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 25^th 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.
• Widespread implementation of employee engagement programs have helped employers remove common barriers to success on the job.
• Recognition of the negative impact of stress, incivility, and discrimination on organizational performance has led to a focus on eliminating these from the workforce.
• Research on the importance of performance feedback has improved the ways in which managers provide feedback to their employees.
• Better processes for talent identification and leadership development have helped organizations better recognize individual potential and support employee growth in the workplace.

There’s still work to be done.  The differences that Gallup found between ethnic groups, income, and education levels make it clear that not all employees are benefiting equally from advances in the workplace.  Yet we’ve come a long way since the days of Taylorism and Scientific Management.  What will we accomplish in the next 25 years?

Anna Erickson Ph. D. | Director, Consulting Services

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

In fact, we often find ourselves “looking up” for guidance…especially to the most highly respected companies that seem to outperform all others, year-after-year.  Yes, we want to know who’s on top but we REALLY want to know why.  We want to know what companies that are succeeding in today’s new economy have done in the recent past to maintain their top position.  We also want to know what they are planning to do in the near future.

Questar took a look at what their clients did over the last several years.  We found that those clients that fit into the category of top companies (market leaders, or runner up position in their industry), had not abandoned their leadership and talent development efforts in favor of short-term pressures.  While spending in 2009 was down 20% across the board, at no point did the discussion of organizational development ever fall off the table.  What we saw was that top companies remained steadfast in their focus of developing talent, in part to retain them but mostly because it was simply a part of their organizational DNA.

Of course, we also saw some top companies postpone their spending on talent development over the past year and a half.  But based on what we are hearing today, this delay was only temporary.  The pent up demand for talent development or/and employee engagement programs is surging ahead now more than we have seen in the last five years.  There is clear a sense of urgency.  Top companies are anxious to regain their position of support for their workforce and moving forward with talent development and employee engagement programs this year.

At Questar we are looking up.  We are watching what the top companies are doing to remain on top.  And we are hopeful of better days ahead, soon.

John Steinlicht | V.P.  Global  Sales  Manager

In order to participate or learn more visit Asia Society’s 2010 Asian Pacific Americans Corporate Survey | Asia Society

A good friend of mine is cleaning out her office this week. You guessed it; yet another victim of recession induced cost cutting measures. But no – (thankfully) she hasn’t lost her job. Just her space.

Late last year her employer evaluated every job in the company to identify who truly needed and who did not need a desk in company-owned buildings. By reallocating unnecessary workspace, the company will save millions by leasing out the newly available office space. As a knowledge worker and manager, it was determined that my friend no longer needed a company-supplied office. So although she lives just 2½ miles from the corporate headquarters, she will be working from home on a full-time basis. ..(more)

I am a huge believer in helping senior leaders better understand what happens on the front line – especially by getting them out on the front line.  We often hear from survey participants that company leadership doesn’t understand what goes on in the field.  Expectations are unrealistic, employees don’t have the tools they need to do their jobs, rules are put in place that simply don’t make sense to the people who have to live by them.  So I suspect many of the millions of viewers have themselves wished to see their executives try to do their job.

In the first episode, Waste Management’s COO Larry O’Donnell went undercover to ride in a garbage truck, sort recyclables, pick up trash, and empty toilets.  He learned first hand how decisions in the C-suite impact employees on the front lines.  And he implemented several changes based on what he saw.

But as I watched the show, I couldn’t help wondering “Does Waste Management survey their employees?  Do they have a systematic process in place to measure employee engagement?”  (Our research shows that only about 1/3 of all employers do.)  While the lessons Mr. O’Donnell learned undercover were valuable, there was no way to know how widespread the issues were.  And although the decisions he made will, no doubt, have a positive impact on the employees he met, they may not have been the most impactful to the other 45,000+ employees who work for the company.

Still, I suppose an undercover executive makes for better TV than what I do for a living.  And I’m thinking I’ll need to tune in again to find out what happens at Hooters!

Anna Erickson Ph. D. | Director, Consulting Services

At Questar, we measure the customer experience.  We help our clients deliver a consistent, superior experience for their customers, because consistent, superior experiences breed customer loyalty.  And loyalty equates to sales growth.

It’s what we do.

In our industry, customers are typically invited to provide feedback through transaction-based invitations, meaning that you purchase a good or service and then the invitation is printed on your receipt or emailed to you as a follow up.  When customers participate in the survey they’re asked to rate the recent experience across all critical touch points, such as: greeting at the door, friendliness of cashier, wait time in line, etc.

The two critical bits of information here are: transaction-based and critical touch points.

So…let’s get to my recent experiences.  One is an experience I actually had and one is the experience of a good friend—let’s call him Mike.  Mike recently purchased a Blu-ray player and some necessary components from a large retailer.  And he received a survey invitation on his receipt as part of the transaction.  But after he set up the player, he realized that one of components was the wrong part.  When he went to exchange the component the retailer would only provide him store credit because the box had been opened, even though they didn’t carry the right component.  Even after he got the manager involved.

And the component cost $80!

When I asked Mike if he’d shop again at the retailer, he simply answered: no way in…(insert your own expletive).  Needless to say, he didn’t get a survey invitation as part of his return experience.

Now, contrast that with my recent experience at a national retailer.  I went to return a mechanical stuffed animal that didn’t work properly.  It was raining out—yes, it was raining in Minnesota in January!  On the way into the retailer I fumbled the animal and it fell into a small puddle.  My first thought: I’m stuck now with this $25 defunct mechanical animal.  But guess what?  The retailer took it back.

And they gave me cash.

Would I shop again at the retailer?  My answer: a resounding yes!  But…I still didn’t get a survey invitation as part of my return experience.  I didn’t get to tell them how impressed I was with the service.

Remember those two critical bits of information I mentioned earlier?  As I was thinking about these two experiences, I was reminded that every customer interaction, every customer touch point, matters.  And if, for some reason, you’re only measuring the customer experience through transaction-based invitations you’re missing important pieces to the customer experience puzzle.

The moral of the story as I see it: Mike’s purchase went well.  It was a superior customer experience.  But he isn’t coming back.  So if you’re not measuring every customer touch point, then how can you be certain you’re delivering a consistent, superior experience?  How can you be certain you’re maximizing customer loyalty and, in turn, sales growth?

You can’t.

As you might have noticed—and maybe not—we have our very first poll live on the Questar home page.  We’re interested in what you think.  Click here to tell us if return policies impact your shopping decisions: www.questarweb.com

– Joseph Stanton, VP Business and Product Development

As always, the companies on this list do some really incredible things to demonstrate their commitment to employees.  In exchange, these companies hope to gain commitment from their current employees and build better applicant pools from which to select future employees.  Top of the list this year is SAS.  As a researcher, I/O psychologist, and all American data nerd, this is great news.  SAS will always have a special place in my heart.

Reading about the employee programs that these companies have in place can be both inspiring and intimidating.  It’s clear that many of the perks offered by the top employers represent a substantial financial investment.  Take SAS for example and its 66,000-square-foot fitness center and natatorium, onsite and subsidized child care and health care facilities, beauty salon, massages, dry cleaning, car detailing, UPS depot, tax preparation, and even a cafeteria that offers take out on your way home from work.

Yet you don’t need to spend a fortune to engage your workforce.  I have seen many organizations offer outstanding work benefits on a shoestring.  Here are a few ideas:

• Trusting employees doesn’t cost a thing – in terms of dollars.  Building additional flexibility into the work environment can be accomplished with little or no investment.  For example, eliminating limits on sick time, letting employees choose when and where they work all help to build trust and accountability in the workplace.

• Giving employees a greater voice – in big and small ways – creates ownership in the company.  Most companies have budgets for employee events/parties, facilities maintenance and repair.  Rather than planning these things for employees, companies can create employee committees, give them a budget, and let them plan the year’s social events.  I’ve even seen companies empower workgroups to design their own workspace within the budget provided.

• Recognizing and embracing life outside of work can help reduce the conflict employees may feel between work and non-work demands.  I’ve seen employers welcome pets and children into the work place; include families and life partners in company sponsored charitable work, recognition banquets or team building events; and stage company related activities for “bring you child to work day.”

• Bringing toys to the workplace adds character to the work environment and fosters creativity.  In this case, I don’t mean toys for the children you welcomed in the bullet above, but for the employees.  Adding a pool table, basketball hoop, jigsaw puzzles, or walking trails provides a great source for stress relief, camaraderie, and teambuilding.

• Employee wellness programs are another way employers are building camaraderie, while improving employee health and well being.  Many employees enjoy the competitive spirit of wellness related competitions that award points for exercise, healthy eating, weight loss, smoking cessation, etc.

Here’s the catch –  making sure managers buy into the benefits of these programs can be the most important – but most challenging factor.  Perks that employees don’t feel comfortable taking don’t add any benefit.  I know one small business owner who would roll the balls on a newly purchased pool table each time he walked by it.  He needed the employees to understand that the sound of clanking balls was to be a normal part of the work environment and that they should not be afraid to use it.

Anna Erickson Ph. D. | Director, Consulting Services

The Babies At Work program at Clockwork Active Media Systems is a formal policy allowing parents to keep their babies with them – in their workspace – while they work. Clockwork has implemented the policy with resounding success and if you believe it’s a program just for working moms, think again. Click on the link below to read the full article.

http://www.phwa.org/resources/goodcompany/newsletter/article/150

Anna Erickson Ph. D. | Director, Consulting Services

Every year begins with such promise for new ideas and new ideals, a new way of life we fondly refer to as New Year’s Resolutions (So what’s yours this year?  Mine: lose ten pounds, what else?)  And every year ends with fads…most of them being that year’s resolutions; sorry to burst your bubble so soon.  But some fads do go on to become trends.  Some of them stand the test of time.  Think iPod and YouTube in 2006; Facebook and Poker in 2007; Wii and Obama for President in 2008.

So I thought it fitting, this being my first blog of 2010, that I take a stroll back through the past twelve months—as painful as that might be…and I’m not even talking about the economy.  Take a look at these 2009 fads (in no particular order) I collected from various websites:

• Fitness boot camps
• Energy drinks—Mother, Nerd, Red Bull, Edge, Jolt, Rockstar, and on and on…
• Wearing a blue tooth headset in public
• Vampires—Twilight, no need to say more
• Snuggies—isn’t it just a backwards robe?
• Skinny jeans
• Uggs
• Apps
• The phrase “no worries”—this one baffles me, so I made it the title
• Celebrity affairs—since when does Tom Brokaw follow gossip stories?  Since Tiger Woods, duh
• Tweeting

So which of these will stand the test of time?  That’s debatable, for sure.  But it’s the last one on the list that caught my eye the most: tweeting.  Nowadays, it seems everyone is tweeting.  Took a nap today…tweet it.  Not happy about the food at training camp…tweet it.  Liked Avatar…tweet it.  Didn’t like the service you received…tweet it.

Just tweet it.  Maybe that will be on the 2010 list.

It sounds a little silly, I know.  But I read an article the other day suggesting that there’s a relationship between the number of tweets and box-office receipts, such that more tweets equals higher sales.  Another blog I read offered up a unique alternative to calling customer service: just tweet your complaint and let them come to you.  Comcast, JetBlue, Bank of America and UPS will, for starters.

So what does this mean?

It means a profound shift in how companies conduct market research and track brand perception.  It means a heightened focus on actively managing the customer experience.  It means a whole new dimension of customer service.  It means the rise of the customer, really, because now—more than ever—they have the power, they have an audience of millions who are waiting to hear what they have to say… tweet, that is.

Then again, is tweeting a fleeting fad or an emerging trend?

But can companies really sit around and wait to see?

Well, no worries.  They’ve probably already got an app for that…seriously.

– Joseph Stanton, VP Business and Product Development