CDHRA SEPTEMBER 2005 Newsletter
	Summer Winds Down!

CDHRA News
SHRM Online Highlights
SHRM Interactive - Webcast Series
On the Web - HR News
Why Organize
Focus on the Five Ss
Career Development Quiz
Can Anybody Hear Me?
New Sleep Poll Revealing
Tips for Successful Teamwork
Be Good to Your Back
How Do You Spend Your Time?
Big Goals Vs. Little Goals
What Organization is NOT
How's Your Credibility?
What Motivates You?
Quotes

CDHRA News.

Haman Receives PHR Certification. CDHRA member Amber Haman has recently received her PHR certification. Congratulations, Amber, on a job well done!

Hurricane relief. The American Red Cross is reviewing the resumes received for the volunteer staff associate positions. At this time, it is not accepting additional candidates for these openings. For other ways you can help, please see the Red Cross home page or the "How You Can Help" section of SHRM's Hurricane Katrina home page.

Recruiting Katrina workers. Job Service North Dakota has had some requests from employers to hire Katrina victims. Those who may be interested in doing this should first go to America's Job Bank at http://www.ajb.org. The Job Bank has established a specific category for posting jobs and recruiting victims. You must have an account to do this. If you are not already registered you can do so there. Approval comes back to you through Job Service as they will be asked to verify that you are a bonafide employer (the turn around for a approval may take a day or two). Once approved you can post your job and hopefully get some responses.

You can also go directly to the Katrina Recovery Job Connection site [ Click Here ].

For information about special I-9 requirements for hiring Katrina victims. Employers will not be sanctions for hiring displaced persons who do not have the proper I-9 documentation [ More ] 

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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.

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SHRM Interactive.

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On the Web.

For more news and updates on these and other stories, see the online version of HR News visit www.shrm.org/hrnews.

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Why Organize? Ten ways organization helps you succeed.

Being organized helps you:

• Save time. When you know what you're going to do and how you're going to do it, and when you have all the materials and equipment you need before you start, you won't waste time once you get going.
• Avoid stress. Instead of running around looking for the things you need and facing all kinds of frustrations while you're busy trying to get a job done, you'll have everything all lined up waiting for you when you need it.
• Anticipate needs, problems, and choices. When you organize, you're better able to anticipate what is required to do a job well, what problems you might face, and what options you might have. Instead of jumping in blind, you'll go into the job with your eyes open, prepared for anything that might arise.
• Make better decisions. Because you've organized and anticipated, you'll be able to make better decisions faster as you work.
• Be more efficient and productive. You won't waste time and energy or have to backtrack to deal with something you forgot.
• Make sure priorities are met. You'll have organized your tasks in the logical order that allows you to meet your priorities.
• Handle challenges and problems more effectively. You'll be able to handle challenges or problems while you work because you'll already have the resources to deal with unexpected events.
• Evaluate progress. Because you've already planned out your work, you'll know how well you're getting along and how much more you have to do. That will help you keep on schedule and finish your work on time.
• Meet goals. An organized approach to your work ensures that you will meet, or even exceed, your goals.
• Achieve better results. Finally, being organized helps you achieve better results, which is the basis for professional success and personal satisfaction.

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Focus On The Five S's.

The Japanese have long recognized the vital importance of being well organized on the job. Most companies in Japan follow a simple but rigorous program known as the Five S's, which helps keep work areas orderly and efficient:

• Seiri, which can be translated as sorting, refers to the practice of sorting through all the tools, materials, etc., in the work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded. This leads to fewer hazards and less clutter to interfere with productive work.
• Seiton, or organizing, focuses on the need for an orderly workplace. Tools, equipment, and materials must be systematically arranged for the most efficient access. In other words, a place for everything and everything in its place.
• Seiso, which means cleaning, indicates the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place.
• Seiketsu, or standardizing, allows for control and consistency. Basic housekeeping standards apply everywhere in the facility. Everyone knows what his or her responsibilities are. Housekeeping duties are part of regular work routines.
• Shitsike, which means sustaining, refers to maintaining standards and keeping the work area in an efficient and orderly state, day after day, year
  after year.

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Career Development Quiz. On the road to success, or to nowhere special?

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Can Anybody Hear Me? Five ways to improve communication.

Being able to communicate well is an important skill for any job. Keep the lines of communication open between you and your co-workers by always:

• Sharing what you know. Your knowledge and experience is a valuable asset. Share information with co-workers, and ask them to return the favor. The more information you share, the more will flow back to you.
• Giving others the benefit of your feedback. Let your co-workers know what you think. For example, tell them when you think there's a problem, and why. Also, congratulate them when they've done a good job. Or warn them when you see them headed for trouble.
• Being objective when discussing problems. Be open-minded to consider other points of view. Focus on the problem, not on the desire to be right.
• Listening before you act. Listen to directions and instructions from your supervisor. Listen to the advice of co-workers. Make sure you have the information you need before you act.
• Welcoming suggestions and constructive criticism. This is a tough one for most people. But if you can accept suggestions and constructive criticism gracefully and willingly from your boss and co-workers, you can learn a lot very quickly and make major improvements in your performance.

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New Sleep Poll Revealing.

According to a 2005 Sleep in America poll by the National Sleep Foundation, American adults average 6.9 hours of sleep a night. But 16 percent of those polled said they get less than 6 hours on weeknights. And only half the people polled thought that they were getting enough sleep.

Twenty-four percent said that sleep problems affected work and other activities. For example, half those polled said they often feel tired, and 17 percent said they feel tired every day.

Nearly one in three said they had missed work or made mistakes because of lack of sleep. Sixty percent of drivers polled admitted to driving while drowsy, and 4 percent said they'd had an accident or near miss because of fatigue.

One of the biggest culprits for lost sleep was a partner's snoring, costing an average of 49 minutes of lost sleep a night. The poll also indicates that people with medical conditions like arthritis and high blood pressure sleep less and are twice as likely to feel tired during the day.

Weight problems are also linked to loss of sleep. Overweight people tend to get less sleep and feel more tired during the day than people of normal weight.

How do Americans prepare for sleep? Ninety percent said they watched TV before going to sleep.

How do we make up for lost sleep? The polls shows that more than 50 percent of the survey group took at least one nap a week.

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Tips for successful teamwork. You + I = Us.

There's a big difference between working by yourself and working with a co-worker or several co-workers in a team effort. When you work by yourself, you make all the decisions, take all the responsibility, and get all the credit. But when you work with others, you share all those things.

Here are three basic tips for making team efforts more successful:

• Keep an open mind. Realize that there may be many good ways to achieve a goal. If you go into a team effort with a "my way or the highway" attitude, trouble is likely to follow. Be open to different ideas; they are a big strength of teamwork. The idea may not be the way you'd do it, but it could be better.
• Let go. When you work alone, you get to be in total control. But when you work with others, you share control. For most of us, that's hard. But letting go is essential when you're part of a team. Of course, that doesn't mean sitting back and letting others do all the work or not taking responsibility. It does mean being accountable to the group and accepting the decisions of the group.
• Learn from others. Teamwork provides a golden opportunity to learn new things. Everybody you work with can teach you something useful if you pay attention and are willing to learn. Take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves on teams.

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Be Good to Your Back. Protect yourself from back injuries.

The best way to protect your back against the many hazards it faces is to develop habits that reduce the strain on back muscles. For example:

• Slow down. Prevent back injuries that result from slips, trips, and falls by walking instead of running from place to place. Of course, look where you're going. It's also helpful to wear shoes with nonskid soles.
• Stretch first. Your back muscles, and the stomach muscles that help them, benefit from stretching before heavy use. So it's a good idea to stretch gently before lifting or other back activity. Gentle stretches at the beginning of the day, and periodically during the day, also keep your back muscles flexible.
• Rest your back. When you sleep, your back gets a rest from carrying your body around. To give your back the best rest, sleep on a firm mattress. The best sleep positions for your back are on your side with your knees bent or on your back with your knees elevated.
• Be careful when lifting. Break large loads down into smaller, more manageable parts, if possible. Whenever possible use material handling equipment ( hoists, hand trucks, dollies) rather than your body to lift. And when you transport material on a hand truck, push, don't pull.

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How Do You Spend Your Time?

According to a Cornell Cooperative Extension Service publication called "Time: A Precious Commodity," the following list is how the average American spends his or her time during the week:

ACTIVITY / HOURS:

• Eating and sleeping 70
• Working 40
• Commuting 10
• Recreation outside of home 12
• At home 12
• Family activities 12
• Home/personal maintenance 8
• Religious activities 4

How do you spend your time? Keep a log for a week of all your major activities. You may be surprised what you find. Your findings can help you make some adjustments to create a better balance in your life.

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Big Goals vs. Little Goals.

What's more important to achieve success: Setting a few big goals or a lot of little ones? Many people think it's the big dream, the big objective that leads to success.

Actually, it's all the little goals that get you where you want to go. Setting big goals is easy, but you can't achieve them without setting and meeting a lot of small goals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

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What Organization is NOT. You don't have to be a neat-freak.

Many people tend to avoid organization because they have the wrong idea about being organized. Organization is NOT:

• Neatness. It doesn't matter if your workstation looks a little messy as long as it's organized so that you know where to find everything you need and there isn't useless clutter. Organization is orderliness, not necessarily neatness.
• Perfectionism. Being organized is a practical, efficient way to work. It has nothing to do with being perfect. Organization is a means to an end: greater efficiency, improved performance, better results. It isn't an end in itself. You don't have to be a perfectionist to be organized.
• A one-time event. Organization is a process, not an event. You can't organize yourself and your workstation once and that's it. Organization is a daily effort. In fact, physicists have a theory about it. They call it Chaos Theory. Left to themselves, things will tend toward disorder; and do they ever!
• Just for stuff. Organization also isn't just for stuff; a place for everything and everything in its place. Organization works with thoughts and ideas, too. In order to plan an effective strategy or write a good report, you need to organize your thoughts.

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How's Your Credibility? Strategies for making a positive impression.

Success is strongly influenced by your credibility. Credibility encompasses reliability, responsibility, capability, integrity, and accountability. It's powerful stuff; the stuff that gets you noticed and makes you the go-to and get-ahead person in your department. To support your credibility:

• Keep the promises you make. Your word is your bond. Stand behind your promises and guarantee follow-through.
• Inspire confidence in your abilities. Perform every job you're assigned in an efficient, skilled, productive, and timely manner. No task is too small to be important. Take pride in your work, and you'll inspire confidence in others.
• Use accurate information to make a point. Always have the facts and figures to back up the points you make to co-workers, supervisors, internal and external customers, and anyone else with whom you communicate on the job.
• Admit when you're wrong. Nobody's perfect. There's no shame in making a mistake as long as you admit it, correct it, and avoid making it again.
• Be consistent. A consistent, reliable performance that meets required standards is the hallmark of credibility. Consistency earns respect and recognition.

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What Motivates You?

September is International Self-Awareness month, time to look at what motivates you to do a good job and succeed in your work. Here's what motivates these people:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. - President Calvin Coolidge

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. That is where they should be. Now put the foundation under them. - Naturalist Henry David Thoreau

Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it. - Prime Minister Winston Churchill

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. - Coach John Wooden

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. - Architect Frank Lloyd Wright

The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it. - Author Pearl S. Buck

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Other Quotes.

Success seems to be largely a matter of
hanging on after others have let go. - Unknown

Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only
had wonderful things happen to you. - Mary Tyler Moore

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. - Goethe

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