18 Dec 2018

Trump: a lesson for leaders by Debra Fraser

Yes, leaders, let’s go there.

But before we do, remember this: We are all students of life, and as leaders, it is crucial for us to lead a learning lifestyle; that practice of learning from everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly. To have times of reflection when you evaluate the bigger picture — causes and effects — so that you can see what changes are required to ensure success. To create smart strategies to break cyclical errors and recognize, even prompt those ‘aha’ moments on how to standardize best practices for sustainable profitability. All of this is learning at the leadership level and forms the basis for continuous improvement in any sphere of life. Your ability or inability to learn impacts you, your teams, and all those within your scope of influence.

So, what then can we learn from The Donald?

Regardless of whether you are a Trump fan or not, one thing is undeniable: his actions and characteristics are nothing shy of incredibly bold! Here’s how Wikipedia defines this characteristic: it is “the quality of having a strong, vivid, or clear appearance”.

Boldness is about the energy and conviction you portray to those around you. It is what draws people’s attention to buy what you are selling. It is Usain Bolt’s jig at the build-up to a 100-metre race, and the swagger in Barack Obama’s walk.

It smells like confidence (though it can be a sign of its deficiency) and thus is prone to popularisation even if it is devoid of integrity, truth, or effectiveness. But even while it may be completely disconnected from values, boldness sill retains its powerful impact.

Let’s jump from one extreme (politics) to the other (religion). The book of Proverbs 28:1 states: “The righteous are as bold as a lion.”

A simple definition of righteous: rightness, or consistently doing what is right, yet another leadership discipline. Regardless of your religious persuasion, this verse is a challenge to leaders – especially middle managers.

Have I chosen the right job that suits my natural gifts, passion and purpose? Am I making the right decisions for my team and company; choosing the longer, tougher path in order to ensure success? Am I doing the ethical thing even when noone is watching? And finally, when I am practising ‘rightness’, am I doing so with boldness? Am I confidently representing what my team is all about; creating my own jig and swagger?

With our Government’s aggressive 2020 economic goals just ahead and in anticipation of the associated learning that will accompany this challenge, let us as leaders become bold about what we are in fact doing right.

Until next time, leaders keep lookin’ up!

Debra Fraser, MBA is CEO of Caribbean HR Solutions; board member of the Business Process Industry of Jamaica; member of the Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica; and member of the Society of Human Resources Management in the US. Please direct comments to dfraser@caribbeanhrsolutions.com

13 Dec 2018

Why you should outsource your recruitment

Recruiting a new member of staff can be a time consuming task and hiring decisions shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to think realistically whether your team have the time an expertise to find the best individual to join your business.

If the answer is no, then you may want to consider outsourcing your recruitment. After all, it is a recruiters job to find the best candidate available, so they will be equipped with the experience and resources to fill the position quickly and efficiently.

If you’re not sure about whether you should outsource your recruitment or not, here are a few reasons it could benefit you.

1) Focus can remain on business

Taking time out to focus on recruiting new employees can result in neglecting your usual job, that could be important to the running of the company. By outsourcing your recruitment, you can leave the job to the recruiter while you attend to your usual business.

2) Improve the quality of hires

You may find that you have trouble finding and recruiting qualified candidates by yourself and this isn’t necessarily a reflection of your company or the salary being offered, and rather an indication that you aren’t searching in the right place. Recruiters are experts at seeking out the best candidates on the market. They know where to look, what qualities to look for in an individual and how best to approach people about a job; making them qualified to speed up the process and improve the quality of hires.

3) Reduce costs

Hiring can be expensive. From the labour required, to posting ads on job boards and conducting background screening, the costs can really mount up quickly. By using a recruitment agency the cost is all rolled into one, so could reduce spending in the long run. Outsourcing recruitment can also save staffing costs of an in-house recruitment team, as well as reducing the chance of losing money to a bad hire.

4) Keep up with demand

Fast growing companies may find it hard to keep up with the recruitment needs and demands that they are facing, as they don’t have the time and resources to manage it in house. Recruitment agencies will be better qualified for handling a high volume of roles at one time, as well as having the advantage of being able to dedicate all of their time to it, rather than juggling it alongside other duties.

5) Reduce turnover rate

A poorly run recruitment process could be to blame for a high turnover rate which can have financial implications for a business, as well a disruptions to productivity and ongoing projects. A high turnover may not necessarily be a reflection on your company in general, as it may just indicate that candidates just aren’t a very good fit for the company, would could come as a result of a poor recruitment process. Recruiters are well practiced in assessing what kind of people will be suitable for a certain role and the company culture, so could assist in placing individuals who are better suited to the business and will stay in the job for longer.

Caribbean HR Solutions are proud to support you in your recruiting outsourcing needs. Call us at 1-876-971-7632 or email sales@caribbeanhrsolutions.com.

Taken from

5 Reasons Why Companies Should Outsource Their Recruitment

04 Dec 2018

Business versus ‘busyness’ at Christmas Time by Debra Fraser

With Christmas fast approaching, everyone is feeling the happy, but hectic crunch of the holiday season. For business leaders, who are people too, this can mean unmanageable stress and even failure as yuletide stress is compounded by spikes in seasonal business — trying to reach end-of-year goals, activate Christmas sales campaigns, and execute last-minute strategies to close the year in the black and not the red (no offence, Rudolph).

Add to this already long list of extra to-dos, the festive responsibilities of house and home — planning social events, family get-togethers, and gift-giving — all of which come with additional costs of time, money, and attention. Hats off to those who have also committed to physical challenges of ‘getting in shape’ for the new year to fit into that dress or suit at the staff holiday party. So much extra pressure! It’s enough to make the ‘Happy Holidays’ feel not so happy.

As leaders, if your load is too heavy, or your mood too low, your entire team feels it, and so do their families. Bear that in mind.

There’s a reason why governments mandate holiday time off. It’s to ensure that “busYness” doesn’t keep people so busy that they don’t get to enjoy life. The responsibility for ensuring this work-life balance lies in the laps of all business leaders.

What’s the difference between business and “busyness”, you ask? Well we all know what business is. So here’s a definition of its first cousin, “busYness”, from the Urban Dictionary. “Busyness” is to have more to do than you can handle.

Leadership advice: just because you ‘see’ that it needs to be done, doesn’t mean it has to be done now. Wise leaders have used November to prioritise only what must be done in December. If you’ve not yet done so, here are examples of things you may be able to nix from December’s objectives:

• Meeting with prospects that are unlikely to purchase

• Internal projects and meetings that can be deferred

• “Helping out” in areas that are outside of your expertise.

 

But in your cutting back, there are key items that must be prioritised. For example:

• Key KPI’s ONLY IF they can reasonably be closed off

• Sales tasks ONLY IF they contribute to new clients or retention

• Reports and special projects ONLY IF they are for your boss(es)

• High-touch social events ONLY IF they serve to strengthen key relationships.

The lists above are not at all comprehensive, but are guidelines towards achieving balance for you and all those you impact. This Christmas, find ways to keep the “I” smack in the middle of Business.

Until next time, leaders keep lookin’ up!

 

Debra Fraser, MBA, is CEO of Caribbean HR Solutions, a board member of the BPIAJ, and a member of the Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica, and Society of Human Resources Management. Please direct comments to dfraser@caribbeanhrsolutions.com or www.caribbeanhrsolutions.com

29 Nov 2018

Improving Candidate Experience

Let’s face it – The hiring process is stressful for both sides. The job seeker is putting their talents and career future on the line, which is a vulnerable place to be. The organization is investing considerable resources in hopes of finding a star in the making. This is important stuff.

 And yet far too many organizations make a mess out of the candidate experience in the recruiting process. This is astonishing and just plain self-destructive.

In other words, a good candidate experience is brilliant marketing for an organization; a bad one is an ongoing black eye for people interested in your employer brand. Devastating as that is, this fact is even worse: a bad hiring experience may cause the right applicant to turn down the job. Top talent has no desire to work in a disrespectful organization with leaders who simply don’t care about the recruiting process.

Savvy organizations turn HR into a powerhouse marketing and recruiting tool. Here are some steps you can take to follow their lead:

1) Walk in the job seeker’s shoes. We’ve all been job seekers at some point in our careers. As you design or improve your hiring process, keep the applicant experience front and center at all times. Yes, this is about fulfilling your organization’s needs, but the more you understand and design the process from the applicant’s point of view, the more successful you will be. Role-playing can be invaluable here. Have a team member play an applicant as you design each step of your process.

2) Communicate. Remember that disgraceful statistic: over 70 percent of online applicants never even get a form reply. This is often a symptom of dysfunctional Leadership and HR; it violates the rules of common human courtesy and smart communication. You must explain every step of the hiring process to an applicant. Always meet the deadlines and markers you have established. If for some unforeseeable reason, you’re unable to, communicate that swiftly and directly to the applicant. Stay transparent and honest all the way through.

3) Bring employees in the process. Jobs don’t exist in a vacuum. You want to hire people who are going to mesh with your culture. The best way to ensure this is to seek employee input in designing and implementing your hiring. A fresh pair of eyes can sometimes provide just the insight you’re seeking. And consider having promising candidates meet with their possible future teammates to gauge workplace culture fit. Too many HR departments want to guard their culture against the world. That’s a mistake. Moliere once said: “I take my good where I find it.” He’s one smart guy.

4) Personalize the recruiting process. You’ve heard me say it again and again: when it comes organizations and their people, one size fits no one. You want a hiring process that has built-in flexibility, not rigid rules. Some of the best talent is idiosyncratic, eccentric and maybe even a bit weird (exhibit A: Steve Jobs). The last thing you want is a process that eliminates stellar talent for bureaucratic reasons. Yes, a college degree is nice, but is it really the key determinant of an applicant’s future performance? Methinks not.

Hiring lies at the very heart of HR and Leadership. When candidates are hired after a positive experience, they hit the ground running, their commitment to your organization having been nurtured and strengthened during every step of the process. When candidates aren’t hired, they walk away feeling respected and appreciated, and are far more likely to recommend other talent look into your organization. This is world-class HR. And you can make it happen!

 

Read more

https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/12/08/5-tips-for-a-winning-candidate-experience/#6ef020891ee5

15 Nov 2018

The Cost of Payroll Errors

Processing payroll is a critical aspect to your company. Employees want to assured that payroll is being properly calculated and that they are paid on time or production can be affected. There are many ways both indirectly and directly that payroll errors can prove to be costly for your company. Here are a few

Time (Labour) spent on correcting errors

Every payroll error that is made MUST be corrected. The payroll has to be accurate for taxation and recording purposes. The employee must be paid what they are due. That means that the time that that employee could have been doing something else is now spent correcting errors which in some cases can take more time to do that than the payroll had initially taken.

Interest and Penalties From Payroll Errors

It is important to ensure that your payroll calculations are in compliance with the law. Failure to do so can result in interest and additional penalties being enforced by the government.

Loss of Employee Trust due to late or short payments

Employees expect to be paid accurately and on time. When paychecks are late or short they will affect the lives of the employees. Employees will become dissatisfied with the company which can result in lower productivity and absence.

Cost of rehiring due to payroll error turnover

When payroll errors occur, particularly when they occur more than once, some employees will decide to leave the company. Companies must at that point seek to replace these employees which will incur additional costs in recruiting, interviewing and training.

 

Caribbean HR Solutions, as a payroll outsourcer, can aid in preventing payroll errors. Their experienced payroll staff will manage your payroll processes; making payroll seem easy. You can save time and money in your payroll process. Contact us at 1-876-971-7632 or email at sales@caribbeanhrsolutions.com.

08 Nov 2018

The Foundations of a Leadership Succession Plan

It’s the circle of life, enterprise style.

Eventually, your managers, directors and even senior executives will have to hand the reigns over to the next wave of leaders.

It’s inevitable, much like death and taxes. However, the question is whether you should start recruiting externally or look in-house for talent that could step up to the plate. Although it’s not the answer in every situation, promoting internally has several advantages:

●      New leaders are already familiar with your organization’s culture, priorities and goals.

●      Subordinates may trust a familiar face more than an outsider.

●      You can save on the costs associated with external recruitment.

●      The transition process can begin earlier, facilitating a smooth transfer of knowledge.

●      Career progression opportunities may assist with retaining valued employees.

To prepare new leaders and create a talent pipeline, organizations can take a strategic approach that begins long before leaders make their exit. A strong succession plan leverages reliable information about workers’ strengths, career ambitions and potential to prepare the next generation of leaders in anticipation of workforce changes.

The value of strong succession planning 

Succession strategies serve as a linchpin in an organization’s ongoing success. According to the Institute of Executive Development (IED) and Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance, a few tactical shifts could help many organizations more fully leverage the value of succession planning, turning it into a value-add process, instead of a reactive one.

The IED and Stanford University asked directors and executives at 20 enterprises about their organization’s leadership development strategies. Based on their discussions, they suggested enterprises take the following steps to bolster their plans:

●      Correlate the skill sets required to run their organizations and the individuals capable of acquiring those abilities.

●      Implement succession plans as ongoing and comprehensive leadership development initiatives, not just risk management measures.

●      Connect talent management with succession planning, providing valuable insight into what sort of capabilities potential leaders could bring to the table.

Stanford’s David Larcker noted that strong leadership is critical to the long-term success of each organization, emphasizing the value of taking a holistic, integrated and proactive approach.

“Research shows that companies with sound succession plans tend to do better,” he said.

The foundations of a successful succession plan

Succession plans are driven by information regarding an organization’s direction, operations and workforce. Developing leadership preparation programs can be broken down into a three-step process:

1. Assess objectives that will lead to the organization’s future success. Deloitte noted that understanding which elements support their organization’s continuity helps stakeholders identify the best way forward.

2. Determine how the organization can adjust operations, reposition investments and establish processes to achieve predefined goals. Executives should also observe how an organization’s culture influences day-to-day transactions, as attitudes and perspectives impact employee commitments.

3. Identify talent capable of nurturing endeavors that will lead to the organization’s success. This goes beyond measuring each worker’s performance, also pinpointing which prospects are capable of meeting future needs.

Once decision makers reach the last step, they can take calculated actions to mentor, train and develop the leaders they’re looking for. Organizations should take employees’ career goals into consideration, holding conversations from early stages and investing in their professional development. This kind of commitment and communication also increases employee engagement and retention.

Beyond leadership development

Although there are natural-born leaders in the professional landscape, some individuals may not have the background and experience of outside candidates, but do have the potential to learn and thrive. A talent analytics solution may identify these prospects, enabling the current leadership to take them under its wing.

Succession planning lays a firm foundation for a strong future. But its value can be felt both now and in the future. A robust, comprehensive approach that develops staff and recognizes strong performance also inspires confidence and job satisfaction, raising the potential of the workforce as a whole and retaining key talent. As such, the right data and tools can be incredibly powerful agents of meaningful, lasting change to invigorate the entire organization…while preparing for those leadership changes.

Read full article

https://blog.shrm.org/blog/the-foundations-of-a-leadership-succession-plan

05 Nov 2018

Return of The Invisible Man by Debra Fraser

Anyone over age 50 may remember the television series from the 1960s, The Invisible Man. It’s the story of British scientist Peter Brady who, while working on an invisibility formula, suffers a tragic accident and inadvertently turns himself invisible. Eventually, Peter uses the tragic illness for good and becomes an unbeatable superhero — a fantastic ending for every show. Sadly, however, in the real world of work, being invisible is an all too common experience for many staff members. And the endings for them? Well, not so fantastic.

Take Mark, for example. He spent the last year formulating new marketing reports to measure the effectiveness of his company’s client retention efforts. His efforts jump-started a 35 per cent increase in retention figures in just one year. Walking by the coffee station at work, he overhears an executive speaking with his boss, “Ask the guy who does the reports to print a few copies for the office.” The “guy”? He winced. Despite his year-long efforts he still wasn’t seen as a person… just as another spoke in the corporate wheel.

People just want to be seen, zeen?

They need to be seen, acknowledged by their peers, and mostly by their bosses. Recognition is the simple discipline of seeing people — not just what they do or their results, but who they are. And this is personal. Most companies take the short cut approach in attempting to check this box by running employee of the month, tenure, and service awards programmes. They are called “programmes” because they are programmed into the regular schedule of company events. To go further, there are now recognition companies specialising in automating these programmes so that at the click of a button one manager (usually in-sourced to the HR manager) can pull names from a productivity report, load them into a recognition system and voila! Instant recognition programme! No genuine human connection required. It can be almost, well… inhumane.

Interesting stats: 50 per cent of satisfaction comes from an employee’s relations with his/her supervisor. Seventy nine per cent of staff who leave the organisation do so due to a lack of recognition or appreciation. And a whopping two-thirds of employees report receiving no recognition for good work in the past year. They are invisible.

Recognition coming directly from the direct supervisor is the most valued ingredient in motivating and retaining employees. As an HR outsourcer my company provides significant value to companies who outsource their non-core functions to us, such as payroll, HR programming, engagement surveys. But outsourcing — or in-sourcing — the personal side of any core business process is NEVER a good practice.

Effective leaders practise a daily habit of recognising the employees behind the work and express gratitude, continuously. They bring the so-called invisible people into full view.

Until next time, leaders, keep lookin’ up!

Debra Fraser, MBA is CEO of Caribbean HR Solutions, a board member of the BPIAJ, and a member of the Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica and Society of Human Resources Management. Please direct comments to dfraser@caribbeanhrsolutions.com or www.caribbeanhrsolutions.com

01 Nov 2018

Can Psychometric Assessments help me find the right person for the job?

Choosing the right person for the job has long been a problem that many employers have struggled to address. Poor selection may have disastrous consequences for both the employee and the organisation. From the organisation’s perspective, the cost of hiring and training an inappropriate candidate can be very high in terms of lost productivity and revenue, reduced efficiency, increased absenteeism, reduced morale, the cost of the selection process itself and the cost of retraining new personnel. From the employee’s perspective, being selected for the “wrong” job may have consequences ranging from loss of motivation, reduced job satisfaction, increased work stress, failure to progress in their career, to more clinical manifestations such as depression and anxiety.

Employers have attempted to resolve the selection problem by using a variety of methods to aid selection accuracy. However, over the years many of these have been “faddish” and lacking in predictive validity. Today, methods such as hand writing analysis, astrology and reliance upon written references (that inevitably praise the candidate) have given way to more valid methods.

Numerous studies have shown that modern psychometric assessment is one of the most valid predictors of future job performance. With increasing frequency, employers are now turning to psychometric testing to aid in selection decisions as well as evaluation of personnel.

Why use psychometric assessments?

  • Objectivity – good psychometric assessments are standardised on a large sample and provide normative data across a wide range of demographics and age cohorts. Well selected tests will allow you to demonstrate talents that may otherwise not be evident.
  • Validity – psychometric assessments are a more valid method than interviews, academic achievement & reference checks, and when utilised in combination (for example in an assessment centre) are highly predictive of future job performance.
  • Cost – the cost of selection errors is large for both the employer and the employee. Psychometric assessments help to minimise costs while maximising potential fit between the candidate and the job.

So what exactly is psychometric assessment?

A tool to aid in the candidate selection and decision making process.

Psychometric tests do not and should not stand alone as the only selection method.

Psychometric tests are carefully developed for specific purposes and need to be utilised for the purpose for which they were intended. The tests used in the selection setting are purpose designed to help fit your talents, personality and attributes to a job that suits you. They are not designed to reveal your innermost secrets or uncover confidential information about you.

Reputable tests have undergone rigorous research before being released, and published technical manuals provide research evidence of their reliability and validity for specific purposes.

Caribbean HR Solutions are proud to be a provide support with Psychometric Assessments and all other support for your hiring needs. For more information contact us at 1-876-971-7632 or email us at sales@caribbeanhrsolutions.com.

25 Oct 2018

Talent Assessment Skills Every Hiring Manager Should Have

Having worked with many Hiring managers across different functions I have seen that most of them, especially new managers are not comfortable in interviewing candidates. Bringing the best people onto the team was always on top of their mind, yet not having the key talent assessment skills gets them in trouble in establishing the best team.

I must say, some of them got the help of HR to do a collaborative interview with the candidate. So HR can focus on the people side of it, understand the right fit by asking behavioural questions and measuring things that are linked to the culture fit. And Hiring managers can focus on asking those questions that are job oriented and measuring competencies that are required for the success of those positions.

But eventually, they knew In order to make a great hiring decision and become a  successful hiring manager they need to master the key Talent Assessment skills. Focus on what really matters the most. And here are those!

Talent Assessment Skills Every Hiring Manager Should Have

Look past the skills and hire for potential

It is easy to check the box and know that candidates have all the skills required to do the job. Most managers focus on skills and competencies because they want somebody to be onboard immediately without spending much time and investment in training or mentoring. Forgetting the fact that in the long run the future needs of a business could be different and the skills and experience that you focus currently might become obsolete tomorrow.

A successful hiring manager knows that skills can be taught and they need to look past the skills and hire the talent that has the potential to grow. The ability to adapt to the future needs of business, a positive attitude towards change and an urge to succeed cannot be overlooked with some laundry list of skills set.

Link behaviors into the cultural values

You have heard it many times that it is all about asking behavioral questions. But it can be tricky sometimes. Especially when you deal with an ‘interview-trained’ candidates who know what to say, how to say it and how to impress you. They might be good in interviews but they might not be a good job performer when they are put under real job circumstances with other team members.

So know what you are looking for and frame your questions around it. Are you looking for someone who can collaborate with diverse team or someone who can represent your award winning customer service? Know what behaviour really matters for someone to succeed in your organization and for a particular role. Ask a question on how he responded to specific tough situations and continue to probe furthermore on what he says. One story to another, one experience to another, you should be able to dig deep into his past behavior in various situations.

Figure out if his past behavior is an accepted behavior in your organization and in line with your organization’s values. Asking the right questions that unfold the behavior of a candidate can help you understand if he holds some of the personal values that are similar to the organizational values.

 

Read full article

http://nisharaghavan.com/talent-assessment-skills-every-hiring-manager/

 

22 Oct 2018

Managing the workplace zombie by Debra Fraser

“I see dead people”. At work. Duppies, zombies, ghosts, whichever term you prefer. People who are there but not really there…or are they? (Cue spooky music…).

Workplace zombies are those who are disengaged from their companies and their jobs, but still show up for work. They clock-in and clock-out. Present in body but not in spirit; listlessly satisfying the requirements or ‘letter’ of the job, but avoiding any spirited connection with the company’s purpose, mission and people. They were once ‘fully human’, bringing their energy, ideas, and genuine loyalty to their place of work and teams. So what happened to them? What force sapped the life out of these formerly productive souls?

Reasons

As a research project of interest, I had my team conduct a survey to find out what drives individuals to jump off the bridge into zombie-ism. Here are some of the common reasons:

• “The company doesn’t care about me”

This sentiment is voiced by workers who held the company in high esteem when they first joined the organisation. Over time, however, an event or series of events occurred in which the employee’s high expectations were not met. For example, a manager fails to respond fairly or compassionately to an employee’s legitimate personal crisis or need. The employee disengages, emotionally, but due to the monetary rewards, continues to show up to work.

 

• “I don’t like the type of job I’m in”

Here, the employee accepted the job, and after some time, discovered that it does not fit his/her natural abilities and expectations. Due to the unavailability of a ‘better’ job, the employee disengages, mentally, but continues to show up to work until a new opportunity, or funds to attend training for the new opportunity, presents itself.

• “I’m not rewarded fairly for my job”

Here, the individual believes that the pay received is not commensurate with the work performed, so in short, they are being ripped off. Disengagement occurs and ‘another one bites the dust’.

Why should companies care about zombie-ism or seek to combat it? Because it costs them, literally! Several studies have shown that disengaged workers, similar to sick workers (google “Presenteeism”), who still come in to work perform at a slower pace, make more errors, and negatively impact the productivity of their coworkers. The net result is that the company would be more profitable if both sick and disengaged workers stayed home until they were well, or resurrected!

The discussion on workplace zombies continues this week as the Jamaica Business Development Commission hosts its annual Employee Engagement Conference, an event where hundreds of Jamaica’s CEOs and decision-makers meet to discuss the causes, impact and responses of having an engaged workforce.

Debra Fraser MBA, is CEO of Caribbean HR Solutions, and is a board memberof the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica, and a member ofthe Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica as well as theSociety of Human Resources Management. Please direct comments todfraser@caribbeanhrsolutions.com or www.caribbeanhrsolutions.com