Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

Tonight millions of people will be glued to their television waiting on the Mega Millions numbers to be drawn and then everyone will check their tickets to see if they are the big winner. Since there wasn’t a winner this past Tuesday, the jackpot is now at a staggering, estimated $540 million; the largest recorded jackpot ever. If one person wins and chooses to collect in one lump sum, his or her winnings would total $389 million. With the number of people playing, the odds of only one winner are slim; however, anything is possible.

George Bernard Shaw once said “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”  Lack of communication in the workplace causes problems such as frustration, misunderstandings, poor performance, and employee turnover. Most problems, including work-related problems, can be traced back to a breakdown in communication.

Are you getting the most out of your employee assessments? According to a recent study by Aberdeen Research, organizations that get the most out of their assessment programs:

Every year, CSO Insights presents a Sales Performance Optimization Study that examines industry trends, outlooks and sales best-practices. This year’s study found that, despite economic challenges, sales performance has steadily continued to improve. Sales force turnover has remained low, 63 percent of sales reps have met or exceeded their revenue targets and 94 percent of companies are actually raising their revenue goals.

Do you ever feel like your boss acts more like a babysitter than a manager? Micromanagement can be frustrating; however, there is hope. Stop being frustrated. If you have a boss who refuses to give you space, then try these 4 steps to improve your situation:

Edited by Christina Krenek

According to the latest report from Gallup, the U.S. economy looks pretty unpredictable. Economic confidence has decreased, 55 percent of Americans say the economy is “getting worse,” and with the U.S. presidential elections coming up this year, the economy is as uncertain as ever. But a shaky economy is no excuse to brush off strategic talent management strategies! In fact, it’s a time to make sure you have the best talent management in place so that your business survives through whatever the economic world brings.

The National Labor Relations Board’s Acting General Counsel recently released a report detailing the outcome of investigations into 14 cases involving the use of social media and employers’ social and general media policies. In releasing the document, Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon said, "I hope that this report will be of assistance to practitioners and human resource professionals."

Sometimes words can't do justice to the importance of pre-employment screening. The statistics below describe, in further detail, the kinds of workplace risks that pre-employment screening will help you avoid.

Profiles International invites you to attend a complimentary webinar titled: Increase the Value of Your Employees, The Talent You Need May Be in Your Own Backyard.

Jeffrey Meyers researched and edited this article.

One analogy for managing talent and optimizing job fit could be that of a car’s gears: you can’t have everyone operating only in low/first gear or high/fifth gear (and you certainly don’t want them going in reverse!). But perhaps a better analogy I recently heard described a team by saying “We need less ‘deer in the headlights’ and more ‘eye of the tiger.’” It paints a vivid picture and makes you wonder which animal your staff resembles more.

Researched and edited by Jeffrey Meyers

Each year on March 17, everyone, regardless of their ancestral heritage, can claim to be Irish for the day. On St. Patrick’s Day people celebrate all things Irish by wearing green, decorating with shamrocks, and telling kids about Leprechauns with pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. (And don’t forget the Irish food and a pint!)

Researched and edited by Jeffrey Meyers

It’s that special time of year when people get swept up in March Madness. The annual NCAA Division I basketball tournament to determine the best team in the U.S. runs for several weeks but kicks off with several consecutive days of games played most waking hours. It’s a dream come true for sports fans, but even casual spectators take an interest. Here’s an overview of the tournament with takeaways for business leaders and managers.

1. The “Big Dance,” the field of 64 / Your industry and primary competition

Getting talent right is getting business right. Aberdeen's Human Capital Management (HCM) research has continually shown that businesses must hire, retain and deploy the right talent to meet business challenges, grow the organization and keep customers happy.

Guest Post by Chip Conley www.emotionalequations.com

Henry Ford complained, 'Why is it when I need a pair of hands, I have to get the whole man as well?' Sorry, Henry, that's how it works. My father, when he was in the midst of strenuous management-labor negotiations would say to me as a kid, "I love business, but the people side of business can be really frustrating." As much as I love my dad, I see the fallacy in his thinking now that I'm no longer a young whipper-snapper.

There is no people "side" of business. The most neglected fact in business is that we're all human and virtually everything we do in the context of business can be distilled down to the emotions and whims of people, just like you and me.

Many people, regardless of their role or level in the hierarchy, experience stress from work. The combination of quickly approaching deadlines, crashed hard drives, and too much coffee may seem like day-to-day annoyances, but they each contribute to a person's stress level. Some people work well under pressure, while others may fold like a cheap suit when the going gets tough. A manager’s ability to help employees to minimize work-related stress can have a significant impact on productivity and effectiveness.

Original material sourced from Bersin & Associates 2011.

One of the main reasons new hires fail is that companies don't recognize the qualities that are crucial to successful job performance and thus fail at selection. –Bersin & Associates, 2011.

Attracting and retaining the very best people in healthcare is never easy, and definitely easier said than done. Many of our clients often get excited about using our assessments for the first time and how impactful they will be on their business. However, in order to ensure the most effective hiring process, one must identify the essential qualities for success in each position of an organization. The best way to do this is to study the top, middle and bottom performers in your organization, which we covered in part 1 of this series.

Guest post by Peter Winick

I have had the privilege of working with some of the greatest thought leaders of our time. I learn something from each of them during every interaction and (hopefully) more often than not they learn something from me as well. The range of expertise that my clients have is vast; sales, leadership, management, communications, strategy, marketing, finance, emotional intelligence, innovation, relationship development to name just a few. Someone asked me the other day what if any thing they all have in common. Great question. (I love great questions). So here’s what I think.

From a personality perspective, educational perspective and professional background prospective the thought leaders I work with and have met couldn’t be a more diverse group. Harvard MBA’s to high school dropouts, introverts to extroverts, academics to CEO’s and founders of incredible companies and organizations, warm and fuzzy types to brutally direct and analytical. The traits that they all share are:

Researched and Edited by Christina Krenek

Without a doubt, knowing how to give constructive feedback is one of the most valuable skills you can have.

With the issue of feedback, we’ve already discussed situations when it’s essential to give feedback and presented 6 constructive strategies. Now, let’s continue with more detail about the 6-step process of giving constructive feedback in the workplace. Following these simple steps ensure your feedback is received well and encourages development.   

Edited by Aoife Gorey

At Profiles International, we work closely with our clients across all stages of their employee lifecycle process to enhance the productivity and performance of individuals, teams, and organizations. We help screen-out unsuitable candidates, understand strengths and limitations of successful onboarding, and identify opportunities to enhance performance and maximize their long-term contribution to the organization.

Our clients are in a range of industries from retail and telecommunications to education. Some household names you may recognize; Motorola, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo and Eastman.

Researched and Edited by Jeffrey Meyers

If you’re a baseball fan, then you’re likely very excited at this time of year. Pitchers and catchers have reported to their team’s spring training facilities to prepare for the coming 6-month season, and position players are starting full-blown practices and workouts. Before long, exhibition games will give way to the official opening day in April. If there’s a central theme for Spring Training, it’s talent management.

Many of our clients have expressed the desire to learn more about how our assessment solutions can help them hire and develop a top performing sales team. In response, we have scheduled a 45 minute webinar to share some new ideas and our innovative Sales Performance Solution Set.

Researched and edited by Christina Krenek

Today’s economy is an unemployment rollercoaster, where hiring the best job candidate is a challenge. And contrary to popular belief, interviews are not the best indicators for selecting the right individual for the job. How do you know if your new-hire has the suitable skills, intelligence and attitude to perform on the job? A recent article from Forbes, titled “Stop Being Deceived by Interviews When You’re Hiring,” was spot on in addressing this issue.

This article was researched and edited by Jeffrey Meyers.

Just saying the word “micromanaging” instantly conjures many thoughts, all of them negative. Do you micromanage your employees? Are you micromanaged by your boss? Certain situations or circumstances might justify it, but if that’s the routine, then you need to find a way to break the cycle.