Why Introverts can be Great Leaders

A fantastic article on why the more commonly identified leadership traits of an extrovert may actually be overshadowed by what introverts can bring to a leadership role.

Number of Uninsured Adults Climbs

Not surprisingly, it was reported on the website Workforce Management that the number of uninsured adults is climbing.  According to the website, 59 million adults did not have insurance for a portion of 2010, while 30 million adults did not have health insurance for at least a year.  While the numbers are staggering, they are not surprising.

With the number of unemployed, those uninsured adults will continue to stay steady.  Additionally, employers are looking at the high costs of health care premiums in this difficult economy.  No longer able to afford to pay all or even a portion of those premium costs, employers are either passing the cost into employees or eliminating their health care insurance completely.  And for those employees who find the stiff premium price tag too much to bare on their pocket books - especially with what appears to be commonplace wage/salary freezes - employees are dropping their coverage all together.

Holy Human Resources!

Comic book character captures dual nature of human resource professionals. For more information on the Just US League, The Man, The Boot, and The Outsourcerer... Click HERE.

Seminar - Employee Engagement | Bellingham HR Consultant

The Power of Engaging Your Employees

Are your employees engaged in their work? Do they demonstrate, on a daily basis, the key qualities of engagement such as enthusiasm, initiative, and stakeholder focus? Employees who are engaged on the job are vital to high performance organizations. This seminar will define engagement, discuss actions to enhance it, establish how management can drive engagement, and explain what actions you can take today to begin experiencing the tangible results of highly engaged employees, including higher productivity, lower costs, and more!

F8623
Cost: $45
Date: October 28, 2010
Time: 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Location: WCC - Foundation Building - 201C

For information on registering, please go to http://www.whatcomcommunityed.com/.

Seminar - Workplace Conflict | Bellingham HR Consultant

Controlling Conflict in the Workplace

Discover how to transform conflict into positive energy and lead your team to success. You'll learn how to handle disagreement and complaints, avoid damaging conflict, and prevent harassment issues.
F8539
Cost: $99
Start Date: November 5, 2010
Time: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Location: WCC - Foundation Building 105.
 
For information on registering, simply go to http://www.whatcomcommunityedu.com/ for details.

Leadership Coaching | Bellingham HR Consultant

Ever thought of hiring a coach for your organization’s leadership? Many companies do just that, and the most common circumstances for using an outside coach include leaders with rapidly increasing responsibilities, organizational changes, profit pressures, and competence challenges. What coaches can do include:

• Assure success in new assignments
• Accelerate new leader assimilation
• Grow high potential leaders
• Enable cultural change through leadership action
• Address performance issues of both the leader and the people who interact with that leader
• Assure organizational alignment
• Address re-organization needs

While many believe coaching is a luxury that many organizations can pass on, more studies show effective coaching has a direct impact on the bottom line through increased productivity, efficiency, and higher work engagement.

Social Media & The Employer Test | Bellingham HR Consultant

Increasingly employers are using social media venues to screen their employees and potential hires.  They use it as a means to not only verify information the employee/hiring candidate shared, but also to ensure they aren't been misrepresented on the internet.  Some of the key things employees and potential employees should keep in mind when posting to social media venues is:

• What are your privacy settings? Can anyone see what you've posted?  If you have your privacy settings on "High," it limits the potential for an employer to have a peek at what you've posted.  But, it typically doesn't limit those who are on your friends list.  So review your settings, and make sure you are comfortable with who sees what.
• Who do you "friend?" Is it only personal friends and family? Co-workers? Your boss?  As mentioned earlier, even if your privacy settings limit outsiders from having a peek, it doesn't limit insiders.  Those you are friends with can easily access your information.  So, if your co-workers and boss are on your lists it means they can access your information.  It also means your employer has another way of accessing you.
• What photographs have you posted?  Do you really think a potential employer is going to still over you that job when you've got photos of you attached to a beer bong posted all over Facebook? Think again.  Filter! Filter! Filter!  While some photos might be funny to friends and family, it could cause your employer and/or a potential employer to think twice.
• Status updates... I've seen employees who have called in sick at work, post status updates to their social media accounts that definitely did not support their "I have the flu" excuse for not reporting to the job. 

While the internet and social media have opened up a lot of opportunities for people - making this world of ours a lot smaller and people more accessible - it has also created a fishbowl effect.  What was once considered private is no longer off-limits - even for your employer.  So be cautious and pay attention.

ThinkBiz Conference | Bellingham HR Consultant

Time is running out to register for the ThinkBiz conference, held at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, Washington.  The conferences offers a range of sessions for professionals, and it is all at an affordable $69.  If you haven't already done so, head over to the ThinkBiz page today and register you (and a friend!).

Taking The Word "But" Out of it... | Bellingham HR Consultant

If you want to open yourself up to more opportunities, take the word "but" out of your vocabulary.  I have noticed that even the most versed individual often uses (in fact, over uses) the word "but."   This word really does become an excuse and often times results in shutting people out and/or down.  For example, "I see where you are coming from, but..."

Individuals hearing the word "but" typically know they are about to hear something they do not like.  For at least a couple days, take the word "but" out of your vocabulary and see what sort of opportunities open up for you.  You would be surprised.

The Art of Saying "Thank You" | Bellingham HR Consultant

Many take saying "Thank You" for granted, especially Management and Leadership. Here are some tips when it comes to telling your employees "Thank You."  I'm not talking "Thank You" as a form of politeness or courtesy.  I am talking "Thank You" for doing a good job... The ol' pat-on-the-back.

• Don't say it too frequently; otherwise, it begins to sound disingenuous.  However, not saying it enough can lead to resentment and disloyalty.  Say it when an employee has done big projects or special projects.  Making a big deal out of their daily responsibilities leads to that frequency that can get you into trouble.
• Make it personal.  Instead of making a big show of it, send a personal note.  A handwritten note sent to the employee's home address is a formal yet intimate way of letting the employee know they did something good.  It will not only be appreciated by the employee, but you'll soon discover they are talking about the note (maybe even showing the note) to their colleagues in a positive context.
• When handing out those kudos, do it in a way that the employee appreciates.  Some employees are motivated by public displays, while other employees prefer a quiet show of appreciation.  Find out which your employees are motivated by and follow through with the individual.  If you try the blanket approach to those kudos, you'll find the employees who thrive in the spotlight will wilt and second guess themselves if they receive a quiet "atta boy!" while those who prefer the quiet approach will feel embarrassed, if not humiliated, by public displays.
• When you're on the receiving end of a "Thank you," make sure you pass that sentiment out to those who work for you.  What sets a successful, effective Manager/Leader off from the pack is their willingness to share the glory and take all the blame.

By following these simple guidelines to express your appreciation, you'll go a long way in not only endearing yourself to your staff, but also increasing the likelihood of repeat performances.

ThinkBiz Conference | Bellingham HR Consultant

HR Balance LLC will be presenting at the ThinkBiz conference happening in Bellingham, Washington on September 9 and 10.  The topic presented by HR Balance LLC is:  Employee Engagement - The Secret to Business Success.  For more information about the conference, go to http://www.thinkbiznw.com/.

Leadership Myths | Bellingham HR Consultant

There are many myths out there when it comes to leadership and management.  Unfortunately, these myths are often taken as fact - leading people and organizations toward unnecessary waste in energy, money, and ideas.  Here are a few myths to take note of:

• Leaders and Managers are the same... No, they are not the same.  Leaders are about the people.  They influence others into change, action, and results.  Managers, however, are about the tasks.  They're focus is on the end result - achieving goals through authority and discipline.  Often times I see organizations automatically label their managers as "leaders," when - in fact - they are not.  Leaders and managers have two very unique skill sets, and while it is very possible for an individual to be both a leader and a manager - it shouldn't be an assumption they are a leader simply because they are a manager and vise versa.
• Leaders are good managers... Leaders are strong innovators and strategists, but do not necessarily have the know-how to implement their innovations and/or strategies.  Often times, leaders have a focus that is so global, they do not necessarily have the linear thinking necessary to accomplish tasks.
• Leaders are born – not made... While studies on children are showing increasing evidence that leadership skills can present themselves at a very young age, the truth is leadership skills can be made.  Just because an individual doesn't present the necessarily skills and qualities of a leader today, it doesn't mean they cannot present those skills and qualities tomorrow. 

If you want your managers to be leaders and your leaders to be managers, it is important to ensure the appropriate skill sets are in place.  This requires time, energy, focus, and support.  Remember, those managers with leadership skills will not only meet your organizational goals, but they will have the vision to bring their people (and therefore the organization) toward greater successes.

Health Care Reform & The Hidden Tax Change | Bellingham HR Consultant

The new Health Care Reform law is going to impact more than just your health care coverage.  In the finer print of the legislation is tax information that businesses need to be aware of because it does effect their current financial information gathering.  The 1099 is going to be a familiar sight for most.  For more information, read here:  http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/05/smallbusiness/1099_health_care_tax_change/

Survey of Employers and Health Care Reform | Bellingham HR Consultant

Crane Communications Inc. recently published a survey of nearly 3700 executives.  The survey queried business executives on the likelihood of dropping health care coverage due to the passage of the federal health care reform law.

Of those responding, 52.5 percent strongly disagreed with that statement that it wold be better for their organization to stop offering health care benefits and pay a fine under the new law, while 15.3 percent somewhat disagreed with the idea of dropping coverage and paying fines.  While 18 percent somewhat agreed with the idea of dropping coverage, only 14.1 percent strongly believe their organizations would be better off in dropping benefits.

The health care reform language stipulates that beginning 2014, employers with 50 or more full-time employees must offer health care coverage or pay a fine of $2,000 per work per year.  While strong evidence shows employers will not drop health care coverage in favor of a less expensive fine, it is still unclear what the overall impact with be on employer-sponsored health care packages.  In the survey, 43.9 percent of the executives stated the somewhat understood the impact of the law on their business and 38 percent either somewhat agreed or strongly disagreed that they understood the impact.  These are clear indicators the shift to dropping employer-sponsored health care coverage could happen once the vague language in the health care reform law is clarified.

Resource:
Coccia, R. (April 2010)  "Survey Finds Employers Are Unlikely to Drop Health Care Benefits."  Workforce Management, retrieved from http://www.workfroce.com/section/02/feature/27/12/33/index_printer.html

Health Care Reform | Bellingham HR Consultant

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) released a break down of how the new health care reform signed in by the Obama administration will effect employers and employees. It breaks down to this:

Employer Requirement – Penalties would be assessed on employers with 50 or more employees who fail to offer coverage to employees. The penalty would be assessed if even one employee receives a subsidy to purchase coverage through a health insurance exchange. Employers would also incur penalties if the coverage they offer is considered “unaffordable” to the employee or if the health plan has an actuarial value of less than 60 percent or pays less than 60 percent of covered health care expenses.

Individual Requirement – The new law requires individuals to purchase health insurance coverage or pay a tax penalty beginning in 2014. The penalty, which is phased in, starts at $95 or 0.5% of income per individual in 2014 and increases to $750 or 2% of income in 2016. The penalties for families would be capped at $2,250. Religious and hardship exemptions are available.

Professional Development Opportunities

Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Career Success
Studies have found that intellectual knowledge and technical skills are no longer enough to be successful in the workplace. Interpersonal skills (Emotional Intelligence) is also a key factor in career success and an absolute requirement in leadership. Through this workshop, participants will learn:  How to develop their emotional intelligence (EQ); Influence, inspire, and motivate coworkers, subordinates, and supervisors;  Develop your leadership skills to enhance performance and organizational strength; Manage conflict through effective communication; and, Increase flexibility, enthusiasm, and teamwork while reducing wasted time, energy, and money.

Understanding Leadership and Management Functions
Not all managers or leaders are created equal, and you’ll learn why. Even if you aren’t a manager or in a leadership role in your organization, you will gain insight on what makes a great manager and leader, as well as how you can focus on key areas to successfully step into a management and/or leadership role.  In this workshop you will learn the differences between management and leadership, explore key managerial functions, and discover your leadership style and why it is more about the people you lead rather than you.

For more information on attending these workshops (which cost $49 each), please go to http://www.whatcomcommunityed.com/ for details.

Reference Information Tips

Having a difficult time obtaining pre-employment reference information from former employers?  While employers are protected from sharing employment information about an employee unless they provide intentionally false information, employers are still opting not to share.  Ironically enough, it is typically those employers who don't share with you that are asking for the same information from you.  Lawyers have managed to drill into their clients the importance of "it is our policy not to share this information" which often limit the ability of potential employers to make well-informed hiring decisions.  This makes that job offer even more of a gamble and those precious 90 day orientation periods even more critical.

Here are a few tips to help you through the difficult moments...

• Don't ask for the HR department when calling for references.  Make sure the potential employees gives you the name of their former supervisor and ask for them directly.  Many employers have not taken the time to educate their front-line supervisors and middle managers about referring those references calls back to the HR department, so you are increasing your chances of actually getting information.
• If you get the "we don't share that information" line from the other end of the phone, offer to fax or email your questions to them.  That way, they can keep a copy of what they submitted to you for their own records - which will often be enough to get a little more information than what you would have originally received.
• If no former employers are sharing, go back to the employee.  Employees are savvy nowadays, and they recognize when employers will not share employment information with individuals who inquire.  They believe this gives them a free pass, which often is the case.  However, go back to the employee and tell them you need the names of people who will share information with you - otherwise, you cannot consider extending a job offer to them.  The candidate may scoof and say they gave you all the information they have and do not know anyone else, but that isn't good enough.  If they want the job, they will provide more names.
• Finally, make sure you network and make personal connections with those individuals who can provide you that information.  A person is more likely to share that employment information with you if they know you personnally. 

Hiring decisions are time consuming, risky, and expensive.  To be thorough, it is important to use as much time as you can, but to minimize the risk and costs - always make sure you do reference checks.  And if the information isn't forthcoming, you do have options.  Use these tips and you increase your chances of obtaining more useful information for your pre-employment screening.

"At Will"... What does it really mean?

If you live in an “At Will” state, you may believe you can terminate whenever, whomever you want – without cause – but that isn’t necessarily the case. Let’s examine this “At Will” concept.

Let’s have a look at this… “At Will” means you can terminate the employment relationship with or without cause. It also means the employee can terminate the employment relationship with or without cause. That means employees DO NOT legally have to give two weeks notice before they quit their job. Many employers have a two-week provision in their policies believing they can legally require that; however, they cannot. However, you can use the two-week notice provision if employees want to be paid out for their paid time off bank or other elective benefits provided by the employer.

Arbitration Programs

Have an arbitration program at your workplace?

In Davis v. O’Melveny and Meyers, 9th Cir., No. 04-56039 (05.14.07), the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a law firm’s mandatory dispute resolution program for issues relating to employment with the organization. While the program included options for mediation and mandatory final and binding arbitration on claims against the firm, it exempted workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits as well as confidentiality issues. Dispute disclosure to third parties were written into the program as prohibited.

An employee for the law firm filed a lawsuit detailing the firm’s failure to pay her for overtime and work performed during meal and breaks periods. Because of the binding arbitration agreement signed by the employee, the courts ordered the matter to arbitration. On appeal, it was determined the mandatory dispute resolution program was “procedurally and substantively unconscionable” and therefore unenforceable.

Center for Creative Leadership

Looking for a good resource for leadership information?  The Center for Creative Leadership is a nonprofit organization with a primary focus on leadership. Its site emphasizes research, training and publications in leadership development, and they have been responsible for some of the most cutting-edge information on successful leadership.

Communication Skills

According to an article published by World at Work, employers are on the look-out for communication skills in their candiates.  In a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers ranked communication skills as the top skill they are seeking in potential employees.

The Top 5 Skills Employers Want are...

1. Communication skills
2. Analytical skills
3. Teamwork skills
4. Technical skills
5. Strong work ethic

Problem Solving for Today’s Professional: The What-Why-What-Why Method

Every professional, in the process of their career, will encounter a circumstance which requires solid problem solving skills. Whether it is in the process of fulfilling their daily responsibilities or working on a large project, professionals can find themselves defined by how they approach problem solving. However, today’s professional has to keep several elements in mind.

In the past, problem solving was conducted in a vacuum. Decision makers made educated choices based on their needs and to fulfill their specific territorial demands but with little consideration to other stakeholders. While this methodology may have worked in the past, it is no longer valid today. There are too many people, too many stakeholders, which may be impacted by even the simplest decision; therefore, it is important to keep those individuals in mind when making and implementing a decision.

Keirsey Temperament Sorter

In terms of the Myers Briggs Personality test, this tool gives the test taker results on their temperment and personality characteristics, similar to the MB Type II Indicator: The Keirsey Temperament Sorter. While personality tests are really not a valid way to make employment-based decisions, the information contained within those tests are always interesting. Just be careful, though. These types of assessments have been proven to be easily "gamed" by the test taker.

The Jerk-O-Meter

Along the lines of workplace bullying. Here is a fun little assessment you might enjoy. The Jerk-O-Meter: http://www.media.mit.edu/press/jerk-o-meter

Stamping Out Workplace Bullies

Stamping Out Workplace Bullies is an article dealing with the increasing recognition that bullies aren’t necessarily just on the playground. With bullying impacting everything from productivity to turn-over, employers are starting to initiate programs meant to address this resource-draining problem.

Healthy Habits for the New Year

With the new year’s arrival, a lot of employees make the resolution to get healthier. Everything from weight loss and exercising more to stopping the smoking habit, employees will begin sincere attempts to tackle their health issues. As an employer, you can help!

Encourage your staff to use their breaks and lunch periods to get out and take a walk; change out your vending machines to healthier snack fare (e.g. nuts, whole grain crackers, granola, etc.); and, replace soda machines with bottled water and real fruit juice. Your employees will have more energy and will feel better, while focus and productivity will increase.

Who is HRB LLC?

HRB is HR Balance LLC – a consulting firm based out of Bellingham, Washington. In business since 2003, HRB focuses on human resources management, organizational development, and leadership coaching.

What We Believe In...

Vision:
We recognize who our stakeholders are and act with care and consideration in meeting the needs of those stakeholders in a timely, thoughtful, and respectful manner.

Integrity: We believe that truthful and consistent actions promote loyalty and trust. We must maintain credibility and accountability in all relationships, both as individuals and as professionals.

Balance:We will consider the needs of the individual, both professionally and personally - understanding balance in those areas will result in a stronger, dedicated, and loyal employee whose contributions to the big picture will exceed the investment made to achieve balance. We will also recognize the needs of the client, whose continued success depends on a balanced approach involving all facets of the client organization.

Voice: We will be a positive and productive voice for our stakeholders. We will advocate for inclusion, cooperation, and perspective.