Productivity Hacks

Tips for Employee Retention & Increasing Productivity

The task of employee retention is one of the many problems that people face as business owners and managers. If you are good to your employees, you will find yourself having a stronger business than your competitors. The health care industry, for example, loses 1 out of every 5 employees each year. Allowing for your employees to leave your company is not only a financial burden, but it hurts the morale of the remaining workers you are leading.

Financially, losing an employee does not work out to one’s benefit. There are a few costs associated with employee loss that most management does not think about. The first unexpected cost is the cost of the company while there isn’t a person in that position. Assuming that this was a necessary position, it is going to cost cash if there is no one there to operate it. In some cases the other employees will need to be paid overtime. Secondly, there is the cost of advertising for the replacement. Assuming that this isn’t a ‘help wanted sign in the window’ type of job, money will have to be invested to find a new worker. Finally, there is the cost of training your new worker. Training is not typically a cheap endeavor. These, along with some miscellaneous other costs, are all things that can be avoided if the originally hired employees are retained.

Even with the twenty tips for employee retention highlighted below, there are some circumstances that are not avoidable. Occasionally the retention of your employee is out of your control. It may be a life emergency, or a planned change, but whatever the reason you need to accept that some things cannot be changed. However, for the situations that you have control over, here are a twenty tips on how to keep the employees you hired.

• People need reliable equipment– It’s nearly impossible to work to your full potential if you have to constantly worry about the computer you are working on crashing, or the air conditioner in the office going out. As a manager it is your duty to make sure that your employees have the necessary supplies to get their jobs done.
• An orientation program is a must-Making sure that your staff is familiar with the different departments is something that is often overlooked. Assign your newbie a mentor that they will feel comfortable with. Starting your employee out knowing the basics will ensure that they will not be blindsided by something in the future.
• Promote knowledge in the workplace-Always allow for an opportunity to learn. There are many programs that someone can take to better their knowledge on a specific subject. Encourage your employees to broaden their skills, and make such programs an option for them.
• Keep the tasks fresh-Make sure that your employee knows that they are needed in more than one area. Assign them tasks that differ from their mundane daily assignments.
• Allow for some down time-Even though your main priority is work, it’s important to remember that you need to make room for some fun. Allow for office birthday or holiday parties. Keeping the spirits up in your office will benefit you in the long run.
• Encourage teamwork– Encouraging teamwork will not only increase your productivity, but it will create a better working atmosphere. A great way to do this is to involve your employees in the office decision making process.
• Assign someone the job– Make it someone’s job to keep that turnover rate low. When you have someone paying specific attention to it, it is easier to find where the underlying problems are.
• Allow for promotions– Having advancement opportunities will ensure that your employees will have something to work for. Not all people are motivated by money, some need the incentive of a promotion to put in 100%.
• Make sure your frontline workers are well trained– If the people who are watching over the employees don’t have effective management skills bad things may arise. By making sure that your management team is well-trained you will be able to avoid unnecessary issues.
• Do not be stingy– If your pay is not competitive, then there is always the chance your employees will leave to find a company who compensates correctly. Be sure to know what the going rate for the business you are in is.
• Don’t forget about benefits– You won’t always be able to out pay your competitors, but you can tack on some nice benefits to the job. Benefits are almost always looked at by employees, and they make a job seem much more doable.
• Don’t be vague– If you start out by clearly identifying responsibilities you will not leave much room for error. Setting out the roles and duties will help them to know what is expected of them.
• Offer bonuses– Most companies offer a sign on bonus, however offering a retention bonus is a bit wiser. Offer bonuses for 5,10, and 15 years!
• Ask your employees– By conducting employee satisfaction surveys you will be able to see how they feel about the company. Sometimes it’s even better to make the surveys anonymous.
• Promote efficiency– Try not to have your employees spending their days filling out needless paperwork. While some paperwork is necessary, filling out paperwork that is tedious and mindless will enable your workers to lose motivation.
• Mission statements are your friends-Writing down a small statement of goals for your employees will allow them to see the bigger picture. Having a mission statement encourages teamwork and efficiency.
• Be open– Employees like to know what is going on with their company. By having some of the companies issues out on the table the employees will feel as if they are a part of a team.
• Flexibility is appreciated– So often employers think that their issues are more important than the ones of their staff. As a manager you need to remember that emergencies do happen, and you need to be flexible when they arise.
• Get help when needed– Hiring assistants and aides to help your employees get their work done is not a bad idea. If an employee can get a little assistance they are less likely to get overwhelmed.
• Show your appreciation– Working in an atmosphere where you feel appreciated is typically on the top of most job seekers lists. That is why it is imperative to always show your employees how much they are valued. You can do this by bonuses, incentives, or even a simple thank you card.

ROWE Results-Only Work Environment

Common Objections

We’ve heard all the arguments against a Results-Only Work Environment, or ROWE, the most common being, “This isn’t anything new”; however, we question if any business has taken it as far as we have. There is always someone at some level who doesn’t get to work in a ROWE, or even if an organization is results-oriented, there aren’t many that are results-ONLY. We think the reason for this is because they would rather not deal with the idea of a ROWE at all.

It’s the same with people who say, “Yeah, but that would never work at my company.” A ROWE takes people out of their comfort zones, so many would rather shoot down the entire idea rather than put themselves through the possible pain of having to examine their beliefs.

If one is talking to someone (perhaps a manager) about a Results-Only Work Environment, and they start to object, here are some counterpoints to help overcome the objections that may arise. If there are any objections to a ROWE that we may have missed, please do not hesitate to send us an email and let us know the objection and how to overcome the same.

Employer Specific Objections

● “People will take advantage and slack off.”

Although a manager may not realize it, many employees are taking advantage and slacking off at this very moment. The reason one cannot tell is because the company is measuring them with a combination of results and time. In a ROWE, if the employer does not get results or outcomes required, then the employee is fired. Meanwhile, the productive employees work even harder to achieve the desired results and outcomes because they are being rewarded with control over their time.

● “How can you ever reach anybody if they’re not in the office?”

People are more accessible now more than ever with cell phones, laptops and tablet PC’s. In other words, the days of needing a phone plugged into a wall in order to do business are a thing of the past. In a ROWE, when it is necessary to reach an employee, one may reach him or her on a cell phone, through email and/or instant messaging. Another thought: when one is clear about timetables, outcomes and expectations, a lot of those spontaneous requests dry up. It is possible to start to anticipate those questions; one can plan better and therefore have fewer emergencies. Generally, one would not casually stop by someone’s office and interrupt his or her work to get the answer to one question. Instead, one would attempt to answer the question through other means, or simply send a short email to the employee.

● “This will work for some people, but not everyone. Some people simply need more supervision.”

Employees do not need supervision; instead, they need a clear idea of the expectations being placed upon them and the desired outcomes. If one were to call the local deli and ask them to deliver a delicious turkey sandwich in the next half hour, one doesn’t need to go personally to the deli to supervise the making of the sandwich, and then follow the delivery person back to the office. One trusts that the deli is going to deliver on expectations, and if they do not deliver a delicious turkey sandwich in a half hour, then one is faced with two choices: complain and hope that service improves or switch to a deli with better service.

● “How will we know if work is getting done if we can’t see people?”

How do managers know currently? In today’s economy, people work with information talking on the phone, typing on computers. When a supervisor or manager walks by a row of cubicles, he or she does not know for a fact that employees are actually working, or if they just look busy. In a ROWE, managers know the work is getting done because they have been crystal clear about goals and expectations. If employees do not deliver the work, the manager knows immediately, and can act accordingly.

● “Relationships are so important. What will happen to relationships?”

Relationships are important, and most assuredly will be fine. We assume that we’re improving relationships with employees and staff because we’re all in the same building together; however, being together doesn’t necessarily guarantee that people are connecting. In a ROWE, people work on their relationships with more purpose because one cannot assume other employees will be around, and they make career development, mentoring and coaching a part of the results to be delivered.

● “How can you schedule meetings if you don’t know when people are working?”

In a ROWE, managers can no longer casually schedule a meeting; however, managers do not schedule meetings based around time; they schedule meetings based on outcome. If the outcome requires that people attend, then they will attend. If they don’t need to be there in person, they can send a representative, or they can provide the information they’re supposed to deliver ahead of time.

● “How will we know if people are putting in 40 hours (or the specified number of hours I want)?”

An employer won’t know because it doesn’t matter. In a ROWE, employees’ performance is based on results. Managers tell them what they are expected to do, and they either deliver or they don’t. Time is not a factor, and, thus, employees begin performing rather than putting in time.

● “What about teams?”

Teams are generally considered overrated. In a ROWE, employees and management stop teaming simply because they feel obligated to team; they team up because the outcome requires it. In fact, teams get much stronger in a ROWE because there is natural cross training; when one cannot assume that others are going to be in the office, teammates make sure they can support each other in an emergency.

● “What if everyone decides not to work at the same time?”

That depends. Does the job require that people work at the same time? If the outcome doesn’t demand that everyone works at the same time, then the answer to that question is “That’s fine.” However, if the job requires certain employees be together or coordinate their effort, then the answer to that question is “that’s what they will do.” A ROWE gives employees power over how they work and when they work, but they still have to work, and they are still responsible for serving the customer, whether that customer is internal or external. That sense of responsibility-coupled with the power to meet those responsibilities however they see fit-actually breeds higher performance. Employees generally don’t think about blowing off work in a ROWE.

Employee Specific Objections

● “If there’s no line between work and life, how will I keep from overworking?”

There is no line between work and life because you have control over both work and life, so one doesn’t overwork because there is no incentive to overwork. As an employee, one is not getting rewarded for putting in more hours. He or she is no longer a hero for pulling an all-nighter, being the first one through the door in the morning or working on the weekend. Employees are only rewarded for delivering results, and once they have delivered those results, they stop working and do something else.

● “How can you advance your career if no one sees you working?”

This sounds like the kind of worry that keeps people from participating in current flexible work arrangements because of the fear that if we’re not putting in enough “face time” then we won’t get credit for the work. First, a ROWE doesn’t mean that no one ever sees anyone ever again, or that everyone works at home, so people will see the work being put in; moreover, and more importantly, an employee will be measured more for actual performance than perceived performance. If an employee is given a goal and the goal is met, then that is what will advance that employee’s career; one gets ahead through actual achievement.

● “A manager needs to be there for their people.”

We appreciate that a lot of managers genuinely care about their employees, and we also suspect that there are managers out there who have built their identity on showing that they care. “I need to be there for my people, ” they say, “my people count on me.” However, one must realize there is more to being there for someone than physical availability. A manager can still be there for employees by giving them clear goals and expectations, coaching their development and removing obstacles that fall in their path. Perhaps the best way to be there for them is to leave them alone and trust them to do their job.

● “What if I get stuck with more work than anybody else?”

Many feel isolated and unsupported at work as they look around and see that some that do not produce get paid more than those who do produce, and therefore spend a lot of time feeling like victims. On the practical side, a ROWE gives employees the right to question the work they are doing. If a manager sets unrealistic expectations, or piles on too much work, that isn’t good for anyone, and in a ROWE it’s the employee’s job to stand up for what best serves the business. On the emotional side, one may find oneself not caring about other people’s level of work. Employees that perform enjoy freedom, and what others do or don’t do becomes their business.

● “How is the company going to really know what the results are supposed to be?”

We think this is the best question you can ask about ROWE, but it’s an even better question to ask in a traditional work environment. When companies plan or schedule, they base their assumptions on hours, but generally there is no discussion about outcomes. Part of the migration process involves an individual, team or organization finally asking what should be the obvious question: “what are we really trying to accomplish here?” Some jobs (making widgets) are easier to figure out than others (servicing customers), but in the end every job can be measured. Basing performance on these new, clearer measures is what leads to the impressive bottom line gains a ROWE creates.

● “Who’s going to answer the phone?”

The logistical aspect of this question has a thousand workarounds-voice-mail, call forwarding, spreading the task across a team of people-but the question behind this question speaks to people’s fears about letting go of control. We find that a lot of business leaders say they want innovation, leadership, and proactive participation from their people, but then they short themselves with too much worry over availability. They would rather have control over middling performance than set people free and let them achieve more.

● “If everyone becomes more efficient, are there going to be layoffs?”

We think that some people can sense the enormity of a ROWE and it scares them. People at all levels fear that they will find out the truth about their organization: that a team is bloated; that there are managers who have no business managing people. We say this isn’t really our problem. If an organization is bloated and top-heavy, over-staffed, under-trained or misguided, then it’s true that a ROWE could reveal those truths. But we would argue that you might know this already, and there isn’t any incentive for change. Why not get people in a job where they belong?

● “Isn’t it unprofessional to answer a customer’s question while you’re shopping?”

First of all, they don’t have to know unless one decides to tell them, and there is no reason one has to report to a customer where he or she is located. We call this “Sludge Anticipation”; one is concerned that people are going to judge because of the perception that an employee who is out shopping can’t also be working. If one answers the customer’s question in a professional manner, then the question of the employee’s location becomes a moot point because they don’t care; they want your help, not an update on your personal life.

● “What if you really need to reach somebody?”

People are more accessible now more than ever with cell phones, laptops and tablet PC’s. In other words, the days of needing a phone plugged into a wall in order to do business are a thing of the past. In a ROWE, when it is necessary to reach someone, it is possible to reach him or her on a cell phone, through email and/or instant messaging. One’s coworkers and colleagues are not there to be a search engine/file cabinet/dictionary. If it is a true emergency, then there is probably more than one person to get help from; and if there is only one person who can answer any question in an organization, then that is an organization problem, not the fault of the person who isn’t available.

● “Isn’t it just common courtesy to let people know where you are?”

We think it is common courtesy to respect people’s time and their personal choices about how they use that time. If the job is getting done, then there is no need to check in with one’s location.

● “If people don’t show up we have to worry about them.”

There are coworkers, not children. We worry about co-workers today because everyone is expected to show up at around the same time. In a ROWE, patterns are changing every day, so it’s impossible to know when to start worrying. There really isn’t a “normal” anymore; there’s no more “she should be here by now” or “he’s usually here by now.” That goes away.

● “What if somebody goes on vacation for a whole month? They don’t even have to tell us, right?”

A funny thing happens when we talk about a ROWE; we’ll say to people “You can do whatever you want when you want, as long as the work gets done” and it seems as though their brains get fried by the first part of that sentence and they don’t hear the “as long as the work gets done” part. If one goes on vacation for a whole month and is not there to deliver the desired outcomes, then he or she will be fired; but if one wants to be out of the state or out of the country for a month, and he or she can still meet the deliverables, then he or she does not have to justify his or her physical absence.

Creating a ROWE for your company may also help in “Retaining Your Employees and Increasing their Productivity “

Telecommuting: Keeping those offsite on target.

With the economy in the state is in today, telecommuting is fast becoming a popular alternative for employees. The question is how to keep these employees on task so that productivity is still achieved at a maximum level. Telecommuting offers flexibility which is highly desired by many employees; however, companies are sometimes hesitant to offer this opportunity due to bad experiences in the past with employees who did not pull their weight and were a drain on the company. Most remote workers understand the need to work harder than their counterparts on site and strive to make it happen.

Although there are many advantages in being an offsite employee, there are disadvantages too. Telecommuting employees are not able to participate in the water cooler conversations that happen on site. They do not get to develop strong personal relationships with their cubicle neighbors. They also tend to bear the brunt of blame when things go wrong. Looking deeper at these disadvantages; however, reveals that they might not be as negative as they seem. Water cooler is often centered on gossip, employees can still get to know their team without being in a cubicle next to them and people often try to find scapegoats wherever they can, regardless of where they are located.

Remote employees need to recognize that although a flexible schedule contributes to a better work and life balance, they need to be accountable, stay connected and communicate in ways that lets the office know what they are working on as well as establishing relationships with the teammates back at the office. Do not give off the appearance of a robot that sends emails and has an electronic voice. If you take the time to get to know the onsite employees at your company, you will be appreciated and accepted by them even if you are not physically with them all the time.

Consider these five tricks and tips to help you maintain those relationships and stay productive:

1. Track your work output – Let your manager or supervisor know what you work on every day. If it makes sense, keep your teammates up to date too. There are lots of resources on the Internet, including free online tools to keep track of work output.

2. Use Instant Messenger like it is your best friend – Most likely you are working near a computer with Internet accessibility. Utilize an IM program that allows you to send links, information or questions whenever you think of them. This makes you feel connected to those at the office and lets them know that you are actually working. The conversation that you have with IM is more fluid than simple emails.

3. Stick to a schedule – Although a flexible schedule is one of the desired outcomes for an offsite employee, having clear work hours is still a necessity. This makes you accessible to your teammates at the office so they know when to get a hold of you.

4. Set up weekly communications – If you are unable to make it to the office once a week due to distance, set up a weekly communication with key members of your team. Video chats or conference calls are important whether you perceive a need or not, so you can show off your personality and talk shop. You will find that there is always something to talk about even if you did not have a list of topics ready beforehand.

5. Make your voice heard – Just because you are not physically at the office does not mean you are not a vital part of the team. Make your voice a part of the conversation when emails are sent or during conference calls. This is an excellent way to digitally brainstorm with your fellow teammates and clarify what happens at the office when you are not there.

Keep these five tips in mind when working at a company that allows the flexibility of telecommuting. Get to know your fellow teammates, stay connected with management and communicate regularly on what you are doing to ensure that you stay accountable and visible from your office at home.

To help with the idea of productive telecommuting, why not check out our next article on the “Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), What it is and How it can Help Your Business.”

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Social Media, Policies and the Workplace.

It’s a simple fact of life that the vast majority of the employees in any business are also going to be users of various social media sites. As an owner or manager of a small business designing a correct set of policies for social media use is vital, not just for avoiding potential legal issues, but also for avoiding negative publicity and ensuring workplace productivity. This article will give you an overview of some of the risks, and approaches your company can take to mitigate them through intelligent policies, however it is not a comprehensive list and should not be taken as legal advice.

The first and most dangerous set of risks to the company are security risks. From an IT security point of view, every method of communicating with an employee directly is an avenue for compromising your network, and a potential means for sensitive data to leak out. In the worst case scenario this can result in your companies entire email system or knowledge base being made public, with catastrophic consequences. The second set of risks are legal, a careless statement by an employee from a work computer can create liability for libel, or under data protection laws if that employee has disclosed sensitive information. A company can also find itself at risk under copyright law, if an employee downloads a pirated piece of software, or shares music or video files. The third set of risks are public relations. Aside from the dangers of an employee complaining about the company they work for, there have been several cases where individuals complaining about a companies policies or actions on social media sites have been attacked by company employees, often resulting in negative national, or even international press coverage. One ill-judged post from an employee can blow up years of public relations work. The final risk is productivity, you’re paying employees to do a job, and unless they’re your social media manager, that job probably does not involve 2 hours a day of posting to Facebook. While productivity losses are unlikely to produce the same sort of crisis as the other 3 risks, a slack and unproductive atmosphere in a business can quickly become toxic for everyone involved.

As a result, many companies simply ban individuals from using social media sites during work hours, and install filtering software or editing firewall settings to block employees from using social media. While simple, this approach has its own drawbacks. First, this will create resentment, particularly amongst skilled employees who are used to independence of action, and capable of finding work elsewhere. Many managers will assume that if an employee is on Facebook or Twitter, they must be wasting hours of company time, however, it’s worth remembering that many people communicate with friends and family through short messages social media sites. A blanket ban is like banning people from making personal calls while on lunch or on break, it’s bound to create negativity amongst the workforce, and it gives the impression that management are either clueless or punitive. While it’s unlikely an employee will quit just because they can’t update their Facebook page, it could be the difference between an employee accepting an offer from another company and turning it down.

A better policy is a combination of monitoring and education. Speak to your IT department about monitoring employee Internet usage. Make sure your employees are aware that you’re going to be monitoring their Internet usage, and make sure they are educated about the need to maintain security, confidentiality and the correct public image while communicating on line. Set acceptable use guidelines covering both the time alloted to social media sites and in terms of content. As an example an employee should not be spending more time on line than they have for their breaks, nor should they be making any statements that harm the company’s interests. Make sure your employees are aware of the consequences for exposing the company to legal liability or compromising network security, and public image. Have a lawyer review your proposed policies to make sure they do not run afoul of any laws protecting certain sorts of employee communication. In particular many jurisdictions have labor laws protecting employees discussing their wages and terms of employment and whistleblower laws protecting employees who disclose criminal activity. Finally, make sure these policies are correctly and evenly enforced. While you will not completely mitigate the risks, you will have gone a long way to protecting yourself against the dangers posed by social media, while not denying yourself or your employees the opportunities for enhancing their jobs and furthering the interests of the company that social media provides.

Social Media is not the only workplace concern. “Telecommuting: Keeping Your Offsite Employees on Task”