Library
November 25, 2018
The term “employee engagement” is more than 30 years old. Employers are still trying to figure out how to improve engagement. Perhaps we missed the target because we didn’t pay attention to its definition. William A. Kahn who coined the term defined it as “simultaneous employment and expression of a person’s ‘preferred self’ (displaying real identity, thoughts and feelings) in task behaviors.” The more one can be oneself at work, the more likely the person will stay and be personally engaged in performing their job. Business being business is entrenched in rules, efficiency, and management by objectives to control and […]
October 21, 2018
Alyssa Milano requested her followers use #metoo just over a year ago. Since then, we have all become extremely aware of the scope of unreported sexual harassment incidents. Employers’ standards for preventing harassment have been raised. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s most recent guidance includes “create and maintain an environment in which employees feel comfortable reporting harassment to management.” The fact is people who are not in power are not comfortable reporting much of anything to management. Organizational psychology has demonstrated that people impose censorship on themselves when communicating upward even when their intent is constructive. People impose this self-censorship […]
September 24, 2018
In 1962, the purpose of business was simple; use your resources and engage in activities to increase profits according to Milton Friedman, a leading economist of the time. Friedman stated an executive has direct responsibility to his employer. “That responsibility is to conduct business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society.” Profit as a purpose increased individual greed and created a workforce focused solely on a paycheck. Society pushed back with a workforce who checked out, who came to work to do […]
August 22, 2018
Employee retention may be the most important function of human resources today. Gallup reported 28% of today’s workforce will interview for other jobs this year. A study of more than 1,000 adults across generations and industries in this country revealed lack of emotional safety will cause people to quit their jobs. Maintaining an environment where employees feel emotionally safe is a powerful method to retain employees. Feeling emotionally safe is feeling valued and accepted enough to express and challenge yourself. On the contrary, people are inhibited in a toxic workplace with drama and infighting. The term, “hostile work environment” is […]