Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Astronology - Custom Survey Dos and Donts

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Astronology

Volume XII

Issue 5

May 31, 2011

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.

 

Astron Road Show

With summer's arrival, the Astron Road Show goes non-stop!  Our team will be on the road quite a bit over the next three months.  Where will we see you?

National Director Mike Maciekowich and HR Assistant Cassandra kick off the 2011 summer Road Show with the
ASHHRA Region I conference!  Astron Solutions is excited to sponsor the event, and Mike and Cassandra look forward to meeting you in the exhibit hall.  The event is in Newport, RI, June 12 - June 14.

We look forward to seeing you on the road!

 

 

 

Custom Survey Dos and Donts

surveyIn today's job market it is critical to know how much to pay employees while staying competitive with industry and geographic peers. Over-compensation, as well as under-compensation, are two costly problems that many employers will eventually face. One solution for ensuring that organizations make the right compensation choices is utilizing a published market pricing survey. However, many of the published salary surveys do not always represent the most current information on certain positions, because of the difficulty in compiling and conducting such broad surveys....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 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC

ISSN Number 1549-0467

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Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day and Summer Fridays

As we all enjoy our Memorial Day by the beach or the BBQ or just with friends or family, let us thank those who make this type of day possible. And let's be thankful that the start of summer is finally here!

One of the things that many companies institute during the Summer are "Summer Fridays". Summer Fridays are a great way to reward hard-working employees during a time when the work sometimes slows down.

And Summer Fridays can come in all shapes in sizes. They can be every week or once a month. They can be the whole Friday off or early dismissal. They can be the whole office or everyone spread out. They can be made up for by working an hour extra during the rest of the week or they can just be free time off". The key is to make sure that they never get in the way of work and that clients and suppliers know you are doing this. The last thing you want to do is have upset clients because of this.

But done correctly, Summer Fridays can be a great way to reward employees for the hard work they do the rest of the year and let them leave early on a day many of them like to bet the traffic out of town. And it sure beats frustrated employees twiddling their thumbs and waiting for the clock to strike 5.

Happy Memorial Day to you and yours!
-Andrew

Friday, May 27, 2011

Follow Up on the Vicious Cycle of Unemployment

Back in February I wrote a blog post about the vicious cycle of unemployment where the unemployed find it harder and harder to get hired which just keeps them further away from being employed. Many states (like New Jersey) have gotten ahead of the federal government and has banned discrimination against the unemployed, but as a bill is going to be introduced before Congress banning this type of discrimination on a country-wide level, TIME Magazine took another look at what happens when companies refuse to hire the unemployed (H/T Wendy):
Refusing to hire people on the basis of race, religion, age or disability — among other categories — is illegal. But companies that turn away jobless people as a group are generally not breaking the law — at least for now.


Job seekers have long known, of course, that it's easier to land a job when you are still working. There are no hard data on discrimination against the unemployed. But there have been reports from across the country of companies' making clear in job listings that they are not interested in people who are out of work. Employment experts say other companies have policies of hiring only people with jobs — but do not publicly acknowledge their bias.
TIME did a lot of work in this issue profiling the out of work in America including profiles of some of those who are unemployed. Check it out and know that your refusal to hire someone who is unemployed could end up being illegal in the very near future.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Danger with the "Interim" Role

"Interim" is defined as "a temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift". But in the working world, interim titles sometimes carry a lot more weight and a lot more questions. Can this person handle this job? Does this person want this job? Will we find someone else from the outside who can do this job better? Is this person a viable candidate for this job? The problem (and, as I said in the title "danger") with the "interim" tag is that sometimes it can give an employee the wrong idea.

An employee should know from the very beginning whether a role is "interim" with the idea that it is really only temporary or "interim" as in "we're seeing how you perform and then maybe giving you the role". Those are two very different things that sometimes gets blurred. The last thing you want is someone to come into the role and think they are going back to their old role, or, much worse, think they are auditioning for a new role only to find out that they really were just a "stopgap". This happens all the time in Major League Baseball with interim managers and sometimes those people do not want be relegated back to other duties once someone else is hired to take their place--unless they know it is really only temporary.

If the role is meant to be a temporary stopgap, then let the employee know. Tell them this is their chance to shine and show what they can do in a more visible and senior role. Tell them that this is an opportunity to show that next time this job comes up (or something similar), that they can handle it. And tell them this will also show to everyone what a team player they are that they stepped in to the role. Just don't tell them they have a chance at getting the role permanently if they don't because that will lead to very angry, bitter employees once the truth eventually comes out.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Astronology - Low Cost Techniques for Employee Recognition

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Astronology

Volume XII

Issue 4

May 17, 2011

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.

 

Happy Birthday!

Please join us in wishing Happy Birthday to Astron's National Director Jennifer Loftus (May 17th)!

 

 

 

Happy Memorial Day!

The start of summer is almost here - can you feel it?  The Astron team is very excited that the long Memorial Day weekend is next week.  We hope that you have a fun and safe time celebrating the unofficial start of summer!

 

 

Low Cost Techniques for Employee Recognition

Everyone wants to be recognized for their hard work.  Recognition gives incentive for employees to stay loyal to their organization, and promotes their continued hard work. Although the economy has gotten better, there still seems to be some challenges in financially supporting some employee recognition programs. In this issue of Astronology, we will explore low-cost ways of engaging employees, and helping them to see, even in challenging times, that their loyalty and dedication are appreciated....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 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC

ISSN Number 1549-0467

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Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions.

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Thursday, May 12, 2011

Guest Post: How to Deal with the Departure of a Co-Worker Who was a Positive Influence in the Workplace

I haven't disappeared--we merely have been having some technical issues with the blog. But I am back with a great guest post from Mariana Ashley on the departure of a co-worker who was a positive influence. We've all had this happen and this is some good advice on how to deal with it. Mariana is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com. Here is her guest post:
-------
Think of the kinds of things that keep you happy at work. Probably you enjoy your job or some aspect of the work you do. You might have a great supervisor who understands your skills and needs as an employee. Maybe your commute is easy and stress-free and you have good benefits. And maybe you consider your co-workers to be your friends.

All of these factors can contribute to a great workplace atmosphere, especially if you have for a co-worker someone whom you consider to be a friend and a positive influence.

But what happens if that special co-worker leaves the office for greener pastures? How do you respond then in the wake of that departure? How do you maintain that great work atmosphere and keep up your productivity?

As an employee, you have to do your best to maintain your productivity, despite the departure of your friend. Because it's much easier to stay focused at work if you have a good work atmosphere, you should try to follow some of these tips in order to quickly help things return to normal.

Change Everything!

Okay, you don't have to change everything, but you should at least consider making some changes to your daily return in order to minimize the effect of your former co-worker's absence on your own day. If you and your co-worker often met for mid-morning coffee to talk about your latest projects, then avoid this habit. Do something different, such as going for a walk, instead. By changing up how you work through the day, you can help your mind focus on the tasks you have before you in new ways, thus minimizing the effect of your friend's departure.

Begin Working on a New Project

Another way to get your mind off of the departure of your friend is to lose yourself in a new project if possible. By launching a new project, you can refocus on your tasks, what you have to do, and the goals you'd like to accomplish. This is incredibly helpful, especially if your former co-worker worked on past projects with you. Without him or her, you'll have a chance to see how you work on your own. This new project doesn't have to be anything complicated either; it could be as simple as reorganizing your files or preparing a six-month evaluation of your productivity.



Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Astronology - How to Reduce Confusion and Uncertainty through Job Descriptions

Astron Website Top

Astronology

Volume XII

Issue 3

May 3, 2011

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

The Astron Road Show moves south over the next two weeks!

On May 11th Jennifer presents twice at the
Gulf Coast Symposium on Human Resource Issues in Houston, TX, on topics including total rewards trends and retaining and motivating staff.  Astron will also have an exhibit booth.  Come say hello, we'll be in booth #802 with new giveaways for 2011!

 

Welcome, Mike Canterino!

We're excited to welcome Mike Canterino to the Astron Solutions team!  Mike is our newest Statistical Analyst.  You can reach him at 212-792-8888 or mscanterino@astronsolutions.com.

 

 

How to Reduce Confusion and Uncertainty through Job Descriptions

Today's article comes to us courtesy of Gina Fedeli, President of GCF Consulting.  GCF Consulting's practice areas include streamlining processes, improving organizational effectiveness, creating metrics and standard operating procedures, and assessing organizational vulnerabilities.  To reach Gina, e-mail her or call 203-219-1063.


In these uncertain economic times, with unemployment at a record high and companies figuring out how to do more with less, employees are experiencing an array of emotions. These emotions range from feeling nervous, overwhelmed, or simply feeling unsettled.  When an employee is experiencing these emotions, they will spend valuable time worrying about their future or discussing their emotions with colleagues, rather than focusing on being productive in the workplace.....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 2011, Astron Solutions, LLC

ISSN Number 1549-0467

Quick Links


 

World of HR Blog

Bringing you Human Resource news from around the globe...compliments of Astron Solutions.

More

 

Join Our Mailing List

 

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