Neuroscience makes better people managers

Neuroscience is the physiological study of the brain. Thanks to new technology including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography, researchers are able to study the neural connections as they happen in the living brain. This research is shedding new light on human behavior and has tremendous implications in how to most effectively manage people.

Some of the most important implications include:

• People need sufficient sleep to integrate learning into long-term memory.

• Social pain such as rejection or being belittled affects the brain in the same way as physical pain.

• Social fairness and respect give the brain a chemical boost while unfairness and disrespect do the opposite.

Think before you hire!

According to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, hiring during the first quarter continued to grow at an anemic level. Of 18,000 employers surveyed, 14% said that they increased staffing levels during the first quarter, while only 9% made additional cuts.

As the economy gradually improves and your organization starts to consider adding to your headcount, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is adding full time positions to the organization congruent with our strategic plan? It’s critical that staffing requirements are based on your organization’s strategy. If you haven’t updated your strategic plan and established a clear direction for your organization, you shouldn't even begin to consider additional headcount.

Executive coaching creates competitive advantage

Executive coaching is a management development approach that involves personal interaction between a coach and an executive to improve job performance. Like personal trainers hired by athletes to enhance their competitive capacity, coaching has become the tool of choice for helping executives and managers adjust to the challenges of today’s demanding business environment. 

Executive coaching typically consists of a series of one-on-one interactions between a coach and an executive or manager that focuses on the components of job performance. Coaching typically involves an initial assessment, face-to-face discussions, telephone conversations and email communication. Coaches serve as trainers, facilitators, motivators, moderators, sounding boards and confidantes. Although not a substitute for psychological counseling or substance abuse treatment, coaching assists individuals in addressing crucial managerial weaknesses and can empower executives to higher levels of performance.

Responding to the untimely death of an employee

The untimely death of a co-worker can have devastating effects on an organization. According to The Grief Recovery Institute, lost productivity as a result of the death of employees, friends and family costs American business $7 billion annually.

To reduce the impact of an employee death on the workplace, keep the following points in mind:

• Act promptly. It is important that the information surrounding an employee’s death come through management rather than percolate through the grapevine.
• Determine circles of relationship and notify each circle appropriately. First inform those closest to the employee in private settings, perhaps individually. Notify other co-workers in small groups or in a department wide meeting.
• Give thought to what you will say. Give careful consideration as to what employees will be told. Be as open as possible while keeping in mind of privacy of the deceased and his or her family.
• Allow co-workers to share their grief. Perhaps they can get together during lunch or to discuss their feelings about, and memories of, their deceased co-worker. A memorial service in the workplace might be appropriate. A permanent tribute, such as naming a company event, room, or award after the deceased, might also help employees deal with their grief.
• Contact customers and vendors. Inform all those outside the organization who did business with the deceased regarding the death. Depending on the circumstances, this might be done in person, over the telephone, or via email. Assure them that the company will continue to value the relationship and that a new contact has been identified.
• Provide grief counseling. Employees should be provided access to grief counselors in necessary either through the organization’s EAP or by contracted therapists.
• Expect a period of mourning. Realize that different employees will respond to the death differently. Be sensitive and respectful of those individuals who require a period of time to complete the grieving process.

This blog post is provided by Allen Miller and Business Advantage International. For assistance in dealing with human resources issues including organization effectiveness, training, compensation, and compliance, call Allen at 801.444.9919. 

Commission sales plan essentials…

I am frequently asked about commission sales plans. If you have a commission sales plan in your organization, keep the following points in mind:

• Only OUTSIDE sales are exempt from overtime requirements. The Fair Labor Standards Act allows an exemption from overtime only for those sales made in the customer’s place of business or home. Sales made from the employer’s place of business, over the Internet, by mail or by telephone do not qualify for the exemption. Reps engaged in these sales must be paid overtime for any hours over 40 in a workweek regardless of how much that actually make in commissions.
• Plan your commission structure carefully.  To a great extent, your sales reps’ focus depends on the way they are paid. You can’t throw your plan together at the last minute. Each element of the plan should be considered with care. Whatever you do, avoid making your plan too complicated or too easy.
• Your commission plan should reflect your sales strategy. Do not copy your plan from another company or base your plan entirely on a model you read about in a book or magazine. Your plan must be based on your sales strategy, not on that of a competitor.
• You get more of what you pay for. If you increase commissions on a particular line or product, your sales reps will sell more of that line or product. Be careful that you don’t make selling a particular line or product so attractive that your other line sales actually suffer.
• Think carefully about volume-only commissions. If your commission structure is based solely on volume, your reps may be tempted to discount more than is necessary and ignore the need for ongoing customer service.
• Think carefully about customer service factors in your commission formula. While including a customer service measure in your commission formula is probably a good thing, guard against rewarding customer service at the expense of additional sales.
• Remember your top sales reps. When you have your plan designed, run a few tests to see how the plan impacts your top producers. If it hurts them, change the plan.
• Rollout your plan with care. Once you have your compensation plan designed and tested, plan your rollout carefully. Consider how you will sell your plan to your sales people so they are motivated to make that next sale.

If you have questions about this or other human resources issues, please contact Business Advantage International or Allen Miller at 801.444.9919. 

Don't let National Employee Appreciation Day pass you by

Tomorrow is National Employee Appreciation Day. Especially in this moribund business environment, it wouldn’t hurt to show a little love to those who ultimately ensure your company's success.

Recognition doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive. It should be sincere and meaningful. Below are a few ideas to stimulate your sense of appreciation.

•  Throw a party. A midday break attached to cake and soft drinks always has a positive impact on morale. As the boss, don’t just show up though. Come with a few prepared remarks highlighting your work group’s successes and accomplishments. Make sure you congratulate and express appreciation to staff members for making all that possible.
• Take ‘em to lunch. Expressing thanks to employees while enjoying a delicious meal together moves morale mountains.
• Give a little time off. If business can be managed effectively, allow employees a little time off. Whether it’s the entire afternoon or an hour at the end of the day, employees will be grateful for the opportunity to sneak out of the office a little early.
• Write a note. Sometimes a handwritten thank you note from the boss can have a tremendous impact on an employee’s morale. This is especially true if the note is personalized by targeting specific contributions made by the recipient.
• Perk things up. Employees always love perks. Whether its movie tickets, a massage, dry cleaning or a car wash, a gift of nominal value can be leveraged to create a tremendous boost in morale.
• Just say “thank you”. For some organizations, coming up with cash to show appreciation can be daunting and the time to write a note unavailable. In such cases, it would be good just to stop by each employee’s workstation for a moment and thank the individual personally for his or her contribution.

While there are a thousand reasons why you should just let National Employee Appreciation Day slip by unnoticed, taking the day as an opportunity to recognize those people who have helped you make it this far will  reap tremendous benefits including improved morale and enhanced employee engagement.

If you have questions about this or other human resources issues, please contact Business Advantage International or Allen Miller at 801.444.9919.