Talent resolutions for the New Year

Human resources processes, human capital management and workforce productivity all sound so complex and demanding, with so many moving parts to manage. There are employee handbooks and policies to worry about. There are rules and regulations. How is the management to know what to do with the employee base? Although there are certainly some things that are required by the law, here are three guiding principles that will get you far. Make them your New Year’s resolutions, if you are not already following them.

1. Don’t compromise on talent

Decide what kind of talent will get you where you want to be. Understand what drives performance in your business. Be as specific as you can. Don’t add any unnecessary criteria to narrow your talent pool to choose from. Then go after it. When you hire, don’t bring in anyone else except those who meet your standards. When you promote internally, be just as selective.

2. Hold people accountable

If you want a high-performance culture, accountability is a basic cornerstone of it. The building blocks are so simple, yet seem to be so hard to put into practice. Set clear goals. Set clear expectations for behaviors. Create an environment for open feedback and teach everyone to give feedback to each other. Give both positive and constructive feedback. Track results on an on-going basis. Correct performance as soon as it starts veering off track. Celebrate successes.

3. Invest in your people

Investment in people has significantly higher ROI than investment in capital equipment. People learn, grow and develop. Make the investment purposeful and intentional. Invest time in your people by having weekly meetings with managers, communication meetings by the leaders and also by having career dialogues annually. Invest in mentoring, coaching and training. Plan career ladders and growth opportunities. Most importantly, pay attention to your people. Treat them as individuals, all with a valuable contribution to make.

With these three resolutions, you can’t go wrong.

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Who’s in charge of employee development?

When it comes to bad guys in employee development, it is easy to point fingers. There is an employee who is only physically present when it’s time to train, and when discussing career goals, he just shrugs and says ”Dunno…” To counter that, what about that manager who never gives feedback and thinks that training is just waste of time. And to top that, how about those companies whose training budgets are cut to $0, whose departments hoard talent and hold back their top performers. So, where should the big finger point?

Employees?

Learning agility is one of the key ingredients of top performers and leaders of the future. As the amount of information and change increases, it is not enough that we get a degree and then decide we have learned all we need to know. Organizations are looking for lifelong learners; employees who adapt to new situations and know how to find information that doesn’t exist in neatly stacked binders. The concept of the job contract is also changing. A cozy career in one organization is a thing from the past. Forward looking companies manage their talent pipelines aggressively. Employees should manage their own career pipelines with equal vigor. Career development is not a one-way dialogue. Both parties benefit, when their best interests align and are actively managed.

Managers?

Managers are catalysts for growth. They can motivate their team by providing meaningful assignments, gradually increasing in challenge, or they can be boring task masters trying to drum up obedience with strict rules. Good managers provide opportunities to try out new skills while providing feedback and coaching on the way. They know how to conduct a purposeful dialogue around career and development. They celebrate successes and nudge their employees when they veer away from the right track.

Organizations?

Organizations are responsible for the environment and the infrastructure for learning. They provide the process for individual and organizational development plans. They come up with the resources for training, wisely investing more in high performers and strength building. They push for the big picture with workforce planning and for the long view with succession planning. Organizations also ensure the quality of managers who play a critical role in employee development.

So who’s in charge? Without the employee’s initiative, the manager can’t push a noodle. Without the manager’s insight and support, it’s hard to develop on the job. And without the organizational learning environment, it just wouldn’t be a priority for anyone.  To reap the full results, we need the full contribution of all three.

If you need help with gearing up your managers for better career and development discussions, or improving your organizational development processes, contact me at liisa@forteconsulting.biz or 512-484 8263.

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Talent management in high tech – Part 2: Management development, succession planning, culture

In the high tech industry, the manager’s role is impacted by how high the skill level of the workforce is. Close monitoring and supervising only alienates employees who are used to a more self directed style. Managers must balance between the need to develop their employees and get the deliverables out the door. Many managers get promoted from individual contributor roles and don’t necessarily have any formal education in management. However, having worked in a team based environment, almost every manager has had opportunities to lead a team without the reporting authority, which is a great way to gain leadership experience. Management and leadership development is an area where high tech companies invest their training dollars.

When it comes to grooming senior leaders, succession planning is a process that is typically in place only in larger high tech companies, although it is equally important for smaller companies, who may be even more vulnerable for gaps when a key contributor leaves the organization. Succession planning basically serves two purposes; It manages the risk and proactively prepares for having choices of good candidates when positions open. It also systematically clears the path for high performers who company wants to invest in. In high tech, where the right mix of domain expertise and functional knowledge is sometimes elusive, succession planning takes a hard look at the best talent for the long haul. As high tech companies go global fairly early, international assignments are not rare.

There is something distinct about the high tech culture. We see comics about the software engineers in their loafers and shorts. The high tech industry is certainly more casual than, say, the banking industry. The employees have come to expect a more comfortable setting, and for some it is quite important. Autonomy and low bureaucracy are sought after cultural dimensions. Heavy manuals, helicopter managers and long policies are not too welcome. In exchange for flexibility, the employees accept and sometimes expect a fast pace and long hours, especially around product releases. However, as the generational  mix changes, and the talent war and need for innovation force the companies to reach out to more diverse candidates, work/life balance is becoming a higher priority even in the high tech industry.

High turnover is not the hallmark problem of the high tech industry. Employees come to stay in the company, as long as they get challenged at work and the work environment stays positive. Engagement and productivity may be tougher nuts to crack. With high paying jobs, it is critical that the employees feel compelled to give their 100% at work. The high tech companies that find the key to the hearts and minds of their employees gain sustainable competitive advantage.

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Training and development that actually work

I can venture a guess that it can be frustrating to pay big bucks to send your employees to training, see them return from the seminar, put their binders neatly on the shelf and return back to their old habits. Here are a few tips on how to make training and development bring results.

First off, training programs are not always the solution. As a rule of thumb, 70% of your employee development should come from learning through experience, 20% from feedback and coaching, and 10% from formal training. When you want to develop your employees’ competence and confidence, the best way is to gradually increase the challenges in their job assignments while providing the necessary guidance. If you are dealing with troublesome behavior, your best bet is feedback and behavioral coaching. Training is not going to be enough to create the necessary change. It will take more dedicated attention by the manager.  So when DO you use training?

Training works the best when you need to teach new skills or methods to your employees. Perhaps you want to introduce a new sales methodology to your sales force. Or you are installing a new computer system at the company. Perhaps your employee is starting to work on large contracts and needs more advanced negotiation skills. These are all good examples when training is certainly a good idea.

Adults learn on a need-to-know basis. Do not train them until they need to use the new skill. Provide them just the right amount of information to be proficient. For example, when you introduce a new system, some people may just need a one-page job aid, while some need a more in-depth classroom introduction. Don’t force everyone to sit through 4 hours, if they just need that one-pager. Promote informal learning via social media, Google searches, intranet, from peers and via company “experts”.

To really learn a new skill, there must be some practice. Good skill training includes hands-on portions. If your employee goes to a “talking head” seminar or webinar, don’t expect too much change in skill level. What you can do as a manager to improve the learning impact is to ask them to apply the new knowledge on the job right away.

E-learning has come a long way since its early conception. There are some excellent e-learning programs that are cost and time efficient. Good e-learning includes interaction and simulations that allow employees to practice the skills and take shortcuts in areas they already know. Set your expectations right about e-learning programs that teach interpersonal skills. They can only go so far without including skill practice with other people.

To truly know if a training program is effective, it must be evaluated. Most companies evaluate their training by asking if the participants liked it. Also check if they actually learned the key content. Perhaps the most important metric to follow is what happens after the training: did the employees start applying the new skills and methods and how did it impact the job results?

Up to 85% of the training impact is determined by what happens before and after the training. Most of it is under the manager’s control. Select the right participants, set high expectations, and make sure they have the opportunity to apply what they learned. You’ll be happy with the results.

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Copyright 2010 Liisa Pursiheimo-Marcks, all rights reserved. SVPGMGDX8TEC

Stressed out organizations

We are living in stressful times. Numerous companies have been forced to cut back their operations and workforce, some had to do it more than once. Every time there is a change initiative in a company, it puts extra stress on the organization. When there is a change like a workforce reduction, it is even a greater challenge to manage the organization without impacting the morale and the productivity of the remaining employee population.

There is a test called The Holmes stress point test. The theory is that certain life events accumulate stress in an individual’s life, and there are only so many stressful events one can take in one year without it starting to affect your health. Even positive events like vacation or family get-togethers accumulate a few stress points.

Organizations can also accumulate stress points. Together as a productive workforce, employees can only witness so many layoffs and reorgs before starting to feel change fatigue.

Stress can be productive, when the amount of tension is exciting, and the person feels that the circumstances are within his or her control. Too little action can lead to boredom and be a source of stress. People thrive on just the right amount of challenge. However, when too many things are thrown at us, that’s when it stops being fun.

The only thing constant is change. Companies don’t often have a choice when they have to make tough choices. But they do have a choice how to handle the change. Stress emerges when we feel we are not in control. Companies can help their employees at least a little bit with this:

Information increases control

Give as much heads-up as you can. Provide all the details and make them easily available. Overcommunicate. Use different communication methods to catch all the employees – don’t trust that all of them read e-mail. It’s better to have them fed up with your messages than confused and suspicious about a lack of them.

Competence increases control

If the change you are introducing impacts roles and responsibilities, processes or systems, make sure that everyone gets training and instructions to learn the ropes. Time the training with the implementation of the change, so they are ready to apply immediately. Provide different methods of learning, starting from quick one-pagers to more in-depth training.

Participation increases control

Instead of dictating all the changes, have your team participate in the important decisions. In layoffs, the division of work among those who are left would make sense to talk through with the whole team.

Reframe

Help your team see the future. Let them see their role beyond today, when job security is so fleeting. Make a continuous commitment to their development. Continue to think long term and articulate clearly what it takes to see it through the tough times.

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Why is nothing changing after training?

According to Robert Brinkerhoff research, only about 15% of learning impact is determined by the actual training event. Up to 85% of the learning impact is influenced by external factors: what happens before and after. As so much scrutiny is put on the actual training event, and not much attention is paid to what really matters, it’s no wonder that most training sessions become a nice, although high quality, break from the daily grind but not much more.

Typical pitfalls of training with low impact are:

• Wrong people sent to the training
• Lack of purpose / expectations
• No opportunity to apply new skills and knowledge
• Lack or reinforcement after training
• Work environment makes it difficult to apply new skills and knowledge
• Wrong learning attitude

1. Send the right people to the training

The reason to train a person is to improve or learn a new skill, behavior or knowledge. This can be achieved through many methods. Sometimes just handing a simple job aid or a book could do the trick. If a fundamental behavior change is expected, one-on-one coaching over a long period time is often more appropriate. In some cases, the whole team needs to adopt a new methodology, approach or tool, and training everyone at the same time is the most efficient. If your employee is having a behavior problem, training is not the silver bullet. I have seen whole teams sent to a behavior improvement class so that the manager could avoid having a frank discussion with just a couple of employees. Sit down with your low performers and communicate your expectations. If it truly is a skill gap, you may consider training. In most cases, it is matter of close monitoring and getting back on track. Send your high performers to state-of-the-art workshops and conferences where they really get to expand their expertise.

2. Set the expectation for learning

Whether it’s your whole team or one or two individuals, plan ahead to make the most of the learning experience. If you are not concerned with the ROI of the learning, why bother sending them at all? Be clear why they are going to this particular training and why they were picked. Make the new skill part of their performance plan, and expect them to share the key learning points with you and the team.

3. Ready to apply

Prepare for their return so that learners will immediately be able to apply what they learned. If it is new software, the tool should be installed on their computer, ready to use. If they are going to learn negotiation skills, agree with them in which deal will they be testing the new skills. If there won’t be any chance to apply upon return, delay the training.

4. Reinforce and enforce

Inspect what you expect. Ask for a briefing on the key learning points. Work together to create a simple action plan to ensure that the skills are applied immediately after the training. Monitor progress and celebrate success together. Give feedback and coaching as much as you are familiar with the topic.

5. Create a supportive work environment

Cynical coworkers can certainly kill any budding new skill. Set rules of engagement for the whole team to expect support. If the whole team is learning new methods, share war stories, wins and best practices as they emerge. Remove obstacles such as bureaucratic processes or old systems that can be counterproductive to the excitement of gaining new skills.

6. Select people with a positive learning attitude

To create an innovative organization, you need people who are curious, open to change and who want to continuously improve and learn new things. Make this a performance evaluation and promotion criteria and, more importantly, a  selection criteria for new hires. Nothing stops progress more than an employee who thinks he or she knows everything there is to know and poisons the learning environment for everyone else on the team.

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Copyright 2010 Liisa Pursiheimo-Marcks, all rights reserved.
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