Manager's Training

Manager's Training
Employee Training and Development: Poor performance has many causes

"Did you hire the wrong person, or did you ruin him after you hired him?" That is a question you must consider before terminating an employee because of poor performance. Poor performers are sometimes simply lazy. More often, however, they have been improperly trained. Before you resort to termination, try one or more of the following suggestions related to employee training and development:

Give employees accurate job descriptions
Have you been clear about what you expect? Consider the possibility that your employee isn't doing what you want him to because he doesn't understand what his responsibilities are. Have a single individual responsible for all employee training and development (so no one can slip through the cracks), and be sure assigned tasks are “relevant,” not simply busy work.

Have reasonably demanding expectations
Expectations work two ways. You need to be certain that you don't expect too much; but on the other hand, you shouldn't resort to giving easier assignments if an employee can't handle the tougher ones. Don't reward slothfulness. Be willing to consider the fact that your employee’s way of doing things is better than your way. Prioritize assignments so employees know which ones need to be finished first.

Communicate when there is a problem
If you say nothing, your employee has every right to assume she is doing fine. Give positive feedback. When there is a problem, be certain you attack the "root of the problem" not the individual.

Expect a report of results
A common expression is "employees do what is inspected, not what is expected." Eliminate “hovering” by expecting employees to report to you after a task is completed.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Training & Development Services. Get a quote.

Never Hire Another Dud!

Never Hire Another Dud!
Employee Assessment Services: Use skills assessments testing to help the “weed out” process

Jose manages the IT department in a large firm that has been hit hard by the slow economy. The firm was forced to do some significant downsizing, so the company’s workforce was cut back to “subsistence levels.” Recent improvements in the economy have finally given the company some breathing room, so Jose is looking to fill two key positions—one for a programmer, and one for the call center.

If Jose thought he was busy before, the response to his ad (over 250 resumes total) has him completely overwhelmed. Jose knows he can’t afford to make a poor hiring decision right now, and he doesn’t have time to comb through all of those resumes for employee assessment looking for candidates that are truly the best qualified.

“The flood of applications submitted by job seekers is actually causing problems for those organizations that are not properly equipped to deal with increased levels of job seeker activity,” according to Charles Handler, PhD. “This has created a situation in which many companies are squandering their chance to catch the best fish in the talent pool because they are not properly equipped for employee hiring assessment and to identify the most-qualified applicants.”

Fortunately, Skills Assessments testing have made the “weeding out” process much simpler for managers like Jose. Our company can now offer “skills assessment” testing for a variety of job positions. Your applicants will spend a few minutes taking a test that will provide you with a comprehensive report that will clarify each applicant’s proficiency in specific skills. Reports document proficiency by skill type, task type, question level and the time it took the applicant to answer each question.

Jose could reasonably cut his applicant pool down to 15 people or less for each position, then invest a few hours in careful interviewing, and find the individual best suited for each new job. He’ll save lots of time, and he’ll sleep easier knowing he’s making an informed hiring decision.

We can put this same technology to work for you. Please call today for more information.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Assessment Services. Get a quote.

Employee Recruiting Wars

Employee Recruiting Wars
Tips for winning the loyalties of employees

Companies who are winning the employee recruiting wars have a couple of simple tactics for winning the loyalties of the best employees. First, they understand that helping employees be better people ultimately gives the company itself an edge against the competition. Second, they recognize that every employee’s contribution counts.

Employee Skill Development
The best firms “don’t get ahead with clever recruiting tactics, unusual perks or a big budget. Instead, they commit to giving employees both the tools to succeed and steady recognition throughout their careers,” according to What’s Working in Human Resources Newsletter. We offer employee skill development training courses on a variety of subjects. Allowing your lower-level employees to attend these and other job-related seminars sends the message that everyone has a future, not just the "top brass."

Recognizing Employee Contributions
Businesses who are successful at recruiting and maintaining a superb workforce say that part of the secret is being sure that every employee’s contribution to the company is valued. Keep in mind also, that the most highly valued “reward” is not a T-shirt or a pizza party. Employees value praise or recognition from a supervisor above and beyond any other form of job reward, including bonuses. People like to be thanked for their hard work. They like knowing someone noticed.

As your reputation develops, your word-of mouth recruiting should bring you some top-notch employees. Meanwhile, count on us to help give your company an edge in providing the benefits and training that attract the best employees, and keep them on board.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Recruiting & Employee Skill Development Training Services. Get a quote.

The Employee / Worksite Dress Code

The Employee / Worksite Dress Code
Employee/workplace Dress code : What to do when professionalism and personality collide?

Trends change in the workplace, and when the “status quo,” or what consumers have come to expect collides with practicality or legality, employers are left juggling some confusing questions about how to achieve professionalism while accommodating the tastes of their employees and complying with laws.

According to Diane E. Stanton, a managing partner in an employment and benefits law firm, employers may mandate an employee dress code policy as long as the rule is “reasonable and administered consistently.” But the standards can be confusing, particularly since employers are expected, in some cases, to apply the same workplace dress code across the board, while in other cases, gender, religion, or disabilities may play a factor.

The courts have concluded for the present that employers may enforce “reasonable appearance rules even if they prohibit the expression of cultural or ethnic values if the rules are job-related and are applied consistently.” In order to promote professionalism, then, an employer may mandate that all employees dress conservatively, or require male employees to wear their hair short and forbid them from wearing earrings.

On the other hand, an employer may not require an employee to wear a sexually provocative uniform, as this constitutes sex discrimination. In addition, it would be unlawful for an employer to require professional women to dress and behave in a “feminine” way, according to Stanton. The laws about religious garb in the workplace can be equally as confusing.

We can help you sort out some of the sticky issues presented by employee dress code policy, and help you draft a policy to include in your employee handbook. Consult our Human Resources Department.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Dress Code Workplace Policy. Get a quote.