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Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management tools. Have a look at some of our free management tools
January 24, 2008
Last year I was passed over for a promotion, which ended up being given to a woman nearly half my age. She became my boss. Although she was very physically attractive, she left much to be desired mentally. She constantly sought help from her subordinates who, because they were hot-blooded males, were more than happy to oblige. I, on the other hand, wasn?t into information sharing. I figured if she was getting paid double my salary to do what I had already been doing, then she needed to figure out on her own how to do her job.
What happened to me is indicative of what is happening to many of my fellow baby boomer buddies in the workplace today. We are being shoved aside for younger, but not necessarily brighter, employees. It?s a disturbing trend that is bound to make matters worse as businesses look for cheaper way to run their operations.
Corporate America must take some of the responsibility for pitting the young against the old. Many companies don’t want to pay for experience. They would rather hire someone with the ability to do the job for less money than pay top dollar to a more experienced older employee. Some businesses aren’t as interested in quality as they are in the bottom line: PROFIT.
Young people, eager to get a foot in the door, often times will accept less money and learn just enough to move on. What some businesses fail to realize is knowledge and years of experience go a long way in keeping them from making the same mistakes over and over again.
According to a researcher from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, potential employers are more likely to discriminate against older workers. In her study, Johanna Lahey sent out 4,000 resumes, of people between the ages of 35 and 62, to firms in Boston, MA and St. Petersburg, FL. Her findings indicated younger workers were 40 percent more likely to be called back for an interview than an older worker, defined as 50 years and older. Furthermore, she cited the top ten reasons why employers said OTHER employers might be reluctant to hire older workers:
1) Shorter career potential
2) Lack of energy
3) Cost of health and life insurance and pensions
4) Less flexible/adaptable
5) Higher salary expectations
6) Health risks/absences
7) Knowledge and skills obsolescence
 Block career path of younger workers
9) Suspicion about competence
10) Fear of discrimination lawsuit
The truth of the matter is baby boomers are living longer and need to make ends meet just like their younger counterparts. Corporate America must be willing to recognize the pool of talented applicants no matter who old they are.
In case you?re wondering what ever happened with my younger boss?well, a few months after I left the company, she decided she wanted to be a stay at home mom.
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Beverly Mahone is an author and motivational speaker. She addresses older workers—younger bosses in her book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age. Her website is: http://www.talk2bev.com
December 27, 2007
When MBA gurus discuss business communication in the work place they are often talking about small, medium and large businesses with offices. But what if you and your family or spouse run an online business and work out of a residence? In this case you may think you can by-pass the advice of business workplace communication experts. Actually you would be wise to still consider the words of wisdom when it comes to workplace communication as it could simplify your life substantially.
You see Communication in the Work Place is paramount for All Businesses no matter what size. Even a consulting business with a single secretary needs to consider these things. Businesses run out of the home where all members are family is also important and without it animosity might develop and therefore cause family friction while the goal of making money suffers and along with it your desire and profit goals.
How can you improve your communication in a business run by family in your home or residence? Simple really, while working stay professional and serious about your mission statement and your business goals and keep family chit chat to a minimum by snapping into your work zone and out of your family issues and concerns. Consider this in 2006.
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‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
November 2, 2007
Communication is one of the keys to running a successful business. And no one in a business should be exempt from workplace communication responsibilities. All employees and management of all companies no matter what size must learn proper business communications to insure excellence and productivity in the workplace.
Many smaller companies think that workplace communication responsibilities and training are silly. This simply is not so and with a little practice and training they could actually increase their productivity to a very high rate. There is too much duplication in the normal small-business office and the communication process slows down the flow of information and the efficiency needed to serve customers and make a profit.
There are simple things that small businesses can do to increase their workplace communication skills and the business owner should be looking into these. Often in small companies we find one or two people who are very careful with their communications and very efficient in everything they do and in the way they communicate.
While other employees simply do not care and cause redundancies, workplace conflicts and miscommunication, which results in hurt feelings from other workers who are offended and therefore end up slowing down the productivity costing the business money. Please consider all this in 2006.
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‘Lance Winslow’ - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington
October 30, 2007
If you have watched the reality TV show by Donald Trump, The Apprentice, you will agree with me that Trump is one of the best businessmen in the world today. From the way he arrives at decisions as to who goes up the suite and who takes the elevator, to his vast business interests, Trump comes across as the archetypical shrewd businessman of our time.
From his decisiveness and brutal execution of decisions, to his obstinate obsession with profit, Trump is a paragon of today?s astute businessman. To him, the best entrepreneur is one who gets the highest buck out of a deal. Period! If there?s a name to describe a shrewd businessman, that name can be encapsulated in the person of Donald Trump.
In his flagship TV program, The Apprentice, Trump cuts the figure of one whose overriding preoccupation is making profit. Granted, this is what every business aspires to do ? to make profit. However, it?s my personal opinion that he sometimes overreaches himself when making some of his famed decisions. As far as he is concerned, the team that brings in ?the most money? at the end of the day is the team that wins. If your team is unfortunate to tag along the rear end, then, as good old Donald would say, ?someone will get fired?. If this person ends up being you, the words ?you are fired? ? as only Trump can say them ? will ring very true indeed.
Although I agree with most of Donald Trump?s ?I?m-sorry-you-are-fired? decisions, there are instances when I felt his obsession with profits may have obscured his judgment as to who gets fired and who stays. This is where I beg to part ways with him.
Relationships and not just profits are a vital ingredient in every venture. Every manager or leader of a group should endeavor to build positive relationships among his or her team if they are to get optimal performance from them. People need to feel that you care about them enough to give them another chance when things occasionally go awry.
The fact that a certain employee bungles things one day does not mean he or she is ineffective as an employee. One could just be having a bad day. We all have had days when our motivation to perform was seriously hampered by events or things that happened to us, e.g. a parent who left a sick child at home may seem absent-minded and not as ?sharp? as everyone else. A spouse who left home for work after having an ugly quarrel with a partner may easily get irritated at the office and therefore not be in sync with the rest of the team. If Donald Trump was to come shopping at this unfortunate time, chances are that these unlucky fellows will be trampled out of their jobs.
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Innocent Mwangi is a motivational and inspirational writer and speaker. His articles can be found www.realopportunity.org and on www.ssmk.net. You can get in touch with him on img@realopportunity.org
October 27, 2007
It is simply amazing that only not too long ago we were watching science-fiction films like Star Trek and watching them use all their neat little electronic devices with all the bells and whistles. Well fast-forward to the present times, a lot of that technology is now available to almost anyone. This article will be able to provide you with good common sense to compare pricing plans.
There are generally three types of pricing in the conference calling world. There is flat rate pricing, flat rate per minute pricing, and per minute pricing. Basic flat rate pricing is exactly what it says it is. You pay a monthly subscription fee, and you get the conferencing capabilities that you signed up for. Flat rate per minute pricing is where you pay a flat rate for each minute you are using the conferencing service regardless of how many people are joined in with you. Next, per minute pricing involves a regular per minute charge for each person that is involved on the call. In other words, if the charges $.15 per minute, and three people are on the call, the charge would be $.45 per minute(three minutes times $.15 equals $.45).
Most of your better conferencing services will offer a wide range of pricing options so that they can best suit their customers needs. For basic service you can expect to pay $.12 to $.14 per minute per person for the call. However, this is generally speaking the lower end of the options spectrum. It will offer fewer features and more restrictions such as the inability to make reservations and sometimes Billy restrictions. However, if you upgrade a slight bit higher to $.14-$.17 per minute you can expect to regain those privileges. It is always a good idea to look for hitting fees, but those are not as common with her minute pricing.
It is best to first determine your needs such as how many people are going to be attending the conference call? How often are you be using the conferencing service? What type of features will you be needing? Are you going to be needing any additional equipment? By first determining your needs, and setting a budget, it is much easier to find a conferencing service that can handle your requirements.
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Jason is the owner of Effective Conference Calls, the website that makes conferencing a sinch. Protected by Copyrights, 2006
October 8, 2007
Employee Assistance programs are designed to provide human resource psychological and counseling services. An EAP is an external entity employed by a company to assist their employees with mental health or stress related problems including marital problems, chemical dependency and family therapy. EAP initiatives are integrated into the workplace as part of the health, safety and training programs of the company and in conjunction with labor regulations. The main aim of an EAP is to maximize the health consciousness of employees so that they can return to work with renewed strength and capabilities.
An EAP works as a third party referral agency that connects employees with relevant organizations that can help them with their problems. These services are not limited to work related issues but instead aim to service the holistic needs of the employee in order to service the needs of the company. An EAP will assess the needs of the employee requiring assistance. They will then refer them to a specialist to address the problem. Employee assistance programs cover the cost of between 3 and 5 sessions per year for the employee.
Employee assistance programs not only benefit the individual they have a lasting positive impact for the company. EAPs help with restoring work place morale, reducing absenteeism and increasing productivity within the organization. They are cost effective and employ only certified top quality professional affiliates. EAP services specialize in resolving workplace conflict and work related stress. The main objective of an EAP is to get the employee back on track so that they can continue to contribute to the company in a healthy and productive way.
EAPs and their specialists understand human behavior in the context of the work environment. They understand how external stressors such as relationship or family issues can affect work place cohesion. An EAP also recognizes that office culture and structure can often create internal stress. The goal of an EAP is to identify the issues and implement a course of action that will benefit both the individual and the company.
It is the responsibility of the supervisor to identify where home or work related stress is interfering with job performance and office productivity. Once this has been established the supervisor should make the employee aware of the services available. EAPs are voluntary and an employee cannot be forced into seeking help in this way. It is part of a supervisor?s role to maintain productivity in the office and to ensure employees are able to develop. Companies who have encouraged employees to use EAPs have found a direct relation between assistance programs and an increase in overall performance and job satisfaction.
There are a variety of resources that will greatly help in your search for the right Employee Incentive Program. Employee Assistance Programs Quotes is a fast and easy way to get quotes from many of the nation’s largest, most reputable incentive programs.
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Charles Christian is a freelance writer specializing in a variety of industries.
From :: EAP the beginning of EAP on the internet.
September 25, 2007
Counselling incorporates a wide variety of areas that apply to many different environments and situations. Understanding human behaviour and enabling (or improving) communication are essential in interacting positively with others. This view has been increasingly accepted by businesses and organisations, especially in terms of its contribution in improving productivity.
There are many benefits of applying counselling-based communication skills and tools in the workplace. These include:
1. Enabling a better understanding of why employees behave as they do. This allows identification of those factors that both motivate and inhibit employee behaviour and interaction.
2. Allowing the development and implementation of strategies that align employee work behaviours with organisational goals including effective motivational strategies, cross-training programs, a greater emphasis on teambuilding, and developing trusting and predictable relationships with employees.
3. Improving communication and essential feedback mechanisms that allow employees to communicate with Managers.
4. Earlier identification and addressing of behaviours that are not conducive to workplace productivity and performance such as stress, poor work priority and organisation, and job dissatisfaction.
5. Increase in employee loyalty and job satisfaction as staff perceive they are working within a caring and supportive environment.
6. Higher employee commitment to organisational goals and job performance with less focus upon wages and pay increases.
7. Improved productivity from higher levels of employee job satisfaction, self-esteem and motivation.
8. Earlier identification and resolution of employee grievances.
9. Reduced levels of workplace conflict, downtime, industrial disputes and workplace stress.
10. Increased staff retention and workplace communication.
? Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors.
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Pedro Gondim is a writer and publisher for the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. The Institute is Australia’s largest counsellor training provider, offering the internationally renowned Diploma of Professional Counselling.
August 10, 2007
With hundreds of sex offenders lurking in every corner, it is impossible to always stay protected. Unfortunately, these sexual predators are now showing up in some of our safest places, including the workplace. While these issues can become dangerous and humiliating, it is important to always stay informed on what to do if this happens to you. Below are tips on how to not only recognize sexual harassment, but also how to prevent such occurrences.
If you start to feel uncomfortable at work, you need to explore why this is happening. If an employee is verbally attacking you ? whether it is through offensive language or jokes, you need to take action. Far too often employees are sexually assaulted, yet they feel that it is not a big enough deal to report. Although this is a huge type of sexual harassment, there are others that aren?t so obvious. Nonverbal communication is also a form of assault. For instance, if a co-worker is staring at your body or using unacceptable body language, this is considered sexual assault. Other forms of sexual harassment include unwanted touching and threats if sexual favors are not performed. If these types of unwanted behavior happen to you, it is suggested that you report it immediately.
No matter how embarrassed or ashamed you are, it is essential that you report any type of sexual harassment. If you do not want to go to the police just yet, start by telling a co-worker or someone in the human resources department. It is important that you respect yourself and realize that you have the right to speak. There is no reason for you to have to work under such uncomfortable circumstances.
If your boss or someone in the office tries to threaten your claims, do not back down. It is far too often that women drop their sexual harassment claim, in fear that they will be fired. It is crucial that you not only stand up for yourself, but for other women that it also may be happening to.
If you are beginning to become sexually assaulted and no one believes you, it is important to keep evidence. Keeping a journal with every incident explained in detail will help your case. This will be useful if you have to go to court, as well as providing the police department with the right amount of evidence. No matter what you do, always protect yourself.
A great way to prevent sexual harassment is to make every employee go through sexual harassment training. This way an employee knows what assault is and what isn?t. There are times when co-workers do not realize they are crossing the boundaries, thus resulting in awkward situations. Fortunately, there are wonderful sexual harassment training programs. One of the best in the country is the California sexual harassment training course. However, there are courses all over the country that are just as effective. For this reason, sexual harassment programs are great because they will educate employees in order to keep a workplace safe.
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Natalie Aranda writes women’s issues. A great way to prevent sexual harassment is to make every employee go through sexual harassment training. This way an employee knows what assault is and what isn?t. There are times when co-workers do not realize they are crossing the boundaries, thus resulting in awkward situations. Fortunately, there are wonderful sexual harassment training programs. One of the best in the country is the California sexual harassment training course. However, there are courses all over the country that are just as effective. For this reason, sexual harassment programs are great because they will educate employees in order to keep a workplace safe.
July 20, 2007
Recently, CNN?s early-bird program ruminated that the business world has and is using too many colorful metaphors too often. From its broadcast, one was left with the impression that phrases like; hitting the ground running, watching the bottom line, and thinking out of the box, are ?poison pills? and should be avoided in favor of more explicit terminology.
Colorful metaphors aren?t or don?t need to be ?poison pills? they can both elaborate and expand an idea while still being concise. In fact, they may add a colorful emotional quality to what otherwise may be a sterile moonscape presentation. True, you don?t want to sound like a mina bird squawking the same clich? or irritating phrases repeatedly but good communicators, rather in conversation or prose, don?t do this anyway. A good communicator will use metaphors to help us remember and prioritize information by painting complete pictures with fewer words, rather than droning in our ears like the buzz of a fly or the recitation of the multiplication tables.
People for the most part, are not the binary machines (computers) we often sit at, we?re not Joe Fridays wanting, just the facts. We often need and prefer information to be presented in a way that draws pictures and makes familiar correlations for us. There are those times when cutting to the chase is much simpler, less dramatic, and more preferable but at these times a simple yes or no may often suffice. Good communication, being a high fidelity transfer of ideas, experiences, and concepts is enhanced by colorful, well timed metaphors. We understand and draw from analogies so well we often don?t even realize when a metaphor has been used.
Metaphors are the tools that enhance and make us better communicators. Instead of sliding them to the back burner as CNN would suggest, we should instead welcome and invite their usage as an old friend returned. This is only my opinion, but I suggest you push the envelope a bit, get your ducks in a row, and take a stab in the dark with metaphors. It?s a no brainer to not go over the top the first time you stretch your wings, but metaphors can be the piece of the puzzle you are missing in communication, so wake up and smell the coffee, they are not poison pills that must be avoided as you climb the corporate ladder.
I personal use and enjoy metaphors handily as you may have guessed since every sentence in this piece contains at least one example, 33 in total, including this one.
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Jason Webb is a student of life living in the mid-west.
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