Filed under: Employee Development, Employee Engagement, Employee Recognition, Employee Retention, Executive Leadership, Uncategorized
New jobs require new skills. And it’s through new challenges that we build those skills. So it should come as no surprise that the way most leaders learn to lead is by jumping in the deep end.
One of my stories related to this is from a client I worked with years ago. The main character in this story is an up and coming young executive – we’ll call her Sarah (not her real name). Sarah was a go getter, recognized by corporate leadership for her achievements, her performance and her potential. She was just 33 years old when she got her first chance to truly lead. She was named president of a small division within the large global corporation for which she worked. And boy was she ready – this was her chance to really prove herself.
This part of the business was new to her. But Sarah was a quick study and knew just what to do. She wasted no time evaluating the competitive landscape and identified some “quick hits” to gain market share. She worked hard developing plans, securing resources, contacting clients, and informing key stakeholders. She found places to cut costs, introduced efficiencies, and pushed ahead with some innovative product development. (more…)
Filed under: Employee Development, Employee Engagement, Employee Recognition, Employee Retention
According to recent research from Gallup, 70% of US workers say that their jobs are ideal. As you might expect, this percentage is higher for those with more education, those making more money, and for professionals (as opposed to service workers). The likelihood of having an ideal job also increases with age.
Gallup does not provide a historical comparison in the article posted on their website. But I have to believe this has increased – if not in the past few years, certainly when taking a longer term perspective. And on the eve of SIOP’s 25th anniversary, I like to believe that the contributions of Industrial and Organizational Psychologists have played a key part in this improvement in person-job fit.
- Accessibility of career decision tools and processes increase the chances that individuals have carefully chosen the their career path based on values, interests and abilities.
- Effective employee selection processes that include job analysis, valid testing and structured interviews increase the likelihood an employee will have the skills needed to be successful. (more…)
Filed under: Employee Development, Employee Engagement, Employee Recognition, Employee Retention, Uncategorized
The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Conference is taking place this weekend in Washington D.C. (if you are interested in attending there is still time to register). The conference will be a great place to network, learn and celebrate healthy, high-performing organizations.
Some of the key note speakers include:
- Nico Pronk, PhD, FACSM – Vice-President and Health Science Officer, JourneyWell, HealthPartners, an expert on worksite health promotion and multi-component interventions
- Benjamin Schneider, PhD – Senior Research Fellow, VALTERA, an expert on employee engagement
- Cali Williams Yost – CEO and Founder of Work+Life Fit, Inc. and author of Work+Life: Finding the Fit That’s Right for You, an expert in work flexibility and work-life issues
- Rich Cober, PhD – Senior Director of Talent Management Analytics & Solutions, Marriott International, an expert on employee assessment and selection, performance management and hiring effectiveness
- Fran Melmed – Owner, context communication consulting llc, an HR communication consultant and blogger at free-range communication and Fistful of Talent.
- Roy Saunderson, MA, CRP – President, Recognition Management Institute, an authority on employee recognition
- Judy Martin – Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist, speaker and founder of WorkLifeNation.com
- Howard Ross – Founder and Chief Learning Officer, Cook Ross, Inc., an internationally recognized speaker on diversity, leadership and organizational change
- Tonya Vyhlidal, M.Ed., CHPD – Director of Wellness, Safety, and Life Enhancement, Lincoln Industries, an experienced health and wellness professional with a track record of success
- David C. Munz, PhD – Professor of Psychology, Saint Louis University, a recognized expert on organizationally-based stress management training
- Michelle James, MBA – Health Communication Manager, Intel Corporation, an experienced communications professional with expertise in wellness program development and health promotion
- Matthew J. Grawitch, PhD – Chair of the Organizational Studies Program in the School for Professional Studies at Saint Louis University, an expert on healthy workplace practices
For more information please visit: http://www.phwa.org/conference
Have you ever heard the saying “our employees are our greatest asset?”
Of course you have. The saying is so ubiquitous, you’d have to be pretty sheltered to have never heard this. In fact, it’s hard to find a corporate website that doesn’t include something declaring the importance of people to their business. “Employees are our greatest asset” is frequently followed by clarifying statements, such as
- “Our ability to deliver on our strategy is dependent upon our employees — they are our single greatest asset.”
- “Our business success depends on the quality of our employees.”
- “Our employees are our greatest asset and key to our continuing success.”
So … do you believe it? (more…)
