The new challenge of job retention and turnovers!

On an article about the Down Economy and how recruiters hired cheap skills out of unemployment needs, Joe Ligth published in the Wall Street Journal of November 15 that a good number of top level hires are now looking for greener pastures!

He proposed that"Companies that continued to hire during the slump found they were able to nab talented but recently laid-off workers at bargain salaries, or into jobs for which they were overqualified. Now, as the job market slowly loosens up—and those overqualified hires become more frustrated—some of them are considering greener pastures".

Most companies are now struggling to update their compensations and salaries in fear of loosing the skills and expertize acquired from the resent hiring. I still believe that the market will readjust and balance its self with time. eventually those who move to higher pay jobs will be substituted by new college graduates that will offer new energy to the companies and will learn form the wisdom of those seniors retained in the upper level jobshttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865704575610473959680264.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerJournal_4

Generation X and their future!

As we spoke about intergenerational differences in workforces and economies throughout times, Azriel James Reiph wrote for the Newsweek magazine of November 12 that " Despite looming concerns over entitlement cuts, the percentage of workers between the ages of 25 and 35 who say they’ve saved for retirement has fallen by 22 percent in the last decade, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute".

Due to the negative image of our current economy and the financial world, generation X is being more conservative in investing for their retirement. But the fear of loosing now or risking in in stocks may put them in a situation that will prevent them from retiring at the same levels of the present generation.
As proposed by Cathy Pareto "“We aren’t like our parents or grandparents,” but the safety and low yield bonds favored by the gen X may cause them a delay of 10 years in their retirement age!http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/12/generation-x-has-jitters-about-investing.html

Over the hill while out of work?

In an article about present unemployment in the US, Emily Glazer published an article in the Wall Street Journal saying that more than 2.2 millions of the 14.9 of unemployed Americans are 55 and older!

That is a scary thought! These people are struggling to meet their family needs and competing with much younger generations and at a global level! The article tries to present some alternatives for those in crisis but the remedy some times sound worst than the reality because they propose to use any resources for retirement and even pay taxes and penalties in the hope that the future will turn around.

Amazing grace!http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303436904575570663472679240.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerJournal_4

The future of our jobs!

In an article about US jobs in the recession, Rana Foroohar and R. N. Schneiderman wrote in the November 8 Newsweek magazine that this recession is different because the US unemployment is concentrated in only three sectors, construction, manufacturing and finance!

But they think there are good sectors that had kept a good life or are actually rebounding just now. The interesting point they made is that for a change, globalization is moving our economy up. They say, "The connective tissue between many of these categories is overseas markets, particularly emerging ones. The boom in agriculture and commodities of any sort is mostly a tale of the high-speed growth of emerging markets, which are now demanding more of everything from meat to energy". As part of their logic, they think that India , China and Brazil in their need for resources and goods will continue to put US exports in double digits for quite some time and that will encourage our economy!http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/25/new-jobs-aren-t-where-the-workers-are.html

In my opinion, any good news is great rigth now!

Rewards and Recognition as a business wining strategy

Abstract

If we could agree that human capital is a form of asset management, then we must recognize the critical need for a plan to secure, manage and motivate a workforce to optimize our business performance!

My research pretends to highlight best practices that work for successful companies in the US and to compare with those that had failed in keeping the focus on their workforce.These companies have shown that their proven trend of success always pointed to their workforce, their human resources able to provide the best customer service or product in the market.

In a ferocious market of competition, best practices for retention and compensations include employee motivators promoting employee pride and loyalty and reducing costly turnover rates while also increasing skills as one of the most precious and valuable inventories in business.The research recognize human capital as the accumulated stock of skills, experience, and knowledge that resides in an organization's workforce and drive productive labor. It focus on employee recognition programs as a way to reward work and behaviors that support and further the mission, goals, values and initiatives of the company.

Overestimation of our mangerial skills??

In an article published yesterday by The Wall Street Journal, Joe Light make a point on a survey conducted by Development Dimensions International Inc. were most front line managers tend to overstate their skills. The interesting points they made were related to the way managers tend to be surrounded by employees who flatter them as a way of ingratiating themselves to their boss, said Stanford business professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of the book "Power."
But then he also criticize manager in saying, "People also don't understand the feedback they get. They either mishear or choose not to hear criticism,".

I think, in order to be great managers, we must have people's skills that include great communication, good listeners, and an open mind that rewards creativity!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703817604575584764128883620.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_careerjournal

Were are we going to work in the future?

As per Mathew publication in the May 10Th Newsweek Magazine, "the Wireless and mobile technology may have untethered legions from their cubicles, but companies are still spending billions to erect new green buildings". In a passionate argument about technology changes and commuting challenges, the article tries to explain that even with the increased trend to work out of home, "the shift to greater green building has already begun" from big Companies infrastructures investments.

This fact, they say; comes in hand with the ever increasing cost of energy and the need to live closer to our jobs rather than the long commutes. And for that reasoning, they conclude that cities will grow bigger in population density while the suburbs will shrink!

I still think all being said, our Census of 2010 will bring a lot of new data to work with and as in the past; immigration will have a big influence on how America will be shaped for many years to come!
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/10/where-you-will-work-next.html

Most lucrative business in the US!

I just came back home from the hospital after spending more than 12 hours in the ER with my wife. What a scary experience it was!
 It was not a typical emergency situation because we went to our Dr. before hand and he was the one who referred us to the Hospital were he practice. The trick is, he is considered like an external contractor who brings his clients to the "Center" and he pays the hospital for using the facilities but still the big money goes to the Hospital.
It didn't matter that my wife's have been under the care of the DR. for quite some time already and that she came to the Hospital for a specific procedure; she could not be admitted without goingthru an admission process handled by ER! What that meant was, we would end up paying for an unknown physician who just asked "why your Dr. wants to see you here?", then we pay hundreds of dollars for a "room" that is nothing but a 4X 8 space separated by curtains and waited in there until the real room was available. Not without the sweet deal of additional charges (other hundreds or thousands) due to "medication" (two Tylenol) and the nurses who took vitals  and temperature.

I can not believe, this could be considered the best health system in the world, nothing but a ripoff! The worst part is, all Dr.s are being forced to do it like this in order to have access to the Hospitals who are nothing but monopolisticly protected by the government. 

How you learn from criminals? Just go to a public university in PA!

I was surprised by the article published by the Morning Call this morning,
"'Crazy Eddie' fraudster talks white-collar crime at East Stroudsburg University". But the whole idea seems to have worked perfectly for the University and it's students!

This businessman went to East Stroudsburg to talk about his crimes and showed no remorse. He actually said,"My only regret is that I got caught". But in my opinion, he was actually in character to help students recognize the effects of greed on business.
He was part of a big business/financial fraud that is still causing waves in other so called retail "seconds". Like Overstock.com who claim to do well in resales of over-produced goods but feds are now checking on possible over "cooked" numbers on inventories and sales!
The association with other cases of financial fraud created an interest to learn from this man and his story about his family involvement.

It was a little scary to read how he told the audience, that they were caught only because of his marriage infidelity and some family inside jealousy. But also encouraging to know that he is now working for the FBI in an attempt to clean his "soul".

The most important lesson was exposed by an East Stroudsburg student when he asked the speaker about the money he made of the scam and in response was asked if he will accept his answer as truthful, the student's answer was a solid NO! http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-east-stroudsburg-crazy-eddie-20101023,0,3886180.story

Get a job despite some liabilities in your experience!

Susan Adams reported on Forbes magazine of October 18Th that the trick to success in a hiring process were you have "imperfections" in the past , is to be upfront with some issues and to avoid those that are not obvious or your employer won't find out by other means.

In some of the examples, she mention the common fears of hiring older applicants who are looking for technological jobs. Her suggestion is to be upfront and let the hiring authority know about your skills and how you keep yourself up in line with technology and the new generation of "geeks". In deep, she even mention the idea of keeping your personal appearance looking "younger" by copying hair styles that are contemporary and popular even if you are 60+.
what I found more interesting was for those dealing with long terms of unemployment, she suggested "list yourself as a consultant on your resume. Include both paid and unpaid experience. Nowadays, employers are increasingly receptive to resumes that include long stints of consulting or freelance work. "They know what the situation is out there," she says.
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110983/get-hired-despite-red-flags-in-your-story?mod=career-worklife_balance

Employed in a job outside the chosen field and for a lower salary than hoped for?

That is the situation presented by Ruth Mantell in her published article of October 17Th at the Wall Street Journal Career Strategies section and mostly affecting college grads!  On the tough labor market we have to live on, more than 49% of recent graduates said they are willing to work outside their field of choice.

And some Human Resource experts said that is not all bad because (if you wisely chose the alternative) "Entry-level workers can take positions that teach them universal skills they'll need throughout their career", says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at job website CareerBuilder.com.

What seems interesting to me is the difference with old days when higher education used to be a secure investment to better jobs, salary and choices versus the prospects of today! Instead of talking about the importance of a good education, we have to face the reality of fierce competition, wiliness to explore outside our fields and to accept lower pay? Again, I think the US just started to pay for the "globalization bill" and the exportation of products and jobs on behalf of what used to be Corporate America.

I know Economy teaches that competition is good for business but I think that the globalization model is very unfair to the US market and while other have very strict trade policies, we allow our CEOs and Corporations to do business on their own terms and in disregard of what is best for the American people!  
 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304898004575556923242238084.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance

Hiring or not?

Maybe like most Americans, I can't understand the unemployment situation or the reasoning behind the prevalent high rate! Some politicos talk about workers been happy with the unemployment extended benefits and not interested in a new job, while others talk about the agenda behind corporate US to sit on a pile of money until the election cycle end (again for political gain) causing a shift of power in US Congress. But Daniel Gross from the Newsweek Magazine have a new theory, "Employers shouldn't be surprised that Americans won't take their crummy low-wage jobs".

In his article published on August 10, 2010, he explained that employers are trying to get away with a bargain by offering jobs at a much lower salary rate than expected! He also noticed that the laws of supply and demand are part of the American refusal to take jobs at a minimun wage. As one of the examples, he mentioned a parts distributor loking for a machinist and offering $13 per hour; a salary that amounts to $13,000 under the percapita salary of the region. Also mentions the Emirates Airlines that came to Miami and Houston and were not happy on the outcome for their offers to hire at a salary of $30,000. The catch?, you have to move to Dubai!
The reason he gives, is that after loosing ground on benefits like insurances and medical coverage, workers now only hold wages as their last negotiating issue for a job. He adds "If jobs require people to commute a great distance or to move themselves to another state, or to another hemisphere, employers may find they need to sweeten their offers."
Again, I'm not sure how many of these factors may be seriously related to the unemployment numbers but I think we reached to low already and sooner than later things will change!http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/10/is-any-job-better-than-no-job.html

Jobs transformations or an excuse for global export?

If your manager could have asked you about your disposition to endure a dozen mergers would you consider the job opportunity? How about accepting the uncertainty of your job security every time this happens? How if your company becomes one of the 6 largest in the business, but your benefits and compensations are diminish every time there is a new merger?
In reading about Wachovia and Wells Fargo and many other big banks in the nation, that is exactly what happened to their employees! And things are turning to the worst on those issues we discussed in class pertaining to recognition and practices to keep employees happy, I can not believe the lack of consideration for the banking employees. in reading from Best Practices, LLc, now employees are subject to "additional rigorous training" to change their approach from a "Customer Service Rep." to sales in a "take it or there are thousands of job seeking candidates waiting for your job" attitude! The obvious problem is also in the raise, huge jobs turnover with a high level of dissatisfaction and low morale.
Again and again we can read of a change in of approach toward human resources that hurt the industry at the customer-employee level but it seems as a good practice in terms of profits. Just like in the financial fiasco of the century, the banks are still making a lot of money while taxpayer bail their CEOs out with big bonuses but customers are getting lousy service! As a matter of fact, and in this same example of Wells Fargo, these "positions of service" are being considered to be exported to the Philippines and India!
http://www.best-in-class.com/bestp/domrep.nsf/products/managing-service-to-sales-cultural-transformation

Who works better?

Loid de Vries published for CBS news that out of a study from the University of Colorado, happier workers are more productive! In his publication he highlight about a group of 326 diagnosed workers suffering from depression who received treatment from specially trained health care providers and their additional productivity added up to an annual estimated value of $2,601 more per each happier worker!

In looking beyond the obvious positive results, the experiment also showed a reduction of 28.4 in absenteeism. This reinforce the potential benefits of good managerial practices that value Human resources as a key to business success! Not only good health care coverage or basic benefits, sometimes an extra personal consideration may transform the company that we manage into the place of work that everyone admire!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/24/health/webmd/main657624.shtml

Keeping good employees happy!

The key to retain good employees is consider to be dependant of the total work environment that you offer to your employees but there are basic issues that should be taken in consideration!

For example, Susan Heathfield mentions at her article of how to reduce employee turnovers, that the three basics in employee retention are " Competitive salary and benefits, flexible schedule options, and tuition assistance! At this age, competitive benefit packages that include health care incentives, 401ks and life insurance are also seeing as powerful tools of retention. But the less visible and sometimes most valued by employees is the opportunity to share their knowledge and to be able to teach what they know.
People like to feel part of their jobs and make work fun. They like to feel respected and to be part of any decisions affecting their work.
That is were managers have the potential to transform a company by offering recognition for those who exceed expectations in their own performances or help others to attain their potential.

The challenge is at the value we see on nonworking activities. There is great potential to improve morale and satisfaction(increased productivity and efficiency) when workers see their jobs as an extension of their family, a place were they will like to bring their sons and daughters and show off their contributions to a business world. I know there is a negative sense of change that think "those are old times that won't come back". And the reality of global competition increase those sentiments of nostalgia but we still have companies like that in the US. And they are doing well! we just have to look at them and learn from them by sharing their best practices with all of those that think of Human resources as a disposable "thing".
http://humanresources.about.com/od/retention/a/turnover_tips.htm

Jobs after the recession!

As I read the September 25Th publication of Newsweek Magazine, I found this interesting report from Rana Foroohar ( http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/25/new-jobs-are-twhere-the-workers-are.html ) where she declares that "The Great Recession that began in December of 2007 offically ended in June of 2009". This came as part of  the news flash of last week from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

But more interesting to me were the facts shared about the unemployment crisis and how much influence politics of the times play in the numbers; and the social implications that go in hand with the situation. As explained, there are political presures to delay the hiring process in certaing regions of the country(or the reports of good trends) in benefit of political candidates looking to unseat incombents from power. Three fields are carrying the bigger hit to the economy, construction, manufacturing (automotive sector) and finance but sectors related to health and education are growing strongly!
 As the reporter made the point to suggest that the GOP (being in full campaing) will stall on any plan from the administration to create a bank infrastruture that will help allocate skillful and retrained workers to available jobs; the point is clear that the unemployed workers live elsewhere from were the employments are! In clarifying, Rana mentions that "there are plenty of jobs in places like DC, South Carolina; North Dakota; and Luisiana. But the unemployment in Nevada, Michigan, California and Florida can't afford to take them."

Undercover Boss!

For all of us who like to see new business reality shows in cable broadcast tv, there is a new series of the “Undercover Boss” show on CBS airing in late September!

As featured in the September 27, 2010 edition of the Fortune magazine; three CEO’s took time to go undercover as front line employees (with false ids, changing hair color and more) and took company basic trainings to become satellite dish installers, forklift operators, customer service rep. and even a rear-tire carrier for NASCAR. The common denominator seemed to be the disconnection of high level management and common employee and the appreciation(mostly lack of) level for the hard work expected from the workers.

The Fortune magazine interviews of the Chiquita Brands, Nascar, Great Wolf resorts and Direct TV CEO”s was excellent but I will be looking for the TV show that will showcase some of the human factors affecting the front line workers and the respective recommendations for change proposed by the “converted” CEOs. 

Today, I wake up at 3:30 in the morning (thanks to my cell phone’s alarm) and jumped out of my Holiday Inn room to catch a Philly cab to the airport. To my surprise, right behind the driver’s seat there was a credit card swapping device that allowed me to include a tip and print a receipt like in any self served store cashier!

Technology and convenience working together at their best!  And as I got to the boarding check point In the airport, I saw this couple with their baby been pull out from the line because they had big bags of baby stuff, including baby food, baby drinks and medications. I thought, “inspectors are going to throw everything away for fear of chemicals and explosives” but to my surprise, they pull out this strange looking metal gun with an air filter that was pointed around each bottle like a drug sniffing dog. And in a blink of a second the couple got their whole bag inspected and released for their baby enjoyment.

I got to my plane without any delays and as I reflected on our class discussions about the current generation of techno-boomers, I smiled. Just in a couple of hours, I discovered myself in the realization of my generation gap and still feeling proud of my capacity to understand what I have seen without the fear of not having control of the speed in which technology changes this days.

As Michael Kinsley published in the Atlantic of October, 2010(http://www.theatlantic.com/); we, the baby boomers have three presidents representing our “generational time” Clinton, Bush and now Obama. And in the opinion of most Americans, we came after the “Great Generation” that won the World War II and took our country to its highest level of greatness after defeating communism, the great depression and giving us prosperity and wealth. Now, after less than 20 years of switching party’s presidencies Kinsley adds; “The CBO projects that the national debt – nearly 62 percent of GDP – will rise to 87 % by 2020 and to 185 % by 2035.”

He, propose a generational legacy to the Baby Boomers and embarks on the idea that we should clean the bill for our children. As insane as it may sound, he insist that we should try on behalf of our national interest because our debt is unsustainable and we need to change our image of self absorbed and selfish.

The problem on his idea is that in order to accomplish this, “we must tax” estates and family wealthy inheritances that go beyond the necessary means because contrary to popular thinking; that won’t be double taxation because “people who leave estates of more than $1 million didn’t earn this amount through wages… fortunes consist of unrealized capital gains”.

As I looked out my window at more than 37 thousand feet from the ground and see some of our beautiful landscapes, farms, rivers and mountains; I know we must do something to change our economy course. These ideas may sound too drastic or even more philosophical than practical, but as a parent and conscious citizen; we are responsible for the fiscal mess and still have time to turn our spending habits to a much fiscally responsible level. We are considered the generation of the Civil Rights and the enforcers of social equity; our children deserve a better economic future!

The Best of me!

I can't believe I'm over 50 years old already! A Latino American born and raised in Puerto Rico who migrated to Pennsylvania 21 years ago and had nothing but will and a brain to build on a dream. As I came to Philadelphia to leave with relatives until I could bring my family with me, I continuously told myself there was no room for failure. And no welfare or unemployment or any entitlement programs ever crossed my mind because I was too proud to accept anything but a chance to work. I wanted to prove my sons, my three most valuable treasures that no matter what; an honest, hard working and law abiding men always have a chance to success.
And work I found in Philadelphia, starting with the IRS as a Tax Examiner and then worked a second job as a Case Worker for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No time for game, day and night shifts that eventually helped to bring my family with me!
I still work for the Commonwealth and have plenty of beautiful memories and great professional experiences but my last 5 years have been incredible. My three sons now grown up men, all joined the military life! Two marines and one army soldier; all decided to put their lives in the line defending our US values. They are now veterans from the Iraq war! Not without much pain and and anguish from all our family members who saw them depart and prayed every day until they returned to us.
They are the best of me! They are my all and then some more and I can only hope that God will bless me with time and opportunities to let them know how much pride I feel for what they have done for this country! But instead, they continue to bring joy to our family and last year gave me the privilege to become a grandpa!

And then I have to count my blessings again! Not only they are the best of me, they now have the opportunity to learned about the gifts of parenthood and the chance to become immortals in the extensions of life that we acquire from our children!

Immigration & Business - Immi/ness(Also imminet!!)

One of the biggest problems in US economy of our times seems to grow from the basic law's of supply and demand, the unstoppable immigration! We have entered in a race of global businesses were there is an obvious gap between the high level Corporate businessmen and our common working class who have seen the fields of good paying jobs shrink, while hospitality and agricultural opportunities are filled by undocumented workers some times accepting less than minimum wages.
Today, the rich is more rich than ever and the poor have little advances on salary while dealing with a much depreciated dollar and higher cost of living.But the blame is always given to the weakest link, the human being without a voice, the exploited who will put his life on the line just to have a slim chance to live the American life even at the expense of never seeing those he love the most ever again!

Nobody dares to challenge the CEO for exporting thousands of jobs every year and investing their US profits in foreign lands. You don't hear the "Made in America" or Buy American" slogans anymore because labor movement have been silenced and media have made everybody believed that globalization is the best thing that ever happened to us.

The people in US is desperate to a point where even spiritually speaking the majority believe that we are at the end of times, there is not just a lack of trust in political leadership but in the economic wisdom of the scholars and the models they propose too! There are no more pure Capitalism or Communism in the world! China loves the changes that foreign capital investment have created for them while Castro is resigned to accept that Cuba's model is obsolete! No pure models could survive the new world order of global dependency.

And that may be precisely what US needs to understand about immigrant workers. We need them to survive the demands of times. I truly believe we have the solution of the problem at our fingertips but the politicization of the matter prevent good leaders from doing the right thing and keep polarizing the people in exchange for a seat of power. We are in debt, and immigrants are willing to pay for a workers visa without naturalization, Our agriculture and hospitality industries need hardworking hands and our children don't want to get their hands dirty! It's not rocket science, we can legislate good immigration reform as long as we stop cynicism and ethnic discrimination as a political tool to mobilize the white vote. We should have the brain power to write such legislation in a bipartisan way, but only is we have our people at heart and not another excuse to enlarge the pockets of the wealthy while impoverishing our low working class and pretending to export democracy to a world that already know we are not necessarily, the center of it!