Kaizen Your Employees

In Japanese Kaizen means continuous improvement; something we all should strive for. As a business owner or manager you look around your workplace and think of ways things could be better. How often does the thought cross your mind that the same should happen with your employees? It’s very likely that the people you’ve hired hold more potential to be better employees and could be tapping into more of their potential. Previously we’ve written about how to motivate employees and some of the benefits of cross training but these practices won’t just work to motivate your employees. Allowing your employees greater flexibility in terms of what tasks they can perform at work will ultimately lead to a more versatile workforce; illness, injuries and vacations will have less of an impact on productivity and stress levels among employees if people can move into other jobs relatively seamlessly. Next to think about is training. There are all kinds of training programs available, if employees can work better through training advocate for it. Colleges and Universities as well as business help centers will all be able to connect you with the right people to provide training for your employees, customer service is a popular choice. Maybe you’ve seen a motivational speaker or know of one coming to your city soon, invite them to your workplace to speak or provide tickets to your employees to attend an event, it may jump start a new level of commitment or motivation in your workforce.  Your employees are one of your greatest assets and are the most important factor in your businesses success. In the words of one car manufacturer marketing gurus, “Make Things Better”.

Sports, Leadership and Team Chemistry: How can it apply to your Workplace?

As a business owner or manager you probably have a number of people working under you and those people likely work in some sort of team.  There are inherently interpersonal dynamics at play. Your team isn’t that unlike any professional sports team. There will be leaders, there will be the quite dependable ones, rookies and veterans and there may be a couple you`d put on your “trading block” or choose not to resign for next season but the real world isn’t like the sports world and you may be in a position that has you trying to keep everyone moving forward.  The point I’m making is there are different strengths and weaknesses amongst your employees, people who will step up and lead the group, others who you know you can count on for quality results and those that may need more guidance to perform their jobs.   The manager (YOU) need to focus your attention on creating the right work groups and teams to get the best results. If you’re seeing some groups at your workplace struggle while others succeed you may need to consider mixing up your “lines”. Maybe putting your easily distracted employee with a couple quite dependable employees could help focus his or her attention to achieve the right results or maybe a key leader among your employees might be best suited to work with one of your more inexperienced individuals to coach him along, provide the guidance needed and step in when mistakes are made. Team chemistry and the way people interact and play off each other can mean the difference between a championship squad and one that misses the playoffs. Which will yours be? Put on the coach’s hat and see what you can achieve by trying to understand the people in your workplace and who they perform best with.

www.hrnc.ca

HRNC ASK US A QUESTION … REGULAR SERVICES PROVIDED

HRNC

ASK US A QUESTION …  REGULAR SERVICES PROVIDED:

            HIRING

·         RECRUITMENT, INTERVIEWS AND SELECTION

            COMPENSATION& BENEFITS

·         ORIENTATION & RETENTION

·         PAYROLL

·         COMPENSATION

·         BENEFITS

·         PENSIONS

·         EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

            COMPLIANCE

·         ACCOMMODATION/DISABILITIES

·         DISCIPLINE & TERMINATION

·         DIVERSITY TRAINING

·         HARASSMENT, BULLYING & VIOLENCE

·         EMPLOYEE & LABOUR RELATIONS

            HEALTH&SAFETY

·         WSIB – FORM 7 ISSUANCE & ADJUDICATION ASSISTANCE

·         RETURN TO WORK

·         WORKPLACE SAFETY

·         ERGONOMICS, MSD & WELLNESS

·         PANDEMIC PLANNING

            ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

·         PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS METRICS

·         TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

·         COACHING & MENTORING

·         CROSS-TRAINING

·         SUCCESSION PLANNING

            HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION 
                 & MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

            QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

www.hrnc.ca

Including Contract workers in workplace policies and training

HRNC assists employers with what is the best fit for their company.  Workplace policies should address the contract worker as opposed to a full-time employee.  Contract workers have the potential to be both an asset and a liability for the company.  They are more likely to leave after training has developed them.  However, if there is a slow down for the company - they make it easier to deal with than terminations.  If they are willing not to receive benefits that reduces costs as well.  I understand that the information technology sector has difficulty keeping full-time employees because workers prefer contracts only.www.hrnc.ca

A most interesting solution to human resources sharing has been met by Hannah McKinnon, of www.peoplepooling.ca.  If companies sign up for membership to share some of their employees during slow times - they also have the opportunity to share another company's employees when they have an extra project. What a great way to keep our human resources maximized!

Who is a Human Resources Professional?

Anyone can call themselves a Human Resources Professional.  However, the HRPA of Ontario is the regulating body for HR professionals.  You can find out if someone is a member of this association by going to www.hrpa.ca.  Just check their name under the listings and you will know for sure.  The CCHRA issues the exams and the HRPA issues the designations which HR professionals value highly - their C.H.R.P.  You can also find out if an individual has this designation on HRPA's web-site.  This gives you confidence that the individual you are considering hiring as an employee or as a consultant really meets the Canadian and Provincial standards set out by their regulating body.  It doesn't mean that they are perfect or know everything as there are so many specialists within the HR community.  But - it should be a qualification that you definitely need to be aware of and look for.  It is a long, hard road to achieve this designation - therefore, respect the education and experience that those have earned.
Joy Vas, CHRP

Show me the money !!

It is getting close to the end of another calendar year,  All sole-proprieters will be counting there piles of money ... or maybe not??  What was 2011 really like for you?

Just barely holding on...or did you discover something new.   A new way of doing business or a new product that is driving your ROI wild?

If you are happy with the results of YOUR 2011 - tell us about it in the comments section.

If YOUR 2011 was less than stellar - tell us what YOU think happened.

What will YOU change in 2012?


HELPING BUSINESSES MAKE A PROFIT - IT IS YOUR PAY CHEQUE !

Do you need more productivity in your business?

Tips to grow your business

Small business HR

Here is a new social media idea that you can use in your business - The Hive.
Download the whitepaper, by filling in your contact information.  Used by permission of Lawrence Pilch at Pollstream!  Thanks, Lawrence!


1.  I love to be appreciated ... and so do YOUR employees....
      Joy Vas, CHRP - HRNC

2.  Tell your employees what they did right - and be specific....
      1001 Ways to Reward Employees - Money isn't Everything by Bob Nelson

3.  Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power....
     Abraham Lincoln

Let us know what you need.  Contact.

Small-business human resources: In-house or outsource?

November 28, 2011 | Proquest LLC

By Ryan, Jim T

REGION

Small businesses have a number of options for human resources services, but it's not always clear-cut as to whether an in-house, hands-on approach or a professional, outsourced strategy is the best way.

A company's size, resources and executive involvement in hiring are large factors in determining a strategy, human resources professionals said. But even if they do it themselves, some small companies may want to outsource human resources to professionals more familiar with rules and regulations to prevent problems and save money, they said.

For companies with fewer than 25 people, it might be best to work with an expert, said Christina Myers, president of the Lancaster County Association for Human Resource Management. She's also a senior human resources manager for Minnesota-based Scantron Corp., the data collection and standardized testing company that has a printing facility in West Hempfield Township.
"It's more cost-effective than hiring full-time HR staff ," Myers said.

Human resources encompasses more than hiring, firing and employee disputes, she said. There's also benefits management, unemployment insurance and accompanying regulations. Small-company owners may not have the expertise to handle those, she said.

Growing companies have more options, but also more responsibility to comply with regulations in the U.S. such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, she said.   "That adds a layer of complexity," Myers said. "It's a lot to know and a lot to take care of, and you need someone who is an expert or has a strong grasp of the laws. That way you're doing what's right and not putting the company at risk."

Many small companies prefer handling their human resources issues in-house, executives said.
"If you keep everything organized and keep up on it, then it's not that hard to do," said Willie Erb, CEO of E&E Metal Fabrication Inc. "If you slack, then you'll find yourself in trouble."
Lebanon-based E&E has 23 employees and within the next year could begin hiring more to ramp-up production of industrial biomass burners that can provide electricity to manufacturers and offices. In February, it landed a contract to research, develop and build the burners for Florida-based Starlight Energy.

Even when E&E begins hiring for that production - expected to double its workforce - it plans to review candidates and make decisions for itself, Erb said.

Many owners want full control over those issues to make sure the people they hire fit with their corporate culture and values, Myers said. If companies use a third party for staffing, they must ensure that the consultant also understands those values, she said.

"Any time you outsource to someone, the company still has the liability," said Kimberly Nash, director of human resources services for Cumberland County-based Alpha Benefits Group. "So you have to make sure that whoever you're working with has a good reputation, that you're comfortable with them."

Executives considering whether to outsource should weigh the workload of their staff members managing human resources, she said.

Sometimes, outside factors force a small company's hand. The most recent recession and its lingering economy are good examples. The comatose economy has left many small companies understaffed, with each manager taking on much more responsibility than they would have in a ripe economy.

York-based Wagman Metal Products Inc., a manufacturer of manual and automatic tools and parts for the cement industry, has experienced such issues, said Jeff Snyder, the company's sales and marketing manager.

The cement industry was down about 60 percent without commercial and residential construction, he said. Wagman had to cut back, too. In 2007, it employed between 30 and 40 people, he said. Today, its workforce is between 15 and 20 people.

Everyone is wearing multiple hats and taking on more responsibility, Snyder said. That means it has to cut back where it can, so the company uses a staffing agency to find workers on an as-needed basis, he said.

"Its definitely more cost-effective to have some consultants do something in these areas every once in a while, as opposed to having a full-time staff person," Snyder said.

Companies looking to save additional money while getting more value from their outsourced services need to evaluate those business relationships, Nash said. If brokers and consultants aren't managing your human resources issues, or you only see them around renewal time, it's time to think about making a change, she said.

Small-company executives also have to look at what third-party firms are offering in terms of added service at no additional cost, she said. Many firms offer extras, and they can help better manage a business without hiring more consultants, she said.

"You should get service," Nash said, "and feel confident that what they're telling you is the real way it is."

"If you keep everything organized and keep up on it, then it's not that hard to do. If you slack, then you'll find yourself in trouble."

Willie Erb, E&E Metal Fabrication Inc.
BY JIM T. RYAN
jimr@journalpub.com

Copyright:

(c) 2011 Journal Publications Inc.