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Human Resource Professionals Association of Greater Emporia |
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| Improving Human Resources While Building Professional Relationships |
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President's Perspective It’s hard to believe that the year of 2005 is over and we have had all of our chapter meetings for the year. When the Board of Directors for 2005 met last December to set goals and organize our new year, it seemed like a daunting task to take over as president for the year. Surprisingly, it has been fun, rewarding, and a good learning experience. My first observation is that we absolutely made the right decision when we became a SHRM chapter. The quality of our programs is excellent. We have grown in our membership, which I believe is due to being a quality organization with outstanding members. You have all made the difference. We began the year with our 2005 goals.
Once of the most significant changes approved by HR-PAGE was the new dues amount set for 2006. The Board of Directors did an excellent job of providing good information to the members for a positive outcome. All in all, 2005 has been a successful year for HR-PAGE. May all of you enjoy this holiday season and I look forward to seeing you in January, 2006. Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President's Perspective The
16th Annual Kansas State SHRM Conference was considered to be a
great success. There were over
400 registered to attend and approximately 80 exhibit displays from
various companies in One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to meet and visit with other SHRM members. There were at least five of us from HR-PAGE in attendance. I was fortunate to win a training and development program from The Arnold Group. What a great surprise and wonderful gift to be able to use at the university. Attending the conference was an excellent opportunity to advance the profession. Maybe you can fit next year’s conference into your busy schedule and take advantage of your fellow HR experts. One additional note about the response from all of the Kansas SHRM chapters to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Over $3,000 was pledged to the American Red Cross as a way of helping and showing our support for those in need. While it may not seem like a lot, it happened in a short period of time with a true spirit of giving. See you at the next meeting on October 12th! Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Article: Discipline Basics
All employers possess the right to
establish and enforce rules intended to maintain discipline in the
workplace, increase productivity and protect employees and other
individuals. Most
organizations issue these rules in written form – whether in great
detail or in general concept – in the employee handbook or other policy
and procedure manual. Why do organizations need discipline
policies? Why does the need
for disciplinary action in the workplace occur?
Conflict! We tend to
think of conflict as the result
of disciplinary action, but in reality, it is the cause.
In almost all discipline situations, there exists a conflict of
some kind – a discrepancy between what the organization or the
supervisor wants the employee to do and what the employee wants to do (or
has already done). The
conflicts that result in the need for discipline can be broken down into
four main types: miscommunication, conflict of interpretation, conflict of
goals and conflict of values. Miscommunication involves the
employee’s failure to realize the rule exists.
Organizations and supervisors can prevent miscommunication as a
cause of conflict leading to the need for disciplinary action by
incorporating a thorough explanation of the discipline policy into the new
employee orientation policy. Because employees are typically
responsible for so much information in orientation, supervisors should
reinforce the learning with a conversation about the discipline policy –
and how it relates to the employee’s specific job or department –
early in the employee’s tenure. The conflict of interpretation is
another frequent creator of the need for disciplinary action.
The employee knows the rule exists, and intends to comply, but
interprets the rule incorrectly. For
example, an employee may interpret the organization’s “no
solicitation” policy as meaning she cannot sell items to her coworkers
for profit, but believes she is in compliance with the rule when she
solicits donations to a very worthy charitable cause. Requiring employees to sign an
“acknowledgment of receipt and understanding” is an effective means
proving the employee received and understood the organization’s
disciplinary rules. If needed,
the acknowledgment of receipt and understanding can later be used to
refute charges of discrimination, unfair treatment or unlawful discharge. A conflict of goals occurs when an
employee’s priorities are not aligned with the organization’s or
supervisor’s priorities. For
example, the employee understands the deadline to submit his expense
report, but believes it is more important to finish a client project
first, even if it means the expense report is submitted two days late. The organization and the supervisor
carry a large portion of the responsibility in conflicts caused by
miscommunication, misinterpretation and conflicting goals.
In a conflict of values, however, the employee knows about the rule
and understands it clearly, but believes it does merit her compliance –
the employee willfully refuses to comply with the rule. To help avoid the conflicts that lead
to the need for disciplinary action, organizations and supervisors must
take an unbiased and consistent approach to employee relations.
First, clearly communicating expectations to employees is essential
to supporting their success on the job.
An employee is much more likely to “win” if he knows the rules
of the game. Secondly, supervisors and management
must “walk the talk,” or behave in a manner worthy of emulation.
If the supervisors – or worse yet, the company big wigs – are
not willing to follow the rules, it is highly unlikely the employees will
either. Finally, employees should have no
doubt that consequences will quickly follow prohibited behavior.
Supervisors must take appropriate disciplinary actions when a rule
is broken. In short, clearly communicated and
consistently followed policies governing workplace behavior not only help
to maintain order, but also serve to protect employers from claims of bias
or unfair treatment when disciplinary action is consistently and
appropriately administered. Phillip Hayes is a
human resource consultant with The Arnold Group.
The Arnold Group designs and facilitates developmental, management
and compliance training and provides human resource consulting to clients
in a wide range of industries. Phil
is recognized and certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (S
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President's Perspective
Four
years ago on September 11, the One of the things we have learned about the citizens of this country is that we want to help one another in any way that we can. We prove it day after day by donating time, talents, and money to organizations, to families, to individuals, and to other countries. Most recently, there was a Rapid Response Team that held meetings for those who were laid off at a local manufacturing plant. The purpose was to assist those individuals in finding new jobs, determining what options they have, and supporting their efforts to get back into the labor force as quickly as possible. Many of your companies were involved in that effort and I’m sure that you had a sense of pride in forming ideas and making plans to help others in need. Earlier this summer, we discussed that our Kansas SHRM organization wants us to track the hours that we donate to other organizations and to individuals to further advance our profession of human resources. You may serve on a board or committee which uses your expertise as a human resource professional from time to time. As we begin tracking our time donated to causes, lets also take the time to reflect and honor our September holiday of Labor Day. It is indeed a time for us to be thankful that we have our jobs, our homes, and our city to go about our daily lives. Following is an excerpt from the U.S. Department of Labor’s website on the official Labor Day holiday. “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City The
vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living
and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us
closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and
political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay
tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength,
freedom, and leadership — the American worker. “
Membership Committee Update: The Membership Committee will be kicking off our membership drive at the next general member meeting on September 14, 2005. We will be asking for volunteers to help contact prospective members. We will also have a membership drive challenge with chances for current members to win prizes for signing up new members.
Article: Most Businesses Overlook This Valuable Resource. Does Yours?: Copyright © 2005, Keith Barnett
Your
sales figures are sky rocketing, your employees are at capacity, and
office space is diminishing. Your business is thriving, but you want to
push forward while your market
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President's Perspective
Can you believe the summer is almost over? There have been so many events during the summer that I hope you had the opportunity to take advantage of and enjoy. The University community is gearing up for the fall semester and enrollment, which is my favorite time of the year. The students are happy to be back or coming for the first time and it always gives one a sense of renewal or starting over. You can feel the excitement in the air as they reacquaint with friends, meet new friends and discuss their classes and professors!
Speaking
of upcoming events, how about taking the opportunity to attend the 16th Annual
Kansas State SHRM Conference, HRollin’
on the HRiver 2005 to be held in
I'm looking forward to seeing all of you at your next meeting, August 10th. Our program speaker will be Cindy Boettcher who will be speaking on diversity.
Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Article: Human Resources Best Practices
ADLAW by Request provides legal updates regarding Advertising and Marketing laws and court findings. The link below was recently presented to the Advertising & Marketing International Network to provide the audience with a stronger understanding of the legal issues within H.R. This article may serve as a quick recap for the legalities you are already familiar with or this article could also be presented to those within your organization that may not be a familiar with the wide range of legal issues.
Article is 18 pages in length and includes a wealth of information. Table of contents and the article can be viewed at http://www.adlawbyrequest.com/
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President's Perspective
The
challenge is on for the State Council’s Annual Statewide Initiative.
The Speaking
of activity, have you taken the opportunity to check out the Chamber
calendar of events and happenings going on this summer?
We have a city and surrounding area that is full of wonderful fun
things to do and such a variety that everyone can find at least one event
they will enjoy. The City Band
Concerts have begun, ESU Summer Theatre has begun, the Flint Hills Rodeo
had a great turnout despite the weather, the wonderful Farmers Market with
lots of items to sell will soon start, Live in the Don’t forget to enjoy your summer and take advantage of all of the various happenings scheduled throughout the summer.
Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Article: Welcoming Your New Hires
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President's Perspective It
was almost two years ago that we, as an organization, were trying to
decide if we wanted to be affiliated with SHRM (Society for Human Resource
Management). Some of us felt
it was a great idea and that the association would take us to the next
level of HR professionalism while others of us felt we were doing just
fine as we were and did not need to make any changes.
I believe that I have been remiss by not sharing all of the
opportunities we receive by being associated with SHRM.
Following is a brief history of SHRM to help all of us become more
familiar with the organization. The
information is taken from the website:
http://www.shrm.org The
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), formerly called the American
Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA), was founded in 1948 by a
group of 28 individuals. These
founding members anticipated the need for a national organization to
represent the personnel profession. Their
goal was to provide continued professional development opportunities,
promote national networking, and to generally advance the interests of a
profession they recognized as being in transition.
The Society’s first annual conference, which was held in Until
1964, ASPA was strictly a volunteer organization with no permanent
facilities or staff. The first
Executive Director, Leonard Brice, was hired in 1964 and it was decided
that headquarters would be located in his community of The
organization remained headquartered in Today,
under the leadership of President & CEO Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR, SHRM
includes a global membership of more than 180,000.
SHRM has members in 120 countries including Obviously,
we are part of a large organization which lends it’s powerful voice to
many issues facing companies today. As
we continue to learn more about SHRM, we will understand the benefits it
has brought to our organization and to us as professionals.
In
addition, check out the Kansas SHRM website at http://www.ksshrm.com
and the 16th Annual Kansas State SHRM Conference – HRollin’
on the HRiver 2005 to be held
Local Calendar The Emporia Chamber offers an online calendar for local events. You can certainly check that calendar at http://www.emporiakschamber.org/aces.html. Great Source for Information The following website has a wealth of information on a wide range of subject matters: http://www.jjkeller.com/ideaoftheweek/archive_by_subject.html?markets=H&tick
What exactly is April Fool’s Day? I doubt that anyone is particularly interested in the history of the “holiday”, but it certainly is a day for practical jokes. I like it because it does not require gift giving. I know some folks who bought Oreo cookies, separated them, then stuck them all over the car of another friend! Can you picture your car with Oreo cookies stuck all over it? No matter what, April is here, which also means the first quarter of the year is over and taxes are due!
We are constantly re-tooling ourselves and our businesses to meet the demands of the customer. Change is the norm for all of us if we want to be productive in our economy. HR-PAGE wants to meet your needs too but we can’t do it without your feedback. You might recall that I invited all of you to sign up for a committee this year. Many of you stepped forward and volunteered to serve on committees. In order for HR-PAGE to be successful, we all need to be active in the organization, so all committee assignments are listed on our website. Check it out to see if you are where you really want to be and thank you for being an active member of our organization. I hope that you can find your enthusiasm in this organization to positively impact the professionalism of human resources and the goals of HR-PAGE. We appreciate all that you do and hope that we each take the time to get to know and learn from one another. Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Article:
Increasing Employee Retention Through Employee Engagement You’ve seen it happen many times. An organization that provides top wages and benefits loses a great employee to a competitor for no apparent reason. Of course, some employee turnover is to be expected, but if your company is truly engaging your employees, there is no good reason for the unexpected loss of quality staff members. Many companies already know that wages and benefits are important to employees, but compensation alone is not enough to keep the highly skilled, motivated and experienced workforce your business needs to excel. Defining Employee Engagement What is employee engagement exactly? AlphaMeasure defines employee engagement as the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their organization and its values. The primary behaviors of engaged employees are speaking positively about the organization to coworkers, potential employees and customers, having a strong desire to be a member of the organization, and exerting extra effort to contribute to the organization’s success. Many smart organizations work to develop and nurture engagement. It is important to note, the employee engagement process does require a two-way relationship between employer and employee. Why is Employment Engagement so important? An organization’s capacity to manage employee engagement is closely related to its ability to achieve high performance levels and superior business results. Engaged employees will stay with the company, be an advocate of the company and its products and services, and contribute to bottom line business success. Engaged employees also normally perform better and are more motivated. There is a significant link between employee engagement and profitability. Employee engagement is critical to any organization that seeks not only to retain valued employees, but also increase its level of performance. Factors of Engagement Many organizational factors influence employee engagement and retention such as:
Many other factors exist that might apply to your particular business and the importance of these factors will also vary within your organization. Engagement Essentials How will you know to what degree your employees are engaged? The first step is to determine the current level of employee engagement. The best tool to determine this base line is a comprehensive employee satisfaction survey. A well administered satisfaction survey will let you know at what level of engagement your employees are operating. Customizable employee surveys will provide you with a starting point towards your efforts to optimize employee engagement. The key to successful employee satisfaction surveys is to pay close attention to the feedback from your staff. This is the only way to identify their specific concerns. When leaders listen, employees respond by becoming more engaged. This results in increased productivity and employee retention. Engaged employees are much more likely to be satisfied in their positions, remain with the company, be promoted, and strive for higher levels of performance. Listening to employee ideas, acting on employee contributions and actively involving employees in decision making are essential to employee engagement. Taking Action to Improve Employee Engagement Nothing is more discouraging to employees than to be asked for their feedback and see no movement toward resolution of their issues. Even the smallest actions taken to address concerns will let your staff know that their input is valued. Feeling valued will boost morale, motivate and encourage future input. Taking action starts with listening to employee feedback. Then the data needs to be analyzed. Next, a definitive action plan will need to be put in place and finally, change will be implemented. It is important that employee engagement is not viewed as a one time action. Employee engagement should be a continuous process of measuring, analyzing, defining and implementing. What is the Alternative to Employee Engagement? Conditions that prevent employee engagement seldom alleviate themselves. They should be assessed and addressed as soon as possible. Left to multiply, negative employee satisfaction issues can result in:
How Can You Attain Employee Engagement? Listen to your employees and remember that this is a continuous process. The information your employees supply will provide direction. Insist upon increased engagement at the managerial level, and create and deploy a customized employee satisfaction survey from AlphaMeasure to assess your current level of employee engagement. Identify problem areas, make a plan and take action towards improvement.
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President Perspective
Have you ever heard the saying about March coming in like a lion or a lamb? March is here, but I don’t think it came in like a lion! I don’t know about you, but everyone on campus is getting spring fever and wishing for those warm days. One thing we all know for sure is that time is flying and everyone is active and busy in their personal and professional lives. The HR-PAGE Board of Directors meets every month to discuss what we need to be planning and accomplishing in order to be successful. While we have set goals for the year, the most important issue is that our members are benefiting from belonging to the HR-PAGE organization. The goals for the chapter are listed below: Goals:
I
hope that these goals are meaningful to you as members of HR-PAGE.
We want and need your ideas and suggestions so that you can benefit
from being a member of this organization.
Remember, we are the best source for human resource management in I have asked Larry Gales if he would be our legislative leader to keep us informed of the key issues being addressed by the legislature. In addition, we are receiving updates from Phil Hayes so that you can be informed of the latest developments. I look forward to seeing all of you at the March meeting. We have an excellent speaker and a topic that is vital to all of us and our companies. Don’t forget to network with your fellow members.
Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Committee Members Needed
Don't forget that member applications need to be completed for 2005 if you haven't already done so. We are stilling need help with the various committees. Your committee participation is greatly appreciated.
Article "History in The Making-Chamber Moves First Pro-Biz Work Comp Bill in a Decade" Please follow the link below to view an article on the workman's comp bill. Thank you John Gaska for bringing it to our attention. http://www.kansaschamber.org/forms/advo3/V3Num07.htm
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President Perspective
I came across an article the other day about what employers are looking for in new college graduates. A 5-point scale was used in which “1” was not important and “5” was extremely important. Employers rated communication skills, both written and verbal, at 4.7. According to the article, communication skills have topped the list for several years. What are you looking for when you hire a new employee? Of course, we all look for the skills, abilities, and experience necessary to perform the functional duties of the job. However, I am sure that you would agree there are qualities beyond education and experience necessary to make a successful employee. Some of those qualities are honesty and integrity, a strong work ethic, working well with others, relating well to others, and motivation to do the job. Those qualities are necessary for a productive work environment but cannot be taught on the job. Whether we realize it or not, we, as human resources professionals, should have all if not most of the qualities we are looking for in our employees. I believe that we do possess those qualities because I see it in practice at each monthly meeting. We attend the meetings because we are motivated to be the best that we can be in our field of choice. We exchange ideas and support one another to make a good working relationship and productive meeting environment. Have you noticed how positive everyone is after hearing from a guest speaker? We are open and welcoming to new ideas as well as an affirmation of our current business practices. At the next meeting, be sure to network with your fellow members. We are all surrounded by a wealth of knowledge in our field, so let’s be sure to utilize it. Stay warm and see you February 9th!
Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Committee Members Needed
Don't forget that member applications need to be completed for 2005 if you haven't already done so. We are stilling need help with the various committees. Your committee participation is greatly appreciated.
Article "Verify Employment Records" Copyright 2004 Kathy Wolfson Failing
to verify employment records not only puts the safety and security of your business at risk, but it could result in a negligent hiring lawsuit that could make you liable for millions of dollars in damages should someone that you hire injure a coworker or customer.
Contents of this newsletter are as follows:
President Perspective
Welcome to the year 2005! I’m looking forward to dealing with and discussing the many issues that we all face in our work life as HR professionals. With all of the many challenges that we each face daily, there should not be a shortage of topics for us to confront! In December, the officers for 2005 met to discuss the new year. A continuing theme of discussion was to survey you, the members of HR-PAGE, to find out how this organization has helped you professionally and what you would like to see happen in 2005. We had some wonderful programs this past year. However, we need to hear what helped you and what you need for this year to help you in your work. During the month of January, we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a man who dreamed of a color-blind society. Dr. King, through peaceful means, wanted equality and freedom for all of us. Each time I hear his “I Have A Dream” speech, which was delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, I am moved by his eloquence and hope of an equal society. A society in which we will live and work together toward the same goals. There has been a dramatic growth in a more diverse population in Emporia over the last ten years. As we become a more diverse work force, let’s work toward bringing that same diversity to the various civil and professional organizations in our community. Diversity enriches all of us and helps us to live the dream that Dr. King inspired. I look forward to seeing all of you on January 12, 2005, our first meeting for this year. I encourage you to invite a guest. Jackie Scott HR-PAGE President for 2005
Committee Members Needed
When completing your new membership application for 2005, you will have the opportunity to select which committee you would like to serve on. Your committee participation is greatly appreciated.
Article "How To Attract New Employees"
One of the greatest struggles today for businesses of all sizes is attracting qualified employees. Actually, this struggle has become so wide-spread, it extends even to struggling to attract semi-qualified employees. However, the absence of available employees makes it especially difficult for small employers who are competing for the same pool of candidates as larger employers - who have much deeper pockets.
So it becomes even more important that you understand the importance of becoming a MAGNET for new employees. A magnet that attracts the right people - the people suited to your environment, your work, your culture, your skill needs, etc.
In the scientific magnetism opposites attract. In the human resource magnetism, the last thing we want is to be a magnet for the 'wrong' employees. In order to move forward on the wrong track, we must ask a difficult question: What is your track record on who you attract to your organization?
If you're not attracting the 'right' employees, what are the reasons? Is it because of the image you or your employees are presenting as an organization? The core to effective employee magnetism is being 'attractive' as an employer and to 'repel' the employees not suited to your work, your customers or your setting.
To ensure your attractiveness ask yourself these questions:
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