Friday, October 28, 2011

Facebook For More Than Friends

Most people think of Facebook as the last place they would want a potential employer to go to check out their qualifications. They have embarrassing pictures of them partying, people posting about their kids, updates about all their Words With Friends games, and status messages about being excited for the weekend. It's been far from a job gold mine--more like a minefield. But as the Wall Street Journal writes, that's all changing and has some advice about how to take advantage of it, including this:
Don't ask someone to make an introduction for you on Facebook if you wouldn't ask them to do it in person, recruiting experts say. Before you approach a potential candidate, or someone who is friends with a potential candidate, be sure that you are close enough to the intermediary to ask for the introduction. Don't assume that Facebook behavior is different from regular social interactions, experts say.
Good advice from the WSJ, with some more throughout the article. Although Facebook seems like just a tool for connecting with friends, family, and casual acquaintances who may have friended you after you met that one time, it can now be used for much more, including posting and applying for jobs.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Greetings from Europe

I wanted to send greetings from Europe. I spent 2 days in Amsterdam and am now in Copenhagen. It's amazing to see different lifestyles and cultures and people in action. But it's also amazing that you see many of the same things here. Those camping out down in Wall Street would like to know that they are doing the same in Amsterdam (right outside the hotel I stayed at). The gay marriage debate is going to come to Denmark as it did in the United States. And as I'm in Denmark, the Danish princess Mary is in New York.

It's always important to remember, in the word of a fellow Brandeis alum, Thomas Friedman, that the world is flat. What goes on in one part of the world effects, and then is usually copied in the rest of the world. So understanding your company and your company's relationship in the international world means that you need to be up-to-date with what's happening both at home and abroad.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Driving Your Co-Workers Nuts

We all have co-workers that drive us nuts, but what are the things that really get us going? Well AOL Jobs decided to ask around and compiled a list of 13 things that people are doing at work that drive their co-workers crazy. A few comments on them below:

1. Hovering - I hate this and I know people that do this constantly. Saying hello or joining in a conversation is one thing but when your co-worker turns back to their computer or picks up the phone, it should be a subtle sign to leave

2. Micro-managing - This is not just for managers--all of us are guilty of this at one time or another. Self-awareness goes a long way to fixing this problem but if you feel like you're getting micromanaged, make sure to say something constructive to the person so that it doesn't continue because that resentment will build

3. Showing up late for meetings - In college, our classes started 10 minutes after the scheduled time to allow people to get from class to class. I feel like that attitude continued in the workforce. It became such an epidemic at my old job that no one would actually show up until 5 minutes after the meeting was scheduled because they knew the meeting wouldn't start on time which moved our meetings back even further. Nip this in the bud before your meetings are starting 20 minutes late.

4. People who use scented products - This is a serious one for someone like me with allergies where whole days have been ruined because people need to pump on a little more perfume in the office or on the train. Be considerate of those around you and if you're going to do something that is going to smell or bother other people (eating smelly foods is another issue), take it away from your co-workers to the bathroom (for perfume) or the kitchen (for food).

5. Favoritism - We all hate this because sometimes the results are so obvious. There are always the "Golden Child" in a department and it's fine if someone gets preferential treatment if that treatment is merit-based, but everyone should be on a level playing-field and no one should be given a better status because of personal relationships. At an old job, there was a woman manager who would only promote other women. That was great for those women, but her favoritism made it so that other people saw she was only promoting those people because of their gender.

What are your pet peeves around the office? What do your co-workers do that drive you crazy? Let us know in the comments below!

Friday, October 21, 2011

The Blame Game

Full disclosure: I am a big Yankees fan who very much enjoyed seeing the Red Sox totally choke at the end of the season. Since then, they've undergone may personnel changes and the fingerpointing has started. Last week an article came out in the Boston Globe saying the manager was distracted with a divorce and pills and people were more interesting in eating chicken, drinking beer and playing video games than what was going on on the field. If their late-season collapse wasn't enough, this certainly has put many people over the edge.

The issue, though, is that this would have never been a problem had the Red Sox kept on winning. When things are going right, people are very adept at sweeping issues under the rug. When things go wrong, the fingers come out and people get scape-goated--especially those who aren't in the organization any longer. This is not just on a baseball team; this occurs in many companies today.

When things were going well in the mid 2000s, no one wanted to say anything about excess and greed and corruption and shadiness. But when the market started tanking in 2008 and people lost their jobs, fingers started to be pointed. Now companies tout the fact that they cleared out the bad apples and they are trustworthy again.

The key is to make sure during good times that these problems aren't out there so you're not left pointing fingers when things go wrong. Every company has a hiccup now and again, but how you handle it before, during and after a hiccup can go a long way to determining what type of company you are. And right now, the Red Sox don't look like a great organization.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Best of the Best Perks

My first job out of college had a stocked fridge of sodas and snacks. I thought this was the greatest perk in the world. I would chomp down on some chips and sip my soda and think that I had it pretty good. And then my friend started working at Google and told me about the massages he gets...and the free food...and all the other great perks and I realized that my free soda and chips, while awesome in their own right, were nowhere near what some other people were getting.

Mashable wrote on Monday about the best of the best perks from some of the top Social Media companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Check it out as it's amazing some of the perks that these companies offer. But I certainly agree with what the article says: "From yoga to catered lunches, 401(k)s to dry cleaning, sports teams to vacation days, these tech companies seem to understand that quality of life affects productivity — and that having to run fewer errands after work means you’re more likely to stay at the office."

And that's important to remember as you design perks for your company--or choose the company that you want to work at in the future: sometimes it's not about the monetary value of the perk, but rather quality of life, peace of mind, and time savings that go farther in making sure that employees stay happy, healthy, productive, and engaged.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Astronology - Social Media in the Workforce...Enhancement or Interruption?

Astronology

Volume XII

Issue 15

October 18, 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

The calendar year may be coming to a close, but the 2011 Astron Road Show continues on!  On October 28th, National Director Mike Maciekowich will present on trends in executive compensation to the Vision Serve Alliance Conference (New York, NY).  The conference is hosted by Astron Solutions' client Lighthouse International.

 

Fact or Fiction?

The iLoo, a Microsoft powered, wi-fi internet capable portable toilet, was a hoax.

 

FICTION  

 

The iLoo was a real project for Microsoft's MSN UK division. However, the project was cancelled shortly after the project was leaked to the public and garnered negative reaction. 

 

 

 

Social Media in the Workforce...Enhancement or Interruption?

Blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. These are various forms of social media that have infiltrated lives across the globe and have also entered many organizations' workspaces. This technology is changing the way workers interact with each other. As great as a gift social media has been for some organizations, there is also criticism over its usage. In light of the pros and cons of social media, organizations worldwide have to decide whether social media will hinder or support their organizational cultures..... 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

 

 

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Time Off Conundrum

In January I started a new job. There are a lot of challenges with starting a new job including getting acclimated with the new company, the people you work with and making sure you have a handle on the position. One of the other challenges is to figure out when it is okay to start taking your vacation time. Many companies have vesting periods for that time, but once it vests, is it all right to just start taking it? Or is there really a "waiting period" until it's okay to start taking time off?

I'm taking my first vacation in a few days. I have been at the job for 9 months now so I figured that the initial "probation" period has started to lift and that I can freely take off without being seen as a "slacker". I am still a little nervous to go away without access to phone or e-mail on my BlackBerry or my computer. I'm always nervous that something will come in and a question will need to be answered that only I can provide the correct answer to. But in the end, I've come to the realization that I need to be able to take off this time and to unwind from the job with faith in my co-workers that they'll find a satisfactory way to answer those questions until I return.

But my "time off conundrum" isn't a new thing for me with a new job. In my last position, I too felt like taking time off was at times "taboo". In high school I had one teacher who never took one day off for any reason--he was the "Ironman". When I got into the working world, I saw people eating lunch at their desks and then the recession hit with may co-workers losing their jobs. In that climate, how could I possibly take a day off to enjoy myself knowing that not being there could end up costing me in the end?

Then I realized that the time off companies give you are for a reason. Sure, you don't have to take all of it. But those of us who work hard everyday deserve some time to ourselves away from the office. We deserve to turn off that Blackberry for a day or two and just relax. We deserve to unplug, recharge, and relax. In the end, we become healthier, happier, and more productive employees. And, realizing that, I've come to the realization that my time off later this week is not just for my own good, but it's for the good of the company as a whole. So while I still have some trepidation, I know that it's okay for me to take this time off and relax.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Astronology - Salary Budget Projections for 2012

Astronology

Volume XII

Issue 14

October 4, 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

The Astron Road Show continues to roll this fall!  Where will we see you in the next two weeks?

 

On October 10th, National Director Jennifer Loftus presents at the Nonprofit Human Resources Conference, in Washington, D.C.  Her topic?  Nonprofit Executive Compensation: What is Fair?

 

Later that week, National Director Mike Maciekowich will be at the Wisconsin State SHRM conference, October 12 - 14 in Madison.  Please be sure to look for him in the exhibit hall in booth 256!

 

On October 15th, Jennifer will be part of a panel discussion at the New York State SHRM Leadership Conference (Albany, NY) on the topic of growing association / chapter membership in challenging economic times.

 

We look forward to seeing you on the road!

 

 

 

 

Fact or Fiction?

Over 50% of organizations do not budget for promotional increases.

 

FACT!

 

According to the 2011-2012 World at Work Salary Budget Survey, 54.3% of the organizations surveyed DO NOT budget for promotional increases.

 

 

 

Salary Budget Projections for 2012

It's that time of the year when Human Resource professionals are asked by senior management to provide compensation program budget projections for the upcoming fiscal year. Two authoritative sources are now available:  the  WorldatWork 2011-2012 Salary Budget Survey and the  Mercer 2011/2012 Compensation Planning Survey..... 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