Talent Recruitment Challenges of High Technology Companies (13 Jun 2006) As a result of the dot com meltdown and the decline of the NASDAQ in 2001, many organizations had no alternatives but to lay off many talented IT professionals. Currently, the pool of available talent in the labour market is large. Over the long haul, the impact of shifting population demographics on the labour pool will be staggering. As the baby boom generation continues to age, we can expect acute labour shortages similar to the ones we experienced in the high technology sector during the dot com boom. While there is still a surplus of talent in the market, it is important for organizations to take proactive steps to attract and select the brightest and the best to fuel long term growth.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Training is in the Eye of the Beholder (13 Jun 2006) Growing an organization's internal knowledge base is crucial to the success of any business and ensuring a growing knowledge base means investing in the training of your employees. A Gallup poll conducted in 1998 reported that eight out of 10 employees said they would be more likely to stay with their present employer if they were offered more or better training. This article conveys the value of corporate training programs to employees, as well as the benefits companies enjoy when they put forth the extra effort and expense and provide high-quality training programs for the workforce.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Adapting Human Resource Functions (13 Jun 2006) Adapting Human Resource Functions: A human resource department that is properly informed of employee issues, demonstrates a high integrity level, and communicates effectively with staff and management supports a high level of confidence in the company, throughout the workforce. This article comments on the changing roles of human resource departments as companies change with the times.
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: An Unexpected Benefit (13 Jun 2006) An Unexpected Benefit
A fair and attractive compensation and benefits package is critical for hiring and retaining quality employees. This article illustrates how one company offered a new benefit to its employees, solved the problem of lagging productivity, and boosted morale at the same time.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Coworker and Caretaker (13 Jun 2006) Coworker performance affects cooperation, collaboration, and communication between the employees within an organization. This article illustrates how one coworker's knowledge, compassion, and dedication to the common goals of her company made getting the job done a joy for her entire work team.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Coworkers Collaborate to Complete Successful Initiative (13 Jun 2006) This article relates to the Coworkers competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It tells the story of a company that relied on the skills and efforts of various departments, containing people who might not otherwise work together, to launch and complete a successful company wide performance improvement initiative. While the Team Dynamics competency focuses on relationships within a single group, this competency targets coworker topics spanning the entire organization over multiple work units. This competency investigates your organization's ability to successfully work in partnership on projects with one another and between groups to reach the common goals of the organization.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Creating a Culture of Empowerment (13 Jun 2006) Corporate climate is displayed by the effect an organization has on the employees, while culture refers more to the acceptable behaviors, attitudes, and habits of the organization as a whole. Some relevant topics include employee values, attitudes, and morale throughout the organization. This short story tells about the effects of a negative culture on nursing home residents and what was done to turn things around and create a better culture and climate in the workplace.
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Diversity in the Workplace: Ethnic Considerations (13 Jun 2006) Research shows that an organization can create a success-oriented, cooperative and caring work environment that draws intellectual strength and produces innovative solutions from the synergy of its people. However, a diverse workforce means that the managers within your organization must be capable of capitalizing on the mixture of genders, cultural backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles present in your staff to respond to business opportunities more rapidly and creatively. This article illustrates how decisions made by large companies can have unintended morale consequences at the local level.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Finding The Perfect Balance (13 Jun 2006) Organizations that enjoy a high satisfaction level in the area of Work/Life Balance will normally exhibit a low rate of absenteeism and experience higher employee retention. This article illustrates how one employee's evolving life circumstances required him to make some career changes in order to achieve a healthy balance between the demands of work and personal or family life.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Human Resources at Work (13 Jun 2006) A human resource department that is properly informed of employee issues, demonstrates a high integrity level, and communicates effectively with staff and management should expect high marks from the employees they serve when carrying out Human Resource functions. This article illustrates how a competent, compassionate staff can, in the course of everyday duties, really make a difference in the lives of employees, creating goodwill that spreads throughout the workplace.
Tales From The Corporate Frontlines: Job Security in Todays Workplace (13 Jun 2006) Job Security in Today's Workplace
In today's often volatile or contingent labor market, it's crucial to understand the level of security your employees feel about maintaining their jobs. Studies show that employees who do not feel secure in their jobs are less likely to be committed to best assisting customers. This article tells the story of a manager who decides to look for ways to bolster the morale in his company when it crashes after an extensive layoff.
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Managerial Influence (13 Jun 2006) The old adage that "people leave their managers, not organizations" is often true. Of all the workplace stressors, a bad immediate manager is one of the worst and will directly impact the emotional health, productivity, and retention of an employee. This article tells the story of an HR department that diagnoses and deals with a managerial problem after recognizing its effects on the organization's employees.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Providing Career Opportunity (13 Jun 2006) Studies show that a lack of career opportunity is one of the top reasons why employees leave an organization. Also, continually hiring open positions from outside the organization can be detrimental to morale when a qualified candidate is available internally. This article illustrates how employers can offer career opportunity to their employees by using a well-planned career development strategy, and reap the benefits of a knowledgeable and dedicated workforce.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Senior Management and Directional Change (13 Jun 2006) AlphaMeasure defines senior management as the team of individuals at the highest level who have the day-to-day responsibilities of operating the organization. This competency covers topics such as strategic leadership, corporate vision, and corporate direction. The following short story illustrates how undertaking a drastic directional change within a company requires planning, engagement, and honest evaluation by the top levels of management, those who are ultimately responsible for implementation of the changes.
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Team Dynamics and Communication (13 Jun 2006) Team Dynamics and Communications: In today's marketplace, in order for organizations to operate efficiently, it is essential that they understand how to create and utilize effective work teams at all levels of the organization. Well-managed teams improve productivity, innovation, and the likelihood of success. This article explores the sensitivity of team dynamics and the importance of keeping balance among members.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Best Incentives are Free (13 Jun 2006) The Best Incentives Are Free: Studies show that employees who receive regular recognition and praise are more likely to increase their individual productivity levels, increase engagement with their colleagues, and stay longer at the organization. This article illustrates the value of praise and recognition as a powerful, cost-effective motivator available to managers on a daily basis.
