Past Five

Top Performers Uncover Mediocrity in Peers

As companies grow, mediocrity begins to infiltrate staff…it’s inevitable…with more employees and various office locations, it’s difficult to ensure everyone is producing at their highest potential.

Inevitably, there are employees who skate by, carried along by their high performing peers.

I’ve found that if a company retains top employees, and maintains an open door policy, those performers are likely to identify their sub-par peers.

Rock star employees who consistently go above and beyond don’t want to work alongside a slacker. They want to be challenged, pushed and stimulated.

Top performers are usually deeply invested in the company culture and care about their professional development. They expect their colleagues to share these sentiments.

If a company is growing and has concerns over the work product of certain staff members, they need to look to their top performers for insight. Listen to employees talk or ask employees their thoughts. If the company has fostered a collaborative, open door environment, employees won’t hesitate to speak the truth.

Four Ways to Retain Employees

First Business recently aired a segment about unhappiness at work. They stated that employees’ discontent with their positions stems from the fact that they are accepting opportunities they normally wouldn’t just to have job.

As a result, employees do not have loyalty to their organization and are willing to jump ship for a better opportunity. So how do companies retain their employees and increase staff satisfaction? There’s a few ways.

1. Involve staff in important decisions: Employees want to know that their thoughts and opinions matter. They want to know that they are more than just a number. Involving staff in important decisions demonstrates that you value their opinion. This can be done in a variety of ways; implement a staff council, meet one-on-one with team members or bring lower level employees into management meetings.
2. Schedule time with employees: Set aside time regularly to meet with staff in order to discuss what motivates them. For some it’s face time, for others it’s outward recognition. In order to best retain employees, it’s essential to know what keeps them happy and motivated.
3. Use awards and recognition tools: Everyone wants recognition for a job well done, but the medium of recognition, as I mentioned above, is different for every employee. A few recognition tools include public praise, an award or a private conversation.
4. Invest in them: Most employees want to continue to develop their skills while learning new ones. Offering training sessions and having employees attend webinars and conferences will feed their desire to learn while augmenting their skill sets. At the same time, push employees to achieve their potential. Trusting them with new and challenging tasks demonstrates confidence in their abilities and the new skills they have acquired.

Keys to Being a Successful Manager

I’ve always said that people join companies but they quit managers. If a company has ineffective or incompetent management, they threaten losing valuable employees. LaSalle Network’s most successful managers share a few traits.

First and foremost, they know their team on a personal level and enjoy spending time with them. Our manager’s invest a great deal of time getting to know their employees and understanding their strengths, weaknesses, passions and desires. This allows them to delegate tasks according to the team member’s abilities.

LaSalle’s most successful managers are also always available. I believe this “on-call” mentality originates from the top down, as I would never ask my managers to do what I wouldn’t. I’ve made it a staple of my career to always be available to my staff beyond working hours. This helps permeate the
organization as intelligent staff can differentiate genuineness from a hyperbole.

At LaSalle, we stress the art of over communicating. Our managers are constantly talking with their teams, troubleshooting problems and answering questions. Each business unit meets with their manager formally twice a day and informally multiple times.

LaSalle’s managers also set ambitious goals for themselves and their team. They have a vision of the product they want to achieve and a plan for how they are going to accomplish it. At LaSalle, we use metric-driven goals to constantly evaluate our performance. Our managers are continually pushing their teams to achieve these goals, while challenging their objections and engaging them in new ways of thinking.

I strongly believe that a great manager can be crafted, and that all of these skills can be honed to perfection. It just takes time, persistence and a strong work ethic.

Are Job Seekers Above Receiving Training?

If you read "Help Wanted: In Unexpected Twist, Some Skilled Jobs Go Begging," in the Wall Street Journal, you know that Union Pacific is having difficulty finding workers with the necessary skill sets for their open positions. But Union Pacific isn't the only company struggling with this problem. Companies across the U.S. are willing to hire, but can't find candidates with the right level of experience.

Should these subpar candidates be hired merely to lower the unemployment rate? No. However, if companies find strong, hard working candidates, why not offer the position at a lower compensation rate for the first 6-18 months while the "A" candidates (that are lacking a few of the job requirements) are trained in the desired skills? Not only will this help the unemployment rate, but it will also eliminate the lack of qualified workers in the job market. Training is effective, builds loyalty and protects a company from turnover. And the best part is that training can be given to all employees in any division of a company.

But there's always two sides to a coin. While companies need to be willing to offer training programs to augment the desired skill set, employees and candidates need to be willing to take the pay cut and accept training. Job seekers today need to realize they don't have the skills companies are looking for. They need to realize they aren't worth the salaries they were making one, two, three years ago. They need to appreciate an opportunity to be invested in and trained. They should be the first ones in the office and the last ones to leave. If they can do this, then companies should be expected to train and develop hard working, intelligent people.

Now is the time for companies to train their own, at any level, and create their own stable of go-getters. The question is, are there people out there willing to commit themselves if this opportunity arrives?

A Great Accomplishment

I am very proud to announce that LaSalle Network was just named the “Top Five Best Staffing Firms to Work For” by Staffing Industry Analysts, the global advisor on contingent work.

This is a huge honor to be recognized by the staffing industry’s leading analyst and I am very proud of every LaSalle employee for contributing to this award.

When I started LaSalle in 1998, I made it a priority to put my employee’s first. I had previously worked in multiple companies where I didn’t feel appreciated or recognized, and I never wanted my staff to feel like this.

I implemented a team-based staffing structure, fostering collaboration instead of competition, and encouraged a policy of honest and open communication between management and staff. I wanted to make sure every employee always felt they could voice their concerns and their opinion mattered regardless.

Ultimately, the more employees know they have support from you, the more they will support your organization.

Congratulations to all of my co-workers at LaSalle...now the entire industry knows that being a LaSallian is truly something special!

Make an Impression with One Question

One of the most unique aspects of LaSalle is that I interview every employee that we consider for hire. While I consider the interviewee’s background, personality, and their ability to adapt to LaSalle’s culture, I also place high value on the choice of questions asked of me.

While it is important to inquire about the company and the potential position, interviewees should also ask atypical questions in order to hear potentially negative feedback on experience gaps or personality hesitations.

One of the most impressive questions that I have been asked is, “Do you have any hesitations about my background?” By asking this question, the interviewee can find out immediately if I have concerns. If I do, they then have the opportunity to address these, explain themselves, and prove me wrong.

Not only does this question benefit them, but it shows me that these potential employees have a high confidence level. Asking a CEO or any other interviewer about their hesitations is a tough question to ask and may not lead to an ideal response.

This question also goes hand in hand with my management style. As a CEO, I do not beat around the bush nor wait to confront an employee on an important issue and neither should they. Whether it is a report that I have a problem with or an employee’s attitude, I think it’s important to provide and seek instant feedback.

After interviewing hundreds of candidates in over a decade, hearing a question like this is refreshing and makes the candidate stand out.

Whether you are a recent graduate or an experienced professional, asking this question is beneficial to both parties.

The Power of People

Each year, there’s always a catalyst that really makes me evaluate my life and the people in it. This year, the snowstorm did just that.

Like most Chicago companies, LaSalle was closed on the day of the blizzard. With 50mph winds, ice, snow and sleet, it was not safe for anyone to brave the weather. Granted I live close to our downtown office and was able to come into work, but most of my employees live in the suburbs or other areas of Chicago, making it nearly impossible to get to the office.

When I walked into the office at 7am on Tuesday, our accounting clerk was at her desk working diligently to make sure payroll was received and ready for next day. Thousands of employees were counting on her, and she did not disappoint. Likewise LaSalle’s head of human resources and operations came in to decorate a fellow employee’s desk for her Re-Birthday, a celebration I throw for the anniversary of each employee’s hire date. And even our staff accountant braved the storm to help a fellow co-worker.

Not only did these women impressively find a way to make it into the office, but they came in because they knew others were counting on them. And while only a few people were physically at LaSalle on Wednesday, I received countless emails and calls from other employees who spent the day working from home.

While I wouldn’t wish another massive storm upon Chicago again, occurrences like these reinforce and remind you what the best part of being a CEO is; the ability to choose the people you get to work with each day. And this blizzard did just that, reinforced that LaSalle has the most dedicated, committed, and well, fearless employees in Chicago.

Inspiring Creativity: How to Make it Run Wild in Your Employees

I wrote this post for TLNT.com, a blog about "The Business of HR," that I wanted to share with my readers as well.

A recent Newsweek article titled “The Creativity Crisis” points to research that shows for the first time that American creativity is declining, most seriously in younger children. It goes on to say that in order to combat this decline we need to focus on how creativity requires the constant blending of both divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas), and convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best results).

Creativity is crucial for the continual development of this country’s economy. As Newsweek points out, teachers and parents need to encourage creative thinking in their students and children — and HR leaders must do the same with their employees.

Every company is different and has different levels of innovation. I was talking with an HR professional a few weeks ago who loves how Google lets a percentage of each employee’s work week to be spent on projects outside their regular job duties.

But, Google happens to be a billion-dollar company with tons of cash and thousands of employees; their business IS innovation. Equally, it’s easier for computer programmers to produce innovative strategiessince their daily duties require creative thinking. Compare this to the average company whose staff is working 55 hours a week and are making $65,000 a year. In that environment, generating creativity is not quite as easy.

The question is, “How can a leader inspire ideas and thoughts that encourage creativity?”

All CEOs would love to have people at every level who voice their ideas AND take the initiative to implement those ideas. However, there are few people who have the confidence or drive to do this. In addition, we don’t know the relationship that staff has with their managers. There are many CEOs who claim they want ideas from the staff, but then demand unrealistic results in set time frames, leading to managers forgoing new ideas in the sake of increasing billings.

Are they ideas, or just complaints?

In my company, I have implemented a staff council where I meet with five to 10 staff level employees for 90 minutes twice a month. These meetings accomplish several things. First, by taking the time to listen to my employees, it proves to them I value their opinion. Second, I find out information that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

For instance, I learned there was a major malfunction with our main database, slowing the daily duties of our recruiters. This issue was getting road blocked by a member of my team (who is now no longer with us). But lastly, through these meetings my staff begins to start thinking on a larger scale and on their own time. They think about: How can the company improve? What can I do outside of my daily duties? They feel like…and are…innovators of our company’s growth.

When it comes to suggestions and ideas, I believe people MUST put their names to things. When children have an idea, it isn’t by blind vote or suggestion box; they ask questions and yell from the roof tops. The key issue is this: what most employees claim to be ideas are really just complaints. Asking for more flexible hours or to wear sandals to work is not the creativity anyone is looking for.

Instead, creating new ways to attack problems or new strategies to work effectively with clients are ideas we should be acknowledging. As CEOs, we need to reward our employees in public and in front of their peers for productive, creative thinking and new ideas. Recognition, no matter how small, is what people want.

Do you know what other departments do?

I’m a big believer in putting people who don’t usually socialize together on teams — Baby Boomers with Gen Y (Millennials), operations with sales, HR with finance. Change throws people off, and that’s a good thing.

It amazes me, even in companies with less than 50 people, how little people know about what other departments do. For example, I have gained valuable information about my company, staff, and clients by talking to the people who work at our reception desk. They see how our staff interact with each other, they know which guests are rude or nice, and they work in the database and see problems from a very different perspective.

When you only talk to people at the same level and same department as you, many ideas get lost. A VP of one group talking to a VP of another group can illustrate protectionism. When you get leaders of one unit talking to staff of another, that’s when creativity can run wild!

How to Grow Your Company in 2010

Despite this recession, there are still ways to grow your business in 2010. A common misconception is to focus on gaining new business, but the secret may actually be right before your eyes. Focusing on what you already have – internal staff and external customers – may be the key to success.

Internal: Power to the People

Without happy, committed employees, your business cannot thrive. Keeping your employees both engaged and motivated leads to higher productivity and lower employee turnover. So empower your staff, and your business will be booming in no time.

Engagement: More than Just a Diamond Ring

The first step in empowering your staff is to get them engaged. Make sure your employees are aware of your firm’s vision, brand, and culture. Communicate openly to keep them informed, internally and externally. Show new employees how they fit in with the big picture of your company. Engaged employees care about the success of the company as a whole and will want to do their part to contribute.

• Show you care about your employees, and they will care in return. Give them a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns, and be sure to address them in a timely fashion. Be open and receptive to feedback by not always talking, but doing your fair share of listening as well.

• Be candid. In performance evaluations, provide constructive criticism to help employees get better at what they do. Highlight strengths, but don’t ignore weaknesses. Provide suggestions on ways to increase productivity. The employees will appreciate your honesty, and you will see tangible results.

• Stay passionate. Your energy is contagious, so spark the fire inside your employees. Run around. Hoot and holler. Play games. Laugh. Show enthusiasm for the company and its goals, and your employees will buy in to your vision.

• Emphasize teamwork. If your employees are friends, they will likely make a more open and effective team. Maybe now is the time for a company outing, happy hour, or game night.

Motivation: You Don’t Need a Whip

There’s no standard for motivation. While money is often a driving force, it shouldn’t be the only thing motivating your employees to get out of bed in the morning. Motivated employees have an inner drive for personal success. Figure out what employees value and find a way to spark their intrinsic interests.

• Capitalize on strengths. Get to know the strengths of your employees, and capitalize on them. Don’t have your best salesman running the accounting division. Have employees do what they enjoy, so they look forward to coming to the office.

• Set challenging, but attainable, goals. Raise the bar, and give your employees a chance to reach it on their own. They will appreciate the autonomy and take pride in the end result.

• Recognize accomplishments. Show support and appreciation for your employees’ accomplishments. Something as simple as lunch or a high-five should do the trick.

External: The Customer’s Always Right

Making sure your employees are happy will also keep your customers happy. Gaining business from new customers is nice, but retaining the customers you already have is more important.

• Jump on the bandwagon! Loyal customers not only provide you with their business, but they can also give great recommendations to others. Once you get some die-hard followers raving about your company, you cannot just expect their friends to follow. Don’t be afraid to ask your loyal customers for referrals or recommendations. Odds are, they’ll be more than happy to spread the word about your amazing product or service.

• Give them some lovin’. Establishing a loyal customer base will give you steady, reliable business. Thus, it is essential to set aside time to connect with your existing customers and show your appreciation. Send personal e-mails, follow their blogs, and stay connected with social media. But don’t just stop there. Going beyond digital communication will bring the love to a whole new level. Send a welcome mat if a customer is moving to a new house. Check out the gift registry for an upcoming wedding or baby shower. Send a birthday or holiday card when the time is right. Whatever you do, go above and beyond to really show you care.

• "You guys do what?!" Often times, customers who have been loyal to a company for years don’t actually know everything it does. Make sure your customers are aware of all of your company’s services, not just the ones they personally use. Ask them about their unmet needs and take some time to re-educate these folks about your company’s latest products or services. Just because they’re loyal doesn’t mean they’re informed. Utilize the power of information, and business may fall right into your lap.

The 2010 Opportunity

Not all statistics resulting from this economic downturn are negative. Yes, the unemployment rate has reached double digits and the number of unemployed persons hovers at 15.4 million, yet a huge opportunity lies at the fingertips of many American employers.

United States labor productivity spiked to 8.1 percent during the third quarter of 2009, the biggest increase in six years. Now, more than ever before, staff members are doing more with less. Since December 2007, there have been nearly 50,000 recorded mass layoffs, and employees who survived these cuts are becoming substantially more productive during working hours.

Production breeds more production, and in order for companies to grow in 2010, employee output must be recognized, measured and incentivized.

In anticipation of Friday's unemployment numbers, here are some thoughts on beginning 2010 strong.

Solidify Best Practices

Out of tough times comes ingenuity, and business leaders must leverage the knowledge and experience they have accumulated and implement department and company-wide policies to support continued employee productivity. Take notice of the best practices implemented during these difficult times, and don’t let them fall to the wayside when business improves. What is efficient and effective during a down economy will likely be just as useful when the market turns around. Document the improvements made to processes and protocol in the present so the company can continue to garner results from them in the future. Make executing job duties easier for the workforce by having established and well-known best practices in place, and be sure these guidelines are thoroughly disseminated throughout the entire organization.

Measure Success

Higher productivity and best practices are necessary, but without goals and benchmarks to drive progress, newly established guidelines are worthless. When benchmarks are in place, employees have a tangible goal towards which to work and will feel satisfied when their objectives are accomplished. Most employees need a balance between autonomy and guidance from their superiors to achieve optimal productivity. Providing clear targets to focus employee efforts will allow individuals to execute more efficiently, as well as garner increased employment satisfaction.

Prevent Burnout

A bonus check every quarter does not necessarily equate to satisfaction at work. While monetary bonuses and incentives can be effective, the key to promoting true employee happiness lies in the small things. Listen to employee feedback and implement new initiatives within budgetary restraints. Small rewards can go a long way, and employees will appreciate management’s interest in their opinions and will be motivated to produce if they feel their voice has been heard and respected.