PAG's World of Work Blog

Dispute In The Workplace

2012-01-24T15:53:56.734+02:00

There is always something about a new year that (hopefully) engenders the sense of a fresh and promising beginning. Ideally, you took a well-deserved break and now, facing the 2012 working year, you are set to approach challenges effectively.

If we look back at December, there is a high chance that your workplace was filled to the brim with overwrought employees and an unshakeable feeling of tension. In these tricky financial times, year-end particularly signals a stressful period for managers and employees. Managers may have found it especially awkward around the negotiation of salaries and year-end bonuses. However that was dealt with, and despite how rested and rearing to embrace 2012 you are, negotiating conflict and reducing a stressful work environment are things you have to deal with all year. Before you fall back into the vicious cycle of burning out and illusory recovery, take heed of this four-stage conflict resolution model; I find that it includes constructive techniques to use in hairy situations with employees:

Break the ice - The best way to do this is talk about something positive; compliment your employee on the good work he/she has carried out. Assure your employee of his/her value.
Listen – Managers sometimes go into a resolution situation with a pre-conceived idea of the outcome and while they hear what’s being said they don’t listen to the underlying issues that may not be overtly verbalised. Show employees that you’re willing to understand their perspective and take into consideration the full picture. Perhaps the employee is having trouble at home or perhaps the conflict is a result of a long-lasting feud? This will help you understand and resolve the situation.
Be mindful of your words– Reinforce a positive state of mind by using words of encouragement and support. More often than not in situations like these, it’s not so much what you say, but how it is said.
Work towards a solution and don’t dwell on the problem - Positive solutions are better than brooding over a negative situation. Come up with attainable and realistic solutions.

Disputes in the workplace can put a spanner in the overall morale of the workplace, especially if not handled properly. It’s important to remember that you’re dealing with individuals that come from different backgrounds and different sets of stresses. Take this into account and the conflict can be resolved in a manner that truly appeases your employees and a win-win situation results.

Year end functions are here

2011-11-17T15:26:07.718+02:00

Have fun at your year end functions without allowing them to affect the rest of your career…..

Can you believe the so called “silly season” is almost upon us? We all really look forward to our year-end work functions; it is one of the highlights of the year. It provides an opportunity to get to know your colleagues at a more personal level, in the more conducive, relaxed, informal environment.

Social media is an integral part of our lives. It is also a very powerful medium for sharing indiscretions and destroying reputations. The down-side of social media is the fact that nothing whatsoever is sacred. Year-end office function blunders and indiscretions have fuelled many urban legends. Many of these continue to circulate for years. Nowadays, with many people using their cell phones or digital cameras to take footage at the year-end function, many of these blunders are shared on Social Media.

Admittedly, some of these are hilarious, particularly if they do not involve you, or any of your employees. It is, however, a very different matter when this is not the case.

It is advisable to have fun at your year-end function, but with the knowledge that you need to lead, interact, and engage with your team the next day. To do so, you must always be worthy of respect. You must conduct yourself in a sociable, but professional manner, abstain from any behaviour, word or deed that you may later live to regret, dress appropriately, drink moderately, leave work in the office, and compliment and thank those who organised the event.

Bonnie Currin

The Drivers Behind Accepting a Job Offer

2011-11-01T12:28:43.640625+02:00

Research shows that candidates consider four top issues when considering a potential job: they want to do something they’re good at, something they enjoy, something that pays well and something they’re proud of.

Many will settle for three of these.

On average a person spends about 40 hours per week at work therefore it’s more than just a job; it should have meaning. While it’s important to receive sufficient financial compensation, it’s also important to consider the entire package: salary, benefits and perks, working hours and travel, job description, job title, work environment, flexibility and company culture.

Accepting a low salary can set a low standard for future earnings, assess what your needs are and decide whether you’re in a position to accept a low salary. If you are not happy with the offered salary, it’s much easier, and also advised to turn down a job offer than to leave once you’ve already started.

Research carried out at the Columbia University illustrated job-market entrants who accepted low-paying offers may suffer reduced earnings for another 10-15 years. Every salary negotiation is important but your first one is the most important, for example if you get a 7% raise each year, each of these will be larger depending on where it started and that can add up over the years.

Negotiating salary is an important part of the process; if you are not happy with what is being offered discuss why you feel this way and put forward a counter-offer. One thing that candidates sometimes forget is to ask the potential employer to explain how the salary process works. It is important to understand what will be deducted, the benefits and also go as far as asking whether there is a possibility for promotion and progress in the company.

Here are a few important aspects that candidates should note:

· A candidate should not expect more than a 15% increase when applying for a new job,

· It does not matter what the salary budget or advertised salary on a position, the company will first look at current earnings,

· The salary must be understood; total cost to company package is often a complicated aspect to candidates,

· The first person to talk about salary is in the less favourable position to negotiate, it is better to leave the possible employer to bring it up. The best thing to do is leave this discussion to the end, and it is advised to put everything on the table once the topic comes up. For example if you want to buy a house or a car, mention it during the interview.

Choose your words carefully; what you say can directly impact on how you are perceived. Use words that highlight your knowledge, experience and it should convince the prospective employer why you are perfect for the job. Try and find a job that matches your ideals, standard of living and expertise, after all a person spends a large amount of time at work and it is important to make a decision that’s good for you.

Executive Coaching Increases Productivity

2011-10-20T11:26:44.3125+02:00

One-on-one executive coaching increases productivity in a large organisation by as much as 66%, says recruitment company the Professional Assignments Group (PAG). Executive coaching results in improved performance and personal growth for the individual executive and a significant increase in productivity in an organisation.

Executive coaching is a highly personal form of leadership development, where an individual identifies her strengths and weaknesses; examines the impact of her behaviour on others; and regularly and intentionally reflects on her efficacy, values and goals. Participants explore new perspectives and create an action plan to solve problems in the business, as well as to make progress in growth areas.

Essentially, executive coaching is in line with career guru Stephen Covey’s maxim that private victories precede public ones and that authentic change begins with the individual. He defines this as the inside-out approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness.

This approach is useful in times of crisis. Coaching assists individuals to reach their full potential by guiding them to think and act beyond their personal limits, fears and preconceptions, for the benefit of the organisation.

An individual and his/her coach will therefore agree on a number of performance goals and work together to achieve them. Importantly, the executive has an independent sounding board and strategic partner, in the form of a coach, in a safe and confidential environment.

Coaching should not only be limited to executives, but provided for new staff members as well. Research shows that one in eight workers resigns before getting to grips with a new role. The average worker needs about five months to become competent in a new job. Coaching provides support and assists in empowering individuals to meet their personal key performance indicators.

Challenges around finding the right CV

2011-09-27T15:22:25.8125+02:00

An article published in theage.com.au had a most intriguing headline: “CVs – the lying game.” While it is generally acknowledged that around one in four CVs have been “embellished,” the submission of a CV remains a very important step, and the first step in the interview process.

Properly executed, the CV provides a very important snapshot of a candidate’s educational and work history. As such, it provides a good starting point for screening prospective candidates.

What should the HR recruiter look for? The first impression is very important. Has care been taken in the presentation? Has the candidate completed a spell check, or are there glaring spelling mistakes? Does the individual pay attention to detail? Has the CV been presented electronically or in hard copy?

If a candidate is applying for a position as a graphic designer, you would expect some demonstration of creativity. The same, however, would not hold true for a candidate who is applying for a position as an accountant.

A good CV provides a good understanding of the individual. There are usually important clues about the type of personality that one is dealing with. Does the candidate participate in sport or any cultural activities? Is the individual a team player? Has the individual demonstrated leadership? Is the candidate a well-rounded individual?

A good track record is always very important. The CV should paint a good picture of the candidate’s work experience over the past ten years. There should not be any interruptions or unaccounted for periods, nor any glaring omissions.

Gaps, particularly with respect to reasons for leaving a previous employer, should serve as a red flag. Job-hopping is another reason for concern, as this usually indicates an employment trend.

HR professionals need to be mindful of over-screening. They often try to find the perfect match. This is akin to looking for a needle in the haystack. The situation is often exacerbated by the fact that the job specifications may have been written based on the employee who previously held the position. This individual may have possessed an unusual or unique skills set, which is often very difficult to replicate, and may not necessarily be a prerequisite for success.

It is also important to recognize that when a candidate writes her CV it is not written with a specific job in mind. Because the candidate is not privy to what the recruiter is looking for, the candidate is unable to tick all the boxes.

An 80% match is a very good match. It is important too, to recognize, that candidate may have left out some of his or her work experience, deeming the ability to perform certain tasks as standard for a particular position.

The Department of Labour provides very clear guidelines regarding the types of questions that may be asked. While age, race, gender and religion may be of interest to the recruiter, this information need not to appear on the CV.

Candidates are often asked to submit a shortened CV, using a rigid template. I personally dislike this approach as a lot of pertinent information is generally missing. This approach makes it nigh impossible to differentiate between candidates and does not provide any insights into the person.

The covering letter is also a very important indicator of professionalism. Has the candidate sold herself in terms of her suitability for the position?

Once CVs have been short-listed, and candidates interviewed, references should be carefully checked to ensure that the CV is a fair and true reflection of the candidate’s achievements to date. Only once this has been done, should any hiring decision been made.

Enhancing staff tenure

2011-09-12T11:18:57.09375+02:00

Ironically, while companies pay painstaking attention to recruiting people, scant attention is often paid to retaining current employees. Given the global war for talent, it is imperative that staff retention strategies are in place at every level within the organisation. It is arguably even more important to ensure that these are in place, in the case of “star performers”.

As part of your staff retention strategy, employers need to ensure that their employees are loyal and happy and that their remuneration is market-related.

Ideally, line managers should hold monthly one-on-one, personalised conversations with their employees to ascertain “where they are at”. These conversations are about me, my job, my future and my role.

Continuous feedback should be provided so that employees know that they are adding value to their organisation. If this is not the case, focus areas should be identified and short time frames scheduled for the next one-on-one conversation.

Independent climate assessments should be conducted, preferably bi annually. These assessments provide valuable feedback as to whether management is perceived to “walk the talk” in terms of organisational values. They also provide an opportunity to review remuneration, training and development, career opportunities and performance management processes.

Undoubtedly, one of the most compelling reasons for conducting surveys is the fact that managers are required to manage different generations within the workplace. The challenge for management is that each generation has different workplace requirements, and different requirements in terms of how they need to be managed.

There is a common misconception that employees leave organisations because they are dissatisfied with their remuneration. Exit interviews indicate, however, that this is not necessarily the case. Employees often leave because they dislike their boss, or their boss’ management style.

An annual leadership index is very useful for addressing the latter. Senior management should assess the values and the leadership styles of their line managers on an ongoing basis. Where necessary, strategies should be implemented to address gaps. Closing the gaps should form part of the line manager’s performance management review.

Changing a manager’s leadership style can potentially create a more favorable workplace environment, which in turn, may translate into better staff retention.

A scorecard process is very useful for assessing both line managers and employees who report to line managers. Individuals should score themselves. The respective manager should assess their direct reports. Scores should be compared and differences discussed. Actions should be minuted for the next meeting.

The employer and the employee should enter into a psychological contract at the interview stage. Instead of merely focusing on work-relation outputs, prospective employees should be afforded an opportunity to spell out their workplace expectations. Conversations should extend beyond salary, work hours, leave, and benefits: they should also include issues such as whether the employee sees the position as a means to an end, or whether the employee sees the position as a career move.

It is important to obtain absolute clarity upfront in terms of where the employee is adding value to the organisation, and where the employer is adding value to the employee’s goals. In the interest of ensuring staff retention, alignment is critical.

Areas such as an employee’s desire to travel and a desire for training can easily be addressed and if satisfied, can play a critical role in staff retention.

It is important to recognise, however, that there is inevitably a saturation point for learning and a point of diminishing returns for both parties. Generational theory indicates that generation x and y will not retire with your organisation.

Nowadays the optimal tenure in any position is 2 - 4 years. At this juncture it is necessary to either revise the role or add to the job challenge.

Coping with Change

2011-08-30T11:15:21.296+02:00

Not all of us react to change the same way, some people, especially the younger generation actively seek and embrace change seeing it as an opportunity. These people tend to experience less stress when change does occur. Most of us, however, are naturally hostile to change.

We all react to change differently. How we respond normally depends on the nature of the change and the resources we have to cope with it. We may be excited about a new car or worried about more responsibilities that come with a promotion. We may adapt easily to steady changes but find sudden disturbances difficult to adjust to. But any change, even change we look forward to or that will be rewarding in the long run, can be stressful.

Central to all change – positive and negative – is a component of loss. You lose someone, a routine, a way of doing things, opportunities, and so on. It is this loss of familiarity that most of us dislike.

The stress caused by change can be physical or mental and can last for days or even months. Generally, the bigger the change, the more stress you'll experience. Sometimes the pressure is too intense or lasts too long and you may experience "stress overload".

Some experts liken the process of coping with change to the grieving process. One day you feel like crying; the next day you are angry at the world; the next you wonder why others are making such a big deal out of nothing; the next you want to run away. These are all reactions to the loss you are experiencing, not necessarily to the change itself.

One theory suggests that the change process, just like the grieving process, has basic stages. They are:

Fear: This includes feelings of helplessness, powerlessness, low morale, and resistance to change.
Denial: This avoidance technique is a natural coping mechanism and buys you time to process the information subconsciously.
Frustration: When realising that the change is really happening and going to affect you, you get angry and frustrated.
Bargaining: In an attempt to postpone the inevitable or find a way out, we start bargaining with yourself and others.
Depression: When the reality of the change sets in, this can make you feel down or depressed.
Testing: As reality sets in, you start looking for realistic things you can do to help the situation in any way. This is often done with the support of others.
Acceptance: Eventually you accept your new reality, let go of the past and look forward.

Everyone moves through these stages at a different pace, depending on their own personality and on the type of change they are adapting to. It is possible to get stuck in a particular phase or to cycle between these stages.

“Don’t resist, be flexible, don’t be rigid, be supple, welcome change!”

Career planning is key to attracting, developing and retaining talent

2011-08-18T17:16:38.875+02:00

Retention of your best talent is always a hot topic. I would like to propose as one of the retention strategies that can be implemented is career planning.

Career planning and career-pathing are central creeds of any Capital Management System. Properly executed, career planning and career pathing enable organisations to attract, retain and develop talent, and mitigate business risks by ensuring that proper succession planning is in place.

Career pathing and career planning should always be viewed as a partnership between employer and employee. By embracing this approach congruence can be achieved between an individual’s goals and aspirations, and the organisation’s needs.

As part of the career planning and career pathing process, a Personal Development Plan should be developed for each employee. Great care should be taken to ensure that the necessary coaching, support, education, training and development is in place to ensure that personal goals and development milestones can be achieved.

When devising Development Plans cognisance must be taken of the fact that generation x and generation y view the world of work very differently from baby boomers.

Generation y, the so-called millenials - individuals born after 1980, value teamwork and collaboration. These individuals have a strong entrepreneurial flair and a need for work to be personalized. Generation y values lifestyle ahead of employment stability.

Generation x, on the other hand, individuals born between1965-1980, accept diversity, are realistic, self-reliant and individualistic.

Career pathing and career planning should be tailored to meet the needs of generation x and generation y. Unless this is done, it may prove difficult, perhaps impossible, to retain the skills of these employees.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that baby boomers, who constitute 42% of the global workforce, and occupy the lion’s share of senior management positions, are starting to retire. Unless baby boomers, are able to connect with generation x and generation y, and facilitate the necessary skills transfer, business sustainability may be at risk in the medium to long-term.

Business biographer, Ron Chernow cautions that: “These days unless you devote an enormous amount of time to anticipating the future, you won’t have a future”. Skills and competencies required by business will change over time. It is imperative therefore, that as part of their career planning process, organisations monitor and scan the environment on an ongoing basis, to identify future skills needs.

It is fair to assume that the war for talent will intensify. I would therefore like to suggest that going forward, organisations should attach even more importance to career pathing and career planning in their ongoing quest to attract and retain talent.

Stress and burnout need to be managed

2011-08-08T12:23:49.09375+02:00

According to a Gallup Organisation survey in the United States, almost two thirds of American workers are experiencing stress as a result of the economic recession; an estimated 28% of the workforce in Europe (40 million workers) are affected; stress also plays a role in the high suicide rate in Japan, where suicide is the 13^th most common cause of death in Japan, with men in the 35-44 age group, being the most vulnerable. South Africans fare no better: an estimated 30-40% of South Africans experience high levels of stress.

Stress is not the preserve of executives, senior managers, managers and high-flyers: it affects employees at every level within the organisation.

Stress levels in South Africa are heightened by trauma, crime, violence, and the fact that the country is going through a challenging economic climate.

Indicative of the high stress levels, South Africa boasts the third highest divorce level in the world, one of the highest motor vehicle accidents in the world and the fifth highest incidence of coronary disease in the world.

Managers need to be able to identify the warning signs for stress and burnout. They also need to monitor their own stress levels as well as those of their staff, so that remedial action can be taken early.

Sadly, although there are clear warning signs for stress and burnout these are often undetected as any slumps in performance are attributed to attitude and tiredness.

What should one look for? During the first stage of burnout individuals becoming anxious and struggle to control stress. They find that they are unable to deal with issues on a day-to-day basis, and may even “fall to pieces”. Sleeping problems, particularly early morning waking, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating are also warning signs.

Symptoms become far more pronounced during the second stage. Warning signs include absenteeism, lateness or a “don’t care attitude”. Individuals may constantly complain about tiredness: they may also procrastinate and struggle to make decisions. They may become overwhelmed by their workload and they may start withdrawing. There is a danger of substance abuse, particularly the abuse of over the counter medication such as sleeping tablets, followed by another tablet to help them wake up in the morning.

During the third stage of burnout, the so-called classic burnout, the individual appears to be in a state of deep depression. There is a chronic sense of sadness and fatigue. The individual may experience self-destructive thoughts, including suicide as there does not appear to be a way out. The individual will become increasingly withdrawn and isolated. Even things that the individual usually enjoys may not give them any pleasure.

It is important to recognise that stress, is not necessarily evil. As Hans Selye, who coined the term “stress”, observed: “Without stress, there would be no life.” The challenge, is to strike the balance, to have sufficient stress to perform optimally, with passion and energy, with time to rest and recover.

Burnout is treatable. However, the earlier burnout is identified, the better.

This may prove challenging as individuals suffering from chronic stress or burnout may not understand that the situation in which they find themselves is not normal, and even where they recognise that there is a problem, they may be extremely reticent to seek help for fear of being stigmatized.

A paradigm shift is needed in the workplace: managers need to move away from punitive patterns. They need to recognise that personal problems and stress have implications for an individual’s ability to function at work. Their role is to refer candidates to suitably qualified professionals for support. Employee Assistance Programmes play a very important role in this regard. In fact, South Africa is a world leader in this arena.

I encourage you to be more aware about your stress wellbeing, those you manage, those around you and your loved ones as recovery increases exponentially with a good social support structure.

- Bonnie Currin

Job searching can be a real big job

2011-07-26T16:25:53+02:00

Job searching can be a real big job if you’re not doing it right – pun intended! I liaise with job seekers on a daily basis and I understand and empathise with those who tend to become a quite dismal after eons of trying but as the saying goes, constant dripping wears away the stone. I have always been a firm believer of the saying, “If you want something you will find a way and if you don’t you will find an excuse.”There is more to look for a job than just applying for a position. Here’s something which I have learnt over time: Networking is incredibly important when you are looking for work. People remember people who have an impact on them. Let’s look at this scenario, John is job searching and he notices a position which he would like to apply for. So he applies for the position via email and leaves it at that. The recruiter will peruse through Johns application and if he qualifies in terms of meeting the minimum requirements, he could be shortlisted – right?! On the other hand if Jane was applying for a position and she emails her cusotmized application to the recruiter outlining why her experience is appropriate for that specific position. She then finds contact details and makes an effort to get in touch with the recruiter. So every now and then she calls or drops an email and says, “Hi Mr. Recruiter, it’s Jane here, I am just following up on that application, please don’t forget to keep me informed.” The recruiter would have realised at this point that Jane is quite adamant and keen on the position that she makes an effort to keep in touch and follow up on her application. Jane would have left an impression on the recruiter and when he/ she peruses through her CV he would have automatically made the connection between Jane and her CV and is more likely to have remembered her than, um what’s his name again... oh John.

I understand that no response and unsuccessful interviews can leave a job seeker quite despondent, but this is where you should allow a positive mental attitude and resilience to kick in.

So here’s one way of going the “extra mile”:
In my experience I find that networking has become an immensely effective tool. Sometimes it may not be about how you apply for a position, but rather who do you know that will get you where you aspire to be. Social media platforms have become a door to success in terms of getting to know people and networking. Use it! It’s there! Try joining career portals and groups on social media platforms such as, Facebook and Linkedin. Become an active member on these platforms and keep your professional profile accessible at all times – ‘Professional’ being the operative word.

I have recently discovered a new application which can be used by Job seekers, it’s called BranchOut. This professional networking tool may be in the beginner stages of its product life cycle but has already taken the market by storm. Similar to Linikedin, this application provides a basis for people to get networking with immediate contacts and their friends. If you are desperately searching for a job, the application allows recruiters to post jobs and job searchers can find these jobs by simply filling in a job search criteria.

When recruiters leave telephone contact details and an email address, I always believe that using both would work to your advantage! Email your application through and then contact the recruiter to find out if the application was received. Build a relationship with the recruiter – this will work to your advantage now and at a later stage.

Be courteous enough to let the recruiters who are assisting you in finding a job know where you stand at all times by this I mean when you find a job in which they have not been involved in assisting you with, let them know, they will appreciate and respect you for this.

The last thing I would like to remind you as cliché as it may seem, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try and try again. Never give up on what you know deserve.

Happy job hunting!

- Kavita