How not to motivate employees in 2009

With the recession, layoffs and mounting financial stress, motivating employees in 2009 may seem like an uphill battle. However you choose to motivate your employees, just remember to keep Terry Tate out of your plans (You can see why in the video below).

It's an oldie, but a goody ...





Have a happy and safe New Year.

Training budgets, just another victim of the recession

As the economy continues to slide downward, more and more corporate training budgets are taking a big hit.

Most HR departments won’t be surprised by the results of a new survey providing confirmation that in tough economic times, employee training is many times the first thing to be eliminated from budgets.

Expertus, a learning-services firm, surveyed over 80 corporate and government training professionals from organizations of varying sized in 19 different industries and found that:

• For 2009, more than twice as many respondents expect budget decreases rather than increases.
• Almost half (48%) expect decreased training budgets in 2009, up from 41% in 2008.
• Only 17% expect a training budget increase next year.

From the HR Executive Online story:

The findings didn't surprise Trellis Usher-Mays, president of Atlanta-based T.R Ellis Group, a management consulting firm that provides training services.

"Most companies are cutting training budgets," Usher-Mays says. "In learning organizations today you have to show a clear line of sight between training and positive business impact. Now is not the time to ask a C-suite executive to 'just trust us to use training money wisely.' "

Usher-Mays says now, more than ever, HR leaders need to fully understand the strategic business objectives of the organization to ensure that training dollars get approved -- and to make sure those dollars deliver the best return on investment.

"During times of plenty, you could get away with what I would call non-essential training," says Usher-Mays. "Not anymore."

But, according to Usher-Mays, there’s an upside to training budget cuts. With the focus on budget cuts, HR leaders are able to highlight the value of employee training, especially when it comes to compliance issues, forming a competitive business advantage and keeping employees engaged and growing professionally.

Among the training trends in a down economy, e-learning is making a strong appearance. For companies looking to save money without affecting quality, online and virtual training resources can be the best alternative to an in-person instructor.

Consider these cost-saving training options:

• Video training. Rather than sending a group of employees to an outside training course that will include expensive travel costs, find a comparable video training program to bring in-house. For the cost of one ticket, you can train an entire room full of people.
• Online training. Similar to video training, online employee training allows you to train many for the cost of a few and eliminates any travel expenses.
• Shop smart. Use tools like TrainingTime.com to find and compare employee training programs that will work with your budget.

How to be productive when business is slow

So, you're stuck working this week. For many, the week between Christmas and New Year's is one of the slowest of the year and one where not very much gets done. Whether it's because nobody is in the office or nobody is buying, now is not the time to sit around and waste the week away.

Instead, be productive when business is slow and get a head start on 2009. Use a few of these tips to get things done and not waste any time:

• Plan ahead. What would you like to accomplish in 2009? Sit down this week and write out your goals for 2009. Take it a step further and schedule a meeting to share those goals with your boss.


• Catch up. Make it a point this week to catch up on all of the industry news and trends you haven't had time to read during the year. Buy a book or two on a topic that would help you improve the way you work.


• Get organized. Attack that stack of papers on your desk and clean out your email inbox. If you don't do it before 2009, it probably won't get done. Use this slow time to get organized and put it all away.


• Connect. Have lunch or plan a meeting with that one business contact you didn't have time to meet with during the year. Get to know that person a little better and strengthen a valuable business relationship over lunch this week.


• Learn. Have you ever wondered how another department in your organization got things done? Make it a point this week to learn something new about how other departments function in your business.

Tips for the holidays, HR-style

Tomorrow is Christmas and all of us at TrainingTime would like to wish all of you a very merry holiday and a happy New Year. Here’s a short list of the best holiday-related posts from a few of our favorite blogs:

Have a mixture of religions in your organization and don’t wan to offend anyone? Take Kris Dunn’s advice and wish them a Happy Festivus. Check out today’s post at The HR Capitalist, complete with a classic Seinfeld video.

‘Tis the Season … to start thinking about next year. Today, Tim Tolan at Fistful of Talent is offering a friendly reminder to get started on your plans and goals for 2009 before the ball drops on New Year’s.

Yesterday, Laurie Ruettimann gave some valuable Punk Rock HR advice on company holiday parties and corporate giving. Just remember, whether you’re having a swanky holiday party or an ugly Christmas sweater event, don’t call her to plan it.

From rigorous training to dealing with thousands of dissatisfied customers, Santa has his work cut out for him. From all of the clips Julie Ferguson at HR Web Café shared with us on Monday, you can see what a tough job the big guy has every Christmas season.

How to use Twitter for training

Earlier this month, Jeanne Meister at the New Learning Playbook brought up some questions about the popular social networking tool Twitter asking: what is Twitter, who uses it, and can it be harnessed as a learning tool?

If you're unfamiliar, Twitter is a free social networking tool used to make connections and share small bits of information. It is entirely based on the question: What are you doing? Twitter users send "tweets" of 140 characters or less to share with their followers what they're up to.

Meister suggested using Twitter for learning and development in the following ways:

• Deliver learning to employees. Most Twitter users are young, usually between the ages of 18 and 34. Young employees will be more likely to use and enjoy using social networking tools like Twitter to learn new information.
• Webcast follow-up. You can use Twitter for asking questions on conference calls and webcasts. Using Twitter creates a record of questions and comments that you can refer to later and share with attendees.
• Learning reinforcement. Twitter gives you the opportunity to share quick bites of information, quickly. With all of your learners on Twitter, it is easy to reinforce learning content with links to follow-up information.

From first hand experience, I would like to add keeping trainees connected after a training session to the list of Twitter for learning. After a training seminar or class, have students and the instructor exchange Twitter user names to stay connected. The group can continue to stay connected through Twitter and share new information as time goes on.

We would like to know - Do you see a future for Twitter as a valuable learning tool? How are you currently using Twitter as it relates to training and learning?

How to improve the workplace, tips from Dilbert

Anyone who works for a big company can relate to the characters and story lines Scott Adams shares in his Dilbert comic strip. From a “dicey” start in the early years of his business career to the trials of owning two successful California restaurants, Adams has used real-life experiences in middle management to create America’s most lovable corporate drone.

In a recent interview with Fortune, Adams shared his thoughts on creating career stability and how the corporate workplace could use some improvements. For starters, corporations could stop worrying about employees’ every move and treat workers better when tough times roll around.

“One thing that's definitely worse is that employers have a much greater ability to monitor employees' every move. They can count the keystrokes on your computer, keep track of where you go on the Internet, and so on. It's creepy. But the big macro change now is, employers are a lot nicer when the economy is strong, because they know you have choices and can go elsewhere if they don't keep you happy. When times are bad, the gloves come off and employers are less nice. People become disposable.”

Though he doesn’t typically give advice, he wrote a book years ago called The Dilbert Principle, about how he thinks the ideal workplace should be organized. Here’s Adams’ advice for human resource professionals:

“If you don't have a lot of money to give people, then give them two other things. One is flexibility. Allow people to have a life outside of work. Does an employee have a reasonable chance of leaving the office on time, which I define as 5 p.m.? I mean, is that extra hour or two or three that people put in, in the evening, really necessary?

And second, give them at least half an hour every day to learn something they don't already know. Lots of surveys of employee happiness show that keeping people happy in their jobs really isn't so much about money anyway, it's about these other things that many companies don't think to offer. Work is like the rest of life. The best parts are free.”

And just for fun, here’s a Dilbert comic to get your Monday off to a great start

How to hold a healthy office holiday party

After an entire year of watching your waistlines and sticking to the company wellness program, why throw it all away with a holiday party full of high-fat, sugar-filled treats. This year, plan an office holiday party that is both festive and healthy.

Here are some simple tips to use when throwing a healthy office holiday party:

• Focus on fruits and vegetables. Make it a goal to cover at least half of the table with fruit and vegetable dishes. Try great winter fruit options like apple slices, orange slices, melon cubes, sliced pineapple and grape tomatoes. For vegetable trays, try baby carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli and cauliflower florets.


• Provide a variety of beverage choices. Offer a wide variety of no- and low-calorie drink options for everyone at the office to enjoy. Try mint tea, diet soft drinks, water, coffee and holiday punch made with diet soda.


• Prepare lean meats. Find holiday meats that are low in fat and high in protein. Provide healthier meat options including sliced turkey breast, lean ham and sliced lean roast beef. Try healthy seafood options like cooked shrimp with cocktail sauce and broiled salmon.


• Lighten up on the sweets. Instead of the typical high-sugar holiday treats, serve light desserts or assorted bite-size sweets. Use mini cupcake pans to cook up bite-sized cupcakes, brownies and cheesecake. Remember to keep toppings on the lighter side by offering light ice cream, frozen yogurt or light whip cream.


• Get physical. Whenever possible, get everyone up and moving. Hire a DJ or have everyone bring in their favorite CDs, whatever it takes to get party-goers dancing and working off those calories. If nobody is in the mood to dance, organize an activity like touch football, volleyball, charades or musical chairs.


• Use small plates. Eating off of small plates is one of the most effective tricks in the book to keep from eating too much. It encourages people to eat smaller portions and feel like they’re filling up.

Try to hold a healthy office holiday party this year that leaves everyone feeling satisfied and guilt-free. Your coworkers, and their waistlines, will be sure to thank you.

Handling conflict at work, what’s your EQ?

U.S. companies spend more than 2.8 hours each week dealing with workplace conflict, adding up to approximately $359 billion in 2008, according to a recent study by CPP Inc. (brought to our attention by HR Web Café).

More important than lost time and money, workplace conflict is putting employees’ safety at risk. About one third of employees (33%) said conflict at work has led to personal injury or attacks, and another 22% reported that it has led to illness or absence from work.

"These figures should be a wake-up call to industry leaders," said Jeff Hayes, CEO of CPP Inc. "Companies are losing billions of dollars because of poorly managed conflict, and we expect that figure to grow in a down economy as stress and workload -- two of the biggest causes of conflict -- rise."

While managers may think they know how to manage conflict, employees don’t agree. The survey revealed that just under one-third (31%) of managers felt that they’re skilled at handling conflict, while only 22% of employees said their managers deal with conflict well.

Positive conflict resolution and specialized training go hand in hand, according to researchers. The study found that employers with more incidents of conflict training had more positive outcomes, while organizations with less training opportunities reported lower numbers of positive outcomes.

"This research clearly shows the astounding amount of workplace debate, disagreement, and negotiation that take place in business," said Josh Bersin, president and CEO of Bersin & Associates, an analyst firm in enterprise learning and talent management. "If high performing business and human resource leaders are to turn conflict into positive business change, they must take the time to coach and train their employees to effectively deal with differences of opinion, style, and points of view."

Along with training, emotional intelligence (EQ) also makes a large contribution to your success in conflict management. Emotional intelligence is the ability to create positive outcomes in relationships with others and within ourselves through awareness, understanding and appropriate emotional expression, according to George Anderson, CEO of Anderson & Anderson, at Anger on my Mind.

“Understanding the powerful role of emotions in the workplace sets the best leaders apart from the rest not just in tangibles such as better results and the retention of talent, but also in the all-important intangibles, such as higher morale, motivation, and commitment.”

Emotional intelligence is a skill we develop and enhance throughout our lives, and plays an important role in every relationship we form. Having a high EQ will help you gain the trust and support from employees to help you lead effectively, especially when times are tough.

As businesses suffer and tensions are high, a focus on emotional intelligence may be exactly what we all need right now. Managers and employees with the skills to adapt and handle emotional situations are some of the most valuable assets a business may have.

Go on vacation without worrying about work, 6 tips

Vacations are meant to be a time to unwind, leave everything behind and recharge your worn-out batteries. But when it comes to the office, the thought of leaving it all behind has become something much easier said than done these days.

As wireless technology and mobile devices continue to advance, it’s getting easier and easier to remain connected with the office when you’re gone. Those connections can be wonderful when you’re away on business or working from home for a few days, but they have no place in your vacation.

One in four workers will be keeping in touch with the office while on vacation this year, according to CareerBuilder’s 2007 vacation survey. Close to one in ten (9%) said that their bosses expect them to be getting work done or at least checking messages while away on vacation.

So, if a vacation is meant to be a time to unwind and disconnect, can you truly call it a vacation if you’re still logging work hours on your laptop?

When it’s time to go, leave work at work and out of your suitcase. Follow these six tips to stop worrying about work while you’re on vacation:

1. Have a plan. Let everyone on your team know the dates you’ll be away from the office in advance. If there’s something that needs to be worked on while you’re away, plan to have it finished before you leave or have someone else take over. Give at least one person on your team a copy of important information (e.g. contact names, phone numbers) they may need in your absence.


2. Inform clients. Instead of returning to a voice mail box full of disgruntled messages from clients, let everyone know that you’ll be on vacation ahead of time. Provide your clients with the contact information of someone else at the office they can talk to in case there’s a problem.


3. Clean up. Before leaving the office for vacation, take a few minutes to clean up your work area. Clearing your desk will help you make sure you didn’t miss anything important and your coworkers will be less likely to dump anything on a tidy desk while you’re gone. Remember that a messy desk will only add to any stress you feel when returning to the office.


4. Keep an open calendar. You may feel like you have to jump back into it right away, but resist the urge to schedule anything for the day you come back to the office. If necessary, block out time on your calendar for a long meeting with yourself, so no one can sneak anything in while you’re gone.


5. Leave the laptop. No matter how much you tell yourself you won’t use it, leave your laptop behind when packing for vacation. The temptation to check your email will be too strong if you know your laptop is tucked inside your bag. Your family and friends will appreciate it, too.


6. Lead by example. If you’re the boss, do your best to limit contact while you’re gone. Employees will feel more comfortable taking time off and enjoying themselves when their vacation time rolls around.

As difficult as it may sound, use your vacation time to have a vacation and leave work where it’s meant to be - at work. The more you enjoy your vacation, the more relaxed and recharged you’ll be when it’s time to get back to work. Along with your family, friends and coworkers, you’ll thank yourself for it later.

Improve training, involve employees like Best Buy

How do you get employees engaged in training?

Have them make the employee training videos.

It may sound easier said than done, but it’s exactly how Best Buy managed to increase their 401k participation by 30% last year.

As the story goes, Best Buy’s HR team was struggling to find a way to boost their low 18% 401k participation rate. It looked like they were facing an uphill battle with more than half of the company’s employees are under the age of 24 and not the least bit worried about retirement.

So, in attempts to motivate their young employees, Best Buy launched a contest on their social networking site, BlueShirt Nation. Employees were challenged to submit motivating videos about what 401k plans mean to them.

The contest lasted just three months and Best Buy’s 401k participation had jumped to 47%, an almost 30% increase.

Here’s the winning video ...






Thanks to HR Marketer for bringing this great story to our attention. Have a Happy Friday!

Productivity: Rules for effective meetings

While we’re on the subject of getting things done, let’s tackle the business activity many consider to be the least productive - the meeting.

In a survey of 1,900 business leaders, 72% expressed that they spend more time in meetings today than they did five years ago. Almost half (49%) said they expect their time spent in meetings to increase, according to the results of a survey by Dr. Steven G. Rogelberg, Professor and Director of Organizational Science at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

The same meeting research revealed that managers felt that almost one-third of the meetings they attend are unproductive.

Whether you hate meetings or enjoy them, think they’re unproductive or not, it’s hard to escape them. When managed correctly, meetings can be a useful business tool. But if they fail, meetings can be a complete waste of time and a huge disruption to everyone’s day.

Meetings are a fact of life. So, if we’re going to have to live with them, we better learn how to make them as productive and efficient as possible.

Andrew Rondeau of Great Management, recently compiled the most simple and usually ignored rules for holding a productive meeting. To organize and improve the quality of meetings, Andrew offers this advice:

• Limit the guest list. By limiting the number of people at a meeting, you immediately improve the effectiveness of the group.
• Have an agenda. Setting an agenda before the meeting will save time and keep it focused. Include a list of topics, how much time should be spent discussing each topic, and remember to distribute the agenda to every attendee before you meet.
• Define a goal. Before meeting, get an agreement up front from attendees on what the meeting should accomplish.
• Start on time. Even if someone is missing, start the meeting on time. Don’t waste everyone’s time for the sake of one.
• Feedback. Ensure that your agenda includes time for feedback and a flow of two-way communication.
• Minimize distractions. This is one of ours, but a great addition to Andrew’s list. Before the meeting, remind people to kindly leave their cell phones, PDAs and laptops at their desks. If they choose to bring them along, ask everyone to turn their devices off at the beginning of the meeting.

The rules, though simple and basic, are often missed. Try working some into your meetings to improve their effectiveness and the overall productivity of your day.

Productivity: How to get started and avoid pitfalls

Improving your personal productivity and discovering what works with you is a process that involves time, dedication and experimentation. Here are just a few tips and tricks from to help you get the ball rolling, keep it rolling and stay away from the biggest productivity-sapping traps.


Getting started

After you make the conscious decision to get to work on your productivity, you want to get started right away. But many times getting started on getting things done can seem like such a daunting task that we completely fail to start.

You can easily get started with productivity and see immediate results with a few uncomplicated tips from Heshy Shayovitz. His advice:

• Stop thinking about your to-do list. Don’t keep your to-do list locked up in your head, there’s too much going on up there and you risk forgetting something. Free your mind and let creativity flow.
• Just do it. If you can complete a task in two minutes or less, just do it. You’ll feel better about accomplishing something and more inclined to tackle everything else on your list.
• Keep your head in the game. Be conscious in whatever you’re working on at the moment. When you’re working on something, ask yourself three questions: why am I doing this? How can I stop doing it? How can I do it better?

Time management

With more on how to do things better and in less time, Chris Young at the Rainmaker Group recently put together a list of effective time management tips and techniques. To manage your time more effectively and maximize your possibility, Chris suggests:

• Have priorities. Put your to-do list in order, starting with the most important tasks and ending with things that could wait until later.
• Turn on the “green” light. Use your most productive time, what Chris calls “green time,” to focus on getting things done. Avoid taking long breaks or running errands during the most productive part of your day.
• Put up your guard. Don’t let others take away from your “green time” with unnecessary distractions. Guard your time from outside disruptions as much as possible.
• Take a break. If you need a break, take a quick 10 minute walk to recharge and then quickly get back to work.

Productivity pitfalls

After you’ve started on improving your personal productivity and are on a roll, be sure not to fall into any productivity-sapping traps. Productivity paranoia, as Christina Laun at Bootstrapper likes to call it, is a dangerous area where productivity management takes over your life and well being, at work and at the office.

Here’s some of Christina’s advice to avoid falling into productivity paranoia and get your efficiency obsession under control:

• Work with the time you have. You can only fit so much work into one day, so stop wishing you had more time. It’s not the end of the world if there are things left on your to-do list when the day is over.
• Focus on quality, not quantity. Checking everything off your list will make you feel like you’ve accomplished a lot, but the quality of each task probably suffered. Give yourself a pat on the back for the work you’ve completed each day.
• Enjoy your personal time. When you’re away from work, do your best to not think about work. Time off is healthy and will keep you more productive when you return to the office.
• Discover what works. There are hundreds of productivity techniques out there and finding the one that works for you may take time. Find what works for you and stick with it.

Personal productivity is a conscious pact you make with yourself. It may take some time to figure out exactly what works for you, but stick with it once you find out how you work best. Just be careful to not fall into productivity paranoia and you’ll be just fine.

How successful on-boarding improves training retention

How well a new employee retains training is directly dependent on the success of your on-boarding program, according to a recent article in Restaurants & Institutions (R&I).

Even outside of the food service industry, both formal and informal on-boarding programs are vital to the training process. When businesses conquer on-boarding and new-hire training, new employees are more likely to make it through the first weeks of a job and start thinking long-term.

“Dean McSherry, an Addison, Texas-based restaurant consultant, suggests a multipronged strategy that covers much more than basic job training. Introducing new employees to key people, providing them with the right tools and integrating them into the company culture quickly will help ensure that they enjoy their work and succeed.”

Here’s how some of the most successful food service companies achieve success in on-boarding and training new employees:

• Ongoing training opportunities. As employees move up the ladder at Chipotle Mexican Grill, they take part in ongoing training opportunities to help them at each new step. The restaurant chain strives to make employees at all levels understand the meaningful opportunities at the company and all of the career paths they can work toward.


• Cool training tools. Embracing new technology has greatly improved on-boarding at the Atlanta-based Wing Zone. CEO Matt Friedman harnesses the power of new technology and the Internet to make training “modern, quick, consistent and effective.” New hires are put through a simple online course complete with videos on the history of the company and quizzes that introduce employees to the company and prepare them for the hands-on training to follow.


• Stars and training mentors. New hires at the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain work their way through the company’s “Rising Stars” program where employees earn apron stars as they complete each step of the training program. During their first 60 days, new employees are also matched with a manager in a buddy program to check in with trainees throughout the on-boarding process.


• An eye on employee health. Because some people will be at the company for decades, Cal Dining at the University of California, Berkely, has new hires work with ergonomists to learn the best ways to work without injuring themselves. Additionally, new hires receive a preliminary health screening to identify any potential injury risk.


• Focus on brand value. The casual-dining restaurant Houlihan’s trains new employees to understand how the restaurant’s brand image plays a key role in customer experience. Employees are trained to “sell the brand” in their on-boarding program. The company’s philosophy: “Treat managers well, and they will be happy. Ultimately, happy managers create happy employees, and happy employees, in turn, create satisfied customers.”

With the right tools and support at the very beginning, employees will be more likely to enjoy their work and succeed. How does your company successfully implement on-boarding and new-hire training to improve retention?

Six-word icebreakers, keep it short

When Ernest Hemingway was challenged to write a story in only six words, he responded with:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

SMITH Magazine reignited the six-word story challenge in 2006 by asking readers to describe their lives in six words or less. The response was so overwhelming that they compiled the stories and created a book, Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure.

“They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (“Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (“I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (“Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (“I like big butts, can’t lie”).”

The six-word memoir is not just a lesson in writing, but a concept that can be used to stay on task and on time around the office.

Take the idea of the six-word memoir and turn it into an introduction game or icebreaker:

• As everyone takes a seat at your next meeting or training exercise, tell them they have two minutes to write down their job description only using six words. When the two minutes are up, go around the room and have everyone share their name and six-word memoir.

Or, use it to keep your brainstorming sessions focused and to the point:

• Inspire your group with this video from SMITH Magazine and then ask the group to come up with ideas that can be written in six words or less. Whether you’re brainstorming new slogan ideas or identifying core issues, keeping ideas under six words will keep everyone focused.

Saying anything in six words or less can be a challenge, but it’s an exercise that delivers a great lesson on the value of clear communication. Use the ideas above or create your own six-word activities to challenge your next training group.

Have any ideas on how to use the six-word challenge to inspire employees? Leave a comment and let us know.

Friday Fun: Cool office gadgets and coworker gift ideas

Even while companies announce more canceled holiday parties and cut back around the office, there’s still no reason to stop spreading the holiday cheer.

One proven way to improve morale around the office - give a gift.

Whether you’re looking for something great to give your Secret Santa recipient or long-time coworker, there are a ton of cool gifts out there that they will be proud to show off on their desk all year round.

Check out these cool office gadgets and great coworker gift ideas:

• USB Coffee Warmer. Perfect for that coworker who can’t get enough of that warm, caffeine-filled goodness. Just plug the USB-powered warmer into your computer and they’ll have a nice warm cup of coffee all day long.
• USB Beverage Chiller. If it’s the colder caffeine-filled treats your coworker loves, try the USB Beverage Chiller. Works the same way the warmer does, but keeps your drinks nice and cold at your desk.
• Office carpet skates. This is the perfect gift for the Office Olympics organizer or office daredevil. The skates slip on right over your shoes and allow you to glide across carpeted surfaces. Watch this video on how it's done.
• Bright Blinds. No window in your cube? No problem. Bright Blinds are a great gift for that coworker who needs a little light in their life. Even if you’re located in the middle of a cube maze, this cool office gadget makes it look like there’s sunshine right on the other side of your cube wall.
• Water-Powered Clock. For the eco-friendly coworker always looking for new ways to be green in the office. This clock runs entirely on water, telling the time and date without any batteries at all.
• Staple-Free Stapler. Never run out of staples again with this cool little gadget. The Staple-free stapler makes a little cut at the edge and folds sheets together, making the process more neat and efficient.

When picking out that perfect something, watch out for these office gifts that could get you fired:

• Desktop Warfare Kit. Perfect for the model plane hobbyist in the office who hates to be disturbed at work. With these mini warfare devices, you can hurl paperclips at your coworkers all day long.
• Faceball. It’s like Dodgeball, but all about hitting people in the head. Not sure this one will last very long around the office, so have your fun while it lasts.
• Desktop Batting Practice. Perfect for the sports fan in the office. If you have a minute of free time at your desk, you have just enough time to practice your batting swing. Somehow, I don’t think your coworkers will enjoy the mini baseballs flying around all day.

Whatever you choose to give this year, whether it’s a cool gadget, greeting card or a simple “thank you,” be sure to show appreciation for your coworkers during the holidays and all year round. Happy Friday!

New FMLA regs, free webinar explaining what to do

In November, the Department of Labor released the first set of revisions to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that will take effect on January 16, 2009. Among other requirements, employers will need to acquire new paperwork and posters to reflect the latest revisions.

With just over a month until the new FMLA changes become effective, the pressure is on employers to understand exactly what they need to do in order to comply.

Join us next week for a free webinar, hosted by ComplyRight, covering all the information you need to know stay fully compliant under the FMLA. Attendees will learn:

• How the new regulations impact your business, what changed and what you need to do to comply
• Employer’s rights under the FMLA, including strategies to handle FMLA abuse
• Specific key requirements
• What changes need to be made to policies, notices and employee postings
• The latest rules for handling intermittent employee leave, chronic conditions, light duty, supervisor access to medical information, leave for military families and more

We hope to see you at The New FMLA Regulations: What You Need to Know on Thursday, December 11, 2008 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST. This free webinar is sponsored by ComplyRight and presented by Wendy J. Smith, Esquire, Fisher & Phillips LLP.

Visit the registration page for more information.


Related:

New FMLA rules: What you need to know

Family and Medical Leave Act Changes Q & A

Training Trends: PTO, the Grinch at work and religious diversity

The December issue of Training Trends was released today, with information every workplace can use during the holidays. This month’s topics include how to handle confusing PTO policies, “Grinch” behavior around the office and managing religious diversity.

Each month, TrainingTime.com shares all of the latest and greatest tips, trends and buzz from the across the training industry. If you’re not on our mailing list, please take a minute to sign up for Training Trends to have the latest training news delivered to your inbox each month.

Here’s a quick look at the December edition:

Top 10 Things Not to Do with Your PTO

Switching to a Paid Time Off (PTO) system gives employees more freedom to schedule their time, but there are some drawbacks. From “last-minute use” policies and harsh requirements, putting a new PTO system in place can be confusing. Here’s a more lighthearted look at the top 10 things you shouldn’t do with your PTO ... (full article)


Don’t be a Grinch at Work This Holiday Season

Employees who have fun at work have proven to be more loyal, productive and more willing to go the extra mile when crunch time comes. The holidays offer a great opportunity to bring more happiness and fun into the workplace. Here are some simple and affordable ideas to fill the need for fun at work this holiday season ... (full article)


Making Religious Diversity Work at Work

The month of December shines a spotlight on the religious differences among employees each year. What’s the best way to handle religious diversity at work? Embrace it. Embracing religious differences within the office is good for business and good for employees. Here’s why ... (full article)

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Why the happiest companies are so happy

It’s that time of the year again, about that time when most of us have started counting down the days until our upcoming holiday break. Whether it’s for a few weeks or just a few days, it will pass quickly and that first day back to the office will be a somber one.

But, what if you worked at a company where you looked forward to coming back after vacation? A place where you thought twice about taking a vacation because you enjoyed being in the office so much?

Business coach Gill Corkindale brought up those questions and others regarding happiness at work in an article I recently came across on the Harvard Business blogs. She explains how more companies in the U.S. and U.K. are taking happiness at work very seriously, despite the economic recession.

“As a business coach, I've noticed that more and more managers and leaders are expecting to derive more happiness and satisfaction from their work. They are often young, talented and successful people who view their jobs as routes to self-actualisation. Yet this shift in the purpose of work raises many questions: how much satisfaction are we entitled to derive from work? And should employers be expected to provide meaning and happiness as well as a job and salary?”

Companies are taking happiness into their own hands, and doing so with clear business motives in mind. In the article, Gill points out a research paper from a Wharton finance professor who found that U.S. companies with the happiest employees performed “notably better” financially than lower-ranked companies.

Moreover, happiness has been scientifically proven to extend our life expectancies, keep us healthier and improve productivity at work.

“Employee satisfaction is a very effective motivational tool and a powerful method of retaining key employees.”

One IT training company in the UK, aptly named Happy, has won a number of awards for being one of the most inspired places to work and for its strong focus on employee and customer relations.

Along with the power of play, happiness can help companies become a better and more enjoyable place for leaders, employees and customers to prosper. Here are just some ways Happy gets to be so happy:

• Create a positive work environment. In most companies, managers spend more time correcting employees on what they’ve done wrong than telling them what they’ve done right. Remember to tell employees ‘thank you’ for doing a great job from time to time.



• Freedom. It’s much easier to be creative without a manager standing over your shoulder watching your every move. Give employees your trust and the freedom to be creative in their everyday work.



• Outline clear expectations. Ensure that every employee under your roof knows what is expected of them and how to reach those expectations. Whether you use employee performance reviews or not, make sure employees are working toward clear goals.



• Feedback. “Feedback is crucial to job ownership,” says Gill. Make sure employees are hearing feedback from internal as well as external sources so they can take ownership in their work. Try using the 5 cent feedback experiment if you’re having trouble.



• Develop skills with training. Recruit talented people who show a positive attitude and then give them the training to develop their skills within the organization. Training is just one way to improve employee engagement and boost morale.



• Celebrate mistakes. “Saying 'I got it wrong' is a sign of responsibility and an indication of an honest and open corporate culture,” says Gill. “If people haven't made any mistakes, they probably haven't tried anything new.”

We want to know - What do you do to make your company a more enjoyable place to work? Would you use ‘happy’ to describe your office environment?

Creativity, innovation and happiness at work

The key to innovation is happiness at work, says Chief Happiness Officer Alexander Kjerulf.

In a recent post on one of his favorite subjects, Alexander shared some insightful take-aways from a trip to London to attend the Top Dog Live innovation conference. This year’s theme - innovation in tough times.

Whether you’re working in London or in the U.S., the theme is especially fitting today with the National Bureau of Economic Research officially stating that the U.S. is in a recession and has been for the past year.

As our economy struggles, businesses continue to make decisions that cut back on work benefits that foster innovation, including training and development. Those decisions are “precisely the wrong thing to do,” says Alexander, reminding us that “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”

Alexander’s main take-away from the event was the focus on people and how to make employees happy at work. The majority of conversations dealt less with compensation and stock options, and were more centered around “praise, recognition, good leadership, openness, trust, freedom and fun in the workplace.”

Like Alexander writes about in most of his posts, happy employees are more creative. According to Harvard Business School Research:

If people are in a good mood on a given day, they’re more likely to have creative ideas that day, as well as the next day, even if we take into account their mood that next day.

There seems to be a cognitive process that gets set up when people are feeling good that leads to more flexible, fluent, and original thinking, and there’s actually a carryover, an incubation effect, to the next day.

In order to harness that creativity, more businesses must understand the importance of play and playfulness in the workplace. At Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds examined the belief that “play is good for you” and for business. In the post he shares a video of Tim Brown, CEO of Ideo, making a presentation on the subject.

In this wonderful short presentation Tim makes many salient points about the role of play, playfulness, and creativity and why they matter in our professional or academic lives. You may be a designer of consumer goods, or a medical doctor, or a researcher, or a teacher — every situation is different. But listen to what Tim Brown says and ask yourself how the idea of play might be introduced into your organization in a way that would benefit workers, patients, and students, not only in terms of productivity but also in terms of simply having people feel better (and isn't there a correlation?).

Watch Tim Brown’s presentation below and visit Presentation Zen to read Garr’s summary of the most important points.



Use this holiday season to boost employee creativity and bring more happiness into your workplace, read these related posts:

How to improve morale during the holidays

Employee recognition ideas on the cheap, it’s easier than you think

Employee engagement down, how training can help

Friday office humor: Dodgeball at work

Workplace communication: Using the right words

When you tell someone, “remember the meeting time” or “don’t forget the meeting time,” you’re saying the same thing, right?

Not at all, according to Steve Roesler at All Things Workplace. The statements are different, because our brains fail to register negatives.

When you use a negative sentence like, “Don’t forget the meeting time,” your brain ignores the “don’t” and only hears “forget the meeting time.”

If you get rid of the negativity and start using the positive alternative, saying “Remember the meeting time,” your coworkers will be more likely to show up on time.

The mind wants direction, not a sense of "lack." That's why it's important to pay attention to how you say things. If I tell you that something is "not very expensive" you'll focus on "expensive."

This is how improvement efforts often get bogged down: "I want us to make fewer mistakes" translates differently than "I want to increase the accuracy of our customer service solutions by 30% before November 30."

So, instead of telling you “Don’t forget to have a Happy Thanksgiving.” I’ll simply say, “have a Happy Thanksgiving!”

Top rewards of hiring veterans

The training and long hours spent preparing for the battlefield has proven to pay off for veterans when leaving the military and entering the civilian workforce. In hiring veterans, employers report added rewards after onboarding these employees including responsibility, teamwork and the ability to work under pressure.

Almost four in 10 (38%) of human resource professionals nationwide have hired a war veteran in the past three years, according to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

The study also found that hiring veterans is even more popular in government entities, with 67% hiring a veteran. Half of publicly owned, for-profit companies report hiring a returning combat veteran.

Among employers who reported hiring veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars:

• 95% said the benefit of hiring vets is they have a “strong sense of responsibility.”
• 94% said they have the ability to “work as part of a team.”
• 93% said they “see a task through to completion.”
• 92% said veterans have the ability to “work under pressure.”

The situations soldiers are put in during training and deployment required them to “grow up fast,” according to Bryan Zawikowski, vice president of the military transition division at the Lucas Group, in a recent Human Resource Executive Online article.

As they complete their enlistment time, "a young officer at the age of 30 can have responsibilities greater than most [workers] in the private sector," said Zawikowski.

While veterans entering the workforce may need help transitioning and will have to adapt their skills to new tasks, their active-duty experiences have equipped them to meet those challenges, he added.

"By the time they come out of the military, they are used to learning new things, used to training and used to being held accountable for their performance and the performance of their team," said Zawikowski.

For employers looking to hire veterans and advice for transitioning soldiers, check out the following online resources:

• RecruitMilitary.com
• HireVetsFirst.gov
• VetJobs.com
• MilitaryHire.com
• Military.com
• TAOnline.com

Employee feedback: 5 cent experiment

How much should you spend delivering quality feedback to your team each week?

According to the Slacker Manager, “5 cents can be the best investment you’ll ever make in your team.”

Last week, he outlined a great experiment in employee feedback that every manager should try. Anyone with pockets and some loose change can participate.

Instructions:

Every day this week, put 5 cents in one pocket, in the form of 5 pennies. Each time you give someone specific positive feedback, move a penny to the other pocket. Each time you use all 5 of your pennies, start over and move them to the other pocket.

Try to give at least 5 cents worth of specific positive feedback to your team each day.

Repeat this exercise for the next 30 days. If you like to keep score, add up how many cents you’ve shared with your team, and donate the change you’ve made to a worthy cause, or to an office fund that your employees can benefit from.

Not only is it an awesome idea, but it’s a great way to recognize employees on the cheap and takes just a few minutes out of your day. Invest 5 cents in your team this week and let us know how it goes.

More Friday training fun: Turkey Bowl 2008

Think you know everything there is to know about Thanksgiving? Test your Thanksgiving Trivia knowledge in the Turkey Bowl 2008, the latest training game from C3 Visuals.

Top scores will be entered in a contest to win BRAVO!, a new software suite that helps you create engaging and fun training games that make users feel like they’re in the middle of an online quiz show.

For more training quiz shows or to learn how to make your own visit the C3 Visuals profile at TrainingTime.com.

Friday office humor: Worst employees of the year

The candidates were chosen, the votes were tallied and we finally have the results of the Top 10 Worst Employees of 2008. Was there another election more important this year?

If you thought that your manager was the meanest or no one could possibly have more annoying coworkers, Career Builder’s list of this year’s worst employees may prove you wrong.

Take worst employee No. 1, Marie Cooley, for example. Her story:

After seeing an ad in the paper for job that sounded like hers, Cooley thought her company was planning to fire her. For revenge, she attempted to sabotage the business by destroying $2.5 million worth of computer files. Cooley told investigators she went into work over the weekend, got angry, disconnected internal power cables and deleted files from the server. She was arrested and charged with damaging computer equipment.

Or worst employee No. 4, Judge Robert Restaino:

Restaino was hearing domestic violence cases when a cell phone rang in court. After no one owned up to the phone, Restaino "snapped" and jailed all 46 people who were in the courtroom. New York's top court removed him as a city court judge, saying punishing innocent people is "inexcusable."

Or even worst employee No. 7, Robert Irvine:

Irvine embellished and fabricated the more impressive parts of his résumé, including claiming to have cooked for the British royal family; catering to four U.S. presidents; and helping to make Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding cake. His contract with the Food Network was terminated.

See? Your coworkers aren’t as bad as you thought. Enjoy your Friday!

How to improve morale during the holidays

Maybe it’s because of the canceled company holiday party or low year-end sales numbers, but it seems like this holiday season is lacking the same excitement surrounding past years.

Even when the economy was doing great, the holidays always have a way of distracting us from the things we need to get done around the office. With everything going on in employees’ lives outside of work, it can be tough to find the motivation to tackle that to-do list by the time New Year’s rolls around.

Here are a few tips to motivate employees and boost morale during the holidays:

• Food. Throughout the year, especially during the holidays, food has magical way of bringing people together. Hold a bake sale, coordinate a luncheon or bring in a bag of bagels for your coworkers. It’s a quick way to lift everyone’s spirits without anyone having to spend a lot of money.


• Compliments. Encourage supervisors to hand out compliments to employees when they notice positive work or achievements. Compliments are also an immediate way to lift spirits and make employees feel confident in their work. And, they’re free. Simply saying “thank you” can do wonders for employee morale.


• Holiday cards. Business holiday cards are just a small way businesses can show their appreciation for all of the hard work employees have put in throughout the year. Take a few minutes to write a hand-written message on the inside of the card to add a personal touch.


• Fun. Find simple ways to improve morale at work every day. Hold contests, bring in pizza for lunch or make up a nonsense holiday, like “Funny Hat Day.” Decorate the office with winter decorations to brighten up the office and encourage teamwork. Keep it simple, just focus on getting everyone involved and having a great time.


• Humor. Hold an event that brings some laughter into the office. Organize an office-wide activity where supervisors hand out funny awards to employees. Not every employee views formal awards as fair, or feel left out. Funny awards get everyone laughing, whether they receive an award or not. You don’t have to spend a dime on this one either. Use supplies in the office to create awards that everyone will love. A word of caution - keep awards focused on what people did well, not on something they failed to do.

Don’t wait until January 2 to start improving employee morale around the office, get going now. With simple ideas and some creativity, a little bit of effort on your part can go a long way.

New FMLA rules: What you need to know

On Monday, November 17, the U.S. Department of Labor released the first set of revisions to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The new regulations implement the new military leave law and make several changes to existing FMLA rules.

Regarding military leave, the new FMLA rule:

• Expands FMLA protections for family members caring for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty. These family members may take up to 26 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period.


• Employees may also take up to 12 weeks of FMLA job-protected leave for a “qualifying exigency” related to a family member in the military to manage their affairs. “Qualifying exigencies” include for example, short-notice deployments, military events, counseling, childcare and post-deployment activities.

Other notable changes:

• Serious health condition. To qualify for FMLA leave for a “serious health condition,” an employee or family member bust be incapacitated for more than three consecutive days and make at least two visits to a health care provider. The two health care visits must occur within 30 days of the period of incapacity. The new rules also clarify that “periodic visits to a health care provider” for chronic serious health conditions is at least two visits to a health care provider each year.


• Medical certification process. Employers have up to five business days to request medical certification after receiving an employees FMLA leave notice. Employees must provide medical certification within 15 days after requesting FMLA leave, including foreseeable leave.


• Employer notice requirements. Employers must provide employees with four different notices: general, eligibility, rights and responsibilities, and designation.

The new FMLA regulations will take effect on January 16, 2009. As an employer, you will be required to post a new federal Family and Medical Leave poster and update your FMLA forms to include several new forms contained within the latest regulations.

Before the new FMLA rules go into effect, you should inform your staff about the recent changes and revise your current FMLA policies, procedures and forms to reflect the latest regulations. Remember to post an updated FMLA poster as soon as one becomes available.

For more information, read this FMLA changes Q & A. If you would like to flip through the 700+ pages of the FMLA changes as they appear in the Federal Register, you can read the official document.

Employee recognition ideas on the cheap, it’s easier than you think

Actually, the best employee recognition ideas don’t have to cost anything at all. Forget about big bonuses and expensive gifts, all you have to do is say “thank you” ... and say it often.

According to Bob Nelson, the “guru of thank you” and author of the bestselling 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, organizations must do more to thank employees and show their appreciation often.

“The number one reason people leave their jobs today is that they don’t feel recognized for the job they’re doing,” Bob said in an interview about a year ago with The Power of Goodwill.

Bob, who has worked with such companies as FedEx, Time Warner and IBM, believes that paychecks alone don’t make people happy.

“Peter Drucker, who’s the father of modern management, once said that money is always used initially to reward performance, but in no time at all it becomes an expectation and eventually it becomes an entitlement. People expect to get a raise just for sticking around another year. And in the typical organization, only three per cent of the base pay separates average from outstanding performers; there’s no alignment of compensation around performance. But not everyone gets recognition, and that’s partly why it means so much.”

“You get what you reward,” says Janet Smith from The Power of Goodwill. She expands on the basic management principal, explaining that if you want more outstanding work from an employee “say thank you the very next time that employee performs an iota of outstanding work.”

Do whatever feels right the next time you want to recognize employees and demonstrate appreciation, Janet said. It can be as simple as writing the employee a note, taking them to lunch or acknowledging their work in a staff meeting.

Even when times are tough, employee recognition does not have to suffer along with your budget. According to Bob, it’s usually the times when we need to recognize employees the most is when we tend to do it the least.

With a few modifications, employees will still appreciate signs of recognition, no matter how small the package. There are special considerations to delivering recognition when budgets are strapped and economic situations are tough, Bob said in an article from Harvard Management Update. He offered this example:

“Say you give a team award that used to come with $250 but because you can't afford the $250, you stop giving the team award anymore. I say still give the team award. Say something like, "We've had to drop the financial aspect to hunker down, but it doesn't diminish the value of the job that this team did, especially at this time." When we are up against it, just a word of support, a team lunch, a "hang in there," can go a very long way.”

There are countless ways to show employees you appreciate and value their work. If you need more ideas take a look at an older post on the topic, or check out Bob’s 1001 Ways to Reward Employees.

However you choose to do it, remember to thank your employees and thank them often.

Employee engagement down, how training can help

With businesses across the country suffering under the flailing economy, now is not the time for employee engagement to start deteriorating. Unfortunately, experts say that’s exactly what’s happening.

Employee engagement levels are dropping across the board, revealing that 21% of U.S. workers actively disengaged, according to a recent national study by Modern Survey.

Notably fewer workers feel a strong sense of pride in their companies. Now only about half say they are willing to put in extra effort to help their company succeed and only about half say they intend to stay with their company for a long time.

“You can’t open a newspaper or surf the internet without being bombarded by headlines and stories about the country’s ever-deepening economic troubles. Month after month, we’ve all been learning about the subprime mortgage mess, plummeting property values, foreclosures, layoffs, and the collapse of some of our largest financial institutions. People are spending a lot more time worrying about how to make ends meet than they did just a year or two ago,” said Bruce Campbell, a Senior Consultant at Modern Survey.

Among a long list of unexpected costs, poor employee engagement can lead to unplanned absenteeism, a lack of teamwork, low productivity and damaged morale. Though we can’t do much about the nation’s economy, we can do something to improve employee engagement within our own organizations.


How training can help

Engage employees by providing opportunities where they can improve personal leadership skills. Leadership training gives employees who may be feeling stuck in their current position an outlet to explore the next step and the ambition needed to move up in the company.

Outside training courses and seminars can be expensive and require companies to dole out hundreds of dollars in travel expenses. The best way to keep costs low is to provide in-house employee training and put existing resources to good use.

An employee mentoring program is one low-cost and effective leadership training idea that can help boost employee engagement. Partner employees with managers and executives and have them shadow each other or work on a project together. Both partners will appreciate the change of pace and the employee will pick up valuable, hands-on leadership training that can’t be found at any off-site workshop.

Times are tough right now for everyone. Providing employees with leadership training opportunities will improve engagement and help your business come out on top when the storm clouds pass.


For more employee engagement ideas, check out these related posts:

Incentives and rewards: Now is the time to act

5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy

Corporate volunteering builds teamwork, improves employee retention

Employee incentive ideas on a budget

5 tips of employee training on a tight budget

Friday office humor: Dodgeball at work

Apart from paying new hires to quit, encouraging employees to Tweet and extending their product line to include much more than shoes, there's still another reason why Zappos is one of the most exciting companies to work for - dodgeball.

The popular online shoe company has organized daily dodgeball games to relieve workplace stress and get employees moving during the afternoon. Following strict rules to keep the game "fair, friendly, and safe," employees still have fun interacting with each other through the popular childhood game.

From the Inside Zappos blog:

"As a stress reliever from planning warehouse budgets, making purchases, hiring and handling all benefits paperwork, writing scripts to run site manager, and becoming friends with OSHA; the admin team wants to throw something!!!

They decided to start a friendly game of dodge ball, the all time favorite recess sport! Dodge ball is played daily at 3pm in the upstairs office. What a great work out and stress reliever! Kudos, my friends, and remember... safety first!"

Some first-hand video footage of recess time at Zappos:




Happy Friday!

Employee security training: Spam 101

Security researchers estimate that cyber criminals send between 3,000 and 10,000 unique pieces of malware - viruses and other types of malicious code - a day. The number of attacks on businesses is growing, with the amount of spam in the workplace expected to increase 300% from 2007.

Spam management costs U.S. businesses more than $71 billion annually in lost productivity, about $712 per employee, according to a study released last year by Nucleus Research.

With the rate at which cyber criminals develop malware, security software “really isn’t blocking a heck of a lot,” said Gartner Analyst John Pescatore in a Wall Street Journal article.

As soon as software developers find a way to protect businesses from spam, cyber criminals quickly find a way to get around it.

Until security software works perfectly, there’s only one surefire way for businesses to adapt to internet security problems - training employees on the dangers of spam.

“Make sure individual workers fully understand the value of the data they work with day in and day out, and the techniques that cyber criminals use to try to steal those data. Until then, security software will just be a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” advises Ben Worthen in a WSJ blog.

Sophos, a developer and vendor of security solutions, advises businesses to follow a set of best practices to defend against viruses, spyware and adware:

1. Use anti-virus software. Install anti-virus software on every computer in the office and ensure virus definitions are kept up to date. Also remember to protect computers used by employees working from home.


2. Set filters. Set email filters to block files that often contain malicious code, including EXE, COM, PIF, SCR, VBS, SHS, CHM and BAT file types. Block files with multiple extensions, for example LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.VBS. Route any code sent to your organization through your IT department to check and approve that the files are safe.


3. Educate workers on the latest virus threats. Stay up to date on the latest virus threats and educate employees on the dangers of spam so everyone knows what to look out for.


4. Use firewall protection. Every computer in your organization connected to the outside world should be protected from internet threats with firewalls, including computers used by remote workers.


5. Install the latest software patches. Stay up-to-date on the latest patches issued by software developers that resolve security loopholes and issues.


6. Develop a back-up system. Make regular backups of important work and company data and store it in a safe location, possibly off-site in case of a disaster.


7. Establish an anti-virus policy. Develop a company-wide anti-virus policy as a preventative safety measure. Educate workers on the importance of following the policy and who they should go to with security questions.

For a full overview of how to protect your business from the dangers of malware and viruses in the workplace, read Sophos’ full article on ways to defend against viruses, spyware and adware.


Related posts:

Employee security training: How to catch ‘phish’

Disaster planning: Would your company sink or swim?

Personal productivity training, six simple tips

Productivity. There are a countless number of blogs dedicated to the subject and thousands of books sold everyday on how to get more done in the shortest amount of time, so why is improving personal productivity such a struggle?

Developers create ingenious web applications designed to streamline tasks and boost productivity, but the latest and greatest gadgets on the market can sometimes be the biggest distractions in your day.

Instead of searching for a new gadget to help you get more done, focus on the notion that “less is more” and find simple solutions to improve productivity during your workday.

Use these six simple tips to improve personal productivity:

1. Prioritize. Take a few minutes out of your morning to sit down and list everything you hope to accomplish that day. List those tasks in order, with the highest priority items on top. Knowing your priorities can help you focus on completing the most important work first, without wasting time on unnecessary tasks. Also, keep the list in a prominent place on your desk to keep you focused.


2. Stay on track. As you start each task on your priority list, set an expected deadline to stick to while you work. Putting a time limit on each task will create a sense of urgency, encouraging you to work harder in order to meet your deadline. If you finish a task before you reach the deadline, stop working on it and start on the next thing on your list.


3. Limit distractions. Block out time in your calendar, let calls go to voice mail and don't check your e-mail. Consider setting up certain times of the day to check and respond to e-mail to limit distractions throughout the day. When people come into your cube, be nice, but let them know you're busy and ask if you could help at another time.


4. Disconnect. If possible, leave the office and go somewhere without access to the Internet. Keep your cell phone with you for important calls and let everyone know you’re still available by phone. Limiting your access to the Internet will eliminate a major distraction and help you cross off more items on your to-do list.


5. Make the most of your prime time. Everyone has a certain time of the day when we know we work best. Capitalize on that part of the day when your energy is high and you have a greater ability to think and concentrate. Tackle your most important tasks during your high-productivity time and schedule less important activities at other times of the day.


6. Clear the clutter. Even if you think that your system of “organized chaos” is working, it’s not. The time you spend searching through stacks of folders and papers on your desk takes away from valuable time where you could be getting important tasks completed. When your desk is clean and organized, you’ll feel less stressed and work more efficiently throughout the day.

While the latest gadgets and gizmos on the market promise to improve personal productivity, sometimes disconnecting can be the best way to get more accomplished. When training for productivity, let your audience know that getting back to the basics may be the best remedy for getting more done.


Related posts:

Distracted employees, tips on how to stay focused at work

Incentives and rewards: Now is the time to act

Telecommuting = Productivity, healthy employees, more money

De-stress at work and encourage innovation

Tuesday’s top 6 training links

There’s just too much great advice on training out there right now to break up and cover separately. So, we put it all of the latest information on training and development in a nice little list:

1. When companies hit hard times, employee training and development is one of the first departments to “feel the pain,” says Chris Ferdinandi at the Manager’s Sandbox. Yesterday Chris wrote a great post on how to get started on building a better training program and has two follow-ups planned. Go play in the sandbox and check it out.


2. A few weeks ago we covered a a Wall Street Journal article where UCLA professor Samuel Culbert denounced the effectiveness of performance reviews. Kris Dunn, The HR Capitalist, says “Kill the Performance Review - But Only If Every Manager You Have Can Coach.”


3. Why is it that the “times when you feel like you need training the most are the very times when you feel you can afford it the least?” asks Jason Seiden. He recently wrote a great run-down of the Key Success Factors (KSFs) that could help you reduce training expense without impacting the effectiveness of the program. “When financial capital is tight, human capital has got to be on.” Read the post and find out how to improve your training program.


4. Training during an economic recession can boost your competitive edge, according to Juliette Dennett in an article on TrainingZone out of the UK. When business owners tighten up budgets and put non-essential activities on hold, employee training is usually included. Read the article and learn why right now is the right time to invest in key members of your workforce.


5. Organizations fail to maximize learning retention because of 7 key reasons, including a lack of learner buy-in, poorly defined objectives and a lack of follow-up, according to a recent study by the World of Learning. Simon Cooper at Brilliant Learning breaks down each reason and examines exactly “Why Training Isn’t Working.”


6. Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR recommends checking out the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the troops and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their civilian supporters. Take a minute to check out their list of employment resources for veterans.

From all of us at Training Time on this Veterans Day, we would like to thank all of those serving our country at home and overseas.

Nixed holiday party impacts employee morale

It looks like the trend of canceling holiday parties has spread from under the umbrella of Viacom companies and into Main Street businesses.

Following Viacom’s lead, Morgan Stanley, ABC News and American Express are three of the latest major employers to cancel company holiday parties this year.

The current economic downturn has employers cutting back on end of the year costs by trimming expenses and muting, sometimes canceling, year-end parties.

According to a national survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.:

• 77% of employers are planning holiday parties this year, down from 90% in 2007.
• 13% of employers are cutting their party budget an average of 53%.
• Only 4.3% are increasing party budgets, and increases average only about 5%.

This depressed holiday season will mark a 20-year low in the number of company-sponsored celebrations held, according to a survey by executive search firm Battalia Winston Amrop of more than 100 American leading businesses.

About 37% of businesses said their event has been canceled or scaled down because of the economy, almost double the 19% of companies affected last year, according to the Battalia survey.

Of those companies celebrating the season with a holiday party, the most popular cost-cutting measures include:

• Not serving alcohol or limiting open bar hours
• Not using a caterer or outside party planning service
• Hiring a DJ instead of a live band
• Holding a party in January when rates are less expensive than December
• Limiting the party to employees only
• Holding the party on a workday or near the end of a workday

Even with a strapped budget this holiday season, studies show that simple employee incentive ideas can be just as effective as throwing a lavish party. Companies can improve employee loyalty and increase productivity with simple communication, including telling employees “thank you,” leaving a lighthearted holiday card on the employees’ desk or taking a deserving employee out to lunch.

“Hosting a more low-key or low-budget celebration is better than canceling the party entirely, says Challenger, who advises employers that “these year-end celebrations are an effective way of boosting employee morale, especially in tough economic times.”

With a struggling economy and worried employees, now is not the time to forget about employee appreciation. If your company canceled their end of the year party, or are thinking about it, remember to find other creative ways to recognize employees and spread some holiday cheer.

We would like to know - Is your company having a holiday party this year? Do you have any new ideas for cutting holiday party costs?

Holiday party canceled, two days off instead

It’s beginning to look a lot like that time of year again ... time to start worrying about the office holiday party and what could go wrong this year.

As many companies mull over the typical harassment issues that always seem to go along with office parties, others have found a way to avoid those holiday party problems all together.

This year, Viacom (owner of Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, VH1 and Nickelodeon) is canceling their holiday party and giving employees time off from work instead. While the media giant has been under enormous financial pressure, with layoffs looming, it’s a trend that some in the HR industry support.

“Viacom just sent an internal email to employees telling them that the holiday party is canceled—but everyone gets two extra days of vacation instead! To ‘relax and recharge for the coming year,’” as posted on Gawker.

The only catch is that Viacom employees must be use their two paid days off between December 22 and January 1, but wouldn’t most people enjoy some extra time off during that time anyway?

To many it’s a no-brainer, but we would still like to know what you think. Office holiday party or two days off, which would you choose?

Training trends: Building trust, cutting clutter and cessation solutions

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Do Your Customers Trust You? Five Keys to Building Trust

As the economy continues to struggle, so do the profits and margins of many businesses in the U.S. and across the globe. Customers’ buying behavior has changed and businesses must use trust to develop customer relationships.


Give Your Reader a Break - Cut the Clutter

Work keeps us busy - for most of us, busier than we’d like. We need information, and we need it quickly. Most of us tend to get annoyed when it takes hard work to read a long, wordy business document. Use these tips to give your reader a break and cut the clutter.


The Worst Ideas in Stop Smoking Programs for Employees

employee smoking habits can cost your company big time. Smoking breaks and higher health care costs burn away at your bottom line. What are the best and worst ways to help employees kick the habit for good?

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