Astronology - How to Reduce Confusion and Uncertainty through Job Descriptions

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 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

 

Guest Post: How to Ace a Phone Interview

The great guest posts continue to roll in here at Astron Solutions World of HR. Phone interviews can be some of the most stressful parts of an interview process since you can't actually see the person you are speaking to (and sometimes can't hear them well either). Alexis Bonari has a blog post today to help you ace that interview. Alexis is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching arabic scholarships as well as tips on finding archery scholarships. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping. Here is Alexis' guest post:
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More and more employers and recruiters have started interviewing potential job candidates over the phone because it is relatively cheap, and can be done fairly quickly. If you are a recent grad student, then participating in a phone interview with a potential employer could be stressful and intimidating.
Because of this, it’s extremely important to take the proper steps beforehand to make sure you are fully prepared for a phone interview in order to succeed in your job search.

The first step in preparing for a phone interview is to make sure your cell phone is completely charged, and that you are in an area with excellent reception. (If you are using a land line then this shouldn’t be a concern for you).

It’s also important to make sure you are in a quiet room so there won’t be any background noise that will distract you as you are on the phone with your (hopefully) future employer.
You should also make sure your phone volume is set on high, and turn off any appliances, or even your TV or stereo, because they could act as potential distractions. (It may even be a good idea to place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door as well, just in case).

The next step is preparing some notes of what you would like to say or bring up during the interview. Write down some questions or even points you want to make beforehand, and have a paper and pen handy so you can write down notes during the interview as well. Remember one of the benefits of a phone interview is that the person interviewing you can’t see what you’re doing, so take advantage of this and lay out pages and pages of notes and questions you want to cover during the interview.

Astronology - The Best Sales Compensation Programs Align Incentives with Business Strategy

Astronology Volume XI Issue 28 April 19, 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 With spring upon us, the Astron Road Show kicks into high gear!  We have three upcoming stops to share with you. On Wednesday April 27th National Director Jennifer Loftus makes her annual presentation to the New York State Society of CPAs.  Fresh off of tax season, the group will explore trends in compensation for 2011 and beyond. On Friday, April 29th, National Director Mike Maciekowich will present to the Pace University Total Rewards Management course.  Mike will speak on the topic of incentives. Jennifer finds herself in Hamilton, NJ on May 5th, presenting to the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives.  She will explore with the group "Being the Best: Ensuring Your HR Competitive Edge."  For more information on any of these programs, or to register, please contact Jennifer.   The Best Sales Compensation Programs Align Incentives with Business Strategy Today's article comes to us courtesy of Candace Walters, President of HR Works, Inc.  To learn more about HR Works' national practices in the areas of Human Resources consulting and EEO / Affirmative Action, please visit their website at www.hrworks-inc.com.  You can also e-mail Ms. Walters at walters@hrworks-inc.com. Recently, a small business owner asked to meet with me early one morning. Like many in today's economy, his business had struggled over the past couple of years but his problems were compounded by being locked into a rich compensation structure for his salespeople. So while he was feeling the pain, his sales team was not....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 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

 

Some Great Articles For Your Wednesday

Last week we talked about Investopedia as a great resource for getting definitions for financial terms. Well Investopedia runs Financial Edge which has some great advice that can be applied to HR

The first today talks about 5 jobs with mandatory overtime. If your employees don't want to have to work nights or weekends, they may want to stay away from becoming an EMT, construction worker, IT professional, warehouse employee or investment banker. If they didn't know that they would have to working outside of the 9-5 schedule for these jobs, they probably weren't paying attention when they signed up for the job.

When an employee comes to you asking for a promotion, you can spout off these 5 reasons why they don't want that promotion. As Spiderman says: "with great power comes great responsibility." Always remind your employees that.

Lastly, we have an article about 6 industries hurt by the NFL lockout. Steroids manufacturers did not make that list, but television, video games, and sporting goods are among the industries that may have to worry about their workforce if the NFL workforce is kept locked out.

Have a great Wednesday!

Unemployment, Jobless Claims, and other Financial Terms

Yesterday Astronology had a fabulous rundown of financial terms you might want to learn before talking to a CFO. I have a Masters in International Economics and Finance but even I need some help sometimes with understanding what certain financial terms mean. My favorite site to use as a refresher for financial terms is Investopedia which is basically a dictionary of financial terms.

One term that has been thrown around the news the past few years is "unemployment". But what type of person actually qualifies as "unemployed"? Is it the guy who is not searching for a job? Is it the woman who has been out of work two years? Who qualifies? Well, according to Investopedia: "Unemployment occurs when a person who is actively searching for employment is unable to find work. Unemployment is often used as a measure of the health of the economy. The most frequently cited measure of unemployment is the unemployment rate. This is the number of unemployed persons divided by the number of people in the labor force." If you want to find out more about unemployment and how it is calculated in the United States, follow that link above.

What about jobless claims? This morning the financial world was abuzz with news that initial jobless claims fell 10,000 last week. Investopedia explains: "The number of people who are filing or have filed to receive unemployment insurance benefits, as reported weekly by the U.S. Department of Labor. There are two categories of jobless claims - initial, which comprises people filing for the first time, and continuing, which consists of unemployed people who have been receiving unemployment benefits for a while. Jobless claims are an important leading indicator on the state of the employment situation and the health of the economy. Average weekly initial jobless claims are one of the 10 components of The Conference Board Leading Economic Index."

Again, taking these terms at their base level can be confusing or misleading but actually researching them can lead to a better understanding of the job market and about your current position. If you ever don't understand something, make sure to raise your hand and ask, because trust me, even people with Masters in the subject can sometimes use a refresher. 

Astronology - Finance Terms Made Simple

Astronology Volume XI Issue 27 April 5, 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 Over the next two weeks, there's one stop on the Astron Road Show!  National Director Jennifer Loftus will represent our firm at the CUPA-HR New York Metro Chapter Spring Program.  The event will feature a presentation and panel discussion on employee retention and how to stem undesired employee turnover.  Click here to register for the event.  We look forward to seeing you in New York City on April 6th!   Finance Terms Made Simple Human Resources may at times find itself at odds with Finance when seeking approval for proposals. While both groups, hopefully, have the organization's best interests in mind, different approaches and terminologies underscore the differences that often exist between these two departments. In this Astronology, we present a glossary of terms useful when seeking the buy-in of CFOs and Finance Departments....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 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

 

The Good and the Bad for Hiring From Social Media

Every new technology does some great things and it also does some not-so-great things. Social media is no different. On one had it gives anyone with an internet connection the ability to become a "blogger" and call themselves an expert on a so-called topic. People rely on the internet now to get their information but doing this for something like hiring can be as perilous as using Wikipedia to try to write a Senior Thesis. There is some great information and resources out there, but there also are a lot of people with an agenda or without the experience who will try to influence you poorly in your decision-making process.

Fortunately there are some great resources as well. Social Media has taken real experts from behind the curtain and allowed the masses the opportunity to get the information from them. Instead of having to go to a lecture to hear an idea from an esteemed colleague, you can follow them on Twitter or visit their blog every day. Instead of going through a Rolodex trying to find the person you need, you can just go on LinkedIn and see who you know in that area. And instead of wondering if what you are doing is right or wrong, you can find definitive answers on the internet.

Entrepreneur Magazine lists five to follow on Twitter for Hiring. Make sure to add us to that list as well @AstronWorldofHR. Also make sure to follow Jennifer Loftus @AstronSolutions.

Guest Post: The Need for Workplace Conflict Resolution

The great guest posts keep on rolling in this week. This next one focuses on workplace conflict resolution and come from Claudia Vandermilt. Claudia works in conjunction with Villanova University and University Alliance to promote professional training materials. She’s currently enrolled in Mastering Organizational Effectiveness through Villanova because there’s little else more challenging than remaining organized.
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In a perfect workplace, everyone would work together in peace and harmony – there would be no politics, disagreements or differing opinions. However, no such workplace exists; conflict is a normal part of daily life and doing business, as each employee has a different view on the world (which is also what makes a business successful). It’s also a typical challenge for HR.

HR professionals, like yourself, must work hard to create a work environment that allows employees to grow and thrive, and to work together without tension. It’s your job to ensure that interoffice conflicts don’t escalate into interpersonal conflicts, so intervention is necessary. Your HR knowledge, management and mediation skills play a critical role in getting employees back to being productive.

From your perspective, conflict within the workplace should actually be considered neutral territory. Your job is to take into consideration the individual, their concerns and the policies of your organization. While addressing conflict is often not an enjoyable part of being in an HR role, it is an aspect that cannot be ignored.

Conflict Resolution vs. Conflict Avoidance
Determining precisely when to intervene in an employee conflict is tricky, but leaving a conflict totally unresolved can greatly harm productivity and teamwork. Addressing conflict isn’t easy, but giving employees the opportunity to be heard can have positive results for the staff and organization. In a supportive environment, employees experience higher morale and file fewer formal grievances, as they feel validated and appreciated.

Because most conflicts can be resolved quickly and fairly, it’s best to address them early. Waiting too long or avoiding the conflict altogether only adds to the tension and could even escalate the grievance. When faced with the challenge of conflict resolution, consider the pros and cons of intervention:

• Pros
Dealing with conflict resolution results in:
o Stronger relationships
o Builds teamwork
o Diffuses anger
o Encourages problem solving
o Re-focuses employees toward results
o Conveys a positive environment
o Encourages open communication

• Cons
Avoiding conflict results in:
o Defensiveness
o Discourages productivity and teamwork
o Damages relationships
o Creates hidden agendas
o Drains energy and morale
o Produces stress and animosity
o Harbors workplace chaos and negativity

In your role, you have the ability to create a positive, supportive work environment that opens communication and enables employees to achieve success. Swiftly dealing with workplace conflict creates a harmonious environment that motivates employees and encourages creativity, willingness and loyalty.

Guest Post: Before You Worry About the Interview Questions

I'm sorry to have been absent from the blogging world for a while but I just recently entered the world of dog ownership (picture on the right) and the puppy has been occupying way too much of my time. But I'm back now and we've got some great stuff on tap for this week including a few great guest posts. The first guest post is contributed by Katheryn Rivas, who writes on the topics of online universities. She welcomes your comments at her email: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.
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A picture of little Jack taking a nap

We often read so much about how to prepare for the actual back and forth discussion part of our job interview that we don't actually get any advice about how to prepare for the logistics of going to a job interview. When I say logistics, I mean all of the details surrounding the interview itself. If you don't get these details right, they can seriously hamper your efforts to nail down that job. And in this economy, you can't afford to let the details keep you from getting a steady paycheck.

Anyhow, when you get ready to go off to your interview, take a moment to track down some of these logistical details. These may seem obvious and common sense, but you'd be surprised at how many people might forget these in the nervous rush of thinking about the interview. And, of course, good luck!

Plan Your Route

Before you leave for the interview, plan out the route you will drive to get there. Keep in mind an alternate route as well so that you can adjust where you go in case there is a traffic jam. Also, use a traffic monitoring system, such as the one on your GPS, or use the radio to get traffic updates.

Figure Out the Parking Situation

Next, you should try to figure out the parking situation at the place where you are interviewing. Some places have easy parking, while others will require you to get your parking ticket validated. Simply check with whomever helped you set up the interview for more information.

Where Will You Meet?

This is a pretty basic step, but it's still one that needs to be taken so that you can avoid some anxiety once you arrive at the office. Simply establish where you will wait or how you will meet with whomever is going to interview you. Should you wait in the lobby? Will someone come and get you? Do you take the elevator up? Establish the process here to save yourself some trouble the morning of the interview.

Know Your Interviewers

Astronology - 2011 Office Spring Cleaning

Astronology Volume XI Issue 26 March  22, 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 It's Spring, and the Astron Road Show rolls on!  On April 6th, National Director Jennifer Loftus will attend the CUPA-HR New York Metro Chapter Spring 2011 program as a Sponsor.  The half day event, held in New York City, will feature a variety of topics surrounding the theme of employee retention.   Do you host or attend an event that you think Astron should include in our annual Road Show?  If so, please let us know!  We're always looking for new opportunities to meet with HR professionals and share our knowledge!   Welcome Deb Woolridge! Astron Solutions is excited to welcome Deb Woolridge to our consulting team!  Deb comes to Astron with a wealth of HR experience garnered at organizations including Collegiate Church Corporation, OfficeTiger, LLC, the American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program, and EngenderHealth, Inc.  You can reach Deb at 212-792-8889, or dlwoolridge@astronsolutions.com.     Fact or Fiction 2 Million "junk" telephone calls / phone solicitation are made every day in the United States.   FICTION!   It is estimated that 4 million "junk" telephone calls, phone solicitations by persons or programmed machines, are made every day in the United States!   What's your best advice for dealing with junk phone calls?  Please share your ideas with us and we may reprint them in an upcoming issue of Astronology!   2011 Office Spring Cleaning After a harsh winter of snow, snow, and even more snow for most of the country, it's seems like everyone is looking forward to the spring weather!  Part of preparing for the new season is the usual spring cleaning not only of one's home, but also at the office. Besides the physical cleaning that most everyone will undertake, Human Resources should take the time to make sure software is up to date and to research possible upgrades in office management. In this issue of Astronology, we take a look into the fun, and sometimes seemingly daunting task of office spring cleaning.....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 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

 

March Madness

As mid-March hits, productivity starts to go down in the office. The weather gets nice outside, fun holidays like St. Patrick's Day is celebrated and baseball Opening Day and Summer are both right around the corner. But March is also bad for productivity because of March Madness. For a few weeks, afternoons are spent bracket-watching as hopes and dreams are beaten as the buzzer is. Well what happened if you had the coolest boss ever? someecards.com and Sports Pickle took a look and the result is pretty funny and pretty awesome.

Also, you have a few minutes left to still join the bracket that is being co-hosted by my two blog passions: Astron Solutions World of HR and NYaT: http://www.nyat.net/2011/03/join-nyats-tournament-pickem-and-win.html

Make sure to join quickly so you are in the running to win and enjoy March Madness!

Another Plug for Napping at Work

Here at the Astron Solutions World of HR blog, you may think that we're obsessed with napping. In January of 2009 we quoted a study that we found on ESPN.com that says that people ought to take afternoon naps, in March of 2009 Jennifer wrote about National Nap Day, Labor Day last year we posted that Bloomberg and Yahoo! gave a nod to napping, and a month ago Astronology said that 50 million Americans suffer from sleep problems. Well napping has moved past the traditional workplace and is now prevalent among basketball players in the NBA according to the New York Times:

In the United States, napping is often stigmatized, seen as evidence of laziness or a lack of purpose. But in the world of sports, and certainly in the N.B.A., the attitude is entirely different.

“You’re nocturnal in terms of what you do, playing at night, so your body adjusts to the rhythm of being up late, getting in early in the morning,” said Grant Hill, [Steve] Nash’s teammate with the Phoenix Suns. “You’re tired around midday. Naps are important. It refreshes you. It gets you ready for competition.”

The key now is to figure out a way to get rid of that stigma in the rest of society. A 20-30 minute "power nap" at work can be the way to keep your employee base fresh and to keep them from burning out or making mistakes. While others may be okay shunning naps, here at Astron's World of HR, we're trying to make it an accepted practice in the workplace.

Speaking of basketball...if you are interested in getting involved in a NCAA tournament pool, you can check out my sports blog, NYaT, where we have a pool open to all Astron Solutions World of HR readers. Go over there and test your mettle for a chance to win bragging rights as the best of the blog. Good luck!

Astronology - 2011 Salary Increase Updates

Astronology Volume XI Issue 24 5 March  8, 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 It's spring, and the Astron Road Show is kicking into high gear!  Our National Directors have a number of speaking events booked over the next few months.  Where will we see you in the coming weeks? On Monday, March 21st, Jennifer Loftus will be the guest on Coach World TV.  Jennifer will talk with host Terry Yoffe regarding Human Resources and the impact of coaching on individuals.  Watch locally on New York City cable TV, or stream the program live through the internet. National Director Mike Maciekowich will be in Ithaca, NY on March 22nd, presenting to the Society for Human Resource Management of Tompkins County.  His topic is "A History of Pay Equity: From FLSA to Lilly Ledbetter and Beyond." We look forward to meeting you on the road!   2011 Salary Increase Updates As we explored in Astronology last year, many organizations were projecting an optimistic 2011. The sense was that the economy would be on the mend, inflation low, and the stock market on the rise.  But much has happened over the past few months which may run contrary to these hopes - from the unsettled Arab world, skyrocketing oil prices, and labor unrest in America's heartland....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 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

 

Contacting Ex-Employees

When employees leave your organization, a lot of information tends to leave with them. As much as they document their everyday activities and hand off work to co-workers, there's always something that they forgot to leave behind. Most of the time the employee who leaves says "contact me for anything you need", and although this is just said as a courtesy, there may be times when contacting that employee for a quick question is absolutely necessary. But how much is too much and how long is too long to contact an old employee?

The question comes after I read an article from Ask a Manager about an employee who was being harassed by their old boss 16 months after leaving their old job. This is an extreme circumstance (it seems like the boss is an extra vindictive person) but it should prove a point that while it's okay to contact an old employee a few times, it should be done sparingly and it should be done with a great deal of gratitude.

In one of my old jobs, my predecessor left for another job within the company (at a new location). He was a really nice guy and had a hard time saying no to anyone so he let everyone know that he was available to help when he left for his new job. Well the problem was that everyone wanted to contact him and they wanted to contact him all the time. It not only made him feel that he really had never left his old job, but it also was really frustrating for me because--correct or not--it always made me feel that no one had trust in me to make the right decisions in these situations.

It's always nice to have old employees who are readily available to help, but it's always worth understanding that the person who left is under no obligation to actually help you--and it could be doing a lot of damage to the confidence of the people left behind. It's okay to contact old employees but, as they say in alcohol commercials, if you choose to do so, do so responsibly.