T+D Blog

Going Green While Getting Green

Implementing sustainable office initiatives doesn't have to be as overwhelming as it sounds.

Small changes can often help transition a workplace from eco-bullying to eco-friendly. For example, using a water bottle rather than paper cups in the kitchen, or avoiding use of several paper towels in the restroom.

More substantial measures can be taken as well. For example, 62 percent of respondents would not mind reviewing their paystub online rather than receiving a paper copy, according to a survey called "Getting Paid in America" conducted during National Payroll Week (September 1-5, 2008).

"Paperless payroll," as it is called, consists of employees receiving pay via direct deposit and monitoring paycheck history and information through secure online web portals.

Employers actually save on the cost of printing out paystubs so it becomes a cost-effective option. Going green can equal getting more green after all. Encouraging your organization to pursue such avenues can benefit everyone.

Corporate Responsibility

Has the state of current affairs--the bailout bill that failed in Congress--sparked renewed interested in corporate responsibility and the role that workplace learning and performance professionals play in it?

Worrying about the next quarterly report, above the attitudes of employees, the needs of the current workforce, and the environmental implications of a particular action could have long-term implications of the success of the company and the retention of key employees.

So, what role should learning executives play in corporate responsibility?

Are You Prepared for a Disaster?

Three schools in Woodbridge Virginia were placed in lockdown on Thursday, September 18 because a police situation involving the hunt for a murder suspect. This incident has caused a lot of parents to question the way the situation was handled--not the fact that the students were kept safe in the school building, but the fact that parents were not notified of the situation or kept abreast of where the students were being transported for pick-up.

Does your organization have a disaster preparation plan in place? Have you or others in your office been trained on what to do in an emergency--and I'm not talking about a fire drill. Since 9/11, all organizations should be taking a serious look at how they handle all kinds of disasters--from keeping their employees safe to communicating to family. Don't wait until disaster strikes!

Gaining Ground Against Workplace Bullies

Have you ever been bullied at work? Have you seen someone else getting bullied? Would you consider your boss a bully? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you’re not alone. Thirty-seven percent of Americans reported being bullied at work and 12 percent reported having witnessed someone else getting bullied, according to a 2007 study released by the Workplace Bullying Institute along with Zogby International.

A follow-up study this year found that in 24 percent of bullying cases reported to employers, the employer did nothing and the bullying target was retaliated against, and eventually lost her job.

Why is bullying behavior so prevalent though mishandled in the workplace? A potential indicator is that it’s often immune from legal repercussions. This could all change as many states are now considering “healthy workplace legislation” to prohibit bullying.

Do you think respectful treatment in the workplace should be legally required? Or would such mandates lead to an increase in tricky lawsuits against employers?

To find out more about workplace bullying including other studies and potential solutions for both individuals and companies, visit the Workplace Bullying web site.

Creature of Habit...Fear of Change

Do you fear change? Do you like the status quo?

If you do, you are not alone. Most people don't adjust well to new things or big changes. That's where workplace learning and performance professionals can don their expertise. Successful change management initiatives start with communication. Being upfront and honest with employees about the impending changes will help the process go smoothly.

In this month's issue of T+D magazine, John Ely and Merry Lee Olson write about gaining buy-in from employees. Change happens, it's how you deal with it that matters.

Before you implement any change, you must have a plan in place to minimize risk, and make sure that plan includes communication with your employees.

Deconstructing Women in Business

Women entrepreneurs own 28 percent of businesses in America today. They are a powerful force, and changing the way business gets done, one business at a time," says Michele DeKinder-Smith, founder and CEO of Jane Out of the Box, a research-based online resource community. But not all of these ladies work quite the same way.

The two year study, commissioned by the site, shows that female business owners can be categorized into one of five catchily-titled types (percentage denotes estimated frequency of occurring type): Jane Dough (18 percent), Go Jane Go (14 percent), Tenacity Jane (31 percent), Merry Jane (19 percent), and Accidental Jane (18 percent).

Jane Dough is focused on the growth of her business, as well as marketing and selling. Go Jane Go might have the highest income of all five groups but she has the least personal time. Tenacity Jane has cash flow concerns but undeniable passion while Merry Jane has mastered the work-life balance. Finally, Accidental Jane started her business on a whim, but has found a successful outlet for herself and her skills.

Do you, or someone you know, sound like one of these types? The assessment used in the study is available at the www.janeoutofthebox.com in case one is curious to find out more.

Job hopping ....

How many jobs have you had? How long do you stay with one employer?

According to the U.S. Census, 20-somethings are changing jobs every 18 months or less, meaning that they will have as many as 8 jobs by the age of 30. Millennials tend to leave jobs for more money because they have accumulated college and credit card debt, are accustomed to living with more high-tech, expensive toys, want work-life balance, and are looking for challenging and fulfilling work.

So what has to change? How do we keep young valuable employees? What retention strategies do you have in place to keep these "so-called free agents?"

Reverse Mentoring

In today’s workplace wiser does not necessarily mean older. That sage in the office could just as well be just a couple years removed from college graduation. A generation ago a senior manager couldn’t possibly imagine sitting for a lecture about any topic by a junior employee. But with reverse mentoring, that is happening with increasing frequency. Junior employees are schooling their supervisors about cultural traits, new market segments and the trendiest web pages. At first glance the concept seems impractical for employees who work with a stubborn, know-it-all executive. On the flipside, reverse mentoring should not be interpreted as an opportunity to tutor a boss believed to be out of touch. Junior employees should be aware that many changes in the workplace occurred after the baby boomers entered it, notably the wider use of technology. Besides the transfer of knowledge, the practice recognizes the expertise that younger employees bring to the workplace, a crucial compliment not often paid to newer employees. Procter & Gamble was one of the pioneers of reverse mentoring. Facing increasing turnover among its female employees and a resulting lack of female candidates for leadership positions, the company’s male executives were paired with younger female employees to capture information about the next generation of women as consumers and leaders. When Jack Welch was CEO of General Electric, he instructed top managers to meet with younger employees to learn more about the Internet. An obvious topic to explore is diversity, as an executive whether white, male or otherwise cannot possibly know how to integrate minorities into the management or executive team. The diversity program at Reuters required senior managers to meet once a month for an hour to discuss any topic that at least touched upon diversity. At minimum reverse mentoring sessions should identify a particular subject to address. It will take a very humble manager to be able to sit for criticism about her communication and management style. A lot of executives readily admit that they mastered text messaging and other hand-held digital tasks but do not know about the potential for social networking tools such as blogs, Facebook and YouTube. Younger employees use some or all of these tools daily and recognize their value for marketing, research, outreach or communication. Whether executives will apply what they learned in reverse mentoring sessions is the subject of another class.

Surfs up .....

Do you surf the Internet at work? According to recent survey by the Creative Group, you shouldn't feel guilty to do so. More than half (57 percent) of advertising and marketing executives say it is okay for employees to visit non-work-related websites during business hours, as long as it is not longer than 30 minutes a day.

A lot, I think, depends on the sites you visit. It is never ok to visit porn sites or other inappropriate sites, and excessive browsing is never good. Before deciding to browse, check your employee handbook for rules on Internet use, and remember: They could be monitoring your use!

Mentoring vs. Coaching

Workplace coaching seems like it's all over the news right now. We're always seeing articles about using coaching for team relationships, for executives, and for behavioral issues at all levels of a company. But what about mentoring--an ongoing relationship that can last a long time and focuses on career and personal development.

According to David Pardey, a senior policy research manager at the Institute of Leadership and Management, coaching's ability to sell itself is pushing mentoring into the background. Mentoring is a valuable learning and development tool and reverse mentoring (younger workers mentoring older workers) is gaining steam in many companies because of the technology boom. An article in trainingzone.co.uk examines this issue in greater detail.

Do you use coaches in your organizations? Do you have a mentor?