Posts Tagged ‘Human Resources’
Getting employee feedback
Friday, July 9th, 2010
I was very excited when the opportunity came along to spearhead an employee feedback campaign. While some may view this additional responsibility as an unneeded burden, I view it as a true value-add. Too often, I see companies moving forward with little insight into their employee’s thoughts on the state of the company. To have a chance to gain meaningful feedback from our employees is a true gift.
There are several things I want to make sure we gain from this feedback. First, I really want to make sure that the questions we ask of employees are focused enough to target specific areas of improvement. However, I also want to make sure that our employees have the freedom to report what they truly feel needs to be changed or adjusted within the company. These may seem like opposing guidelines, but I think asking direct, yet open-ended questions will get us there.
Beyond that, I also feel there needs to be some sort of measuring process to the survey. It is important that once we know how our company should improve, we have a process to understand whether initiatives are improving or not. Although this may also contradict the direct questioning, I think we can combine a rating system with those questions to get a broad understanding and the direct reasoning behind that response.
With both directives, I feel it will also be absolutely imperative that employees feel that they can openly share information and communicate. To do this, I want the survey to be anonymous, however, this presents a problem. The easiest way for us to communicate with all employees is through email and it would be difficult to have employees email back an anonymous response. A physical survey or one online would be the next best option but there is no way to track whether all employees provided their feedback. There doesn’t seem to be a perfect solution, but I’ll find a way to navigate the best one available.
The final step in my plan is really the most important. Once I have the information, what will I do with it? How will I ensure that the responses lead to actual change? This requires buy-in from senior leadership, but it also requires that there be criteria for what will be worked on and what won’t be. Once we identify what needs to be worked on, we will have to set-up timelines and start moving forward with what the employees want to see happen at the company.
I truly believe that by opening up this sort of communication we will become a much stronger company. Has your company used this sort of feedback system? What has worked best for you on the giving or receiving end? What has worked best to implement actual change within the company? I would love to get your feedback and as always, please feel free to send me a private response at: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Tags: automotive, Automotive Advantage, car dealership, employee moral, employee retention, employees, Ewald, Human Resources, managers, Milwaukee, Oconomowoc
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The hurdles of being a manager
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Sometimes I’m just too nice. I mean, normally being nice is a great quality to have, I have found it to help me out in business tremendously. However, when it comes time to manage employees, being too nice can be detrimental.
Now, as a manager, I have it pretty easy, I have little to complain about. I have been lucky enough to manage a great group of people. The main issue I run into is getting people to find stuff to do with their time. It is great when I give a task to an employee and they complete it just as I asked. However, if this leaves them extra time in their day and they decide to text or play on Facebook instead of working, this does not help me out. I want to be able to motivate my employees to find the next thing that needs to be accomplished and to start working on it.
Of course, this is a pretty good problem to have. In the past I have had employees that didn’t even get their assigned tasks completed. When an employee fails to follow simple instructions, I am left with little choice but to micro-manage and I HATE to micro-manage. I guess I do not understand what is so difficult about listening and completing the assignment as instructed.
However, these days are hopefully behind me now. What I really want to figure out is how to get employees to reach their potential. As I said before, it is great that you do your tasks just as you’re supposed to, but I am often left knowing that the employee can do so much more. The real trick I want to find though is how to get them to that next level themselves, instead of pushing them to go there.
So, my fellow managers, what has worked best for you? If there is possible training for my employees, or myself I would be open to that. Even if you can recommend a good book, that would be great. Or, if you have faced a similar issue with your employees, how did you handle it? I would love to learn from those that have faced this issue!
As always, feel free to respond privately: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Tags: automotive, Automotive Advantage, employee moral, employees, employer, Ewald, Human Resources, management, managers
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What is your policy on perks and discounts?
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Having had the opportunity to talk with a lot of companies, I have seen just about every perks and discount program around. I have seen everything from companies bending over backwards to get their employees the best possible perks and benefits and constantly reminding them of what is available to all-out refusal to offer any perks or discounts no matter how much they can benefit their associates. Having seen this array of offerings, I always wonder how a company decides what to offer their employees.
I have heard from companies that offer just about everything that it is important for them to make their employees feel like the company is going to bat for them. They want to find the best possible programs for their employees to show their appreciation for all the hard work. I have also heard from companies that offer nothing that if they offered one sort of program they would have to offer them all and that they do not want to make it look like they are endorsing one company over another. I guess there is a fear that if an employee has a bad experience it is because the company sent them there.
What does your company offer its employees? Is it on one side of the spectrum or somewhere in between? Also, for your human resource individuals and executives, how did you arrive at that decision? Was there an issue that needed to be changed or was it a strategic move? I am especially interested to learn how companies arrived at their decision!
Finally, for the employees out there, what perks and discounts would you like to see your company offer? Does your company ever ask you that question?
I look forward to everyone’s responses! Please feel free to respond privately at: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Thanks!
Tags: Automotive Advantage, benefits, Employee benefits, employee moral, employees, employer, Human Resources, perks
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Is a perks and benefits website the right move for your company?
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
When your employees have questions about their benefits or perks where do they turn to? Do they have a person that they can ask about what is available to them? Unfortunately, I have seen a trend lately to shrink HR departments and move benefit and perk information to an outsourced website. Not all companies have chosen to make this move; however, the ones that have are missing the boat on the true intent of having voluntary benefits – added value to the employee. I am a strong believer that this resolution is the wrong move.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand the desire to move benefit information to one place. Companies are looking at expenses and becoming leaner as far as employee count. There is a strong desire to outsource benefit information to a website. I also understand that it is far easier to update a website with new information and the mentality that employees will have a central location to find out about their perks and benefits.
All that said, I still believe that relying on a website is the wrong move. It’s impersonal. It doesn’t reach out to your employees and say “Here is what we are offering you, in addition to everything else!” Although they could go to a website to find out, a website will not stay in front of them and remind them of everything that you are doing for them.
I have noticed that very few employees actually check websites and rarely know when their benefits or perks change. So, if a perk or benefit is no longer available, has been altered or added, they will likely not know about it, unless your company, or the one you hired to manage this website, does a stellar job of communicating. Although this may not seem like a huge problem, it can be if an employee was planning to use a benefit that is no longer available. Also, why would you add a new benefit if you don’t want your employees to know about it and use it?
So, do I understand why companies are moving to web based perks and benefits websites? Absolutely. Do I believe that it is the correct way to assist your employees? No way. If you have no intent on communicating perks and benefits, why have them? Just something to think about when considering a benefits website.
Tags: Auto, benefits, Employee benefits, employees, Human Resources, perks
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Tis’ the season
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
It is that time of year again! Can you believe the holidays are upon us? Time to get together with the family, give to your favorite charity and share your holiday spirit! That being said, it is also the time to start planning for 2010 to make sure that your company has goals to achieve and plan in place to have a profitable and successful year ahead.
For business owners and human resources managers, a large consideration when planning for 2010 should be your employee benefits. Many companies have gone through open enrollment periods in the past few months making sure that their core benefits are in place for another year. Now that the majority of those projects are completed, it is a great time to review what you are offering your employees on the voluntary options. If your company had less than a stellar year in 2009, maybe adding a few employee “perks” wouldn’t hurt as you go into next year. The holiday season is a great time to find additional benefits or perks that thank your employees for their dedicated service to your company.
In addition, this time of year is also a great time to remind employees of all the benefits you offer them currently. Undoubtedly, you have worked hard to offer the best benefits and perks possible, so make sure you remind them to take advantage of these programs. Consider allowing benefit or perk providers the opportunity to talk to your employees about what they can do to assist them. Invite them to your offices for a lunch ‘n learn or an employee meeting for a face-to-face interaction. I do this often and employees always enjoy finding out about ways to save that they did not know were available to them.
Celebrate your employees and what your company has accomplished in 2009 by offering your associates the best benefits and perks possible. Be sure to remind them how they can take advantage of those programs.
Merry Christmas and may you and your company have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!
Tags: business owners, Employee benefits, Human Resources, managers, open enrollment
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Showing employees you care
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Last weekend, I asked a question on my social networks about how employers show their employees they care about them as people, not just workers. I was surprised when someone asked whether employers should even care about their employees personally at all, which prompted me to continue the conversation here in my blog…. I guess I am a little spoiled because Ewald Automotive Group is a work environment with a mission to treat every employee as if they are a part of the family.
Personally, I would find it very difficult to perform my job if I thought my company cared only about my work and nothing about me. Although my job is very important to me, there is a lot more to me than my daily 8 to 5. Having an employer that understands this, allows me to work in a fashion that will maximize the usage of both of our times.
All that said, the question of how an employer should show their employees they care about them was never really answered. What Ewald does to show they care is to adapt to employees needs by eliciting constant feedback and then responding. If we don’t give employees an opportunity to speak and be heard, how do we expect to grow, learn, change and adapt to become more successful?
In this one instance of how we show we care, the door is open to a more communicative and respectful work environment. HR managers have asked me how Automotive Advantage will help them accomplish their goal of showing their employees that they care about them. I point out that by going the extra mile to ensure employees get the best of work-life balance “perks” makes a difference in how the employee feels about the employer. It may not be the first thing on someone’s mind everyday but when they need something and their employer has found the best service for them, it makes a powerful statement, one that the employee will remember.
Tags: automotive, benefits, car, employer, Ewald, Human Resources, perks
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