Productivity Hacks

Social Collaboration or Using Yammer to communicate & collaborate on projects.

Yammer which started in September 2008 as a microblogging service has blossomed into a fully fledged private social network. With Yammer, your employees will be able to collaborate on projects across the world with real-time communication using file and imaging sharing, direct messaging, and mobile applications. Yammer, while similar to Twitter and Facebook, is much safer and more secure. It can only be accessed by people within your organization that has a valid company email address.

Yammer enables users to communicate, collaborate, and share information quicker and easier than ever before. By using this system, the need for meetings will be reduced while communication throughout you company will be increased. This system has the ability to connect remote workers with other workers in your company. By connecting workers from around the globe, your employees will have access to areas of expertise which they normally would not have.

It has been shown that the use of Yammer within organizations has decreased the amount of corporate emails by one-third. Employee engagement has also been shown to increase when using Yammer. Another benefit is that in several companies employee turnover has dropped from twenty percent to two percent. Lastly, it has been shown that by increasing employee engagement, employees will take ownership in your company.

There are tools for your IT department including Directory Integration which enables you to control certain aspects of your Yammer application. With the use of Single Sign-Ons, you will be able to have more control of your Yammer network. Yammer also uses several key features including:

• Enterprise Microblogging – Employees can start a conversation thread, read posts, and actively communicate and work with their coworkers in real-time. Feeds can be displayed in either chronological order or by threads making it easy to quickly find the information that you are looking for.
• Profiles – Employees can upload a picture of themselves and enter their expertise and past work history along with contact information, which will help your employees find the help they need quickly and accurately.
• Groups – You will be able to create public and private groups within your organization. By using groups, you will be able to collaborate in small teams among your network.
• Direct Messaging – With direct messaging you can create private messages with one or multiple co-workers in real-time.
• Files, Links, and Image Sharing – By utilizing Yammer’s file sharing you can upload and share documents with your co-workers, groups, or your entire company making it easy to collaborate on several different projects at the same time.
• Communities – With Yammer you can work with people who are outside your network to complete projects.
• Company Directory – By using Yammer’s company directory feature, employees will be able to locate and connect with other employees among your organization.
• Knowledge Base – All conversations are archived and searchable making it easy to find what you need within your company’s knowledge base with a few clicks of your mouse.
• Administrative Tools – With Yammer’s administrative tools, you will be able to keep your network running efficiently using a suite of administrative features that are designed to increase your control of Yammer in your company.
• Security – With Yammer, security is a top priority. You can rest assured that you can message privately and securely across your network.
• Topics – With the ability to tag content and messages using Yammer’s easy tagging system, you can organize and discover messages quickly.
• Applications – With Yammer you can install third-party applications to help increase the functionality of your network.
• Mobile – You can download free iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile applications so you can connect to your network from any location.

Considering that there are over one million users spanning eighty thousand different organizations using Yammer; one can ascertain that it is a worthwhile social network endeavor. In addition to the millions of users, according to TechCrunch, eighty percent of the Fortune 500 companies are currently using Yammer to increase their communications. In the field of technology, clients include LG Electronics, AMD, and Corel. Internet businesses include Edmunds, PayPal, and Yahoo. Professional services that use Yammer include Adecco, Kinetic Worldwide, and the TNS Group. Mercedes-Benz, Honeywell, and Anheuser Busch use the services for their manufacturing facilities. In the healthcare industry, clients include Astra Zeneca, IPC, and United Therapeutics. Educational businesses include East Carolina University, the Smithsonian Institute, and Stanford Student Enterprises. Government and non-profit organizations which use Yammer include AARP, the European Commission, and UNICEF.

As you can see from the above listed of industries, Yammer can be used by any company that wishes to improve communication within their company infrastructure. The basic version of Yammer is free and the premium version is only $5.00 per user/ month. Volume discounts are available for larger companies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions.

By using company email addresses, Yammer creates a safe, secure platform for you and your employees; however, one thing to consider before integrating Yammer into your company is updating your email address book. All duplicate contacts should be removed. Doing this will ensure the efficiency of the application and help to account for team members who may only be cursory and just need periodic email updates.

In keeping with services such as Yammer, our next article covers “Consolidating Your Online Work and Increase Productivity with Gist” .

A.D.D. : Assess Decide Do – A New Life Management System

Everyone likes to feel as if they have a great method for getting things done. But face it, there isn’t one right way to be productive. I recently came across a new method for keeping myself on track – A.D.D. (or Assess Decide Do). This life management system is the framework that I have come to live by. It’s easy to remember and it’s a basic guide to my entire life. It’s not a step by step process, not a computer program, not a to-do list. It is simply the guideline by which I live and work.

This system, which I’ve used now for several months, has made me conscious of the three steps, and which one I am currently using. I am, at any given moment, either assessing, deciding, or doing. Sounds pretty simple, right? It is. I am simply assessing my options, deciding on what I need or want to do, and then actually carrying out my decision. No matter what I am doing in life, I am always in one of these three stages. Now you might ask, no matter what? Think about it, you are always in some mode of thought or action (unless you are sleeping, which now that I think of it, is the doing stage).

These stages are in a delicate balanced cycle. If this balance is upset, then my life is not going as smoothly as it should. For example, if I stay too long assessing my options, I may not stay as focused as I should. If I take too long or too short to decide, I may not pick the right option and then change the outcome. If I take too long or too short doing, I could negate all of my earlier planning.

A.D.D., like any life management system, needs to have two clear goals: to identify which stage you are in, and to make a smooth transition between stages. And although this plan sounds incredibly easy, it actually takes some discipline and practice to keep the balance equal between stages. To understand this better, I will briefly discuss each stage and its function.

Assess

Before I implemented A.D.D., I felt like if I had a list, I had to add everything on it. That’s what a list is for, right? Sort of. I have found that I need to assess all the options out there for me, and interpret all the data around me to keep this stage in balance with the rest. There are many things that need to be assessed: personal values, short or long-term benefits, opportunity, availability, possible bad outcomes, etc. The list goes on and on. While all of these things are going around in my mind, I am in the assessment stage.

Where does it all end? At the point where I can’t add any more information it is time to move on to the decision stage.

Decide

This stage could not be any more clear-cut for me. There are only just two ways it could go: yes or no (or do it or don’t do it). I move on to the Doing stage if I have decided to do it. If I have decided not to do it, I get rid of it. In order to get rid of something, I decide if I will want to re-assess it later, or just trash the idea altogether. Either way, it is gone from my immediate future.

Sometimes I find that I have enough information to make my decisions, but I hold out for weeks or months to actually decide. This is especially true for really big life decisions. For the most part, though, I make my decisions quickly so I can move on to the next stage.

Do

Now is the time that I drag out my to-do list. I have already made sure it was worthy of doing, and now all I have to do is to put it on the list and schedule it, and then finally, do it. Once I’ve finished the task or project, I go right back to assessing, which closes the circle and starts the cycle over again. I find that when I successfully go through all of these stages, I am more balanced as a person, and I actually feel better about myself.

Potential Problems

Like many things in life, this life management program has a few pitfalls to watch out for. One common imbalance is the over crunching stage. If I stay too long in assessing, I find myself crunching the data over and over, never moving on to the next stage. Not all the information is always useful. I keep hoping that the data I am gathering will be useful to me in some way later on. Avoid this at all costs to avoid an imbalance! When I find that I am over-analyzing, I know I need to step away from the information I am assessing and give it a reality check.

Another problem I ran into was that I would make a decision that I wanted to do something, but never took the steps to get there. “I want a new car.” Great goal, but from there what did I do, nothing! I have to make sure that I move from this decision stage to the actual doing stage. It could be a fear of failure, embarrassment, or some other excuse. I have to see those excuses for what they are and just do it!

I am a bit compulsive about getting things off of my list. I think I may be addicted to the feeling I get when I cross something out. I found that this desire to get things done stood in the way of me making accurate assessments and proper decisions. Once I learned to slow down and go through all the steps, I was able to avoid this junkie-like syndrome, and in the end, my to-do items were more important and meaningful.

Has this framework helped me? Absolutely. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with all of my options, I feel now like there is a clear path to actually making a decision and getting things done. I feel less flustered, and my to-do list no longer reads like a laundry list of all things wrong in the world. I am more productive, and more importantly, I feel better about what I am doing.

A.D.D. is an excellent tool for yourself but what if you are collaborating with others? Yammer, a social collaboration tool for communication on projects versus using email lists.

A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D. A.D.D.

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.

Can social media be beneficial to your business?

A big controversy today exists on the matter of whether or not social media in the workplace is beneficial or a productivity killer. Pros and cons of each side make a consensus difficult to reach. Some firms view the accessing of social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook during work hours as an attack on productivity. Although employees may be blocked from sites on their work computers, any smart phone still offers easy access. Communicating with business contacts and peers is often considered a productive networking tool. So where do businesses draw the line?

How does social media traffic impact business efficiency? How much time are younger generation employees spending on Facebook? It is technologically feasible to block access to a website that is a productivity problem, but is it necessary? One approach is to view social media sites as a communication tool and determine which groups of people in a business need access to it. For those who need unrestricted access to potential clients or are tasked to improve operations, the resources offered through these sites are critical.

One extreme or the other does not seem to be the answer. For employees who are not executing their job and are incapable of limiting their time on social media sites, global blocking is an option to consider versus terminating these people who do not seem to be able to self-police their own impulses. However, global blocking is impractical in that this easy way out does not solve the underlying problem. Lack of trust has a huge impact on employee satisfaction in the workplace as well as recruiting and retention efforts.

Consider these following solutions when social media in the workplace starts to be an issue:

1) Time Restrictions – Restrict the time that these sites can be accessed to a certain window each day. For example, pick a two hour window around the lunch hour. The time restriction shows employees that the activity is not necessarily supported during business hours but the company realizes that employees need access.

2) Group Restrictions – Restrict the groups that are allowed access to these sites. Have different access permissions based on the different roles of the employees in the business. If a group has not been granted access and feels that it is needed, have them submit a proposal outlining the reasons why.

3) Identify Abusers – Have your employees sign a policy that outlines their code of conduct concerning online activities. Then use the proxy servers to isolate the top users of certain sites to see if they are abusing their privileges.

4) Review Websites – Review the different social media sites to determine their intended purpose. Obviously Facebook and LinkedIn are different sites and offer distinct advantages and disadvantages.

5) Clarify Expectations – Spell out what you require from your employees. Let them know your productivity milestones so they are able to reach them. Use policies to explain how certain sites are to be used in the workplace.

There is a huge benefit to using social media sites but it is important that balance is maintained. Employees need to understand the value of personal productivity and develop a strong work ethic. Generally removing temptation or micromanaging behavior does not solve the problems as inherently employees will find another way to goof off or access these sites. In certain cases, the implementation of selective blocking may be necessary but this is where the above solutions come into play, such as time and group restrictions. It is also important to keep in mind that websites constantly evolve based on the needs of the user and the environment of the Internet. A site that may seem unnecessary at the time might offer a new opportunity in the future.

Next in line for Social Media in the Workplace: “Workplace Policies on Social Media”