ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610250038
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: WORKING IT OUT
SOURCE: CAMILLE WRIGHT MILLER
Q: l can't keep good people. Every person who left said, when hired, they'd made a commitment to my company, its future and a career here. How do I make better hiring decisions?
A: Before considering how to improve hiring practices, look at your organization's culture.
Loyalty and high employee morale, resulting in long-term employment relationships, rely heavily on respect, communication, courtesy, discussion, negotiation, consensus, socializing, training and stable conditions. Employers sometimes get these behaviors from employees but fail to give these same behaviors back.
Are these behaviors apparent in your organization? Do they extend both to and from management?
Evaluate working conditions and job requirements. Talented individuals may leave because of physical conditions or because they're overloaded.
Employees recognize the value placed on hard work-as evidenced by awards and salary. If you haven't evaluated the salary/benefits structure in some time, employees may be moving to jobs with more current salary structures.
When employees leave, conduct exit interviews. Exiting employees often give the truth if asked.
If internal audits reveal no negatives, review job descriptions, job requirements and interview practices. Stated requirements may not match the work required. Job descriptions may be outdated and drawing applications from the wrong talent pool.
Have a human resources officer and an attorney review interview practices and questions.
As with other issues, providing answers before understanding the full scope of the problem generally leaves us with a new approach and the same problem. Look to uncover the whole problem before applying a partial solution.
Q: I've apparently offended my staff by requesting they make their whereabouts known at all times. Whether leaving for lunch or a meeting outside our office, I want the receptionist or myself informed. The reaction has been hostile.
A: Your staff has lost autonomy and wants to know why.
Ask yourself why you want or need to know their whereabouts at all times. Do you trust them? If not, why? Is there a basis for your mistrust? Where is your focus?
If you trust your staff and have a true need to know, explain this to them.
If you mistrust your staff, explain what needs to happen for trust to be regained.
If your analysis reveals no valid reason for the new policy, rescind it. You'll gain more by admitting the request was a mistake than by insisting it be followed Thank your staff for their input and request that they continue to be open with you. This stance will likely earn you respect for willingness to admit to an error.
Q: One of my goals is to reduce the number of useless reports. I can now make that change in my department, but fear unwanted headaches if I target the wrong reports. I've a general notion of what I want to eliminate, but no way of knowing if 1 can be sure
A: Eliminating unnecessary reporting is a significant achievement. The time and money saved could be substantial.
Successful reduction requires giving up the idea that the decision can be unilateral. Others must be involved to ensure mistakes are avoided.
Using a spreadsheet format, ask everyone in your department to identify every report generated. Why is it generated? What purpose does it serve, both in the short and long run? Who receives copies of the report?
Meet with report recipients and ask how they use the information included in the reports. Do they receive the same information from other sources? What impact would be felt if the reports stopped? Could the information be provided in a more succinct manner?
Summarize the results and present your staff with a report. Ask for their analysis of the data. Which reports could be eliminated? Which could be reworked for efficiency, without losing critical content? Which reports have critical value to your department? To other departments?
Share the results with all individuals and departments affected by your conclusions. Allow them time to respond to your proposal for eliminations/alterations.
If alarms are sounded, meet with concerned parties and re-evaluate your position. Remain open.
Return to your staff and reconsider - just be certain bilateral agreement is reached
Once you have some certainty, implement the reduction. Estimate savings and track the feedback.
As you see success, share your guidelines with other departments. Thoughtful changes in accepted practices often helps companies move forward.
Additionally, you'll receive deserved recognition for the initial decision and additional recognition for making this a team effort.
Camille Wright Miller, an organizational behavior sociologist who works in Lexington, answers questions from our readers about workplace issues. Please send them to her in care of The Roanoke Times, Business News Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010.
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