Astronology - Unleash the Hidden Talents of Your Employees

 

Astronology Volume X Issue 9   June 30, 2009 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software. Fact or Fiction? The Star Spangled Banner is set to the tune of an English drinking song. Fact! The Star Spangled Banner is actually set to the tune of an old English drinking song called "To Anacreon in Heaven". Have a safe and happy Forth of July holiday! Unleash the Hidden Talents of Your Employees by Ethan L. Chazin, President and founder of The Chazin Group. Imagine being able to unleash the hidden talents and untapped skills of EVERY single one of your employees? Imagine if every single one of your employees, from front-line staff to senior management, was 100% engaged, doing the work they were cut out for, contributing to the success of your organization by focusing on their core competencies. Can you envision the collective power you would unleash? No laggards...just a company filled with rising stars. Absenteeism would drop instantly, worker defections to your competitors would cease entirely. Entire Departments would start exceeding quotas...more July 4th Crash Course in History Barbeques. Retail sales. Fireworks. These are a few of the things we think of when we consider the 4th of July, or Independence Day. But was July 4th the real day that America was born? In this issue of Astronology, we take a quick crash course into U.S. History - and a holiday break from HR - with some startling and fun facts....more Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com. The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2009, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More

 

Tweaking Benefits and Coping With Your Job While Ill

First the Washington Post has an article about Washington-area firms tweaking benefits plans with works absorbing more health costs but gaining perks.

Next, the New York Times has some advice on protecting your job while coping with a chronic illness

Lastly, the atlanta illustrated has the top 5 things to say when caught sleeping at your desk at work (how many HR professionals have heard these excuses?)

5. "They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen."

4. "This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time management course you sent me to."

3. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the Whiteout. You probably got here just in time."

2. "Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?" And the NUMBER ONE best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk...

1. Raise your head slowly and say, "...in Jesus' name, Amen."

Hilarious!

Rules For Posting Your Resume Online

Want to post your resume online? Well we have some advice to protect yourself.

-First, from Coffee with Viktor, five rules for posting your resume online

-Second, Examiner has some advice for job seekers to protect their resume while online.

-Lastly, Human Resources Executive Online has some advice for Human Resources executive about how to tweak their relationship building to include social networking online. Which, in the end, may be a return to how it always was done.

Filling The Gap, Job Descriptions, Obama's Healthcare Plan, etc.

We're reading all the articles so you don't have to...

-BizTimes talks about Human Resources filling the gap with interim executives

-Vault has job descriptions. They're not as good as the ones we do at Astron Solutions.

-WebProNews says that Yahoo! is putting a new spin on the recruiting process by launching pay-per-candidate for their Yahoo! HotJobs

-Workforce Management talks about how an economic crisis is creating an opportunity for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). "As companies slash payrolls and tighten their belts in other ways that squeeze employees, the association is trying to make itself indispensable to HR professionals."

-Lastly, the Chicago Sun-Times talks about President Barack Obama being pressed on healthcare during his ABC special by an Human Resources executive:

One questioner -- Marisa Milton, vice president of health care policy for the HR Policy Association, a public policy advocate for human resource executives -- said that "other industrialized nations provide coverage for all their residents" with "high quality care" without spending more money.

"A lot of those countries employ a different system than we do," the president said. "Almost all of them have what would be considered a single-payer system in which the government operates what is essentially a Medicare for all."

The president said he didn't think it wise to attempt to "completely change our system root and branch" since health care is one-sixth of the U.S. economy. It "would be hugely disruptive," he said, arguing that citizens would be forced to change their doctors and insurance plans "in a way I'm not prepared to go."

End-of-life issues were raised as well; right now it is estimated that nearly 30 percent of Medicare's annual $327 billion budget is spent on patients in their final year of life.

Jane Sturm told the story of her nearly 100-year-old mother, who was originally denied a pacemaker because of her age. She eventually got one, but only after seeking out another doctor.

"Outside the medical criteria," Sturm asked, "is there a consideration that can be given for a certain spirit & and quality of life?"

"I don't think that we can make judgments based on peoples' spirit," Obama said. "That would be a pretty subjective decision to be making. I think we have to have rules that say that we are going to provide good, quality care for all people.

"We're not going to solve every single one of these very difficult decisions at end of life," he said. "Ultimately that's going to be between physicians and patients."

Using Twitter and Facebook to Find a Job

TIME Magazine had an interesting article earlier this month about how more people are using Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites to help them find jobs. Nearly 1 in 10 people are out of work and the typical job search lasts 12 weeks. But they found out software architect who used social networking to get a new job in 11 days after being laid off using social networking. This is especially interesting for people who are the sole breadwinner for their families--as this software architect is--and need to find a job very quickly.   

 

For Human Resources, it may be expanding your search base beyond Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com to find the best candidates on the Twitters and Facebooks and LinkedIns of the social networking world. Especially if you work in a company that favors having people savvy in social networking: software, IT, PR, Marketing, sales, internet, etc.

 

The New York Times Freakonomics blog has an interesting response to this:

Will the recovery favor the internet-savvy in other fields as well? (Or: maybe this guy was just a super employee who, if he hadn’t been wasting his time tweeting, would have found a job in 10 days?)

The former question will be interesting to watch as the economy slowly recovers (the latter question is interesting to think about as well) and more people look for unique ways to find jobs once hiring starts up again.

Vault's Layoff Tracker

Wanted to pass this along, but Vault has been keep track of all the big layoffs that have occurred. Definitely worth checking out.

Also from Vault's blog "Pink Slipped", advice on how to make being laid off, pay off.

Obama on Same-Sex Benefits

Ben Smith of Politico goes into the White House's distribution today of press guidance to its personnel office about same-sex benefits. Smith points out that they only seem to cover long-term care insurance and sick leave to which he says "That's pretty far short of the health care and retirement benefits common at major American corporations."

 

But, he says "The White House will also 'request the heads of all other executive branch departments and agencies to conduct internal reviews to determine whether other benefits they administer might be similarly extended,' according to the fact sheet."

 

And it seems that President Obama will use tonight's presidential memorandum to "reassert his broader support for gay rights, repeating his support for repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and pushing Congress to back legislation offering more substantial benefits, like health care, to same-sex partners"

 

In other HR news:

-The New York Times started a new blog about small business and entrepreneurship which sounds like a wonderful new source of good information including one post already on how the stimulus package discourages hiring.

 

-And Jim Stroud from The Recruiters Lounge has some funny advice on how to figure out if your co-worker has turned into a co-stalker

 

Astronology - Open Communication....How Important is it really?

 

 

Astronology Volume X Issue 8   June 16, 2009 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software. The Astron Road Show Will you be in the Portland area of Maine anytime soon? If so be sure to see Astron's Michael Maciekowich at the 2009 ASHHRA Region 1 conference (June 28-30th).   Astron will also be exhibiting at the 2009 SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA (June 28th - July 1st).  If you'll be attending the conference, please be sure to drop by. If you would like a free pass to the conference's exhibit hall please contact us so we can be sure to see you. Astron Team Members Take 2009 - 2010 HR/NY Board Roles! At today's HR/NY breakfast meeting, the results of the 2009 - 2010 Board elections were announced. Congratulations to Astron's own Jennifer Loftus and Brendan Williams! Jennifer will be HR/NY's President-Elect starting July 1st. Brendan will become the Vice President of Finance and Treasurer for the association. For more information on HR/NY and how to join, please contact either Jennifer or Brendan. Fact or Fiction? The community of Myspace is large enough to form its own country. Fact or Fiction? Fact! Believe it or not, Myspace has a registration of over 110 million users. If it were its own country, Myspace would be the 10th largest country, right behind Mexico. Open Communication...How Important is it really? In professional organizations, open communication is used to maintain stability and ensure organizational success. In this time of shaky economics, employees may question the reliability of those in charge. It is now more important than ever to use communication frequently and clearly to remove any form of fear or apprehension that may cost an organization not only dollars, but also employee trust and an honest work ethic. This week, Astronology explores open communication and how important it really is for an organization...more  Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com. The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2009, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More

 

View From the Seats

Todays view from the seats (today, actually standing room) comes from Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia where the game is currently delayed by rain.

The Phillies had about as bad a top of the first you can have at home. Bastardo was all over the place and walked way too many. Jason Bay hit a bomb of a homerun. The Phillies had 3 errors, including a two base error by Ryan Howard that should have looked like this in the boxscore: E-3, laziness. Seriously. Made Luis Castillo look like a good fielder (just kidding). And then instead of walking Lugo to get to Dice-K, Bastardo finally throws a strike and Lugo hits what should have been a single to center...which of course Shane Victorino let go past him leading to the bases being cleared.

So the Red Sox have 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 Philly errors. Although I won't be back, I wouldn't mind them raining out this game. It's nasty here and I can't stand to see the BoSox win anymore. Will update later if there's anything worth updating from The City of Brotherly Love.

UPDATE: realize I sent this to the wrong place...but hope you enjoyed my baseball update :)

Google, Twitter and Employee Surveys

-First up on our Friday is Wallet Pop which has an article about Google fighting brain drain with an algorithm

-Social Media Today continues by talking about Twitter and the cost to a company by judging the opportunity cost of not allowing employees to use it during work hours

-Lastly, HR Resource talks about the value of employee engagement surveys as part of a change management strategy

Have a great weekend!

What I’m Hearing…Redefining Yourself

Before I get into my blog post for today, I want to apologize for not having posted in a while! Business activities to successfully navigate these challenging economic seas have kept me going an average of 14 hours a day. And I have found Twitter to be quite fascinating. However, further excuses will only slow down my latest post, so on with the show!


Yesterday I was part of an HR/NY panel discussion on “Overcoming the Fear: Strategies for Success in Today’s Economy.” A good part of the discussion was on personal branding. Do professionals think of themselves as the composite of all their varied skills and experiences, gained through work, volunteering, recreation activities, and the like? Or do we box ourselves into categories: I am a recruiter. I am a trainer.

The consensus among the panelists, as well as the audience, was that in order to be successful, viewing yourself in small tight compartments aren’t going to work. Now or in the future. If you want a job as a trainer, that’s of course OK. However, you may need to repackage yourself to highlight the complementary skill set that an organization needs. Is training moving more towards on-line media? What experiences do you have in this area that you acquired through volunteer work?


A former student of mine, who was heavily focused in recruitment, was recently downsized. After reflection on his experiences, he realized that his skills were as useful in the corporate and non-profit worlds as they are in a university setting – focusing on student enrollments. A whole new world has opened for him by taking the chance to think differently.


It can be scary to think of yourself as something different than what you’ve always been. However, each of us is unique and possess many skills and talents, many of which we probably take for granted. When was the last time you took a personal inventory to determine all the wonderful things you are? Refreshing your résumé after that inward look may result in a whole new series of doors opening for you.

Want A Job? Go Green [Collar] or to Washington

Just released article by MarketWatch: "Green-collar" hiring took a hit during the current recession, but may accelerate beyond its 1998-2007 growth rate of about 9% a year -- more than double the 3.7% growth rate for traditional jobs.

 

And this morning, Thomson Reuters wrote an article saying that United States college graduates are shunning Wall Street for Washington, turning away from big bank jobs and going to work for Uncle Sam and the American government.

 

Two interesting articles to keep you updated on this busy Thursday.

 

Sad Baseball Night In New York

A sad baseball night in New York as the Yankees and Mets both lose one-run games against their arch-rivals. So how about some great HR articles instead?

-CNN has a great article up on how significant others should react when their men get laid off -- but they still have a job. Some great advice there.

-24 Hours Vancouver is next with some advice not to lie on your resume because it'll come back to haunt you.

-Next, the Zanesville Times Recorder writes about mandated sick leave. It may not have passed in Ohio, but it is has a chance of becoming a national law.

-You have some questions for HR? Well the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an "Ask HR"

-Lastly, Business Management Daily says that while HR salaries weaken, comp and benefit pays have grown.

Let's hope tomorrow is a better night for New York baseball...

HR's Value, Cutting Salary and FMLA Changes

-We start out on this Wednesday with Human Resource Executive Online with some advice on how to understand Human Resources value

-Next is Market Mixup which says that instead of cutting jobs, think about cutting salaries

-Lastly, the Zanesville Times Recorder says that now that you have figured out the FMLA regulation, there may be more changes coming down the pipeline

Two For Tuesday: Old and Young

We are back with another Two For Tuesday with advice for the old and the young:

-This Atlanta Business Chronicle article talks about a Watson Wyatt survey which says that older workers are worrying even more about retirement. This makes sense with 401(k)s low in value, pensions being cut or greatly diminished, and other investments (stock portfolio, home value, etc.) very low in value. Sadly, many can't retire at this point due to this.

-Next from the Charlotte Observer, advice to students and Human Resources that summer is a great time for students to make their mark. I loved all my internships and they were a great way for me to get some really good experience. But I understood it is what you make of it and did my best to make it the most valuable summer it could be.

Getting Healthy And Losing Weight Through HR

We start off on this Monday with an article from the New York Times talks about getting healthy with a little help from the boss:

Once upon a time, corporations offered generous health benefits as a way to woo employees into their ranks. Now, most companies have turned from amorous suitors into stern parents — shifting more costs, and more responsibilities, to their employees.

According to a January survey by the benefits consulting firm Hewitt Associates, nearly two-thirds of large employers planned to transfer more costs to employees. At the same time, one-third planned to put greater emphasis on wellness plans — programs that encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. (So long, Big Macs).

Congress is climbing onto the wellness bandwagon, too. Senator Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who is a leader of the Congressional health reform movement, recently proposed giving tax incentives to companies that offer comprehensive wellness programs to their employees.

The focus on healthier lifestyles makes sense. Unhealthy employees use significantly more medical services than healthy ones and cost employers more money.

My company offers certain things to promote wellness: we have a health check every year and if we are found to be healthy or healthier from the past year, our premiums remain the same as the year before. This is a test that leans HEAVILY against smokers; if you have nicotine in your system, you are automatically not healthy.

We also have a small gym reimbursement and they offer counseling for stress, nutrition and fitness. It's not as much as certain companies, but it is a good effort to keep employees healthy and in the office.

Also:
-EHS Today talks about a successful wellness program with employees dropping 924 pounds

-Human Resources Executive Online talks about ensuring buy-in for HR initiatives...one of which could be company wellness programs

Hiring Slowly Improving But Those Who Haven't Been Laid Off Suffer

-The South Florida Business Journal starts us up with a Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) survey which says that hiring is slowly improving and the Central Valley Business Times has some more information on that

-CNNMoney says that after layoffs, layoff survivors are now stuck with more responsibilities and more stress but aren't getting any more money.

-Lastly, after we just quoted a few surveys from employees...word from the Associated Press (AP) that companies are turning away from employee surveys

Responding From The Other Side of the Interview

A few days ago we looked at how Human Resources should respond after an interview, but what nice things can you expect in return from the interviewee? Well Careerbuilder gives some advice on writing that thank you note. It gives tips to the candidate to keep it formal, be specific, repeat yourself, make it personal, allay concerns, don't stop at one, and add an extra. The first part as a candidate is to make sure you send it and that you make it less of a formality. Meaning, the Human Resource person doesn't want to see a letter which looks like the candidate just filled in the name.

But a thank you letter can also tell you a lot about a candidate from the Human Resources side on the positive and negative side. I had two interviewees for the same position about a year ago. The first candidate came in very confident and he interviewed well. The problem was he didn't really seem to understand the position he was interviewing for. But by the end of the interview, he said he understood and we left on good terms. Well he sent me an e-mail right after the interview (like two hours later) to thank me for interviewing him...and had the job details butchered again when he described it.

Another interviewee seemed nervous during the interview process and didn't answer the questions great. But she sent me a handwritten letter a few days afterwards thanking me for the chance to interview and explaining that she was nervous. She mentioned a part of the interview she thought she had messed up and clarified her answer. She also followed up an anecdote I had told during the interview with a story from her own experience. When it came to recommend a candidate, I went with her over the first candidate based on their follow-up correspondence. So those post-interview e-mails and letters can go a long way in deciding who to hire and who to pass on.

Astronology - Traveling the Country: Updates from the SHRM Staffing Management Conference and the Gulf Coast Symposium on Human Resource Issues

 

Astronology Volume X Issue 7   June 3, 2009 Dear Andrew, Astron Solutions provides high-quality, low-cost, innovative human resources consulting services to organizations like yours. Call us for advice, innovative program design, and user-friendly Web/PC based software. The Astron Road Show Headed to upstate New York? Don't forget to visit Astron's National Director, Michael Maciekowich, at the New York Bankers Association 2009 Senior Management Conference in Cooperstown, NY on June 10-12. Michael will be part of a panel discussion on compensation.   Astron will be exhibiting at the 2009 SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA (June 28th - July 1st).  If you'll be attending the conference, please be sure to drop by. If you would like a free pass to the conference's exhibit hall please contact us so we can be sure to see you. Fact or Fiction? Nevada is notorious for a lot of things. One of them is for not having a state income tax. Fact or Fiction?  Fact!   Only 7 states in the United States do not have an income tax. They are: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming and...Nevada.   Another interesting statistic about Nevada is the average of conventions held there annually: 3,749. Traveling the Country: Updates from the SHRM Staffing Management Conference and the Gulf Coast Symposium on Human Resource Issues By Jennifer Loftus, National Director As our loyal Astronology readers know, I've been on the road quite a bit the last few weeks. In addition to meeting with clients and exhibiting at various events, I've had the pleasure of speaking at and attending two large Human Resource conferences: SHRM's Staffing Management Conference and HR Houston's Gulf Coast Symposium on Human Resource Issues. In this issue of Astronology, I'll provide you with the highlights and key takeaways from each...more  Have a Question? If you have a topic you would like addressed in Astronology, or some feedback on a past article, don't hesitate to tell us!  Simply reply to this e-mail.  See your question answered, or comments addressed, in an upcoming issue of Astronology. Looking for a top-notch presenter for your human resource organization's meeting?  Both Jennifer Loftus and Michael Maciekowich present highly-rated sessions on a variety of compensation and employee retention issues.  For more information, send an e-mail to info@astronsolutions.com. The Fine Print We hold your e-mail address in trust.  Astron Solutions promises never to share or rent your personal information.  We also promise never to send you frivolous e-mails and will allow you to leave our list, at your option, at any time. To remove yourself from this list, please follow your personalized subscriber link at the bottom of your Astronology alert e-mail. Copyright 2009, Astron Solutions, LLC ISSN Number 1549-0467 Quick Links Client List Meet the Astron Team Contact Us World of HR Blog Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions. More