headlines:

It’s safe to say that the recent news stories I’ve shared are impacting businesses around the globe. In times of economic uncertainty, many business owners are weary of investing in full-time hires; however, they still need employees to get the job done. Temporary staffing is a perfect solution for an employer and includes minimal risk. This is because temporary staff provides flexibility, reduces cost, and allows the employer to focus on their core.

In terms of flexibility, temporary staffing allows an employer to ramp up (increase) or ramp down (decrease) the number of employees on hand to meet consumer demand. Cost reduction may also occur because the employer doesn’t carry an excessive amount of salaries during a period of economic decline. Further, an employer can work with a temporary associate for a short length of time, and then hire them full-time when the need presents itself. If the need does not arise, the associate may remain temporary, or be placed on another assignment if no longer needed.

If you’ve never thought about temporary staffing, consider the following before incorporating temporary staff into your workforce.

1. Assess Your Company.

Think about the product or service that you sell to consumers. Many times an employer will seek temporary help when they’re gearing up for a big project or seasonal demand. Also think about the length of time you foresee needing help, and whether or not you may need to make long-term staff increases.

Instead of assessing your company singlehandedly, ask questions of your current employees. You may be shocked at what you find. Many times an employee will not come forward with information unless it’s asked of them. If your employees are struggling to complete everything that’s asked of them, consider temporary staffing. Adding another person, even temporarily, may help your full-time employees meet and exceed consumer demand with ease.

2. Ace the Hiring Process.

If you’re struggling with finding the right candidates, then why not hire a temporary staffing service? We are experts in finding the right candidate, the first time. Alleviating the headache of hiring, payroll, orientation, etc. is our passion and we’re here to meet your needs. Aside from helping find the right candidate, we provide you the opportunity to “test out” a candidate before extending a permanent job offer. It’s perfectly normal for employers to seek a temp-to-hire candidate with the notion that if the candidate exceeds expectations, a permanent offer will be made.

3. Ask a Professional.

I’m sure you’ve heard before that “sometimes, you just can’t do it all on your own”. When it comes to workforce planning, it may take an expert to come in and define the areas of strength and weakness within your organization. Here at MAU Workforce Solutions, we can do just that. With more than 30 years of expertise under our belt, our dedicated employees are more than willing to help an employer create a plan to restructure the workforce.

If you’re thinking about incorporating temporary staffing into your company, remember to thoroughly assess your company, evaluate your current hiring practices and most of all- ask for help!

Interested in learning more?

Download the first 3 Chapters to Randy's book for FREE here.

Order a copy of Randy’s book, The Birth of a New Workforce.

About the Author:

Since graduating from the University of Georgia in 1978, Randy Hatcher has worked for MAU Workforce Solutions, a family-owned business founded by his father, William G. Hatcher Sr. When Randy joined the company, it had just seven full-time employees working at customer locations in Augusta, Georgia. Today, MAU’s reach extends internationally, and it is one of the largest minority owned staffing and outsourcing firms in North America.

Safety News Update: Safety Culture – No Small Thing

Rob Loose — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:55:00 GMT

“Get product out the door, and be safe, too!” ordered Sam, Operations Manager at YoYo Express, at the end of the pre-shift meeting. Justin Time and Vera Careful stood up from their chairs and marched directly to the production floor to start their day.

Outside of the conference room, the two forklift operators could see the yoyo machines were wide open, and production operators were scrambling to keep them going full-steam ahead. It was Justin and Vera’s job to feed the insatiable appetite of the yoyo machines with raw material like strings, wood and plastic -- the goods that eventually became a yoyo.

Running to his forklift, Justin jumped into his seat casting aside his seatbelt. The forklift jerked forward and knocked a trash can out of the way, barely missing a pedestrian before it crashed into a wall. In the warehouse, Justin screeched to a stop, his forks on their way into position to lift a pallet of yoyo string. Peeling out in reverse, Justin sped past two stop signs to the machine he supported. He turned the corner with a loud screech, and his pallet of string slid off the forks right past an electrical panel and slid perfectly into position. The machine operator high-fived Justin, and the rest of the operators on the machine cheered loudly, “ Just in time!!”

Across the hallway, Vera was stopped at an intersection waiting for some pedestrians to safely cross in front of her. She thought about an item on the forklift inspection sheet that she wanted to recheck later. Looking at her path ahead and checking to make sure her way was clear, she slowly advanced her forklift forward, beeping her horn and making sure she established eye contact with the quality engineer walking toward her. Finally making it to her machine, Vera noticed two machine operators disapprovingly shaking their heads and poking their fingers at their watches. Vera stopped the lift truck and lowered the forks and carefully placed her pallet of string into place and backed away slowly. Operations Manager, Sam, happened to be standing close by and sternly commanded Vera, “ Hurry up! We’ve got yoyo’s to get out the door!”

Feeling scolded, Vera carefully drove away wondering how in the world she was going to keep up with the yoyo machines and stay safe at the same time.

In this story Justin ignored his own safety and the safety of others to keep up with production demands and was rewarded with high fives and cheers. On the other hand, Vera was scolded for not keeping up. Ironically, she performed her job safely. The management of this fictitious yoyo plant had set up a system that focused mainly on production and ignored safety in action. In fact, being safe here was sometimes cause for punishment, especially if it cost production. Further, the culture in this operation encouraged safety in their pre-shift meeting with an order to be safe; however, the activities in the production floor did not comply. Yoyo Express practiced safety in word but not in deed. In other words, management was not truly committed and employees followed suit, not buying into a process for which there was no reward.

The culture of a company may be the most important characteristic that contributes to the success or failure of an organization. This precept continues to be reaffirmed to me through my daily interactions with various clients and perspective clients at MAU. Safety Scholars sometimes refer to the safety aspect of business culture as “safety leadership.” The primary components of safety leadership are management commitment and employee involvement. Mastering these two immensely important cultural components will rocket an organization to world-class levels of safety achievement and will positively benefit other business performance indicators.

Safety professionals, by virtue of their role, are tasked with the often-times, chaotic responsibility of convincing the folks working with them that company goals can be achieved without anyone getting hurt. Sound easy? Stay with me! This persuasive exercise involves getting management to embrace the responsibility of establishing safety as a value and not just a priority or flavor of the month. Additionally, management must adopt the notion that it is their responsibility to abolish danger from the workplace and not a task one delegates to the facility safety representative. On the flip side, a safety professional must also convince employees, including the hard-core skeptics, that their involvement in safety benefits all aspects of their employment experience.

The YoYo Express scenario presents a culture void of safety leadership, an environment framed by distrust of management, especially with regard to safety. This distrust is difficult to repair, as operators have spent years hearing the command to be safe but not encouraged or rewarded for doing so in their jobs. So what can be done to ensure management commitment and employee involvement in safety?

1. Make safety one of your core values and live it. Safety must shine through all you do in all facets of your business. More than talk, it must be action from the top of the organization all the way down.

2. Appoint the highest-ranking officer in the facility to lead the safety committee. This doesn’t mean that he/she walks away with all the action items; rather, he/she provides leadership, resources and sponsorship.

3. Involve all levels of the organization in the committee, and establish safety programs and tools that are engineered to root out and eliminate hazards. These hazard-eliminating programs should involve those pushing brooms all the way up to the person signing pay checks.

4. Leaders of the organization must practice what they preach about safety and prove that nothing is more important. No lip service here; leaders must add safety action to their encouraging words.

If these suggestions coming from a safety guy seem weighty and bold, take a moment to consider that high-achieving safety performance reciprocates success to other measured performance indicators like production, quality and employee relations to name a few. If the workplace is safe, people feel more secure in their jobs and, hence, are happier at work and become more focused on their tasks. As a result, the organization becomes more efficient, produces higher quality product and the benefit translates to stronger financial health which may lead to healthier margins and greater sales positioning and on and on and on… Doesn’t safety feel good all of the sudden!

If management commitment and employee involvement in the safety program lead to overall organizational wellbeing that permeates all levels of the business, safety culture can’t be ignored! Believe me, I understand the work involved in changing culture. But it’s worth it and once safety becomes a value in your organization, the return will be great! So again I say, “Safety culture is no small thing!”

For a more comprehensive conversation and further insight on safety leadership and culture I recommend the following three articles contained in Professional Safety Magazine, Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers.

Turnbeaugh, Treasa M. “Improving Business Outcomes.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers March 2010: page 41- 49. Print.
Grenny, Jeremy and David Maxfield. “Five Crucial Conversations that Drive Workplace Safety.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers August 2011: 24 – 26. Print.
Dunlap, E. Scott. “Safety Leadership Finding a Common Ground.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers September 2011: 42 – 49. Print.

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

Skip the Age Factor When Interviewing

Stephanie Hutchings — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:31:00 GMT

The job market is tough and even tougher for applicants who are re-entering the workforce at an older age. Some employers seek applicants who are young, because theoretically they can be paid less than more experienced candidates. On the other hand, some employers search for older candidates because they need experience and dedication, two attributes a younger candidate may not possess. While both viewpoints may be true, the following tips will help you skip the age factor when interviewing.

1. Keep Your Resume Young

Many times a resume will list the dates of employment for every job held over the past several decades. Eliminate the dates of employment, and focus instead on the experience gained through each position. Shifting the interviewers focus to your skill set, and away from length of employment can only help you stand out among younger candidates. If asked about length of employment, be honest. Lying will always prove to be a poor choice when interviewing.

2. Dress Appropriately for Interviews

Dressing for interviews is always tough. Striking the balance between not-to-old and not-to-young is a must. If you haven’t interviewed in the last few years, start by browsing local websites or your favorite stores to see what men and women are wearing these days when it comes to business professional clothing. You might be able to come up with something that looks current from your own closet. If you can’t, then stick to basic colors, with maybe of pop of color from a tie or piece of jewelry. In this instance, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you think it’s time to update your business wardrobe, then you probably should. And as always, first impressions are very important. Statistics show that most people make up their mind about someone within a few seconds of meeting them.

3. Network

Social media and networking is not reserved for “younger generations”. People of all ages are diving into social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. These valuable resources, when utilized properly, can facilitate connections between you and key individuals that may lead to that next great job!

If you’re not sure where to begin, I’d suggest LinkedIn, because it tends to be more professional. Make sure to create a complete profile, using an appropriate photo of yourself. If you wouldn’t want to see the photo of yourself on the front page of The New York Times, then don’t use it.

After completing a profile, start to connect with past and present colleagues, friends, family members, etc. Before you know it, a meaningful network will emerge, and then it’s up to you to use it!

Aside from online networking opportunities, join local professional organizations. And here’s the kicker- actually attend the events! Face to face conversation is powerful; don’t miss the opportunity to form a live connection in a professional setting.

4. Highlight Relevant Experience Only

If you are an applicant with a long work history- pay attention! It is important to highlight the experience you have that pertains to the specific position you’re applying for. An interviewer should not have to weed through a long resume to find your relevant experience. It is your job to make it stand out on paper and in person during live interviews. Doing so will make an interviewer feel that you’re past experience has molded you into the perfect candidate for their open position.

5. Cover Letters

Cover letters can be tedious to construct, yet valuable tools when trying to get your foot in the door for a job interview. They serve as the appetizer, while your resume is the main course. It is important that a cover letter be well written, concise, and contains the reason why you feel you’re right for the position. As with any writing that’s submitted to a potential employer, I implore you to proof read your work, and ask someone else to review it as well. The goal is to be hired, not to make an interviewer toss your cover letter and resume into the “no” pile before you’ve even been interviewed. Spelling mistakes can do just that.

If you’re having trouble getting started, then go to Google and search “professional cover letters”. Reading a few examples will help you begin the writing process. Above all else, do not plagiarize a cover letter. This is easy to detect, as the cover letter will not match the resume in terms of writing style and structure.

Now that you’re through preparing for the interview process, and your resume and cover letter are polished- it’s time to think about temporary positions. Have you ever thought about it? I encourage you to consider your options- be it full time employment, temporary work, contract work, etc. At MAU Workforce Solutions, we can help guide you to the position that's right for you. Visit www.mau.com/jobs to get started!

Interested in learning more?

Download our free LinkedIn White Paper Here!

Lean Blog: Minimizing Waste in the Workplace

Bill Wolfe — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:17:00 GMT

In order to minimize waste and maximize customer value, it is imperative that businesses begin to run lean if they’re not doing so already. Aside from cost reduction, the principles of lean are meant to greatly improve companies from top to bottom. Lean is not a program or quick “cost cutting measure”; rather, a way of thinking that’s infiltrated manufacturing, healthcare, government, etc.

Lean is one of the most misunderstood words in our manufacturing environment. If you ask people that work on the floor they will tell you it is all about doing more with less people. If you ask people working in the office they will tell you it is all about the people out on the floor. If you ask me, no matter where you work, it is all about focus on improving your processes and the “relentless pursuit of the elimination of waste”.

Lean is not a quick solution when a company is in a crisis. It is a different way of doing things and it takes TIME. It also takes 100% of management’s commitment and the willingness to learn from your mistakes. Over 80% of companies fail to successfully implement lean and in my opinion it is because they are looking for a quick fix and quickly become impatient.

Successful companies focus on improving their processes and the results will come. In today’s business environment that is easier said than done. Lean is also about change and that is something that MAU knows a great deal about. We help local, national and international organizations change the way they manage, analyze and utilize their workforce using lean principles. Over the next several months we will take a look at some of the key lean tools that we are utilizing to drive improvements for our customers.

The first person to truly run lean was Henry Ford. He revolutionized the auto industry and created an assembly line in an effort to streamline production of automobiles. He incorporated specially designed machines, go/no-go gauges, etc. so that all parts were assembled on one long line before they were put together to form an automobile. This was revolutionary, as most business at that time grouped their machines by process, causing more steps when it came to final assembly of a product.

Lean organizations produce more for their customers, while cutting the amount of resources that are being used. Not only is this business practice cost effective, but it’s better for the environment as well. According to the Lean Enterprise Institute,

“A lean organization understands customer value and focuses its key processes to continuously increase it. The ultimate goal is to provide perfect value to the customer through a perfect value creation process that has zero waste”.

While “perfect value” and “zero waste” may seem like unattainable goals, most businesses are able to reduce waste from some part of their organization. Lean organizations tend to be more profitable than traditional business models, and rely on less human effort, less space, less money, etc. to get things done. Those who run lean are also able to respond more quickly to customers ever-changing needs. Further, lean businesses manage information effectively with few errors.

In order for a business to successfully run lean and reduce waste, all levels of the company must be on board- from management, to hourly workers, and everyone in between. It is much better to develop lean processes across all levels of your company, then to have pockets of your company that are lean, and others that are not.

While lean fits well within manufacturing, these principles are applicable across a myriad of different businesses. If you’re in need of reducing waste and adopting lean techniques within your business, please understand that it takes time and hard work to move away from the traditional business model.

Stay tuned to learn more about lean, as well as how you may implement lean practices within your own business!

-Written by Bill Wolfe, MAU General Manager – Kimberly Clark

Safety News Update: The Ambushed Office Worker

Rob Loose — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:23:00 GMT

Picture this: a lady in an office standing over a copy machine wearing welding goggles, a face shield, thick leather gloves and metatarsal work boots. Sound Silly? Those of you that work in a plant or on a construction site may be snickering at the thought of an air-conditioned office with cushy chairs and computers posing any sort of real threat to one’s safety. Like a rattlesnake that uses ambush tactics to catch its prey, office hazards sneakily wreak havoc on unsuspecting workers over time, waiting patiently for the right time to attack. These hazards pose a serious risk and deserve equal consideration that we often just give to the more-visible and apparent industrial-type hazards.

Believe it or not, sitting in an air-conditioned office at a comfortable work station for hours each day can cause major long-term health issues that result in a multitude of health problems. To the casual safety observer, a comfortable office work station would seem like the pinnacle of safe conditions. To uncover the hiding health risk that most everyone will identify with, think about your most recent high school class reunion. Have you observed the difference between your friends that landed desk jobs as opposed to those that did not? Sitting in front of a computer and talking on the phone all day is not the best way to stay fit. In fact, a sedentary job in an office can slowly lead to unwanted weight gain which, if unmanaged, may contribute to further negative health consequences like high blood pressure, joint problems and diabetes to name a few. These conditions often sneak up on unsuspecting office workers over a long period of time. I googled health risks tied to obesity and discovered far more problems than I care to repeat in this blog. Take my word for it; obesity is not a good thing.

To take control of this sneaky hazard, be sure to include exercise in your weekly routine, especially if you have a job that keeps you sitting in one spot at a desk. Additionally, take periodic breaks from the desk to stretch your legs and move around; this will also help you avoid other hidden dangers like blood clots.

Cumulative trauma is another tricky and crafty office hazard that sometimes masks itself with a cloak of convenience only to spring on you issues like carpel tunnel syndrome and chronic back and neck pain. These commonly reported cumulative problems typically arise suddenly after days, months and even years spent doing what you do at a workstation quietly going about your business. Make no mistake, these cumulative trauma problems use ambush tactics and, if left unaddressed, may lead to painful injuries that require surgery and tedious treatments to overcome.

What do you do to guard yourself from these sneaky hazards since a welding helmet won’t help at all? Did you have a mother like mine that constantly told you to sit up straight? (My own fault probably… I slouched a lot I’m sure.) Ergonomic experts recommend sitting up straight, feet flat on the floor, neck straight, elbows at a 90°-degree angle and wrists straight and resting on a pad. Does that sound like orders your mom would lovingly bark at you at the dinner table like it does me? If so, thank your mother! Good posture is so important to your well being in the future and great advice for office employees to follow to avoid all kinds of hidden cumulative trauma issues like chronic back and neck pain.

To fully grasp what is good posture for you at your workstation, I recommend a tool our friends at OSHA designed to evaluate proper workstation posture: “OSHA Ergonomic Solutions: Computer Workstations eTool - Evaluation Checklist.” Find it at www.osha.gov . Print out this tool and grab a coworker to first observe you at your workstation; then you do the same for him or her. Complete the checklist and discover what the ideal arrangement is for your phone, computer and mouse at your desk. After this helpful exercise, hopefully you will better understand your posture requirements and then you can hone in on how to adjust your chair, phone and computer keyboard to fit your specific needs.

These days most chairs, computer monitors and phones are designed with adjustable parts and come with various attachments to accommodate different sizes of people. Manufactures of these products realize the need to personalize their products to fit the mold of people of all sizes. The key to making these products right for you is knowing how to adjust the tools to your anatomy and ideal posture, hence, avoiding a cumulative trauma sneak attack. If you’re like me, you may still need to work on the posture problem despite all the fancy adjustments your workstation offers. Sorry, Mom! But, if that’s all you need and everything else is perfectly arranged, you have just reduced the likelihood of a cumulative trauma ambush. Congratulations! You’re now ready for action!

Okay, so all the plant and construction people reading this banter about office work may chuckle at the word “action.” In all seriousness, hopefully you’ve gained a greater appreciation for the risks office workers brave daily that inflict real damage just in a different, more subtle and sneaky way. More importantly, I hope readers of this blog are encouraged to be active and stay fit. Also, pay attention to poor posture habits. Give the OSHA workstation checklist a try, use good posture and, most of all; be alert for a hidden office ambush!

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

President's Video Update: How to Hire the Best Applicant!

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:14:00 GMT

Sometimes, a candidate may win his interviewer over with poise and perfectly crafted answers to all questions asked. These “professional” or “expert” job seekers may seem great during the interview process, yet lack the necessary skills to actually perform on the job, once hired. So, how can you escape the cost of a bad hire?

Avoid the “Halo” Effect: This phenomenon occurs when we perceive another person in a good light, and have trouble viewing them in any other way. For example, some interviewers may feel an instant, positive connection to a candidate, and assume that this interaction will translate into a dedicated, hardworking, innovative hire. In other words, the halo effect may appear as a “love at first sight” connection between the interviewer and the candidate.

In addition, research shows that those who are tall, charismatic wear glasses, etc. are perceived as more competent than those who are not. This unconscious bias further perpetuates the likelihood that a company will make an error in hiring at least a few times during the course of its lifetime.

According to Is Your Perception Hurting Your Hiring Efforts?, written by Future Force Personnel Services, the halo effect “… occurs when one trait (such as wearing eyeglasses) influences our perception of another trait (intelligence)”. Temporary staffing providers, such as this one, are taking aim at the halo effect, to ensure that the right hiring decisions are made in the best interest of all parties involved.

This phenomenon occurs more often during interviews, as opposed to romantic dates because they’re short, compact interactions between two parties. While the halo effect can take place during a personal relationship, it will eventually fade as time goes on and the relationship may either fail or stay intact.

The business world, however, has little tolerance for the halo effect. This is because the wrong hire translates into a loss involving time, money, stress, missed opportunity, etc. Companies must exhaust all opportunities when interviewing to ensure that the right person is hired the first time around.

It is estimated that the wrong hire can cost a company one to seven times the person’s first annual salary. These estimates are based on the fact that the hiring process is expensive, especially when employees subject themselves to multiple interviews per candidate, per job. In addition, terminating employees is costly and may include; severance pay, increases in unemployment tax, cost of continued benefits, etc.

In terms of moral, those still employed will suffer due to the fact that fixing hiring mistakes is frustrating and time consuming- moving the focus away from strengthening one’s core business.

This is why hiring a staffing provider is so important. Staffing providers have spent years developing ways to scope the job market and select the most appropriate candidate to fill an open position. Trained professionals can define the needs of the employer and execute a job search quickly, in order to place the right candidate, the first time.

From testing and assessments, to face-to-face interviews, staffing providers work hard to avoid the halo effect and spare their clients from the headache caused by a bad hire.

Outsourcing and hiring are just a few of the topics I discuss in my book, The Birth of a New Workforce. For more information about the cost of a bad hire, and outsourcing segments of your workforce, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

To order your copy of The Birth of a New Workforce, please visit http://www.mau.com/blog-0/the-birth-of-a-new-workforce/.

Interested in learning more?

Download the first 3 Chapters to Randy's book for FREE here.

Order a copy of Randy’s book, The Birth of a New Workforce.

About the Author:

President's Video Update: How to Retain the Best and Brightest Employees

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:07:00 GMT

Without great employees, a company will fail to survive. That being said, what are you doing to positively influence, challenge and reward your employees to achieve excellence day in and day out?

Investing in employees is a great way to increase retention, but also revenue. Don’t assume that because your subordinate smiles when you pass by, that they are in love with their job. This assumption can be costly, as employee turnover is expensive.

In addition, it is even more important during a tough economy to highlight the achievements of one’s staff. This is because stress among employees will increase as their co-workers are laid off, their personal workload increases, and their paycheck stays the same. Sometimes, all that’s needed in a time of stress is a word or two of encouragement.

Follow the advice below and celebrate your employee’s resilience, loyalty, and hard work. They’re worthy of recognition.

Recognition:

According to Alexander Kjerulf, author of Happy Hour is 9 to 5, “Recognition improves employee morale, and happy employees increase productivity by : working better with others, being more creative, being more motivated, learning faster, getting sick less often.”

That being said, there’s a multitude of ways to recognize employee achievement. Simply saying “thanks for working so hard”, or “thanks for staying late last night”, to hosting a celebratory lunch for an entire department is acceptable. Remember that everyone deserves recognition, regardless of how big or small a role they have, or what they’re paid. Further, recognition transcends beyond what the person contributes in terms of dollars to the company’s bottom line. All employees should feel appreciated by their employer.

Support Advancement:

Across most cultures, education is tremendously important. Employees feel empowered to make decisions when they feel educated about the issues at hand. Training provides education for employees, but also a chance for them to step out of their offices and learn more about each other.

I encourage companies to provide training opportunities whenever feasible. Also, allow employees to submit requests to attend training off-site, as well as webinars. If allowed, employees will take the initiative and further their education.

Gather in Groups:

While most companies host picnics or gatherings of some sort- these events are typically held only once a year. While a large event including employee’s families may be costly, try hosting monthly events in-house, and cater lunch for your staff. Or, host a breakfast, or afternoon dessert buffet. Gathering employees improves morale, changes up the pace of the work days, and allows employees to take a break and socialize- all great things to help employees feel valued.

Foster Communication:

In times of economic uncertainty, employees can feel lost as to the financial state of their company, whether or not they’ll be laid off, whether or not their pay will be adjusted, etc. It is important to always encourage open communication among all levels of employees. No one should be finding out via a press release, or newspaper article that they’re company is going under. Your employees would rather hear the truth, even if it’s painful, than feel left “in the dark”. All in all, respect your employees, and they will return the favor through hard work, and dedication.

It is my hope that the information presented above will influence your workforce to become more productive, profitable, and positive.

Interested in learning more?

Download the first 3 Chapters to Randy's book for FREE here.

Order a copy of Randy’s book, The Birth of a New Workforce.

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President's Video Update: Economic Uncertainty- S&P Downgrade

Randy Hatcher — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:51:00 GMT

I’m sure you’ve seen by now that unemployment numbers reached 9.1% in the US this past month. This is a slight improvement from June by .1%. In addition, only 117,000 jobs were created- much fewer than expected.

The good news is, however, that temporary help employment increased by 7.6%. This indicates that companies still maintain a high level of confidence because they’re still hiring.

Also, the S&P lowered our credit rating this week, triggering a mess on Wall Street. We lost over 600 points, a total of $1trillion dollars.

How do you manage a company and prepare for the biggest economic crisis since 2008? When I look at this, I wonder if there’s still more bad news to come. We need to balance the budget, and with that comes further belt tightening.

Also, think about the companies whose contracts are tied to the government. For example, Lockheed Martin, Humana, Ford, Dell, Martin Marietta, etc. all has substantial parts of their businesses tied to the government. If the government tightens its belt, these companies will be forced to do the same. Think about all of the vendors and suppliers that may be effected if these companies are forced to cut costs.

This being said, we can’t predict the future. However, I do believe it’s important to keep an eye on the cost of labor. Temporary help can help ease the strain during periods of ramp up and ramp down. Define the parts of your business that are core, and find partners to help you with the parts of your business that are non-core. These non-core elements, when managed by a third party, are cost effective and efficient ways to do business. In times like these, we must remain focused on our core.

If we can help you with any of your recruiting, staffing or outsourcing needs during these difficult times, please let us know.

Interested in learning more?

Download the first 3 Chapters to Randy's book for FREE here.

Order a copy of Randy’s book, The Birth of a New Workforce.

About the Author: