Are your Employees Engaged?

Five years ago, The Gallup Organization began creating a feedback system for employers that would identify and measure elements of worker engagement most tied to the bottom line--things such as sales growth, productivity and customer loyalty.

After hundreds of focus groups and thousands of interviews with employees in a variety of industries, Gallup came up with the Q12, a 12-question survey that identifies strong feelings of employee engagement. Results from the survey show a strong correlation between high scores and superior job performance. Here are those 12 questions:

1. Do you know what is expected of you at work?
2. Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
3. At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
7. At work, do your opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
9. Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
10. Do you have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
12. In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Reprinted with permission. Copyright 1992-1999 The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ. All rights reserved. Gallup and Q12 are registered trademarks of The Gallup Organization.

As a small business owner or manager, you may be asking yourself how to find the time to keep your employees engaged. It is not as difficult as you might think and may be the most important step to improving your bottom-line.

Here are some easy steps to take.
1. Develop job descriptions for each job. Be sure to work with your employees in development.
2. Use these job descriptions as the basis of a performance evaluation system. By scheduling these every six months you will be sure that your employees continue to focus on their top priorities.
3. Hold weekly staff meetings. They do not need to be long, but this is a great way to ensure that everyone stays up-beat and gets regular praise and direction.

Remember, People Wise is here to help. Check out our site at www.pwhrm.com.

U.S. Workers Underpaid??

According to a Gallup Poll, 51% of workers in the U.S. feel that they are underpaid!

The poll found that 51 percent of workers claimed they are underpaid for the work they do, compared with 46 percent of workers who say they are paid about the right amount for the work they do.

Three percent of workers admitted that they think they are overpaid for the work they do.

Among those who earn less than $75,000, 62 percent of respondents said they are underpaid, compared with 38 percent of workers who earn $75,000 or more.

Women (55 percent) were more likely than men (47 percent) to say they are underpaid for the work they do.

Gallup conducted the poll via telephone with 557 full-time and part-time workers.
Source: Gallup Poll.

How is your workforce doing??

If your workforce is less than fully engaged, People Wise (http://www.pwhrm/) can help. It has been shown time and time again that "salary" is not the biggest motivator for most employees. Some of the biggest pushers for employee engagment are clear expectations and goals, an environment of continuous learning, and individual recognition. Many programs that foster these, can be put in place with very little investment.

Solutions such as Online Employee Training, Development of Employee Recognition Programs, Employee Assessments, and Compensation Structure Analysis can be found today on http://www.pwhrm.com/ or by calling 816-858-7300!

Gen Y - Success of Bust!

What is happening to the workforce? Where’s the work ethic? Doesn’t any body want to work? If you are like most business leaders and owners I work with, you've no doubt noticed a trend in the way the “younger” employees have been behaving in recent years. Most likely, you consider it a negative trend; too much entitlement, not enough loyalty, no work ethic, only interested in them self, and not willing to make a sacrifice.

Unless you live in total isolation, you have heard of and recognize this segment of the workforce is known as Generation Y. Bottom line, this group has been in the workforce long enough to understand, and have key priorities identified. Research by numerous groups and individuals has resulted in a consistent top three things this segment is looking for from an employer; a positive environment, interesting work, and probably the most important: the opportunity for continuous learning.

Considering the cost of turnover -- which is dependent on the source and position being filled, three months wages to 200% of an annual salary; ouch -- there are retention strategies that make sense. As a Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior Consultant, I tell you, give them what they want!

Before you shoot me or discredit my perspective, consider the options and return on investment.

Positive Environment – How is this achieved? Clearly defined duties, candid and timely feedback documented in a formal evaluation or appraisal process, recognition, and reward for their efforts. The cost associated with these items is far less that three months wages.

Interesting Work – This is perhaps the most difficult of the three considerations to address. Making of widgets falls slightly short of rocket science or 3-D computer programming. However, if the right person is selected using job fit job match and professionally developed assessment, success is achievable. Also, employee retention and productivity will be the result when the other considerations are achieved.

Continuous Learning – Creating an opportunity for continuous learning through training and development programs has more potential today than at any time in the past. Online training programs are affordable and offer quality content in a wide variety of topics. Taking advantage of this type of resource is also an excellent risk mitigation strategy. Due diligence and good faith efforts in such areas as harassment prevention and diversity carry validity or recognition by various government and state agencies.

Reducing turnover by 20% or a couple employees per year, along with increased productivity from tenure and experience will add significantly to the company’s customer satisfaction, success, and profits. Consider the adage; you have to spend money to make money. Invest in your most valuable asset, your human capital, and watch the returns.


Kevin Robinson is the President and Senior Consultant for People Wise, a Kansas City based Human Resource Management Consulting and Solutions Firm. In addition, Kevin is an instructor of Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Human Resource Management,

Ten Commandments to Work by...

I am not really sure where this originated but I really enjoyed these 10 Commandments to Work by. I hope you do to.


1. Thou shalt honor thyself. Your brain can process 100 trillion instructions per second while using the equivalent of just 12 watts of power. Your heart beats 100,000 times per day, carrying your blood some 12,000 miles (19,000 km). You're built to imagine, create, communicate, and love. If you do nothing else today, sit back in awe of yourself.

2. Thou shalt be true to thyself. Only one person has your portfolio of experience, know-how, skills, and style attributes. You're in charge of putting it to work without compromise. If you need inspiration, consider Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Edison. All of these greats -- and many more -- enriched the world by rejecting conformity and making the most of their differences.

3. Thou shalt speak up. When you have a good idea, share it. When you have a question, ask it. When you need help, say so. When your help is needed, offer it. When you see a scene of disrespect, step forward and set things right. When you envision a better future, put it in spoken word. Your voice needs to be heard.

4. Thou shalt strive to simplify. Whenever people congregate, they tend to overcomplicate. That explains those countless workplace rules, objectives, projects, deadlines, and meetings. It's up to you to challenge the raging routine. Take a fresh look at your schedule, and eliminate every activity that seems important but isn't. An action is either mission-driven or mere motion. Keep the former, ditch the latter.

5. Thou shalt assume the best. Few people wake up and declare: "I'm going to make this a horrible day. I'm going to foul things up and make life miserable for my co-workers." No, most people want good days in which they use their know-how, exercise their creativity, and make a positive contribution. Assume and expect the best...and that's what you'll get.

6. Thou shalt fix processes, not people. It's tempting to blame that missed deadline or fouled-up project on Debbie, Dan, or some other nearby human punching bag. But the fact is, problems almost always occur because of process issues, not people. So cut Debbie and Dan some slack -- and enlist their help in analyzing and improving the flow of activities that make up the process.

7. Thou shalt serve a greater purpose. Henry David Thoreau lived 150 years ago, but his words seem especially relevant in today's Blackberried world: "It is not enough to be busy -- so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" Nor is it enough to have a mission statement that lies forgotten. What's needed is a heartfelt mission that gives meaning to all the work-related busyness. What's yours?

8. Thou shalt be interested. Want to be interesting? Then be interested -- in people, processes, clients, customers, competitors, and more. Open your eyes a bit wider. Be more curious. Seek new challenges. Start more conversations. Make a point of asking questions rather than making statements. Turn your work world, and the larger world, into your own lifelong school.

9. Thou shalt honor time away from work. You're more than an employee. You're more than the sum of your tasks. You're a human being, not a human doing. Treat yourself accordingly by rounding out how you spend your time. Balance your time at work with time at home, outdoors, in the community, and elsewhere. You'll recharge your battery while gaining new insights and perspectives that inform your work.

10. Thou shalt be thine own best manager. Guess who's in charge of you. Hint: It's not your boss, your boss's boss, or anyone else. The sooner you take responsibility for your own happiness and fulfillment, the sooner you'll achieve it.

For information about Employee Training, Stress Management, Conflict Resolution, and Team Building check out People Wise at www.pwhrm.com