CDHRA
January 2005 Newsletter |
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Happy New Year!
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McDowall Published
SHRM Online Highlights
On the Web
Live Help from SHRM
This Year I Resolve To. . .
Join the Winner' s Circle
Quotes
Workplace Bullies
Can Drumming Relieve Stress?
Don' t Get Buried
How Do Your Goals Rate?
Are You Ready for the Flu Season
Team Conflict
Performance Portfolios
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Are Your Savings Insured?
Bumping the Lamp
Keep On Top of Your Job
McDowall
Published
Kimberly McDowall had an article titled "Mentoring relatioships:
implications for practitioners and suggestions for future research,"
published in the scholarly journal Human Resource Development
International (HRDI)
prepared through the Kingston Business School, Surrey, England;
Unted Kingdom. The paper appears in the December 2004 issue,
Volume 7, Issue 4. The article is intended to help human resource
development practitioners facilitate healthy mentoring relationships
and better address potentially negative functions or outcomes
of the mentoring process withnin their own organizations.
McDowall, a doctoral candidate in Industrial/Organizational
Psychology, is a partner in the consulting firm Brynmor Associtates,
LLC of Bismarck and a member of CDHRA. Her research interests
include mentoring, team-based work, telemedicine in rural America,
and women's leadership.
[ Top ]
SHRM Online Highlights
For the latest HR information, resources and reference material,
visit www.shrm.org.
NOTE: SHRM membership may be a requirement for access to
these articles.
The LINE On Employment
SHRM's leading Indicator of National Employment (LINE)
tracks employment trends based on montthly reports from
over 500 manufacturing firms. [
More ]
|
Tackling Turnover
The rate at which a company "goes through" employees
can have a significant impact on the bottom line [
More ] |
Outsourcing Benefits
With more options available in the marketplace, companies
are picking and choosing which activities to keep in-house
and which to outsource based on their own needs [
More ] |
Rethinking Cash Balance Plans
When it came to its cash balance retirement plan, IBM cholse
to fight another day. And that action has repercussions
for employer-funded pensions across the country [
More ] |
ERISA Rulings Mean More Risk
Recent decisions increase the legal liability for benefits
plan administrators that deny benefits under an ERISA plan
[
More ] |
Time to Audit?
Though time-consuming, voluntary HR compliance audits can
alert employers to legal "hot buttons" [
More ] |
Helping Execs 'Be All They Can Be'
A military history buff has paralyed hius fascination with
military operations inot a training comany that offers corporate
executives an experience that's far different from an average
three-day retreat [
More ] |
Resolving Client Disputes
Disputes between consultants and HR clients take a lot
of energy and often result in frustration and - all too
frequently - damaged relationships [
More ] |
Five for HR - Strategic Planning
- Strategic Planning Toolkit
- HR Plans and Organizational Strategic Planning
- The strategy Behind 'Strategic Staffing'
- Creating a Succession Planning Program
- Strategizing for HR
[
More ] |
[ Top ]
On the Web
SHRM Inter@ctive |
| Webcast: Workplace Trends [
More ] |
| Webcast: Imigration Law Update [
More ] |
| Webcast: Employment Screening
Essentials [
More ] |
[ Top ]
“Need
HR Help NOW?? Get it with LIVE HELP from SHRM”
What is Live Help?
Live Help is an interactive, one-to-one chat feature that
connects you directly to an SHRM staff member for quick real-time
assistance. It is provided for both customer service inquiries
and quick answers to HR questions and is accessible during
regular SHRM business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 am
to 5 pm ET). For instructions on how to use this service [
Click Here ].
How does it work?
Click the live help button and answer a few quick questions
so SHRM can direct you to the appropriate department. You
will then be greeted by a staff person and can submit your
question. You will receive a response within seconds and may
be able to get an immediate answer during your brief chat.
If no one is available at that moment to respond, you will
be given the option of sending an email instead.
Who are the "live persons" on the other end
of Live Help?
Live Help is brought to you by the Information Center and
the Customer Service Departments -- the same SHRM Staff who
answer your questions via the SHRM phone and email services.
Many staff take turns on Live Help, so different people may
be "on" at different times of the day. The staff
of the SHRM Information Center provides the "Answers
to HR questions" section of Live Help. The Customer Service
Representatives, experts on SHRM membership benefits, conferences
and seminars, provide Live Help for many non-HR questions.
Can I get a record of the discussion I have?
Yes. At the conclusion of your chat you may choose to provide
an email address where a transcript of your session will be
sent within seconds.
What if I have a follow-up question?
If it is necessary for you to be in touch with the same
staff member you chatted with previously, and that individual
is no longer available on chat, your request will be directed
to them via email for a separate response. Complex issues
are best addressed by phone or email in most cases. If your
question takes more than a few lines to type, or you have
several questions about an issue, it is probably best to ask
it through email or the telephone. Live Help is best suited
to one quick question.
Why does it sometimes take several seconds for a response?
There may be a brief delay before you see a response for
many reasons, one of which is that they may be chatting with
up to three visitors at one time. In addition staff may be
pulling up a link to provide you or another member with a
response to a question. They respond as quickly as possible,
but complicated HR-related questions or those requiring system
research may result in delays of a few seconds. Live Help
is busiest late in the day when more individuals tend to be
on the SHRM website conducting Internet research. You might
want to try it again at a less busy time of day.
[ Top ]
This Year, I Resolve To…
When you think about it, New Year' s resolutions are goals,
too. Here's how to make resolutions you can achieve:
- Don't make too many. The more you make,
the less likely you are to achieve any of them.
- Write them down. Put your list in a place
where you' ll see it every day.
- Use positive language. Instead of “I
won' t…,” say “I will….”
- Keep it simple. Complicated resolutions
are hard to achieve — or even to know if you' ve really
achieved them.
- Make it real. If your goals aren' t realistic,
you set yourself up for a frustrating and disappointing year.
Resolving to get a promotion may not be realistic, but committing
to take specific steps toward the promotion is possible.
- Check them off as you go. When you achieve
a resolution, check it off. This keeps you motivated to achieve
the rest.
- Add new resolutions throughout the year.
As you check off each resolution, make another. There' s no
law against making new resolutions any time of year.
[ Top ]
Join the Winner'
s Circle. All achievement begins with setting goals
Why set goals? Three important reasons:
- Goals help focus your effort in a definite direction, which
increases your chance of succeeding.
- Goals allow you to measure progress and monitor improvement,
which increases your motivation to achieve.
- Achieving goals increases your pride and self-confidence,
which encourages you to achieve even more.
People who set goals are less stressed, more productive, more
satisfied with their jobs and their lives, and more successful.
Ask anyone who' s made it to the top. They' ll tell you that
they got where they are by setting and achieving goals.Whether
you' re setting professional or personal goals, the rules are
the same:
- Be specific. Write down detailed goals.
Be precise about what you aim for.
- Be realistic. Make sure the goals you choose
are relevant and attainable.
- Challenge yourself. Set goals at the right
level to be challenging AND
achievable.
- Think them through. List all the steps
you must take to reach your objective.
- Emphasize short-term goals. Although long-term
goals are important, they
take much time and effort to reach. It' s easy to get discouraged.
Short-term
goals can be achieved more quickly and easily, and keep you
motivated to
work toward long-term goals.
- Visualize achievement. Close your eyes
and see yourself achieving the goal.
How does it feel? Keep this image in mind as you work toward
the goal.
Athletes often use this technique.
- Be patient. Sometimes it takes longer
than you expect to achieve goals. Ob-
stacles you didn' t, or couldn' t, anticipate come up. Don'
t give up. Stick with
it, and you' ll succeed.
- Rethink your failures. If you don' t achieve
a goal despite your best efforts,
rethink it. Maybe it wasn' t the right goal for you at this
time. Maybe you need
additional skills or knowledge to achieve it. When you' ve
analyzed the prob-
lem, set a new, more attainable goal.
[ Top ]
Quotes:
"You measure the size of the accomplishment
by the obstacles you have to overcome to reach your goals."
— Booker T. Washington
"A person without a goal is like a ship
without a rudder." — Thomas Carlyle
"We aim above the mark to hit the mark."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
[ Top ]
Workplace
Bullies
One in four companies has experienced workplace bullying in
the past year, and most incidents of bullying appear to be done
by employees against one another, says a study from the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The NIOSH
study defined bullying as “repeated intimidation, slandering,
social isolation, or humiliation by one or more persons against
another.” If you feel you are being mistreated or threatened
by a co-worker and can' t resolve the problem with the other
individual by yourself, speak to your supervisor right away.
No one should have to put up with this kind of behavior on the
job.
[ Top ]
Can
Drumming Relieve Stress?
Dr. Barry Bittman of the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville,
PA, has concluded that drumming can be effective in reducing
workplace stress. He conducted a study with long-term care employees
who took part in 1-hour drumming sessions once a week for 6
weeks. Before and after the study they completed questionnaires
assessing their moods. During the sessions, they performed a
series of exercises, including beating the drums to the rhythm
of their names, copying the rhythms played by others, and discussing
stress they experienced on the job. According to Bittman, employees
experienced a 50 percent improvement in mood during the study,
including a decrease in feelings of fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
[ Top ]
Don' t Get Buried!
Dig out from under that pile of paper.
Whether it' s mail, memos, forms, or reports, there are really
only four things you can do with all the paper that comes your
way in a normal workweek. You can:
- Throw it away. Getting rid of unnecessary
paper is a priority. If you can' t think of a good reason
to keep a piece of paper, toss it—especially if it can
be easily reproduced, if there are duplicates available elsewhere,
or if there is little likelihood of its ever being needed.
- Act on it. When you receive a letter,
memo, form, report, or other document, deal with it immediately—and
handle it only once. Once you' ve acted on the information,
hand the paper off: To another person, a file, or the wastebasket.
- Put it aside. If a piece of paper requires
thought, put it aside. But before you do, put a check mark
on it. Every time you pick it up without acting on it, put
another check on it. Your goal is to add the fewest check
marks before deciding what to do with it.
- File it. If you' ll need the document
later, store it in a place where you can retrieve it easily
and quickly when necessary.
[ Top ]
How
Do Your Goals Rate? Are you scoring goals or sitting out the game?
 If
you ask Olympic medalists about goal-setting, they' ll probably
tell you that it is a key reason for their victories. How about
you? Are you going for the gold or sitting on the sidelines? To
rate your goal-setting skills, circle 1 for Never, 2 for Sometimes,
and 3 for Almost Always in the appropriate box below. Then total
the columns and sum up those totals.
| Habit |
Never |
Sometimes |
Almost Always |
| 1 |
Do you set specific goals for each workday? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 2 |
Do you set short-term goals (weeks/months ahead) as well
as long-term goals (years ahead)? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 3 |
Do you write your goals down? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 4 |
Do you review your goals regularly to check progress and
to make sure they are still relevant to your job? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 5 |
Do you reward yourself for achieving each goal? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 6 |
When you fail to achieve a goal, do you figure out why and
set a new goal based on what you learn? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| 7 |
When you achieve a goal, do you immediately set a new goal? |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| Column Totals |
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TOTAL SCORE _____How did you rate?
- 18-21 points: You' re a winner. Goal-setting is helping
you achieve your dreams.
- 10-18 points: You could profit from setting more goals more
often.
- Less than 10 points: You' re missing out on a golden opportunity.
[ Top ]
Are
You Ready For Flu Season?
A new study shows the number of people hospitalized with the
flu has "increased substantially" over the past two
decades. In fact, by the late 1990s, more than 375,000 Americans
were being hospitalized each year for respiratory and circulatory
problems related to the flu, according to a report on the study
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
An aging and therefore more vulnerable population has a lot
to do with it, but so does the arrival of more virulent viruses,
according to the San Jose Mercury News, which reviewed the study.
Besides being stronger, the viruses are living longer, giving
them more time to spread. The study found that while seniors
85 years or older were most likely to wind up in the hospital
after a bout with the flu, children under age 5 and middle-aged
adults between 50 and 64 years old also had high hospitalization
rates. The Mercury News reports that this year, for the first
time, federal health officials are recommending that babies
between the ages of 6 months and 23 months be vaccinated. Because
no vaccine is available for newborn babies under 6 months of
age, it is important for parents, older siblings, and caregivers
to be vaccinated.
Have you had your Flu shot yet?
[ Top ]
Team Conflict
Even the best teams have occasional disputes Teamwork has
many benefits but like anything else, it also has its problems.
Whenever people work together, there are bound to be occasional
disagreements. Here are tips from Drexel University (Philadelphia)
for handling team conflict:
- Act calmly. When people disagree, voices
tend to rise and tempers often flare. Some people think the
best way to act in a dispute is to shout the loudest or to
have the last word. But that only makes things worse. Take
a deep breath and calm yourself before you speak. Encourage
others to remain calm as you discuss the issues in dispute.
- Clarify the dispute. Make sure everyone
knows exactly what is in dispute. It' s hard to resolve a
conflict if you can' t agree on what you' re arguing about.
Give each side a chance to state the facts. Listen to what
they say.
- Look for compromise (Win - Win). Start
with issues everyone can agree on. There' s usually at least
one thing on which to build a compromise. Look for solutions
that combine the best of both views to create a fair and acceptable
resolution.
If all else fails, bring in a third party, such as a supervisor
or an expert on the dispute, to mediate a resolution.
[ Top ]
Performance
Portfolios. Strategies for getting recognized and moving up.
When you build a financial portfolio, it' s best to diversify
investments for maximum growth potential. The same is true when
you build a performance portfolio designed to maximize your
prospects for advancement on the job. You want to make sure
you have the right mix of skills, experience, and personal power.
Building an imposing performance portfolio begins with these
strategies:
- Master your present job. Become the expert
in what you do.
- Study the job you want. Determine additional
competencies you' ll need to
assume a higher level job.
- Anticipate needs. Find out what needs
to be done in your department and
how to do it. Then do it.
- Keep track of your accomplishments. Make
a list, and keep souvenirs like
certificates of achievement, letters of commendation, appreciative
e-mail from
customers, and any other concrete evidence of how good you
are.
- Update your skills. Make sure your skills
are state of the art, including skills
related to how the work is done (equipment, systems, etc.)
and people skills
- Develop new skills. Take advantage of
every training opportunity at work and
off the job (continuing education, community service, etc.)
to learn new skills
that you can use to enhance your position on the job.
[ Top ]
Slips, Trips,
and Falls
Falls are among the most common causes of household injuries
in the United States. The Wisconsin Department of Health and
Family Services recommends these steps to reduce the risk of
falls in your home:
- Use rubber-backed rugs on hard floors.
- Avoid very thick carpets and rugs with busy patterns, especially
on stairs
- Replace loose, torn, or frayed rugs.
- Replace wooden stairs and floors that are broken, warped,
or rotted.
- Install nonskid strips or mats and grab bars in the bathtub
or shower.
- Keep stairs and walkways clear of cords and clutter.
- Ensure stairs and halls are well lighted.
- Install handrails on both sides of all staircases.
- Before climbing a ladder, be sure it is in good shape and
is stable. Never stand on the top two rungs of a ladder. Have
a friend nearby in case you fall.
- Repair broken or uneven concrete in walks and steps.
- Keep sidewalks and steps clear of snow and ice in winter.
- Spread sand or salt on icy spots.
[ Top ]
Are
Your Savings Insured?
Most people think that when they put money into the bank, they
can count on it being there when they need it. But that might
not always be the case. Banks are offering many new investment
services that are not insured and that don' t guarantee your
principal, including mutual stock funds and annuities. Always
ask for details before you invest.
[ Top ]
Bumping the
Lamp. Attention to detail makes all the difference.
 Walt
Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner sums up the entertainment
giant' s customer service philosophy with three words: “Bumping
the lamp.” The lamp in question is from “Who Framed
Roger Rabbit?,” the landmark Disney movie that combined
live action with animation. In one scene, actor Bob Hoskins
roughhouses in a dimly lit room with animated character Roger
Rabbit. Hoskins bumps his head on a lamp, setting it swaying
for the rest of the scene. The animators, who had to draw and
color 24 pictures for every second of film seen on screen, made
sure that the shading on Roger accurately reflected the constant
changes in light caused by the swaying lamp. Such a difficult
task could have been avoided altogether by foregoing the bump.
But taking that extra care to ensure realism is what makes Disney
different.
Chris Caracci of the Disney Institute elaborates on that idea.
“‘Bumping the lamp' means paying attention to the
detail that only 1 percent of your customers are ever going
to see,” he says. Caracci goes on to say that most of
Disney' s tactics in customer service are simple. “We
like to say they' re common knowledge, they' re just not common
practice.”
[ Top ]
Keep
On Top of Your Job
Improve your planning and organizing skills. Use this checklist
to become a better planner and a more organized employee.
| 1 |
Do you prepare for tomorrow today? |
Yes |
No |
| 2 |
Do you make To Do lists and maintain a weekly calendar listing
all job-related activities and events? |
Yes |
No |
| 3 |
Do you prioritize tasks? |
Yes |
No |
| 4 |
Do you make sure that top priority jobs are accomplished
before
you start working on low priority tasks? |
Yes |
No |
| 5 |
Is your workstation organized for maximum efficiency? |
Yes |
No |
| 6 |
Are you an efficient time manager? |
Yes |
No |
| 7 |
Do you plan carefully and consistently? |
Yes |
No |
| 8 |
Do you develop short-term as well as long-term plans? |
Yes |
No |
| 9 |
Do you build flexibility into your plans? |
Yes |
No |
| 10 |
Do you always have a contingency plan? |
Yes |
No |
| 11 |
Do you evaluate and improve your planning strategies and
tactics? |
Yes |
No |
If you answered ‘yes' to all these questions, you' re
on your way to success through effective planning and organization.
If you didn' t, look at your planning and organizing efforts.
Make the necessary changes and see how much more efficient you
are and how much better equipped to meet and exceed performance
goals.
[ Top ]
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